Dark World
Chapter 2: Solitary Tears
So you see me die right in front of your face
You see I'm jaded at times from nowhere leaving this place
They made us with a tool
Then they taught us how to live
We met the candyman
He filled us with his contraband
Then they scared us all away
While you're visiting your bubble of reality
Salivating at the sound of the bells
I'll be seducing you through your confession
They've been the ones you've known forever
Someone's been lied to with all the rage
Caught us dismal at times we've known forever
-Revival, Orgy.
ERI
It was a cold night, despite the day's summer heat. A lone raindrop fell from the heavens, in its solitude, it could be said that the sky cried a single tear. The drop fell quickly, splashing onto the ground. It's grand finale may as well have been lost on me, an annoyed woman standing with my coat flapping open in the gentle winds. As I pulled my coat closed, I tilted my head up, staring up to the heavens, and taking note of the first pioneering drop's brethren following in it's footsteps, I made haste to the small shelter offered by the eaves of a house nearby.
I cursed the weather softly, but made it to safety before the wicked weather got the best of my hair. The rain began to drum in earnest, and I thanked the Five Gods for the small shelter I had taken advantage of. Glaring back at the dismal lane I'd just vacated, I saw that the roads in the area were made of packed dirt. I grimaced to it in a disgusted manner, dismissing it. With a sigh, and began to wait as patiently as possible for the arrival of my companion. He was several minutes in coming. The lucky bastard held an umbrella over his head, but he walked slowly as if he had no reason to hurry. I hissed his name at him angrly, and his pace picked up as he rushed to my side.
Narrowing my stormy Wutaian eyes up to his face, I sniffed, crossing my arms. "Took you long enough! You seem to think you have all the time in the world."
His own eyes narrowed dangerously; this truely was a dangerous man I dealed with. Instinctive fear kindled in my belly, but I pushed it away annoidly. The man was no threat to me. "They took the bait," he said slowly, "they're in Midgar as we speak." I nodded, and he continued, "We put our little 'suprise' in place, as well."
I grinned, and the man backed away. I really should have kept in mind the feral look my eyes would often take on when I was in one of my more zealous moods. But, then again, what did I care about frightening the man? "I wonder how they will respond to that..." my lips twisted down into a scowl. "Are you certain everything is perfect? He won't be... defective?"
"My methoods," the tall man before me - then again, all Westerners are tall - bristled, "almost guarantee that he will not be... defective."
"Almost." I stated simply, my voice flat and cold, as if the emotions had been leeched from it.
"Once he's done his job, Mason will dispose of him as planned." he shifted the umbrella to his other hand, his eyes never straying from mine, matching me intensity for intensity.
"Good. If he is defective, it will be your head on a platter. I have a feeling the bastard would come after us." my scowl deepened, if that was possible. "They must *all* die. Not a single one of them must be allowed to survive! After what they did to my father-!"
"Your father went against the Shinra family. Of course the old coot would have him 'taken care of'." I frowned to his words.
"My father *made* that Shinra bastard what he was! But when he was asked to pay up, what did he do? Kill the hand that fed him!" I tossed my grey streaked black hair over my shoulder. "That was one of the reasons Shinra attacked Wutai, you know. To get at my father."
The brute must have been annoyed by my lecture, he cut me off. "I'm well aware of your wish for vengence, Eri, so spare me the history lesson."
I stepped under the umbrella with him, finally uncrossing my arms. "Fine. Now, we have much to speak of tonight."
~*~
TSENG
It was a darkened oblivion I'd awakened from, yet the reality surrounding me was almost the same, the diffrences arguably subtle. Were it not for the feeling of the bed upon which I lay, I would have perhaps thought myself to still be unconscious.
Pain stung at my abdomen, my weakly fumbling hands quickly found the soft, gauze wrapped padding. I could tell that it had recently been changed. Sitting up was a challenge in itself, my body screamed it's various prostests as I finally settled my back against the cool wall. The thin sheet pooled around my waist, a quick inspection confirmed my suspicions that I was nude.
I did not know where I was, or even how I'd gotten there. Yet the mystery was solved as a light in the far corner clicked on, illuminating a painfully familiar face.
Starkly contrasting shadows played over her sharply angular features. White streaked her jet black hair, she wore her age in a stately manner, as if each crease in her once smooth skin was a mark of valor. Eri Najima was a cunning woman, boldly beautiful in her sharp manner. She spoke to me then, her once soft, infinitly caring voice hardened by the years, a certain curtness in her tone."So, I see you're awake." were her simple words.
"Eri..." I narrowed my eyes, drawing myself up as much as the pains of my body permitted. I did not bother to cover myself with the sheet: I felt modesty was rather pointless around a woman who had once bathed me as a squalling child in years long past. "How did I get here?" My mind raced. When last I'd been conscious, I had thought myself to be dying, yet here I was. Blissfuly alive. At the hands of my treacherous sister.
"Tseng, it's been so long." she languidly crossed her legs, settling back comfortably in her chair, "I simply must have a chat with my dear baby brother..."
---
I screamed. Such a rare thing for me to do at that. Scream, I mean. I could feel the trickle of blood running down my side in rivulets, the crimson liquid sliding down my hip, dribbling down my thigh.
Burning pain, blinding light. My senses were overloaded, pain, light, pain, then, sickeningly, pleasure. My eyes were clenched tightly shut, the thin membranes lending a red tint to the light. I tried to convince myself I was somewhere else, that the small blade of the knife wasn't being pulled over my skin, lacerating it's pale surface. Told myself that I couldn't hear the sucking, wet sound, couldn't feel the tongue flicking, lapping the blood from my body...
I pretended I couldn't hear that cold, cruel laughter as my sister drew her amusement from the scene.
Gods, how I hate that woman.
~*~
RENO
Shinra? What the Hell was Tseng going on about!? He wasn't himself at the moment, I could tell. When had he last been himself? It seemed like so long ago that I'd last saw him. At that time, he was going to the Temple of the Ancients....
God, why didn't I go with him?
Tseng's eyes seemed so dead to me, as if the vibrant life had been torn from him, ripped from a fragile grasp and thrown. Pissed to the wind and gone....
Not ten feet away from me he stood. My savior, friend and former boss. A ghost from my past I'd thought laid to rest. The smirk upon his lips was all too familiar, yet never had it been pointed my way. His gun was trained upon me, as mine was upon him. My breathing was even and deep. I tried to control myself. Control my emotions. He had taught me that. Taught me how to remain calm on the job.
"You see, even when it's gone," Tseng explained, taking a single step in my direction. I fell back one. "it's shadow still hangs over you. Over your life and actions." again he stepped forward and I back. A game of cat-and-mouse. My steps had taken Elena's body farther from me, I coudln't resist the urge to glance down to her.
Tseng moved closer to the woman stopping when she was just at his feet. His gaze was musing as he looked down into her sightless eyes. "She's free." He looked back up to me. My God.. he really was insane. "Free from Shinra's grip. From life. Everything. It all means nothing to her now, she-"
"You're fucking insane!" I shouted hoarsely.
He chuckled, dark eyes upon my face. "Am I?" He mused thoughtfully. "Perhaps I am." his head dropped, eyes on the ground. His shoudlers shook from a restrained laughter. Instinctively, my finger tightened a mere fraction on the trigger. Not yet enough to shoot.
"Yes... yes, that's it, isn't it, Reno?" His eyes gaze up to me, viewing my form through the veil of his raven's wing hair. "I'm insane. That explains it all. If I'm insane then.." a faltering, eyes loosing their widness. "Are you really there?" his voice was now a hoarse whisper. "Are you just another fucking ghost?" the gun slipped from his hands, which suddenly seemed to shake with a tremendous force from within. His eyes fell upon Elena, laying bloodstained upon the ground - silent testament to his mental state.
"Oh, Gods Almighty." he sunk to his knees, arms wrapping tightly over his front. "Where am I? Stop... I want the real world now.."
"Tseng.." I took a step closer, my arms slightly relaxing. God, I don't know what I was planning on doing, but that was when the third voice interrupted.
"I'd stop right there if I were you Turk."
I spun around quickly, eyes widdening in shock. "Oh, GOD, why does everyone have to point a fucking GUN at me? Can't they just say hi and shake hands?"
The yellow-toothed man smiled widely, aformentioned deadly weapon held casually. "You took the bait well enough. Looks like it's time to end this..."
[End Chapter 2 (Yes, I'm evil)]
~*~
Author's Notes:
WHEW. How long has it been since I last wrote on this? (Don't answer that.) Well, here it FINALLY is. Chapter 2. I'm just a flake. XD Anyways, inspiration goes to Reno_Tarshil for the motivation to get off my ass and write,
As always, for Ryan - my inspiration, my confidence, and my love.
Chapter 2: Solitary Tears
So you see me die right in front of your face
You see I'm jaded at times from nowhere leaving this place
They made us with a tool
Then they taught us how to live
We met the candyman
He filled us with his contraband
Then they scared us all away
While you're visiting your bubble of reality
Salivating at the sound of the bells
I'll be seducing you through your confession
They've been the ones you've known forever
Someone's been lied to with all the rage
Caught us dismal at times we've known forever
-Revival, Orgy.
ERI
It was a cold night, despite the day's summer heat. A lone raindrop fell from the heavens, in its solitude, it could be said that the sky cried a single tear. The drop fell quickly, splashing onto the ground. It's grand finale may as well have been lost on me, an annoyed woman standing with my coat flapping open in the gentle winds. As I pulled my coat closed, I tilted my head up, staring up to the heavens, and taking note of the first pioneering drop's brethren following in it's footsteps, I made haste to the small shelter offered by the eaves of a house nearby.
I cursed the weather softly, but made it to safety before the wicked weather got the best of my hair. The rain began to drum in earnest, and I thanked the Five Gods for the small shelter I had taken advantage of. Glaring back at the dismal lane I'd just vacated, I saw that the roads in the area were made of packed dirt. I grimaced to it in a disgusted manner, dismissing it. With a sigh, and began to wait as patiently as possible for the arrival of my companion. He was several minutes in coming. The lucky bastard held an umbrella over his head, but he walked slowly as if he had no reason to hurry. I hissed his name at him angrly, and his pace picked up as he rushed to my side.
Narrowing my stormy Wutaian eyes up to his face, I sniffed, crossing my arms. "Took you long enough! You seem to think you have all the time in the world."
His own eyes narrowed dangerously; this truely was a dangerous man I dealed with. Instinctive fear kindled in my belly, but I pushed it away annoidly. The man was no threat to me. "They took the bait," he said slowly, "they're in Midgar as we speak." I nodded, and he continued, "We put our little 'suprise' in place, as well."
I grinned, and the man backed away. I really should have kept in mind the feral look my eyes would often take on when I was in one of my more zealous moods. But, then again, what did I care about frightening the man? "I wonder how they will respond to that..." my lips twisted down into a scowl. "Are you certain everything is perfect? He won't be... defective?"
"My methoods," the tall man before me - then again, all Westerners are tall - bristled, "almost guarantee that he will not be... defective."
"Almost." I stated simply, my voice flat and cold, as if the emotions had been leeched from it.
"Once he's done his job, Mason will dispose of him as planned." he shifted the umbrella to his other hand, his eyes never straying from mine, matching me intensity for intensity.
"Good. If he is defective, it will be your head on a platter. I have a feeling the bastard would come after us." my scowl deepened, if that was possible. "They must *all* die. Not a single one of them must be allowed to survive! After what they did to my father-!"
"Your father went against the Shinra family. Of course the old coot would have him 'taken care of'." I frowned to his words.
"My father *made* that Shinra bastard what he was! But when he was asked to pay up, what did he do? Kill the hand that fed him!" I tossed my grey streaked black hair over my shoulder. "That was one of the reasons Shinra attacked Wutai, you know. To get at my father."
The brute must have been annoyed by my lecture, he cut me off. "I'm well aware of your wish for vengence, Eri, so spare me the history lesson."
I stepped under the umbrella with him, finally uncrossing my arms. "Fine. Now, we have much to speak of tonight."
~*~
TSENG
It was a darkened oblivion I'd awakened from, yet the reality surrounding me was almost the same, the diffrences arguably subtle. Were it not for the feeling of the bed upon which I lay, I would have perhaps thought myself to still be unconscious.
Pain stung at my abdomen, my weakly fumbling hands quickly found the soft, gauze wrapped padding. I could tell that it had recently been changed. Sitting up was a challenge in itself, my body screamed it's various prostests as I finally settled my back against the cool wall. The thin sheet pooled around my waist, a quick inspection confirmed my suspicions that I was nude.
I did not know where I was, or even how I'd gotten there. Yet the mystery was solved as a light in the far corner clicked on, illuminating a painfully familiar face.
Starkly contrasting shadows played over her sharply angular features. White streaked her jet black hair, she wore her age in a stately manner, as if each crease in her once smooth skin was a mark of valor. Eri Najima was a cunning woman, boldly beautiful in her sharp manner. She spoke to me then, her once soft, infinitly caring voice hardened by the years, a certain curtness in her tone."So, I see you're awake." were her simple words.
"Eri..." I narrowed my eyes, drawing myself up as much as the pains of my body permitted. I did not bother to cover myself with the sheet: I felt modesty was rather pointless around a woman who had once bathed me as a squalling child in years long past. "How did I get here?" My mind raced. When last I'd been conscious, I had thought myself to be dying, yet here I was. Blissfuly alive. At the hands of my treacherous sister.
"Tseng, it's been so long." she languidly crossed her legs, settling back comfortably in her chair, "I simply must have a chat with my dear baby brother..."
---
I screamed. Such a rare thing for me to do at that. Scream, I mean. I could feel the trickle of blood running down my side in rivulets, the crimson liquid sliding down my hip, dribbling down my thigh.
Burning pain, blinding light. My senses were overloaded, pain, light, pain, then, sickeningly, pleasure. My eyes were clenched tightly shut, the thin membranes lending a red tint to the light. I tried to convince myself I was somewhere else, that the small blade of the knife wasn't being pulled over my skin, lacerating it's pale surface. Told myself that I couldn't hear the sucking, wet sound, couldn't feel the tongue flicking, lapping the blood from my body...
I pretended I couldn't hear that cold, cruel laughter as my sister drew her amusement from the scene.
Gods, how I hate that woman.
~*~
RENO
Shinra? What the Hell was Tseng going on about!? He wasn't himself at the moment, I could tell. When had he last been himself? It seemed like so long ago that I'd last saw him. At that time, he was going to the Temple of the Ancients....
God, why didn't I go with him?
Tseng's eyes seemed so dead to me, as if the vibrant life had been torn from him, ripped from a fragile grasp and thrown. Pissed to the wind and gone....
Not ten feet away from me he stood. My savior, friend and former boss. A ghost from my past I'd thought laid to rest. The smirk upon his lips was all too familiar, yet never had it been pointed my way. His gun was trained upon me, as mine was upon him. My breathing was even and deep. I tried to control myself. Control my emotions. He had taught me that. Taught me how to remain calm on the job.
"You see, even when it's gone," Tseng explained, taking a single step in my direction. I fell back one. "it's shadow still hangs over you. Over your life and actions." again he stepped forward and I back. A game of cat-and-mouse. My steps had taken Elena's body farther from me, I coudln't resist the urge to glance down to her.
Tseng moved closer to the woman stopping when she was just at his feet. His gaze was musing as he looked down into her sightless eyes. "She's free." He looked back up to me. My God.. he really was insane. "Free from Shinra's grip. From life. Everything. It all means nothing to her now, she-"
"You're fucking insane!" I shouted hoarsely.
He chuckled, dark eyes upon my face. "Am I?" He mused thoughtfully. "Perhaps I am." his head dropped, eyes on the ground. His shoudlers shook from a restrained laughter. Instinctively, my finger tightened a mere fraction on the trigger. Not yet enough to shoot.
"Yes... yes, that's it, isn't it, Reno?" His eyes gaze up to me, viewing my form through the veil of his raven's wing hair. "I'm insane. That explains it all. If I'm insane then.." a faltering, eyes loosing their widness. "Are you really there?" his voice was now a hoarse whisper. "Are you just another fucking ghost?" the gun slipped from his hands, which suddenly seemed to shake with a tremendous force from within. His eyes fell upon Elena, laying bloodstained upon the ground - silent testament to his mental state.
"Oh, Gods Almighty." he sunk to his knees, arms wrapping tightly over his front. "Where am I? Stop... I want the real world now.."
"Tseng.." I took a step closer, my arms slightly relaxing. God, I don't know what I was planning on doing, but that was when the third voice interrupted.
"I'd stop right there if I were you Turk."
I spun around quickly, eyes widdening in shock. "Oh, GOD, why does everyone have to point a fucking GUN at me? Can't they just say hi and shake hands?"
The yellow-toothed man smiled widely, aformentioned deadly weapon held casually. "You took the bait well enough. Looks like it's time to end this..."
[End Chapter 2 (Yes, I'm evil)]
~*~
Author's Notes:
WHEW. How long has it been since I last wrote on this? (Don't answer that.) Well, here it FINALLY is. Chapter 2. I'm just a flake. XD Anyways, inspiration goes to Reno_Tarshil for the motivation to get off my ass and write,
As always, for Ryan - my inspiration, my confidence, and my love.
