Meh. Me schweepy. Here new chapter. You read. You give reveiw. I dance
happy dance. You walk away muttering about padded walls. Everyone happy.
Disclaimer: No ownage of companies or characters. 'Cept the chick with the blonde hair. . . and no, Cloud no cross-dress any more. O.o ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Lost in Fate
"Hey. . .This guy isn't dead!"
"Then why is he down here? Get the boss. He'll know what to do."
The voices were unearthly, especially in Cloud's still-aching head. Opening glowing eyes, he registered two demonic figures. One blazed blue in his blurry vision, and the other blazed pinkish-red. Groaning, he heaved his weakened body into a sitting position.
"Hey! It's moving! I guess it is alive. . ." The pink figure scuttled away, running through a wall of fire. "I'll be back!"
"Where. . .am I?" Cloud murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "What the hell is this place?"
"Oh, just my humble abode. But yeah, it can be hell to clean." The voice was the one who had spoken to Cloud after his fight. "Hey, some kids like you can call it that, too. Welcome to the Underworld, little guy." A huge, black-robed humanoid figure sauntered his way to Cloud. Blue hair - although it looked to be flame more than fiber - adorned itself atop his long face.
"Who are you?" The human (who had become quite sure he was the only human here now) croaked, speechless.
"I'm Hades, lord of the Underworld. Nice to meet you, kid. I've got a proposition for you. Come with me." The figure bent and gripped Cloud with deathly cold hands, helping the man to his feet. Dragging him forward, they passed through another wall of fire, the intense heat bringing water to Cloud's eyes.
"Sit." Cloud obeyed, sitting in a huge, obsidian winged chair, resting his weary skull against a crudely-crafted monstrous face. "You're probably wondering why you're here when, obviously, you aren't dead."
"I'm not?" Cloud asked, fighting to keep his voice indifferent. "That's nice."
"See, I brought you here because I'm in a pinch, and I like you. See, there's this annoying nephew of mine back on the upper world, and he's got a real stubborn goat as a close companion. I'm not the most popular guy in the kingdom, but getting this kid outta my way would really help. Especially if I don't do the dirty work myself, see." The god leaned over, looking directly into Cloud's tired eyes.
"If you do that for me, I can give you anything you want in the world. Living or dead."
Cloud's mind raced. Living or dead. . .funny. A few months ago, he would have chosen someone he had lost so long ago in his quest to save his world. . .
Aeris's image appeared before him, in a previously unnoticed pit of fire. "Oh, that one," Hades murmured, watching the girl in pink rotate slowly in the flame. "She's already been requested by another guy, and already back on the surface. Had to change her name a bit, though, seeing as how people might remember the fact that she was dead. Since I'm a nice guy, I won't let you waste your wish on something already granted."
Cloud barely registered the hint. Who could have requested Aeris's resurrection? "Never mind her. She's not mine anymore. But. . ." Alanna replaced Aeris in the flame. The semi-transparent picture of the blonde smiled and waved to both Cloud and Hades. She looked exactly as Cloud remembered her.
"Cute girl." Hades said bluntly, watching as Cloud looked at the girl hungrily. "Dead?"
Cloud's eyes darkened. "You tell me. It's your line of work, right?" The god hesitated, and shook his head.
"Not a stiff. I see everyone who passes through death, and I'd remember someone like her. What, you wanna find her again? It's definitely do-able if you agree to the terms." A piece of parchment and a flaming quill appeared out of mid air. "Just sign on the line, kid, and after the deed's done I'll get your girl for you."
Cloud stared at the parchment, thinking. *Deals with a devil.I've done stranger things, I guess.* Wordlessly, he signed the paper. After he was done, the contract rolled itself up and disappeared. "Nice choice, kid. Now, let's see. . .I should probably increase your powers. This Hercules guy I've got you going after is pretty tough. And-"
The lord of the dead halted, hair turning a flaming red as he listened to a voice Cloud couldn't hear. "WHAT?" He shouted, turning around at looking at the empty doorway. "Why should I do that for you?" He listened, red hair cooling back to blue. "Entertainment. . .You have a point. Hey, Cloud." Cloud shifted in his seat, eyeing both Hades and the doorway with disbelief. "I got some guy here who wants to come back up too. . .But I'd have to give you both the same strength. Sound okay?"
Cloud shrugged, malcontent. "Just get it over with."
Hades rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. Here we go. . ." Snapping his fingers, the god drew figures in the air. Cloud felt something itching his back. The itch grew, and soon Cloud had to bite back a scream of agony. On the other side of the chamber, he heard one. A pitch-black leathery wing had sprouted out of his shoulder blade. "One wing should be enough for both of you kids." The god said, hiding the amusement in his voice. "After all, you seem to compliment each other."
Cloud, feeling the pain still throb its way through his body, glanced up. Another man sat on the floor now, but his upper half was hidden by another steel chair. "What else.Ah, for the spike-head, you might need something to remind you not to go wandering away from your task. . ." Pointing to Cloud's left hand, he watched as a stinging, solid-gold gauntlet covered the young man's flesh. "Careful with that, it gets a bit nasty if you try to ditch the deal."
The metal was still stinging. Cloud tested the joints of his hand, and watched as the metal complied. *. . .Weird. . .* He thought, making a fist and wincing as the sharp "nails" of his new hand dug into his palm. They were razor sharp. "What else. . .I need you not to be recognized, obviously, under the circumstances. But, lookin' at you two," He paused, arching an eyebrow. "I don't think a haircut would be too appealing. Clothes will do fine, I suppose." He waved away Cloud's scorched and scraped clothes, instantly replacing them with a uniform that looked suspiciously like the one he had worn on his home world. "And a cloak, for a bit of color."
Cloud's broad shoulders were adorned with a red, travel-worn cloak, enough to cover his jaw line if he wished to. "But you, Silver, look a little bland. You sure you don't want anything other than black?" The blonde glanced over, curious, and was soon gaping.
Sephiroth stared back at him, cold green eyes amused. "I don't die easily, do I, Strife?" Coldly, the man spread his black-feathered wing and took off in flight, rising back to the upper world without another word to his enemy.
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*Cue dramatic music* Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
And yes, the silver pain-in-my-A is BACK! Naw really, he wasn't so bad. Pretty twisted, so it's all good. Hmm. . .wonder what's gonna happen now, eh? Well, stinks for you, 'cuz I can write as quickly or as slowly as I want and you can WAIT! HAHAHAH - wait, no, really, I'll work on it. Don't leave!
Later days.
Disclaimer: No ownage of companies or characters. 'Cept the chick with the blonde hair. . . and no, Cloud no cross-dress any more. O.o ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Lost in Fate
"Hey. . .This guy isn't dead!"
"Then why is he down here? Get the boss. He'll know what to do."
The voices were unearthly, especially in Cloud's still-aching head. Opening glowing eyes, he registered two demonic figures. One blazed blue in his blurry vision, and the other blazed pinkish-red. Groaning, he heaved his weakened body into a sitting position.
"Hey! It's moving! I guess it is alive. . ." The pink figure scuttled away, running through a wall of fire. "I'll be back!"
"Where. . .am I?" Cloud murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "What the hell is this place?"
"Oh, just my humble abode. But yeah, it can be hell to clean." The voice was the one who had spoken to Cloud after his fight. "Hey, some kids like you can call it that, too. Welcome to the Underworld, little guy." A huge, black-robed humanoid figure sauntered his way to Cloud. Blue hair - although it looked to be flame more than fiber - adorned itself atop his long face.
"Who are you?" The human (who had become quite sure he was the only human here now) croaked, speechless.
"I'm Hades, lord of the Underworld. Nice to meet you, kid. I've got a proposition for you. Come with me." The figure bent and gripped Cloud with deathly cold hands, helping the man to his feet. Dragging him forward, they passed through another wall of fire, the intense heat bringing water to Cloud's eyes.
"Sit." Cloud obeyed, sitting in a huge, obsidian winged chair, resting his weary skull against a crudely-crafted monstrous face. "You're probably wondering why you're here when, obviously, you aren't dead."
"I'm not?" Cloud asked, fighting to keep his voice indifferent. "That's nice."
"See, I brought you here because I'm in a pinch, and I like you. See, there's this annoying nephew of mine back on the upper world, and he's got a real stubborn goat as a close companion. I'm not the most popular guy in the kingdom, but getting this kid outta my way would really help. Especially if I don't do the dirty work myself, see." The god leaned over, looking directly into Cloud's tired eyes.
"If you do that for me, I can give you anything you want in the world. Living or dead."
Cloud's mind raced. Living or dead. . .funny. A few months ago, he would have chosen someone he had lost so long ago in his quest to save his world. . .
Aeris's image appeared before him, in a previously unnoticed pit of fire. "Oh, that one," Hades murmured, watching the girl in pink rotate slowly in the flame. "She's already been requested by another guy, and already back on the surface. Had to change her name a bit, though, seeing as how people might remember the fact that she was dead. Since I'm a nice guy, I won't let you waste your wish on something already granted."
Cloud barely registered the hint. Who could have requested Aeris's resurrection? "Never mind her. She's not mine anymore. But. . ." Alanna replaced Aeris in the flame. The semi-transparent picture of the blonde smiled and waved to both Cloud and Hades. She looked exactly as Cloud remembered her.
"Cute girl." Hades said bluntly, watching as Cloud looked at the girl hungrily. "Dead?"
Cloud's eyes darkened. "You tell me. It's your line of work, right?" The god hesitated, and shook his head.
"Not a stiff. I see everyone who passes through death, and I'd remember someone like her. What, you wanna find her again? It's definitely do-able if you agree to the terms." A piece of parchment and a flaming quill appeared out of mid air. "Just sign on the line, kid, and after the deed's done I'll get your girl for you."
Cloud stared at the parchment, thinking. *Deals with a devil.I've done stranger things, I guess.* Wordlessly, he signed the paper. After he was done, the contract rolled itself up and disappeared. "Nice choice, kid. Now, let's see. . .I should probably increase your powers. This Hercules guy I've got you going after is pretty tough. And-"
The lord of the dead halted, hair turning a flaming red as he listened to a voice Cloud couldn't hear. "WHAT?" He shouted, turning around at looking at the empty doorway. "Why should I do that for you?" He listened, red hair cooling back to blue. "Entertainment. . .You have a point. Hey, Cloud." Cloud shifted in his seat, eyeing both Hades and the doorway with disbelief. "I got some guy here who wants to come back up too. . .But I'd have to give you both the same strength. Sound okay?"
Cloud shrugged, malcontent. "Just get it over with."
Hades rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. Here we go. . ." Snapping his fingers, the god drew figures in the air. Cloud felt something itching his back. The itch grew, and soon Cloud had to bite back a scream of agony. On the other side of the chamber, he heard one. A pitch-black leathery wing had sprouted out of his shoulder blade. "One wing should be enough for both of you kids." The god said, hiding the amusement in his voice. "After all, you seem to compliment each other."
Cloud, feeling the pain still throb its way through his body, glanced up. Another man sat on the floor now, but his upper half was hidden by another steel chair. "What else.Ah, for the spike-head, you might need something to remind you not to go wandering away from your task. . ." Pointing to Cloud's left hand, he watched as a stinging, solid-gold gauntlet covered the young man's flesh. "Careful with that, it gets a bit nasty if you try to ditch the deal."
The metal was still stinging. Cloud tested the joints of his hand, and watched as the metal complied. *. . .Weird. . .* He thought, making a fist and wincing as the sharp "nails" of his new hand dug into his palm. They were razor sharp. "What else. . .I need you not to be recognized, obviously, under the circumstances. But, lookin' at you two," He paused, arching an eyebrow. "I don't think a haircut would be too appealing. Clothes will do fine, I suppose." He waved away Cloud's scorched and scraped clothes, instantly replacing them with a uniform that looked suspiciously like the one he had worn on his home world. "And a cloak, for a bit of color."
Cloud's broad shoulders were adorned with a red, travel-worn cloak, enough to cover his jaw line if he wished to. "But you, Silver, look a little bland. You sure you don't want anything other than black?" The blonde glanced over, curious, and was soon gaping.
Sephiroth stared back at him, cold green eyes amused. "I don't die easily, do I, Strife?" Coldly, the man spread his black-feathered wing and took off in flight, rising back to the upper world without another word to his enemy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
*Cue dramatic music* Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
And yes, the silver pain-in-my-A is BACK! Naw really, he wasn't so bad. Pretty twisted, so it's all good. Hmm. . .wonder what's gonna happen now, eh? Well, stinks for you, 'cuz I can write as quickly or as slowly as I want and you can WAIT! HAHAHAH - wait, no, really, I'll work on it. Don't leave!
Later days.