Disclaimer: okay, so I don't own Square-enix. What else Is new?
AN: well, sorry I took so long, I've actually had this chapter written for quite some time...ducks projectile rotten fruit so I hope you..er...like it
Destiny
Chapter 4: Doubt
" Strife..." A voice whispered from the haze behind him.
Cloud whipped around to face his antagonist, but the taunting voice instantly moved behind him once more.
" Why do you fight what you so desire? I alone can give you the perfect, ignorant, bliss....only I can give you the oblivion you seek....give up....succumb to the peace you long for...only I can give you Aeris."
Aeris...
Sephiroth stole her from him!!
Cloud's keen ear detected the unmistakable sound of metal on leather...of a deadly katana unsheathing.
Lightning fast, Cloud spun around and brought up his sword to deflect the deadly blade, but his arms felt like lead...his fingers were numb, and his sword clattered to the ground below him, unbelievably heavy.
Paralyzed in fear, Cloud could only watch, as Masamune struck out of the darkness, streaking unobstructed towards him with deadly grace. Only a moment before striking him, the blade wavered, and a scream rang out...a woman...
Aeris??
To his mortification, Aeris materialized before him, impaled on the very sword that had been aiming for him. She smiled weakly, as the color drained from her face.
" A–Aeris!!! NOO!!!!"
His eyes flew open, as someone shook him violently.
The twin figures of Quistis and Squall materialized slowly above him, as his sight returned to him.
" Are you alright there? You gave us quite a scare." Quistis said, " Perhaps you weren't ready to be released yet...."
"No...I'm fine...I just got....a little dizzy." He assured her as quickly as he could manage, sitting up and firmly ignoring how the world spun about him at his movements.
" 'Dizzy' is serious." Quistis replied bluntly, " Never mind passing out for an hour."
" I'm FINE!!"
" Well, if we turn back now, the exam will be considered a failure, regardless of whether we ever made it to the exam site or not, so we'll have to take your word....for now." Quistis sighed, then added, " But I will inform Kadawaki of this when we get back."
" Of what?!! I am perfectly fine! Now, are we going to finish this or not?"
Quistis glanced at Squall momentarily, before nodding and saying, " If we start now, we should make it there shortly before evening."
Squall nodded silently in agreement, and with that, they continued through the forest and on towards the 'famed' Fire Cavern.
Fortunately, nothing more was said about Cloud's episode in the forest, and for most of the trip, he was left to his own thoughts. He preferred it that way.
"Despite what popular propaganda might tell you, we have to give most of the SeeDs-in-training the same exam missions." Quistis said finally, as they neared the cavern, " You, however, are a special case, the headmaster requested this mission especially for you."
" What?" Squall replied, allowing slightly more surprise than usual to creep into his voice, " I thought you said-"
" It was procedure, out here, I don't have to follow it so strictly."
" What you mean, is that cameras are not so readily available out here as they are within the walls of the...'garden'." Cloud said suddenly, reminded of ShinRa.
Quistis smiled slightly, and nodded, then continued her earlier speech, " The enemy at the end of the cavern is a formidable foe, but I should be able to handle him, and get you out....should anything get out of hand. Oh, and remember, Cloud....whatever reason you are along, this training mission is for Squall alone."
" Joy..."
As they neared the caverns mouth, two grotesque-looking creatures, with elongated yellow heads, and enormous hands mostly hidden by their overtly-large sleeves, moved to intercept them.
Instinctually, Cloud's hand moved to graze the handle of his broadsword....he did not like these creatures at all.
Quistis Shot him a disapproving look, then walked up to exchange a few words with the intractable creatures.
The...things made an annoying amount of hand gestures toward Cloud, before throwing up their dangerously clawed hands in exasperation and stepping aside, shaking their malformed heads.
Quistis walked back to where Cloud a Squall were standing, and smiled, " They agreed to let you come along, Cloud."
" I'm tickled pink."
" Now, Squall, tell them the time limit you would like."
Squall gave an almost imperceptible nod, and walked up to the creatures.
As Squall's talk incited gratefully less wild hand spiraling from the yellow things, and Quistis seemed content to watch Squall in silence, Cloud allowed his thoughts to wander back to the events in the forest clearing...what had that dream been? Had Sephiroth truly been there in front of him? Why, then, had he not simply killed Cloud then.....How had Masamune slipped through Ultima Sword, a weapon forged from the remains of the ultimate WEAPON...a creature created by a now dormant planet?
Could everything of the planet have passed away now that the last Cetra had died? Including...perhaps, Materia?
Cloud barely suppressed a shudder at the thought.
" I chose 10 minutes." Squall said suddenly, snapping Cloud back into his current 'reality'.
It must have simply been a hallucination...induce by the stress left on his body from his grievous wound....the ghosts....everything.
Which left the final question...was any of this real, either?
" Cloud??" Quistis said suddenly, " Are you coming or not?! You're wasting our time, here."
Irritated at himself for getting so carried away, Cloud nodded, and followed the, into the cavern.
Deep down, he could feel this was real....he could hear her calling to him...
Aeris
"I'll find you...." He whispered softly, promising himself more than anything else.
''''''''''''''''
As Tifa walked into the tree-ringed clearing, that held the lake they had sent Aeris afloat in, she growled in annoyance, Cloud was nowhere to be seen!
She made a quick loop of the area, and at first, she could spot no sign at all that anyone had ever been there, but then she spotted the blood, only a small drop, but it looked fresh.
She made an exclamation of shock, and instantly Vincent was at her side, he knelt down, and touched the blood with a finger, then rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger, before shaking his head and saying,
" It is not his...it is...Aeris'."
"A-Aeris?? B-but she didn't bleed when...."
" She did not."
Tifa shook her head quickly, it couldn't be Aeris' blood! Even had she bled, which she had not, it would have long ago stained, or evaporated...or...or something!
" Tifa." Vincent said cooly, his tone mildly inquisitive.
" What?"
" Was there not a head-stone of some sort at this lake?"
"Yes, Cloud-" Suddenly, she caught herself, the stone should be in this exact place!
What was going on?! Where was Cloud? Had he-
Before she even realized she was beginning to hyperventilate, her beloved's arms were wrapped about her.
" Calm yourself." He whispered, " Cloud still lives, I can feel it."
"I...I can't believe I'm acting like this....I was so sure I was over him!" Tifa whispered, shaking her head.
" We will never be over our past..."
" I know...but..."
" If you are not ready..."
Was she? No, she would not allow Cloud to ruin her life any longer! She would be happy without him! She'd show him!!!!
" I'm more ready than ever." She smiled, hugging him, " Let's get back before anyone notices we're gone."
" I do believe Cid has most likely noticed his Highwind is missing by now."
" We can make him best man to make up for it then!" She laughed, and headed off towards their 'borrowed' Highwind.
Vincent did not speak of what he had seen in the lake to Tifa, unsure if it was real or not.
Deep below the crystal waters, lay the body of a young man, wreathed eternally in the arms of his beloved, staring up blankly at skies far, far away.
AN: Hm....where the heck am I going with this??? Only I know!(do I really?)
Ah yes, has anyone heard of Tifentine? Heheheh....originally it was gonna be Barret though...o-0
Oh, and I actually quite love those yellow guys from FF8(just not the ones from the Garden)
What was their race called again? They were quite noble...(and they became cuuuuuute Moombas!)
Yusagi Sombermoon
Date Started/Completed; November 26, 2004