Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Author: Sae
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatant screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.
A/N: Longer chapter, this time. We will now find out if people will accept my version of Sephiroth's family or not ¬¬ But hey, remember, as I said above, this IS Kingdom Hearts. (Ps, the song for this chapter is my 2nd favorite Metallica song)
Chapter 3: Fixxxer
Dolls of voodoo all stuck with pins
One for each of us and our sins
So you lay us in a line
Push your pins they make us humble
Only you can tell in time
If we fall or merely stumble
o o o
Cid felt more comfortable around Vincent, but he wasn't about to let the strange man behind him. Instead he walked behind the dark gunman, telling him the direction to turn, his spear on his shoulder. Vincent bore the mistrust without comment. At least it was justifiable.
They had only gone what Cid judged to be a third of the distance when they met back up with the three kids. "Couldn't remember they way." Cloud replied when Cid asked why they were still there. "It's like a damn maze down here!"
"Watch your mouth, punk." Cid said as they fell into step beside him. "Your Ma'd skin me alive if she heard you swearing."
Cloud briefly rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Cid. I won't act like you anymore." He quickly ducked to avoid the spear handle swung casually at his head.
Ten minutes later they emerged from the dank tunnels into the lower levels of Hollow Bastion. Cid activated the elevator and they all rode up, Vincent standing slightly apart from the rest of them, gazing up at the castle with unreadable eyes.
As they stepped off the elevator and onto the wide balcony that ran before the front doors, they heard a wild victory whoop. A half a second later Squall was tackled by a flying blond shape. Cid glanced at Vincent. The gunman had his hand at his hip, slowly releasing the hand grip on his pistol. Cid frowned a bit. The guy sure was jumpy.
"Squaaaaaall!" The blond tackler yelled, sitting on the brunette's stomach, grinning happily. The child had short blond hair, wide blue eyes, mostly denim clothing and a single dark curl of a tattoo crawling along his cheek. He pinned Squalls arms at the elbows and leaned over the struggling boy. "How ya doin', old buddy?"
"Get OFF me, Zell!" Squall replied, struggling against the other boy. "Or else I'll sic the dead man on you!"
Zell blinked in confusion. "Dead man? Whataya mean?"
"If you would ever pay attention to these things," Tifa said, grabbing the back of Zell's jacket and yanking him off Squall. "You'd see we got a new friend."
Zell looked up at Vincent with wide eyes, then grinned. "How are ya, Dead- man? I'm Zell."
"That's Vincent." Cloud said. "We found him in a box."
"Cool." Zell looked around at the others. "I was waiting for you guys, 'cause lunch is being served. C'mon!" The four children ran off.
"Crazy little guy." Cid said, shaking his head. "Tattoo comes from his tribe. Gets a bit more added every year. Cloud says the pain drove the kid completely bugshit. Wouldn't surprise me." He looked at Vincent for a long moment. "Guess I better take you up to see the big guys. They'll want to meet ya."
"Would we, Mr. Highwind?" Cid glanced up. Walking towards them was a tall, broad-shouldered man with long, silver hair, intricate robes and eyes of ruddy gold. He stopped before the two, eyes ticking curiously between then.
Cid sketched a bow. "M'Lord Ansem, this here is Vincent Valentine. We found him down in the Waterways."
A silver brow rose. "Valentine? It's been long since I heard that name." He looked at Vincent for a moment. "Yes, Valentine. I remember you. Come, both of you. We need to discuss this." He turned and walked off. Cid shot Vincent a glance. The gunman's face was impassive, but his eyes held a look of bewildered amazement. After a second they followed Ansem inside the castle.
Ansem led them up several staircases, up an elevator, and down a few halls to a wide receiving hall. As they crossed the hall towards the great double- doors at the other end, Vincent felt memories and fear wash up in his mind, even though his face showed no sign. He remembered walking this way once before; remembered pushing open these great doors as Ansem was now; remembered the crackle of an electricity spell, paralyzing every muscle; remembered that face twisted somewhere between a grin and a snarl-
The room, once full of strange experiments in glass jars was now full of books and plants, the dark metal walls replaced by bright wood paneling. Instead of always being shuttered as Vincent remembered, the windows were wide open, letting in a soft breeze that smelled of spring. Another silver- haired man, perhaps in his early twenties, stood to the side, leafing through a book. He was taller and more lithe than Ansem was, dressed darker and more practical for easy movement. He looked up as they entered, cool green eyes examining the two he did not expect. Vincent felt a jolt start at his heart and spread when the young man's eyes met his. A perfect contrast to himself; green, silver and tan to his red, black and pale. Almost opposites, yet...His brain refused to allow him to travel that path any further.
Ansem sat in a chair behind the larger of the two desks in the room, motioning for Cid and Vincent to sit as well in chairs before the desk. He folded his hands, resting his chin on them. "I remember you, of course, Mr. Valentine." He said. "Do you remember me?"
Vincent inclined his head. "Of course, my Lord." he replied. "Prince Ansem, son of King Hojo and the Queen Lucretia. At least that is what you were when we last met." His eyes ticked over to the other man, still standing beside the bookcase. "I do not, however, remember this person. Should I?"
Ansem chuckled a bit. "This is my half-brother, Sephiroth." he said, gesturing with one hand. "This world's greatest warrior and protector of my people."
"Half brother?" Vincent asked. It couldn't be-
"There was never any doubt that Ansem and I did not share a father." Sephiroth said. "Unfortunately, Hojo knew this as well."
"I was hoping you could shed a bit of light on this, Valentine." Ansem said, his eyes boring into Vincent's.
Vincent sighed shallowly. "I was a bodyguard to the Queen Lucretia." He said quietly. "She and I had an affair for a time, until Hojo found out. He caught me off guard one day and did I don't even know what to me before locking me down in the Waterways."
"Where you found him, correct Highwind?" Ansem asked, looking at Cid.
Cid nodded. "A few of th' kids talked me into 'exploring' as they put it. We found 'im in one of the rooms on the fifth level down."
"You went that far?" Ansem quirked a brow. "It seems they would be too frightened."
"Not Cloud, Tifa and Squall. You know those three."
"True."
Cid looked at Vincent for a moment, then Sephiroth. "Can see the resemblance, that's for sure."
Ansem sighed and nodded. "It seems my father's worst suspicions have been proven true by a supposedly dead body guard, a mechanic and three children. If he had a grave, he would be rolling in it."
Vincent raised a brow. "If he had a grave?"
"Hojo made a dire mistake ten years ago." Sephiroth said, his voice icy cold. "He discovered a new way of amplifying the Darkness within a person. His first test subject was mother." Vincent winced slightly and Sephiroth nodded. "She died of a collapsed heart. He died by my sword two days later. A full minute before his pathetic corpse fell into the Rising Falls." He finished grimly.
"Since then, I have ruled over this world." Ansem said, standing. "And I have ruled much more fairly than Lord Hojo. The people prosper, without the taxes and regulations he imposed."
"I am glad to hear of it." Vincent replied sincerely.
"Mr. Highwind here is the resident mechanical genius of Hollow Bastion." Ansem said, motioning to Cid with one hand. "He makes sure that this place does not fall in on us. The children are from down in the city and often come up to play. You are welcome to return to your home within the castle, Mr. Valentine." Vincent nodded and stood, his eyes lingering on Sephiroth for a long moment before he left the room. Ansem sighed and looked at Cid. "He seems to have not changed a bit, personality-wise. I would request that you keep an eye on him, and make sure your young friends do not get in his way too much. He was never the most patient of men when it came to children." He smiled ruefully. "I still remember some of the tongue- lashings he gave me for getting in the way."
"I'll make sure to warn them." Cid said, standing. "Chances are they'll ignore me, though. He's new and they'll want to know more about him."
"Just try to get them to realize that he shouldn't be bothered too much."
"Right. Well, see ya, m'lords." He sketched another bow and left.
Sephiroth sighed from his place near the bookshelf. "How long until the rumors spread?"
"Of the dead man in the Waterways?" Ansem asked. "A day, knowing those children. That your father is alive? Much longer. Vincent will not readily tell anyone, and Cid will keep it to himself for a while at least. He may tell one person within a time, most likely his assistant and she may tell another and so on, but until the children know, it won't spread as fast."
Sephiroth's lips quirked a bit, into a frown or smile, Ansem couldn't tell. "I do not mind people knowing, I mind them hearing the wrong version of the tale." He said. "Perhaps we should release the news ourselves."
"Perhaps."
o o o
Shell of shotgun
Pint of gin
Numb us up to shield the pins
Renew our faith
Which way we can
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love
To fall in love
To fall in love with life again
o o o
Sephiroth approached the figure from behind, his boots treading quietly on the stone balcony. The other was watching the sunset, his cloak billowing around his shoulders, doused in the reds and golds of the sunset. The War- lord also noticed that Vincent kept his flesh hand near his holstered pistol. This balcony looked out over the city, instead of the Rising Falls, glowing like a gem on the western end of the island. Vincent turned slightly as Sephiroth approached, fixing the young man with a red-eyed gaze. Sephiroth fought the urge to swallow. Father or not, he was not going to show his nervousness to this man.
"It is just as I remember." Vincent said quietly. "The sunset turning everything into a sea of fire, except for the city, standing defiantly against the flames."
"I see it as a flow of silk." Sephiroth said softly, stepping up to the balcony, wrapping his hands around the balustrade. "Red and gold silk. The city is a pile of diamonds on the surface, reflecting the silk but casting out its own inner fire and colors as well."
Vincent looked at him for a long moment. "Your mother taught you that."
Sephiroth nodded, smiling a bit. "A long time ago. She taught us many such things."
Vincent's lips quirked into what might've been a smile. "She and I used to stand out here and debate on what it resembled, fire, silk, sugar on an apple, god knows how many other metaphors. Every evening we could get away from our duties was spent here."
Sephiroth nodded. "She took us up here often, to watch the sunset, to teach us the stars, to just talk with us. Hojo hated it. He had wanted Ansem molded into his image and he wanted me dead, but mother would not allow it. She didn't have a lot of power, except for where it concerned our well- being and schooling."
"Knowing her," Vincent mused "She used every bit of that power to thwart Hojo at every turn she could."
Sephiroth laughed. "And she did, too. Drove him up the wall. He tried to turn Ansem against her, saying that since she did not love him, she did not love his son, that I was the favorite child. Ansem laughed."
Vincent studied Sephiroth for a moment. "You killed him when you were ten?"
"Yes. /Summoned/ my sword for the first time, fully formed, and killed him. We were at the balcony that leads down to the Rising Falls. I pushed him in afterwards. He didn't deserve a grave."
Vincent nodded. The Falls' strange waters either tore a body apart or crushed it. A person could not live through it. A magical barrier kept the strange currents from circling the castle and making it over to the city shores. "Will you tell the people?"
"Tomorrow."
"Will they be angry?"
"More like shocked."
"Hm." The sun sank beneath the sea, taking its colors and flames with it. Vincent sighed almost inaudibly.
"I-I had a servant fix up your old quarters." Sephiroth said suddenly, remembering his reasons for seeking out the strange man. His nervousness had returned when their minds had returned to the present. "It's not what you remember, but-"
"Anyplace will suffice." Vincent said, turning and walking towards the door. "If I am here for any length of time, I can redecorate if I wish."
"Of course. You are welcome here for as long as you wish, father." Sephiroth immediately cursed himself for letting that slip out as Vincent visibly stiffened.
The gunman looked back over his shoulder. "Thank you," He said softly. "Son."
o o o
So tell me
Can you heal what father's done?
Or fix this hole in mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Author: Sae
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatant screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.
A/N: Longer chapter, this time. We will now find out if people will accept my version of Sephiroth's family or not ¬¬ But hey, remember, as I said above, this IS Kingdom Hearts. (Ps, the song for this chapter is my 2nd favorite Metallica song)
Chapter 3: Fixxxer
Dolls of voodoo all stuck with pins
One for each of us and our sins
So you lay us in a line
Push your pins they make us humble
Only you can tell in time
If we fall or merely stumble
o o o
Cid felt more comfortable around Vincent, but he wasn't about to let the strange man behind him. Instead he walked behind the dark gunman, telling him the direction to turn, his spear on his shoulder. Vincent bore the mistrust without comment. At least it was justifiable.
They had only gone what Cid judged to be a third of the distance when they met back up with the three kids. "Couldn't remember they way." Cloud replied when Cid asked why they were still there. "It's like a damn maze down here!"
"Watch your mouth, punk." Cid said as they fell into step beside him. "Your Ma'd skin me alive if she heard you swearing."
Cloud briefly rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Cid. I won't act like you anymore." He quickly ducked to avoid the spear handle swung casually at his head.
Ten minutes later they emerged from the dank tunnels into the lower levels of Hollow Bastion. Cid activated the elevator and they all rode up, Vincent standing slightly apart from the rest of them, gazing up at the castle with unreadable eyes.
As they stepped off the elevator and onto the wide balcony that ran before the front doors, they heard a wild victory whoop. A half a second later Squall was tackled by a flying blond shape. Cid glanced at Vincent. The gunman had his hand at his hip, slowly releasing the hand grip on his pistol. Cid frowned a bit. The guy sure was jumpy.
"Squaaaaaall!" The blond tackler yelled, sitting on the brunette's stomach, grinning happily. The child had short blond hair, wide blue eyes, mostly denim clothing and a single dark curl of a tattoo crawling along his cheek. He pinned Squalls arms at the elbows and leaned over the struggling boy. "How ya doin', old buddy?"
"Get OFF me, Zell!" Squall replied, struggling against the other boy. "Or else I'll sic the dead man on you!"
Zell blinked in confusion. "Dead man? Whataya mean?"
"If you would ever pay attention to these things," Tifa said, grabbing the back of Zell's jacket and yanking him off Squall. "You'd see we got a new friend."
Zell looked up at Vincent with wide eyes, then grinned. "How are ya, Dead- man? I'm Zell."
"That's Vincent." Cloud said. "We found him in a box."
"Cool." Zell looked around at the others. "I was waiting for you guys, 'cause lunch is being served. C'mon!" The four children ran off.
"Crazy little guy." Cid said, shaking his head. "Tattoo comes from his tribe. Gets a bit more added every year. Cloud says the pain drove the kid completely bugshit. Wouldn't surprise me." He looked at Vincent for a long moment. "Guess I better take you up to see the big guys. They'll want to meet ya."
"Would we, Mr. Highwind?" Cid glanced up. Walking towards them was a tall, broad-shouldered man with long, silver hair, intricate robes and eyes of ruddy gold. He stopped before the two, eyes ticking curiously between then.
Cid sketched a bow. "M'Lord Ansem, this here is Vincent Valentine. We found him down in the Waterways."
A silver brow rose. "Valentine? It's been long since I heard that name." He looked at Vincent for a moment. "Yes, Valentine. I remember you. Come, both of you. We need to discuss this." He turned and walked off. Cid shot Vincent a glance. The gunman's face was impassive, but his eyes held a look of bewildered amazement. After a second they followed Ansem inside the castle.
Ansem led them up several staircases, up an elevator, and down a few halls to a wide receiving hall. As they crossed the hall towards the great double- doors at the other end, Vincent felt memories and fear wash up in his mind, even though his face showed no sign. He remembered walking this way once before; remembered pushing open these great doors as Ansem was now; remembered the crackle of an electricity spell, paralyzing every muscle; remembered that face twisted somewhere between a grin and a snarl-
The room, once full of strange experiments in glass jars was now full of books and plants, the dark metal walls replaced by bright wood paneling. Instead of always being shuttered as Vincent remembered, the windows were wide open, letting in a soft breeze that smelled of spring. Another silver- haired man, perhaps in his early twenties, stood to the side, leafing through a book. He was taller and more lithe than Ansem was, dressed darker and more practical for easy movement. He looked up as they entered, cool green eyes examining the two he did not expect. Vincent felt a jolt start at his heart and spread when the young man's eyes met his. A perfect contrast to himself; green, silver and tan to his red, black and pale. Almost opposites, yet...His brain refused to allow him to travel that path any further.
Ansem sat in a chair behind the larger of the two desks in the room, motioning for Cid and Vincent to sit as well in chairs before the desk. He folded his hands, resting his chin on them. "I remember you, of course, Mr. Valentine." He said. "Do you remember me?"
Vincent inclined his head. "Of course, my Lord." he replied. "Prince Ansem, son of King Hojo and the Queen Lucretia. At least that is what you were when we last met." His eyes ticked over to the other man, still standing beside the bookcase. "I do not, however, remember this person. Should I?"
Ansem chuckled a bit. "This is my half-brother, Sephiroth." he said, gesturing with one hand. "This world's greatest warrior and protector of my people."
"Half brother?" Vincent asked. It couldn't be-
"There was never any doubt that Ansem and I did not share a father." Sephiroth said. "Unfortunately, Hojo knew this as well."
"I was hoping you could shed a bit of light on this, Valentine." Ansem said, his eyes boring into Vincent's.
Vincent sighed shallowly. "I was a bodyguard to the Queen Lucretia." He said quietly. "She and I had an affair for a time, until Hojo found out. He caught me off guard one day and did I don't even know what to me before locking me down in the Waterways."
"Where you found him, correct Highwind?" Ansem asked, looking at Cid.
Cid nodded. "A few of th' kids talked me into 'exploring' as they put it. We found 'im in one of the rooms on the fifth level down."
"You went that far?" Ansem quirked a brow. "It seems they would be too frightened."
"Not Cloud, Tifa and Squall. You know those three."
"True."
Cid looked at Vincent for a moment, then Sephiroth. "Can see the resemblance, that's for sure."
Ansem sighed and nodded. "It seems my father's worst suspicions have been proven true by a supposedly dead body guard, a mechanic and three children. If he had a grave, he would be rolling in it."
Vincent raised a brow. "If he had a grave?"
"Hojo made a dire mistake ten years ago." Sephiroth said, his voice icy cold. "He discovered a new way of amplifying the Darkness within a person. His first test subject was mother." Vincent winced slightly and Sephiroth nodded. "She died of a collapsed heart. He died by my sword two days later. A full minute before his pathetic corpse fell into the Rising Falls." He finished grimly.
"Since then, I have ruled over this world." Ansem said, standing. "And I have ruled much more fairly than Lord Hojo. The people prosper, without the taxes and regulations he imposed."
"I am glad to hear of it." Vincent replied sincerely.
"Mr. Highwind here is the resident mechanical genius of Hollow Bastion." Ansem said, motioning to Cid with one hand. "He makes sure that this place does not fall in on us. The children are from down in the city and often come up to play. You are welcome to return to your home within the castle, Mr. Valentine." Vincent nodded and stood, his eyes lingering on Sephiroth for a long moment before he left the room. Ansem sighed and looked at Cid. "He seems to have not changed a bit, personality-wise. I would request that you keep an eye on him, and make sure your young friends do not get in his way too much. He was never the most patient of men when it came to children." He smiled ruefully. "I still remember some of the tongue- lashings he gave me for getting in the way."
"I'll make sure to warn them." Cid said, standing. "Chances are they'll ignore me, though. He's new and they'll want to know more about him."
"Just try to get them to realize that he shouldn't be bothered too much."
"Right. Well, see ya, m'lords." He sketched another bow and left.
Sephiroth sighed from his place near the bookshelf. "How long until the rumors spread?"
"Of the dead man in the Waterways?" Ansem asked. "A day, knowing those children. That your father is alive? Much longer. Vincent will not readily tell anyone, and Cid will keep it to himself for a while at least. He may tell one person within a time, most likely his assistant and she may tell another and so on, but until the children know, it won't spread as fast."
Sephiroth's lips quirked a bit, into a frown or smile, Ansem couldn't tell. "I do not mind people knowing, I mind them hearing the wrong version of the tale." He said. "Perhaps we should release the news ourselves."
"Perhaps."
o o o
Shell of shotgun
Pint of gin
Numb us up to shield the pins
Renew our faith
Which way we can
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love
To fall in love
To fall in love with life again
o o o
Sephiroth approached the figure from behind, his boots treading quietly on the stone balcony. The other was watching the sunset, his cloak billowing around his shoulders, doused in the reds and golds of the sunset. The War- lord also noticed that Vincent kept his flesh hand near his holstered pistol. This balcony looked out over the city, instead of the Rising Falls, glowing like a gem on the western end of the island. Vincent turned slightly as Sephiroth approached, fixing the young man with a red-eyed gaze. Sephiroth fought the urge to swallow. Father or not, he was not going to show his nervousness to this man.
"It is just as I remember." Vincent said quietly. "The sunset turning everything into a sea of fire, except for the city, standing defiantly against the flames."
"I see it as a flow of silk." Sephiroth said softly, stepping up to the balcony, wrapping his hands around the balustrade. "Red and gold silk. The city is a pile of diamonds on the surface, reflecting the silk but casting out its own inner fire and colors as well."
Vincent looked at him for a long moment. "Your mother taught you that."
Sephiroth nodded, smiling a bit. "A long time ago. She taught us many such things."
Vincent's lips quirked into what might've been a smile. "She and I used to stand out here and debate on what it resembled, fire, silk, sugar on an apple, god knows how many other metaphors. Every evening we could get away from our duties was spent here."
Sephiroth nodded. "She took us up here often, to watch the sunset, to teach us the stars, to just talk with us. Hojo hated it. He had wanted Ansem molded into his image and he wanted me dead, but mother would not allow it. She didn't have a lot of power, except for where it concerned our well- being and schooling."
"Knowing her," Vincent mused "She used every bit of that power to thwart Hojo at every turn she could."
Sephiroth laughed. "And she did, too. Drove him up the wall. He tried to turn Ansem against her, saying that since she did not love him, she did not love his son, that I was the favorite child. Ansem laughed."
Vincent studied Sephiroth for a moment. "You killed him when you were ten?"
"Yes. /Summoned/ my sword for the first time, fully formed, and killed him. We were at the balcony that leads down to the Rising Falls. I pushed him in afterwards. He didn't deserve a grave."
Vincent nodded. The Falls' strange waters either tore a body apart or crushed it. A person could not live through it. A magical barrier kept the strange currents from circling the castle and making it over to the city shores. "Will you tell the people?"
"Tomorrow."
"Will they be angry?"
"More like shocked."
"Hm." The sun sank beneath the sea, taking its colors and flames with it. Vincent sighed almost inaudibly.
"I-I had a servant fix up your old quarters." Sephiroth said suddenly, remembering his reasons for seeking out the strange man. His nervousness had returned when their minds had returned to the present. "It's not what you remember, but-"
"Anyplace will suffice." Vincent said, turning and walking towards the door. "If I am here for any length of time, I can redecorate if I wish."
"Of course. You are welcome here for as long as you wish, father." Sephiroth immediately cursed himself for letting that slip out as Vincent visibly stiffened.
The gunman looked back over his shoulder. "Thank you," He said softly. "Son."
o o o
So tell me
Can you heal what father's done?
Or fix this hole in mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?