Author's Notes
Well, here we are. It's been quite a journey... From an Aerith who was
lovesick for Sephiroth, to an Aerith who is in love with Cloud. A
happy and cheerful Yuffie, to a bitter and glum Yuffie. A somewhat
normal Seph to a more than somewhat crazy Seph. A knowledge seeking
Ansem to an Ansem that isn't exactly human- or alive- anymore. And a
silent, somber Squall to- well, never mind. We've gone back to the
history of the Hollow Bastion, from the metamorphosis of Hojo, to the
"power trip" (giggles See what I did there?) of Sorceress Adel, and
here to Hollow Bastion's own little Apocalypse. And so, here we are.
The Final Battle.
Chapter XIII: Enter Oblivion
"I've never seen a bluer sky. I can feel it reaching out, and moving
closer... Everything is clearer now. Life is just a dream, you know. It's
never-ending... I'm Ascending..."
-Yoko Kanno; "Blue"
Things were... boring. Sephiroth had read every book in the Hollow Bastion's library... Is that all that there was...? Read every book in the library, and drift mindlessly through a pointless existence, and suddenly be snuffed out as if you'd never been real at all? Beaming slightly at his accomplishment, but still lusting for more knowledge, Sephiroth stood, to go home.
'No... I've learned so much... I know other worlds exist... How do I reach them?! How do I leave?! I refuse to let my knowledge decay as I grow older and older... Beings like me... They were meant to be immortal... They... I... We were meant to be Gods.'
"So... That's it, is it?" The woman stood in the doorway of the library. "You want to be immortal... to travel... to not let your knowledge go to waste..."
"Who are you?" Sephiroth demanded firmly, his hand going for his blade, the Masamune, for the first time in months.
"Someone who can give you what you want..." The woman offered. "... I know your dreams, hopes, aspirations... I can grant them all. Just ask the boy, Sir Seifer Almasy..."
"Seifer?" Sephiroth blurted out incredulously. "That fool would jump at the chance to be the puppet of any woman promising him a life other than to become an alcoholic, drowning his non-accomplishments in diluted whiskey."
"You underestimate his power. His code of honor gives him a strong heart... Much stronger than yours..." Sephiroth snarled at the woman's remark.
"Absurd! I know much more than that mediocre swordsman could hope to learn in a millennium!"
"That wasn't what I said..." The woman replied, grinning broadly. "I said he had a stronger heart... He is very powerful... Power that I suppose you want?"
"Knowledge is power. And I have an abundance in that," Sephiroth smirked.
"Fool... Power goes hand-in-hand with the strength of one's heart, not their mind."
"Hmmm... What would I have to do to gain a stronger heart?" Sephiroth inquired, only to humor the insane newcomer's ridiculous theory.
"Simply open your heart to the darkness. Let it flow through your being..." the woman instructed. Sephiroth closed his eyes, and began to think thoughts that only one who'd been exposed to the evils of mankind could think. He opened his eyes, and found himself covered in flames of green. His eyes widened in surprise, and the flames began to fade.
"No! You've been here before, and you've always fled! Don't flee, embrace!" the woman shrieked, pointing a staff fiercely in Sephiroth's face. Sephiroth closed his eyes once more, and didn't notice a writhing shadow slip from the woman's staff, and into his torso.
"I can feel it..." Sephiroth muttered. "Power screaming through me..." Sephiroth drew the Masamune, the blade that was as long as he was tall (which was well over six feet). "What do you want me to do?"
"Help me guide my army to consume this world. After what King Ansem called 'Heartless' overrun this world, cleansing it of humanity, we must look for the 'Princesses of Heart' to complete this world's keyhole. Beyond that lies the heart of this world, and untold knowledge, making this archive seem to be a mere child's library."
"Agreed," Sephiroth replied in monotone after a few seconds' consideration. "I will be a general for your army. But in return I want access to vast knowledge. Ten-fold that of this archive."
"That can be arranged... I have many books back in my world... And my world's keyhole was found, and the heart of the world exposed, which gave me much knowledge- including how to find this place..."
"I see... Alright. Now what?"
yes i believe it is
"I have transcended to an existence of only the heart. I should have come back as a Heartless, but there is no sign of such a transformation.
My body has surely perished. However, I am different from the other Heartless, keeping the memories of before, and I have not taken on the form of a Heartless. It is clear that there are still many things to be studied.
In order to cross over to the dark side, which is not this world, you must go beyond the door of Kingdom Hearts, the place connected to the world's heart.
The innermost part connected to the world's heart, the place connecting to the world of darkness. (I will record the details in another report...)
There are still so many unknown worlds.
The present world.
The world of darkness.
The world of light.
And,
The world in-between.
Where does the true paradise lie, I wonder?"
Three days after Squall's Vision, he, Yuffie, and Laguna sparred for hours on end, never-ceasing, training through weariness.
"You three... I don't know why you bother... You're only tiring yourselves out, y'know. What if the castle was flooded with Heartless tomorrow? You'd be too exhausted to fight!" Cid said gruffly, arms crossed.
Squall, bruised all over, replied acidly, "At least we're making an effort, Cid"- he warded off an attack from Yuffie, who was glowering at him, possibly for his distance from her- "what're you doing to help?"
Cid snorted in indignation. "I've done my part, I made the fail-safe for when you all fail."
"No need for negativity, Cid," Yuffie shot back, her already dark eyes made darker from sleep deprivation and a botched attack from Laguna. "We've got enough to worry about without having you tell how much we suck, and how you're wonderful for building the fail-safe for when- if- we fail." She added the "if" with a wince, cursing herself for allowing Cid to infect her with pessimism. She ducked as Squall swung a detached chair leg at her face, which was as bruised as Squall's.
"Cid, if you've nothing better to add than your stupid fail-safe to the conversation, then leave. Make us lunch or something," Laguna ordered, kicking Squall in the ribs, grimacing in remorse as he did so. In retaliation, Squall turned and thrust his palm into Laguna's face, which sent him stumbling back, and gave him a bloody nose. The vermillion torrents of liquid at least gave color to Laguna's pasty face...
Cid's nostrils flared and he stomped downstairs to the kitchen- the trio was training in the bedroom because the basement was crowded- muttering expletives bitterly as he left. The three, taking a short break for recovery, all glared at each other. If the Heartless didn't kill them, they'd surely kill each other.The woman appeared without warning in Vincent's bedroom. Vincent lay there, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. He looked at the robed woman, snarled, grabbed his pistol, and shot the woman.
The woman, expecting this reaction to her unannounced arrival, waved her hand, and the bullet became a wisp of black smoke (though how one could tell was nearly impossible, as the sun had set, and Vincent's house was littered with Heartless, all producing a black fog that had settled to be waist-high).
"Who are you?" Vincent asked, his voice horribly distorted- deeper, warbled, as if he were speaking underwater.
"Sorceress Maleficent. Queen of this realm," Maleficent replied.
"Ansem is the ruler here," Vincent snarled, "I am his Guardian." Maleficent scoffed.
"Ansem is dead. And you are a pathetic excuse of a Guardian, a drunken layabout, grieving because his son no longer loves him."
Vincent's glazed eyes showed no emotion. "You'd do well to keep quiet about me and my son."
"What if I said I could reunite you with your son?" Maleficent asked, smiling seductively. Again, Vincent revealed no emotion.
"I'd tell you to go to hell, and then I would shoot you again. I'll not be swayed to your side, you bestial wench. Leave my home, for staying will prove to be fatal," Vincent threatened, not moving a muscle.
Maleficent growled in contempt, and vanished, leaving Vincent's to his thoughts, which were growing darker by the minute.Cloud and Aerith were walking around the castle, and were somewhere near the chapel. Cloud was shaking.
"Are you cold?" Aerith asked, smiling. "We could go somewhere else if you-"
"I'm fine," Cloud mumbled bitterly. Aerith arched an eyebrow in surprise at Cloud's crankiness.
"Are you sure? I mean-"
"I said I'm fine!" Cloud growled, cutting Aerith off. Aerith scowled at him.
"You know, I was only-"
"JUST SHUT UP, ALRIGHT?!?! I SAID I'M-"Cloud's rant was interrupted by a slap from Aerith.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT 'WHAT YOU SAID'!!! WHEN I SPEAK, YOU WILL NOT INTERRUPT ME, AND- ohhh..." Aerith collapsed. She hit the floor hard, her head smacking against the blue stained marble. Her eyes remained open.
"Aerith! Are you alright?!" Cloud yelled, alarmed, kneeling at her side. Aerith turned her face to Cloud, and weakly raised a hand to his face- then sliced his cheek with the elongated fingernail that jutted out from above her index finger. Cloud's cut bled, dripping onto Aerith's pink gown, and his lip quivered.
From the stone rafters above, Maleficent watched, pleased with herself. So much distress here in these halls... As she was about to leave to cause mischief elsewhere, from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the boy's sword, strapped across his back.
"Buster Swor-"She started, but when she whipped her head in the boy's direction to get a better look, Maleficent fell from the rafters, and hit the floor.
It was her... Cloud clenched his fists, unclenched them, and then put them around Maleficent's neck, squeezing as hard as he could.
Seifer and Lulu were in the Depths. Seifer lead the way down a narrow path on a cliffside. Lulu grumpily followed.
"Seifer, what are we doing here?" Lulu asked sharply.
"You'll see..." Seifer replied vaguely, "You'll see..." The two walked for several more minutes, until the path widened to become a rather large ledge.
"Okay, here's good... Yeah, this'll do nicely..." Seifer mumbled.
"'Do nicely' for what, exactly?" Lulu questioned, obviously annoyed.
"Okay, just watch, and... don't panic..." Seifer warned. Lulu arched an eyebrow and watched, leaning against the cliff, as Seifer stood in the middle of "clearing". He closed his eyes, and twelve Heartless, eyes glowing, antennae wriggling, rose from the ground.
Lulu's eyes widened, and she pushed herself from the cliff, and consecutively pointed at three of the beasts, and with a snap of her fingers they all burst into flame... And remained entirely motionless, all twelve.
The three immolated, and exploded, leaving black clouds, from which glowing, crystalline hearts rose from, and both cloud and heart faded. The Heartless, their number reduced to nine, still all stood still. Seifer opened his eyes and looked around. He grunted in- what sounded to Lulu like- disappointment.
"Hmm... I meant to summon ten..." He mumbled.
"Y-you.... you summoned... those...?" Lulu asked incredulously.
"Mm? Yup. Well... one short's not too bad..."
"Th-then you actually summoned twelve..." Lulu replied, light-headed. Seifer perked up at this.
"Really? Excellent!" A pause. "Well, what did you think?" Seifer asked, obviously pleased with himself.
"Y-you've been doing this all along...? No, that's impossible..."
"You're right, I've had this ability all of about six hours... Well?" Seifer was bubbling with anticipation of what Lulu would think... whatever that may be.
"............ I think... ... You're a monster... A freak, Seifer. You'd do anything to make yourself stronger... Even at the expense of others' safety... and love..." Lulu whispered the last two words, but whispered loud enough for Seifer to hear. Seifer have a sharp twitch and walked over to Lulu, hand raised- but he changed his mind, violently grabbed her jaw, kissed her, and threw her to the ground. Lulu grunted as the wind was taken from her, and she was gasping heavily.
"What do you know, you stupid bitch?" Seifer growled, spittle flying everywhere. Lulu weakly propped herself up on one elbow.
"I know those monsters are responsible for most of the discord in our world. And if you can control them... that makes you more of a demon than they are..."
Seifer grunted and twitched once more, then delivered a sharp kick to Lulu's ribs. He snapped his fingers, and the remaining Heartless all moved menacingly towards Lulu, and Seifer went on his way back to the Bastion.
Aerith awoke on the cathedral floor- she didn't have to open her eyes, for they already were open- but her head lolled to one side to see Cloud throttling someone in black robes. Aerith weakly got to her hands and knees, then to her feet. She shuffled over to Cloud, and yanked him back by his maroon scarf.
The robed victim, a woman, was gasping for air. She used her staff for support as she got to her feet. She stared at Cloud, then to Aerith, then back to Cloud. She growled and faded, just as Cloud had stood up and began to charge at her. As he passed through what used to be the woman, Sorceress Maleficent, he turned to Yuffie, glared, and stomped out of the chapel, leaving Aerith alone.
It was night. Maleficent returned to her airship, which was still on top of the cliff where Gala became her general. She walked into the airship's bridge, and grabbed a large glass bottle- in it was a squirming thing, resembling a serpent.
She trotted back out of her airship, bottle in one hand, staff in other, and walked to the edge of the cliff.
"Fine..." Maleficent grumbled. "If the fools think they can try to cause me pain, let's see how they react when I try to cause them pain..." Maleficent then thrust the jar over the cliff, and into the endless chasm. "Evrae, Guardian Wyrm of Darkness... Free thyself, that thou might instill chaos through this world. Evrae, Guardian Wyrm of Darkness... Bring with thee those whose hearts have been consumed... Evrae, General of Heartless, command thy rightful army to flood this world in everlasting darkness..."
Maleficent didn't bother staying to see if Evrae was worth the munny she spent in Bevelle. Instead, she vanished from the cliff, only to appear at-
The Heartless had been in Vincent's home for the past several days, corrupting his mind, and tainting his heart darker than it already was... They used Lucrecia's death, and Sephiroth's abandonment of him to their advantage. Now, he would become the creature of nightmares that nearly destroyed the Behemoth.
They were pleased.A shudder ripped through Cloud's body. Right then he knew that She was angry, and was retaliating with everything she had... Immediately, Cloud dashed to the nearest window, and poked his head out, looking towards the cliffs that were once his home with Dr. Odine.
Dark clouds were on the horizon, approaching swiftly. No... not clouds-"-Heartless," mumbled Squall, "handing Laguna a pair of binoculars.
"How many?" asked Yuffie, her lip quivering in fear.
"All of them," replied Laguna, grimly.
"How many?!" repeated Yuffie, incredulous, snatching the binoculars from Laguna, and looking towards the approaching darkness. "Oh... You mean-"
"All of them," the three said simultaneously. Just then, Cid bounded up the stairs, to the bedroom.
"Hey, I peeked outside. Looks like the Heartless are on their way..."
"Yeah, we know... Y'know... Just looking at them... Cid, how many will your fail- safe save, exactly?" asked Laguna.
"Comfortably? Ahhh... Four. With squeezing and straining and sweat and tears and compacting- around ten," replied Cid, rubbing his neck.
"That's it?" asked Yuffie, crestfallen. "But... Father, and Grandfather, and Aerith..."
"And Matron, and Sid, and.... Sis," added Squall.
"Well... That's... erm, nine. We'll all try to fit," Cid assured. "I'll get it fired up, and out of the basement- but to do that, I might have to destroy this house- that okay, Laguna?"
"S'fine. Nothing here but memories... Memories that I can put behind me once we leave," Laguna approved.
"What about Ansem?" Yuffie queried. "Wasn't it our mission statement to kill him on pain of death?"
"Heh, looks like we're surfacing, then," Squall replied, grinning for the first time since....
"I s'pose it's time for the hermits to finally make their move, eh?" Laguna added devilishly, drawing his pistol.
"Maybe... Just maybe if we do kill him, all this'll go away, and we won't have to leave..." Yuffie said wistfully.
"Ha!" Cid laughed harshly. "Sorry, Yuff, but I don't think that's gonna happen. In a perfect world, yes, but... this is the Hollow Bastion, love. We're standing before the gates of Hell, and they're opening right before our eyes."
"Well, let's get busy. We'll find the people we want to take with us, and-"
"-and what?" growled Yuffie, interrupting Squall. "To hell with the rest?"
"No. We'll come back. In a little while, we'll come back, I promise," vowed Squall. This was the first time since Yuffie had become human again, that Squall looked into her eyes when he spoke to her... "But for now, let's just get who we need to get the-""-hell out of dodge, darling," said Sid Kramer, to his wife, Edea. She sighed in response, but then looked to her husband, and smiled.
"You know we can't, dear... The kids... Everyone else... And besides- where would we go?" Edea replied. Sid smiled back, though it was a sad smile. One of those smiles you smile when you're dying- or about to die. It was one of those smiles, and it told Edea everything. "So... Shall I round up the kids?"
"I s'pose we'd best do that... I love you... Darling," Sid said warmly, kissing his wife. Edea looked at her husband. He had thinning brown hair that, in the back, was slowly vanishing. He was developing a slight case of crow's feet, and he was only slightly portly. He wore a white button-up shirt, and a red sweater-vest, navy blue pants, and brown loafers. His spectacles were spotless, but were giving off a glare. He was getting old. So was she. Being a Sorceress was giving her a prolonged life, while Sid was growing old. He looked to be in his forties. Edea looked like she was in her twenties. But Sid... He was looking old... It didn't matter. She loved him all the same.
"So... The kids?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Sid smiled.
"I'll go get them.... One last time... Just-"'-one time, this is it, no more,' Sephriroth thought to himself. He found working with Seifer to be a grueling experience that should only be reserved for those damned to the deepest circles of Hell... The man never stopped talking!
"And so I left her in the Depths with Heartless attacking her. How 'bout that? I can only tolerate insolence for so long. I mean, what do you think?"
"Hm?" Sephiroth asked, coming out of a mindless trance. "Oh, yes. Very good."
"Ha-ha, yup. Taught the bitch a lesson, I did. I'll tell ya, Hyne bless that woman for these powers... Speaking of the sorceress, where'd she want us to meet her?"
Sephiroth grunted in exasperation. He must have told Seifer this at least seven times before...
"It's just as I told you. She wants us to feel the place... We should be feeling around for a large concentration of Darkness. It should be somewhere near the chapel, and beyond a door. Something called-"The Keyhole. There it was. Beyond a door near the chapel, in a room with a grand staircase, and atop the stairs- a door. Beyond that door was the Heart of this world... and untold knowledge... Maleficent would have that knowledge all to herself.
She gleefully traipsed up the stairs, and stood before the door. She could tell it had already opened- opening the door to the Heart of a World caused its barrier to break. Once the barrier had been broken, travel in and out of the world was possible. And since Maleficent was standing in this world, the barrier no longer existed, and the door had been opened, by that foolish king, she had no doubt.
Maleficent rested her hand on the knob of the gargantuan door, turned, and-
The sheer force the door opening sent Maleficent soaring backward. She was caught by Seifer, whom had just entered the room with Sephiroth. Seifer set her down, but she stood, and looked to the Door.
Black fog was billowing from the door, and rusty bile-colored metal pipes also came from behind the door. The pipes twisted and writhed like serpents, and began wrapping themselves around pillars, and bursting through the walls and ceiling.
"We came as soon as we could, m'lady," said Sephiroth, eyes fixated on the door. 'Untold wisdom lies beyond that door... If it weren't for the Darkness...'
"Excellent, my knights," replied Maleficent, ecstatic at her accomplishment. "Now, go back out, and.... Well... Have fun."
"Yes, m'lady," said Seifer bowing. Maleficent vanished, and the duo left the room to do as they were told.Godo's home was Yuffie, Squall, and Laguna's first stop.
"I figure, if we get into a bit of trouble, Father and Grandfather will help us!" Yuffie proposed. "He's a great ninja, from the Line of Wutai!" Squall and Laguna agreed, both of them eager to find Ellone.
Heartless were everywhere. They littered the walkways, they clouded the skies... But none of them were any match for the trio, made unstoppable by months of training, cut a clear path from Raine's pub to Yuffie's home- a path that was filled back up with the beasts.
When they arrived at Yuffie's home, Yuffie ran to the wooden door, and pounded on it like a maniac. Godo answered the door in full ninja garb, with a collection of throwing daggers adorning his leather belt, and two short swords sheathed at either hip. In his hand was a large four-point shuriken, identical to Yuffie's. Godo's eyes widened in absolute shock, as he'd not seen his daughter in months.
"Y-Yuffie... Do my eyes deceive me...? Is it you...?" Godo asked, reaching out to touch his daughter's cheek. Laguna and Squall were holding the Heartless at bay, whilst Yuffie was reunited with her father.
"Yes, Father, it's me! I'm home!" She paused. "But just for a bit... Grandfather and you, you both must come with me, and Laguna, and Cid, and the others!" Yuffie pleaded urgently. Godo sighed.
"Your Grandfather no longer here, Yuffie. He went look for you and has not returned... And... Laguna? Cid?" Godo looked over his daughter's shoulder, and indeed saw Laguna and Squall fighting the Heartless. It was all too much at once... Godo looked into Yuffie's eyes... Gala's eyes... eyes that twinkled with hope and love. "Hyne... It good to see you again, Daughter..." Godo embraced his daughter, and Yuffie embraced back, tears cascading down the slopes of her cheeks.
"I'm sorry I left, Father... I don't... I don't even remember how or why I left... But... We must leave... Where is Grandfather? We must find him!" As Yuffie broke the embrace with her father, Godo looked at his daughter wistfully.
"Yuffie... Your Grandfather right... you are girl... you look like your mother... I... cannot go with you... And your grandfather not going either... We think he dead... He went look for you long ago... Has not returned... And I... I must stay here and protect people..."
Yuffie's lip quivered as her father spoke. "N-No, Father! NO!" she screamed, sobbing uncontrollably. She wrapped her arms around Godo, who took her by the shoulders, and hunched over to look her in her eyes... Her Grandfather's eyes...
"Yuffie, you must go. Go with Laguna, Cid, Squall. Carry on Line of Wutai," Godo said firmly, the corners of his eyes damp with tears. "Wait here." Godo left the doorway, leaving Yuffie to her sobs. When he came back, he carried with him a yellow scarf. "Yuffie... This scarf belong to your mother. I give it to you now. Let it bind you to family and to honor as ninja. I send you off with your father's love." It was then when Laguna stepped in.
"Godo, this is insanity, you must come with us!" he said urgently.
"No," Godo replied. "Yuffie must carry on ninja line. She the only Kisaragi left."
"Yeah? Well what about Auro-"
"He no longer ninja. He dead to me. He gone... Is samarai... in another world..."
"Father who are you talking about?" Yuffie asked, her cheeks swollen and red.
"Darling, listen. When you go to another world... If you see man with red coat... Tell him about you and your family... He will explain... For now... Yuffie... Be safe. Be happy. And remember: carry on Line of Wutai. Go now. I must slay beasts... Protect castle..."
"Fine, Godo, fine..." Laguna said bitterly. "Do you know where the king is?"
"Don't you know?" Godo asked, dumbstruck.
"Know what...?" Squall answered, popping his head through the doorway.
"King is dead. He missing. Or dead. Or both. Lady came to see me earlier. Said she was 'Sorceress Maleficent'. Said she was new queen. I not believe her. I kick her out of house. But king didn't return. So it must be true..."
"What about Princess Kairi?" Laguna asked.
"She also missing..." Godo replied sorrowfully.
"That bastard," Squall growled. "Bet he killed her... Or worse..." Squall shuddered, thinking of a child Heartless.
"We must leave... Now... Godo? Can you take care of the people? Take them to safety?" Laguna asked.
"Yes. I will kill all beasts that stand in my way," Godo vowed, banging his chest with his fist.
"Good. Squall, Yuffie: we're going to Ellone's. Let's go," Laguna ordered. Laguna and Squall left Godo's house, heading to the Chapel, of which Ellone lived near. Yuffie stayed behind.
"Oh, Father..." Yuffie sobbed, embracing her father once more. "I love you..."
"And I love you... Now... Go Yuffie... Go..." The two hugged tightly, the yellow scarf tight in Yuffie's fist, and then she broke the embrace, running to catch up with Squall and Laguna. Godo watched his daughter leave. He watched as she vanished around a corner, and then he set off to help dampen the state of chaos in the Bastion.Laguna and Squall burst into Ellone's house, followed by a less enthusiastic and weeping Yuffie.
"SIS!" Squall shouted running through the house.
"ELLE?" Laguna yelled, looking around as well. "ELLO-"Laguna froze when he walked into Ellone's bedroom. Ellone was lying on her bed, and a Heartless was lying on top of her. Laguna watched in horror, helpless to do anything, as a glowing crystalline heart rose from a gory hole in Ellone's chest.
Ellone's skin was grey, and her eyes rolled up in her head. She had begun to convulse violently, nearly bucking the Heartless off of her. The Heartless, which looked like the usual kind, a shadow with wriggling antennae and glowing yellow eyes, absorbed the heart, and hopped around, excited.
Upon her heart being absorbed, Ellone looked to Laguna who's eyes were wide as coins, and she smiled.
"White SeeD... I'm coming... Uncle Lagoona..." And her body vanished. Laguna, hyperventilating, looked to the Heartless that murdered his little Elle. He didn't bother with his pistol.
He picked up the Heartless' form- which felt like solidified smoke- grabbed its head with a large hand, and ripped its head off- quite literally. He then threw both the head and body to the floor.
"BRING HER BACK YOU BASTARD!!!" he bellowed at the Heartless' trembling body, which vanished much like Ellone did. "YOU BRING HER BACK TO ME!" He fell to his knees crying, and pounding the hardwood floor where the Heartless had been.
Squall burst in the room to find Laguna, crying. This brought back memories of his early childhood, when Laguna cried daily, lamenting the loss of his wife.
"L-Laguna..." Squall mumbled, his voice cracking. "What's... what's wrong?"
"They got her, Squall... The bastards got her... Elle... She's gone..." Laguna said grimly, tears silent rolling down his cheeks. Squall looked back at Laguna blankly.
"Oh..." Squall shuddered, violently, and did not cry. That would come later... "Sis... I'm sorry, Laguna... I was rotten to her the last time we spoke. And when I last had a chance to speak with her, I ignored her...
"Where did I go wrong, Laguna...? I royally screwed my relationship with Yuffie into the ground... I was distant to everyone growing up... And you were like a father to Ellone and I..." Laguna was silent now. He looked into Squall's eyes... his son's eyes... his son...
"Squall... There's something I have to tell you... Something that I should have told you years ago..."carnage
in my castle
darkness
darkness
so lovelyVincent Valentine was a demon. Bat-like wings had burst from beneath a maroon cape, jutting out between his shoulder blades. Numerous fangs had virtually torn his lips from his face, as they were long and crowded. Horns like that of a ram curled their way out of his skull, amongst his long, greasy black hair. His eyes were completely black, except for his pupil which glowed a faint white, and his skin looked like blackened leather, stretched across his bones.
This was the creature forged from Vincent Valentine's nightmares, hatreds, fears, and failures. Right now, only one failure was in his mind, one hatred keeping his humanity at bay. That failure and hatred, was also the only living thing Vincent loved- his son.Squall blinked, his face blank.
"Laguna... Y-You are my father?" Squall croaked, his voice cracking as he said 'father'.
"Are you sure?" Yuffie asked, confused.
"Positive," Laguna admitted.
"I think I need to sit down..." Squall mumbled faintly.
"You are sitting," Yuffie pointed out, indicating the wooden chair Squall was sitting in.
"Oh... Hyne, are you sure?"
"Positive," Laguna repeated patiently. "Look, I know this is all a lot to take in, but it's the truth. Look, Squall, after your mother, Raine, died, I completely collapsed. A few days after her funeral, I left you and Elle alone in this house, and went to the pub, where we used to live, and I drank... a lot... I passed out for a few days. When I awoke, I was in jail.
"That's when Ansem's sister, Queen Dalaar, ordered that I did not deserve to call myself your father. I agreed completely, and begged her to let you two remain with me, promising that things would get better. They never did.
"In a course of a few years, I got into bar fights, came home drunk every night, and whenever someone even mentioned your mother, I beat them to within an inch of their life, I even lost my position as a Royal Guardian. I was drunk, or in jail, or both, for five years. It was then, when Queen Dalaar ordered you and Elle be placed in the orphanage Edea was starting. I tried to kill her right then. It was about then, when Adel did her thing... And I'm sure you know the rest. The only times I touched alcohol was harmless drinking with Cid." Laguna finished his story, leaving Squall and Yuffie in shock. "Uh-huh..." Squall mumbled, rubbing his chin. "Am I still sitting?" Yuffie nodded, her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide.
"Right, okay, I freaked you out... I always wanted to tell you, but... you know... Court order..."
"It... It's okay... Look, um... I'm sorry..." Squall apologized.
"Sorry? For what?" Laguna asked, furrowing a brow.
"Basically for being an ass to you all my life... I thought you were just an annoying, nosy moron, who should have minded his own business..."
"And now?"
"I think you're an annoying, nosy moron, who had every right to interfere with my life..." Squall replied, grinning. He stood, walked over to his father, and embraced him. Laguna, taken aback, hugged his son for the first time in... Laguna thought it may have been the first time. Yuffie's mouth was still hanging open, and her eyes were still wide.The Darkness continued to flow out of the Keyhole like a black river of smoke. The rusted orange pipes cut through the Darkness, wrapping themselves around pillars, archways, walkways, alleyways, waterways... everything, bursting through ceilings and walls.
Maleficent found it to be very intoxicating. Elated with herself, she continued to explore the castle, seeing what mischief she could cause to further cause this castle's damnation. When she reached Ansem's laboratory, she found many interesting things. A ten-page report, most likely his research on hearts, Heartless, and Darkness, and one other thing... She found a large machine, with a pile of blueprints and schematics on a table next to it.
They were labeled "Heartless Creator". Giddy with excitement, and deeply impressed with King Ansem's work, she found the instructions to the machine, and activated it. Heartless, marked with a crest of a heart with an odd "X" in the middle, rolled out of the machine on a conveyor belt.
Maleficent left the laboratory, confident her work there was done.she activated the machine
the woman is clever
but she also has my report
intolerableLaguna, Squall, and Yuffie left Ellone's house with heavy hearts. Yuffie was scared of never seeing her father again, and Laguna and Squall were deeply saddened by the loss of Ellone, but somewhat happy of Laguna's news.
"When we leave the Hollow Bastion, we're coming back, right?" Squall asked, looking over to Laguna as they ran to Edea and Sid's orphanage, cutting down any Heartless in their path.
"Didn't you promise me, we would, Squall?" Yuffie replied.
"Yeah, but that was to shut you up for the moment," Squall responded mischievously, grinning for the third time that day. Yuffie scowled at him, as she dug one of the points of her shuriken into the head of a Heartless as she ran by.
"I pretended that Heartless was you, by the way, Squall Leonhart," Yuffie chided, giving Squall a raspberry.
"Don't make me separate you two," Laguna warned jokingly, as he shot a Heartless in the hear- chest. "And Squall I'm positive Cid'll find a way to get us back. We're just leaving in case things get real bad."
"You mean we're fleeing like cowards," Squall corrected, slicing a Heartless' head off as they rounded a corner.
"Something like that, yeah," Laguna replied grimly.
After a few minutes of fighting and fleeing, the trio ran into-
"Aerith?!" Yuffie yelled incredulously. Surely enough, ahead was Aerith, pink gown, brown hair and all. A terrified Aerith looked to the trio and became more terrified.
"Oh Hyne, am I going completely insane?!" she screamed, looking up to the high ceiling of the hall.
"No, no, Aerith, it's really us!!!" Yuffie called back. "We've been in hiding, plotting up ways to kill Ansem!" Aerith sat down on the stone floor, and began rocking back and forth. The three caught up with the poor girl, and got her to her feet. She flailed about, but Yuffie took charge, pinning her to the wall.
"Let. Me. Go!" she yelled, trying to break free, but Yuffie was too strong. "Aerith, listen to me!" Yuffie ordered, slamming Aerith against the wall. "We are here!" Yuffie then slapped Aerith across the face, gaining disapproving glances from Squall and Laguna. Yuffie looked over shoulder, tossing a look that said, 'hey, it worked'.
"Yuffie! Yuffie... Wh-wh-what happened?" Aerith stammered.
"We'll explain later. But we're going to the orphanage to get the others, and then we're getting the hell out of this place," Yuffie explained, letting Aerith go.
"Oh... But no! I've got to find Cloud! I have to apologize to him! Hyne... He thinks I hate him, but... I-I think I love him..." By the end, Aerith was more talking to herself than Yuffie.
"Don't worry," Yuffie reassured. "We'll find him. But now, let's just get to the orphanage."
"Right... Okay..." Aerith mumbled. And trio became a quartet, hell-bent on getting to the orphanage.
And thus, they arrived at Edea and Sid's orphanage- where the true battleground was. Rufus Shinra, Fujin, Zack, Edea, and even Sid were fighting a large battalion of Heartless.
Everyone fought for a good while, and when the Heartless were dwindling in numbers, Laguna, and the others found Edea. She stared at them for a moment. A long moment. She then extended an elongated finger, and poked Laguna's shoulder. Laguna arched an eyebrow at her, and Edea breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank Hyne, thought I was delirious from the fighting... Where in Hyne's name have all of you been?" she asked, bewildered. Laguna gave her the short version of the past few months. Edea blinked. A lot...
"Honey!" she called over to Sid, who just killed the final Heartless with a large rifle.
"Yes, darling?" he replied, looking over to his wife, smiling brightly.
"Squall, Laguna, Yuffie, and Aerith are standing here, right?" Edea almost pleaded. Sid quirked a bushy eyebrow at the foursome.
"No... No, you're right, they're here..." Sid confirmed. "How...? Why...?" And, again, Laguna told the story to Sid, while everyone else exchanged pleasantries.
"...And we need everyone to come with us," Laguna finished. By then everyone was listening. "IMPOSSIBLE," Fujin said simply.
"Yeah," Rufus agreed, pushing a lock of blond hair out of his eyes. "We're staying to protect the castle."
"To hell if you are!" Sid sputtered.
"I agree," Edea said firmly. "You two go with Laguna and Cid. We'll take care of everything."
"You can't make us," Rufus shot back, without thinking about what Edea was. "Well, maybe you can, but we have to stay here and fight!"
"HONOR," Fujin agreed, nodding.
"Honey... I don't think we can stop them..." Sid said warmly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"But... They're too young..." she mumbled.
"You were too young when you became a sorceress," Sid shot back.
"That was different... I had a responsibility..." Edea argued.
"As do they. As citizens of the castle, they have a responsibility to uphold it. You can't deny them that..." Sid pointed out. Edea sighed, knowing she was defeated.
"Alright... You're right... Laguna... Just take care of them, alright?" Edea pleaded, staring directly into his eyes.
"Edea... You of all people should know that I'd rather die than let anything happen to them..."
"You're right... And take care of yourself, alright?"
"You know me," Laguna replied, flashing a charming grin.
"Yeah, that's what I mean..." Edea then embraced Laguna, and kissed him once on the cheek, her violet makeup rubbing off.
"Are you sure you're not coming?" he asked one last time.
"Yes. You'd better go; I can see the next wave of Heartless coming." Edea pointed towards the horizon. Where the ocean met the sky, a definitive black band was slowly approaching. Edea, Sid, Rufus, and Fujin exchanged their goodbyes with Squall, Aerith, and Yuffie, each of them oddly impersonal, as if they knew they'd meet again...
When Laguna had left with the others, Edea prepared herself. She and Sid stood at each other's side, facing Edea's once-beautiful ocean view be tainted by the Heartless, who were growing closer by the second.
Edea gripped Sid's hand tighter, and he looked into her eyes... And smiled one of those smiles...
"Sephiroth's father!" Cloud called out to the demon. "Let me end your pain!" And the two began.The four were now on their way back to the pub, and Aerith was beginning to grow desperate... she had to find Cloud... She couldn't leave him behind... As the four rounded a corner they found someone blocking their path.
Short blond hair, narrowed eyes, black pants and shirt, long white overcoat... Gloved hand clasped around a gun that was connected to a long blade... It could only be-
"Seifer, what are you doing?" Squall asked aloud. "Are you coming with us?"
"Where are you going?" Seifer asked casually, blade pointed at Squall.
"We're leaving," Laguna replied, his eyes fixed upon Seifer's weapon.
"No. You're not," Seifer said firmly. "The Lion and I have unfinished business. How 'bout it, Squall? One last spar, for old times' sake? You, the coward, and I, the sorceress' knight?"
"Seifer, we're in a hurry. Something's going on, so just get out of our way," Yuffie
"Quiet, Ninja. This is between the Cowardly Lion and myself," Seifer spat, his eyes locking with Squall's.
Squall, who used to be the pacifist, the mediator, the one who fought only when necessary, deemed this occasion "necessary".
"Get back, all of you," Squall ordered, his hand going for the weapon that looked almost identical to Seifer's. "But, Squall-"
"Get. Back. Now." Squall interrupted Laguna, his own gunblade drawn. Yuffie, Laguna, and Aerith all did as they were told, going back to watch the two fight.
"So, the Cowardly Lion steps up. I commend y-"
Seifer was interrupted as Squall lunged forward, slashing fiercely at his opponent.
Fithos
Seifer blocked all of Squall's attempts to gut him, and stumbled backward, as Squall continued his spree of attacks. Beads of sweat rolled down both boys' faces, as blades clashes together, and the smell of gunpowder permeated through the wall-less corridor.
Wusec
"You've improved! Nice job!" Seifer grunted as Squall went in for another barrage of attacks, that were all wonderfully parried by Seifer, who counterattacked with his own string of unsuccessful blows.
Vecos
"Seems we're pretty well-matched!" Squall growled.
"Let's see what we can't do about that," Sefer replied, grinning evilly. He held out his hand and conjured four Heartless. They rose up from the ground, and immediately went to work bringing Squall down. They succeeded, and Squall was brought to his knees, and his hands held behind his back. He was helpless. Seifer grinned once more, raised his blade-
Vinosec
-and brought it down upon Squall's face. The sound of ripping flesh resounded throughout the hall without walls, and Yuffie's gasp could be heard from several hundred feet away. Seifer's slash had made a deep gash, from the tip of Squall's left eyebrow, went diagonally over the top of the bride of his nose, and ended just below his right eye.
The gash ushered forth vermillion rivers of blood, and Squall's vision was beginning to be hazed and reddened. He was getting sleepy fast.
'No... Seifer... Bastard... I'll...' With all the strength he could muster, Squall looked to face Seifer, and in a wide arc delivered a deep cut to Seifer. However, this gash was the opposite of Squall's. It started below Seifer's left eye, and went diagonally across the top of his nose, and ended at the tip of his right eyebrow. Seifer stumbled around, gloved hand to his bleeding face. "Y-Y-You stupid... Fool... I'll... I'll kill you..." Seifer growled. The last thing Squall saw before he went unconscious was twin fires igniting in Seifer's eyes, and a dark angel descending upon them both...The vampire-demon had reverted to its human form. It became Vincent Valentine once more. He lied on the stone ground, bleeding from an impressive array of wounds. Cloud stood over him, bloodied and bruised himself.
"Your demon fought well, Vincent Valentine. But it seems I... am the victor," Cloud said standing over Vincent, who was curled in the fetal position
"So... it seems..." As Cloud turned to walk away, Vincent reached out and grabbed Cloud's foot. "Wait." Cloud turned to face his fallen adversary with questioning eyes. He watched as Vincent Valentine removed his leather glove, with bladed fingertips, and his maroon cape. "Take these.... Let him know... Let him know he is no longer my son..."
Cloud accepted the cape and glove graciously. He put on the glove, and wrapped the cape around his neck, the bulk of it flowing down his back.
"I thank you, Vincent Valentine. I leave you to die in peace, now." Then Cloud took his leave, with Vincent bleeding on the stone floor... A Vincent who wasn't ready to die... With his remaining strength, he crawled into a darkened alleyway, as the Darkness from the Keyhole approached...
'Not yet, Lucrecia... Not yet...'
It was Lulu. Her black dress was torn, her makeup smeared, her hair mussed, but Lulu all the same. She looked... angry...
"Lulu!" Seifer said cheerfully. "You're here! I knew you'd come! I knew you'd come to see me finish off the bestial Lion!"
"Yes, Seifer... That's why I'm here... Please... Continue..." Lulu growled, her voice trembling. Seifer grinned, and was ready to impale his nemesis when-
'Mother... Edea... Give me strength...'
Lulu raised her hand into the air, as blue sparks ran up her arm. As the sparks reached her fingertips, they became icicles, which slowly grew into large blades crafted from ice. Lulu then used that same arm to point at Seifer, and the large ice blades soared at breakneck speed, one missing Seifer completely, the other impaling him through his right shoulder. Seifer immediately froze, his gunblade inches away from Squall's unconscious form. The blade clattered to the stone floor, and Seifer staggered about drunkenly, until he fell to his knees. Lulu turned to face Laguna and the other two.
"Go," she ordered fiercely. "I'll finish up, here."
The three obeyed, and ran past Lulu. Laguna picked up Squall, and they all ran past Seifer, and rounded the next corner, disappearing.
"Lulu... why...? I... I was your knight!" Seifer grunted.
"You summoned the Heartless... You abused me... You are a horrible knight... And... And..."
"No matter... I'll silence you... It is my duty..."
And the two began to fight. They were still fighting as the Darkness from the Keyhole consumed them.The four were dangerously close to the pub... To their escape... It is only natural that disaster should strike. Unbeknownst to the escapees, a familiar friend was waiting in the wings, for an opportunity.
Sephiroth silently descended from the high ceiling of the stone hall. His unusually long sword was pointing downward. If he continued on his course, he would impale a stationary Aerith, who had stopped to stare from where they'd come, hoping that he'd turn the corner and run into her arms.
Sephiroth continued to Descend, going down until-
-his blade tasted flesh and blood. The flesh and blood of one Laguna Loire. He had noticed Sephiroth's descent, set Squall down, and pushed Aerith out of the way. This had not pleased Sephiroth.
He let gravity remove the man from his blade, who fell to the floor, vomiting up a mouthful of blood and bile. He had been impaled through the stomach and liver. Yuffie and Aerith both stared at Laguna and Sephiroth in horror.
"Damn you fool of an old man, why did you have to interfere?" Sephiroth muttered.
"Sephiroth... What... Why...?" Aerith gasped heavily.
"Foolish girl..." Sephiroth snarled, turning to face Aerith. "You and that boy, Cloud... Prophecies state you two are the things that stand in between me and the Promised Land... Paradise..." He spoke in t he melodious voice that had drawn Aerith to him in the first place.
"'In the Hollow Bastion, the One With Silver Hair shall start it all. He is the source of the Heartless. He will plunge the world into darkness,'" came Cloud's voice from the end of the hall, quoting the Tomes of Mava. Sephiroth looked up to face the boy wearing his father's cape and glove.
"Yeah, I read that. Didn't think much of it. Mava was a fool compared to Theon. He had a different view on the One With Silver Hair. 'The One With Silver Hair shall destroy the Demon and the Seraph and then he shall be lead to the Promised Land.' This woman is the Seraph. She's never fought a battle. She knows hardly anything of Darkness. And she's in love with a demon."
"Raine..." Laguna whispered. "I'm coming... Raine..."
"Oh, do shut up!" Sephiroth growled, impaling Laguna once more, and grinding the blade into the ground." Yuffie choked out a sob, and angrily found a shuriken, and threw it at Sephiroth. Not bothering to even turn around, Sephiroth caught the bladed star in mid-air, and threw it to the ground. He then narrowed his eyes at Cloud.
"Is that my father's cape... and glove...?" he asked.
"He's no longer your father, but yes. They are. I took them from his dying body. He wanted you to know he no longer considered you his son." Cloud replied scathingly.
"I see... In any case, have at you, Demon! I'll dispatch of you, then the girl..."
"I'm not a demon..." Cloud said heatedly.
"Oh no? Check and see what's hiding beneath that man's cape. I believe it is the wing of a demon, whereas I have the wing of an angel..." Sephiroth admired his own black, feathered wing. Cloud unleashed his own bat-like wing from beneath the maroon cape. In a split second the two were hovering several feet in the air above Aerith, locked in combat.
Aerith stood, ducking in fear of having her head lopped off. She ran to Yuffie, who was dragging Squall towards the pub- which was in sight.
"Yuffie, you go ahead, I'm going to wait for him..." Aerith commanded.
"Okay, Aerith, be careful. And... I'm sure he'll win," Yuffie replied, pulling Squall behind her.
"Thanks... So am I..." Aerith whispered, turning to watch the battle."CCCIIIIIIIIDDD!!!" Yuffie yelled as she entered the pub. Cid came rushing up from the basement, and his eyes widened at the sight of Squall.
"Dear Hyne, what happened?!"
"Don't worry, he'll be okay. But you should know... Aerith and the new guy, Cloud, are the only ones coming with us..." Yuffie sadly informed.
"Damn, what happened?" Cid asked, scratching his head.
"Everybody's defending the castle. And you should also know that Laguna..."
"What? What about Laguna, where is he?!"
"He won't be joining us either..." Yuffie trailed off. No other words came.
"What... Why?" Cid asked rhetorically. He stared at the floor. He hated the floor. "Alright. Okay. Where are the other two then?"
"On their way..." Yuffie mumbled, tears glistening in her eyes... again...
"Okay. Fine. Follow me to the basement." Cid turned and went down the wooden stairs followed by Yuffie, who was especially careful not to trip and kill both she and Squall. She'd not taken three steps into the basement when Cid ripped a white sheet off of an oblong form to reveal-
-some... odd... boat-thing... with wings... Yuffie didn't know.
"What is it?" she asked blankly.
"I reveal to you The Highwind, my first Gummi Ship. It's composed of the meteors that I picked up after the shower. If my theories prove correct, then this thing should take us to another world.
"I found a book on aeronautics, and built a basic flying machine, so if it doesn't get us out of here, than it sure as hell will take us far from here." Although this was a sad, frightening, frustrating occasion, Cid still showed a spark of pride.
"Fair enough, let's just get out of here... Now..."
"Okay, just hop in one of the seats there, and strap yourself and Squall in," Cid ordered, hopping in the pilot's seat. Yuffie strapped Squall in by means of a leather harness connected to the rather comfortable seat. Yuffie then got in the seat, and threw the harness around herself. "Ready?" Cid asked.
"Yeah. Don't forget about Aerith and Cloud. They're a few hundred feet from the here, in the hall," Yuffie reminded.
"Right, right. Okay..." Cid flipped a number of switches, pushed buttons, and turned dials- the engines ignited. He beamed with pride. He took out a remote and pushed a red button. A wall of the basement exploded outward, leaving a hole large enough for the Gummi Ship to exit the basement.
"Alright... Three... Two... One... Blast off..."The two boys were both short of breath, panting like dogs. Aerith continued to watch, even as a huge cloud of Darkness was slowly coming nearer... When an explosion sounded from the pub, Sephiroth looked at the direction of the noise. Cloud used the distraction to his advantage, delivering a well- placed kick to Sephiroth's face.
A large bird... boat... thing... crafted from a rather rubbery-looking substance approached Cloud and Aerith. Sephiroth, for the moment, was stumbling about, disoriented.
"Aerith, Cloud, come on!" yelled Yuffie over the engine's roar, waving to the couple. The... thing hovered a few feet from the hand-railing of the hall. The Darkness crept closer...
"Aerith, you've gotta go." Cloud said firmly.
"No, not without you!" Aerith shot back, just as firm.
"I've got things to take care of here! And... I'll come back to you... I don't know how, I'll find a way!" Cloud then took her by her bare shoulders, and kissed her passionately.
"You'd better... If you don't... I'll wait for you forever, but if you don't come soon... I'll come looking for you." she said grinning. Cloud smiled a warm smile back. They kissed once more, and Aerith ran to the... bobber, getting in the co-pilot's seat. Cid helped her with the harness, and the two met eyes once more. Aerith's soft blue eyes... Cloud's glowing azure eyes...
And the ship flew upwards, and went through the sky. Cloud sighed sadly. He then looked back to Sephiroth, who was grinning maniacally.
"Come on, Cloud... You and me... Let's go..." Sephiroth, laughing mirthlessly, ran into the Darkness. Cloud gave another sigh, and looked at the sky...
'Aerith... I'll find you... I'll go through Hell itself to get you back...'
And Cloud held the hilt of his sword firmly, gathered himself together, and entered oblivion.