Chapter 7 - Hide and Seek
Diclaimer: I do not own FF7. Nice and simple for you all to understand.
AN: The next Chapter up! Yay! Please read and review! ~*~Shar-Kai~*~
"Eryll!" Yuffie cried, dodging Cloud's sword and running over to the spot where she had last seen the girl. Around the floor where Eryll had been standing was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even any blood, cloth, or trace of Eryll at all. Yuffie shook her head. It was pointless her even thinking about how Eryll had survived that. She couldn't have, even with those funny powers that she had. Yuffie turned around to face Cloud and Tifa.
"Why did you do that to her? Why did you kill her? She never hurt you." Yuffie asked, trying to keep the hate and rage in her voice down to a bare minimum.
Tifa shrugged. "We had to kill her anyway. It's what our master wished us to do." she said calmly, smiling at Yuffie.
"It's also what we haven't done," stated Cloud, frowning at the wall. Tifa stopped smiling immediately.
"Do you mean to say that you don't think that she's dead?! That we haven't killed her?!" Tifa exclaimed.
Cloud nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
"How do you know?"
"I feel her presence."
Tifa shook her head in disbelief. "What does it take to kill this girl?" she wondered aloud.
"Obviously a lot more than you have," replied Vincent calmly, also somewhat impressed with Eryll escape. Tifa turned around quickly and glared at him, before speaking to Cloud.
"Shall we find her now?"
"It does mean taking them outside, though." Yuffie and Vincent looked at each other. Were they talking about them?
"Why do we need to take those two?"
"The girl may avoid us, she may not avoid them."
"Fine, do as you wish. We must get going quickly."
Cloud was silent for a while, then nodded. "I think so. We'll take these two with us. They may be of some help finding her." Just as Cloud said this Hojo walked into the cells.
"I haven't finished with these two yet." Hojo snapped from where he had just entered. "I insist-" Tifa raised her hand and Hojo fell silent.
Yuffie stood up glaring at the three of them.(AN:Cloud, Tifa, Hojo ^ _ ^ )"Why should we want to come with you?!"
"Because otherwise all your friends will die. They won't be able to escape as easily as *that* one," Tifa sneered, indicating to where Eryll has stood. She walked forwards. "And we wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?" she added, whispering in Yuffie's ear before walking to the door. Vincent looked at Yuffie, frowning.
"Friends?"
Yuffie sighed. "They've got all the others captive." Vincent nodded, showing that he understood. No one spoke for a while.
"Shall we get going then?" Cloud said, looking at them all.
Yuffie stepped towards them. "Won't we need our weapons? We haven't got them." Cloud laughed.
"We aren't stupid. You won't need your weapons. The girl won't attack you." Yuffie and Vincent glanced at each other.
"But what if we are attacked?"
"Either one of us will cover you, or just run away. Come on, we're going," replied Cloud walking out of the door. Yuffie walked forwards, before turning around to Vincent and shrugging her shoulders as if to say 'I tried'. Tifa and Vincent followed her.
Hojo watched them go, a mixture of spite and jealousy on his face, before following them out of the door and walking back to his lab.
*~*
"Red, do you know where Cid is?" Barrett asked. "My legs are killing me, I can't go much further."
Red shook his head. "I have no idea at all," he replied, warily looking around. "But we best keep moving, I don't know if Tifa will be back soon."
"Back? Where did she go?"
"I'm not sure. She went after a girl somewhere."
"How do you know?"
"She was talking about it with someone outside my door. She also mentioned a crystal and-"
"Why did you stop, what's up?"
Red turned around to look behind them. "Someone's coming! Hide!"
"Hide where?"
"Behind the pillar! Quick!"
Red and Barrett scuttled behind the pillar, and watched the figure come past.
Barrett stared. " . . Wait a sec - Cid? Is that you?"
The figure turned around. "Barrett?!"
"It is you! How did you escape?"
"I dunno, the door of my cell was left open, and I've just been walking around for hours," Cid replied frowning, "hang on a minute, Red? You weren't with us when we entered this place, were you?"
Barrett frowned. "No he wasn't, but he was there when Tifa entered the cell, I'm sure . ." Barrett thought for a moment. (AN: Don't hurt yourself ^ _^ ) Red looked up at them.
"I'll explain. About three weeks ago these funny people dressed in black came into Cosmo Canyon, and demanded that it be handed over to them. I remember the leader of them was called Arys. We refused to hand it over to them, so they took it my force. I was brought here and shoved in a cell, until you came."
"Nice people, huh? How many were there?" asked Barrett.
"Hundreds in total, that's why we weren't able to fight them off. I wonder what they wanted with Comso Canyon?" Red added, almost to himself.
Cid shook his head in despair. "Anyone's guess at that is as good as mine. Now, how the hell do we get outta here?"
"I know this sounds stupid, but perhaps we try going up?" Red suggested.
"Why?"
"Because it's always cold and dark down here, which leads to me thinking that it's underground. It'd also be impossible to hide a place as big as this on the ground -we would've noticed it before."
Silence fell for a while, until Barrett spoke.
"Might as well try."
*~*
Yuffie lifted her hands in front of her face to shield her eyes from the bright light. She had been in darkness for what seemed like forever, but, it had only been one day since her capture. At a quick glance behind her, she noticed that Vincent was also trying to shield himself, probably more so than her, but he was obviously trying hard not to draw attention to himself. Yuffie had the sudden urge to laugh. Did all men try to act tough, as though they were ready for anything? She looked up at the place in which she had just left. Concealed inside a mountain, Yuffie could see how she had never spotted it before. Her stomach rumbled and she realised that she had not eaten for over a day. Tifa looked across at her.
"You'll only get food if you find the girl."
Yuffie snorted. Eryll was weird - no one could predict if she was going to show up or not. At this point Yuffie was willing to bet that Eryll would hide from them, just to deprive Yuffie of lunch.
"We'll scan this area. You two . . . ." Cloud indicated Yuffie and Vincent. "Take the east part and south. Don't think of trying to escape, we have you covered. Okay, let's go."
Tifa and Cloud walked off in different directions.
"What nerve!" Yuffie complained. "They're treating us like slaves here, making us do all of their work for them. Are you even bothered? Hello? Earth to Vincent!?"
Vincent looked at her. "Why do they want Eryll? If they tried to kill her, it'd be just as good for them if she disappeared." With that he walked off, scanning the grounds around them.
3 hours later . . .
Yuffie sat down on the edge of the mountain. In the distance she could just see Cloud, walking around. Why was this Eryll so important? Vincent came over to her.
"Why are you sitting down?"
"Because I'm fed up with searching."
"They're not going to let us go until we've found her," stated Vincent calmly.
"What if they don't let us go then."
Vincent remained silent.
Yuffie stood up so suddenly she almost fell over. "That's it! I refuse to look for the girl anymore. I'd prefer to die than spend my whole life searching for a girl who disappears, attacks everyone, refuses to be found- "
"-and refuses to die." interrupted a quiet, whispery voice from behind. Yuffie and Vincent turned around.
"Eryll?!" Eryll smiled. Vincent frowned. There was something very different about the girl. Her hair was the same, but loose around her shoulders. She wore the same clothes as before, but it was her eyes that caught Vincent's attention. Instead of the peaceful deep sea-green eyes that Vincent remembered, they were a fiery amber, with hate and malice reflected in them. When she spoke it was in a quieter, smoother voice than before.
"I feel that you are afraid Vincent," Eryll whispered softly, "and you are right to be so. Anger is not something that should be taken lightly. If harm is to come to you by my hand, I am sorry. No, I lie. I am not sorry, not in this mood. We have company."
Yuffie and Vincent watched as Cloud and Tifa came hurrying towards them.
"So you found the girl. Well done. Come, girl, our master has need of you," Cloud said, a look of triumph on his face.
"I shall not come with you, you know that," stated Eryll.
"Perhaps you need persuasion."
"I doubt that."
Cloud smirked. "We'll see what you do. I'd love to see your reaction when we kill these two." He nodded at Yuffie and Vincent. Yuffie flinched. There was silence for a while before Eryll spoke, softly but firmly.
"What do you care about my reaction? You'll be dead."
"Well spoken Eryll, very well done." A tall, well built man stepped out of the shadows.
Eryll stared. "Who are you?"
"Ah, yes, an introduction. I am Chiraz, but it will serve well enough for you to call me master."
"Forget it."
Chiraz laughed. "But I can control you easily. I can also destroy you easily." Eryll's eyes flashed. Chiraz stepped backwards, still smiling, but nervously.
"Don't you know yet, Mr Chiraz?" Eryll whispered, with an evil tone to her voice. "I am Eryll, princess of darkness. I am not ruled or destroyed. By anyone."
Cloud stepped forwards, sword out in front of him. "No one talks like that to our master."
Eryll's eyes flashed a fiery red. "Is that so?"
Vincent realised what was about to happen, a split-second before it happened. "Cloud! Watch out!"
Fire erupted around Eryll once more, dark black flames. She raised her hands, and dust flew everywhere. Everyone covered their eyes, dreading what was going to happen. When they felt no more wind, they uncovered their eyes. Eryll's hands were back by her sides. Yuffie looked across at Cloud. He lay on the floor, not moving. His eyes were glazed over. Slowly Yuffie walked forwards. Cloud's eyes were glazed over, and he was no longer breathing. Eryll smiled.
"I told him so."
Yuffie gaped at her. "You killed him?!"
Eryll frowned. "I did what I wanted. He and the girl tried to kill me, I tried to kill them. However, I succeeded when they did not."
"You didn't need to kill him!" Yuffie cried.
"I did what I wanted, what I needed to do."
Yuffie glared at her. Chiraz stepped forwards.
"Now, now, no need to fight is there? Miss Eryll, you can come with me, I have something that I want you to help me with."
Eryll looked at him, her eyes gleaming.
"I help no one."
Vincent looked at Chiraz, and spoke. "You're not even bothered about one of your followers dying?"
Chiraz shrugged. "He was only my puppet. I can make more. Oh, yes, I have no need of you now girl, you are free."
He pointed his finger and Tifa, who fell to the floor at once.
"Now come Eryll."
"I shall not."
"We'll see about that."
Eryll raised her eyebrows before smiling again. "Goodbye Vincent, Yuffie. Goodbye," she whispered, before disappearing with the wind.
AN: Vincent/Yuffie part will be coming as soon as Ivy gets back from Australia. Probably in chapters 8-9. OK?
We're very sorry if this makes no sense - it will be explained soon.
Diclaimer: I do not own FF7. Nice and simple for you all to understand.
AN: The next Chapter up! Yay! Please read and review! ~*~Shar-Kai~*~
"Eryll!" Yuffie cried, dodging Cloud's sword and running over to the spot where she had last seen the girl. Around the floor where Eryll had been standing was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even any blood, cloth, or trace of Eryll at all. Yuffie shook her head. It was pointless her even thinking about how Eryll had survived that. She couldn't have, even with those funny powers that she had. Yuffie turned around to face Cloud and Tifa.
"Why did you do that to her? Why did you kill her? She never hurt you." Yuffie asked, trying to keep the hate and rage in her voice down to a bare minimum.
Tifa shrugged. "We had to kill her anyway. It's what our master wished us to do." she said calmly, smiling at Yuffie.
"It's also what we haven't done," stated Cloud, frowning at the wall. Tifa stopped smiling immediately.
"Do you mean to say that you don't think that she's dead?! That we haven't killed her?!" Tifa exclaimed.
Cloud nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
"How do you know?"
"I feel her presence."
Tifa shook her head in disbelief. "What does it take to kill this girl?" she wondered aloud.
"Obviously a lot more than you have," replied Vincent calmly, also somewhat impressed with Eryll escape. Tifa turned around quickly and glared at him, before speaking to Cloud.
"Shall we find her now?"
"It does mean taking them outside, though." Yuffie and Vincent looked at each other. Were they talking about them?
"Why do we need to take those two?"
"The girl may avoid us, she may not avoid them."
"Fine, do as you wish. We must get going quickly."
Cloud was silent for a while, then nodded. "I think so. We'll take these two with us. They may be of some help finding her." Just as Cloud said this Hojo walked into the cells.
"I haven't finished with these two yet." Hojo snapped from where he had just entered. "I insist-" Tifa raised her hand and Hojo fell silent.
Yuffie stood up glaring at the three of them.(AN:Cloud, Tifa, Hojo ^ _ ^ )"Why should we want to come with you?!"
"Because otherwise all your friends will die. They won't be able to escape as easily as *that* one," Tifa sneered, indicating to where Eryll has stood. She walked forwards. "And we wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?" she added, whispering in Yuffie's ear before walking to the door. Vincent looked at Yuffie, frowning.
"Friends?"
Yuffie sighed. "They've got all the others captive." Vincent nodded, showing that he understood. No one spoke for a while.
"Shall we get going then?" Cloud said, looking at them all.
Yuffie stepped towards them. "Won't we need our weapons? We haven't got them." Cloud laughed.
"We aren't stupid. You won't need your weapons. The girl won't attack you." Yuffie and Vincent glanced at each other.
"But what if we are attacked?"
"Either one of us will cover you, or just run away. Come on, we're going," replied Cloud walking out of the door. Yuffie walked forwards, before turning around to Vincent and shrugging her shoulders as if to say 'I tried'. Tifa and Vincent followed her.
Hojo watched them go, a mixture of spite and jealousy on his face, before following them out of the door and walking back to his lab.
*~*
"Red, do you know where Cid is?" Barrett asked. "My legs are killing me, I can't go much further."
Red shook his head. "I have no idea at all," he replied, warily looking around. "But we best keep moving, I don't know if Tifa will be back soon."
"Back? Where did she go?"
"I'm not sure. She went after a girl somewhere."
"How do you know?"
"She was talking about it with someone outside my door. She also mentioned a crystal and-"
"Why did you stop, what's up?"
Red turned around to look behind them. "Someone's coming! Hide!"
"Hide where?"
"Behind the pillar! Quick!"
Red and Barrett scuttled behind the pillar, and watched the figure come past.
Barrett stared. " . . Wait a sec - Cid? Is that you?"
The figure turned around. "Barrett?!"
"It is you! How did you escape?"
"I dunno, the door of my cell was left open, and I've just been walking around for hours," Cid replied frowning, "hang on a minute, Red? You weren't with us when we entered this place, were you?"
Barrett frowned. "No he wasn't, but he was there when Tifa entered the cell, I'm sure . ." Barrett thought for a moment. (AN: Don't hurt yourself ^ _^ ) Red looked up at them.
"I'll explain. About three weeks ago these funny people dressed in black came into Cosmo Canyon, and demanded that it be handed over to them. I remember the leader of them was called Arys. We refused to hand it over to them, so they took it my force. I was brought here and shoved in a cell, until you came."
"Nice people, huh? How many were there?" asked Barrett.
"Hundreds in total, that's why we weren't able to fight them off. I wonder what they wanted with Comso Canyon?" Red added, almost to himself.
Cid shook his head in despair. "Anyone's guess at that is as good as mine. Now, how the hell do we get outta here?"
"I know this sounds stupid, but perhaps we try going up?" Red suggested.
"Why?"
"Because it's always cold and dark down here, which leads to me thinking that it's underground. It'd also be impossible to hide a place as big as this on the ground -we would've noticed it before."
Silence fell for a while, until Barrett spoke.
"Might as well try."
*~*
Yuffie lifted her hands in front of her face to shield her eyes from the bright light. She had been in darkness for what seemed like forever, but, it had only been one day since her capture. At a quick glance behind her, she noticed that Vincent was also trying to shield himself, probably more so than her, but he was obviously trying hard not to draw attention to himself. Yuffie had the sudden urge to laugh. Did all men try to act tough, as though they were ready for anything? She looked up at the place in which she had just left. Concealed inside a mountain, Yuffie could see how she had never spotted it before. Her stomach rumbled and she realised that she had not eaten for over a day. Tifa looked across at her.
"You'll only get food if you find the girl."
Yuffie snorted. Eryll was weird - no one could predict if she was going to show up or not. At this point Yuffie was willing to bet that Eryll would hide from them, just to deprive Yuffie of lunch.
"We'll scan this area. You two . . . ." Cloud indicated Yuffie and Vincent. "Take the east part and south. Don't think of trying to escape, we have you covered. Okay, let's go."
Tifa and Cloud walked off in different directions.
"What nerve!" Yuffie complained. "They're treating us like slaves here, making us do all of their work for them. Are you even bothered? Hello? Earth to Vincent!?"
Vincent looked at her. "Why do they want Eryll? If they tried to kill her, it'd be just as good for them if she disappeared." With that he walked off, scanning the grounds around them.
3 hours later . . .
Yuffie sat down on the edge of the mountain. In the distance she could just see Cloud, walking around. Why was this Eryll so important? Vincent came over to her.
"Why are you sitting down?"
"Because I'm fed up with searching."
"They're not going to let us go until we've found her," stated Vincent calmly.
"What if they don't let us go then."
Vincent remained silent.
Yuffie stood up so suddenly she almost fell over. "That's it! I refuse to look for the girl anymore. I'd prefer to die than spend my whole life searching for a girl who disappears, attacks everyone, refuses to be found- "
"-and refuses to die." interrupted a quiet, whispery voice from behind. Yuffie and Vincent turned around.
"Eryll?!" Eryll smiled. Vincent frowned. There was something very different about the girl. Her hair was the same, but loose around her shoulders. She wore the same clothes as before, but it was her eyes that caught Vincent's attention. Instead of the peaceful deep sea-green eyes that Vincent remembered, they were a fiery amber, with hate and malice reflected in them. When she spoke it was in a quieter, smoother voice than before.
"I feel that you are afraid Vincent," Eryll whispered softly, "and you are right to be so. Anger is not something that should be taken lightly. If harm is to come to you by my hand, I am sorry. No, I lie. I am not sorry, not in this mood. We have company."
Yuffie and Vincent watched as Cloud and Tifa came hurrying towards them.
"So you found the girl. Well done. Come, girl, our master has need of you," Cloud said, a look of triumph on his face.
"I shall not come with you, you know that," stated Eryll.
"Perhaps you need persuasion."
"I doubt that."
Cloud smirked. "We'll see what you do. I'd love to see your reaction when we kill these two." He nodded at Yuffie and Vincent. Yuffie flinched. There was silence for a while before Eryll spoke, softly but firmly.
"What do you care about my reaction? You'll be dead."
"Well spoken Eryll, very well done." A tall, well built man stepped out of the shadows.
Eryll stared. "Who are you?"
"Ah, yes, an introduction. I am Chiraz, but it will serve well enough for you to call me master."
"Forget it."
Chiraz laughed. "But I can control you easily. I can also destroy you easily." Eryll's eyes flashed. Chiraz stepped backwards, still smiling, but nervously.
"Don't you know yet, Mr Chiraz?" Eryll whispered, with an evil tone to her voice. "I am Eryll, princess of darkness. I am not ruled or destroyed. By anyone."
Cloud stepped forwards, sword out in front of him. "No one talks like that to our master."
Eryll's eyes flashed a fiery red. "Is that so?"
Vincent realised what was about to happen, a split-second before it happened. "Cloud! Watch out!"
Fire erupted around Eryll once more, dark black flames. She raised her hands, and dust flew everywhere. Everyone covered their eyes, dreading what was going to happen. When they felt no more wind, they uncovered their eyes. Eryll's hands were back by her sides. Yuffie looked across at Cloud. He lay on the floor, not moving. His eyes were glazed over. Slowly Yuffie walked forwards. Cloud's eyes were glazed over, and he was no longer breathing. Eryll smiled.
"I told him so."
Yuffie gaped at her. "You killed him?!"
Eryll frowned. "I did what I wanted. He and the girl tried to kill me, I tried to kill them. However, I succeeded when they did not."
"You didn't need to kill him!" Yuffie cried.
"I did what I wanted, what I needed to do."
Yuffie glared at her. Chiraz stepped forwards.
"Now, now, no need to fight is there? Miss Eryll, you can come with me, I have something that I want you to help me with."
Eryll looked at him, her eyes gleaming.
"I help no one."
Vincent looked at Chiraz, and spoke. "You're not even bothered about one of your followers dying?"
Chiraz shrugged. "He was only my puppet. I can make more. Oh, yes, I have no need of you now girl, you are free."
He pointed his finger and Tifa, who fell to the floor at once.
"Now come Eryll."
"I shall not."
"We'll see about that."
Eryll raised her eyebrows before smiling again. "Goodbye Vincent, Yuffie. Goodbye," she whispered, before disappearing with the wind.
AN: Vincent/Yuffie part will be coming as soon as Ivy gets back from Australia. Probably in chapters 8-9. OK?
We're very sorry if this makes no sense - it will be explained soon.