Part
Seven: Finding Love Again
At first I was saddened at having lost Sephiroth. I knew that he would be back though, perhaps sooner than later. This comforted me somewhat. As the day went by I felt more and more certain that his decision, as painful as it was, was the correct one. I think perhaps he was and still is with me. I feel he is calming me and telling me, "Everything will be alright."
When I hear these sweet nearly silent whispers inside me I whisper back just as silently, "Thank you."
By the time night had fallen upon me I was my cheery self again. I knew he did not want me to be saddened, so I stayed as happy as I could manage. I was happy to tell the truth. I would miss him, deeply, but needed to be alone and let me go. And I need to let him go.
I think I will have to take more time to become completely to terms with what happened only hours ago. Until then I have a great many things to do. I must go back to guiding my friends through another adventure, an adventure not as great as the rescue of the planet, but an adventure all the same.
I slept well the next night among the stars again. I was alone this time, but only physically. I am never alone spiritually. My friends, ancestors, and even Sephiroth are always with me, guiding me as I guide them.
When I awoke I did not bother to roll up the quilts or bedrolls. I hurried inside and grabbed a muffin, from the batch I had just made yesterday, for breakfast. As soon as I was done I ran down to the Lifestream River to watch my friends.
When I arrived I laid down in my usual way, on my stomach with my feet in the air. I glanced down into the flowing green lifestream. It swirled around and cleared showing me a scene. The scene was one of Cloud and Tifa. They wore their usual clothes, but Cloud had taken off his armor and set it in the corner.
Both Cloud and Tifa looked tattered and torn. Their battle with Sephiroth had been a long and hard one and they both showed signs of exhaustion. Cloud was sitting in a wicker chair and Tifa sat in an identical one across from him.
Tifa was placing gauss on Cloud's multiple cuts and wounds, mending them. Cloud sat with a blank expression on his face. No words were shared and the silent was an uncomfortable one. It lingered until Tifa broke the silence.
"What's wrong, you look down." She said in her usual cheery tone.
Cloud said nothing; he only stared expressionlessly at the wall.
"You can talk to me ya know? I'm not the enemy."
Cloud turned his head slowly to face Tifa and stared at her.
"What did I do? Why are you so cold to me lately?"
"It's not you. I'm just tired, really tired." Cloud finally said in a very dry tone.
"We all are." She set her hand on his shoulder as she finished dressing his cuts. She stood and turned to leave. Then she turned back and said in a low voice. "We'll find her. I don't know how, but we'll find her." With that she left.
The moment Tifa shut the door Cloud let out a deep sigh. He looked up towards the heavens almost directly at me and said so softly I could barely hear him. "Were are you?"
I reached towards him, softly brushing the side of his face with my hand. "I'm right here, Cloud."
Cloud's eyes widened as if he heard my voice. He ran to the window and quickly opened it searching for someone, me. Then his head dropped slightly and he closed the window. I think he realized I was not there.
Cloud sighed again and closed the window. He then removed his shirt and belt. My heart skipped a beat or two. I didn't know what I was about to see and covered my eyes. After about three seconds I peeked in time to see him pulling back the sheets to his bed.
Good, He's not striping ALL the way down. I thought feeling relieved and just a tiny bit disappointed. I laughed at myself a little and went back to watching him. He put his hands behind his head and starred towards the stars, towards me. He didn't know it though; at least I didn't think he knew it.
After a few minutes of mindlessly starring at the ceiling, or me, or whatever it was he was starring at, his eyes began to droop and he fell asleep. Normally I would stop watching my friends when they fell asleep, but not now. Now I watched Cloud intently for hours. He looked so peaceful; his eyes didn't hold the loss they did when he was awake. He almost looked like a child in a restful sleep.
He whispered my name a few times during those hours I watched him. Every time I heard my name I wanted desperately to go to him, to hold him while he slept and take all his pain away. I knew I couldn't though and it tore me apart inside.
"How can I help you?" I whispered to more to myself than to Cloud.
"Come back to me." Cloud muttered. I looked at him sleeping and gasped.
He heard me. I realized thinking so to myself. Then it struck me, the answer to everything struck me. I stood up in an amazed awe-like state.
"I must lead Cloud to ME!" I spoke finally realizing how I could help Cloud, my friends, and find love again.
I whispered a question to myself. "But how can he come here."
Then my eyes widened as I heard a sweet familiar whisper inside my head. The voice that tells me "It will be alright" now told me the answer.
"Your whish, dear Ancient, your whish." Whispered back the voice that always comforted me.
"I see now, Sephiroth. I finally see what you meant. Thank you." I said to no one except myself. "I must whish for my friends to be allowed here, but THEY must find the gate. Oh Sephiroth, thank you!"