Another Time, Another Place
Authors Notes- Contains slash, angst, swearing, violence and character death.
Pairings- Sephiroth x Kuja, Cloud x Aeris, Vincent x Tifa, Rufus x Tseng, Reno x Yuffie.
Disclaimers- I own none of the characters mentioned hither.
When they woke, there was absolute silence. Kuja thought he could hear the soft rushing of Meteor as it headed earthward. But perhaps it was just his imagination. He stood, dressed and knelt by the Lifestream for a long time. Sephiroth was still asleep. He stared into the icy green depths and wondered what it would be like to combine with Sephiroth after death. A coupling beyond any they could reach in the physical world. He wasn't deluding himself though. Whatever his personal feelings, the thought of the entire world being simply eliminated troubled him now. He reached down to the Lifestream and considered simply jumping in now. No. He wanted to make the most of the time he and Sephiroth had remaining. He touched the surface, felt it shimmer under his fingers. Why did they have to meet under these circumstances when it was too late? Sephiroth was as misled and as troubled as Kuja himself had been. A tear fell and ripples spread across the glassy surface. His reflection stared back- but it wasn't his any more. He leaned forward and saw a pale, pretty face. Wide, clear green eyes stared back into his own as she smiled and touched a finger to her lips. A soft whisper came from the angel as she spoke to him.
"Summon... Holy..."
Holy? A sudden electric feeling jolted through Kuja. Holy, the magic he had cast without a thought, without materia. Was that all that was needed to stop Meteor and Sephiroth? Aeris nodded and with a last sweet smile began to fade. Holy... in his world, it had been a spell that could be cast by anyone with great experience. Precious few ever learnt to call upon that divine force. But here, with the Cetra and the Lifestream, it could change the future of the world. Perhaps it would be harder. He touched the Lifestream again and felt the knowledge seep into his mind. Holy. If he could summon the magic and the Planet would bind itself to him, it would bring forth the Lifestream and eradicate all that endangered the future. He stood and placed a soft kiss upon the sleeping Sephiroth's forehead. 'I'm so sorry' he told the man silently and headed out of the stone chamber.
Kuja walked a long way until he emerged from underground and found a grassy hill rising from the Crater, a haven in the rocky wound. He walked slowly upward, hoping it wouldn't be too late. The entire sky was flushed red now and Meteor was an angry eye glaring from above. He knelt at the top of the hill and using every trace of his power, began to pray for Holy to be summoned.
- - - - - - - - -
Cloud and the rest continued the descent slowly. Meteor was low and a furious blood-red. Too late for the Planet now. All they could do was kill Sephiroth and hope that would compensate slightly. Thoughts of those lost- Aeris, Tseng and now Kuja- touched their minds. Their sacrifice had been in vain. The Planet would not be saved. Aeris would never return after all she had given. Tears threatened Tifa's ruby eyes as the soft roar of Meteor rushing onward began to rise.
"Hey!" Yuffie suddenly yelled. Her voice seemed shrill and inappropriate. "Isn't that Kuja?!" She pointed into the distance and they saw a tiny, kneeling figure atop a grassy hill, hands together and head bowed in a familiar pose.
"He's praying.." Tifa whispered. "But he doesn't have the Materia,"
"Maybe he doesn't need it. Maybe he can reach the Planet without it," Vincent replied, placing an arm around her shoulders. They stopped and stared, feeling for the first time... hope.
- - - - - - - - -
Kuja's eyes closed as he felt the Lifestream respond slowly. 'Please, please help,' He prayed, as the rush of the approaching Meteor grew louder. This was harder than destroying Terra, harder than destroying the Guard Spell. Holy in his own world had never been so hard- a divine force that could be used to attack enemies. But now he had to call the souls of those who dwelled in the Lifestream to wipe out the dangers. Could they even hear him? White hot pain lanced through his head as he felt the slowest response stir somewhere. 'Aeris, please help me!' He thought desperately. His head felt like it might explode- he had poured every last bit of strength into it and he had nothing more to give. It was tearing him apart and nothing was happening.. then suddenly the pain rode to an agonising peak and just as he though he could stand no more, it subsided to a dull ache. He opened his eyes and there was a soft glow swallowing his praying figure. A green light playing around him, sparkling with hope. The Planet had responded.
"You've summoned Holy," A voice said simply, breaking the silence. It sounded as cold and as brittle as the shattering of a thousand dreams. Sephiroth walked in front of the kneeling Kuja. "I suppose this it it,"
Kuja nodded as he saw the red Meteor light catch on the length of steel that hung loosely in Sephiroth's grip. He had expected this, and no longer feared it.
"Are you going to fight?" Sephiroth asked warily.
Kuja shook his head, tired. It didn't matter now. Holy was coming to remove Meteor and Sephiroth himself, to cleanse the Planet of the threat. There was no reason for him to stay tied to this world. Sephiroth knelt before him and suddenly he felt himself crushed into a kiss. Sephiroth was almost vicious as he clung to the mage possessively, holding him as he said a silent farewell.
"I'm sorry," He stood and lifted the gigantic blade. It flashed blood red, then silver as the different lights caught on it. It was a strangely beautiful weapon to die by. "I guess we met too late,"
"Another time, another place," Kuja agreed. No fear at the sight of the deadly blade. He just felt terribly tired and longed for rest. "Did you finally learn what it means to live?" He asked, smiling faintly. Sephiroth looked away.
"...Yes,"
"But it's too late now," Kuja sighed. "It's okay. I knew that you'd have to do this.... I'll be waiting on the other side for you," He looked up into Sephiroth's green gaze, the only person who had really know what it was like to want to be a God, and to have all their dreams dashed. Their eyes met and remained fixed, locked together, even as the Masamune came down, whistling as it split the clear, cold air. Kuja didn't look away as he felt the steel cut clear through him and find the air again as it exited through his back. No pain yet. A rush of adrenaline, but it was too late for that now. Then the gaze began to falter as a black mist gathered around the edges of his vision. Kuja knew his blood would be running down freely, spilling into the ground and returning to the Planet. But he couldn't feel it, couldn't feel anything any more. As he began to fall forward, Sephiroth caught him in his arms and held him possessively. With the last kiss, his mouth tasted sweetly of iron as blood welled up in his throat. Sephiroth kissed him as he promised they would meet again, kissed him as he drove the length of steel further into the dying mage.
"Another time, another place.." were the last whispered words heard by Kuja Garland before his eyes closed and he left this world to wait for Sephiroth in the afterlife.
- - - - - - - - - -
"No!" Tifa cried as she saw the figure of Sephiroth appear. She would have ran, but they were too far away for help now. They watched in silence as the two spoke, as Sephiroth stood and brought the blade down. Like watching Aeris die all over again, she watched helplessly as Kuja's praying hands fell apart and he fell forward into Sephiroth's waiting arms. Their last hope, gone? Meteor whistled threateningly above. The sky was all but obliviated by the giant fiery ball.