Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 and all its associated characters, locations, etc… are property of Square Enix.
Peace's End
By tfa1
Chapter 21: Perfection's Flaw
"And how are we today?" Smith cheerily asked while prancing next to Zephyr.
"Awful," the latter responded.
Smith snickered. "What's wrong? I thought what you wanted most out of life was to discover who you are! Now that you know, shouldn't you be happy?"
"I'm a monster," Zephyr said, his voice cracking. "The abomination inside of me has woken up, and now it threatens to devour not only me, but everyone I know… I almost killed Taefis! … I still don't know why… why she'd choose to follow me…"
The feline shrugged, having now stopped his prancing. "Ya probably knocked some sense into her. If you ask me, it took a near-death experience to convince Taefis that she couldn't do everything on her own. Always reminded me of a stubborn child, she did; running around freely while completely ignorant of her own boundaries. In a way she's just like Rockslide, all talk and no substance, if you catch my drift."
"You don't care that I tried to kill one of my friends?"
Laughter erupted from Smith's small body. "From the story I heard, it sounded like Taefis was trying to kill you first! It's perfectly natural to defend yourself."
"How would you know? There's nothing natural about killing another living creature!"
"How would I know?" the cat repeated. "Do you say that because I'm a robot?"
"Smith… I'm sorry…"
"No, no; don't apologize. Frankly, I don't care, because life is a game with too many event squares and a die with too many faces. I like being this way, but don't assume that because I'm not alive I have no knowledge of what that means. Stop beatin' yourself up because, when it comes down to it, there's nothing you could've done to stop this from happening. This was your destiny; and the sooner you accept it, the sooner we can all move on."
"But that's the point!" Zephyr screamed. "I can't move on because it's my destiny! It's my ultimate fate to become a destroyer – no, the Destroyer."
"You're weird, kid, but I'm a spy. I know how to read people like an open book. Sid's a drunkard because he has unfulfilled dreams; Bugen's completely obsessed with his cat and the life of the Planet; and you have a good heart, and a strong will. The fact that you've been able to resist Jenova for as long as you have is testament to your ability to counter fate. Ghast knew what he was doing when he chose you for the project."
"Ghast; as in my creator? How do you know about him?"
Smith smile widened, appearing as if it would tear itself in two. "Old Ghastie? We were very close, him and I. You might have even called us nigh inseparable! He gave me access to top-secret information that others would have killed for, even some information regarding the project that infused you with your powers."
"You knew about this?" Zephyr pried. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me? You knew about this and you didn't try to save your family?"
"How was I supposed to know that Ghast's project had escaped?" the feline responded, shaking his head. "How could I have saved my family without condemning Ghast to death? You don't seem to understand that a mass disappearance of Imperial spies would look extremely fishy. Besides, everything's fine now; my family is free and now that ROCKSLIDE has escaped the Palace, the Emperor has much to worry about. The apprehension of my robotic companions will be considerably low on his priority list now that you've returned."
"And what happened to Ghast?" Zephyr asked
"No one I've spoken to really knows… He hasn't been seen since he attempted to dispose of you… and chances are good that you murdered him in cold blood, or that he sacrificed himself to protect you. Ghast always said that his purpose in life was to create the perfect being, and you were, in his mind, fulfillment of that purpose. There's no need to feel sorry for him, because there's no greater honour than accomplishing one's prime directive. I, for one, still have much to do, and will not be content until it is done."
"What… what was Ghast like?"
Smith sniggered. "I guess you could say that he was just like me! Brilliant, inspiring, and egotistical to a fault, he was."
"I'm amazed you two got along so well," commented Zephyr.
"We were experts at our respective fields. I didn't brag about being a scientist and he never bragged about being a spy. There was no reason for us to quarrel, really."
A nod of Zephyr's head showed Smith he understood, but it seemed as if the man had more questions to ask. "You said…," he started, "…that there's still a bunch of things you have to do. What kinds of things?"
Smith's smirk widened once more, revealing the white teeth beneath his lips. "First of all, we need to destroy the Empire. Then, it's my dream to spawn a new world order, devoid of the flaws of the Empire… Call it a sort of… utopia, if you will."
A new voice added to the mix startled the pair, its deep resonances sending shivers down Zephyr's spine. "There is no such thing as a utopia." The robed man stepped out from the shadows, no expression on his face.
"Bishop Valentine?" Smith questioned the older man. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough… Trust me, if you wish to avoid disappointment, find another dream. A utopia can never survive for long."
"And what makes you say that?"
Raising his hand to his forehead, as if troubled, the bishop spoke quietly and wearisome. "I have seen what happens to utopias when everything goes wrong. This Empire, believe it or not, was supposed to be one. About 300 years ago, Cloud had a vision; a dream of uniting the peoples of the Planet into a singular, beautiful entity."
"Cloud did?" Zephyr asked.
"Yes; back then he still believed in doing good, and thought he was doing good. Perhaps it was a last ditch attempt to find happiness but I'll never know now. Regardless, thousands supported him in his unification process, because not only was he a hero of the Jenova War but he was doing what he thought was best. Wutai was among those that resisted, in part because of their stubborn pride. Ironically, the nation that rejected peace is now the only hope of restoring it. As you can plainly see, not everything went as planned, and the realization of his failure drove Cloud over the edge. I only wish I could have done something…"
"Then why didn't you?" Sephiroth's reincarnation asked timidly. His tone was not one of accusation, but rather one of curiosity.
"What could I have done?" Vincent asked rhetorically, still expressionless. "I saw no point in fighting it… History repeats itself whether I let it or not. An empire would have been born no matter what I did, so I chose to accept an evil I knew over an evil I didn't. Knowledge is power, and with my current knowledge of Cloud we have a distinct advantage."
The black cat snorted audibly. "So you sat on your butt the whole time? What inspired you to take action now that the Empire is too large to defeat?"
"Bedsores hurt."
- - -
"Well, here we are at last!" Dr. Bugen said, hovering out of the airship.
"Umm…," Brother Tson began, taking time to analyze his surroundings, "are you sure we're in the right place?"
"Oh ho hoh! I'm positive!" Dr. Bugen responded, floating over desert-like terrain towards what could only be described as a rock with holes in it.
"What kind of idiot would choose to live in the mountains, so far from civilization?"
The good doctor rapidly about-faced, eyeing the priest with a restrained anger. "There are no idiots here; only friends. What you call civilization is nothing more than human greed made manifest; greed for luxury and comfort! There are those who are close to nature, living in boulders and cliff sides if need be; and if you call that uncivilized then I say to you that human civilization is the Planet's greatest enemy, for even Cloud Strife would be unable to defeat human greed itself!"
The priest bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry Dr. Bugen," he lamented. "I didn't mean to offend you."
"I should certainly hope so. Now, let's continue on. His house is just up ahead."
Joined by the rest of the Godaian Order as well as the ROCKSLIDE group; Bugen waited patiently by a breach in the boulder, supposedly the door, as a figure slowly emerged from the hollowed rock. His hair was grey in most areas and he walked with a limp, but the eyes of Bugen's friend burned with a passion for life that defied his age and kept him going. Even in old age, the figure was strong, mentally if not physically, and prepared for any challenge.
"Oh ho hoh!" Bugen cried. "My old friend; how are you feeling these days?"
"Old, as always. I've already lived far longer than I expected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing," the grey-haired figure responded. He eyed Bugen's troupe quizzically, surprised to see them. "No doubt you'll explain some things, Doctor. Are these students, arrived to learn about the Planet?"
"Students? Oh ho hoh! Dear me, no; they're fugitives of the Empire, and I need your help. But where are my manners?" He turned to ROCKSLIDE and the Godaians, speaking to them in a most cheery voice. "Everyone, this is the greatest expert on Planet life that ever did walk the world. Say hello to my good friend and mentor, Nanaki!"