DISCLAIMER: Yes, they're all mine!! Mwahahaa!! ..Oh. *sweatdrop* I was just kidding!! As always the characters and stuff belong to Squaresoft. ^_^
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Heh! Me got fans! Me happy! Hahaha! No, seriously. Thanks for all the reviews. They make me write all the more insanely.. So keep them coming! *laughs like a person who's had too much coffee and too little sleep* Gaah.. I'm out of control. And don't you worry, I'm not about to stop writing! ..It's what I live for!!
CHAPTER 9.
Never give all the heart,
for love
Will hardly seem worth thinking of
To passionate women if it seem
Certain, and they never dream
That it fades out from kiss to kiss;
For everything that's lovely is
But a brief, dreamy, kind delight.
O never give the heart outright,
For they, for all smooth lips can say,
Have given their hearts up to the play.
And who could play it well enough
If deaf and dumb and blind with love?
He that made this knows all the cost,
For he gave all his heart and lost.
- W. B. Yeats -
Sephiroth stared at the asfalt pavement of Junon's military base. He had entered the facility a few hours ago, the summoning voice of Jenova growing stronger with every step he took. She had told him she'd be waiting in a freight-ship, about to set sail for Costa Del Sol. Sephiroth knew he had plenty of time before the ship's scheduled departure, so he wasn't in any hurry to get to his mother.
He'd always liked Junon, for it was the only city in the world in which Sephiroth had ever felt like a normal person.. It was so filled up with weirdos, criminals, failures and rising talents, Sephiroth felt like he could dissappear into the crowds. He remembered vaigly the times he had been here during his career at SOLDIER. He didn't have any warm fuzzy feelings about those years, all he really remembered feeling was emptiness.. He had lacked a purpose in his life, Sephiroth knew as much. He remembered how difficult it had been to grow up that way.. Surrounded by people yet so utterly alone. He had learned to solve his own problems. Sometimes Sephiroth felt like he had forgotten how to ask for help.. As if he ever needed any, he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hey, pretty boy.." A woman about the same age as Sephiroth smiled seductively at him. "We've got special prices for special guests.." She continued, laughing with a voice that told more about her than any words. She was one of the dozens of women, sent here by Shin-Ra, to 'entertain' the SOLDIER-troops positioned here. Everybody knew what the women were really for, though, Sephiroth smiled maliciosly. He glanced at her, pity in his eyes.
The woman didn't really react to his look in any way, only turned to the next passing man. "Hey, you.." Sephiroth heard her begin. Such empty words, such empty people..
This city was truly filled with despair, he mused. It was the perfect place for all of those who wanted to forget and remain forgotten.. It was one of Junon's unwritten rules after all, that you never asked for names or backgrounds. Sephiroth liked such a place. He had never felt comfortable talking about his past.. After Niebelheim, he had felt like everybody knew already, without explaining. They all knew and laughed at him, the traitors.. The worst thing wasn't, that people kept secrets from him, but that they had made Sephiroth believe their lies. There was nothing more frightening, than to see your entire world crumble.. He if anyone knew that.
"What are we supposed to be looking for?" Sephiroth asked his mother, as he dissappeared into a familiar dark alley. He knew all the shortcuts..
The Keystone, son.. It's the only way to enter the Temple of Ancients.. Jenova explained.
"Hmm." Sephiroth nodded. She remembered his mother had mentioned the Keystone before. It was shaped round, like an egg, but that was really all Sephiroth knew of the stone. "So the Black materia is in the Temple, right?" He asked Jenova.
Yes.. The ultimate materia, born of darkness.. shall be the death of all traitors..
* * * * *
"My feet hurt.." Aeris leaned against her staff, her muscles stiff after the uncomfortable night spent at Mythril Mines. She had been thrilled to see sunlight again, but after only a short while of walking, her feet began to hurt again. She had such bad stamina, Aeris shook her head, she should've worked out more.. Like Tifa.
"I think it's time to have a break, everyone." Cloud told the others, who were walking ahead of Aeris.
"Thanks Cloud.." Aeris winced in pain. She sat down on the bank of a river they had been following. According to the map Red and Cloud had studied at the chocobo-ranch, they were supposed to follow the river until they reached a mountain, and then turn south, to reach Junon. Beside acting as their guide, the river was also great for soaking sore feet, Aeris smiled, as she took of her shoes.
"Does any of ya have anythin' to eat? I'm starving!" Barret sat down, his stomach crumbling loudly.
"Sorry.. you already ate everything you bought from the ranch-owner." Tifa chuckled, going through her backpack.
"Damn.." Barret muttered. "Fightin' them damn cactus' made me hungry again.." He explained Aeris, a pleading look on his face.
"Aww, I guess I could give something to you.." Aeris giggled. "Here." She said, and threw something to Barret. He picked up the red fruit in mid-air, and stared at it baffled.
"An apple? Where'd you get apples?" Barret glanced at Aeris, who was grinning at the others nervously.
"Oh, nowhere. They're really good!" She said, placing her aching feet into the coolness of the running water.
"Ha! I thought I heard someone eating here." A girls voice proclaimed. Soon the source of the voice jumped down from a tree-branch, landind not so gracefully on the ground. She was a teen-age girl, with dark-brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes. She carried a large shuriken-type of a weapon.
"Who are you?" Aeris was the first to speak to the girl.
"I'm Yuffie, the materia hunter. I'm searching the world for materia.. You can never have too much you know." Yuffie said, running closer to Aeris.
"Talk about materia.. That's an awfully nice piece of MASTERED earth materia!!" Yuffie twirled around, studying the orbs of materia sinked into the slots in Aeris' staff.
"What?" Aeris raised her staff, and noticed the brightly glowing green orb. "That's not mine." She replied in a quiet voice, realising there was only one possible person who'd have spare mastered materia to give around.. Sephiroth. Oh, why didn't he say anything, Aeris sighed. She would've wanted to at least thank him..
"Oh, all the better then! No emotional bonds! Gimme that piece of materia, and I'll help you go where ever you're going." Yuffie said, extending her hand towards Aeris' staff.
"No, I can't give it to you. It was a gift from.. someone." Aeris held her staff closely, shielding the materia orb with her body.
"Oh well obviously you don't know what's good for you." Yuffie pouted at her, then turned her attention to the other members of AVALANCHE. "Do you others have any mastered materia?" She looked at them quizzically.
"No.." Tifa and Cloud glanced at each other.
"Oh you're no fun.." Yuffie raised her hands to her hips.
"Materia's what makes the world go round, am I right or am I right!" The teenager annouced.
"Well, actually I think--" Cloud began.
"I'm coming with you, this place is beginning to bore me. Not enough good materia around, you know.." Yuffie interrupted him, glancing at the forest on the other side of the river for the last time.
"But--" Tifa began, trying to say something.
"Of course you have to introduce me to the person who gives away mastered materia.." Yuffie told Aeris. She nodded, smiling at Yuffies energetic behaviour.
"So what are your names? It's always nice to know who I'm protecting and all." Yuffie asked.
"I'm Aeris," Aeris intruduced herself. "The others are Cloud, Tifa, Barret and Red." She said, pointing at each member of AVALANCHE in turn.
"Yeah well that's all great, but we should get going, eh?" Yuffie told the others. "So who's the leader person? You, spiky boy?" She raised her brow at Cloud.
"Oh, this is going to be a long long walk.." Cloud rolled his eyes at Tifa, who let out a fit of laughter in response.
After Aeris had managed to get her shoes back on, the group continued their journey towards Junon.
"So you're the AVALANCHE? I've seen warnings about you on TV." Yuffie told Cloud.
"Oh, really?" Barret asked her, pretty impressed his resistance group was gathering fame. Maybe more and more people would realize they were fighting for a good cause.
"Shin-Ra's just being overly precautious as always." Yuffie answered confidently.
"Grrr.." Barret felt his temper being stretched. After hours of continuous babbling about materia, Yuffie's skills and especially materia, Barret wasn't at his best mood. Aeris on the other hand, seemed to be cheered up by Yuffie's limitless energy, even though she kept making comments about Aeris' poor fighting skills. Tifa and Cloud seemed to be discussing something in whispered words, and Red.. Barret searched for the red-furred beast with his eyes. He was walking on Aeris' right side, looking like he was deep in thought.
"So what's your favourite materia?" Yuffie asked Barret, who sighed deeply in response. "Oh, I like all of them too. Bolt-materia is pretty cool though." She continued, sounding like she wasn't going to shut up anytime soon.
"Stop." A man dressed in entirely black clothes stood in the middle of the road they were walking on. The black strands of hair, that framed his face made his pale skin seem even more whiter.
"W-who are you?" Tifa asked the man, glancing at Cloud worried.
"I.. am Zenobius, the assassin." The black-haired man introduced himself. Aeris stared at him, shocked by his appearance. He looked just like Aeris' former boyfriend Zack..
"What do you want with us!?" Cloud asked the man.
"I am after General Sephiroth.. And I've been told you're travelling with him." Zenobius said, pointing his words mainly at Aeris. He remembered what the owner of the chocobo-ranch had said to him.. The pink-clad girl, Aeris, was close to Sephiroth.
"We're not travelling with him." Cloud's voice was angry, as if he had just been gravely insulted.
"I must tell you, I take pride in my work." Zenobius closed his eyes briefly, and then stared at Aeris.
His gaze was so empty, Aeris shuddered. His hazel-coloured eyes seemed to absorb the light of day, not reflect it like Aeris'. Zenobius' inner darkness was like an evil gravity, pulling energy out of the surroundings.
"You'd not want to be in between me and my prey.." Zenobius told them.
"I'm not helping you find Sephiroth, never!" Aeris raised her voice, frightened by the assassin. If this was the Ultimate SOLDIER Hojo had created, she didn't want him anywhere near Sephiroth.
"Never say never, girl." Zenobius laughed cruelly.
"You'd better leave. There's nothing we can tell you." Cloud told the assassin.
"Oh, I'm afraid I do not agree." Zenobius quickly pulled Aeris in front of him, placing his jade-green bladed sword on her throat. "There is very much you can tell me.." He snickered in Aeris' ear.
"C-Cloud.." Aeris whispered at the blonde haired man, her voice fragile and scared.
"Let her go!" Cloud shouted at Zenobius. The other AVALANCHE members gathered behind their leader, forming a defence line against the assassin who was holding Aeris hostage.
"Oh, I think you are in no position to make such demands!" Zenobius leered at him. "I'll let her go, if you tell me what I need to know. Otherwise.." He continued, smelling Aeris' hair with a spiteful grin plastered on his face.
"Aeris.." Cloud gazed at Aeris, signaling with his eyes that maybe it was best for Aeris to tell Zenobius where Sephiroth was.
She knew, that Cloud couldn't understand why anyone would want to risk her life for a man such as Sephiroth. "..No.." Aeris shook her head defiantly. "I'll never tell you! You're evil!" She said, trying to force confidence in her voice. She wished she had Tifa's strength, maybe then she could fight Zenobius.. I'm so terribly weak, Aeris scolded herself.
"I'd thought you'd decline.. Oh well. I have my ways of forcing you to speak." Zenobius laughed, his voice a little anxious. "But now I must bid you all farewell.." He laughed, holding Aeris closer to his body. With one concentrated hand movement, Zenobius and Aeris dissappeared into a mist of smoke.
"Where'd the freak go??" Barret shook his gun arm.
"Teleport-spell.. That's pretty advanced." Cloud kneeled down, and studied the spot where Zenobius had dissappeared with Aeris. There was rust-coloured dust on the ground..
"We've got to save Aeris! Do you have any idea where that maniac went?" Tifa asked, a frightened tune to her voice.
"No.." Cloud glanced at her, showing the rust that had stuck to his fingers. "But I know who does.. The only other person I know that masters teleport-spells." Cloud raised his brow.
"Oh, you don't mean.." Tifa heaved a sigh.
"Sephiroth." Cloud nodded, confirming Tifa's fears.
"Not that psycho again!" Barret muttered under his breath.
"..The General?" Yuffie asked the others, a little disapproving look on her face. She remembered him, from the war against her homecountry Wutai. Her people had lost, much due to Sephiroth's skills.
"We'd better find him soon, Zenobius seems highly unstable.. Who know's what he'll do to Aeris." Cloud told everyone.
"You do realize, Zenobius is using us to find Sephiroth?" Red asked the newly appointed leader of AVALANCHE.
"Yeah. But what else can we do? I'll gladly trade Sephiroth for Aeris, if that meant she'd remain unharmed." Cloud told the red furred beast as they continued their walk towards Junon.
"I wonder if Aeris thinks like that, though.." Red nodded at him, a thoughtful look on his cat-like face.
"The only thing I'm worried about is how to force Sephiroth to help us.." Cloud shook his head. "I guess we'll have to rely on--" He gulped.
"The goodness of his heart.." Red finished Cloud's sentence, and they both laughed at the thought.
"Seriously.. He didn't kill her.. Maybe Aeris is right, maybe he's not entirely evil." Red shrugged, shaking his mane.
"Oh please." Yuffie and Tifa said in unison. "You know him too!?" They continued to speak at the same time, staring at each other surprised.
"Anyway.. That's a whole a-lotta maybes." Barret said, voicing everyone's thoughts.
* * * * *
"So you can teleport, huh?" Cloud asked Sephiroth, an admiring tune to his voice.
"..Yes." Sephiroth smirked.
"It must be cool to be able to get from one place to another so quickly. It's a great way to escape! Nobody would be able to follow!" He continued, staring at the leader of his SOLDIER-unit. Sephiroth's shoulders shook slightly as he laughed, his silvery hair swaying with his movements.
"My former master would have hit you for that remark." Sephiroth's voice was cold and bitter. "Only fools believe such children's tales.." he continued, without turning to face Cloud.
"What?" Cloud felt ignorant and small, like always around the General.
"It can be traced.. Due to a flaw in the spell.." Sephiroth's voice turned faraway, as he stared through the large scenery window of the hotel-lobby.
"How?" Cloud asked him.
"You just need to analyze the residue--" Sephiroth finally turned around, but a person rushing in through the front door of the hotel silenced him.
"Sir!" The man greeted Sephiroth, "They're coming!"
Am I evil or what! Another cliffhanger! I figured out a way to bring Yuffie to the story, too! Did you like that little flashback I added into the end of this chapter? I thought I'd write it because it explains how Cloud knows so much about teleport-spells.. I think I'm gonna keep writing flashbacks midst this story, even though I'm sure it's a little confusing for ya.. Sorry.