A/N: The "bad guy" makes his first appearance. Thank you all again for your reviews. You are what fuels this story's continuation. :)
Chapter 11 – Scholar's Bane
They were back. Back to a place they had forgotten about five years ago. The hidden cave, the library of lost words.
Cosmo Canyon, where all their troubles truly began.
I did not think we would come back to this.
They were gathered in Nanaki's cave, once a place of respite, now a waiting room for things to come. Tifa looked nervously around her, eyes still ringed with red, from the tears she had shed on the account of Cloud. Sephiroth stood while the others sat, pacing around, a somber look on his face. Nanaki sat and observed them all, his face not yielding any insight into their current state.
I wonder what my face betrays. I cannot feel its control...
Cid had aided in their escape, using his new Rover, and Nanaki had suggested they go to Kalm...but Sephiroth had intervened.
"We cannot hide from it any longer...we must go back to where we can find answers. Where we first saw him..." he told them plainly, commanding as he always did.
"Then we must go to Cosmo Canyon. We have to finish what we started," Tifa spoke up bravely, though her eyes betrayed her fear.
The thoughts still rang in Vincent's ears, of conversations he normally heard in dreams.
Tiveph. Where do you hide? Reveal your purpose...
But his silent prayers were unanswered. All the clues they had were incomplete. Only a series of old books they found the last time they were here. Maybe he would read through them again...maybe he missed something.
"Vincent..." Tifa said, barely a whisper, "...can I talk to you? Alone?" He nodded almost unseen, while she got up from her seat, and gestured towards the upper levels.
Later...
"He...accused...us," Tifa began, her voice a tremble, "Why? Doesn't he trust me?" Vincent shook his head.
Cloud...don't be a fool. Don't do this.
"He was just angry," he said calmly, "He didn't like being...spurned."
No man does.
"I..." she began, a desperate sound in her voice.
"Human relations are SO predictable," a familiar voice said, out of nowhere. Vincent drew his gun, looking around desperately for the source.
He saw no one. But Tifa did.
"Cloud..." she said her eyes wide, her hands trembling, "Why are you here?"
She's hallucinating...but why did I hear too?
"You still do not know my presence, dear?" he said, his voice cold, detached.
Then he materialized, and Vincent could see the familiar shape of Cloud Strife...at least it looked like Cloud.
"Tifa," Vincent said urgently, "What does Surrender look like?" She stared, not noticing his sudden inquiry.
"I'm so sorry..." she said, "I should have told you more...you didn't give me the chance." A silent tear slipped down her cheek. The silent blond man stepped towards her holding out his hand.
"Yes, I know..." he said, beckoning her closer, "...I forgive you. Come to me..."
This is not right. This is not right!
"No!" he shouted at Tifa, "It's not Cloud!" She turned her head, an angry look on her face.
"It's your fault!" she shouted, pointing an angry finger in his direction, "You...wouldn't let me go back to him! You said we HAD to go...I just wanted to go home..." She was clenching her fists, every muscle in her body was tense.
He looked at her, confused, offended. Then he pointed his gun at Cloud and fired.
"NO!!" she shouted, running towards him. Then, she stopped dead in her tracks.
The bullet didn't hit him. It passed completely through him.
"You...never miss..." she said, as if fading out of a trance, "What did you do to Cloud?" Then last question she aimed venomously at the vision, who was smiling.
"What makes you think Cloud is alive?" he said, enjoying the look of horror on her face.
"...Surrender?" she said timidly, "...Cloud's...dead?" Surrender nodded, that arrogant smile on his face.
"Why else would Cloud have asked you to marry him..." he began, "He never loved YOU." She was sobbing, loud, choking sobs.
"...but I do," he added the cruel smirk implanted on his face, "He's been dead since you left him...Tiveph couldn't have you...distracted."
Five years? This imposter has been with us five years?
"Find out what you can..." Surrender added, his voice unusually human, "...before Tiveph does." With that he disappeared from sight.
He looked over at Tifa, whose legs finally forced her to collapse, near kneeling, on the floor.
Meanwhile...
"Nanaki," Sephiroth said, pulling himself out of his thoughts, "Where are the books?"
Nanaki looked up at him, feline curiosity twinkling in his eyes. "This way," he said, with a flick of his tail in the direction of Sephiroth's asking. The man nodded, and hurriedly paced over to the library, with a small pile of books stacked up on it. The air smelled stale and dry, and he wrinkled his nose at it.
The books were worn, old and some were slightly molded. He gingerly picked up the first one from the stack, it was a faded moss green, with undecipherable symbols adorning the cover. He opened it and tried to read. His brows furrowed in frustration as he saw the text, fighting the impulse to throw the book against the wall.
"Nanaki!" he shouted impatiently, "What the hell is this!?!" The cat lumbered over, a nonchalant look on his face.
"Old," he replied, "A very old language. Related to the Cetra tongue..." Sephiroth glared at him.
"I know it's OLD!" he gasped out, furious, "What does it MEAN??" Nanaki smirked, enjoying the man's impatience.
"That's a book on agriculture..." he said, watching Sephiroth's fists tighten, "Irrigation mostly...would you like me to read it to you?" His tail flicked lazily in the air, while Sephiroth stood, fighting an impulse to do something...rash.
"Perhaps you were looking for something...else?" Nanaki asked in amused tones. Sephiroth slammed the book back on the table.
"Yes," he answered curtly, "...about preternatural psyche grafting...or something like that." Sephiroth strained as he tried to get the subject matter out, it was Vincent who had done the research in the beginning.
"Ah," Nanaki said, padding over to a shelf to his right, "...Tiparu...Tipeth...Tiphareth!" His voice was muffled with the last word, as he took the appropriate book in his mouth. He ambled back over to Sephiroth, who seemed reluctant to accept the book.
"Is it in...English?" he asked, staring at the creature suspiciously. Nanaki shook his head.
"Then will you..." he began, shoulders slumping, "read it?" Nanaki nodded in response, and then dropped the book in front of himself. His expression was sour.
"That book is not to my taste," he said, as Sephiroth smirked, "Shall we begin?"
Sephiroth sat down in a chair near the table, propping his head on his elbow.
"Yes," he replied, and prepared himself for the endless boredom he knew he was in for.
"The process in the metaphysical realm of a psyche being attached to its physical body is..."
Meanwhile...
Vincent was staring helplessly at the form of Tifa, where she came to an uneasy rest on the floor.
Dammit Strife! Why did you have to die? Why did you leave me with...this...
"Just go..." she whispered, "You don't have to deal with this. We've got bigger problems. Go help Sephiroth." He made his way to leave, albeit hesitantly.
"Don't listen to what Surrender said," he spoke before fully leaving the door, "He did care for you, even if he was too late to say anything." With that, he disappeared from her sight.
I shouldn't leave her like...this. She will not notice if I stay nearby.
Once he was far enough out of her sight, he sat down on the stairs, silent and still. Then evening was beginning, Cosmo Canyon was ablaze with a dazzling array of reds and oranges. It had a calm, sleepy silence, it was the abode for thinkers, for philosophers. Vincent felt so out of place, his gloomy appearance dampening the warm feel of the area.
He felt an odd presence, a presence he had been waiting for.
"So, Tiveph," he said, still staring at the departing sun, "You've finally decided to make an appearance." A short metallic laugh was his response.
"You made a new body," Vincent said, finally turning to the figure, giving him a quick glance. The tall mechanized body of Tiveph settled down next to Vincent on the step.
"It took awhile," Tiveph answered coldly, "but machines can always be rebuilt." He turned his attention to Vincent's claw, ever curious about his cursed appendage. Vincent shifted uncomfortably.
"I could make you a better one," Tiveph said, his glowing oculars inspecting the prosthetic. Vincent shook his head.
"Get to the point," Vincent said icily, "Or I'll be forced to destroy this body too."
"Very well then," Tiveph groaned a little, "I need to finish my research." Vincent raised an eyebrow.
"Leave her...them out of this," he replied quickly.
"So you're willing to accept this alone?" Tiveph said, amused.
"Yes," Vincent said, "I accept this burden."
"Obsession will be pleased," Tiveph replied, getting up slowly, "He's been waiting."
Action awaits! Next chapter!