Unveiled shadows

It was a beautiful summer day, with a relatively supportable heat and a cool breeze blowing on the estharian plains. Since a week now, they were relaxing at their summer mansion, on the far east of the continent. It was near the ocean and close to the forest, quiet and the garden provided them with a lot of flowers and vegetables. It was nearly dawn, and only Sephiroth was up; he always loved to see the sun rise, it was making him think about his mother. Plus, the scenery was so breath taking here, the waves colliding with the rock face combined to the first warm rays of light was making it so unreal, paradisiacal.

- Daddy?, a sleepy voice called from the hall

Sephiroth had to tear himself from the seesaw and left his tea cup on the small table. Riku, now almost two years old, was walking into the kitchen with his blanky in search for his daddy. The night before, a storm had broken out, frightening the toddler that came to sleep with him and Cloud. The silver haired man smiled and picked him up, returning to the seesaw to rock him back to sleep. It was way too early to start cooking breakfast. So he muffled his son into his robe, scratching his back, watching lovingly those sparkling green eyes drift shut once more. When he was born, their younger son had no wings, but soon after his first birthday they had sprouted from his back, like his other brothers. The only difference was their colour. They were a slight bluish-silver shade. Unable to resist to the call of the waves, Sephiroth's breathing evened, and he too returned to a peaceful sleep.

- Aris! Aris!

- Quiet, little one! You are going to wake your daddy… Oh no, look what you've done… Good morning, Sephiroth.

Sephiroth looked around sleepily, finding Cloud just under his head, Aerith and Riku, but no trace of Yuffie, Red, Laguna or Kyros. The blond kissed his forehead.

- Laguna and Kyros are preparing the picnic. We are going to take breakfast in the clearing. Go dress. And I think Yuf and the others want to go fishing in our secret spot…

- Alright. Prepare my fishing rod, then. I'll show them how it's done.

- Ish! Ish! Ish!, repeated Riku joyously flapping his little wings

Cloud immediately scooped him and began to tickle him.

- And your cute face will be the bait!

**********

Sephiroth was just cleaning his catch with Riku in the clearing. The small toddler seemed  impressed by the fish and did not wanted to come closer. But the silver haired man knew how to, so he offered him to help with the fire, tending him a materia. Riku's eyes flared with excitation as he took the small green orb. With his father's help, he lit the fire with ease, giggling at his progress. It was always the same; any spell would do the trick, Riku was literally bursting whenever Sephiroth or Cloud used magic. He began to run around, all wings out, catching little bugs near the forest's border when a small mantis got out of the woods, attracted by the cooking fish. Riku giggled and began to play with it. Occupied with the soon-to-be dinner, he warned his son.

- Don't go too far, Riku, Sephiroth called, Come back here!

Hearing his son's laughter from afar, he kept an eye on the fire as he turned his head… and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the monster near him. In a haste he grabbed the Masamune and rose into a battle stance.

- Riku! Riku! Get back here now!!!

But Riku wasn't listening. The mantis, now truly pissed off by that little squirt, lifted a clawed appendage to swipe him away… Sephiroth had already recognized the monster as a mantis, it was dangerous and unpredictable. In a second he closed the distance and grabbed his son, taking the hit directly on his back as he rolled away to safety, protecting Riku with his own body. He was grateful, though, that it had been interested only in the food, and not in him, because he was really, really an easy prey right now. Riku could not move; the beast had surely used it's pollen to paralyse him. But as he wanted to get up himself to finish it off, he found out with dread that he couldn't, and that his whole body was slowly becoming numb and cold. Soon, the world around him became a blurry mist, and he was barely aware of the hand on his back, trying to heal his wound.

- Sephiroth! Sephiroth, answer me! Cid! Take Riku to Aerith!, Vincent said, turning Sephiroth's body on his back, I don't understand… he's barely breathing… Sephiroth!

- A scratch like that cannot stop someone from breathing. Maybe there's something stuck in his throat?

- I don't… *huff… huff* think so, Kyros! Kyros, there was a mantis here… look at the trail. Ack! I can't breathe, let's get away from here! You know I'm allergic to that thing…

Vincent paled. He knew what had happened before to Sephiroth that fateful day on the Miniki island (See 'Calm before the Storm' chap. 'Sneak attack') and now everything was clear to him. With a speed unknown to him, he managed to pick up his son and dragged him to the river, as far as he could from the forest. Cloud and the others were tending to Riku, who was slowly regaining his mobility, thanks to Aerith. And then Yuffie saw Sephiroth.

********

Ansem could finally say that his nightmare was behind him, now. The young man was finally leaving the hospital, after two years and a half. After seven months of deep coma, and almost two years of treatments and operations, he was leaving. Going home. But not to cut himself from the world, no. He would go back to school and continue his medicinal studies, but he would mostly study the strange illness that had taken two years of his life.

- Take care, now, Kline said, embracing him, I feared you would not come over this at first. And I wish to see you working in the neighbourhood in the very near future.

- I will try, Stephen, I will try. Once I'll find what I am looking for. I won't let that darkness fall over anyone like this again.

- Good luck, then.

Ansem smiled, and his steps took him away, to be able to walk again freely into the city and not behind white walls was the most precious gift he could have received right now. He was returning home.

In another part of the city, though, the situation was quite the opposite. Cloud was at Sephiroth's bedside while Cid and Vincent were babysitting Riku for a while. The silver haired man had been shaken from his attack, and since Hojo and the antidote for the Miniki pollen extract had been lost, his body was taking a lot of time to eliminate the allergen substance. Weakness seemed to resume his current health state. He couldn't do even the smallest of task by himself. And he was every now and then hit by fever.

- It feels odd, Cloud said softly dampening his face gently with a cool washcloth, to be at this side of the bed. I'm more used to the other way around. Are you feeling alright now? Do you think you can sleep a little?

Sephiroth shook his head feebly. Cloud sighed, then climbed on the bed to give him a massage so he could sleep a little. Zack, Angel and Sky were supposed to come home to visit their ill father. Well, Zack was already home, but he was (as you guessed it) sleeping. Two weeks passed that way, then Sephiroth was almost back to normal. Almost, because even if the pollen had left him, he was still extremely sensitive to pulmonary infections. But Riku was making it all the better, because the small toddler was now walking, flying and talking all the time, cheering them both with his constant babble and the little energy ball he was leaving in the air. And as he grown up, he developed an acute mind and the lean body of an athlete. Cloud taught him how to battle bare handed, showing him the discipline of an adept of the ancient art of the karate and judo. That little sponge they had as a son did not stopped there, he wanted more and Sephiroth began to give him kendo lessons, finding him a little too young for sword and kata… but he would be soon.

********

Squall and all of his friends were finally getting out of that damned bunker. Since several years now, they were tracking downs the members of the 'Sorceress revival faction', responsible for the attempts against his father and several other terrorist acts through the world. After five long years of investigation, they had finally learned where were their hideout; in a cave north of Trabia garden, deep into the frozen peeks of Mt. Trabian.

They had fought for days, although their orders were clear: bring them alive, but if it is impossible, you know what to do. Well, the extremists fought until the end. None of them got out alive. The maze inside had been at their advantage at first, but after some time, Squall, Quistis and Selphie had succeeded in trapping them into a room with no exit. A few hours later, they all gave themselves death by the mean of cyanide pills. After hours and hours of searching for survivors and weapons, Zell, Seifer and Irvine joined up Squall and the others in the Ragnarok to report. But on the way, a weird creature blocked the way, a kind Seifer or Squall never encountered before.

- What the hell is that?, Said Seifer, Even a Scan can't tell me…

- Doesn't seem very aggressive, added Irvine

- Well, we'll see.

But as soon as Zell took his battle stance, the creature's antennas twitched. Strangely, it was a pitch black colour, with yellow beady eyes. The spiky haired blonde wasn't impressed for a second and ran to crush it…

- Watch out!

But the warning came a second too late. The creature jumped and disappeared into Zell's chest. His eyes widened as he felt it entwine within him, but he simply refused to be killed and focused on keeping it from taking his heart. A martial artist like him could use his inner strength and energy to fight even illnesses from the inside, and Zell was intent to expulse the parasite out. Seifer and Irvine picked him up quickly, coaxing him the promise to stay with them. Upon boarding the Ragnarok, Quistis and Selphie stayed with him, making sure he was staying conscious. Somehow, they all knew that if he was falling into oblivion, they would never see him again.

- I swear, Chicken Wuss, if you die, I'll kill ya!

- Just stay with us, Zell, pleaded Selphie, Stay with us…

- ……Aye…

Then, Squall made a long awaited announcement through the intercom.

- Approaching Esthar Airstation. Is he holding on?

- Yep, answered Seifer, But I suggest to tell them to hurry!

Few minutes later, Zell was quickly transferred to Esthar's hospital.

End

Author's notes

So? How do you like this chapter? Cold seems to have found it's way to me this week… It started with a sore throat, nothing too serious I told myself, but I ended bedridden all day Saturday. But I'm far much better now! (Thanks to Sephy and his wonderful chicken soup…!)

And one more thing: Riku is really a cute kid! I even got to babysit him! But he is playing a little too much to Final Fantasy Tactics to my liking. (Meaning; I want my Playstation baaaaaaaaaack!!!!) Seph and Cloud are gone all lovey-lovey for Valentine's day, as well as Cid and Vinny… And Good Htress is single, so she can babysit for the weekend! *burst out crying*……………… I'm getting myself lost. Anyway see you in: Prelude to tragedy.