Painful reminder
Tifa smiled and covered the sleeping Cloud. The blond leader of Avalanche had gave them one hell of a fright at Mideel, but after the initial fever hit of his second Mako poisoning, surprisingly enough, he had started to recover. After two weeks he could get out of the clinic and walk around as he did before, but his stomach was still fragile, and his body needed rest desperately.
The brunette left the room quietly, closing the door of the cabin behind her. She left for the deck, where Cid and the others were waiting. Cloud had expressed a strange need to go back to Nibelheim. Vincent wasn't so sure about this, but he couldn't stop him from fully recovering his memories. Red XIII was extremely worried, too, because he knew that the blond was crying more often, for a reason that he ignored. Twice already had he came into his cabin to find Cloud weeping, but he was constantly refusing to talk about this and kept saying that it wasn't the time.
The Highwind landed in the Nibel plains after a few hours. Barret went to the Inn to prepare the rooms with Yuffie. Cloud was woken up and lead there, a little reluctantly because he really wanted to go in the Mansion. Tifa almost hit the reason into him and she managed to make him wait until the morning.
********
Something inside the mansion had changed, Vincent had to admit. It wasn't as dark as it as been in the years of Sephiroth's childhood. There was now something here refreshing the place, and Cloud seemed to search for it. The blond lead them to the lab, down the spiral staircase and he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, as did the rest of the group.
- The cells… they are… this way. I don't remember much but… the pain.
- You were held in there? But there is no…, Tifa wrinkled her nose, oh God, that must've been awful.
Cloud slid to his knees, leaning against the door of the cell and he closed his eyes.
- Zack and I… we were in there. He was always taking care of me, always, always talking to me… I remember the pain every time I was leaving him. Hojo… He did… he did… more than tortured me in every ways I could imagine. I guess Zack succeeded in breaking free, somehow and escaped with me… I remember waking up in a room, a woman was there and… and… Bugen! I was in Cosmo Canyon!
Nanaki came closer and smiled.
- Granpa told me about this. Please go on.
- We left… I was sick so he had to carry me most of the time. We traveled on a boat, then in a truck. That's when he talked about becoming mercenaries. We managed to get on the cliffs near Midgar and… and… Shinra troops were following us… I-I, oh my God!!!, he suddenly shriked, I got him killed!!!! He's dead because of me!
- Don't say such a thing, calmly said Vincent, you weren't in any shape to help him.
But Cloud was totally destroyed, hands over his head in shame.
- He was my friend and he died for me! And the worst part of it is that I forgot him and stole his identity! I feel so bad… Zack… I'm sorry… sorry…
Tifa bent down too next to the blond and put a hand on his forehead. The fever had gotten to him again. It had been happening off and on since they left Mideel, Cloud would suddenly be hit by fever for an hour or two, then it would disappear. They helped the blond to get up and out of the mansion when Cait Sith informed them of the transport of the Huge materia from Junon to Costa del Sol by submarine. Without loosing any more time, they boarded the Highwind and set the course for Junon.
*******
- I can't… I just can't stand it!!! Cid, you drive this thing!
Cloud rushed out of the control room, a hand on his mouth and holding his stomach. Red XIII and Tifa followed him, hell he was green. Cid began to laugh, sitting on the pilot's chair while the others took the hostages in another room. Only Vincent stayed and took a seat near him, getting the torpedoes ready to launch on the Shinra submarine. They grinned at each other and…
- Let's go!
It didn't take ten minutes and the sub was down. Cid, with his pilots skills, and Vincent, being a sniper, formed one though team to beat. But not when Yuffie, Barret, Tifa, Cloud and Nanaki decided that they had had enough. Both the ninja and the ex-SOLDIER were beyond the motion sickness, now.
- That's it!, yelled Barret, if you two are ridin' this thing wild again, I swear I'm goin' to lock you up with Spiky head and the brat!
- We couldn't avoid all the torpedoes, sorry, Vincent said softly, trying to look like he really wanted to apologize.
In fact, he had had a great time. Driving a machine with Cid was fun, he loved that and he had completely left his habitual behaviour, laughing and smiling to what was going to happen… He was feeling alive again. When they landed on the solid ground, though, Cait informed them that the Turks were going to Rocket Town to launch the rocket…
*******
Cid was staring out since he woke up. Space… Infinite blackness, wonderful sparkles of light, the Planet… The silence and quietness of the void, his dream had come true. He only stopped staring when he heard Vincent stir up. The shock of the take off had knocked them out, but Cid had checked both him and Cloud so they were ok, just out cold for a moment. The vampire slowly lifted himself to his feet, then his mate gestured to come closer and both looked out the porthole. The pilot passed his arm around Vincent's waist, and the dark haired man's claw did the same.
- You all right?, the blond asked softly
- With you, always, Cid. In your dream even more…
Vincent buried his head into Cid's neck, enjoying the physical contact. With Cloud still out of it and the others on the Planet… they finally had time for that.
So caught between their mutual heartbeat, they did not notice Cloud, wide-eyed on the floor. The spiky haired blond felt suddenly hurt by what he was seeing, holding his left arm painfully. /'Shh… It's alright I'm here…' 'I know, hold me, Sephiroth' 'I love you''/ He fell back on the floor, startling both lovers and suddenly Vincent was lifting him up.
- Where are we?, Cloud asked, dismissing the painful memories
- We're in space!
- And the Huge materia?
- Still up there…
- I'm going. Cid, stay tuned on the PHS.
- Hurry up, kid. We haven't that much time before the collision.
Cloud wasn't very long, but it was enough for Cid and Vincent. Obviously, the blond thought when he briefly glanced at a flustered-looking Vincent, they took that time to practise some very practical CPR manoeuvres… Anyway, they hurried to the escape pod, and oh surprise, one of the oxygen tank exploded, trapping Cid under it. Both men tried to get him out, but they lacked strength. And at everyone's surprise, Shera came to the rescue, the three succeeding in lifting the heavy metallic debris that held the pilot prisoner. And so, Cid Highwind finally apologized to the woman, who, if she hadn't done her job well in the first place, wouldn't have saved his life twice.
********
Once again the team had to ride in submarine, to search for a key this time. After their rather harsh landing, they went to Cosmo Canyon. AVALANCHE had to make sure that the Huge materia was safe. Bughenagen then wanted to go to the Ancient City, where they discovered an Ancient machine that could tell them if Aerith's prayer had been answered… But they needed the key. Cid finally found it after two hours of scouting with the radar. Two hours of /smooth/ ride, this time. Cloud was pacing in the ship and Yuffie was asleep. On their way back, though, the pilot discovered another cave and decided to go explore it. It lead to a lake at the bottom of a waterfall. The team decided to pass the night here. While he was installing the tent, though, Vincent felt drawn to the waterfall…
- Hey! There's a cavern behind!, yelled Yuffie, Maybe there's materia inside!
The dark haired man contained himself and willed himself not to curse or worst, yell at the girl for having startled the ?%$% out of him. Cloud and Yuffie followed him inside the cave and for an instant, Vincent thought his heart had stopped beating. In the back, on a sort of altar, was lying a brown haired woman. He ran up to her, lifting her frail body in his arms. God she was light… Painfully he whispered her name.
- Lucrecia…
- Vincent?………… My son… Where is my son, Vincent?, she asked weakly, I keep having dreams about him… Is he… Is he still alive?
- ………… He's dead, Lucrecia, I'm sorry.
- I never got to hold him… not… even… once… Sephiroth… my… son…
Lucrecia lifted a hand feebly to touch Vincent's face.
- Let me… go… I have… to go… I am glad… I got to see… you before…
Her voice left her as the JENOVA cells finally let go of their cruel grip. Vincent set down her body gently, Lucrecia was dead. Again. The pain that shot through him would be the only thing he would remember, that and a terrible laughter in his mind. Cloud and Yuffie were silent, but when they heard a low growl coming from Vincent, the ninja immediately bolted off. Cloud watched, helpless as his friend transformed into a demoniac beast. It started to clash and slash everything that within reach, and Cloud had no choice but to leave. The group had found out the hard way that Vincent's limit breaks were mostly out of control, even for him, so…
- Vincent!!!! You crazy sonnova… !!! Come back immediately!!!!!
- Cid!!, yelled Cloud, Don't go in there!!!
But the pilot would have none of that and entered the cave. Two minutes after he was getting out of it with Vincent, who was totally out cold. He was taken by the rest of the team, and they heard from Cid that Chaos, the last monster Hojo had implanted in him, was a real problem, useful yes, but it was dangerous for Vincent. For now, the incident was closed, but Cloud did not missed the concerned look of the pilot, and it was obvious that he could tame whatever demons that hunted Vincent. He gripped his arm and hurriedly entered in his tent. Slumping to the ground, he unclipped his armoured bangle before hugging it, reading through teary eyes the words still engraved on the metal.
'To Cloud, May my strength be worthy of your heart and may it protect you in the battles ahead. Forever yours, Sephiroth.'
And Cloud collapsed in tears.
End
Author's notes
TA-DA!!!! Not bad, huh? Quick update, but don't expect the next chapter before a week or so!!! Isn't the weather great? I loooooooove summer… And sweet bishonen sunbathing completely naked!!!! I need a cold shower -_-
Sephiroth: Too damn right… Htress! Stop staring!!!!!!
Htress: I can't help it… *drools* *Get soaked through by /very/ cold water* Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! *run around and ends up smashed against a tree, twitching*
Cloud, holding the now empty bucket: ^___^ Only me, ne Sephy?
Sephiroth: Yeah, only you…
See ya all in: The beginning of the end.
