Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters.
Midgar University
Chapter 5 - Dissonance
~*~*~*~
Cloud and Aeris strolled through the small, quaint town of Kalm nearby the university's campus, enjoying a kind of serenity that was nonexistent almost anywhere else. In this town, everyone seemed to mind their own business, enjoying themselves in whatever way they could without the worry of having people get in the way.
"This would be a great place to settle down after retiring," said Aeris, trying initiate conversation. Cloud nodded, silently admiring the atmosphere. It was a very plain town, with nothing standing out in it except for the small Mako reactor right in the center. It was very quaint and modest, emitting a subtle beauty to those who cared to pay attention to it. For Cloud, it was a welcome, yet somewhat painful, reminder of his hometown. He closed his eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush over his face.
***
He held his eyes closed for a few moments, the cold air licking at his face. He opened his eyes, staring back down at the tiny town. Everything seemed so small from where he sat. His feet where over the mountain's edge, where he sat fearlessly, absorbed in thought. This is the last time I'll ever see this town from here...
He leaned back, looking up to the orange-red hues of sundown, taking in every last detail. Not that I need to, this sky has never changed... I guess some things never do. Looking back at the town, he reminisced about his earliest ventures up the mountain.
I was just eight years old... I got yelled at by Mom, I don't even remember why... so I ran... And I ran towards the mountain, and before I knew it, I was climbing it. My hands and knees got all scarred, but I didn't care... I was just pissed. I wanted to get away, I wanted to be left alone. I liked it up there... It was a quiet, cold place. A place where no one would ever think of going... A place no one would ever try to follow me. No one ordinary, at least...
But, who would have guessed... Following right behind me...
I turned around abruptly, and I saw her. My heart jumped and skipped a few beats. I can still picture her visage clearly in my mind... Her long, dark brown hair billowed in the biting wind. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes were tearing from the strong gusts of wind. She was shaking out of the cold and out of something else... It wasn't fear, it was concern. She looked straight at me, and with a clear, strong, high-pitched voice, she said, "C'mon Cloud! You know you're not supposed to be up here! All the grown-ups say it's dangerous!"
At that moment, I was furious with Tifa. I had thought she come to comfort me, when instead, she came to reprimand me. Or, at least that was how I saw it. "Go away! I don't need anyone to protect me! Just go back home!" I yelled back. I saw her advance towards me. I got up and ran away from her, crossing over the rope bridge between the two nearest mountains. I didn't notice that she was running after me, keeping up with my pace.
"Cloud, wait!" she screamed. I thought for a moment, 'Maybe this isn't such a great idea...' Right then, I heard something snap. I turned around and ran towards Tifa just as the bridge's other rope was about to snap. I grabbed Tifa just as we began to fall, holding her above me so that I could use my body to break her fall.
The next thing I knew, I was lying on a flat, solid rock surface, with two angry adult faces staring down at me. One face with Tifa's eyes yelled, "Dammit, you fucking idiot! What the fuck did you think you were doing, bringing my daughter out here!!!! You're lucky she's still alive..." He turned and walked away, an unconscious young girl slung over his shoulder, as the other man cast a Cure 2 spell on me.
Cloud looked over to the new, studier, wooden bridge put in place about a year ago. A new bridge... A new path... That's what I'm searching for. A new path.
***
The memory rung in Cloud's head, his words washing over him once again. Have I found that path...? Is this what I've been looking for?
He glanced over to Aeris by his side, who walked along merrily whistling a sweet melody. He smiled. I think I have...
~~~~~
"Ugh, why did I even bother."
Vincent stood up, putting his napkin on the table. Yuffie stood up as well, looking to be on the verge of tears. "No, Vinny, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to bring him up, honest!"
Vincent turned his face away from her. "It doesn't matter... It's just that it's obvious that you aren't over him," he said. Then, as an insult to injury, he added, "Just go back to him, I don't have the time for this." He dropped 500 gil on the table and walked out of the restaurant, leaving Yuffie with brimming tears in her eyes. Without thinking, she ran out after him.
"Vincent, I'm sorry! Slow down! Dammit... you asshole!!! You don't just walk out on a date!!!!" she yelled at him.
He stopped. She stopped as well, a few feet from him. She held her head down, tears falling freely from her eyes now. "So what if I'm not over Zack yet! How do you expect me to get over him?!?!" She sniffed and added, "You're such an asshole, you know that...? You're probably just... some freak who can't get any, anyway..."
Vincent, who had his back turned to Yuffie, seemed to stiffen. When he spoke, his voice came out even deeper than normal. In almost a whisper, he said, "Maybe I am... Just... maybe I am." He felt a surge of anger overcome him, and he started to run back in the direction of the University.
"Hey, what the hell! What's gotten into you..." Yuffie trailed off as she watched him dash away from her at an incredible speed.
~~~~~
Cloud sat on his bed reading a video gaming magazine.
*BOOM!*
Vincent stormed over to his bed, throwing his shoe at the night table nearby. Cloud, who hadn't even heard Vincent enter the room, had fallen off the bed when he slammed the door. He saw that Vincent's face was red with anger. His normally scarlet eyes seemed to be a more intense shade of blood-like red. Something is definitely not right with him, Cloud thought.
"Hey Vincent, what happened...?" Cloud was uncertain what, if anything, he should do. Vincent sat, now seemingly just sulking in the corner of the room. Okay, good, the rage seems to be gone... I suppose this would be the best time to approach him...
"Hey dude, are you alright?" Cloud walked over next to Vincent. He looked down at him, getting a clear shot of his face. What the fuck?!?!?!
Vincent's face had become twisted, almost as if it were transforming. His breathing became ragged, and his skin changed to ghastly white color. Cloud backed away, unsure of what he should do. "Uhh... Vincent...?"
Suddenly, Vincent bolted straight up off the bed and ran out of the dorm, slamming the door shut behind him. Cloud thought about running after him, but in the end opted not to. I mean, c'mon, he looked like he could kill someone...
Before Cloud could even sit down to rest, someone knocked on the door. "Come in," answered Cloud as he sat down on his bed. A small, huddled figure wrapped in an oversized, black, leather coat slipped in the door and closed it. "Cloud... I'm sorry to bother you but... I... I don't know who else to come to..." The figure removed the coat and dropped it on the unoccupied bed nearby.
Cloud restrained his shock and said, "Hey Tifa, what's wrong...?"
He studied her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her cheeks were flushed. "Tifa, what happened... Why were you crying...?" He paused for a moment before deciding to ask, "Is it something with Sephiroth?" Tifa let out another sob.
"Oh, I'm sorry!!" Cloud stood up and wrapped his arms around her, hopefully comforting her. He felt her nestle her head into his neck, feeling her short, raspy breaths on his chest. He felt the hairs on his back stand on end at such a sensation. He stroked her hair gently with one hand and rubbed her back with his other. Tifa's sobbing ceased after a few moments.
She whispered, "Sephiroth gave me a bouquet of flowers in the afternoon yesterday..." She continued, raising her voice a little, "And then in the evening, he stopped by my dorm, and he dumped me right there... H-how could he... Everything was going fine... Maybe I'm just not good enough... But how can I be... He's just so fucking perfect..."
Perfect. The word ran through Cloud's head as he looked down at Tifa in his arms. Her touch, her warmth... Her scent... She is just so perfect. God, I want her so bad... Cloud brought his head down a little and whispered into her ear, "Tifa... I..." She pulled herself out of his embrace and brought her finger up to his mouth, shushing him effectively. She pulled her hand away and brought her face closer to him. She closed her eyes, bringing her lips to his. Cloud felt himself close his eyes and get pulled into her lips... Her taste... Her essence... her perfection...
They unconsciously moved over on top of the bed. Cloud lay back while Tifa moved over him, deepening their kiss. They lost themselves in that moment, completely unaware of their surroundings.
*Click.*
"Oh, hi Cloud, I was just--" Aeris dropped the glass picture-frame, which shattered on impact with the floor.
Cloud, hearing the crash, pushed Tifa off of him and saw Aeris standing at the doorway, her mouth covered by her hands. Her eyes welled up with tears. She stared directly at him, her gaze unwavering.
Her emerald eyes pierced his heart. She turned and took off, not looking back once.
Tifa had a look of shock on her face as she turned to Cloud. "Cloud, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me, and I--"
"Just get out. Now." Cloud stared down at the floor, his back to Tifa. Knowing better than to say anything, she exited quietly.
Cloud fell onto his bed face first, burying his head into his pillow, allowing his tears to flow. The pain had finally become to great. He had always managed to stifle his tears in the past, but for the first time in his life, he openly cried.
~~~~~
'Perfect, everything is going according to plan...'
What is your game, you wretch!
'Oh, is that any way to speak to your mother...?'
I don't care! Just tell me... You've already made me break Tifa's heart, and now you've broken Aeris's and Cloud's. But... why?
'If I told you that, then it wouldn't be any fun, would it?'
Sephiroth felt himself get taken over again. He always tried to fight it, but something within himself allowed him to succumb to it. It was as though destiny had determined it herself. He was to be a slave to this foreign being inside of him. But... foreign? No... it's much too familiar to be foreign...
'Of course, silly child... I am your mother, Sephiroth...'
No, Jenova! I refuse to accept it!
'Well then, if I am not your mother, then who is?'
...
'Well? It's a simple question, right?'
... Argh! Damn you...
'I'm glad you have finally seen the light... Now, be a good boy and do what Mommy tells you...'
~~~~~
Aeris sat on her bed, quietly sobbing. She could barely believe what she just saw. Cloud... I thought you loved me... How could you do this... And Tifa, I thought you were my friend... Her grief seemed to reach no end. There was nothing that could possibly soothe her heart.
*Knock knock.*
Aeris quickly grabbed a tissue from the night-table nearby and wiped off the tears from her face. "Who is it?" she asked in a quivering voice.
A deep, chillingly penetrating voice answered. "It's Sephiroth."
"Oh, come in..."
Sephiroth entered the room, closing the door behind him, and stood there. "I... heard about Cloud and Tifa... I just thought you might want someone to talk to." He hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "Well, honestly, I need someone to talk to as well... Tifa was my girlfriend, you know..."
Aeris felt tears come back to her eyes. "S-Sephiroth... Thank you. It's just that... I... I can't believe that Cloud would..." She couldn't help herself from stopping the flow of tears that followed.
She felt Sephiroth's arms surround her, radiating a sense of comfort. She dug her head into his chest, sobbing quietly. Sephiroth, feeling a sudden wave of emotion, instinctively held her closer as a single tear rolled down his own cheek. "Don't worry, Aeris... I'll be here for you."
~~~~~
"Vincent? VINCENT!" A remarkably beautiful young woman with long, brown hair answered the door.
"Lu... Lucresia? Is... is that you?"
The young woman quickly pulled Vincent into her apartment, setting him down on the couch nearby. "Don't worry Vincent, everything is gonna be fine..."
"Lucresia... What... what's happening to me...?" Vincent was extremely exhausted and could barely breathe. This isn't the first time this has happened. She knows something... She has to... "Lucresia, tell me... I need to know! What has that fucking bastard done to me!!!"
Lucresia shook her head. "I wish I could tell you, Vincent, but... I can't. I'm really sorry!" She noticed his face shift to an angrier expression. She needed to get away from the subject. "Hey, what happened that you got like this?"
Vincent looked away and shut his eyes. "Ugh... it's just that some people are really fucking stupid. I uhh... I went out to dinner with this girl, and then she goes off about her ex-boyfriend. I know I shouldn't have, I was already in a bad mood... But then what really got to me was when she called me a freak." He rubbed his temples with his fingers.
Lucresia's facial expression had changed completely at that point, from one of concern and caring to one of disappointment. "Oh, so you went out with a girl."
Vincent turned back towards her. "Listen Lucresia, you're the one that doesn't want to have a relationship with me."
"But you know that we can't! I'm your instructor!" she pleaded. However, Vincent just shook his head.
"And what the hell does that matter? Why does anyone have to know?" He felt anger rise up in himself again. "You know what? Just forget it. I'm sorry I ever bothered you. Good bye." He got up and made his way to the door.
"No Vincent, wait, I--"
The door slammed, the noise resounding in Lucresia's ears.
~~~~~
Cloud sat on the very-familiar park bench, watching the stars above. There isn't a single cloud in the sky... Maybe it's because the clouds are in my head... Why was I named Cloud...? Is it supposed to be fate's sense of humor? Well, they've always said that fate is not without a sense of irony.
While he continued gazing at the stars, he began to notice a sound. ...Is that... Someone breathing? He silently followed the sound to it's source, which turned out to be a tree. He slowly edged around, only to see Tifa hugging her knees to her chest and her head down, weeping.
Strangely, Cloud did not become angry. Instead, seeing Tifa in such a vulnerable state made him feel weak. Something about seeing her crying made his insides churn with pain and guilt. ...Am I responsible for this?
He quietly took a seat next to her, taking a similar position to her. Tifa looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Then, she closed her eyes and began to cry once more, putting her head back down. "What are you doing here... Just... Go away! All I do is cause you pain... I'm not worthy of any of your sympathy..."
"Tifa... I... I don't know what to tell you. I should hate you, I should want to kill you... But, I don't. And I'm not here to sympathize with you... I'm just confused right now. The one thing I know right now is that I don't want you to cry." What am I saying? Cloud thought. What... what am I feeling?
Tifa looked back up at Cloud. Her face was one of hopelessness. "Cloud, I deserve this. Please, just leave me alone." She looked back away.
Cloud turned her face back towards him. "No Tifa, you don't deserve this. You don't deserve any of this... You don't deserve to be crying over this, or what Sephiroth did to you, or anything at all!" Why, why am I saying this! Why am I feeling this...
She turned her face away once again, letting more tears flow. Soon, she was openly sobbing again. Just... shut up, Cloud... just shut up, please...
Cloud turned her face back to him. Without thinking, he kissed her. Tifa, shocked at first, soon gave in. They kissed each other, neither thinking about what was happening, just totally absorbed in the moment.
They both pulled away, realizing what had just happened. They were both blushing, yet they still looked at each other intently. Cloud was the first to speak. "Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--"
"Shh..." Tifa pressed her finger to his lips. She smiled and leaned into Cloud, burying into his neck and chest. Cloud found himself smiling as well, as he put his arm around Tifa and cuddled with her.
~~~~~
'Hehe, perfect... now that that foolish boy is out of the way, there is no stopping us...'
What if I refuse to help you?
'You would prefer not to find out.'
So you'll kill me? What will you do then?
'Ha, kill you? Fool, there are fates worse than death...'
Sephiroth suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his rib, which caused him to stagger slightly. He felt another jab on his other side, causing him to fall over. The stabs came continuously, the pain becoming unbearable. Before long, Sephiroth had gone unconscious.
'Foolish boy... You will do as I say because that is your purpose. You are... a puppet.'
~*~*~*~
A/N: Hello again! This took a really long time, I know. Well, I've been extremely busy, on top of having a lot of personal problems (A.K.A. girl trouble), so it's been hard for me to find time to write. Actually, it's just been hard for me to write, period. So, I'm sorry for the chapter being so late.
Well, I hope it was actually good, because I actually thought it was. I believe that's a first. I'll try to see if the next chapter will be longer, since I actually intended this one to be longer, but I figured it was good to stop now. The plot is just starting to thicken...
Well, thanks for reading, and remember to review! ^_^
