A/N: ok.... O_0.... Sorry.... That's about all I can say... I am going thru a lotta shit in my life.... Anyway.... I am tryin to get things back to normal... oh well...
I suggest a quick re-read (I know, I know... quick re-reading 43 chapters is not a walk in the park....)... I don't know if my fic is worth going thru all that trouble but please... it will help u to latch on to the story and enjoy it better....
I will update regularly from now.... (I ll keep my promise this time....)
And forgive me if this is not my usual standard... I will take a little time to be as good as I was a few months ago....
Oh well... on with ze story....
Chapter 45
The black-haired ninja's hair blew across his dark brown eyes as he stared across the horizon. Keiara's Shin-Ra office looked gloomier than ever as the SeeD stood before the large window, gazing at the ruby red morning sky with an expressionless look on his face. What he had done the previous night forced its way into his mind like a bullet. He clenched his jaw, tightened his fists and grunted in disgust. The image of him thrusting his sword through Sifan Leonhart's flesh failed to provoke any regret inside his stone cold heart. He had the slightest clue to what was happening to him. But one thing was certain. The transition from a SeeD apprentice to a heartless ninja was complete. The real Avatar Fenis was finally awake. The other side of him that was once a part of the Leonhart family was non-existent. He was Ultimecia's son... not Squall Leonhart's....
As he stood staring at the sun from the tall Shin-Ra building's terrace, the figure of a woman slowly made it's way to him. Keiara Fenis had never looked happier. A calm smile was present on her lips as she placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of her brother.
Avatar heaved, "How long are we gonna stay in Midgar?"
His sister nodded, "Our Airship is at the moment undergoing repairs. Once that's done we'll need to leave to the lair of the Fenis guardian...."
"But..." the black-haired ninja turned around, "I already...."
"Well, yes..." Keiara smiled, "There is one more Fenis Guardian that has to be summoned with my Fenis ring."
She raised her hand and showed her brother a small silver ring on her finger, exactly the same as Avatar's.
"The black-cloaked Fenis guardian... the one you have.... his name is Straos..." Keiara said, throwing back her red hair, "... he's the weaker of the two...."
"Weak?" Avatar smiled, "He didn't look all that weak when he sliced up a Marlboro that tried to attack me...."
"I am speaking comparatively, Avatar..." Keiara said, as the two of them took the elevator down to Keiara's Shin-Ra office, "Dhaos is yet to be awaken from his slumber. Once we have both the Fenis Guardians, we can start...."
"Start...?" Avatar raised a puzzled eyebrow.
"You'll know soon enough...." Said Keiara, giving another wry smile to her brother.
********************
Setzin sat on the barstool, gazing absorbedly at the ceiling fan going in circles. The atmosphere of the place didn't do much to help his mood. His gray and black tresses of hair sat lazily on his shoulders as his face looked expressionless. A blunt look rested in his eye. The other one remained closed as usual. The long brown cape he wore was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His temples throbbed as he emptied another glass of heavy fuel in a gurgle.
So there he was.... the man who had lost everything. He did his best to shut his mind up from thinking but it was no use. He couldn't run forever. Nobody could.
********************
It was raining buckets when a hunter named Setzin exited the Wutai forest, a dead deer on his shoulders. He yawned lazily as he held a tremendously large weapon in one hand. The tall grass trail back home to Wutai village was something he looked forward to, every day of his life. He walked, whistling a peaceful song. The sun shone brightly as he looked up and glared at it. He thought of his wife, her beautiful arms that waited everyday for him. It was followed by the thought of his only pride and joy, his 17-year old son. A giant smile formed on his face. And that... was the last time Setzin had ever smiled from the bottom of his heart.
The smell of smoke entered his nostrils, wiping away the smile on his face. He chopped away the tall grass in front of him, dropped the deer and ran towards the village. The scent grew stronger and then he saw it.... In front of his eyes, Wutai was burning.
Screaming with rage, he ran towards the village entrance, weapon in hand. The gates were crashed down and in front of him were people and children, running chaotically. The wind howled the fire across the village as the wooden cottages came crashing down in front of his eyes. Shin-Ra soldiers continued to slash anything in sight as Setzin scampered into the madness. Monsters were let loose. A giant behemoth charged at an old man, sending him skidding across the rocky ground to his death. An Iron giant smashed the remains of the inn to the ground. Screams and bellows raged from everywhere.
Setzin set off at once, amongst all the chaos, towards his house but before he knew it, something hard struck his skull from behind and he sank to the ground, his vision blurring slowly.
He grit his teeth and turned his throbbing head to his assailant. He had blonde hair. On his face was a cocky grin and in his hand, he held a shiny weapon Setzin had never seen before. He walked up to him and kicked him again on the same place where he had been earlier struck. Before he blacked out, his eyes fell on his opponent's clothing.
Against the bluish background of his coat pocket were inscribed the words, 'SeeD cadet no. 14536- RELAFEN ALMASY.'
*******************
The one-eyed warrior emptied the third glass of wine in another violent draught as the door of the gloomy glacian bar swung open. Phillona Strife walked in, a mixed expression on her face. She sighed when she saw Setzin sitting drunk by himself. She took a seat near him after canceling the fourth turn of wine Setzin had ordered from the bartender.
"Stop drinking your head off....." Phillona said, "Sifan's alive..."
Setzin's eyes lit up like the morning sky, "W-What...?"
"Yeah...." She smiled, "He made it...."
"I knew that kid had potential...." Setzin muttered and turned around from Phillona, "Just like my boy...."
".... You had a family?"
"...Shin-Ra's attack on Wutai... they were killed..."
"I am sorry......"
"I could've saved them..."
"Don't.... Please.... Don't blame yourself.... It's not going to help you move on in life...."
"I am to blame.... And.... One of those Shin-Ra bastards... His name.... I 'll never forget it as long as I breathe...."
"Rupert Thorne?"
"No...." Setzin turned around, pure hatred in his eye, "... Relafen Almasy...."
Phillona felt her heart take a giant dive to her stomach, "R-Relafen...."
"Yeah...." Setzin grunted, "He's one of them commanders...."
"I am sorry Setzin.... I... I have to go..."
Phillona rushed through the door and stormed into the chilly air outside. What she had just heard was the last thing she needed. She had spent the whole morning in the glacia inn, trying to get Sifan to see her. Her pleads hadn't moved him and the door of his room never did click open.
Pushing away the thought of Relafen in the Wutai attack, she strode to the inn hurriedly. Once again, she made her way to Sifan's door and knocked hard.
Silence greeted her at once.
"Seef.... Please... open up...."
She met only with mute response yet again.
"Seef... please...." Her voice grew weak. She hadn't eaten a crumb since the entire Avatar incident and it was finally taking its toll on her.
Just as she was about to knock again, the door clicked open to her pleasant surprise. She gently opened it and walked in to see a paralyzed Sifan Leonhart stand in front of her, as expressionless as ever. His eyes were crimson red. His hair was in disarray and his lips were dry. He looked up at her, and then diverted his sight to the window. Clenched in his hand tightly, was the letter he had supposedly received from Squall Leonhart.
Phillona walked up where he was standing. He refused to even acknowledge her presence. Sifan Leonhart had gone colder than the glacian snowfields.
"Seef...."
"..................."
"Seef.... I am so sorr-"
"I told you...." He mumbled, "I don't need your sympathy...."
"You let me in just so you could hurt me...?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...................."
"If you didn't need me.... You wouldn't have opened the door for me...."
"I don't need anyone...... I don't need you..... I don't need Avatar.... I.... I..."
A few minutes of silence hung between the two of them.
Phillona's eyes soon strayed on to the piece of paper in Sifan's hand. He quickly stuffed it into his coat pocket and before she could ask any questions, he bluntly hit her with the "None of your business." Line.
"I am going to the Gondola village..." he said in a cold voice, "I have to meet someone there..."
"I am coming with you...."
"No.... we part here.... we part now...."
"Seef, no... please.... I want to-"
"Goodbye, Phillona...." He muttered, picking up the gunblade holster and fixing it to his side. He walked past her without another word towards the exit.
He opened the door only to stare into the face of the one-eyed poacher. Setzin tossed the cigar butt behind him and pushed Sifan back into the inn room, shutting the door behind him.
"Ya think it's all over kid?"
"Let me go..." was all Sifan's voice materialized into.
"Hell, no.... not on your own...."
"Stay the hell outta my-"
Setzin's sleep spell caught Sifan Leonhart unacquainted. He stumbled backwards in a daze and then slumped into the bed and fell asleep at once.
Setzin turned to Phillona and grunted, "Take good care of the kid.... We're gonna see him through wherever he needs to go...."
Phillona smiled, "Yeah..."
After Setzin left, closing the door behind him, Phillona sat near the fast asleep Leonhart. She ran a gentle finger along the side of his face and whispered, "Seef.... I am going to love you back to life.... I.... I Promise...."
*********************
A/N: Please don't forget to review...
Though it may not seem like it in this chapter, a lotta ppl have told me this fic has the potential to be the best FF crossover on ff.net....
I suggest a quick re-read (I know, I know... quick re-reading 43 chapters is not a walk in the park....)... I don't know if my fic is worth going thru all that trouble but please... it will help u to latch on to the story and enjoy it better....
I will update regularly from now.... (I ll keep my promise this time....)
And forgive me if this is not my usual standard... I will take a little time to be as good as I was a few months ago....
Oh well... on with ze story....
Chapter 45
The black-haired ninja's hair blew across his dark brown eyes as he stared across the horizon. Keiara's Shin-Ra office looked gloomier than ever as the SeeD stood before the large window, gazing at the ruby red morning sky with an expressionless look on his face. What he had done the previous night forced its way into his mind like a bullet. He clenched his jaw, tightened his fists and grunted in disgust. The image of him thrusting his sword through Sifan Leonhart's flesh failed to provoke any regret inside his stone cold heart. He had the slightest clue to what was happening to him. But one thing was certain. The transition from a SeeD apprentice to a heartless ninja was complete. The real Avatar Fenis was finally awake. The other side of him that was once a part of the Leonhart family was non-existent. He was Ultimecia's son... not Squall Leonhart's....
As he stood staring at the sun from the tall Shin-Ra building's terrace, the figure of a woman slowly made it's way to him. Keiara Fenis had never looked happier. A calm smile was present on her lips as she placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of her brother.
Avatar heaved, "How long are we gonna stay in Midgar?"
His sister nodded, "Our Airship is at the moment undergoing repairs. Once that's done we'll need to leave to the lair of the Fenis guardian...."
"But..." the black-haired ninja turned around, "I already...."
"Well, yes..." Keiara smiled, "There is one more Fenis Guardian that has to be summoned with my Fenis ring."
She raised her hand and showed her brother a small silver ring on her finger, exactly the same as Avatar's.
"The black-cloaked Fenis guardian... the one you have.... his name is Straos..." Keiara said, throwing back her red hair, "... he's the weaker of the two...."
"Weak?" Avatar smiled, "He didn't look all that weak when he sliced up a Marlboro that tried to attack me...."
"I am speaking comparatively, Avatar..." Keiara said, as the two of them took the elevator down to Keiara's Shin-Ra office, "Dhaos is yet to be awaken from his slumber. Once we have both the Fenis Guardians, we can start...."
"Start...?" Avatar raised a puzzled eyebrow.
"You'll know soon enough...." Said Keiara, giving another wry smile to her brother.
********************
Setzin sat on the barstool, gazing absorbedly at the ceiling fan going in circles. The atmosphere of the place didn't do much to help his mood. His gray and black tresses of hair sat lazily on his shoulders as his face looked expressionless. A blunt look rested in his eye. The other one remained closed as usual. The long brown cape he wore was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His temples throbbed as he emptied another glass of heavy fuel in a gurgle.
So there he was.... the man who had lost everything. He did his best to shut his mind up from thinking but it was no use. He couldn't run forever. Nobody could.
********************
It was raining buckets when a hunter named Setzin exited the Wutai forest, a dead deer on his shoulders. He yawned lazily as he held a tremendously large weapon in one hand. The tall grass trail back home to Wutai village was something he looked forward to, every day of his life. He walked, whistling a peaceful song. The sun shone brightly as he looked up and glared at it. He thought of his wife, her beautiful arms that waited everyday for him. It was followed by the thought of his only pride and joy, his 17-year old son. A giant smile formed on his face. And that... was the last time Setzin had ever smiled from the bottom of his heart.
The smell of smoke entered his nostrils, wiping away the smile on his face. He chopped away the tall grass in front of him, dropped the deer and ran towards the village. The scent grew stronger and then he saw it.... In front of his eyes, Wutai was burning.
Screaming with rage, he ran towards the village entrance, weapon in hand. The gates were crashed down and in front of him were people and children, running chaotically. The wind howled the fire across the village as the wooden cottages came crashing down in front of his eyes. Shin-Ra soldiers continued to slash anything in sight as Setzin scampered into the madness. Monsters were let loose. A giant behemoth charged at an old man, sending him skidding across the rocky ground to his death. An Iron giant smashed the remains of the inn to the ground. Screams and bellows raged from everywhere.
Setzin set off at once, amongst all the chaos, towards his house but before he knew it, something hard struck his skull from behind and he sank to the ground, his vision blurring slowly.
He grit his teeth and turned his throbbing head to his assailant. He had blonde hair. On his face was a cocky grin and in his hand, he held a shiny weapon Setzin had never seen before. He walked up to him and kicked him again on the same place where he had been earlier struck. Before he blacked out, his eyes fell on his opponent's clothing.
Against the bluish background of his coat pocket were inscribed the words, 'SeeD cadet no. 14536- RELAFEN ALMASY.'
*******************
The one-eyed warrior emptied the third glass of wine in another violent draught as the door of the gloomy glacian bar swung open. Phillona Strife walked in, a mixed expression on her face. She sighed when she saw Setzin sitting drunk by himself. She took a seat near him after canceling the fourth turn of wine Setzin had ordered from the bartender.
"Stop drinking your head off....." Phillona said, "Sifan's alive..."
Setzin's eyes lit up like the morning sky, "W-What...?"
"Yeah...." She smiled, "He made it...."
"I knew that kid had potential...." Setzin muttered and turned around from Phillona, "Just like my boy...."
".... You had a family?"
"...Shin-Ra's attack on Wutai... they were killed..."
"I am sorry......"
"I could've saved them..."
"Don't.... Please.... Don't blame yourself.... It's not going to help you move on in life...."
"I am to blame.... And.... One of those Shin-Ra bastards... His name.... I 'll never forget it as long as I breathe...."
"Rupert Thorne?"
"No...." Setzin turned around, pure hatred in his eye, "... Relafen Almasy...."
Phillona felt her heart take a giant dive to her stomach, "R-Relafen...."
"Yeah...." Setzin grunted, "He's one of them commanders...."
"I am sorry Setzin.... I... I have to go..."
Phillona rushed through the door and stormed into the chilly air outside. What she had just heard was the last thing she needed. She had spent the whole morning in the glacia inn, trying to get Sifan to see her. Her pleads hadn't moved him and the door of his room never did click open.
Pushing away the thought of Relafen in the Wutai attack, she strode to the inn hurriedly. Once again, she made her way to Sifan's door and knocked hard.
Silence greeted her at once.
"Seef.... Please... open up...."
She met only with mute response yet again.
"Seef... please...." Her voice grew weak. She hadn't eaten a crumb since the entire Avatar incident and it was finally taking its toll on her.
Just as she was about to knock again, the door clicked open to her pleasant surprise. She gently opened it and walked in to see a paralyzed Sifan Leonhart stand in front of her, as expressionless as ever. His eyes were crimson red. His hair was in disarray and his lips were dry. He looked up at her, and then diverted his sight to the window. Clenched in his hand tightly, was the letter he had supposedly received from Squall Leonhart.
Phillona walked up where he was standing. He refused to even acknowledge her presence. Sifan Leonhart had gone colder than the glacian snowfields.
"Seef...."
"..................."
"Seef.... I am so sorr-"
"I told you...." He mumbled, "I don't need your sympathy...."
"You let me in just so you could hurt me...?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...................."
"If you didn't need me.... You wouldn't have opened the door for me...."
"I don't need anyone...... I don't need you..... I don't need Avatar.... I.... I..."
A few minutes of silence hung between the two of them.
Phillona's eyes soon strayed on to the piece of paper in Sifan's hand. He quickly stuffed it into his coat pocket and before she could ask any questions, he bluntly hit her with the "None of your business." Line.
"I am going to the Gondola village..." he said in a cold voice, "I have to meet someone there..."
"I am coming with you...."
"No.... we part here.... we part now...."
"Seef, no... please.... I want to-"
"Goodbye, Phillona...." He muttered, picking up the gunblade holster and fixing it to his side. He walked past her without another word towards the exit.
He opened the door only to stare into the face of the one-eyed poacher. Setzin tossed the cigar butt behind him and pushed Sifan back into the inn room, shutting the door behind him.
"Ya think it's all over kid?"
"Let me go..." was all Sifan's voice materialized into.
"Hell, no.... not on your own...."
"Stay the hell outta my-"
Setzin's sleep spell caught Sifan Leonhart unacquainted. He stumbled backwards in a daze and then slumped into the bed and fell asleep at once.
Setzin turned to Phillona and grunted, "Take good care of the kid.... We're gonna see him through wherever he needs to go...."
Phillona smiled, "Yeah..."
After Setzin left, closing the door behind him, Phillona sat near the fast asleep Leonhart. She ran a gentle finger along the side of his face and whispered, "Seef.... I am going to love you back to life.... I.... I Promise...."
*********************
A/N: Please don't forget to review...
Though it may not seem like it in this chapter, a lotta ppl have told me this fic has the potential to be the best FF crossover on ff.net....