"You insolent child, you can't do this to me."
"I think that I can."
"You are making an enormous mistake! What would you be without me?"
"Much more than I am now. My only mistake was not realizing sooner what a hindrance your presence is."
"Wait, wait. We can compromise..."
"Bargaining now, are we? It's a shame your last words had to be so undignified."
The wind tore at both of them as Cloud sped down the highway. Yuffie's arms slackened around Cloud's waist as the road seemed to raise up and blur in the summer heat, coiling like a snake.
"Geez, you think you could slow down fifty miles or so?" Yuffie put a hand up to mouth and rolled her eyes. Cloud only seemed to speed up and Yuffie's vision blurred as her nausea increased. She grabbed Cloud's shoulders and spoke as clearly as she could into his ear. "If you don't slow down, I will totally barf on you." That got his attention and he pulled over to the side of the road, looking quite angry. He silently cursed Tifa and her eyelashes.
He put the kick stand down and thrust a bottle of water into her hands.
"Drink it, it'll make you feel better." Yuffie frowned at his attitude.
"No really? I've only had motion sickness my whole life..."
"Just drink it." Yuffie bit the top off.
"Fine, you don't have to get so pushy." She drank and sat on the ground, leaning back against the bike.
"I knew this wasn't a good idea." He watched her impatiently. "I should have remembered your motion sickness." Yuffie stood up to quickly and wobbled on her feet, sloppily propping her hands up on her hips.
"Excuse me, but if you didn't decide to do...like, one twenty we wouldn't be here. Besides this only happens like this when I get aggravated."
"What could you possibly be aggravated about?" He raised one blonde eyebrow and stared off into the distance as if he expected Kadaj to just come running by. Yuffie looked away at the question, finding she didn't at all like the answer. Obviously that bastard had something to do with it. Kadaj could always aggravate the hell out of her, even when dead, or in this case, suddenly alive again and who knows where. She couldn't believe it, thinking back to the movement in the flower field and the sun in her eyes. She realized it had been him. They had come so close in that instant... Yuffie found Cloud's eyes glued on her when she came out of it. No matter how many times she told herself she didn't care, something told her otherwise.
"Uh...you."
"Me?"
"Yeah...you. You could be more courteous you know!" Cloud pulled the kickstand up.
"I really don't have time for this." Yuffie was already not in the greatest mood and definitely not going to tolerate his sass.
"So what? Your going to just go speed off to who knows where, while Kadaj is on foot?" Yuffie blanched.
"How did you know he was on foot?"
"I...guessed. No big deal. But anyway, do you honestly think you're going to find him like this? We'll just pass him at this rate." Cloud looked as if he was giving some thought to her words, it was the most sense he'd ever heard her make. He just didn't want a replay of the years before, he really thought that if he nipped it in the bud he could stop it.
"Hello? Hello!?" Yuffie waved him out his head.
"You're right." Yuffie beamed.
"Thanks, I know. Now my next ingenious plan is to go home, have some lemonade watch some tv..." Cloud gave her an incredulous look.
"No, we're going after him." Yuffie's mouth fell open, no, no the plan was to avoid coming into contact with the silver haired menace. Find him? Pfft, no way. She didn't want to see his face ever again. She didn't even care to know why he was back. She was totally over it, over him. He could go about his business and she would go about hers. But what if his business is killing the planet? Yuffie crossed her arms, of all times to have a conscience. Did she go to the planet with her problems? No siree. The planet could just take care of itself for once.
For a very strange second that made her feel just as she had in that moment, she thought of the mess of feathers on her bed. There was that. All the questions she'd wanted to ask him. Like, what was all that kissing or touching about if he was going to kill her anyway? She had wanted her revenge. But now she was happy not caring, anything else, be it wonder or vengeance brought her back to that vulnerability she never wanted to feel again.
"Go after him, but we-"
"You were right, I'll retrace my steps at a slower speed and you can look for him on foot."
"Wait no! That is not what I meant!"
"We can't let him escape."
"What's this 'we' business?"
"Yuffie..."
"Cloud I'm serious, I won't-" He sighed.
"You can do what ever you want, but we can't waste anymore time. You can either get back on with me, go after him on foot, or stay here." Yuffie was flabbergasted.
"You'd just leave me here?"
"Yuffie, do you understand what this could mean?"
"Don't talk to me like a child, I know exactly what it means."
"It means the planet is in possible jeopardy again. If he gets away, anything can happen. Do you understand that?" Cloud said, obviously irritated.
"Yeah but-"
"We're wasting time."
"It might be a twin from like, a distant galaxy or s-"
"You watch far too much tv Yuffie. The chances-"
"The chances are about the same as three Sephiroth look-alikes appearing out of no where to kill the planet, don't you think?. Now tell me I watch too much tv." Cloud stopped for a moment, she had a point. There really was no way of knowing everything for sure. But there was one thing he did know, that it had definitely been Kadaj.
"He could be bait or something." Yuffie smiled, she was seriously on a roll today. Cloud sighed.
"Yeah, he might be. But what other choice do I have but to take it?"
"I'm telling you, the lemonade is waiting in Tifa's bar..." Cloud gave her strange look.
"Why...are you trying so hard to avoid this?" The question seemed to come to him slowly and Yuffie raised her eyes to his just as slow. The question caught her completely off guard, and she fidgeted under the perceptiveness she felt in his question, the suspicion. She didn't like it at all.
"I'm not. I just..."
"Are you alright?" he asked in that intense way he had about him. It bothered her.
"Of course I am! I don't know why you'd think I wasn't! I'd take him down any day!"
"Then get on, I'll take you farther back so that you have a better chance of catching up with him. It shouldn't be too hard, he's injured."
"Injured?"
"Yeah. Call me if you spot him, don't let him see you." Cloud almost smiled. "Put those ninja skills you always brag about to use."
Kadaj emerged from the field of flowers, nearly out of breath. He picked the petals out of his hair and took on a much slower pace, trying to catch his breath and maybe figure out where he was. Something about this place was incredibly familiar...Kadaj sped up the pace and not bothering to worry about the mysterious wound above his heart as it reopened. He shed the bandages and continued on. Sure enough, Kadaj started to see the pale glow of his destination, unwittingly holding his breath. The Forgotten Capital. It was still as he remember it and with a start he realized he'd really expected his brothers to be here. But they weren't, and he didn't think they ever would be. His mother wasn't talking to him either, he couldn't even feel her presence.
He really was alone. At least that's what he thought.
"Hey. You're that guy." Kadaj snapped his head up to see a little girl. Had she been among the crowd that year ago? "My papa said you were dead." The girl covered her mouth. "You're not a ghost are you?" Kadaj was silent, impartial. At least until the little girl poked him. He glared at her and she pull her finger back quickly. "You don't feel like a ghost. Are you in a bad mood?"
"Leave me alone brat." The girl went to poke him again and he grabbed her hand. "Try it again and I'll break your little fingers." The girl pouted.
"That's not nice."
"If you continue to pester me, I will be a lot more that not nice."
"You're mean." despite her declaration she sat down on the ground with him. Kadaj looked at her strangely.
"Are you hard of hearing ch-"
"I don't have Geostigma anymore." Kadaj was silenced. "I remember when you tried to help us." The girl was obviously still very uninformed. If she knew anything at all she would know that he hadn't been trying to help them at all. And that his version of healing back then had been a bit backwards.
"So, I know you're not really so bad." Kadaj looked ahead, to see a silhouette working father off. The girl followed his gaze.
"Oh, that's my Papa. He's collecting things for the shop. I don't know what though, all I see are dirt and rocks. He doesn't know I'm here, I was supposed to stay in the car." Kadaj raised an eyebrow.
"Car?"
Yuffie had been sulking through the woods, cursing and muttering when she came across the pair. She immediately hid behind one of the white barked trees, cursing fate for leading her to Kadaj. From the moment she had gotten back on that stupid bike she knew that of course it'd be her that would find him. Just because she could never ever catch a break.
He hadn't really changed at all, except he looked strangely older. Worn maybe. Obviously his injury had something to do with it, but his energy was different. That and he was talking to random little girls in abandoned forest patches. Weird. Then she heard the girl mention a car and she knew that little girl and father would most likely end up stranded. And...she was right. Kadaj got up and moved fairly quickly for someone injured, Yuffie noted, managing to get the father by the throat and get him to give up his keys with a sword to the face.
Yuffie followed Kadaj on a different route behind the trees, spying the pick up truck beside the road. Kadaj got in and started up the engine, sparing one last glance at the girl clinging to her father's leg. So, I know you're not really so bad. He rolled his eyes and started up the engine, oblivious to the ninja who'd slipped into the back.
The whole time she was rolling around underneath the tarp covering the back, Yuffie wondered why she didn't just pretend she didn't see anything. She wondered why she hadn't called Cloud yet. She thought the whole thing was completely nuts and wondered how she managed to get herself into it. And she knew that this was just the beginning. It wasn't long before the rolling around and rumbling of the engine started to get to her. Her motion sickness kicked up again and she tried to hold on until the car stopped, but she just couldn't. Her head started to pound, her palms were too sweaty to hold on to anything and before she knew it her world was going black, as her motion sickness took complete hold of her in what might've been the worst place possible.
Kadaj was oblivious to her presence as he drove on, his driving not the best. But he knew the basics and he went on, thinking about what he was to do now. Maybe look for his brothers...
He needed some sort of medical attention, but that wouldn't be too hard. He could easily get his hands on the supplies he needed. And he needed a place a to stay. The prospect of living alone without the usual presences in his life he was used to left him feeling very strange though and he gripped down on the steering wheel angrily as it dawned on him that he had no purpose whatsoever.
A light rain started up and Kadaj drove on, until something in the middle of the road made him slam the break down in surprise. There was silver hair and bright green eyes that burned right through the darkness of the early evening. Kadaj could stop himself from smiling as he hurried out of the car and ran to the figure. He was so happy, so relieved to know he was alone after all, until...
His steps came to a rapid halt and the smile dissolved off of his face. The wind picked up and the air was heavy and humid in his nose as the curtain of silver danced around in the air, shimmering like magnesium ribbons in a the middle of a war zone. Kadaj stepped back.
"No..." This really had to be a joke. The man smiled.
"Well well well. Finally we meet in the flesh." Kadaj narrowed his eyes.
"You're supposed to be dead." He said gritting his teeth.
"So are you." Sephiroth let his smile fall.
"Coexistence, Sephiroth. But how did you..?"
"Coexistence Kadaj, implies more than one." Kadaj was stricken.
"But not with you, I thought-"
"Who else would you coexist with?" His tone was mocking, like always.
"But I-" Sephiroth approached him.
"What? Not happy to see your dear brother?"
"Get away from me." Kadaj headed to the truck and Sephiroth followed.
"I'm afraid that's not possible." Kadaj stopped, but didn't turn around. "Now that you know I'm here, I can't have you spreading the news." This time Kadaj did turn around.
"Who would I spread it to, Sephiroth? Even if there was someone to tell, I wouldn't. Do what you will, but do it on your own."
"Nothing is ever that simple little brother. I have plans for this planet. Again we will have to come together, to take what is rightfully ours." Kadaj shook his head.
"It's over Sephiroth. We failed." Sephiroth frowned.
"You failed. But this time will be different. Don't you want to please mother?" Kadaj froze.
"No." Why was it still so hard to deny her?
"I know you Kadaj. I know what you need, what you want, and I know when you're lying. This is your chance." There was something about the man he couldn't quite trust, but... "You can help. Just do as I say."
"Never." Kadaj shook his head again. "I don't trust you."
"Fair enough. But this isn't about me. It's about our legacy, about mother. Don't you want her approval?" Kadaj looked away. He didn't want this. His supposed mother was a traitor, a deceitful puppet master. That's all. He knew it, he still felt it. But he could also feel that urge to have it all still so deep in his bones. He was being offered a purpose again. He didn't trust Sephiroth, in fact he couldn't stand the bastard, but despite himself, it was a hard offer to turn down.
"Don't you want to feel her presence again?" Kadaj looked up into his face.
"How did you know about that?" Kadaj thought for sure that his mother's absence only applied to him. He was honestly surprised she wasn't with Sephiroth either.
"We're connected remember?" Kadaj's gaze lingered on his brother's face, daring the older man to reveal anything alluding to corrupt intentions. But even as he watched him, he knew the older man could conceal any ill will perfectly without least bit of effort. It was a little disconcerting. He didn't trust him, and he never would, but the offer was tempting.
"Why?" Kadaj asked.
"Why what?"
"Why are you doing this? Just a year ago you were did everything you could to get rid of me. What do you want from me?" Kadaj asked, suspicious.
"Nothing but your assistance little brother." Kadaj cringed. "What do you say? Kadaj thought about it silently.
"Well?"
"My answer is still no." Sephiroth didn't look the least bit flustered. And Kadaj was torn.
"Really?"
"Really. Now leave me alone."
"I should've guessed as much." Kadaj frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that I was perhaps expecting too much from you. Some of us are destined for failure, and some of us...are destined for greatness."
"Just because I won't listen to yo-"
"It isn't about me. I believe you said those exact words once. This is about mother, and I thought you were devoted but-"
"I am!" Kadaj stopped himself. "I mean...I was." Sephiroth's smile was almost predatory. But Kadaj missed that completely, that and the fact that he was getting talked in a circle.
"Well, I'm giving you a chance to prove it." Kadaj shook his head. It pained him to go back to the betrayal, to remember how he'd been used and mislead. And then disposed of, like trash. But he was being offered another chance. How could he turn it down?
"I..." Sephiroth came closer.
"What happened was written in stone from the very beginning. You were my vessel, how can you blame mother for that?" Kadaj exhaled. He knew that his mother had betrayed him, but maybe he had deserved it, for failing her. Maybe this time he could do it differently, show he was worthy.. The old mentality struck back with a vengeance, except this time his resolve wasn't quite as passionate. He still had doubts and he told himself that if he sensed any real corruption he would immediately bail, but by the way he was falling for it all now, something told him it would never be that easy. And it was settled.
"Alright." he said softly.
"What?"
"I said alright, what do I do?"
"Good choice." Kadaj couldn't believe what he'd just done. Kadaj got behind the wheel and Sephiroth got in on the passenger's side.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Showing you the way to my house. Unless you have somewhere else to go?" Kadaj really didn't, he just planned on sleeping in the car.
"Whatever."
"I think you'll like it. The last residents were such a charming family, but sadly they all met with a terrible accident..."
Kadaj drove on, blissfully unaware of the trap he'd just walked into.
By the time Yuffie awoke it was well into the night. She sat up quickly and peaked out form under the tarp. She saw a beautiful white house, very big and just a tiny bit creepy. The lights were on in the inside, making the windows bright yellow squares against the darkness. Who the hell would live in a house this secluded? There were no other houses around, just that one grand white house, in the middle of a wooded area. She figured Kadaj must be in there. Either that or she had lost him. She actually almost wished it was the latter.
She walked as quietly as she could towards the house, sighting a tree and a window not to far from one of its longest branches. She crawled up into the tree, scraping her knees a couple of times on the way. Once she was settled on the long branched she carefully reached over to raise the window, pushing the glass up with the palms of her hands.
Yuffie planned on making a quick sweep of the house, figuring the little girl and her father had somehow gotten the truck back, and that it might possibly be their house she was breaking into. She didn't know why she just didn't make her way home already, and just say she never saw him at all. But strangely enough, even as she prayed that it would be the little girl and the father she'd find, she was also anticipating what it could be like to look him in the eye again, and what his face would look like when the kunoichi butt-kicking commenced. The very thought brought a smile to her face. She saw the hallway was clear, leading to what lo...oh shit.
She froze when she heard his voice. A mumble just outside of the door. But it was him, definitely him. She panicked and ran to the closest place of refuge, a closet, offhandedly noticing the walls were a bubblegum pink. How strange. She was trembling, all of her thoughts of revenge somewhere else entirely. His steps were light against the carpet, his feet shadows under the space of the closet door. She heard the sound of his sword sliding out and she felt her heart jump up into her throat, because she knew he'd actually do it. She thought again of the mess of feathers on her bed a year ago.
"Come out." The voice was a smooth as she remembered, the same as what her dreams wouldn't let her forget. She made no move to leave the closet. "Whoever you are, you're not very smart, hiding in a closet. You have no place to run, no place to hide. You might as well reveal yourself." Yuffie did no such thing. His voice grew louder, the closer he came and Yuffie cringed as the doorknob began to turn. "It's no use, I can hear your heartbe-" Kadaj cut himself short as he flung the door open and he spied the girl in the closet. The one that was supposed to be dead. Green eyes wide and muscles taut, Souba fell straight to the ground.