The End of a Dream
~2~
Haunted
"Vincent? Hey Vincent, are you alive?!"
A hand roughly shook his shoulder. "Hm . . .?" Vincent slowly opened his eyes. "Cloud?" The blonde smiled and nodded.
"You'll be fine now, Vincent. Tifa did your bandages and put some stuff on your wounds. She said that you'll heal up fine, but you won't be able to stand for a few-hey!" The gun fighter stood up, clenching his fists. "How can you possibly stand!? That wound went all the way through!"
"My anatomy is different from yours . . . I'm . . . not human remember?" His blood red eyes scanned the trees and his surroundings. He had to make sure Sephiroth wasn't around to sneak up on Cloud and Tifa like he did to him before . . .
The mercenary stood next to the raven-haired man. He thought for awhile, gathering the nerve to ask his friend about last night. "Vincent?"
"Yes?"
". . . Tell me exactly what happened last night . . ." His mako eyes grew serious. If Sephiroth was alive, then that meant the whole world was in danger again.
Vincent's gaze fixed on the sky. The sun was about to rise soon. "It's exactly as I said; Sephiroth attacked me. I was walking through the woods and he surprised me . . . I was stabbed through the back and left to die . . ."
"I-I told you he was alive!" A small voice squeaked. "I told you he was coming to get you Cloud, but you didn't believe me!"
He turned his attention to Tifa. Her dark brown eyes were wide and filled with fear. She sat on the ground, hugging her knees. 'God, Tifa's a nervous wreck . . . I can't blame her though . . .'
Cloud walked over to her and kneeled down by her side. His arm came around her and he slowly rubbed her back. "It's OK Tifa; it was only a dream. If he really is alive; I won't let him take anyone else's life." The blonde looked back up at the older man. "I don't get it . . . Why did he leave you alive?"
Vincent shook his head. "I wish I knew . . . I heard him mumble, 'What's the point?' then he walked away . . ."
"That bastard probably wanted to leave you there to die slowly . . . That sick freak . . ." The mercenary gripped Tifa's shoulder and squeezed it slightly in anger.
"Maybe . . . However Sephiroth has always been the type of person who'd watch his victims die in front of him." The gun fighter stared up at the shy again.
Cloud shrugged. "How knows? All I know is that if he truly is alive, if that really was Sephiroth, then I'm gonna have to play hero again . . ." His fists balled and he punched the ground in rage. "And I don't want to risk loosing anyone else to that monster!"
". . ." Vincent slowly began to walk away.
"H-hey! Where are you going?!"
"Back to Shinra Mansion . . . The sun's about to rise and I'm quite tried . . ." He disappeared into the dense forest.
"Tsk . . . How can he even think about sleeping at a time like this?!" Cloud put his hands on his hips, watching Vincent walk off like that. The brunette shook his shoulder. He noticed that she was trembling.
"Please, Cloud . . . Please . . . Can we get out of here?" He nodded in response. He was as worried as she was.
****
"Shinra Mansion . . . The very same place where I rotted my mind reading all of those books . . ." He slowly walked over. The sun was slowly rising. Any minute now, the villagers would come crawling out of their homes. As fearless as he was, he didn't want any of them to see him there . . . Nibelheim was the last place on earth where he'd want to be in . . .
He opened up the door to the mansion and walked in. "It hasn't changed a bit . . ." The silver-haired man slowly made his way up the stairs to the secret passageway. "Same old dreadful place . . ."
He went down the flight of stairs and into the basement. Before he could reach the library, he noticed something different. One door that had always been locked was now wide open. "Hn?"
He stepped inside. Nothing but a bunch of coffins . . . He turned around to leave when he heard . . . breathing . . . "What the-?" The ex-general slowly walked up to the coffin that was in the center of the room. Slowly, he lifted the lid. He gasped and reached for the masamune. "Valentine!?"
Vincent opened his eyes and quickly armed his gun at Sephiroth's head before he could unsheathe the masamune. Red eyes glared up at mako colored ones. "Sephiroth . . . I never thought I'd be seeing you again so soon . . ."
The silver-haired man laughed. "That's funny Valentine; I might actually be scared if you had any bullets in that gun . . ."
"How'd you know?"
"When you've been in SOLDIER as long as I have, you know."
Vincent put his gun down then pulled out a rifle, pressing it against where Sephiroth's heart would be. He smirked. "No need to worry, I have a spare."
"How many guns do you have in there, Valentine?"
"Enough to kill anyone who wakes me up from my slumber!"
The ex-general closed his eyes and smirked. "I guess you got me there . . ."
"I would kill you . . . However . . .," He lowered his weapon, "You spared my life before . . . Let's call a truce for now . . . There are some things I must know . . ."
"Fine . . ."The two men took out there weapons and slid them across the floor at the same time. Vincent got up out of the coffin and closed it, taking a seat on its lid. Sephiroth sat down next to him.
"So . . . Why did you decide not to kill me anyway?"
". . . I only want to kill Cloud . . . No sense in swimming in an endless blood bath again . . ."
"I see . . . What you're saying is that you're haunted by all the people that you've killed." Vincent smirked. "Which reminds me; how are you still alive?"
Sephiroth stood up, his back facing Vincent. "Good question . . . I wish I knew . . ."
"What?!"
"That's why I came here, Valentine. I had to find out why I survived what Cloud did to me . . ." He tried not to tremble. "For a brief moment I felt it . . ."
"Felt what?"
"Hell . . . I felt myself fall into Hell. I could feel its fires scorch my flesh. I began to feel my body rip apart, but then . . . Everything was cold . . . I opened my eyes and I was lying in the middle of North Crater. My wounds had completely disappeared."
Vincent stared at him; he didn't know what to say . . . Even Sephiroth didn't know how he lived! The ex-general slowly started walking away. "I'm going to the library to find some information . . . Don't you dare fallow me or I'll kill you." He picked up the masamune and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sephiroth entered the Library and grabbed a bunch of books. He set them down on a table, took a seat, and began reading. Page after page, book after book, he read. Two hours passed and his eyelids grew heavy.
He yawned and put the book down. "Maybe I should just rest my eyes for a couple minutes . . ." He lied his head down on the table and closed his eyes. In no time at all, he was fast asleep.
****
Vincent opened the coffin lid. The sun was finally starting to set and he was fully rested. He rubbed his eyes and got up, stretching. "I wonder if Sephiroth is still here." The gun fighter walked into the library.
There Sephiroth was, fast asleep. Vincent was about to turn to leave when he heard a noise from the sleeping man. It sounded like a whimper . . .
"Hojo . . . Stop . . . It hurts . . . Please! No more . . ." He mumbled in his sleep.
"Hn?" Vincent took a few steps closer to him. "He's having a nightmare about Hojo?"
"Stop! Please . . . I'm not a science experiment!" The silver haired man's eyes suddenly opened wide. The gun fighter jumped back in surprise. "V- Valentine? What the hell are you doing here?!"
"You're wasting your time reading those books . . ."
Sephiroth's eyebrow arched. "What?"
Vincent dropped a small book on the table across from the general. "Here, read this."
He picked up the book and browsed through it. "This . . . This is Hojo's diary . . .!" The gun fighter turned to leave. "Wait!" Sephiroth stopped him. "You're not going to tell Strife that I'm here are you?"
He turned around, narrowing his eyes. "Sounds more like something you'd do . . . If I wanted you dead I would've killed you already . . ."
"You don't want me dead? Even though I killed all those people, killed that cetra bitch, tried to destroy the whole world, and stabbed you through the back?"
"No, I want you dead, but not until I find out why you survived . . ." With that he walked away.
The silver haired man laughed. "We shall see about that Valentine, we shall see . . ."
****
'Too much death . . .'
"Tell me who you are." She looked around.
'The light to my darkness . . .'
"Who are you?!"
'No sense in swimming in an endless blood bath again . . .'
"Are you even listening to me!?"
'Stop! Please . . . I'm not a science experiment!'
The brunette kept looking around desperately. "Where are you? Maybe I can help?"
'You knew her didn't you?! You knew my mother!'
"What?"
'Why didn't you tell me?'
Suddenly, she spotted a pair of mako colored eyes. "SEPHIROTH!!!"
He turned around, grinning evilly. "Ms. Lockhart . . . Did you tell Cloud that I was coming for him?" One of his hands unsheathed the masamune and held it up to her throat.
"Y-yes! I-I did!"
"I have another message . . ." The general smirked.
His voice sent shivers down the young girl's spine. "W-what is it?"
"Tell him that I will kill him the most painful way imaginable. Then, when he's dead I will have his head impaled on my masamune. Understand?" She looked at him horrified. "UNDERSTAND?!
"YES!!!" The girl sobbed.
"Tifa? Tifa wake up! You're having a nightmare!"
Tifa opened her eyes and saw the blonde standing in front of her. "Cloud!" Her arms wrapped around his neck and she cried against his shoulder.
"Shhh . . . It's Ok . . . It was only a dream Tifa . . ." He rubbed her back.
"He said that he was going to kill you! He wanted me to tell you that he'd have your head on his sword!" She hiccupped.
Suddenly, his blood ran cold. "N-nonsense . . . It was j-just a dream . . . Go back to bed . . ." She nodded and lied down. That night, Cloud didn't get any sleep.
To Be Continued . . .
(A/N:)
Yokai: Hello again!
Sephiroth: Hey!
Vincent: Hiya!
Yokai: Well chapter two is up! *looks around* Hey . . . Is anyone even reading this?
Vincent: Hellooooooo?
Sephiroth: Of course they're reading this! I'm in it! :D
Yokai&Vincent: -_-;;;;
Yokai: Um . . . Guess what? This was originally to be a Sephy/Aeris until the middle of the Sephiroth, Vincent fight scene in chapter one! I suddenly wondered if I should make it a yaoi. I asked one of my online friends and she talked me into it!
Vincent: ^_^
Yokai: Oh! Before I forget I would like to thank: The Demonic Angel of Yaoi, Angel280, Akkeil, Bwar, and Daemon. Thanks for reviewing!
Sephiroth: You're our friends!
Vincent: Request time!
Sephiroth: Yes! We have two Cloud killing requests!
Vincent: Well, the first one was from Angel280, who seems to like me a lot!
Yokai: Well, this is a Sephy/Vincent fic so naturally!
Vincent: Ahem, the request was to throw a molten cocktail at him that is filled with sulfuric acid! The second was from Daemon who said that we should make Cloud into a burrito and feed him to a . . . rabid Chihuahua. Hey Cloud!
Cloud: Yeah?
Vincent: Catch! *he throws the cocktail*
Cloud: Ok! *catches it and he bursts into flames and his skin burns off* AHHHH!!!!
Sephiroth: *grabs a giant flour tortilla and wraps it around Cloud.*
Cloud: Hey! Is this nappy time?
Sephiroth: C'mon here Tiny!
Cloud: Who's Tiny?
Sephiroth: He's a Chihuahua!
Cloud: Awww!!!
Tiny: WOOF!!! *a hug Chihuahua walks in*
Yokai: Dinner!
Tiny: *eats Cloud*
Sephiroth: *evil laugh* I really miss doing that . . .
Yokai: Well anyway, have anymore requests or Cloud killing ideas? Send them in and we'll act them out in the AN's!
Vincent: Or questions!
Sephiroth: Or food!
Yokai: Oh, and I don't own Final Fantasy. If I did then it would say "Yokai Hansha" on the label instead of Square . . .
Vincent: Pllllleeeeeaaaasssssseeeee review? *puppy dog eyes*
Yokai: I won't write more unless you do!
Sephiroth: And I'll hunt you down and murder you if you don't!
Everyone: . . . .
Yokai: Uh . . . Bye!
--Yokai Hansha
~2~
Haunted
"Vincent? Hey Vincent, are you alive?!"
A hand roughly shook his shoulder. "Hm . . .?" Vincent slowly opened his eyes. "Cloud?" The blonde smiled and nodded.
"You'll be fine now, Vincent. Tifa did your bandages and put some stuff on your wounds. She said that you'll heal up fine, but you won't be able to stand for a few-hey!" The gun fighter stood up, clenching his fists. "How can you possibly stand!? That wound went all the way through!"
"My anatomy is different from yours . . . I'm . . . not human remember?" His blood red eyes scanned the trees and his surroundings. He had to make sure Sephiroth wasn't around to sneak up on Cloud and Tifa like he did to him before . . .
The mercenary stood next to the raven-haired man. He thought for awhile, gathering the nerve to ask his friend about last night. "Vincent?"
"Yes?"
". . . Tell me exactly what happened last night . . ." His mako eyes grew serious. If Sephiroth was alive, then that meant the whole world was in danger again.
Vincent's gaze fixed on the sky. The sun was about to rise soon. "It's exactly as I said; Sephiroth attacked me. I was walking through the woods and he surprised me . . . I was stabbed through the back and left to die . . ."
"I-I told you he was alive!" A small voice squeaked. "I told you he was coming to get you Cloud, but you didn't believe me!"
He turned his attention to Tifa. Her dark brown eyes were wide and filled with fear. She sat on the ground, hugging her knees. 'God, Tifa's a nervous wreck . . . I can't blame her though . . .'
Cloud walked over to her and kneeled down by her side. His arm came around her and he slowly rubbed her back. "It's OK Tifa; it was only a dream. If he really is alive; I won't let him take anyone else's life." The blonde looked back up at the older man. "I don't get it . . . Why did he leave you alive?"
Vincent shook his head. "I wish I knew . . . I heard him mumble, 'What's the point?' then he walked away . . ."
"That bastard probably wanted to leave you there to die slowly . . . That sick freak . . ." The mercenary gripped Tifa's shoulder and squeezed it slightly in anger.
"Maybe . . . However Sephiroth has always been the type of person who'd watch his victims die in front of him." The gun fighter stared up at the shy again.
Cloud shrugged. "How knows? All I know is that if he truly is alive, if that really was Sephiroth, then I'm gonna have to play hero again . . ." His fists balled and he punched the ground in rage. "And I don't want to risk loosing anyone else to that monster!"
". . ." Vincent slowly began to walk away.
"H-hey! Where are you going?!"
"Back to Shinra Mansion . . . The sun's about to rise and I'm quite tried . . ." He disappeared into the dense forest.
"Tsk . . . How can he even think about sleeping at a time like this?!" Cloud put his hands on his hips, watching Vincent walk off like that. The brunette shook his shoulder. He noticed that she was trembling.
"Please, Cloud . . . Please . . . Can we get out of here?" He nodded in response. He was as worried as she was.
****
"Shinra Mansion . . . The very same place where I rotted my mind reading all of those books . . ." He slowly walked over. The sun was slowly rising. Any minute now, the villagers would come crawling out of their homes. As fearless as he was, he didn't want any of them to see him there . . . Nibelheim was the last place on earth where he'd want to be in . . .
He opened up the door to the mansion and walked in. "It hasn't changed a bit . . ." The silver-haired man slowly made his way up the stairs to the secret passageway. "Same old dreadful place . . ."
He went down the flight of stairs and into the basement. Before he could reach the library, he noticed something different. One door that had always been locked was now wide open. "Hn?"
He stepped inside. Nothing but a bunch of coffins . . . He turned around to leave when he heard . . . breathing . . . "What the-?" The ex-general slowly walked up to the coffin that was in the center of the room. Slowly, he lifted the lid. He gasped and reached for the masamune. "Valentine!?"
Vincent opened his eyes and quickly armed his gun at Sephiroth's head before he could unsheathe the masamune. Red eyes glared up at mako colored ones. "Sephiroth . . . I never thought I'd be seeing you again so soon . . ."
The silver-haired man laughed. "That's funny Valentine; I might actually be scared if you had any bullets in that gun . . ."
"How'd you know?"
"When you've been in SOLDIER as long as I have, you know."
Vincent put his gun down then pulled out a rifle, pressing it against where Sephiroth's heart would be. He smirked. "No need to worry, I have a spare."
"How many guns do you have in there, Valentine?"
"Enough to kill anyone who wakes me up from my slumber!"
The ex-general closed his eyes and smirked. "I guess you got me there . . ."
"I would kill you . . . However . . .," He lowered his weapon, "You spared my life before . . . Let's call a truce for now . . . There are some things I must know . . ."
"Fine . . ."The two men took out there weapons and slid them across the floor at the same time. Vincent got up out of the coffin and closed it, taking a seat on its lid. Sephiroth sat down next to him.
"So . . . Why did you decide not to kill me anyway?"
". . . I only want to kill Cloud . . . No sense in swimming in an endless blood bath again . . ."
"I see . . . What you're saying is that you're haunted by all the people that you've killed." Vincent smirked. "Which reminds me; how are you still alive?"
Sephiroth stood up, his back facing Vincent. "Good question . . . I wish I knew . . ."
"What?!"
"That's why I came here, Valentine. I had to find out why I survived what Cloud did to me . . ." He tried not to tremble. "For a brief moment I felt it . . ."
"Felt what?"
"Hell . . . I felt myself fall into Hell. I could feel its fires scorch my flesh. I began to feel my body rip apart, but then . . . Everything was cold . . . I opened my eyes and I was lying in the middle of North Crater. My wounds had completely disappeared."
Vincent stared at him; he didn't know what to say . . . Even Sephiroth didn't know how he lived! The ex-general slowly started walking away. "I'm going to the library to find some information . . . Don't you dare fallow me or I'll kill you." He picked up the masamune and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sephiroth entered the Library and grabbed a bunch of books. He set them down on a table, took a seat, and began reading. Page after page, book after book, he read. Two hours passed and his eyelids grew heavy.
He yawned and put the book down. "Maybe I should just rest my eyes for a couple minutes . . ." He lied his head down on the table and closed his eyes. In no time at all, he was fast asleep.
****
Vincent opened the coffin lid. The sun was finally starting to set and he was fully rested. He rubbed his eyes and got up, stretching. "I wonder if Sephiroth is still here." The gun fighter walked into the library.
There Sephiroth was, fast asleep. Vincent was about to turn to leave when he heard a noise from the sleeping man. It sounded like a whimper . . .
"Hojo . . . Stop . . . It hurts . . . Please! No more . . ." He mumbled in his sleep.
"Hn?" Vincent took a few steps closer to him. "He's having a nightmare about Hojo?"
"Stop! Please . . . I'm not a science experiment!" The silver haired man's eyes suddenly opened wide. The gun fighter jumped back in surprise. "V- Valentine? What the hell are you doing here?!"
"You're wasting your time reading those books . . ."
Sephiroth's eyebrow arched. "What?"
Vincent dropped a small book on the table across from the general. "Here, read this."
He picked up the book and browsed through it. "This . . . This is Hojo's diary . . .!" The gun fighter turned to leave. "Wait!" Sephiroth stopped him. "You're not going to tell Strife that I'm here are you?"
He turned around, narrowing his eyes. "Sounds more like something you'd do . . . If I wanted you dead I would've killed you already . . ."
"You don't want me dead? Even though I killed all those people, killed that cetra bitch, tried to destroy the whole world, and stabbed you through the back?"
"No, I want you dead, but not until I find out why you survived . . ." With that he walked away.
The silver haired man laughed. "We shall see about that Valentine, we shall see . . ."
****
'Too much death . . .'
"Tell me who you are." She looked around.
'The light to my darkness . . .'
"Who are you?!"
'No sense in swimming in an endless blood bath again . . .'
"Are you even listening to me!?"
'Stop! Please . . . I'm not a science experiment!'
The brunette kept looking around desperately. "Where are you? Maybe I can help?"
'You knew her didn't you?! You knew my mother!'
"What?"
'Why didn't you tell me?'
Suddenly, she spotted a pair of mako colored eyes. "SEPHIROTH!!!"
He turned around, grinning evilly. "Ms. Lockhart . . . Did you tell Cloud that I was coming for him?" One of his hands unsheathed the masamune and held it up to her throat.
"Y-yes! I-I did!"
"I have another message . . ." The general smirked.
His voice sent shivers down the young girl's spine. "W-what is it?"
"Tell him that I will kill him the most painful way imaginable. Then, when he's dead I will have his head impaled on my masamune. Understand?" She looked at him horrified. "UNDERSTAND?!
"YES!!!" The girl sobbed.
"Tifa? Tifa wake up! You're having a nightmare!"
Tifa opened her eyes and saw the blonde standing in front of her. "Cloud!" Her arms wrapped around his neck and she cried against his shoulder.
"Shhh . . . It's Ok . . . It was only a dream Tifa . . ." He rubbed her back.
"He said that he was going to kill you! He wanted me to tell you that he'd have your head on his sword!" She hiccupped.
Suddenly, his blood ran cold. "N-nonsense . . . It was j-just a dream . . . Go back to bed . . ." She nodded and lied down. That night, Cloud didn't get any sleep.
To Be Continued . . .
(A/N:)
Yokai: Hello again!
Sephiroth: Hey!
Vincent: Hiya!
Yokai: Well chapter two is up! *looks around* Hey . . . Is anyone even reading this?
Vincent: Hellooooooo?
Sephiroth: Of course they're reading this! I'm in it! :D
Yokai&Vincent: -_-;;;;
Yokai: Um . . . Guess what? This was originally to be a Sephy/Aeris until the middle of the Sephiroth, Vincent fight scene in chapter one! I suddenly wondered if I should make it a yaoi. I asked one of my online friends and she talked me into it!
Vincent: ^_^
Yokai: Oh! Before I forget I would like to thank: The Demonic Angel of Yaoi, Angel280, Akkeil, Bwar, and Daemon. Thanks for reviewing!
Sephiroth: You're our friends!
Vincent: Request time!
Sephiroth: Yes! We have two Cloud killing requests!
Vincent: Well, the first one was from Angel280, who seems to like me a lot!
Yokai: Well, this is a Sephy/Vincent fic so naturally!
Vincent: Ahem, the request was to throw a molten cocktail at him that is filled with sulfuric acid! The second was from Daemon who said that we should make Cloud into a burrito and feed him to a . . . rabid Chihuahua. Hey Cloud!
Cloud: Yeah?
Vincent: Catch! *he throws the cocktail*
Cloud: Ok! *catches it and he bursts into flames and his skin burns off* AHHHH!!!!
Sephiroth: *grabs a giant flour tortilla and wraps it around Cloud.*
Cloud: Hey! Is this nappy time?
Sephiroth: C'mon here Tiny!
Cloud: Who's Tiny?
Sephiroth: He's a Chihuahua!
Cloud: Awww!!!
Tiny: WOOF!!! *a hug Chihuahua walks in*
Yokai: Dinner!
Tiny: *eats Cloud*
Sephiroth: *evil laugh* I really miss doing that . . .
Yokai: Well anyway, have anymore requests or Cloud killing ideas? Send them in and we'll act them out in the AN's!
Vincent: Or questions!
Sephiroth: Or food!
Yokai: Oh, and I don't own Final Fantasy. If I did then it would say "Yokai Hansha" on the label instead of Square . . .
Vincent: Pllllleeeeeaaaasssssseeeee review? *puppy dog eyes*
Yokai: I won't write more unless you do!
Sephiroth: And I'll hunt you down and murder you if you don't!
Everyone: . . . .
Yokai: Uh . . . Bye!
--Yokai Hansha