Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Seven or The Story "The Darksword
Trilogy" which I got the Darksword from.
Chapter 15: Rueben's Secret Revealed And Red Brings The Trumlions Home!
Cloud gulped as he watched Rueben race off towards the caves. He never expected to see Rueben turn into a werewolf for Planet's sake! He drew his sword and slowly climbed down towards the caves. He cautiously made his way to a cave entrance. He knocked on the door, and asked to be let in. All he heard was shuffling, and grunts. Cloud cursed and made his way to the next cave. Again the same response. He finally made it to the cave on the bottom and tried again. This time Tifa spoke respond from the other side.
"Who is it?" she whispered.
"Its Cloud! Hurry up and open the door!" he said. Tifa unbolted the door, and threw it open. Cloud stood there, his face pale and ashen.
"Cloud, what is it?" Aeris asked from behind Tifa.
"I just saw." he began, but was cut off as the werewolf dropped down between him and Tifa, slamming Cloud against the wall. Tifa screamed, and recoiled in horror. The werewolf raised its clawed hand and was about to strike when Aeris leaped in front of Tifa.
"NO! Down boy!" she screamed. The werewolf abruptly stopped and snarled, stepping back a few paces.
"Tifa, hurry and drag, Cloud, inside, quickly!" Aeris said. She took a few steps forward as if to pet the werewolf. It snarled and recoiled, slinking away even farther from her. Tifa grabbed Cloud by an arm and drug him in. The werewolf feigned a leap at Aeris, but she held her ground. When she was sure Cloud was safely inside, she backed away and closed the door. The werewolf howled and made its way to the woods. Inside, Aeris healed Cloud's wounds and Tifa held him. Aeris sighed and tended the fire, waiting out the night.
*****
At dawn, Aeris and the others emerged from the caves. Cloud had awakened with a bad headache. He immediately told the others what he saw, and too his surprise, no one was surprised. The Trumlions knew their own history, and Aeris had already told Tifa what Rueben was. He was a little upset at being left in the dark but he got over it. Aeris started to become concerned when it became noon, and Rueben still had not returned. She took out her rod and flicked it open. She also brought a change of Rueben's clothes. Without a word, she entered the woods to search for him.
She found him near a lake covered in blood. He was snoring, and lying next to the remains of a deer. Aeris grimaced and quickly glanced away. She turned to look at Rueben. She also noticed for the first time that he was naked. She blushed and poked Rueben in the side with her rod. He awoke, and immediately blushed to see Aeris over him. He looked around and saw his torn jeans. He snatched them and put them on.
"Being a little shy are we?" Aeris said, in singsong voice. Rueben laughed and grabbed the Darksword from the ground.
"Just a little. Is Cloud okay?"
"You remember last night?"
"Some, not all. Is he hurt?"
"He's fine. Are you ready to go back? I brought you a change of clothes." She said and handed them to him. He took them from her and noticed she was giving him an odd look.
"What?"
"I just never saw you naked before. In fact I never saw a man naked before." She said with a laugh.
"Well, why don't you go to the other side of the lake. I'll swim over there and it'll clean off the blood, too. Can you take my things too?"
"Sure, but what are you planing to do?" she asked. Rueben grinned, and stripped out of the jeans he just put on. He tossed the Darksword aside as well and dove in. Aeris watched him go, and she realized she was feeling very warm. She gathered their stuff, and walked over to the other side. She realized something and made a decision. She then hurried back and got a piece of deer meat. She then made her way back and hid it under his t- shirt. She sat under a dogwood tree and watched Rueben swim towards her at a leisurely pace. He smiled when he reached the shore, and climbed out. Aeris felt a flash of heat, and watched him dry himself with his torn jeans. She got up and hugged him. Surprised, he hugged her back and sniffed the air.
"I smell blood on you. Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, but I did get something for us." She said, and giggled. Rueben raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.
"Oh, and what is that?"
"I'll go get it." She said, and hurried to get the meat she hid under his shirt. His eyes widened, and he looked from the meat to her.
"I realized that you wanted to be married in you people's fashion, so I looked it up. When I saw what was involved, I couldn't believe it was so simple. I then researched traditional Cetra weddings while I was waiting for you. You were modeling our wedding after those, for me!" she exclaimed and Rueben grinned sheepishly.
"Okay, you caught me. So what do you want to do?"
"This." She said. She bit a chunk of the meat, tried no to gag, and swallowed it. She then offered it to Rueben. He sucked it a breath.
"Are you sure?" he asked, in a shaky voice.
"As long as we can still get married traditionally. And after last night I realized that I didn't want to wait any longer." She said, and held the piece of meat closer to Rueben. He took it and bit off a piece himself. He swallowed, and pulled Aeris close kissing her. She stepped back and looked at him. She then took off her clothes. Rueben gazed at her in awe.
"You're so beautiful. You don't have to do this, you know." He said, as he lowered her to the ground.
"I want too. Besides, we are married now." She whispered. Rueben smiled and kissed her.
*****
It was almost nighttime. Aeris had her eyes closed, and she was leaning on Rueben's chest. She ran a finger along his hairy chest and listened to him sleep. She listened to the birds chirping and realized that this was more beautiful than being in a hotel room, not able to feel and hear all of this. She heard voices, and nudged Rueben awake. They dressed quickly and just in time. Cloud and Tifa showed up and looked at them, scowling.
"Where how you two been? Cid just showed up in the Highwind!" Tifa exclaimed. Aeris shrugged and grabbed her pack.
"No where. So what's the big rush? I am glad that Cid got the Highwind fixed so soon, but what on Planet is so important?" Rueben asked.
"Red had the Trumlions board already. We've been waiting for you two for the past two hours!" Cloud said, and snorted. Rueben sighed and motioned for them to go. They left him and Aeris standing there. Ruben grabbed his pack, and looked at her. She seemed tired.
"Are you okay, Aeris?" he asked.
"I'm just a little sore, Rueben." She said, and yawned. "And a little exhausted."
Rueben smiled and scooped her up in his arms.
"I'll carry you then." He whispered to her. He walked out of the woods and saw the others waiting impatiently by the Highwind's loading doors. Rueben saw that the Trumlions were packed inside. He carried the now sleeping Aeris over to his friends.
"Bout damn time!" Cid gruffed. Rueben glared at him, and saw the Tiny Bronco was getting ready to take off with Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent in it. He carried Aeris inside and put her in a cabin along with some sleeping Trumlions. He made his way to the deck and gazed at the scenery as the Highwind took off. The smell that he had smelt on the way to the island was gone, but he felt.uneasy. Something was wrong.
"To hell with it." He mumbled.
"To hell with what?" a voice asked. Turned around to see Aeris standing there, rubbing the sleep our of her eyes. She came up next to him, and put an arm around him.
"Nothing. You still look tired, do you want to go back to sleep?" he asked.
"After I ask you something."
"What?"
"Do you promise me that you'll give up fighting? That way we can lead a normal life. I want you to put up the Darksword." She asked. Rueben froze.
"I can't honey." He whispered.
"Why? Looks what's happened already because of it? From Jenova to you old friend Jonathan!" she cried. Rueben held her close.
"I'll tell you something my adoptive mother told me, shortly before she died in my arms."
"What?"
"Whether it be through hell, high waters, promised dream, and shattered lives, I will love you forever and ever." He whispered and kissed her gently.
"Forever?" she asked.
"Forever and ever."
Chapter 15: Rueben's Secret Revealed And Red Brings The Trumlions Home!
Cloud gulped as he watched Rueben race off towards the caves. He never expected to see Rueben turn into a werewolf for Planet's sake! He drew his sword and slowly climbed down towards the caves. He cautiously made his way to a cave entrance. He knocked on the door, and asked to be let in. All he heard was shuffling, and grunts. Cloud cursed and made his way to the next cave. Again the same response. He finally made it to the cave on the bottom and tried again. This time Tifa spoke respond from the other side.
"Who is it?" she whispered.
"Its Cloud! Hurry up and open the door!" he said. Tifa unbolted the door, and threw it open. Cloud stood there, his face pale and ashen.
"Cloud, what is it?" Aeris asked from behind Tifa.
"I just saw." he began, but was cut off as the werewolf dropped down between him and Tifa, slamming Cloud against the wall. Tifa screamed, and recoiled in horror. The werewolf raised its clawed hand and was about to strike when Aeris leaped in front of Tifa.
"NO! Down boy!" she screamed. The werewolf abruptly stopped and snarled, stepping back a few paces.
"Tifa, hurry and drag, Cloud, inside, quickly!" Aeris said. She took a few steps forward as if to pet the werewolf. It snarled and recoiled, slinking away even farther from her. Tifa grabbed Cloud by an arm and drug him in. The werewolf feigned a leap at Aeris, but she held her ground. When she was sure Cloud was safely inside, she backed away and closed the door. The werewolf howled and made its way to the woods. Inside, Aeris healed Cloud's wounds and Tifa held him. Aeris sighed and tended the fire, waiting out the night.
*****
At dawn, Aeris and the others emerged from the caves. Cloud had awakened with a bad headache. He immediately told the others what he saw, and too his surprise, no one was surprised. The Trumlions knew their own history, and Aeris had already told Tifa what Rueben was. He was a little upset at being left in the dark but he got over it. Aeris started to become concerned when it became noon, and Rueben still had not returned. She took out her rod and flicked it open. She also brought a change of Rueben's clothes. Without a word, she entered the woods to search for him.
She found him near a lake covered in blood. He was snoring, and lying next to the remains of a deer. Aeris grimaced and quickly glanced away. She turned to look at Rueben. She also noticed for the first time that he was naked. She blushed and poked Rueben in the side with her rod. He awoke, and immediately blushed to see Aeris over him. He looked around and saw his torn jeans. He snatched them and put them on.
"Being a little shy are we?" Aeris said, in singsong voice. Rueben laughed and grabbed the Darksword from the ground.
"Just a little. Is Cloud okay?"
"You remember last night?"
"Some, not all. Is he hurt?"
"He's fine. Are you ready to go back? I brought you a change of clothes." She said and handed them to him. He took them from her and noticed she was giving him an odd look.
"What?"
"I just never saw you naked before. In fact I never saw a man naked before." She said with a laugh.
"Well, why don't you go to the other side of the lake. I'll swim over there and it'll clean off the blood, too. Can you take my things too?"
"Sure, but what are you planing to do?" she asked. Rueben grinned, and stripped out of the jeans he just put on. He tossed the Darksword aside as well and dove in. Aeris watched him go, and she realized she was feeling very warm. She gathered their stuff, and walked over to the other side. She realized something and made a decision. She then hurried back and got a piece of deer meat. She then made her way back and hid it under his t- shirt. She sat under a dogwood tree and watched Rueben swim towards her at a leisurely pace. He smiled when he reached the shore, and climbed out. Aeris felt a flash of heat, and watched him dry himself with his torn jeans. She got up and hugged him. Surprised, he hugged her back and sniffed the air.
"I smell blood on you. Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, but I did get something for us." She said, and giggled. Rueben raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.
"Oh, and what is that?"
"I'll go get it." She said, and hurried to get the meat she hid under his shirt. His eyes widened, and he looked from the meat to her.
"I realized that you wanted to be married in you people's fashion, so I looked it up. When I saw what was involved, I couldn't believe it was so simple. I then researched traditional Cetra weddings while I was waiting for you. You were modeling our wedding after those, for me!" she exclaimed and Rueben grinned sheepishly.
"Okay, you caught me. So what do you want to do?"
"This." She said. She bit a chunk of the meat, tried no to gag, and swallowed it. She then offered it to Rueben. He sucked it a breath.
"Are you sure?" he asked, in a shaky voice.
"As long as we can still get married traditionally. And after last night I realized that I didn't want to wait any longer." She said, and held the piece of meat closer to Rueben. He took it and bit off a piece himself. He swallowed, and pulled Aeris close kissing her. She stepped back and looked at him. She then took off her clothes. Rueben gazed at her in awe.
"You're so beautiful. You don't have to do this, you know." He said, as he lowered her to the ground.
"I want too. Besides, we are married now." She whispered. Rueben smiled and kissed her.
*****
It was almost nighttime. Aeris had her eyes closed, and she was leaning on Rueben's chest. She ran a finger along his hairy chest and listened to him sleep. She listened to the birds chirping and realized that this was more beautiful than being in a hotel room, not able to feel and hear all of this. She heard voices, and nudged Rueben awake. They dressed quickly and just in time. Cloud and Tifa showed up and looked at them, scowling.
"Where how you two been? Cid just showed up in the Highwind!" Tifa exclaimed. Aeris shrugged and grabbed her pack.
"No where. So what's the big rush? I am glad that Cid got the Highwind fixed so soon, but what on Planet is so important?" Rueben asked.
"Red had the Trumlions board already. We've been waiting for you two for the past two hours!" Cloud said, and snorted. Rueben sighed and motioned for them to go. They left him and Aeris standing there. Ruben grabbed his pack, and looked at her. She seemed tired.
"Are you okay, Aeris?" he asked.
"I'm just a little sore, Rueben." She said, and yawned. "And a little exhausted."
Rueben smiled and scooped her up in his arms.
"I'll carry you then." He whispered to her. He walked out of the woods and saw the others waiting impatiently by the Highwind's loading doors. Rueben saw that the Trumlions were packed inside. He carried the now sleeping Aeris over to his friends.
"Bout damn time!" Cid gruffed. Rueben glared at him, and saw the Tiny Bronco was getting ready to take off with Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent in it. He carried Aeris inside and put her in a cabin along with some sleeping Trumlions. He made his way to the deck and gazed at the scenery as the Highwind took off. The smell that he had smelt on the way to the island was gone, but he felt.uneasy. Something was wrong.
"To hell with it." He mumbled.
"To hell with what?" a voice asked. Turned around to see Aeris standing there, rubbing the sleep our of her eyes. She came up next to him, and put an arm around him.
"Nothing. You still look tired, do you want to go back to sleep?" he asked.
"After I ask you something."
"What?"
"Do you promise me that you'll give up fighting? That way we can lead a normal life. I want you to put up the Darksword." She asked. Rueben froze.
"I can't honey." He whispered.
"Why? Looks what's happened already because of it? From Jenova to you old friend Jonathan!" she cried. Rueben held her close.
"I'll tell you something my adoptive mother told me, shortly before she died in my arms."
"What?"
"Whether it be through hell, high waters, promised dream, and shattered lives, I will love you forever and ever." He whispered and kissed her gently.
"Forever?" she asked.
"Forever and ever."