Faded Dreams, Falling Like Rain

A Final Fantasy VII Fan Fiction by Sarah Digna Yudlowitz

Dream . . .

Dream of death . . .

Dream of moonlight . . .

Legal Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all of its characters belong to the company of Squaresoft. I do not claim these characters or the concept of the game for my own. This work is not to be distributed, sold, or posted anywhere without the consent of its author. Comments and encouragements are always welcomed, as they are a part of the enjoyment of writing Fan fiction. Please take this into consideration while you read the following fiction.

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Summary, recap: For the course of the better half of FFVII, Cloud is out to kill his childhood idol, whom he hates for betraying him, and the world. But when he has finally killed Sephiroth, Cloud is left with emptiness and guilt, for he finds that his hate was misled. He pities the tragic life that Sephiroth has led, a path of lies and shame, death the only escape into true happiness. Cloud meanwhile has to deal with how much he has become the product of the lies that have shaped his sojourn on the road to save the planet. Vincent finds a kindred spirit in Cloud, and attempts to help him as best as he can, while still dealing with his problems of romantic loss. In this chapter, Cloud tries to help Vincent in return, and at first, the results are disastrous.









Chapter Ten







Cloud stepped outside for the first time in a long while. He had expected devastation, and he was given it. There were no children outside. Anyone whom Cloud could see was in poverty. He looked back at the formerly Shinra owned house which Vincent bought for three hundred thousand gil on their mercenary money. It was worth it, he had to think, now that there was no place for anyone to go. The people outside had hopelessness written on their faces. It made him feel like killing Sephiroth was a waste, and he had to force himself not to picture the terrible look of surprise and remorse on the dying man's face as he became one with the Lifestream.

This was the only establishment owned by Shinra that was a pleasure house that survived. There were two major inns in Costa del Sol that were not private, and only the rich were being admitted. Pangs of guiltiness overtook Cloud as he soaked in the impact of his decisions. He then stepped back into the safety of the Shinra house, where the devastation of the world could be denied for a little longer, but the devastation of his heart could not get over.





"I'm responsible for this," Cloud said softly as he shut the door gently, slowly. He cast a long shadow upon the floor as the rising sun crept from the bottom of the world to settle above, its rays illuminating the windows. Vincent looked up from a book he had taken off a shelf; he hadn't been immersed in the story anyway. It was a romance, and it had a happy ending, most likely. His head lifted slowly, and he turned to look at Cloud, a frown tugging the sides of his thin lips down. He then turned to look outside of the window closest to him.





"All of the Shinra dogs are DEAD!" wailed a loud voice from outside. Cheers came after it, making Cloud wince like a childe hiding from a bad dream. He was still in Shinra uniform.





"Don't be so hard on yourself, Cloud," Vincent said. His voice was so low that Cloud could hardly hear him.





"But Vincent, I sacrificed lives. If only I had been more--"





"Nonsense. Be strong. A leader must be strong, and must make sacrifices."





"But I'm not a leader, Vincent!"





"There were casualties, but that is better than the world being obliterated. You did the best you could, that's enough."





"Listen to yourself," Cloud scowled. "You can't even let go of Lucrecia, and that what Hojo did is not your fault. I don't think you should be talking about that 'the best you could do under the circumstance' stuff, Vincent." Cloud's eyes closed tight, and then he slammed his fist against the wall. He had not meant to be so vehement, but his blood was boiling. Vincent remained silent, watching Cloud walk to the corner of the kitchen for his Buster sword. As he walked to Vincent's side, he strapped the clunky weapon to his back, sheathing it. Vincent stood, his features more drawn, saddened. He pulled his cloak over him, grabbing a few plates that hadn't been put away, and shoved them into the sink with his clawed arm. They made a metallic scrape as they hit the bottom of the porcelain. Vincent sat back down with a fluid, agitated motion.





"We will not discuss that," he said. Cloud grimaced now, only being able to stand there.





"Why not? I've been telling you about the things that make my mind scream. Why should you be denied letting your grievances out? If I were to yell Lucrecia's name at you, I just know you'd go nuts!"





"Cease this. Now." Vincent's voice had changed in tone, being more gruff than Cloud normally heard him sounding. There was emotion in it, and no ambivalence.





"No, Vincent," Cloud shook his head, grasping Vincent's flesh arm. "Tell me about Lucrecia, Sephiroth, and Lilith. Tell me about them!"





"This is unacceptable, Cloud! I will not tolerate it!" He shouted, pulling his arm back from Cloud. His shoulders were shaking, and his clawed hand tore at the wood of the chair's armrest. Cloud for a second thought of the Chaos Theory, as if Vincent had become a measure of beast again, but there was no such thing to apex Vincent's anger now. There was only raw emotion, and the illusion of a man that has become something too inhuman to approach, or understand. Cloud stumbled back, reliving the beast in Vincent tearing away from his mind and body upon Highwind. That part of him had died with Meteor. Cloud's eyes were shadowed now.





"I know you loved Sephiroth as if he was your own son," Cloud whispered, waiting until Vincent had calmed down a bit. "It broke your heart to think that he wasn't your son, and that you couldn't take him away from Shinra, or tell him the truth that Hojo hid from him."





"That's why . . .I didn't want to join your party, because seeing Sephiroth. . .like he was . . ." Vincent trailed off. "It would have been the death of Lucrecia's spirit, if she had been alive to see him grow up. But then, her spirit was crushed when she became pregnant with Hojo's childe. She had known that anyone birthed into the world having Hojo as a father . . ." his voice trailed off again, and he hung his head in shame. "I lied to her, Cloud . . . but it was for the best. She's in . . . the Lifestream now. Finally. And I can only hope . . .that she doesn't hate me for what I held back from her, from Sephiroth . . ."tears fell from Vincent's hard blood red eyes, making them seem softer, and kinder.





"Everyone is counting on me, Vincent, so I guess I still have to pretend I can be strong. I'll be strong for you. I know how much this hurts for you." Vincent seemed baffled. "And stop blaming yourself. It's as much Sephiroth's fault as it is Shinra's, but he died knowing that he was wrong, Vincent. I saw it in his eyes. He's at peace now, don't you think?"





"Lifestream offers peace to all, Cloud. Perhaps even to you and me when we are gone." Vincent smiled, and Cloud smiled back.





"So, will you tell me about Lucrecia?"





"It has been a long time since I have trusted someone so much," Vincent sighed. ". . .But I will. First, we have to find a way to get out of here . . ."