An Unexpected Test
By: Jenosavel
Far from the blast, Sephiroth grinned with satisfaction. He could feel the happenings of the small island, and it pleased him greatly. The child would be powerful, and she was falling for his ploys before he even had a chance to do any real manipulation. As an added plus, the attack she had just used, the one he had just taught the child, had been designed to rip a person's soul from their body. The fool puppet seemed not to notice, and thoughts of his torture brought such a pure pleasure to Sephiroth that he was in an extremely rare good mood.
He even let Cloud's friends escape unhindered.
Smirking, Sephiroth bid his time. Just a little longer and he would be able to begin the next act of his little play. By "rescuing" Jenosavel, he would further tighten his grip on her. He didn't want to step in prematurely though. He wanted to see Cloud brought to his knees by the full force of the girl's attack first.
Cloud reveled in the intense physical torment that rushed through him. The searing sensation in his flesh battled the one in his soul, and the momentary relief, the trade of one pain for another, was welcomed.
He forced himself to open his eyes, to watch the wreathes of energy racing through the area. They tore apart the building, reducing its structure to nothing, and then turned hungrily to the earth. Shredding the solid foundation of the island, the whirlwind intensified, and Cloud allowed it to lift him up, raising him in its deadly embrace.
It cut deeply, bit into him as it now bit into the planet. Burrowing deeper, the ribbons of energy seemed to be seeking the very soul of the planet, its essence, the Lifestream. A strangled sound escaped Cloud's lips as he forced down a scream.
You want my soul do you? Cloud closed his eyes and laughed darkly. So much pressure had built up within him, so much pain, so much rage. Take it then. Take it all!
Blackness interspersed with flashing images rolled over Cloud. They were memories, scenes from his life or quick glimpses of his emotions. Thousands of them poured over Cloud, and he was forced to relive each one. Gradually, though, the flashes quickened, blending into one another until they were indestinguishable. They became muddled together, unrecognizable, and Cloud realized the attack was trying to take them away from him.
They were all he had left of Tifa.
More rage than he had known was possible ripped through Cloud. No one and nothing would steal further steal Tifa from him. As much as he longed for the peace forgetting her would bring, he would die before he forgot one detail.
Snarling, he grasped at the blurred mass that ran through his head, desperately trying to separate them, take them back. Every time he reached, though, the images pulled further away, compressed more.
He wouldn't lose. It was simply not a possibilty. Making one last, desperate claw at that which he held most dear, Cloud was swallowed by the darkness.
Dazed and confused by her own attack, Jenosavel sat in the charred crater that was left after the blast. Her head in her hands, she cried. The tears pouring down her face only succeeded in smearing the soot on her cheeks and palms, but she hardly noticed. All she could think about were the people she had just met.
Why did she have to hurt them? The boy had saved her!
Suddenly, the sound of impact near her made her leap to her feet. A body lie not ten feet away from her. It seemed outwardly unharmed, though it didn't move.
Moving towards it, Jenosavel wondered if it was another she had killed with her attack, one whose body had survived. The frustrated thought surfaced that it might be a friend of the boy who'd saved her. She just didn't understand why she had to hurt these people!
Jenosavel forced herself to look down at the cloth covered mass as she came up to it. A great sheet of dark red cloth swathed the person, and hid anything from her view. Kneeling down, she tugged at it. As much as she didn't want to see the dead body, something inside her told her she had to, told her she could not ignore what her hands had done.
Pulling aside the cloth, she shuddered. The man certainly looked lifeless, so little color was there in his face. With his eyes closed in eternal slumber, his features were peaceful. It was the first time she'd seen such an expression.
Could only the dead feel such things?
Beginning to rise to her feet, a glimmer of light caught Jenosavel's eye. Reaching over, she pushed the cloak fully off of the man's hand to see what was grasped in his hand. A small, round stone gleamed there, red as blood.
Warmth brushed over Cloud's skin, reminding him of the Jenova which would not let him rest. He was still alive, and to his relief, his mind was still whole. He felt drained, more hollow than he had before, but his memories were intact. His precious memories, the only link he still had to Tifa, were safe.
Tifa.
A tiny flame within his breast flickered into life. Sephiroth would pay; justice must be swift. He had to move, had to get up and continue on his journey.
Jenosavel drew back her hand as though bitten when the man she'd assumed was dead stirred. A faint glimmer of hope wavered. If he could survive, then perhaps the others had as well. Perhaps they had even escaped. She was afraid to hope for it, but she clung to the idea.
When Cloud turned his head up and slowly opened his eyes, Jenosavel recognized him. He'd been the one she'd felt the pain from. Uncertainty flashed through her eyes, and she got to her feet hurriedly. This man was one of the boy's friends, but by the same token she had no desire to feel that pain again.
"The best thing you could do for yourself," He said, surprising Jenosavel with the strength in his voice, "is learn to think for yourself."
She watched him cautiously, confused by his words. The others she had encountered thus far in her life had all tried to befriend her, to do whatever they could for her. Otherwise they wanted to destroy her, use her. Why was this man different? He didn't seem to care one way or another what she thought or did. Why?
Jenosavel couldn't comprehend what was happening, and thus curiousity overwhelmed her. It didn't make any sense. She was special, everyone knew that. Why, then, could this man act the way he did? She was certain he knew who she was, but even as he got to his feet and brushed the soot from his cloak, he showed no sign of caring.
Cloud looked down at what was in his hand. Somehow, it too was ironic. Tossing aside the gleaming red orb, Cloud began to walk away. The knights of the round materia belonged here.
"Wait!"
Cloud paused and turned around to see the girl holding out her hand. She whispered something he couldn't hear, disappeared in a flash of white light. Apparently, Sephiroth had decided her work here was done.
Even with his body wanting to sink back into blackness, Vegeta was aware of what was happening. Through the intense pain numbing his form, he could still feel the jarring motion and the shoulder that kept pressing into his gut. More than anything Vegeta wanted to kill something related to Jenova, and that brat of a child had stopped him.
"Stop interfering," Vegeta ground out, gaining more strength by the minute. "They must be killed.
"She cannot be killed," Vincent replied simply, slowing his pace. The Saijin, however, had regained enough strength to push himself off of the man's shoulder and stand on his own two feet.
Vegeta snorted and turned his back on Vincent. He didn't want to believe it. It was possible that it was true, but it was also possible that this man was a fool who didn't understand the true power of a Super Saijin. As much as he wanted blood, though, it was too late to try and track down the girl again.
"I'm going to keep an eye on her then," Vegeta snarled. "If they're planning something, I'd like to at least know what it is.
Vincent seemed as though he hadn't heard a word for all his expression changed, but he did nod. Then, he turned his back on Vegeta and began running again. After only a moment, Vegeta grinned. It was about time he found a human he liked.
Wasting no time, Vegeta burst into the air and flew back towards the Kame House. It didn't take long for him to approach it, and as he did, he came to a halt.
Cloud was the only one there.
"What happened here?" Vegeta demanded as the other flew up to him.
"Sephiroth teleported the girl away. They could be anywhere," Cloud explained. "I think I have a good idea of where they went though."
"And?" Vegeta prompted. "Get on with it!"
"He's going to the Northern Crater," Cloud stated, unaffected by Vegeta's temper.
"Then we will follow."
It was a proposition Cloud wouldn't argue with.
By: Jenosavel
Far from the blast, Sephiroth grinned with satisfaction. He could feel the happenings of the small island, and it pleased him greatly. The child would be powerful, and she was falling for his ploys before he even had a chance to do any real manipulation. As an added plus, the attack she had just used, the one he had just taught the child, had been designed to rip a person's soul from their body. The fool puppet seemed not to notice, and thoughts of his torture brought such a pure pleasure to Sephiroth that he was in an extremely rare good mood.
He even let Cloud's friends escape unhindered.
Smirking, Sephiroth bid his time. Just a little longer and he would be able to begin the next act of his little play. By "rescuing" Jenosavel, he would further tighten his grip on her. He didn't want to step in prematurely though. He wanted to see Cloud brought to his knees by the full force of the girl's attack first.
Cloud reveled in the intense physical torment that rushed through him. The searing sensation in his flesh battled the one in his soul, and the momentary relief, the trade of one pain for another, was welcomed.
He forced himself to open his eyes, to watch the wreathes of energy racing through the area. They tore apart the building, reducing its structure to nothing, and then turned hungrily to the earth. Shredding the solid foundation of the island, the whirlwind intensified, and Cloud allowed it to lift him up, raising him in its deadly embrace.
It cut deeply, bit into him as it now bit into the planet. Burrowing deeper, the ribbons of energy seemed to be seeking the very soul of the planet, its essence, the Lifestream. A strangled sound escaped Cloud's lips as he forced down a scream.
You want my soul do you? Cloud closed his eyes and laughed darkly. So much pressure had built up within him, so much pain, so much rage. Take it then. Take it all!
Blackness interspersed with flashing images rolled over Cloud. They were memories, scenes from his life or quick glimpses of his emotions. Thousands of them poured over Cloud, and he was forced to relive each one. Gradually, though, the flashes quickened, blending into one another until they were indestinguishable. They became muddled together, unrecognizable, and Cloud realized the attack was trying to take them away from him.
They were all he had left of Tifa.
More rage than he had known was possible ripped through Cloud. No one and nothing would steal further steal Tifa from him. As much as he longed for the peace forgetting her would bring, he would die before he forgot one detail.
Snarling, he grasped at the blurred mass that ran through his head, desperately trying to separate them, take them back. Every time he reached, though, the images pulled further away, compressed more.
He wouldn't lose. It was simply not a possibilty. Making one last, desperate claw at that which he held most dear, Cloud was swallowed by the darkness.
Dazed and confused by her own attack, Jenosavel sat in the charred crater that was left after the blast. Her head in her hands, she cried. The tears pouring down her face only succeeded in smearing the soot on her cheeks and palms, but she hardly noticed. All she could think about were the people she had just met.
Why did she have to hurt them? The boy had saved her!
Suddenly, the sound of impact near her made her leap to her feet. A body lie not ten feet away from her. It seemed outwardly unharmed, though it didn't move.
Moving towards it, Jenosavel wondered if it was another she had killed with her attack, one whose body had survived. The frustrated thought surfaced that it might be a friend of the boy who'd saved her. She just didn't understand why she had to hurt these people!
Jenosavel forced herself to look down at the cloth covered mass as she came up to it. A great sheet of dark red cloth swathed the person, and hid anything from her view. Kneeling down, she tugged at it. As much as she didn't want to see the dead body, something inside her told her she had to, told her she could not ignore what her hands had done.
Pulling aside the cloth, she shuddered. The man certainly looked lifeless, so little color was there in his face. With his eyes closed in eternal slumber, his features were peaceful. It was the first time she'd seen such an expression.
Could only the dead feel such things?
Beginning to rise to her feet, a glimmer of light caught Jenosavel's eye. Reaching over, she pushed the cloak fully off of the man's hand to see what was grasped in his hand. A small, round stone gleamed there, red as blood.
Warmth brushed over Cloud's skin, reminding him of the Jenova which would not let him rest. He was still alive, and to his relief, his mind was still whole. He felt drained, more hollow than he had before, but his memories were intact. His precious memories, the only link he still had to Tifa, were safe.
Tifa.
A tiny flame within his breast flickered into life. Sephiroth would pay; justice must be swift. He had to move, had to get up and continue on his journey.
Jenosavel drew back her hand as though bitten when the man she'd assumed was dead stirred. A faint glimmer of hope wavered. If he could survive, then perhaps the others had as well. Perhaps they had even escaped. She was afraid to hope for it, but she clung to the idea.
When Cloud turned his head up and slowly opened his eyes, Jenosavel recognized him. He'd been the one she'd felt the pain from. Uncertainty flashed through her eyes, and she got to her feet hurriedly. This man was one of the boy's friends, but by the same token she had no desire to feel that pain again.
"The best thing you could do for yourself," He said, surprising Jenosavel with the strength in his voice, "is learn to think for yourself."
She watched him cautiously, confused by his words. The others she had encountered thus far in her life had all tried to befriend her, to do whatever they could for her. Otherwise they wanted to destroy her, use her. Why was this man different? He didn't seem to care one way or another what she thought or did. Why?
Jenosavel couldn't comprehend what was happening, and thus curiousity overwhelmed her. It didn't make any sense. She was special, everyone knew that. Why, then, could this man act the way he did? She was certain he knew who she was, but even as he got to his feet and brushed the soot from his cloak, he showed no sign of caring.
Cloud looked down at what was in his hand. Somehow, it too was ironic. Tossing aside the gleaming red orb, Cloud began to walk away. The knights of the round materia belonged here.
"Wait!"
Cloud paused and turned around to see the girl holding out her hand. She whispered something he couldn't hear, disappeared in a flash of white light. Apparently, Sephiroth had decided her work here was done.
Even with his body wanting to sink back into blackness, Vegeta was aware of what was happening. Through the intense pain numbing his form, he could still feel the jarring motion and the shoulder that kept pressing into his gut. More than anything Vegeta wanted to kill something related to Jenova, and that brat of a child had stopped him.
"Stop interfering," Vegeta ground out, gaining more strength by the minute. "They must be killed.
"She cannot be killed," Vincent replied simply, slowing his pace. The Saijin, however, had regained enough strength to push himself off of the man's shoulder and stand on his own two feet.
Vegeta snorted and turned his back on Vincent. He didn't want to believe it. It was possible that it was true, but it was also possible that this man was a fool who didn't understand the true power of a Super Saijin. As much as he wanted blood, though, it was too late to try and track down the girl again.
"I'm going to keep an eye on her then," Vegeta snarled. "If they're planning something, I'd like to at least know what it is.
Vincent seemed as though he hadn't heard a word for all his expression changed, but he did nod. Then, he turned his back on Vegeta and began running again. After only a moment, Vegeta grinned. It was about time he found a human he liked.
Wasting no time, Vegeta burst into the air and flew back towards the Kame House. It didn't take long for him to approach it, and as he did, he came to a halt.
Cloud was the only one there.
"What happened here?" Vegeta demanded as the other flew up to him.
"Sephiroth teleported the girl away. They could be anywhere," Cloud explained. "I think I have a good idea of where they went though."
"And?" Vegeta prompted. "Get on with it!"
"He's going to the Northern Crater," Cloud stated, unaffected by Vegeta's temper.
"Then we will follow."
It was a proposition Cloud wouldn't argue with.