Chapter 30: Bonds
Within the worldwide city, Ophelia and the twin sisters are within the old base to track down the Keystone but the AI manager of the area is blocking their path. "No good, this damned AI is preventing us from getting closer to the core of the world," Melee said.
"Oh boy, what now?" Milla asked to pout like a little girl.
"Well, we need to break down the firewall and get through that thick wall but the Heartless should be able to make things easier," Melee said as Ophelia is sitting at a chair thinking about the past.
-Flashback Begins-
Weeks have passed with no attempt by Ophelia's mother to look for her as the people around her only push her away calling me a problem child and not worth saving.
Ophelia got put into an orphanage as she suffered more abuse by the adults and children around her. Rumors spread about her and her stepfather around the town as she was called Little Whore due to these rumors.
Then Ophelia is using all sorts of drugs to help ease of pain, but it only made it worse slowing eating away her health and her mind.
Her life was a living hell and she couldn't take it anymore. The seventeen-year-old Ophelia has gone through loneliness, hunger and sadness chipping away at her mind until she is at the edge of a vast lake in front of her.
She puts her shoes away with her eyes being dull and her heart feeling hollow and filled with holes. "This life is not worth living if no one cares about me," she said to begin walking into the lake with the water slowing getting higher on her legs and to her torso.
"With one simple wave, it will sweep me away from this painful existence. No one will miss me," she thought as she is about to enter into the water for a bark stops her dead in her track. She turns around to see a small male puppy barking at her.
She stops to turn around and check out the little puppy. "Hello there, are you lost?" she asked as the dog goes up to rub his head against her leg. "So, your lonely too, right?" she asked for the dog barks holding its tongue out. "Want to be friends?" she asked as the puppy shakes its tail.
"He is a sweet pup, isn't he?" a man's voice is heard as Ophelia looks over to see a tall dark skinned elf man standing before her.
"Who are you, Elf?" Ophelia asked looking at him with fear within her eyes to see the man's brown skin along with red veins pulsing viable against it.
"I am Drake and I have been looking for you young Ophelia," Drake said as Ophelia raises her eyebrow at this.
"That is a lie, no one cares about me," Ophelia said to turn her back with anger boiling within her skinny frame. Drake is noticing the wind under Ophelia's feet is swirling to her hands to form into daggers.
"You have a gift," Drake said as the young woman tosses the air daggers but they only bounce off an unseen force protecting Drake. "I need people like you," Drake said.
"Really?" Ophelia questioned as Drake goes up to her to put a hand on her tiny shoulder.
"Yes, I understand where you are coming from. Believe me I know," Drake said with a gentle tone which Ophelia put her at ease to see within those intense red eyes that is he telling the truth.
"Okay but I want something," Ophelia said.
"What is that, my dear?" she asked.
"I want to be strong, so strong that no one can never make me a victim again!" Ophelia said with fiery passion for Drake can sense the drive within this young woman.
Drake sports a vicious smile to caress his full hand along her cheek to her chin. "I can give you that power and much more when you work for me," Drake said.
"Of course, I will do as you ask Master," Ophelia said to knell before her for her new master kisses her on the forehead in a sign of affection which catches her off guard.
"Good, now we will be going now," Drake said as Ophelia tagalong with her new master to start her new life.
"I will be strong and then I will make those who made me suffer pay with their lives," Ophelia thought with her burning hate is raising to the surface and within her heart.
-Flashback Ends-
Ophelia is daydreaming as Milla is snapping her fingers to get her out of her daze. "Hello boss lady," Milla said as the Keyblade Master snaps out of her daze.
"Right, keep at this," Ophelia said as she is deep in thought again. "Master," she thought fondly as they continue their work.
Elsewhere within Traverse Town inside the 7th Heaven bar, Umiko is watching over Kairi to see to her recovery emotionally. "Well this is bad," Cloud said sitting at a table drinking his hot chocolate. "Sephiroth is up to something with these Magicite and he is getting stronger every day," Cloud thought.
"What do we do now?" Sora asked feeling helpless as Kairi is crying in the other room.
"Well we need to keep focus on the Keystones. Kairi is not at her 100% and we want to keep her company. Riku and Sora, you will go to Futurepolis to find the next one," Umiko said.
"I am going too," Cloud said.
"You sure?" Sora asked.
"Yeah, after happened I want to come along just in case he shows up again," Cloud said sounding quite serious.
"I am going too," Tifa said as Yuffie and Nanaki come along as well.
"We are hooking with you guys on his one," Yuffie said with a goofy smile.
"I will be glad to aid you on your mission," Nanaki said.
"Well you need my skills with a computer system to get you to the bottom of this mechanical puzzle," Cid said.
"Cool thanks guys," Sora said.
"Right, off you go. No time to waste," Umiko said as Sora puts his hand on the door to hear his girlfriend still weeping.
"Be well Kairi," he said to hold his head against the door for a moment to go off with the others.
"Sora, be safe," Kairi whispered as she is trying to hold herself together for her best friends go on another mission for the Keystone.
Within the Gummi Ship, Cid is at the controls with Sora going through the ship to see Riku looking out the window. "Hey there," Sora said.
"Yo, this view is wonderful," Riku said.
"Yeah it does, remember when we wanted to build that raft to go to other worlds to find where Kairi came from?" he asked.
"Yeah, it was pretty silly in hindsight. Sora, what's wrong. Just say it already," Riku said to spot his friend's disposition is distressed.
"I feel so helpless," Sora said as he lumps right by him.
"Gee I know that guy's strength is unreal. Didn't seem real that someone like that exist," Riku said.
"Poor Selphie, she didn't deserve to die," Sora said sounding sadden by the dreadful image of her severed corpse with Kairi holding the top half.
"You feel guilty Sora?" Riku asked to see his best friend is shaking as he balls up his fist.
"Yeah and seeing Kairi so sad is eating me up. Was it the right thing to disobeying Y'shtola?" Sora asked
"Look Sora, what happened, happened. Some things are beyond our control," Riku said as he looks down at his head to see darkness pulsing from his palm.
"I know but…" Sora said.
"Sora, when we get into fights like that. There is always a chance, that someone can get killed. I learned that the way in my training," Riku said.
"He is right, there is nothing more you can do against someone like Sephiroth," Cloud said as he is behind them.
"Oh Cloud, I didn't see you there," Sora said.
"You know I felt that feeling a long time ago," Cloud said.
"Well I better check on Cid," Riku said to go off on his own.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.
"I felt utterly weak to protect those I cared about and I paid a deep price," Cloud said as he has flashes to a village burning and Sephiroth standing in the blaze with his eyes looking cold and venomous.
"I see," Sora said.
"Sora, your Destiny Islands reminds me of my village Nibelheim. A small village in the mountains nearby the city state of Radiant Garden," Cloud said as Sora looks on with curiosity.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yeah, you and I are country bumkins," Cloud said lightly.
"Yeah, living in the middle of nowhere makes you think huh?" Sora joked as Cloud smirks at this.
"It does, man this takes me back," Cloud said.
"To what?" Sora asked.
"When me and my best friend just hanging out, having a laugh and just talk about stuff together," Cloud said as Sora is curious by this.
"Who is that?" he asked.
"His name is Zack Fair; he was like a big brother to me. You and he seem so much alike its not even fun," Cloud said.
"Wow really?" Sora asked.
"Yes; but Sephiroth took all that away from me. My home, my family and my best friend, gone in a blaze of death," Cloud said sounding serious about it.
"Wow, sounds very heavy," Sora said.
"Indeed, it does, it's crazy. I used to look up to him," he said as Sora looks on with confusion.
"You look up to him?" Sora asked.
"Remember, he was once a great hero. The best warrior Radiant Garden has ever produced and every boy wanted to be like him, me included," Cloud said.
"Crazy stuff," Sora said.
"Yeah, he was in the Garden Defense Force as part of the Spec Ops unit SOLDIER," Cloud said.
"SOLDIER, what is that?" Sora asked sounding confused.
"They were Super Solders who were injected with the magical energies of the Espers," Cloud said.
"Wow, no wonder he is so strong," Sora said.
"He is a living weapon; he was once a hero and now he is one of the evils of all worlds. I need to stop him for all the things he did me and everyone else I care about," Cloud said as Tifa is watching them from the door.
"I can't agree more," Sora said.
"Tifa also suffered. She loss her father in the fires and she almost got killed by Sephiroth when she tried to avenge him. I felt so helpless to stop him from hurting her, I will not let that happen again," Cloud said.
"Oh Cloud," Tifa said softly as she goes off into the halls of the Gummi Ship.
Elsewhere in the 7th Heaven's basement, Kairi is focusing on her training to distract from her pain of losing her best friend. "I can't believe it, she is gone in a flash by that monster," Kairi said with venom in her normally sweet voice. She sets a table on fire as she cast Water to put the flames out.
"Kairi, are you okay?" Aerith's voice came out of the door.
"Yes, you can come in Aerith," Kairi said as the older woman appears by the door to see look of concern on her face.
"Kairi, tell me honestly. How are you feeling for real?" Aerith asked.
"I feel so helplessly and so weak, I can't stop my friend from dying," Kairi said as her heart is aching with pain as Aerith looks on to have an idea to smile at this.
"Hey Kairi, I want to tell you a story about a man named Zack Fair. He was a fun happy go lucky guy who always put a smile on my face. Him and Sora seem so alike," Aerith said for Kairi looks interested.
"Oh, if there more people are like Sora, things would be better," Kairi said to sit down with the older woman sitting beside her.
"Indeed, he had dreams to be a hero and he was aided by his mentor and best friend Angeal Hewley. In fact, Cloud's Buster Sword came from him as a family heirloom and a gift to Zack," Aerith said.
"Oh, they seem close," Kairi said as Aerith has a sorrowful look on her face.
"They were but some things don't last forever," Aerith said to gaze at the wall like she is trying to see into the past. "They fought in a terrible situation and he was forced to kill his friend but in the end they were still friends," Aerith said.
"Really?" Kairi asked.
"Yep, he meant the world to him even broke down into tears in front of me, I can't help but comfort him. It was so sad," she said.
"Wow, you two seem very close to share something this personal," Kairi said as Aerith place her hand onto her chest on top of her heart.
"Because he was my boyfriend," Aerith said as Kairi's eyes widen at this.
"Really?" Kairi asked.
"Yes; for four years, we were deeply in love. It was some of the best memoires I ever had but I loss him during the Heartless Invasion when he died by his fatal wounds," Aerith said as Kairi sees deep hurt in her deep green eyes.
"I am so sorry, if something happened to Sora. I wouldn't know what to do," Kairi said.
"Kairi, remember you are not the only one who loss people. Me and Zack both loss someone dear to our hearts," Aerith goes up to the young woman and gives her a hug. "We are here for you, always remember that," she said.
"Thanks; Aerith, I needed that," Kairi said as a big emotional weight is lifted off her shoulders.
"No problem, Kairi. Hey, I got some new light spells, I want you to try out," Aerith said.
"Oh; that is cool, I need the practice," Kairi said.
"Of course, you know Zack and Sephiroth used to be friends?" she asked as Kairi's eyes widen again.
"Oh really, that is very hard to believe," Kairi said.
"Yeah I know but Sephiroth was a good guy before he snapped. I even him a cute nickname, Sephy," Aerith said as Kairi looks on in disbelieve at the nickname for the man who killed her best friend.
"Seriously?" Kairi asked.
"Yes, oh how things change. Its sad everything comes from those weird projects that Ansem the Wise and his researchers were doing in Radiant Garden. It all went out of control and now we are suffering due to this," Aerith said.
"We will stop this madness," Kairi said as Aerith laughs at her brave tone. "What is so funny?" she asked.
"You are like me when I was younger, in fact you and Sora remind me of Zack and I when we were a couple. It's nice to see, hold onto him tight. Guys like him are hard to come by these days," Aerith said to go off with Kairi following behind to get more training.
"Aerith, you are like the big sister I wish I had," Kairi said as Aerith offers a bright smile.
"Ditto little sister figure," Aerith said in a humorous tone as Kairi laughs along with the banner.
"I am happy to find these nice people," Kairi said to feel more at ease to go with Aerith.
Back with Sora and the others, Riku is looking out of the window to see the world Futurepolis. "Well, time to find that Keystone," Riku said as they all get ready to go to the surface.