Cloud: What that?
Liv: You know...that.
Cloud: ...oh! That...
Onna: *still kicking Sano's sorry butt*
*****
Destiny's Call - 18
by: Liv (aka LGStrife)
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't be mad at you...I should understand...that you still love him..."
"Cloud..." Aeris whispered as the man held his weeping while they were in a dark cave. His back was turned, sword held in hand. Pebbles fell from the walls he slashed. "Cloud, let me explain."
"You don't need to explain, Aeris!" Cloud turned around with crying eyes. "I saw it right in front of my eyes! You were kissing each other! You didn't even care to tell him that we're together!"
"Cloud--"
"That's enough, Aeris..." Cloud said. His crying sadness is visibly heard from his voice. "I just want to tell you...that you're revival...was the happiest gift Planet gave me...but I guess you weren't intended for me..." He turned around again to hide his tears.
A tear dropped to the snowy land. Aeris didn't hold back her cry. "Cloud, you're hurting me!"
The voice and message echoed into Cloud's mind. He turned around, no longer angry at Aeris. It pained him to see the girl he loved crying. "Aeris..." He felt so guilty...so sickeningly pathetic...
"The words you speak are hurting me! You act as if I don't care about you anymore!"
Just then did Cloud realize his mistake. "Aeris, I'm..." He gasped when the woman turned around and ran off with tears. "Aeris, don't! Aeris!!" He chased her to the entrance of the cave but couldn't go on further to the camp where he saw Zack waiting for her. "Aeris, I'm sorry...!!!" He began to weep again as he fell sitting on the snow. He felt like he was the same boy...back in Nibelheim...
Aeris gasped from her nightmare. She had remembered the argument she and Cloud had. A tear dropped to her pillow as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. She still loved him even if Zack was around...but will he still accept her?
*****
"Going somewhere, Zack?" Zack turned around and saw Sephiroth approaching him from the back, his arms folded.
"What business have you with the sword?" Sephiroth stopped upon reaching Zack.
"Oh, this?" Zack looked at the sword in different angles. "I fought off a monster--" Within a flash, the Masamune was pointing at his neck. "What the fu--"
"You were heading to the cave where Strife is...that looks like a dangerously held sword, Zack." Sephiroth hissed glaring at Zack. His aquamarine eyes glowered. "Who are you?"
Zack was silent, no smile, no frown can be seen on his face. He looked straight into Sephiroth's eyes.
My son...
Sephiroth heard the hissing voice.
The familiar hissing voice...
A flash of the alienated form in the laboratory appeared to Sephiroth. He blinked and showed a surprised eyes. "Jenova..."
"He has returned." Zack smiled evilly.
"Traitor!" Sephiroth shouted.
"Look who's talking, Great Sephiroth! Was it not you who betrayed your mother and switched sides with a puppet??"
"My mother was a beautiful human named Lucrecia!"
"You should have not said that while Lord Jenova is around." Zack said keeping that evil smile.
Sephiroth heard noise behind him. Turning around, he let out a cry of pain as a tentacle surged pass right shoulder. Another one entwined itself around Sephiroth and lifted him up squeezing him tightly. Sephiroth could only grunt. He was too weak to teleport and the tentacle was stopping him from using his Masamune.
"I'll finish you off after I deal with your clone." Zack waved good-bye continuing his way to Cloud's cave.
C, Cloud...!
*****
"Just because Aeris chose to love Zack still doesn't give you the reason to waste yourself by sleeping in this cave." Cloud heard Sephiroth say while he was sitting on the ground. "Please..." He whispered. "I need to be alone."
"Hmph." Sephiroth turned around. "Suit yourself." He began to walk away. "I'll wait for you in the camp...watch your back."
Cloud didn't pay attention to what Sephiroth had told him. He was too depressed to even move.
C, Cloud...!
"Sephiroth?" Cloud looked up and around, his back turned to the entrance.
Watch your back.
"What?!" Quickly Cloud stood up.
A whooshing sound.
Immediately, Cloud turned around only to receive a blade that tore pass his skin on his abdomen. His gasp was croaked as he slowly knelt down and held his wound even if the sword was still there. His huge blue eyes stared into space. Grasping a little of reality, he bent his neck slowly and looked at the bloody sword. He traced it to its wielder only to be surprised of the identity. "Z, Zack...!"
"I'm surprised you actually heard me." Zack had a frown on. "It's time you die, Strife."
"W, what...gah!" Cloud fell down to the snow face first when the sword was pulled back. His right hand grabbed the wall staining it with blood. He searched and gained support on standing up.
"Without you in the way, Lord Jenova will have no trouble on getting the Cetra."
Cetra! Cloud turned to Zack incredulously. "You..."
"Yes, yes..." Zack rested his sword on his shoulder as he approached Cloud. "It was Jenova who revived me. I can't believe you were actually fooled by that silly story I told you."
Cloud gritted his teeth and glared at Zack, his right hand reaching out for his Ultima Weapon. "There's no way you're gonna get Aeris with a fight! Kill me first before you take her!" He pulled it off and positioned in his fighting stance.
"That's exactly what I'm gonna do."
*****
"Cloud...Cloud..." Aeris' head turned left and right. She perspired in her sleep as she continued to call out the name. "Cloud...!"
"Yo, Aeris!" The huge man nudged the woman strongly waking her up with her shriek.
Aeris' eyes were bloodshot, her breathing fast. She turned to the huge man beside her. "Barret?"
"Yeah, " Barret answered, his skin darker because of the night. "I had to catch up with you in any way possible when you left me in Cosmo Canyon!"
Aeris turned away from Barret looking at her skirt. She faced him again. "Where's Cloud?"
"Spiky-ass ain't here."
"No!" Aeris threw off her quilt and rushed outside.
"Whut the-- Aeris, wait up!!"
*****
Tifa looked around the vast whiteness worryingly. Okay! First there was Cloud, then there was Zack, now there was Sephiroth...who never cared to enter the tents anyway. She groaned. "Where the hell is everyone going?!" She had set Yuffie and Red XIII off to look for the three people. "I just hope Yuffie and Red doesn't join them."
"Tifa!"
"Aeris?" Tifa turned around and caught the frantic woman in her arms. "Whoah, whoah! Calm down, what is it?"
Aeris panted. "Cloud! Where is he??"
"I have no idea." Tifa shook her head. "Whoah, stop!" She held the girl from running away. "Aeris, what's gotten into you??"
"Tifa, we have to see Cloud!"
"But we don't know where he is!" Tifa pointed out. She saw Barret arriving from behind Aeris.
"Damn it! No sign of 'im?" Barret panted. "Sh*t!" He cursed when Tifa shook her head.
"I dreamt of him."
Both Tifa and Barret turned to Aeris.
"He was calling out my name and was telling me to stay back."
"Damn it," Tifa turned to Barret. "Barret, I'm worried."
"I'm more worried now that the Ancient spoke o'her dreams!"
"Hey!!!"
Tifa turned around. "Yuffie! Red! You're back!" She rushed towards them. "But...where's Cloud?"
"We didn't find Cloud." Red XIII answered, not the least bit tired.
"We...we saw..." Yuffie panted. "We saw Sephiroth...and he's not in the best condition, that's for sure."
"What?!" Tifa exclaimed. "Where?!"
"I'll take you there." Red XIII turned around and rushed off followed by the rest to Yuffie's bad luck.
*****
Gasps and curse words were heard upon the pathetic sight of Sephiroth.
Tifa had covered her mouth with her hands. "What happened to him?!" She turned to Yuffie.
Yuffie shrugged. "We have no idea...he was actually more disgusting when we saw him. I had already slashed the tentacle that stabbed his shoulder."
"We tried all we could but we need more help." Red XIII spoke. He heard a gun click and turned to Barret.
Barret's gun arm was pointed at Sephiroth.
"Barret, stick that thing somewhere safer." Tifa told him.
"I'm gonna shoot the frozen tentacles."
"You might hit him!"
"He ain't gonna die with my bullets! He's too strong to die!"
"But he's completely defenseless now! Don't you get it??" Finally, Tifa met Barret's eyes.
But Barret only returned to his original idea. "Well wish him luck." He heard Tifa call him to stop but he had already start shooting on the tentacles. Chips of ice fell down to the snow until the rest of the tentacle that stabbed Sephiroth had already fallen off.
"Barret, hold it!" Tifa held his arm. "Lemme climb, I might get him out." She rushed towards Sephiroth and stepped on the tentacle with her right foot. She grabbed on the higher tentacle and moved her left foot off the ground. Chips of ice fell again. "Tifa, be careful!" Tifa heard Yuffie call out. Well...that's new... She grunted as she continued to climb up until she had reached Sephiroth. He was near to being frozen as well. "Sephiroth...Sephiroth, wake up! Sephiroth!" Tifa slightly slapped his cheeks until there was very slight movement. "Thank God you're alive. It's Tifa."
Sephiroth groaned.
"I'll try and break these tentacles off for you." Tifa held on a higher tentacle with her left hand. Her right hand grabbed the tentacle around Sephiroth's chest and tried to pull it off. Cracks were forming at the sides. With a stronger pull, she was able to throw the tentacle down.
"Look out!" Red XIII leapt backwards watching the tentacle crash. He looked up at Tifa.
Tifa continued breaking off the tentacles with her hands and kicks until the body began to fall down. "Whoah!" She pushed Sephiroth's chest with her right hand and looked down. "Barret!"
"What?!" Barret rushed near the tentacles.
"Catch!" Tifa let go of Sephiroth and pushed him down, off his prison.
Barret stretched his hands and caught Sephiroth smoothly.
Tifa heard Sephiroth groan as she climbed her way down. She joined the crowd who settled Sephiroth on the ice.
Red XIII walked near Sephiroth and warmed him with his fiery tail.
Sephiroth felt more comfortable now that his party had found him. "Strife...Strife..."
"What about him?" Tifa asked kneeling beside him.
"He is...in trouble..."
Tifa heard someone set off and saw Aeris was gone. "Aeris!" She stood up. "Aeris!!"
*****
Cloud bent and stepped to the right missing two of Zack's slashes. He slashed upwards from the right. His sword clashed with Zack's.
Zack pushed Cloud with his sword and returned to his fighting stance. "I'm surprised at how you've grown strong from a petty child."
"People change." Cloud held his sword ready. "You should know that."
"Cloud!"
Cloud turned around to see Aeris by the entrance of the cave. "Aeris!"
Aeris pointed behind him. "Look out!"
Cloud turned around and blocked Zack's slash. Unfortunately, he fell down to the snow. He moved his sword to hold Zack's sword from slashing him. But the man was pushing it downwards still.
"The Cetra is here, Strife..." Zack spoke. "I should finish you off now."
"Zack!"
Zack turned to the entrance and received a powerful slash sending him away from Cloud.
Sephiroth moved his sword near his eye, forgetting all the pain he had experienced. "Strife, get up."
Zack grunted as he stood up through the wall. He gave Sephiroth an evil smile and disappeared within a flash.
"Where--" Sephiroth looked around only to see the man behind Aeris, ready to stab her. "Gainsborough!"
"Aeris, look out!" Cloud shouted and pushed Aeris to safety taking the wound instead of Aeris.
While Zack was off guard, Sephiroth attacked with a deep slash on the chest.
"Gah!" Zack took a step backward holding his wound. He casted his hand on Sephiroth blowing him away with wind. He heard an angry cry and turned around seeing Cloud running towards him. To his surprise, the man had successfully stabbed him on the abdomen. He couldn't believe what had happened for a moment. But soon, his fist flew to Cloud sending him flying to the opposite wall.
Cloud crashed onto it and fell down, weak.
"Now, I'll finish you off." Zack hissed and stood straight approaching Cloud.
"Stop!" Aeris stood in front of Cloud hindering Zack from killing him.
Only then did Tifa and the others reach the cave. "Aeris, get away!" Tifa was to run towards her when Barret held her from doing it. "Barret, let go!!"
"I won't let you do it, Zack." Aeris said bravely even if she had no weapon. She watched Zack move his sword to her neck. "I don't think you can do that either."
"Oh yes, I could..." Zack hissed.
Aeris shook her head. "I know why. Because you're not fully under Jenova's spell. Your mind may have been following him. But deep inside you, you're still you. Zack never hurts his loved ones. You wouldn't want to kill your best friend or the woman you loved just because the one who revived you wanted you to do it."
The message echoed in a surprised Zack's mind.
"Zack never follows orders
when he knows it's wrong. He can accept punishment, just as long as he
knows he's doing the right thing."
Zack's hand began to shaken, until the sword was away from Aeris.
Cloud used the wall as support for standing up. He gasped when Zack gave an angry cry.
Zack lifted the sword, blade facing down, and stabbed himself.
"Zack!!!" Cloud pushed Aeris away and rushed towards him.
Zack felt like he was falling, but before he could fall to the snow, he felt someone catch him and lay him down gently on the snow. "C, Cloud..." He choked.
"Zack...Zack, what were you doing?" Cloud gave him a confused look.
Zack smiled weakly. The boy he had used to know returned...how he missed it so much. "Hurry."
"What?"
"Take the sword...and stab me deeper."
"What?! No! We can heal you! Jenova's spell is off--"
"That's what you think." Zack gave a sad look. "Jenova had taken full possession of me...I'm under his spell. I can only attain my soul in death..."
"But Zack..."
"You'd do anything for your best friend, right?"
Cloud looked at him confusingly for awhile...then knew he had to do it.
Aeris watched Cloud's hands moved to hold the hilt. "Cloud..."
Cloud felt his wrist grabbed. He looked at Zack.
"I'm glad...I have someone like you...to correct my mistakes...and take care of my Aeris..." Zack wore another weak smile. "I guess this time we get to say good-bye to each other."
"...Farewell...Zack." Cloud held the hilt tighter and pushed it downwards hearing Zack's pain.
The hand that held Cloud's wrist tightened...then softened...then fell...
Cloud removed his hand from the hilt and faced Zack. "Good-bye..." His hand moved Zack's open eyes and closed it. "Rest in peace." As if on queue, Zack's body disappeared into green sparkles.
*****
Kenshin was listening to Cid's endless bickering of his worrying on Cloud. What the-- He turned to the door, sakabatou ready.
"Kenshin?" Vincent asked. "Are you all right?"
"I sense an evil ki..."
The door knob twisted.
Kenshin watched the door swing open and was relieved to see Sephiroth. "Okaeri..."
*****
"So, the Kaoru that left with you is a clone." Cloud saw Kenshin nod. "...that bastard Hojo..."
"So, leader," Cid spoke up. "What do we do now?"
"We go to Midgar, I know it's where Jenova took Yahiko to. She's been meddling with Hojo. I never knew even he was revived."
"But at our condition now--"
"I know. But let me tell you, Highwind: we were at a worse condition when we left to fight Sephiroth."
"But this is Jenova!"
"It makes no difference!" Cloud insisted.
The door flew open welcoming a very strong blizzard.
"What the hell?!" Sano grabbed on whatever to hold himself from being blown away.
"Jenova!!!" Sephiroth shouted.
The same form Kenshin had scene earlier appeared behind Kaoru and wrapped her around with his tentacles.
Kaoru shrieked and felt pain as the tentacles slithered tighter.
"Kaoru-dono!!!" Kenshin wielded his sakabatou. "Let her go!!"
This time, I'm serious, Himura.... The voice hissed. You will come with me or your woman dies...
"Never!!!"
Kaoru coughed off blood when the tentacles squeezed tighter.
Come...or she dies...
Kenshin watched Kaoru gasp for breath when a tentacle entwined around her neck. She bled even more as he waited.
I see you want her dead...
"No!" Kenshin shouted. "...I'll come with you...if you release her first."
She will stay with me unless you have come.
"Then I'll do it."
"What?!" Sano exclaimed. "Kenshin, no!"
"I know what I'm doing, Sano." Kenshin sheathed his sakabatou, then approached Jenova fearlessly.
Sano watched with wide eyes. Tentacles slithered around Kenshin and Jenova had disappeared with him after dropping Kaoru to the ground. "NO!!!"
"There will be three groups! Sano, Cait Sith, Aeris and Cid will save Kenshin. Tifa, Yuffie, Barret and Red XIII will take Yahiko. Vincent, Sephiroth and I will take on Jenova. Move out!" Cloud watched the others leave the room and head outside.
"Wait!" Vincent protested. "Can we do this?"
Cloud turned to Vincent. "There ain't no way we're gonna get offa this train we're on."
- End of Part 18 -
Terms:
1.) okaeri - welcome back.
Liv: Longest!!! XD
Cloud: I guess you made up for that short thing you did.
Liv: Congratulate me?
Onna: Again?
Cloud: No.
Liv: *pout*