Chapter 5
Searching for the Light
Cloud slowly opened his brilliant sapphire eyes, staring dully through the Mako at the people in the room. Much of his will had faded away, but not the nightmares. Only one thought dominated his mind. Tifa. Her crystal rested gently against his chest, its weight a constant reminder of her and of her peril. There was no way to escape, that had become painfully obvious. His mind filled with images of her, her once innocent eyes tortured.
"Cloud...please...help me..." he'd heard her pleading in his dreams. She'd reach out toward him, a tear slipping down her face, and he'd reach out to take her hand, to pull her to him. But some intangible force was always holding him back. These dreams had gone on for days, slowly torturing him.
"Cloud, can you hear me?" a voice asked, pulling him from his dark thoughts.
Cloud looked up, staring through the green liquid at the lab. Rufus was standing near the tank with the scientists, smiling.
"Good. You're not completely gone yet. I'm sure it won't be much longer. You'll be one of our best creations."
Cloud gave him a poisonous glare.
Rufus turned to the head scientist, "Report on his condition."
"Well, sir, he's become very calm. He usually just stares at nothing. And he has frequent nightmares in which he keeps repeating a single name."
Rufus raised his eyebrows, "And that name would be...?"
"Tifa, sir."
Rufus turned back to the tank, "So...you dream about her. How touching."
"Go to hell." Cloud's voice came muffled through the communication system.
"Surprising. You can still speak. Call me if there is any change." Rufus turned and left the lab.
Late that night, Yuffie paced restlessly in her cell. An urgency had been slowly gnawing at her mind, constantly telling her that she was running out of time. Just then, she heard the sound she had been waiting for. The guards were making their rounds and checking every cell. Readying herself to attack, Yuffie waited. As soon as the door to her cell opened, she bolted forward, delivering a quick jab to the guard's throat. He went down without a sound. Quickly dragging him into her cell, she crept out of the detention area and the small storage room where she knew the group's weapons were being kept. She grabbed her Conformer and Tetra Armlet, then turned to search for Cloud's weapons. Ultima Weapon wasn't hard to spot. The crystalline sword emitted it's own faint light. Picking up the sword and strapping it to her back, she found that it was heavy, too heavy for her tastes, but not near as heavy as she thought it would be. She quickly retrieved Cloud's Escort Guard, then stalked out of the storage room. Finding a computer terminal, she pulled up a map and located the lab. Glancing around to make sure no one had found her, she bolted off toward the lab. Because of the late hour and Shinra's complacency, there weren't many guards to get through. In only twenty minutes she had made it across the base to the labs. The lights were off, the scientists gone, leaving no guard. There was no reason to. A Mako poisoned man couldn't pose much of a threat, and that was only if he could manage to get out of the tank itself. The faint glow of the Mako tank drew her attention, and Yuffie ran over to it. Fear rushed over her as she saw Cloud floating, seemingly lifeless. "Cloud!" she called quietly, pounding lightly on the glass.
He stirred and slowly opened his eyes, "...Yuffie?"
"Cloud, hang on. I'm gonna get you out. Do you know where the release switch is?"
"Yeah...it's...on that panel...to your right."
Yuffie sprinted over to the panel and hit the switch to deactivate the tank. A quiet swooshing sound filled the lab as the Mako drained from the tank. When the tank was empty, the door opened, and Cloud fell out, landing hard on the metal floor.
"Cloud!" Yuffie ran to his side and knelt down, gently turning him onto his back and pulling the breathing mask from his face. "C'mon, wake up! You have to get out of here and save Tifa!"
Cloud forced his eyes open and struggled slowly to his feet. An intense wave of nausea swept over him, and his head was pounding furiously. Yuffie spotted his shirt lying on a table nearby and handed it to him.
"Hey, nice muscles." she commented, trying to lighten the dark situation.
He only glanced at her as he pulled on his shirt, "Where's everyone else?"
"I couldn't risk springing them all. Not until you're out, at least." She unstrapped Ultima Weapon and handed it to him, then gave him his Escort Guard as he secured the sword on his back.
"What's up with that crystal? I never noticed it before."
"It's Tifa's." he replied, glancing around the lab.
"Oh. Well, let's go! We have to get you out." she studied his face for a moment, "You sure you can make it?"
"Yes." Cloud ran to the door, Yuffie following close behind him. The two crept cautiously through the halls, quietly making their way to the entrance. As they left the base, they clung to the shadows, heading toward the small harbor. Not a sound was heard from the base. Cloud jumped into a small boat, then turned to Yuffie, "Aren't you coming?"
"Nope! Gotta go get the others. I'll see you soon, Cloud, hopefully with Tifa. Be careful."
"You too."
Yuffie turned back to the base.
"Yuffie!" Cloud called.
She looked back at him, "Yep?"
"Thanks."
She smiled, "No problem. Go get Tifa back, and make sure you smack Jenova one for me!" "I will." Cloud fired the engine and started the long trip back to the mainland. As the boat sped through the water, he sprawled on the floor, finally allowing the effects of the Mako to grip him. He'd fought them all through the base, knowing that his escape and Tifa's life depended on it. As he stared up at the stars, exhaustion began to overtake him. Without even realizing it, he drifted off into a deep sleep.
It was near dawn when Cloud came to again. His headache had eased slightly, making consciousness bearable. Raising himself on his elbows, he saw the shoreline glimmering in the young morning light less than half an hour away. When he arrived, the final act in this horror story would begin. He had no clue where to even begin looking for Jenova and Tifa, and even less of an idea of how to defeat Jenova single-handed. Then there was the problem he wasn't willing to face: what to do if defeating Jenova didn't free Tifa. He couldn't leave her trapped like that forever, but he couldn't bear to think of hurting her again. Reaching out across their bond, he tried to touch her presence. He let his eyes fall closed as he concentrated on finding her. Ever since her resurrection, the feeling of her presence had returned, but it was quieter somehow, distant. After a long moment, he heaved a defeated sigh and gave up. The long minutes passed with the only sound being the lapping of the waves against the metallic hull of the boat and the quiet rumble of the engine. His thoughts wandered back to Yuffie and the friends he'd left behind. He had left, trusting Yuffie to free them. Knowing the young materia thief, the escape wasn't a huge task. The problem would be keeping Barret and Cid quiet long enough to stealthily escape. Returning his attention to the present, he saw that he was coming up on the shore. He killed the engine as the boat made landfall and jumped out, double-checking his equipment. Now what? How am I supposed to find her? Glancing around, he noticed that he had come ashore near Junon. Turning toward the town, he walked slowly, staring at the horizon. After trudging for an hour, he stopped, sprawling on the tall grass. "Tifa...where are you?"
"Hey, Cloud!" a young girl's voice suddenly called.
Propping himself up on his elbows, Cloud turned toward the voice. Priscilla, the girl he'd saved from drowning long ago, was running over to him.
"Cloud, what are you doing here?" She studied his face for a moment, then frowned in concern, "Are you okay?"
He climbed to his feet, "Yeah, I'll be alright."
"You look tired. You should come stay with me and Grandpa tonight and rest."
"Okay." Cloud agreed.
Priscilla smiled, then turned back to town leading the way. It was nearing sunset when they reached the lower area of Junon.
"Grandpa!" the girl yelled, running down the dusty road.
"Slow down, Priscilla. What's wrong?" her grandfather asked.
"It's Cloud. He's gonna stay with us tonight."
Cloud slowly came up behind Priscilla, "If it's okay with you."
"Yes. I don't mind. Make yourself at home." The older man led the way into the house. "There's a spare bedroom upstairs; you can use it. It's almost dinnertime; do you want something to eat?"
"Yeah, thanks." Cloud replied, heading up the stairs to his room. He took a moment to place Ultima Weapon on the bed, then went back downstairs and sank into a chair. His headache was returning, making him wince at every loud noise. Priscilla brought him a plate of food, which he accepted gratefully. After the heavily processed food of the Shinra compound, he welcomed real food. As she finished eating, Priscilla sat at his feet, looking up at him expectantly. He stood up to put away his plate, but Priscilla took it and ran to the kitchen. She returned moments later, giving him a smile.
"Now, you can tell me about your journey." she said.
"Priscilla, it's your bed time, and Cloud must be tired too." her grandfather interjected.
"But-!" she started to protest.
"Go to bed."
Heaving an exasperated sigh, she went to her room. Her grandfather turned to Cloud, "Sorry about that. She's very fond of you."
"Yeah."
"What brings you back to Junon? I have a sense that it's not just a visit. You have a dark shadow lying over you."
"It's a long story. But...I have to find Tifa."
The old man started, "Tifa...? You mean that innocent looking young lady with the long hair and brown eyes? She traveled with you." he chuckled, "She seemed very close to you."
"She is close to me. I-" Cloud stopped himself.
Priscilla's grandfather nodded, "If you need to go think, you should take a walk through the grasslands. I did that often when I was young. Especially at night. It helped put things in perspective. I'll leave the door unlocked for you."
Nodding his thanks, Cloud slipped quietly out the door and headed back into the grasslands. After putting the town far behind him, he sat down, staring at the star-studded heavens. The grass rustled quietly as the wind brushed through it. Heaving a sigh, he collapsed into the grass, letting his brilliant sapphire eyes fall closed.
"Tifa....where are you?"
He bolted upright as a voice came floating over to him on the wind, filling the air with it's sad and lonely song. Focusing his hearing, he could just make out the words:
Namida ga ato kara afuredashite
Saigo no eago ga nijinde mei nai no
Ikanaide, ikanaide, koko ni ite
Sora he hikari kakenukete yuku
The familiar words brought on a rush of memories. Nine years ago, a young Cloud Strife was walking home under the deep shadows of night. Nearing his home, a young voice could be heard singing quietly. Following the sound, Cloud came upon Tifa, who was sitting on the well, singing to herself. He climbed up beside her, startling her.
"Oh, Cloud....you scared me." she hung her head, embarrassed that he had heard her singing.
"That sounded really good. What is it?" he asked.
"A song my mom taught me. It's in that language they used to speak in Wutai, she said. She said it means 'The tears spill out one after another. Your last smile is blurred, I can't see it. Don't go, don't go, stay here. Towards the sky, a light shoots out.' The rest of the song is really sad too....I like it."
Coming back to the present, Cloud jumped to his feet. That was Tifa singing. He ran, following the sound of her sad song, hoping to find her, not caring for a moment that she might hurt him. Reaching the foot of a small hill, he saw her small form standing at the top, staring longingly into the distance. The pale light of the moon bathed her in silver hues.
"Tifa!" he called to her, running up the hill.
She turned to face him, her eyes going wide in shock. Suddenly she turned and ran down the other side out of sight. Cloud doubled his speed, hoping to catch up to her. "Tifa, wait!" he cried as he reached the top. She turned, and hesitantly started up the hill to where he stood. As she came up in front of him, she stared down at her feet.
Cloud reached out, gently laying his hand on her arm, "Tif. A-are you- ?"
"No. Jenova's power is still weak. Her control fades off sometimes; it's only temporary."
Cloud felt the pain in his heart lessening at the sound of her voice, the aching loneliness and self-reproach beginning to fade away. Tifa took his hand in hers and held it tightly, "Cloud, I-I'm sorry...for hurting you. I tried to fight her, but..."
"Tif, no. It's okay, I know. It wasn't you." he soothed.
She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes haunted with pain and sorrow, "No. It's not okay, Cloud. I....I...somehow I liked it. I liked your pain, the feeling of your blood on my hands, the betrayal that I saw in your eyes. It made me sick, and at the same time I enjoyed it."
"Tifa, that was Jenova, not you. It may not have felt that way, but it wasn't you." he said quietly.
She stared warily into his eyes, "I'm scared of myself...of what I might do."
"Tif..." he pulled her into his arms and stared down at her, "I'm going to free you, I promise. No matter how long it takes, or what happens to me, I will free you."
"Cloud..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
He leaned forward, tenderly kissing her. She immediately pulled away, fear apparent on her face.
"Cloud, no. She...her power might come back."
"Tifa, it'll be okay." he gently kissed her again, this time feeling her respond to the kiss. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Being this close to him again made all the suffering seem more bearable. Countless nights since Jenova had brought her back she had lay awake, longing to just see his face again, to collapse into his arms and feel safe. After a long moment, her rapid thoughts ceased, and she fell deeper into the kiss, letting Cloud's love surround her. When they at last separated, tears were slipping down her face. She knew she had to leave him, but couldn't bear the thought of it.
"Cloud, I have to go." she whispered. She met his eyes, and unable to bear the pain she saw there, lowered her eyes.
"Tif, no. Please, don't..."
"I have to. You'll see me again soon, I promise."
"Where is she?"
"In the mountains near here. There's a cave." she replied, forcing herself to meet his eyes again. The sapphire orbs searched her face intently before resting their gaze on her eyes and seeming to stare into her soul.
Cloud gently stroked her cheek, "I will find you."
Tifa pulled from his embrace, "I trust you, Cloud." With that, she turned and ran back down the hill.
"Tifa!" he called to her.
She paused, glancing back at him, "Yeah?"
"I love you."
She smiled sadly, "I love you, too."
Cloud watched her until she had disappeared into the deep shadows before he turned back to Junon. He walked back slowly, thinking over what she had said. Jenova was nearby. There was no question in his mind; he had to free Tifa, and to do that, he had to defeat Jenova. If the others didn't show up soon, he would have to do it alone, no matter what happened. Lost in his plans, he didn't notice that he was right outside of Junon. His mind made up, he went into the town and to Priscilla's house. He slipped in quietly and headed to his room, collapsing on his bed. Somehow he knew there was no time left; he couldn't wait for the others. He was going to face Jenova alone.
Yuffie creeped back toward the dark form of the Shinra base, hoping to spring the rest of her friends without much trouble. She knew that Cloud wouldn't wait for them long, but he couldn't face Jenova and Sephiroth alone. There were no guards around the compound; the base was supposed to have been top secret, and no one expected any of the Avalanche members to escape. Slipping through the shadows like any well trained ninja, Yuffie made her way back to the detention area to free the others. Coming to the first cell, she keyed in the open sequence, startling a half sleeping Cid Highwind.
"Dammit! What the hell!? Yuffie, how'd-!?" he cried.
"Shut up!" Yuffie hissed, "They'll hear us. Now come on. We're busting out of here; I already got Cloud out, and he's gone back to the mainland."
"Damn, girl. Alright, let's get outta here!"
Yuffie and Cid quickly opened the other cells, releasing the others. Leading them back to the storage room, they gathered their weapons and headed for the docks. Just as they made it there, an alarm went up from the base. Soldiers began running from the barracks, quickly converging on the group. Reacting with lightning speed, Vincent fired off two shots, taking out two of the closest soldiers. Barret started shooting like a madman, knocking back masses of the attackers. The soldiers paused for a moment, and a threatening silence stole over the two groups. A soldier fired the first shot, catching Reeve in the arm. Total chaos broke loose, the six members of Avalache struggling for their lives against the impossible odds. Vincent managed to get to a boat, and while picking off soldiers, managed to get the engine started. Hearing the engine start up, the group broke into a run for the only chance of survival that they saw. Glancing up at the others with his cold red eyes, Vincent saw a soldier coming up behind Yuffie unnoticed. He raised his gun to fire a shot at her head.
"Yuffie!" Vincent called, at the same time firing at the soldier. He went down before he could get off a shot, sparing Yuffie's life.
She jumped into the ship, visibly shaken by what had happened. "Vincey...thanks." Turning back to the battle she called out to the others, "Guys, hurry up!"
They struggled and slowly made their way to the boat. As soon as they jumped in, Vincent turned the boat toward the mainland and gunned the engine at full speed. The soldiers that were left on the island tried to fire at them, but the shots went wide. In only minutes, they were far from the compound.
"That was too damn close." Cid muttered.
Red nodded, "Yes, it was. We escaped thanks to Vincent."
"Guys, we have to hurry. I sent Cloud before us, he should've gotten there by now. We have to find him, he was going after Jenova alone." Yuffie cut in.
"Is he crazy!?" Reeve cried.
"No. Cloud's right, we have to get Tifa out as soon as we can. And if that means facing Jenova alone, he's not gonna hesitate to do it, you know him." she replied.
"Yeah. So, we hurry, and hope we catch him before he gets his spikey haired ass killed." Barret commented.
Author's Note: Hey, this is my first note. Okay...first, I'd like to thank all my friends who pushed me to finish this fic and The Bond of Friendship. It's finally a chapter from being done! I'd also like to thank GarlandIX and enigma23ss from Playonline.com for all their encouragement too. They're part of the reason I decided to let this fic be seen by someone other than my friends, and thankfully, all you reviewers so far have liked this fic. It was my first fic, but not the first finished. And, of course, thanks to my reviewers who haven't flamed me for the scenes in Chapter Two when Cloud killed Tifa, and in Chapter Four when she stabbed him. My friends swore that part was the most twisted thing they'd ever read. The song Tifa was singing is Yubiwa from the Japanese version of the Escaflowne movie, which should be out in America soon. Anyway, to wrap this up, may the Aeons ever guard your path.
Searching for the Light
Cloud slowly opened his brilliant sapphire eyes, staring dully through the Mako at the people in the room. Much of his will had faded away, but not the nightmares. Only one thought dominated his mind. Tifa. Her crystal rested gently against his chest, its weight a constant reminder of her and of her peril. There was no way to escape, that had become painfully obvious. His mind filled with images of her, her once innocent eyes tortured.
"Cloud...please...help me..." he'd heard her pleading in his dreams. She'd reach out toward him, a tear slipping down her face, and he'd reach out to take her hand, to pull her to him. But some intangible force was always holding him back. These dreams had gone on for days, slowly torturing him.
"Cloud, can you hear me?" a voice asked, pulling him from his dark thoughts.
Cloud looked up, staring through the green liquid at the lab. Rufus was standing near the tank with the scientists, smiling.
"Good. You're not completely gone yet. I'm sure it won't be much longer. You'll be one of our best creations."
Cloud gave him a poisonous glare.
Rufus turned to the head scientist, "Report on his condition."
"Well, sir, he's become very calm. He usually just stares at nothing. And he has frequent nightmares in which he keeps repeating a single name."
Rufus raised his eyebrows, "And that name would be...?"
"Tifa, sir."
Rufus turned back to the tank, "So...you dream about her. How touching."
"Go to hell." Cloud's voice came muffled through the communication system.
"Surprising. You can still speak. Call me if there is any change." Rufus turned and left the lab.
Late that night, Yuffie paced restlessly in her cell. An urgency had been slowly gnawing at her mind, constantly telling her that she was running out of time. Just then, she heard the sound she had been waiting for. The guards were making their rounds and checking every cell. Readying herself to attack, Yuffie waited. As soon as the door to her cell opened, she bolted forward, delivering a quick jab to the guard's throat. He went down without a sound. Quickly dragging him into her cell, she crept out of the detention area and the small storage room where she knew the group's weapons were being kept. She grabbed her Conformer and Tetra Armlet, then turned to search for Cloud's weapons. Ultima Weapon wasn't hard to spot. The crystalline sword emitted it's own faint light. Picking up the sword and strapping it to her back, she found that it was heavy, too heavy for her tastes, but not near as heavy as she thought it would be. She quickly retrieved Cloud's Escort Guard, then stalked out of the storage room. Finding a computer terminal, she pulled up a map and located the lab. Glancing around to make sure no one had found her, she bolted off toward the lab. Because of the late hour and Shinra's complacency, there weren't many guards to get through. In only twenty minutes she had made it across the base to the labs. The lights were off, the scientists gone, leaving no guard. There was no reason to. A Mako poisoned man couldn't pose much of a threat, and that was only if he could manage to get out of the tank itself. The faint glow of the Mako tank drew her attention, and Yuffie ran over to it. Fear rushed over her as she saw Cloud floating, seemingly lifeless. "Cloud!" she called quietly, pounding lightly on the glass.
He stirred and slowly opened his eyes, "...Yuffie?"
"Cloud, hang on. I'm gonna get you out. Do you know where the release switch is?"
"Yeah...it's...on that panel...to your right."
Yuffie sprinted over to the panel and hit the switch to deactivate the tank. A quiet swooshing sound filled the lab as the Mako drained from the tank. When the tank was empty, the door opened, and Cloud fell out, landing hard on the metal floor.
"Cloud!" Yuffie ran to his side and knelt down, gently turning him onto his back and pulling the breathing mask from his face. "C'mon, wake up! You have to get out of here and save Tifa!"
Cloud forced his eyes open and struggled slowly to his feet. An intense wave of nausea swept over him, and his head was pounding furiously. Yuffie spotted his shirt lying on a table nearby and handed it to him.
"Hey, nice muscles." she commented, trying to lighten the dark situation.
He only glanced at her as he pulled on his shirt, "Where's everyone else?"
"I couldn't risk springing them all. Not until you're out, at least." She unstrapped Ultima Weapon and handed it to him, then gave him his Escort Guard as he secured the sword on his back.
"What's up with that crystal? I never noticed it before."
"It's Tifa's." he replied, glancing around the lab.
"Oh. Well, let's go! We have to get you out." she studied his face for a moment, "You sure you can make it?"
"Yes." Cloud ran to the door, Yuffie following close behind him. The two crept cautiously through the halls, quietly making their way to the entrance. As they left the base, they clung to the shadows, heading toward the small harbor. Not a sound was heard from the base. Cloud jumped into a small boat, then turned to Yuffie, "Aren't you coming?"
"Nope! Gotta go get the others. I'll see you soon, Cloud, hopefully with Tifa. Be careful."
"You too."
Yuffie turned back to the base.
"Yuffie!" Cloud called.
She looked back at him, "Yep?"
"Thanks."
She smiled, "No problem. Go get Tifa back, and make sure you smack Jenova one for me!" "I will." Cloud fired the engine and started the long trip back to the mainland. As the boat sped through the water, he sprawled on the floor, finally allowing the effects of the Mako to grip him. He'd fought them all through the base, knowing that his escape and Tifa's life depended on it. As he stared up at the stars, exhaustion began to overtake him. Without even realizing it, he drifted off into a deep sleep.
It was near dawn when Cloud came to again. His headache had eased slightly, making consciousness bearable. Raising himself on his elbows, he saw the shoreline glimmering in the young morning light less than half an hour away. When he arrived, the final act in this horror story would begin. He had no clue where to even begin looking for Jenova and Tifa, and even less of an idea of how to defeat Jenova single-handed. Then there was the problem he wasn't willing to face: what to do if defeating Jenova didn't free Tifa. He couldn't leave her trapped like that forever, but he couldn't bear to think of hurting her again. Reaching out across their bond, he tried to touch her presence. He let his eyes fall closed as he concentrated on finding her. Ever since her resurrection, the feeling of her presence had returned, but it was quieter somehow, distant. After a long moment, he heaved a defeated sigh and gave up. The long minutes passed with the only sound being the lapping of the waves against the metallic hull of the boat and the quiet rumble of the engine. His thoughts wandered back to Yuffie and the friends he'd left behind. He had left, trusting Yuffie to free them. Knowing the young materia thief, the escape wasn't a huge task. The problem would be keeping Barret and Cid quiet long enough to stealthily escape. Returning his attention to the present, he saw that he was coming up on the shore. He killed the engine as the boat made landfall and jumped out, double-checking his equipment. Now what? How am I supposed to find her? Glancing around, he noticed that he had come ashore near Junon. Turning toward the town, he walked slowly, staring at the horizon. After trudging for an hour, he stopped, sprawling on the tall grass. "Tifa...where are you?"
"Hey, Cloud!" a young girl's voice suddenly called.
Propping himself up on his elbows, Cloud turned toward the voice. Priscilla, the girl he'd saved from drowning long ago, was running over to him.
"Cloud, what are you doing here?" She studied his face for a moment, then frowned in concern, "Are you okay?"
He climbed to his feet, "Yeah, I'll be alright."
"You look tired. You should come stay with me and Grandpa tonight and rest."
"Okay." Cloud agreed.
Priscilla smiled, then turned back to town leading the way. It was nearing sunset when they reached the lower area of Junon.
"Grandpa!" the girl yelled, running down the dusty road.
"Slow down, Priscilla. What's wrong?" her grandfather asked.
"It's Cloud. He's gonna stay with us tonight."
Cloud slowly came up behind Priscilla, "If it's okay with you."
"Yes. I don't mind. Make yourself at home." The older man led the way into the house. "There's a spare bedroom upstairs; you can use it. It's almost dinnertime; do you want something to eat?"
"Yeah, thanks." Cloud replied, heading up the stairs to his room. He took a moment to place Ultima Weapon on the bed, then went back downstairs and sank into a chair. His headache was returning, making him wince at every loud noise. Priscilla brought him a plate of food, which he accepted gratefully. After the heavily processed food of the Shinra compound, he welcomed real food. As she finished eating, Priscilla sat at his feet, looking up at him expectantly. He stood up to put away his plate, but Priscilla took it and ran to the kitchen. She returned moments later, giving him a smile.
"Now, you can tell me about your journey." she said.
"Priscilla, it's your bed time, and Cloud must be tired too." her grandfather interjected.
"But-!" she started to protest.
"Go to bed."
Heaving an exasperated sigh, she went to her room. Her grandfather turned to Cloud, "Sorry about that. She's very fond of you."
"Yeah."
"What brings you back to Junon? I have a sense that it's not just a visit. You have a dark shadow lying over you."
"It's a long story. But...I have to find Tifa."
The old man started, "Tifa...? You mean that innocent looking young lady with the long hair and brown eyes? She traveled with you." he chuckled, "She seemed very close to you."
"She is close to me. I-" Cloud stopped himself.
Priscilla's grandfather nodded, "If you need to go think, you should take a walk through the grasslands. I did that often when I was young. Especially at night. It helped put things in perspective. I'll leave the door unlocked for you."
Nodding his thanks, Cloud slipped quietly out the door and headed back into the grasslands. After putting the town far behind him, he sat down, staring at the star-studded heavens. The grass rustled quietly as the wind brushed through it. Heaving a sigh, he collapsed into the grass, letting his brilliant sapphire eyes fall closed.
"Tifa....where are you?"
He bolted upright as a voice came floating over to him on the wind, filling the air with it's sad and lonely song. Focusing his hearing, he could just make out the words:
Namida ga ato kara afuredashite
Saigo no eago ga nijinde mei nai no
Ikanaide, ikanaide, koko ni ite
Sora he hikari kakenukete yuku
The familiar words brought on a rush of memories. Nine years ago, a young Cloud Strife was walking home under the deep shadows of night. Nearing his home, a young voice could be heard singing quietly. Following the sound, Cloud came upon Tifa, who was sitting on the well, singing to herself. He climbed up beside her, startling her.
"Oh, Cloud....you scared me." she hung her head, embarrassed that he had heard her singing.
"That sounded really good. What is it?" he asked.
"A song my mom taught me. It's in that language they used to speak in Wutai, she said. She said it means 'The tears spill out one after another. Your last smile is blurred, I can't see it. Don't go, don't go, stay here. Towards the sky, a light shoots out.' The rest of the song is really sad too....I like it."
Coming back to the present, Cloud jumped to his feet. That was Tifa singing. He ran, following the sound of her sad song, hoping to find her, not caring for a moment that she might hurt him. Reaching the foot of a small hill, he saw her small form standing at the top, staring longingly into the distance. The pale light of the moon bathed her in silver hues.
"Tifa!" he called to her, running up the hill.
She turned to face him, her eyes going wide in shock. Suddenly she turned and ran down the other side out of sight. Cloud doubled his speed, hoping to catch up to her. "Tifa, wait!" he cried as he reached the top. She turned, and hesitantly started up the hill to where he stood. As she came up in front of him, she stared down at her feet.
Cloud reached out, gently laying his hand on her arm, "Tif. A-are you- ?"
"No. Jenova's power is still weak. Her control fades off sometimes; it's only temporary."
Cloud felt the pain in his heart lessening at the sound of her voice, the aching loneliness and self-reproach beginning to fade away. Tifa took his hand in hers and held it tightly, "Cloud, I-I'm sorry...for hurting you. I tried to fight her, but..."
"Tif, no. It's okay, I know. It wasn't you." he soothed.
She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes haunted with pain and sorrow, "No. It's not okay, Cloud. I....I...somehow I liked it. I liked your pain, the feeling of your blood on my hands, the betrayal that I saw in your eyes. It made me sick, and at the same time I enjoyed it."
"Tifa, that was Jenova, not you. It may not have felt that way, but it wasn't you." he said quietly.
She stared warily into his eyes, "I'm scared of myself...of what I might do."
"Tif..." he pulled her into his arms and stared down at her, "I'm going to free you, I promise. No matter how long it takes, or what happens to me, I will free you."
"Cloud..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
He leaned forward, tenderly kissing her. She immediately pulled away, fear apparent on her face.
"Cloud, no. She...her power might come back."
"Tifa, it'll be okay." he gently kissed her again, this time feeling her respond to the kiss. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Being this close to him again made all the suffering seem more bearable. Countless nights since Jenova had brought her back she had lay awake, longing to just see his face again, to collapse into his arms and feel safe. After a long moment, her rapid thoughts ceased, and she fell deeper into the kiss, letting Cloud's love surround her. When they at last separated, tears were slipping down her face. She knew she had to leave him, but couldn't bear the thought of it.
"Cloud, I have to go." she whispered. She met his eyes, and unable to bear the pain she saw there, lowered her eyes.
"Tif, no. Please, don't..."
"I have to. You'll see me again soon, I promise."
"Where is she?"
"In the mountains near here. There's a cave." she replied, forcing herself to meet his eyes again. The sapphire orbs searched her face intently before resting their gaze on her eyes and seeming to stare into her soul.
Cloud gently stroked her cheek, "I will find you."
Tifa pulled from his embrace, "I trust you, Cloud." With that, she turned and ran back down the hill.
"Tifa!" he called to her.
She paused, glancing back at him, "Yeah?"
"I love you."
She smiled sadly, "I love you, too."
Cloud watched her until she had disappeared into the deep shadows before he turned back to Junon. He walked back slowly, thinking over what she had said. Jenova was nearby. There was no question in his mind; he had to free Tifa, and to do that, he had to defeat Jenova. If the others didn't show up soon, he would have to do it alone, no matter what happened. Lost in his plans, he didn't notice that he was right outside of Junon. His mind made up, he went into the town and to Priscilla's house. He slipped in quietly and headed to his room, collapsing on his bed. Somehow he knew there was no time left; he couldn't wait for the others. He was going to face Jenova alone.
Yuffie creeped back toward the dark form of the Shinra base, hoping to spring the rest of her friends without much trouble. She knew that Cloud wouldn't wait for them long, but he couldn't face Jenova and Sephiroth alone. There were no guards around the compound; the base was supposed to have been top secret, and no one expected any of the Avalanche members to escape. Slipping through the shadows like any well trained ninja, Yuffie made her way back to the detention area to free the others. Coming to the first cell, she keyed in the open sequence, startling a half sleeping Cid Highwind.
"Dammit! What the hell!? Yuffie, how'd-!?" he cried.
"Shut up!" Yuffie hissed, "They'll hear us. Now come on. We're busting out of here; I already got Cloud out, and he's gone back to the mainland."
"Damn, girl. Alright, let's get outta here!"
Yuffie and Cid quickly opened the other cells, releasing the others. Leading them back to the storage room, they gathered their weapons and headed for the docks. Just as they made it there, an alarm went up from the base. Soldiers began running from the barracks, quickly converging on the group. Reacting with lightning speed, Vincent fired off two shots, taking out two of the closest soldiers. Barret started shooting like a madman, knocking back masses of the attackers. The soldiers paused for a moment, and a threatening silence stole over the two groups. A soldier fired the first shot, catching Reeve in the arm. Total chaos broke loose, the six members of Avalache struggling for their lives against the impossible odds. Vincent managed to get to a boat, and while picking off soldiers, managed to get the engine started. Hearing the engine start up, the group broke into a run for the only chance of survival that they saw. Glancing up at the others with his cold red eyes, Vincent saw a soldier coming up behind Yuffie unnoticed. He raised his gun to fire a shot at her head.
"Yuffie!" Vincent called, at the same time firing at the soldier. He went down before he could get off a shot, sparing Yuffie's life.
She jumped into the ship, visibly shaken by what had happened. "Vincey...thanks." Turning back to the battle she called out to the others, "Guys, hurry up!"
They struggled and slowly made their way to the boat. As soon as they jumped in, Vincent turned the boat toward the mainland and gunned the engine at full speed. The soldiers that were left on the island tried to fire at them, but the shots went wide. In only minutes, they were far from the compound.
"That was too damn close." Cid muttered.
Red nodded, "Yes, it was. We escaped thanks to Vincent."
"Guys, we have to hurry. I sent Cloud before us, he should've gotten there by now. We have to find him, he was going after Jenova alone." Yuffie cut in.
"Is he crazy!?" Reeve cried.
"No. Cloud's right, we have to get Tifa out as soon as we can. And if that means facing Jenova alone, he's not gonna hesitate to do it, you know him." she replied.
"Yeah. So, we hurry, and hope we catch him before he gets his spikey haired ass killed." Barret commented.
Author's Note: Hey, this is my first note. Okay...first, I'd like to thank all my friends who pushed me to finish this fic and The Bond of Friendship. It's finally a chapter from being done! I'd also like to thank GarlandIX and enigma23ss from Playonline.com for all their encouragement too. They're part of the reason I decided to let this fic be seen by someone other than my friends, and thankfully, all you reviewers so far have liked this fic. It was my first fic, but not the first finished. And, of course, thanks to my reviewers who haven't flamed me for the scenes in Chapter Two when Cloud killed Tifa, and in Chapter Four when she stabbed him. My friends swore that part was the most twisted thing they'd ever read. The song Tifa was singing is Yubiwa from the Japanese version of the Escaflowne movie, which should be out in America soon. Anyway, to wrap this up, may the Aeons ever guard your path.