AN: Okay. There's a valid reason why this chapter is super late and the way it is. I have CTS. Plain and simple. It hit me hard and rather unexpectedly, and for a while now I've been battling hindering, relentless, and sometimes even unbearable pain in my wrists, hands, and forearms (sometimes all the way up to my elbows). It's a bee-yatch to deal with and absolutely frustrating. I dare say its impact on me has greatly influenced this chapter. Hopefully not for the worst. --Anyway, please and thank you for being patient and enjoy the chapter. (twitch) I hope you like it.
--
The Complete Opposite
Chapter XX
--
"AAAAAAAH!"
"Cloud-- Wait!"
He shook his head, his pace quickening. He had to leave. He had to get out. He couldn't stand to be there any longer. Those eyes, so dead, so dark, haunted him. They burned in the back of his eyelids, searing pain into his eyeballs.
He looked around wildly, looking for something to ease his pain. Anything -- preferably sharp, so he could just gauge his eyes out and get if over with. But nothing but rock surrounded him. Not even dead trees or twigs could aid him.
"Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!" He tripped, stumbling until he collapsed against the mountainside. He screamed, wishing he could squeeze his eyes shut and banish the images.
"Cloud!"
"Spike!"
He jerked, looking behind him. They were there, at the the end of the path. They were following him. NO! He pushed off the rock and stumbled into a run, his heart hammering in his chest.
"Stop it. Stop it stop it stop it! Not again!"
He could hear their voices, shouting at him, begging him to stop. They were fast approaching him-- he had to keep going.
Eyes darting about for an easier route, nothing but a straight jump down proved to be his only option. He glanced behind himself, spotting the three chasing after him, one lagging behind the other two.
"No. I won't give in. I won't. It's not true!"
"Cloud!"
He kept running, constantly glancing over the edge to gauge the drop down. "You can't make me! I'm not--"
A hand snatched his wrist, jerking him back. He cried out in surprise more than pain and struggled as two arms wrapped around him, trapping him against a large, powerful body. "Cloud..."
"Stop! Let me go! No!"
"Control yourself!" There was a shadow of a plea in that command, growled low.
Tears threatened to spring from his eyes as he thrashed, shoving away from his captor. "Don't touch me! Don't speak to me! I want nothing to do with you!" His eyes darted about wildly between the three before him.
"Hey... Spike... it's okay. We're not going to hurt you."
He didn't listen. He couldn't hear him. He threw them each a dirty look. "Screw you! You've tried it once, I won't let you do it again! I refuse!"
They looked at him oddly. He didn't care. He pushed off to the side without warning and jumped off the cliff.
"CLOUD!"
"SPIKE--?!"
"NO!"
He dropped quickly, dirt flying everywhere as he landed roughly, ending up on all fours as momentum caught up with him. "I won't. I won't believe it. I won't remember. I won't. I won't!"
He broke into another run, speeding down the last stretch of the pathway. He heard the loud rustle of clothing behind him and knew he was still being followed.
"Leave me alone!"
"Not until you calm down!"
"Go away! Let me think! I want to be left alone!"
"You're too unstable!"
"Shut up!"
He tore through the small town, trying to lose his pursuers. He knew he couldn't return to the local inn, but he couldn't stay out in the open. He couldn't leave himself bare for attack. The townspeople squawked in surprise when he flew by, some of the older women dropping their baskets of food and laundry.
"Cloud!"
"No! I want to be ALONE!"
He quickly turned and raced down between two houses, squeezing past the two walls till he popped out on the other side and made a beeline for the ShinRa Mansion. He hurdled a dog and crashed into the gate, forcing it open. He slipped inside and shut the gate closed behind him. he didn't stop to plead safety yet; he kept going until he collapsed inside mansion, panting with his face pressed against the aged wood.
"You can't have me. You can't. I won't... No."
Tears fell down his cheeks, splattering against the dusty, dirty floor. He forced himself up onto his elbows but his head hung, misery sagging his body. He felt cold and helpless, a familiar terror striking his heart.
Pushing himself up into a siting position, he swallowed down his pathetic noises and fought the uncontrollable shaking of his body. He wrapped his arms around himself, wishing he could erase the images and the memories. There was a darkness in his heart that he feared; he was scared it would swallow him whole; he didn't want to lose himself and get eaten by the black monster with wicked eyes and overly friendly smile.
"Leave me alone... Don't take me back... I don't want to..."
Hate welled within him, but it was hardly enough to overpower the cold fear that imprisoned him body and soul.
"Please... Mother..."
Come
"Cloud!"
He swirled, looking over his shoulder. With a cry he shot to his feet and scrambled to get away. He ran up the stairs, but a hand jerked him back. He gasped when the world slipped under his feet, certain he would fall hard, but a chest cradled his fall and gentle arms slipped around him.
"Let me go!"
"No!" was growled into his ear, and as much as he struggled, he was not released.
"Let me go!!" he wailed. No matter how hard he tried, he only seemed to be getting weaker, losing to the powerful, comforting hold. "No... don't touch me... please..."
By now he was sobbing, every bone in his body collapsing under his weight. He trembled, gripping tightly to the leather under his fingers.
"I can't. I won't."
"Seph... please..."
"No," was another growl, but there was a mix of emotions in his voice, too many to identify. "I will not lose you. Not again."
He looked up over his shoulder. "...Again?"
He was turned around and pressed against a broad chest. Green eyes bore into his own. "I won't let it happen." A swear. A promise.
He stared at the man with wide eyes, confused, shocked. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him when lips were pressed against his own in a kiss. It wasn't needy, nor desperate, but he knew how wild the man's emotions were underneath the cool exterior. He understood the bright swirl of color in his eyes, and the meaning behind his look.
No...
Come
No.
Come
No!
COME
NO!!
I WILL SAVE YOU
--
Rufus was in the middle of a conversation when his phone rang, dancing across his desk. He exchanged a look with Red before snatching up the device and accepting the call. He barely got a "Hello?" out when a frantic voice cut him off.
"President! It's bad! We've been monitoring the activity of monsters and all of a sudden a swarm popped up on the radars! A good number of them are heading in this direction!"
Rufus' brows shot up. "What? How large of a group are you implying?"
"Sir, we have over a dozen large clusters showing up. I can't give you a number, but it's huge, sir, it's huge."
"Sound the alarms. We're going into full battle mode."
"Yes sir!"
Immediately the call was cut off. Rufus didn't pause to make a few more calls of his own, barking out orders for all AVALANCHE and Force members to be ready for combat, and for civilians to be evacuated to their designated area. They had to protect the town as much as possible.
"Are you going to use the cannons?"
Rufus turned his attention back to Red after the calls were done. "We'll use whatever we have to however we need to," he answered. "Make sure all of AVALANCHE is armed and ready. If they're here because of Cloud Strife, then we need to make sure nothing happens to him, kidnapped or dead or otherwise."
Red nodded and bounded out of the room, set on locating Sephiroth and his charge. Along the way, a loud siren broke the silence of the halls, screaming and flashing red. Overhead he could hear a voice announce the emergency. Soon, if not already, all of Junon would be in a flurry of actions, from evacuating innocents to setting up the war weapons. Rufus didn't want to leave room for mistakes.
Pounding down the halls, Red weaved past Force members running by with their various weapons of expertise in hand, darting to their stations. Red ducked obstacles until he came to the residential part of the base, making his way to Sephiroth's quarters.
It didn't surprised him, upon nearing the room, to find Zack just ahead of him, skidding to a stop in front of Sephiroth's door.
Zack fumbled with the key in his hand and shoved it in, unlocking the door. He ran into the room, yelling, "Seph! Cloud!" To his surprise, no one answered him.
Red followed up behind him, sniffing the air. "Room." He paused, starting forward. "Something's wrong."
"You got that right." Zack followed quickly after, knocking down Cloud's door to bust into his room.
He faltered, stopping abruptly when he saw Sephiroth on the bed with a bundle of blond in his arms, muffled noises coming from said blond.
"What--"
Sephiroth looked his way. "He's trapped in a nightmare."
"A regular nightmare? Like boogeymen?"
Sephiroth shot him a look. "If it were so simple, he would be awake by now, yet no matter how hard I shake him, he won't respond."
"A spell, then. JENOVA?" Red guessed.
"Most likely."
Zack huffed. "Well that makes sense. Seph, there's a load of monsters heading our way. No doubt they're after Cloud here."
Loud, just beyond the room, the alarm still screamed. Sephiroth had heard it first go off.
"Rufus has already issued for the civilians to be evacuated and warriors to prepare for battle," Red reminded them. "Cloud's safety is our top priority over the safety of Junon and its people."
"But we can't just focus on him. The people's lives are important too."
Red looked at Zack. "He knows. But it is a hard decision. Risking all to keep safe the Son of Calamity from his mother may save hundreds of thousands more." He turned his attention to Sephiroth. "Yet death may be a wiser solution than saving him. We cannot dawdle. We need everyone fighting."
Sephiroth nodded. He turned to Zack, catching his attention. "Go back. Stopping the wave before it gets here will be far better than risking maximum damage by loitering here."
Zack made to protest, but Red cut him off. "Good luck," he said to the retired General. He then butted Zack in the back of his legs and steered him out of the room.
Once they left, Sephiroth turned his attention back to the blond convulsing in his arms. A familiar chill grabbed his heart and he couldn't help but be reminded of the past when he was in a similar situation, with a different blond-haired man of the same name held in his arms.
--
He shuddered at the cold air brushing against his skin. Ice encased his heart, freezing his chest, knocking his teeth together in a quiet chatter. Though he hated this place, he had to keep going. The path before him sloped downward slightly, branching off to lead to different sections of the underground laboratory.
He kept going straight, heading for a large, old door that was heavy when he pulled and creaked loudly. It was dark, but once he found the switch, dusty but working lights flickered on, bringing to life various colors that were both beautiful and sickening.
Bile rose in the back of his throat but he chocked it down. He felt sick, but forced himself to ignore it. He walked into the room, determined.
The room split into a library and study area. He went in, convinced he was supposed to be in this disgusting place.
Not a soul knew he was here, yet for some reason or another he felt naked, as if he was being watched by a pair of hungry, greedy eyes. It was a strange, familiar-yet-unfamiliar sensation that shook his very skeleton. His head hurt from a dull but consistent headache.
Take a look at the truth
Witness it
Lies they have told you my child
Lies they have fed you
I will show you the truth
I will lead you properly
I will save you
...From what? What did he need saving from?
Horrendous images from not but a day ago flooded his mind. The creature that couldn't be called human. A familiarity in foreign, dead eyes. The scent of blood and bile. A pain both physical and spiritual that pulled him... pulled him two different directions.
He didn't understand. But he wanted to find out. He needed to find out. He had to.
Hours passed -- too many to count -- and soon piles of books appeared everywhere, transferring from the shelf to the floor around the study, living little space to move except walk one designated path.
The chill that settled in his heart consumed his whole body, making him numb. He faintly noted the blue of his lips and the pain in his bones, but for the most part ignored them for a purpose.
Together we will
save Death to the traitors
Bright is the path we
Salvation
They have abandoned
you Are
A hand, warmth and familiar, touched his cheek. It caressed him gently, lovingly. He looked up into green eyes.
"My child, you are lost. Lonely. Do you want company?"
It was the wrong voice. That voice... didn't belong to that face.
But he felt comfort from this person. This stranger.
"There is a reason why I chose you, and not him. You, my precious little one. You need me more than he does."
He had the feeling he should be turning around, running away, but no part of him is eager to withdraw from that gentle grasp.
"Be my shepherd. Be my leader. Show these lost sheep the purpose of their being. Teach them the rules of our game."
He wasn't interested in a game. He just wanted to know the truth. He wanted to know why he was cursed with this blood. He wanted a reason for staying close to his loved one. He didn't want to play a game.
"You must understand, only you can free them. Only you can lead them to away from the danger. Be with them always in your safe playground. They will love you. They will always keep you company. They will adore you. You will not be shunned."
All he had to do was... follow this person's orders? And people would like him? They would be with him? ...It was kinda lonely as a SOLDIER. But he had--
"Don't you want more? Don't you want them to stop staring at you strangely? Don't you want them to treat you normally? Don't you hate being so alienated by them?"
...Yeah. He guessed so. Maybe... But was that really what he was worried about? There were still two people out there that cared for him. They were enough. Right?
"Sweet child, you cannot rely on just them. One day, they will alienate you too. Then where would you be? Friendless. Loveless. Alone. You need more. You need others. They will love you. They won't abandon you. You will be cherished. Forever and ever."
That sounded really nice. Really really nice.
"And you can play as much as you want. You can love as much as you want. You can be who you really want to be. You can be the innocent child you never were. No more bloodshed. No more hate. We will purge your soul of their evil, clean you with Our loving embrace, and set you forth to gather all your precious friends for you to play with. Forever."
Friends...
"We will make the world your beloved playground. You will have all the friends you want. You will have all the love you want. You will be their leader, their precious older brother. We will clean the world of evil and hold close the precious innocents. You will be their innocence in the flesh, the child they long to be, the child you were meant to be, the hope for them all. We will lead them, my shepherd, my sweet innocent child, and bring them forth into Paradise."
Yes...
Together We are the tool
the hand that Is
pure
My child We must lead them
To Eden
Strip them off the evil that
has ensnared them and bound them
To The Wicked Earth
--
"They've broken through Section C!"
"Where is AVALANCHE?"
"Most of them are fighting on the outside, sir."
"Well, shit, what about the rest?"
"I-I don't know."
"Shit! Well they ain't doing a good job out there if the monsters have broken through!"
"There are so many, sir! They can't possibly--"
"Bullshit!"
"Sir..."
"F-ck the outside, we need some--"
The sound of flesh hitting metal interrupted them, drawing their attention to Tifa. She had a fierce, fiery look in her eyes that was reminiscent of her fighting days. Even though she was naught much more than a mother and a bartender now, her fighting spirit still roared underneath her soft features.
She dawned on gloves, braced with a metal guard. She also wore her old attire from her traveling days with AVALANCHE. Those who knew her from those times were relieved to see her geared up again. Though she deserved a good rest to take care of her family and business, she really was a fighter first in their eyes.
"I'll take care of them."
"Thank the gods you're around, Tifa."
She shook her head. "Don't thank me just yet. Where did they break in?"
Back to business. "From the southwest. Section C. I don't think they know where the General and Cloud Strife are, else they would've gone further in. Still... I doubt they're here for anything else."
"Who's there right now?"
"Where? With the General? No one. As for Section C, we have men counterattacking, but we're a new group, ma'am. We hardly have enough experienced soldiers on the field."
She nodded. "All right. No one else?" At the shake of their heads, she sighed, giving another nod. "I'm on it."
Tifa turned around and quickly left, darting down the hall to enter battle.
--
Rufus shoved slugs into his shotgun and snapped the barrels in place. A deep crease marked his forehead. He was agitated, pissed at the development of things. He didn't think it would progress so quickly, so violently. He believed that they would be given more time to sort things through, but apparently JENOVA was leaving no chance for retaliation.
They were hardly settled in Junon, and in no way prepared for such a large wave. Perhaps it was a mistake to invite AVALANCHE and the Son of Calamity here. But in truth, it would've been worse for them all if either party was staking out in some field practically begging to be ambushed. Defeat would've been absolute then. Here, though, they had a slightly better chance of winning, or at least not losing. They couldn't lose.
They wouldn't lose.
Shoving more ammunition into his coat pocket, Rufus watched critically the monitor on his desk. The video he'd earlier viewed with AVALANCHE was looping on the screen. He couldn't stop thinking about it, and had since yesterday been watching it over and over. He was certain it meant something.
The reappearance of the White Cloaks had to mean something. Was this it? This attack on Junon, on Cloud Strife and the rest of them, was that it? Was JENOVA finally saying she would take back her son?
But Cloud... this stranger Sephiroth brought with him, was not the same Son of Calamity. He wasn't the same deranged child that brought hell to their planet and its people. He was some alien from a different planet with the same face and same name.
Still, if JENOVA believed him to be her son, or at least a good enough substitute, then it was just as bad as having the real one. They had to be careful. There would be death, either on their side, or JENOVA's. And if it was theirs, Rufus would rather sacrifice the Son than anyone else. He couldn't afford to let another war start again.
"Mathias! Mathias, quick! Get a shot of that!"
Blue eyes focused on the figures covered from head to foot in white. Not a spec of their skin was exposed. Arms reached out toward the sky in a silent call. Like slaves to a master. Unfortunates to a messiah. Rufus watched the video, a seemingly perpetual frown darkening his features.
In the background, far different from the noises coming from the monitor, were the heaving poundings of feet, far too many to be considered human. A grim smile worked its way onto Rufus' features.
"So, you're coming after me now, huh? Flushing us out until you find who you're looking for?" He brought the shotgun up to chest level, his gaze trained on the door. "I'll play that game."
There was a cracking sound, and pounding. Loud yells and fires being shot. The office door was broken down, part of the wall ripping off with it. Rufus fired without prompt, reloaded swiftly, and repeated the process. The large window behind his desk was smashed open, and immediately, he knew he was surrounded, put at a disadvantage.
"Don't expect me to step aside so easily, JENOVA," he smirked.
That child will be Mine
IN DEATH OR AT MY SIDE HE WILL BE MINE!
Rufus snorted. So maybe killing Cloud wasn't such a bright idea after all. "Over my dead body, then."
I will grant your wish
--
He screamed at the top of his lungs. He thrashed, fighting Sephiroth with all his might. Were he some normal twenty-something year old man, subduing him would've been easy. However, this man was battle hardened, and fighting him without hurting him was a difficult task.
A hand swept out and smacked Cloud across the cheek, startling him into momentary paralysis. Sephiroth threw him onto the bed and forced him down, constricting his movements. Cloud panted heavily, his face pressed into the mattress. When he looked over his shoulder at Sephiroth, it was hateful but not deranged. In the very least, Sephiroth could be glad for the retained sanity in the blond.
However, he could not afford to celebrate such menial victories. Cloud may have been awake now, but he was still in danger.
"Do you understand what type of situation you are in?"
Cloud didn't answer.
"I will let you up. Take your sword. We are under attack, and since you are capable, you will fight. I will not sit still for JENOVA to come to us."
He nodded slowly. Sephiroth watched him a moment before releasing him, allowing the blond to reorient himself with reality. Cloud pushed up into a sitting position, pressing the heel of his palm to the side of his head. He had the worst headache he'd ever experienced, and with little to explain it. He had an idea of the reason behind his muddled brain, and if Sephiroth's words meant anything, that meant JENOVA was playing with him again.
He just couldn't understand how. He knew why, it didn't take a genius to figure it out, but how was the real question. This world's JENOVA shouldn't -- or so he believed -- be able to control him so well. ...Or was he wrong? Maybe he had some stronger bond with this one? Or maybe she was just stronger herself? Or was he just that weak?
Cloud didn't know. And at the moment, he couldn't take the time to ponder it. He slid off the bed and grabbed his sword, turning to Sephiroth to see the man on his feet as well, staring at him as he always did.
"Come. I will explain on the way."
Sephiroth led the way out, Cloud at his heels. They followed the growing noise and destruction, speaking along the way. When they drew near the heart of the fight, they heard several screams and shouts.
"Save him!"
"The President--!"
"JENOVA!"
Sephiroth glanced at Cloud. The blond returned the gaze and nodded. "Don't get in my way."
He hid a smirk. "Don't leave my sight."
Without stopping, they abruptly turned down another hall and headed straight for Rufus Shinra's location. Right into JENOVA's palm.
--
AN: I DIED. And the more I have to look at this chapter, the more I hate it. Hate hate hate it. But no way in hell am I rewriting it. It took me way to damn long to do it thanks to my dumb handicap. (grumbles) ...Anyway, thanks all of you who are still around and plan to continue sticking around. I think I've officially run out of valid excuses for my all around lameness. I think it's safe to just sum it up to I SUCK. Well, I guess this means there's definitely no guarantee when I'll next pop out a next chapter and if it'll be even worth looking at. (Excuse my cynicism. This CTS business has been aggravating me for quite some time now.)
...Wish me luck? I guess? I just hope you guys still like it. (slinks away)