If the dialogue between Cloud and Vincent seems familiar, it is. I used the words from the game, it just too perfect! The thoughts of Vincent and Yuffie I made up.
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Square Enix owns everything!
Chapter 13: Destiny meets.
AVALANCHE stood at the gates of Nibelhelmm, everyone looking to Cloud oddly. Barret broke the silence, "I thought ya said dis town was destroyed!"
Cloud looked around almost franticly, "It was, I remember the heat of the flames, I remember the pain in my heart." Cloud looked down, somewhat lost.
Tifa put her hand on his shoulder, "Its alright Cloud, I remember it was burned down too." Cloud's eyes lit up as he looked to Tifa, comforted by her words.
"If Sephiroth did go insane and destroy this town," Nanaki said, "Shinra might have wanted to save face. Five years is enough time to rebuild a town."
"$& Shinra." Barret muttered.
"Come on guys!" Yuffie piped up, "Let's look around, maybe there's some good mater- er, CLUES! Yay, clues about! Someone in this town has to remember what happened!"
Cloud struggled to regain his composure, "You're right. Ok, let's split up. Stay on your guard, something still doesn't feel right about this town." Each of the members went towards different houses. Cloud was still shaking his head, disturbed by his memory.
Yuffie walked absently through the small town. 'Cloud must really be coo-coo. Would Shinra really go to all the trouble of rebuilding a town?' Yuffie was jolted from her thoughts when she walked into something. "Oww! What the-?" Yuffie jumped back from the black robed figure. "Who are you?" The black figure moaned something. Yuffie leaned closer, "What did you say?"
"…in the mansion." The figure spoked weakly.
"What's in the mansion?" Yuffie pressed. But the figure just repeated itself again and again. "Whatever." Yuffie got fed up with the thing. "What's in there?" Yuffie wondered as she stared at the decrepit building. Its roof sagged slightly, its windows were filthy, and the door hung open ever so slightly. It seemed as if the building was weeping; weeping for the things that had happened so long ago within it.
Yuffie shuttered involuntarily. "And I thought Cait Sith was creepy!" Yuffie turned to find the others, when she felt something. It wasn't really a feeling just a small nagging at the corner of her consciousness, barely a whisper. 'At least I'm not a cat.' Yuffie pushed on the rusted gate, its hinges squealing in protest. 'Good job Yuffie, real sneaky. Now nobody is going to know you're coming!' She berated herself. After squeezing through the gate Yuffie moved cautiously toward the imposing building, until she stood at the door. 'Now or never.' And Yuffie pushed open the door to the mansion.
DUN-DUN-DUN. NOW FOR THE OTHERS.
"This doesn't make any sense!" Cloud pulled on his hair. "We grew up here! Someone should remember us!" The group had gathered near the water tower.
"I know Cloud," Tifa consoled him, "Everyone says the town never burned down, and Sephiroth never came." Tifa was in nearly the same state as Cloud, wringing her hands in worry.
"Those $& Shinra," Barret's anger rose, "They destroy lives an' hide the truth!"
"It seems as such." Nanaki replied calmly, his golden eye looked about the group, "Where's Yuffie?"
"I thought I saw her going toward the mansion." Cait Sith answered. Everyone looked toward the mansion.
"Where my nightmare began." Cloud said quietly. A black robed figure shuffled past them slowly muttering.
"What did he say?" Aerith suddenly said, bringing Cloud back to the present.
Cloud listened carefully to the quiet figure, his eyes suddenly becoming dangerous. "Sephiroth is in the mansion." He repeated, his voice taking a dark edge.
DUN-DUN-DUN AGAIN! NOW BACK TO THE LITTLE ONE.
"Ewww! Grossness!" Yuffie clawed at the spider's web in her hair. "This is too gross!" Yuffie sped away from the door into a side chamber, finally giving up on the web in her hair. 'Now, WHY did I come in here again?' She asked herself, 'Oh right, a feeling! I'm never trusting that feeling again!' She stomped her foot resolutely, CRUNCH. "What the-?" Yuffie feared to look down, thinking she had stepped on some big bug. She gave a quick glance with one eye and sighed.
Under her foot was an envelope, not some sticky mess. Yuffie stooped and retrieved the paper. She carefully opened it and scanned the paper. A frustrated look came over her face, "Why doesn't anybody write so I can read?" She questioned the air.
"Can't you read it?" An answer came.
Yuffie whirled around, shuriken drawn ready to do battle. "Who's there?"
"Its us!" Tifa responded.
Yuffie let out a sigh of relief. In front of her stood Tifa, covered in webs; with the rest of the group behind her, in the same condition. "Don't do that!" Yuffie covered her surprise with slight anger.
"Sorry." Tifa apologized, "What did you find?" She asked pointing to the paper still gripped firmly in Yuffie's hands.
"Don't know. Its all messed up, I can't make it out." Yuffie explained. She gave Barret a death stare when he chuckled, "I can read! Just because I can't read that sloppy mess, doesn't mean anything! Here, maybe you can make it out." She tossed the papers to Tifa.
Tifa read aloud, "I can't let anything interfere with my research. Even that one from the Turks. I stopped him and put him in the cellar. I might consider playing a game, but you don't have to do anything. I just know that curious people love to open safes." Tifa finished. "Whoever wrote this, wanted people to find it. There's another page, its got directions of some sort."
Yuffie's eyes were sparkling. "There's a safe? Where? Does that note have the combination?" She was hopping from one foot to the other in excitement.
"Yuffie," Cloud sighed, rubbing his eyes, "If someone wanted this note found, it probably means that there is a trap waiting for them."
"Who cares!" Yuffie's excitement bubbled over, "If there's a safe then there's something valuable in it! Come on lets open it!"
"Sephiroth is supposed to be in here somewhere." Cloud continued, "What if he set this up?"
"Then'll we'll find him quicker!" Yuffie's heart was racing.
"We don't have time!" Cloud nearly shouted.
"But what if it's something that will help us?" Aerith suddenly spoke up.
Cloud turned to her, "What?"
Aerith looked at him imploringly, "I just have a feeling that whatever is in that safe," Aerith paused taking a quick breath, "Will help us."
Cloud looked into the emerald eyes of Aerith, filled with such hope, "Fine." Cloud came to a decision, "Tifa, what does the note say about the safe?" ignoring Yuffie's thanks and sounds of delight.
Tifa began again, "If you want to play then know this. You will have only twenty seconds to put in the four digits, do not go past or you will fail. Here, I'll even help you with clues: 1. Look for the lid of the box with the most oxygen. 2. Behind the Ivory's short of tea and ray. 3. The creek in the floor near the chair on the second floor. Then to the left five steps, up nine steps, left two steps, and up six steps." Tifa paused, turning the paper over, "He must have forgotten the fourth clue."
Cloud held his chin in thought. "Sounds like the clues are throughout the mansion. Aerith and I will get the first clue. Barret and Cat Sith will take the second clue. Yuffie and Tifa, you two take the third clue. Nanaki, you take a look at the note and around the room for that last clue, maybe its right in front of us. Everyone, come back here when you find your clue. And make sure no one goes down to the basement, that's where Sephiroth probably is." Cloud turned with Aerith and headed off.
"Why I gotta be with the #$ cat!" Barret grumbled. He left with a dancing Cait Sith.
Tifa was also about to object, but kept silent. "Okay boobs! Lets go find that squeak!" Yuffie pulled the older woman along. Nanaki sniffed the letter slightly as they left.
After reaching the second floor; dispatching the floating pumpkins they encountered with ease; Yuffie ran from chair to chair jumping around. "Come on! Help!"
Tifa laughed a little, "I can't even get to a chair before you've already checked it. Why so interested?"
Yuffie stopped her jumping, she stared at Tifa with a thoughtful look, "I don't know." Yuffie shrugged, "Mysteries are made to be solved?" She continued her prancing.
Tifa just laughed and walked over to a chair Yuffie hadn't checked. She jumped back when the floor squeaked. "Found it Yuffie!" Yuffie ran over.
"Your just lucky!" Yuffie pouted, "How many steps again?" The pair followed the directions, leading them into the hall.
"Five, six." Tifa stood and looked around, "Nothing here. Guess we start over."
"No, no! We followed the directions! I should be here!" Yuffie began searching the walls, looking for anything. "Its got to be here! Its jus-ooph!" Yuffie stumbled, "Stupid floorboard!" Yuffie continued her search.
Tifa stooped and pried up the floorboard, "3. Right 59." Tifa said with a satisfied smirk. Yuffie just stared dumbfounded. "Just lucky I guess." She shrugged, "Let's go back to Nanaki." Tifa turned and headed down.
"NO FAIR!" Yuffie called after her.
When they returned to Nanaki, everyone was already there. "Find the number?" Cloud asked as they walked in.
"Ours was written on a box in the atrium. Right 36." Aerith said happily.
"Yeah," Tifa smiled at Yuffie, "Right 59, under a loose floorboard." Yuffie just grumbled and kicked at an invisible pepple.
"We found ours on the piano keys!" Cait Sith hopped around on top of his moogle.
Barret just ignored him. "Left 10." Barret's distaste for the Cat obvious.
"So we have: Right 36, Left 10, Right 59, and?" Cloud looked to Nanaki questioningly.
"I believe I have it figured out." Nanaki explained, "Whoever wrote the note did give all four clues. The last one ink has faded."
"NO!" Yuffie exclaimed, "Then we're stuck! And we were so close!" Yuffie felt an abnormal amount of distress at Nanaki's comment. 'What's going on with me?' She asked herself.
"Yes the ink is faded," Nanaki quickly continued, "But the indentation on the page is still there. I need someone to rub some dust carefully over the paper." Aerith stepped forward and gently did so.
After carefully blowing away the dust, Aerith squinted at the page, "I worked! I can barely make it out but it worked!" She looked again at the paper, "I think it says, right 97." She handed the paper to Cloud, "What do you think?"
Cloud scanned the paper carefully, "Looks like right 97 to me. Lets go try the safe, Aerith and I found it."
The group ascended the stairs, easily killing the pumpkin heads again. "You'd think they'd learn." Cait Sith laughed. The group assembled around the safe. It had a single dial, four empty displays, and a fifth that had the number twenty lit dimly. "Let's do some safe crackin'" Cait Sith called.
Cloud approached the safe, and then turned back to the group, "This might be a trap. Barret, Cait Sith, Aerith, and Tifa; you all go down to the main hall. If there's something in here, we'll need room to battle it. If it's an explosion, get out of the mansion and continue after Sephiroth." Everyone was about to protest, but were silenced by Cloud's cold stare.
After everyone left Yuffie hesitantly asked Cloud, "Why do I have to stay?"
"You started this, you finish it." He said sarcastically, "If I'm going down, you'll help me there." Yuffie just stamped her foot and turned red, holding back her remarks.
"Just open the safe, spiky-a$$!" She threatened. Cloud just laughed and turned to the safe.
Cloud took a deep breath and began, "Right 36." One window lit up, "Left 10." The second window shone, "Right 59." The third glowed. "Right 97." The last window dimly lit up. "And with five seconds to spare." He said proudly.
The safe clicked, gears ground against each other, and the door flung open. PLOP. A pile of red and purple goo fell to the floor.
"Now that is total GROSNESS!" Yuffie nearly gagged as she backed away from the growing blob.
"Yuffie, RUN!" Cloud grabbed her and dragged he down the stairs to their waiting friend.
"What's going on?" Aerith asked as they reached the bottom.
"There was a monster in the safe." Cloud started, slightly winded and drawing his sword, "It's coming." The blob had solidified and was slowly descending the stairs, growing quickly. When it reached the bottom it was fifteen feet tall. "Everyone be careful." Cloud called as the group spread out.
The monster was truly grotesque. Half its body red, horns sprouted from its head and arm. Its hand was a massive claw. The other half was a deep purple, a yellow eye glared at the party. Its skin was smooth, save at the hand where it turned sickly green and scaly. The purple arm lunged at them, while magic gathered around the red hand.
Cloud dived in, slicing at the purple side, his sword bounced off. Barret's hail of bullets also fell to the ground, unable to penetrate the skin. Aerith's and Nanaki's ice attack shattered against the red side, the creature simply grinned and sent the attack back at them. Aerith screamed in pain, Yuffie looked over to see Aerith's legs encased in ice. Then she heard Cloud yell.
Cloud rushed at the creature. He stopped underneath, turned his blade up, and jumped up with all his might. "CHIMHAZZARD!" echoed through the mansion as Cloud landed on the ground, stumbling slightly from the exertion. The beast fell back against the wall from the blow, howling in pain.
Tifa ran to Cloud, and Yuffie to Aerith. Nanaki was already thawing Aerith's legs slowly with fire magic. "Can't you hurry?" Yuffie pressed Nanaki, glancing at the monster, "Something's not right with that thing."
"If I go faster her legs will shatter like ice. Now let me concentrate!" Nanaki growled back, strain in his voice from controlling the flames.
Everyone's attention was turned back to the monster as they heard them laugh. Where one monster once stood, two now laughed at them. Each was shorter than the original, but completed what the original halves had begun. Yuffie was astonished; everyone was astonished. "Cloud!" Cait Sith called, "The red side seems to be magic and the purple physical. Switch attacks!" Everyone gave a curt nod.
"Stand back!" Yuffie called. She concentrated all her energy into a single materia orb. "Help us! IFRIT!" This time no one felt themselves shift into another dimension, "What's wrong!" Yuffie could feel her energy drain, but nothing came. "Please!" She begged. "We need your help!" Suddenly a hole opened in the floor, fire seethed just below the edge. Slowly two arms rose from the fire, followed by twisted horns, Ifrit had come. Ifrit stopped rising when his torso was above the fires, he reached out and sunk his talons into the purple monster. A fiery smile was on his lips as he sank back into the flames. The hole sealed itself, leaving behind only the tortured screams of the monster.
"Now Cait!" Barret called, taking the opportunity of the red half's confusion over its loss. Barret's gun glowed ominously as Cat Sith threw five large dice towards the monster. Barret pulled his trigger, sending a massive attack into the creature's face. As the monster stumbles back, Cat Sith's dice came to a rest below it.
"Full house!" Cat Sith yelled. The dice came to rest with three faces of 5 and two of 3. An explosion followed closely behind. When the smoke cleared all that was left of the fearsome creature was plastered against the wall.
Barret studied the remains, "Well, ya finally came in useful." He swatted the cat of his moogle.
"Thanks." Cat replied dryly as he climbed back on top of the stuffed moogle.
"Aerith, are you ok?" Nanaki asked as she steadied herself with her rod.
"I'll be okay." Aerith smiled, "Just need to get blood back into my legs. How are Cloud and Yuffie?"
"I'm fine." Cloud replied, although he leaned on Tifa slightly. "Just need to catch my breath."
"I like Ifrit better than Shiva." Yuffie teased, her way of saying she was ok. "He just took the monster."
Aerith just smiled and laughed, nearly falling, but catching herself on Nanaki and her staff. After a few cure spells and various potions the group was ready to continue.
"Let's see if there was anything useful in that safe." Cloud lead the group up to the safe room.
"Looks like all those pumpkins ran away." Cait Sith commented jokingly.
Cloud and the others entered the room and stopped. On the floor before them lay a small stone, a small red stone. "Looks like you were right Aerith." Cloud smiled back to her, "We did get help." He picked up the stone, "Tifa you carry this one." Tifa took the materia and stared into it deeply.
"His name is Odin. He's very powerful." Tifa continued to stare at the orb.
"What? No complaints Yuffie?" Cait Sith joked. When no response came they looked towards Yuffie.
She was kneeling in front of the safe, staring at an object in her hands. A simple key lay across her hands. 'What's so special about this key? It's calling me, it wants me to use it.' Yuffie continued to stare at the tiny object.
"Yuffie? You ok?" Cloud knelt down next to her. "Yuffie?" Yuffie gave no response, she was as still as a statue, barely breathing. Cloud shook her slightly, "Yuffie?" Again nothing. He slowly reached for the key he almost touched it.
Yuffie's hands clamped down on the key. She looked at Cloud, slightly wild-eyed, as if he was trying to take something infinitely precious from her. She scooted away across the floor to the corner. She clenched the key to her chest protectively. Her eyes jumped from person to person. 'Who are you? You can't have my key!' Her thoughts raced.
"Yuffie, its us, your friends." Aerith softly called to the frightened child. Something seemed to snap in Yuffie's mind.
"Aerith?" Her voice squeaked out, the fear fading from her stormy eyes.
"And everyone else." Aerith replied gently.
Yuffie suddenly jumped up, surprising everyone; she still clenched the key tightly in her hand. "Sorry about that guys! Don't know what came over me! Let's go!" Yuffie hid her fear and uncertainty behind a mask of spunkiness.
Cloud gave her a questioning look, "You sure Yuffie? You ok?"
"Yeah! Really, was probably just the monster!" Yuffie replied cheerily. She gave Cloud her biggest grin.
"Okay." Cloud still looked at her warily, as if she might snap suddenly again. "Sephiroth is probably down in the basement, let's go." Everyone filed out, giving Yuffie concerned looks.
Aerith placed her hand on Yuffie's shoulder; Yuffie cringed slightly. "Are you really ok?" Aerith's eyes seem to draw out everything from Yuffie.
"I'm fine." Yuffie smiled. "Let's catch up." Yuffie ran after the others.
Aerith whispered, "Is this what the planet intended for her?" her question went unanswered as she hurriedly ran after the others.
The group moved through the mansion and up to the secret basement entrance in the upper bedroom. Cloud quickly found the switch and lead the down the rickety wooden walkway. It groaned under their weight, but held firm.
"Be careful everyone." Cloud cautioned, "We don't know what's down there." They carefully descended the stone tube and finally arrived at the bottom. They stood staring down the tunnel, moans echoing from the dark end.
Yuffie felt that same nagging at the corner of her mind; something was down here. She just had to find it.
"Everyone set?" Cloud asked softly.
A series of clicks and leather stretching was his reply. They moved forward, ready to fight. As they neared the middle of the tunnel a two-headed creature slunk off the wall. Moans escaped each of its heads. Cloud stood momentarily, lost in thought. He suddenly called, "Tifa use Odin! We don't have room to fight down here!"
Tifa quickly concentrated her energy into the red orb in her glove. "Odin!" she summoned. Yuffie felt herself pulled into the safe dimension as Shiva had done. Hoof beats suddenly began echoing behind them. They turned to see Odin rushing down the tunnel. His six-legged, gray steed running strongly forward. Cape billowed behind him, silver armor gleamed in the dim light, his eyes shone in the dark, and mighty blade scraped down the tunnel wall, leaving a long trail. As Odin passed the monster, he swung his blade once; it passed through the creature making a sharp impact on the opposite wall, before Odin himself faded away down the tunnel.
Yuffie felt her body return to the normal realm. The entire group watched the motionless monster. It moaned once, then its torso, just below its arms fell to the ground; it's body disintegrated into nothing.
Everyone stared in disbelief. Yuffie broke the silence first, "Wow!"
Cloud shook himself back to reality, "Come on everyone let's go." Slowly the group moved down the tunnel again, avoiding the spot where the creature had stood.
"Now that's a summon!" Cait Sith freed them all from their stupor. "I call the next one!" They all laughed a little at Cat's small attempt at humor. They moved down the dank tunnel, until two doors stood before them.
"Which one?" Tifa asked Cloud.
"This one." Yuffie answered, she stood in front of the door on the left. "We need to go in this one." She began pushing against it.
"This one leads to the library." Cloud motioned to the other door. "Sephiroth is probably in there."
Yuffie paid him no heed; she just futilely tried to pry the door open with her fingers. Aerith walked up and gently took Yuffie's hands, "What about the key?"
Yuffie immediately pulled the key from her pocket, and inserted it into the keyhole. She held her breath, 'Please work, I have to get to the other side.' She twisted the key slowly, the lock clicked. Yuffie let out her breath and pushed the door open, she almost gagged at what lay before her. Skeletons lined the walls, opened coffins lay about the floor revealing more bones. Tattered remains of clothing clung to some of the bones on the floor.
"Oh my-" Tifa gasped and turned away, her hand covering her mouth in shock. The others reactions were the same as they entered the crypt, Sephiroth temporarily forgotten.
"These people, what happened to these people?" Cloud murmured. He looked about the room, "Yuffie! Don't!" He called.
Yuffie stood by the only closed coffin, her hands on its side, before anyone could stop her she pushed the lid off. She gasped at what she saw, a man. The man lay deathly still. His dark brown boots were metal cased. Dark pants and shirt hid the form of his body, belts and buckles held his crimson cape across his shoulders and face. A gun was holstered on his right hip; his hand lay gently atop it, the fingers slightly hooked into the gun. At the sight of his right arm Yuffie choked, a golden claw. Its talons gleaming dangerously in the light, the metal continued up from the hand up to just above the elbow, a mold of his former arm.
Then she noticed his face, pale as the moon, eyes lightly closed, almost no trace of lips. Ebony locks cascaded down from his head, some resting lightly on his face, in stark contrast to his pale skin.
"..to wake me from the nightmare." A cold, emotionless voice echoed from the coffin. Blood red eyes slowly opened, to stare into stormy gray eyes.