WARNING!! The hints of shounen-ai from last chapter have grown, and are now rampaging teenagers. Also, some graphic violence-stuff ahead. I don't own anyone or any place in this story, but I wouldn't say no if Square decided to give Cloud to me. I'd take good care of him, I promise!
And thank you, thank you for the reviews! :D Here, have a free Vincent! Now I must run before those pesky lawyers find me...
Chapter seventeen: Death and life are just two different sides of the same coin
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Vincent suspected it was morning when he woke up, even though he couldn't hear a sound from the next room. A thin sliver of light shone from underneath the door but he couldn't tell whether it was daylight or artificial light. He had dreamed of pain and sorrow, like on most nights and days, whenever he slept. The demons were now kept out of the waking world, but in his sleep they came, mocking and torturing.
Last night there had been something else, as well. He could vaguely remember a tugging feeling, like someone had been trying to pull him up and out of bed. He had reached for it, but it had slipped just out of his reach, and he had fallen back to his usual dreams. Now it started to worry him slightly. Had it been Chaos, trying to get out? Or Hojo, reaching out for him?
The ex-Turk got out of bed and moved quietly to the door, all the time listening for any noises. He pressed his ear against the wood but there was no sound to be heard. He couldn't even feel anyone near the door. Weren't they watching him anymore?
He lifted his left hand and grabbed the door's handle, too curious to even remember how much using the hand had previously hurt. The door wasn't locked. Vincent wondered for a moment if opening the door would break the trust the Elders, Professor Gast and his wife had in him, but it wasn't in his nature, in any Turk's nature, to remain captive if the chance to free yourself was presented.
The room beyond was empty. They weren't watching him. He had previously only caught glimpses of the room through the open door, so he wasn't sure how to get out of the building. But there were only two other doors along the walls, and a ladder leading up. He could get out easily. One door was next to this one, probably leading to another room. So the other one would get him out. But now that he was out of his small room he could hear quiet voices, coming from the floor above. Frowning, Vincent glanced at the way out, but turned towards the ladder and made his way to it.
The voices became louder when he got nearer, and he could recognize most of them once he was close enough to peer up through the hole in the ceiling. Professor Gast was sounding near panic, and Zax's voice wasn't much calmer. Elder Bugenhagen was trying to talk sense to both of them. There were others up there, but their voices were only a murmur to him.
A few voices of old men, other Elders, he guessed, closest to the open portal at the top of the ladder. Vincent could clearly hear their words. They talked about a White Materia, which would obviously be the one to counter the Black one. Professor Gast interrupted them then, silencing everyone in the room.
"We should have found another way! It's not too late yet! I've told you again and again, there has to be something we can do!"
Silence fell after his words and Vincent realized he'd lifted his left hand to one of the ladder's bars. He removed it immediately and stepped back, almost unconsciously rubbing the left palm with his right hand.
"But there's no way to reach them until Cid gets here with the Tiny Bronco..." Tifa's gentle voice rose, her tone calm. "As soon as they get here, we'll leave. Please, Professor, try to calm down for now."
"Easy for you to say..." Zax said and Vincent could hear heavy steps. Perhaps the Soldier was pacing around the room.
What was going on? Why were Gast and Zax so agitated? When had the Soldier returned, and who couldn't they reach? Where were they leaving to? There were too many unanswered questions to Vincent's liking, and no other obvious way to get them answered than to reveal that he had left his 'cell' and eavesdropped on those who wished to help him.
Being a Turk required being very observant of your surroundings, all the time. And Hojo's meddling had only enhanced his hearing and other senses. But apparently, Vincent noticed, that wasn't always enough. He heard something else moving up there, but didn't have time to react, not even shout, when a few hundred pounds of muscle in red fur jumped from the top of the ladder and landed on him, pinning him firmly -and painfully!- to the floor and knocking the wind out of him.
"What are you doing?" a low voice growled to his ear as Vincent struggled to get air into his lungs. He heard rushed steps and shouts from above, and through the stars of pain he could see several curious faces peering down at him through the hole in the ceiling.
"Nanaki?" Bugenhagen called out and floated down next to his grandson. The large beast turned to him.
"He was listening us. Maybe spying."
There wasn't enough air in his lungs for Vincent to answer, but he shook his head quickly.
"Now, now, Nanaki, let him up." Bugenhagen said with a chuckle, and Nanaki grudgingly obeyed. Vincent was very grateful but decided to remain on the floor until his lungs worked again.
"Now Mr. Valentine, what were you doing?" the Elder asked once they were all upstairs again, Vincent included. He'd made a quick survey of the room as soon as he'd gotten up there. Bugenhagen was there, and three other Elders. Nanaki, Tifa and Yuffie were present, as were Professor Gast and Zax, who both seemed as nervous as they had sounded. He was both relieved and worried to see that Cloud wasn't there. Neither was Gast's wife.
"I woke up," he told truthfully, "and couldn't hear or see anyone. So I came looking for you."
"Are you sure you weren't trying to escape?" Nanaki said, still eyeing him suspiciously.
"If I would have liked to escape, it wouldn't only have been an attempt. But as it is, I don't have my clothes and I am unarmed. I merely came looking for someone, and heard your voices." Vincent looked down at the t-shirt and boxers he was wearing. Other than those, he was naked. The others followed his gaze, he could feel their eyes on his pale skin. The ninja girl was all out staring at him, and not even attempting to hide it. Two of the Elders were giving him curious, half worried looks whereas Bugenhagen seemed merely curious.
"You couldn't even hear your demons, then?" the Elder asked, but Gast snapped before the ex-Turk could answer.
"There's no time for this kind of chatter, we have to find Ifalna before it's too late!"
So she was missing. "And where's Cloud?" Vincent turned to Zax, who shrugged and ran a hand through his thick hair.
"With Ifalna, we think. They were both missing this morning. And so's the plane we flew here from the Temple."
"Where would they have gone with it?" he'd let them tell the story, even though he could already guess what was happening. She was going to counter the Black Materia with the white one. Gast had been against it before, and he clearly was against it still.
"To the City of the Ancients," Bugenhagen answered, "to try and stop Sephiroth from injuring the Planet."
"Grandfather! Does he really need to know?" Nanaki growled, turning his good eye to the old man.
"He's as much a dweller of this Planet as the rest of us. He has a right to know."
Gast buried his face in his palms and fell to a crouch on the floor. "But... there has to be another way. The price is too high, too high... what am I going to tell Aeris?"
The room fell silent. Obviously Vincent was the only one who didn't know what the price was they'd have to pay. He was about to ask but Zax, who was standing slightly behind him, shook his head quickly.
"Come on, Vinnie, let's get you something to eat, ok?" the Soldier muttered and grabbed his upper arm tightly. "We might as well search for some clothes, too. Personally, I don't mind looking at your long, naked legs, but the way Nanaki's eyeing you I fear he'll try to take a bite soon..."
Vincent could only follow him back down to the larger room. Tifa, Yuffie and Nanaki soon joined them, leaving the Elders and Professor Gast conversing with each other.
"So what is this 'high price' Gast is so afraid of?" Vincent asked quietly when Zax went through the large fridge near the ladder. The Soldier looked quickly up, gave Vincent a plate with two sandwiches and pulled him farther from the ladder.
"Apparently Ifalna has something we can counter the Black Materia with, but using it might cost her her life. Gast didn't want her to try it, but she took off without telling him. With Cloud." Zax's expression turned sour and worried. "I didn't even notice him leave, I was so tired I slept like a log. Shit."
"Why the... City of the Ancients?"
"More spiritual power." To the ex-Turk's surprise, it was Nanaki who answered his question.
"And you're leaving after them once Highwind returns..." Vincent continued, eyeing the sandwiches suspiciously. He wasn't really hungry, he didn't seem to have much of an appetite these days. Or any day in the last thirty-or-so years...
"Yeah, well as many of us who can fit in that small, crickety plane he has. People around here seem to prefer cars." Zax said.
"It's hard to land in the Canyon, or so I'm told..." Nanaki commented as he sat down near the door to Vincent's room. "Walking is kindest to the nature."
"And slloooowwww..." Zax stretched the word, making Yuffie laugh and Tifa smile. Nanaki shook his head at the Soldier.
"Not with four legs, my friend."
"Does Aeris know about any of this?" Vincent suddenly asked, remembering what Ifalna had once asked him. The simple question caused everyone to turn and stare at him like he'd just grown another head. The ex-Turk blinked a few times, lifting one black eyebrow. "What?"
"What do you care about it?" Nanaki asked, clearly distrusting him again.
Vincent shrugged, lowering the plate on a table. "She's been kind to me."
"She doesn't know yet. We haven't risked trying to reach them with the radio, since Shin-Ra might be listening." Tifa answered him, earning a surprised look from the red beast. "We don't know what they're up to, now that we can't reach Reeve anymore, and we don't want to give them any information either."
"Smart." Vincent nodded and gave the sandwiches another look. They still didn't look too appetizing.
The radio rattled into life right about then, breaking the silence that had fallen into the room.
/"Yo! Anyone there?!/
Yuffie beat the others to the device and picked up the mouthpiece. "About time, Granpa! Where are you guys?"
Surprisingly enough, Cid didn't answer her with any kind of profanity or insult. Instead, the man laughed. /"Line your asses outside and look to the eastern skies, my friends! And thou shall see!"/
"... Is he drunk?!" Tifa asked when the radio fell silent again. Yuffie and Zax were already at the door, and the Elders and Gast were coming down, asking if that had been Highwind. Vincent took a few steps towards the door as well, but was stopped by Nanaki who growled quietly at him.
"Now now, Nanaki, let him come as well..." Bugenhagen said as Gast hurried past them. The beast glared at Vincent once more and walked out. "He's a bit suspicious, but a good boy. Come now, let's see what Captain Highwind is so thrilled about."
Vincent followed the floating Elder outside, where the others were already standing and staring into the east. Yuffie was complaining she couldn't see anything but clouds, and Zax was wondering out loud what they were supposed to see. Vincent wondered it as well. Highwind had sounded pleased, too pleased for someone who had just lost the Planet's future to a madman. Even if the man didn't know what was waiting for them here, there was no reason to-
Be so...
Happy.
The plane that sailed through the clouds towards them in the horizon clearly wasn't Tiny Bronco.
First of all, it wasn't pink. Second, it was larger. Much larger. It was shining in the sun as if it was made of liquid silver, and it traveled fast towards them. Vincent could see that all around him mouths and eyes were wide open, and he could hear surprised and admiring shouts from the lower levels of the town. He shut his own mouth quickly before anyone could see how completely he'd been surprised.
At the bow of the ship, a small figure dressed in pink was standing and waving at them. Vincent could hear Gast let out a strangled noise as the man took off towards the lower levels. Yuffie followed him, screaming with delight. Tifa and Nanaki weren't far behind her. Vincent was going to stay here, far above everything, but Zax grabbed his arm again and pulled the ex-Turk along.
"Wait, I'm not--" he tried to gesture at his bare feet but Zax wasn't listening.
"You're coming. Hurry up now, the sooner we get there the sooner we can leave!"
During the recklessly fast descend to the plate and down the stairs to the canyon itself, Vincent caught glimpses of the airship, also descending to the ground. It raised a large cloud of dust which was only starting to disappear when they reached the ship. Aeris was already descending the rope ladder from the deck, and as soon as her feet touched ground she was caught in a tight hug by her father. Vincent and Zax were still too far to hear what was said, but when they reached the others the flower girl looked worried and anxious.
For the next hour or so, Vincent felt like he was a child, by the way he was ordered around and told to put some clothes on. Everyone around him was in a hurry, and he seemed to be only in the way.
Nanaki made it perfectly clear that he was taken along only because the beast didn't trust him enough to leave him at the Cosmo Canyon. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Ifalna had somehow seen this happening, or caused this, when he remembered her asking that he'd look after Aeris. It was definitely a pure coincidence, at least from his side, that he found himself standing right in the girl's vicinity once they were on the way to the north.
Everything had been quickly explained to Aeris, Barret and Cid, and even though the three hadn't had much sleep the night before they decided to take off straight away. There was enough space for all the members of Avalanche, Professor Gast and Zax, and that was just the cockpit! The Elders stayed at the Canyon, but wished them all the luck.
Highwind seemed so proud and pleased with himself, standing just behind the ship's pilot, giving him orders and advice. He seemed right at home. Vincent was curious, although not as curious as the others, to hear how exactly the blond man had managed to grab the airship from 'right under Shin-Ra's goddamned noses!', as he put it himself.
From his spot near Aeris, Vincent could easily listen in on her and Gast's quiet conversation, and at the same time hear Highwind's seemingly tall tale of 'takin' back what's rightfully mine!'.
"Ya know, I had ta lie a little... we were closer to Gongaga, but I just had ta try! Shin-Ra are fools, all o' them! Talkin' openly in a public channel, tellin' the whole world that they have MY Highwind parked neatly in Junon, with Scarlet-the-Harlot and half the crew in a freakin' BALL! What they think this is, a TAXI?! No way! It's a first class airship, the one and only Highwind there is! Besides yours truly, of course!"
Cid seemed to be the only cheery person aboard, but his chatter was clearly helping the others relax. He'd claimed that it would take only a few hours to get to the northernmost continent, and that the smaller plane couldn't have reached it too long ago. It had given Gast and Aeris some hope, and Zax had calmed down as well.
"So, I took the canister and headed off to town. The minute I got to the rich side I could see her parked there, all alone in the middle of stinkin' Shin-Ra ships! And with only one guard! I knocked the guy out with the canister and shoved him in the sewer." Aeris glared at him at that, but the blond just shrugged it off and continued. "It was a piece of cake gettin' in after that, no more guards, just some of the crew, and most of them I knew from before! Shin-Ra might have kidnapped my baby, but they were smart enough to keep the people who could fly her! It wasn't too hard to convince them to screw Shin-Ra, actually they were happy to break free! So we arranged a little mutiny, caught all the Shin-Ra dogs aboard, tied them up and left them neatly on the dock, to wait for Scarlet and the rest of her merry band!
"Then we just took off, picked up the Bronco and those two jokers, and headed off to the sunset! Well, the Canyon. I can't tell you guys how happy I am to have my baby back..." Cid actually petted the closest surface he could reach, cooing at it. Then his smile fell quickly, and he turned to Barret. "Eh, sorry, man..."
"It's ok." The leader of Avalanche waved the apology away.
"You know, now we have the Highwind, and after we get those two back, we can go to Midgar and get Marlene and Shera outta there. Bomb the HQ afterwards... he he, that would be so great..." Cid rubbed his hands together before clapping the pilot on the shoulder and paying attention to where they were going again.
"You know, I think he's lost a few of his marbles..." Zax muttered suddenly to Vincent, who almost jumped. He hadn't noticed at all that the Soldier had walked to his side.
"What?"
"Knitting with only one needle, our Cid is... listen, I need to talk with you. In private." Zax didn't wait for an answer, just took him by the arm again and pulled Vincent to a quieter corner. They were all in the airship's large cockpit, except for Yuffie who had fallen motion sick and was getting some fresh air up on deck.
"What is it?" Vincent asked when the Soldier stopped, out of the other's hearing distance. Zax lifted a hand to rub at his neck, clearly not happy about what he was about to say. Vincent could feel his mood drop, not that his spirits had been that high to begin with.
"Uh, it's about Sephiroth... you're... his father, right?"
Vincent was expecting a punch in the stomach, and received a slap in the face. "What?"
"I mean, that's what Cloud told Seph. That you're his real father. Not Hojo. It's true, right?"
"... Yes, it is."
"Well it's kinda obvious, looking at you..." Zax tried to smile but it slipped quickly from his lips. "Anyway... shit, there's no easy way to say this..."
"Say it anyway."
"Well... he's... looks like Jenova's got him. Completely. He's not himself anymore. And... we may have to kill him, to save the Planet."
"I'd guessed as much..." Vincent said when the Soldier ended his awkward words.
"I mean, I still want to try an' talk to him, but if last time's anything to go by, there's nothing else we can do. Seph, the real Sephiroth, is as good as dead if Jenova's got him."
"... And we'd be doing him a favor by killing him?" Vincent looked past the Soldier, all the way out of the large windows, to the blue and cloudy sky. He still saw Zax nod after a moment.
"He wouldn't want to live like that. He was a good man, before all this shit. Probably got that from you, since Hojo couldn't produce anything kind and decent."
Vincent felt slapped again, but there was also a warm feeling inside his chest. His son had been a good man. That was something. "I think he got it from his mother. She was a kind and beautiful woman. What makes you think I am a good man?"
Zax shrugged. "Well you helped Cloudy, got him out of Hojo's hands. And even with Hojo fuckin' you up and the demons in your head, you're a good guy."
Vincent didn't completely believe that he had earned the compliments, considering that what he thought to be a 'good man' wouldn't let the love of his life die or his only child be taken away and brought up to be a planet-threatening madman. He still nodded as a thank-you, not wanting to turn the proverbial knife in the wound by asking what Zax thought of Cloud, then, if Hojo couldn't produce anything kind and decent.
They left the conversation at that, and Vincent returned to his earlier spot while Zax left for the deck. He pretended to be looking at the nearby controls while listening in on Aeris and her father.
"But father, there's no danger in summoning Holy to stop the Meteor... mother knows that. Why are you so worried? Holy will surely answer her, and Sephiroth won't be able to hurt the Planet." Aeris seemed far more relaxed, even hopeful now that she knew what her mother was doing. It didn't make sense to Vincent, considering how worried her father was.
"Aeris, dear... there's something you should know... something we should have told you... about the White Materia, and your mother." Gast clearly didn't want to continue, but now Aeris was worried again.
"Father? What is it?"
"The Materia... it requires great spiritual power to summon Holy, just as it is with the Meteor. I don't doubt that your mother has that, but... they are very powerful summons, both. They'll cost very much to summon."
"I know that, father. But mother is strong, even Hojo couldn't harm her. It's not very likely that the summoning will harm her much..." Aeris had a look in her eyes that told Vincent that she tried very much to make herself believe that as well. But Gast shook his head and ran a shaky hand over his brow.
"No, dear... there's more to it than that. We... there was so much going on, and I admit, we didn't want to think about it ourselves. But Hojo did manage to hurt your mother. Quite badly, I'm afraid."
Vincent could remember the Professor's earlier "... What am I going to tell Aeris?", and understood the words now. He was still pretending he wasn't hearing any of this, but it became hard when Aeris almost shouted her next words.
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"
"You had so much else on your mind, and we still hadn't figured what exactly Hojo had done to her--"
"You still should have told me! Father! I could have prayed for Holy! I know I'm not as strong as mother is, but I could have done it!"
"I know, dear, and I told her so! But she was adamant that if it came to that, she'd be the one to pray for it."
"But why? ... This isn't making any sense to me..." Aeris seemed so hopeless when her father enveloped her in a hug.
"I know, dear..." Gast repeated his earlier words and held her tight, "I don't understand either..."
Vincent felt a pang of guilt, even though he couldn't be blamed for this. Except that Sephiroth was the reason for her sorrow, and he was Sephiroth's father. But it wasn't his son anymore who was doing this.
But he could make it right, still. He could help them get rid of the impostor pretending to be his son. He could think of it as the last, or the only, favour he could give his child.
With Cid's story told, the rest of the trip was quiet and long. Zax had soon returned and annoyed Cid to the brink of murder with unending questions of "Are we there yet?" Vincent was ready to hurt the Soldier himself, but couldn't find the energy to truly care. He hoped this would all end soon and that his son would die quickly and as painlessly as possible.
Zax seemed to be the only one who knew of his relation to the ex-General. Highwind and the leader of Avalanche had plotted together for half of the trip how to best destroy 'that son of a bitch'. The Soldier was the only one to give him apologetic looks.
"Just remember, it's not Seph they talk about, it's Jenova..." Zax muttered at one point, when his nervous pacing brought the dark-haired man to the ex-Turk. Vincent had just nodded and continued to watch out the windows.
Mountains had turned to desert, desert to sea and the sea to snow underneath them. Aeris and Gast had guided them towards the City of the Ancients, and were now conversing with Cid on where they could land the large airship. The Professor was worried that they'd have to land far from the City itself, but his daughter was certain they could get right next to it when Cid assured them that the Highwind could hover in the air while they'd use the rope ladders to get to the ground.
"There. The Sleeping Forest. We're almost there." Aeris probably saved Zax's life as Cid was already looking for his spear after the last 'Are we there yet?' Everyone rushed to the windows, except for the men flying the ship.
Below them was a large forest, the leaves glittering green when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. A flock of small birds were startled into flight by their passing. The belly of the ship was only a few feet above the tallest trees.
"Don't let the forest fool you, it's really a dangerous place..." the pink-clad girl told them. She was looking into the horizon, trying to see their goal. Vincent followed her gaze and saw mountains in the distance. The forest would end soon enough, but there was a large area between the forest and the mountains. He just couldn't see it yet. From Aeris' anxiety he guessed that that was where they were heading.
"Cid? Please hurry. I feel there's something wrong..." Aeris whispered suddenly, her green eyes large with fear. Professor Gast was immediately by her side, his hands on her shoulders.
"What is it? Is it your mother?"
Aeris just nodded and gripped the railing by the windows tighter, her knuckles turning white.
Soon enough they were past the forest and could see the City of the Ancients. Aeris guided them to land in a ravine between the stretches of forest, guided by the mountains around. She was first on the ladder, and she was running towards one of the houses as soon as her feet touched the ground. Gast was next, and Zax right after him. The Soldier didn't even wait for the Professor to reach the ground before he jumped off the ladder and ran after Aeris, pulling his sword out of its sheath. The others followed as fast as they could, even Vincent. The wrongness, the danger Aeris had felt could very well be his son. Maybe this would all be over before sunset.
They followed Aeris down a long, straight road until they came to a strange house, surrounded by leafless trees. The light of the sun pushed through the petrified branches and illuminated the house and a small pond beside it. They ran into the house, and down a circling, crystal staircase. By the time Vincent reached the top he could see Aeris and Zax at the bottom, Gast not far behind them. They were still running, towards a stony structure protected by high slabs of the same crystal as the stairs. Aeris was shouting for her mother, and her voice echoed in the darkness that stretched who knew how far around them. The only lights were from the world above, and from the crystal structure itself.
Vincent had passed most of the others with his long legs. Only Nanaki was between him and Professor Gast, who had already reached the bottom of the long staircase when Aeris screamed wordlessly. The great beast ahead of him took the last twenty or so stairs with one jump and ran around a small gazebo-like structure towards her voice. Vincent picked up his pace and jumped the last stairs, hearing the out of breath questions of what was going on from behind him. He circled the small gazebo as well and almost missed the small staircase to the lower lever in his rush.
Aeris, Zax, Professor Gast and Nanaki were standing on a large slab of stone, another small flight of stairs below Vincent. They were all staring towards a raised pedestal of stone, surrounded by a circular pond of clear water. The ex-Turk descended the last steps more slowly, already seeing what had stopped the others.
Slumped on the pedestal was a body. Blood painted the stone a dark red, and thin streams of it had made their way down to the stairs towards the slab where the horrified spectators stood. Something tall, thin and glittering stood up from the body's back. Vincent swore under his breath when he recognized Sephiroth's sword. He swore even more when the rest caught up with him, and he spotted the other person on the pedestal.
Cloud was there, with Ifalna's corpse. He could see the blond shaking the woman by the shoulders from time to time, and could imagine the frantic whispers, Cloud begging that the woman say something. At least he hoped for that.
Gast was about to go to his wife, then, but Zax stopped him with a gentle hand. Vincent hurried towards them to hear better.
"Please. Let me go first. It might not be safe..." Zax muttered to the Professor, holding him gently by the arm. The older man sobbed, his face streamed with tears. "You take care of Aeris."
The Soldier, still holding his sword, stepped to the first stone pillar leading to the round pedestal while Gast enveloped his daughter in a tight hug. Zax half hoped that Sephiroth would be far from here by now, but not knowing his old friend's new mind, he couldn't be sure that the crazy man hadn't stayed around to see the reactions to his work. He also wanted to get Cloud away from the dead woman as soon as possible.
He jumped quickly from pillar to pillar, slowing only when he reached the small staircase to the pedestal itself. Now he could hear Cloud's voice, the blond desperately trying to wake the woman.
Zax quickly checked their surroundings, and once he was convinced that no one would attack them right now, he kneeled beside Ifalna and Cloud, not minding that the knee of his trousers was immediately soaked in blood. He pressed two fingers to the woman's neck, and found no pulse, only cold skin.
"Zax? Please, help her..." Cloud begged. The Soldier turned to look at him and swallowed hard to keep both tears and nausea down.
Ifalna had bled a lot, there was a puddle around her, it soaked her otherwise clean clothes and tidily combed hair. Cloud was also covered in blood, it was all over his hands, face and shirt, and legs from kneeling beside the corpse. Zax shook his head and forced himself to look at the woman more closely, at her hands, neck and face. He didn't want Aeris and Gast coming to see her and notice that parts of her were missing. But apparently all the blood on Cloud had gotten there only by him trying to wake the woman.
He stood again, doing his best to ignore the sticky, wet feeling on the knee of his pants. Glancing quickly over his shoulder, he reached out and grabbed the Masamune. Black humour getting the better of him, he had to wonder how many swords Sephiroth had when he kept leaving them into people's backs so often. Trying to ignore the sensation of steel scraping against bone and muscle and flesh, he pulled the sword out and lowered it on the ground. It would be easier for Aeris and Gast to see her.
"Shh, Cloud, calm down... she's gone, there's nothing we can do." The Soldier whispered and held out a hand to the blond. Cloud wiped his eyes with a bloody hand, managing to smear his face even more.
"But... but we have to do something, mother... she's..." Cloud stared at Ifalna for a moment and shook his head. Then he looked at her again. "Umh, I mean... we have to do something!"
"It's too late, Cloud. Come on now." Zax had almost bit a part of his tongue off at hearing Cloud's words. He was glad that he was the only one who heard them. He reached out again, and this time the blond took the offered hand and let Zax pull him to his feet. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"She was praying, and I was with her, and then Sephiroth was suddenly here and... she was dead. I tried to wake her up, tried to say I'm sorry, but she wouldn't wake up again." Cloud explained quietly, glancing over his shoulder as Zax guided him down the stairs and towards the pillars.
"Sorry? What were you sorry for?" Zax forced himself to ask the question, fearing the possible answer. Sephiroth, no, Jenova could still manipulate Cloud.
"Because... I couldn't keep her safe. She asked that I'd keep an eye out for her, and she died anyway..." Cloud explained, quickly lowering his eyes when they reached the stone slab and Professor Gast tried to catch his eyes.
The Professor gently let go of Aeris who was still crying, and stepped to the first pillar towards his dead wife. Zax quickly guided the bloodied Cloud a bit away from the others, but still saw the surprised look on Vincent's face when Aeris threw her arms around the closest person, who just happened to be the ex-Turk.
They had buried Ifalna in a nearby pond. Gast had carried her body almost to the middle of the clear water and let her sink to the bottom. It had made almost everyone cry, even Cid had wiped his eyes when he thought no one was watching. Vincent had been a bit preoccupied to be completely taken by the sorrowful atmosphere, as Aeris had continued to cling to his arm for most of the time, crying silently. She had let him go only when they had all returned to the airship, and she and her father had retreated to one of the cabins. Some of the others had held a quick meeting and decided to stay there for the rest of the day and take off in the morning. Whether they'd return to Cosmo Canyon or search for Sephiroth was still open.
Vincent wasn't quite sure how long had passed since they'd returned to the airship, but suddenly he found himself standing alone on the ship's lower deck, near the walkway to the cockpit. Apparently even Nanaki had forgotten to look after him for a while. Not that he was going anywhere, weaponless and quite sure that he didn't know how to get out of the area by foot. By the summons, he'd become pitiful! Vincent could remember how he'd been practically fearless back in his Turk days. He wouldn't have waited for permission from anyone, he would have walked out of the ship, made himself a weapon and walked until he'd reach civilization again. He wouldn't have been weaponless on an airship in the first place!
Now he just sighed and started to walk towards the cockpit.
Cid and his crew were there, enjoying a few selected alcoholic beverages and laughing at something on the radio.
"Damn it but those Shin-Ra wussies are a bunch o' morons!" The pilot shouted and laughed, slapping his knee repeatedly. The line was too static and the radio too far for Vincent to tell what was going on, but he could make out several different voices bickering across the radiowaves. Probably Shin-Ra's hounds barking after the Highwind. He could imagine that losing such a prize was a hard hit on the company's pride.
With another sigh Vincent turned on his heels and returned to the deck. From there he wandered towards where the cabins were. He wasn't lonely, he wouldn't admit that. And he was sure no one would welcome him in their company, even if he was lonely. Which he wasn't. He was just wondering where everyone had got to.
And he wasn't pressing his ear to each door to listen in. He just wanted to know who was where.
Most of the cabins were empty, though. He could hear Aeris weeping and her father murmuring something behind one door, and something clicking behind another. There was a sound of running water behind one door with the sign for shower on it. The sound stopped almost as soon as Vincent got to the door so he hurried along the long corridor. Not far, though, he wanted to see who'd come out.
Soon the door opened, and the ex-Turk stiffened when Cloud stepped out, dressed only in baggy, clean pants and still toweling his hair dry. The clone stopped as well when he happened to look up. Their eyes met even though they were yards from each other. Vincent blinked a few times before he had to look away. He didn't look up when Cloud started to walk, didn't turn when a door opened and soon closed. He only looked up again when he was sure he was alone in the long corridor.
Zax looked up from his hands when he heard the door open and close. "What is it?" he immediately asked and reached for his sword at the startled look on Cloud's face. "You look like you've seen a ghost..."
"No, it's... Vincent was there. In the hall." The blond explained and hurried away from the door, throwing the wet towel over the back of the only chair in the room. Zax relaxed and even smiled a bit.
"You two have to talk eventually. You do know he was manipulated when he..."
"When he killed me. Yes, I know." Cloud's tone made it clear that he didn't want to talk about this right now. He shook his head sharply, throwing around small showers of water. Zax suspected he'd scrubbed himself as long as it took to get rid of every drop of dried blood. His skin was pink enough.
"Maybe we should try to rest a bit. Cid said he'd try to arrange for something to eat later. There's nothing else to do, really. Unless you want to go out for a walk?"
Cloud stood in the middle of the small cabin, running fingers through his hair again and again. It was too wet to spike up properly yet, and long enough to be tied to a ponytail to his neck. His face was set in a contemplative frown, and it made Zax smile all the more. Whatever it was that had happened only a few days ago, just before they left to get the Black Materia, had truly waken Cloud up. The blond seemed more sane and collected than... well, than in the last five years. Zax had suspected that Sephiroth had controlled Cloud again when Ifalna died, but it didn't seem like it. And at the Temple he had seen himself how Cloud had fought against Sephiroth's grip. Maybe he didn't need to worry so much anymore.
"Cloud? Did you hear what I said?" Zax asked and smirked when the blond woke from his thoughts and turned to him.
"Hmm?"
"What do you want to do, Cloud?" the Soldier repeated.
"Want? I don't want. I need." Cloud said, staring at the wall. Zax was about to ask for an explanation but the blond suddenly turned to him, and their eyes met. "I need to feel I'm alive. Please, Zax..."
"Wuh... whu-- what?" Zax asked, but then Cloud was already standing right before him, running a shaking hand through dark strands of hair. The Soldier leaned back a little and looked up, surprised to see tears on the blond's face.
"Cloud, what's wrong?"
"Zax, please! I want to know I'm alive... that I didn't die..." Cloud gasped and fell to his knees, burying his face to the Soldier's legs.
Zax had seen it before, had felt it himself many times. He had lost friends in battles, watched his comrades take comfort in each other after a bloody battle, the adrenaline still running strong through their veins. Just to feel alive. He'd even done it himself.
So he took a hold of Cloud's hands and brought them up to his lips, kissing the fingers gently. The blond quieted and looked up, his blue eyes bloodshot and glazed. Zax smiled and tugged the younger one up and to his arms.
"Don't think about it, Cloud. Don't listen to the brain right now, ok?" Zax said and allowed his hands to roam across Cloud's bare back. He forced himself not to twitch when his fingertips met the plug-ins. The contact made the blond hiss, although not in pain, and Cloud smiled when his words from last night were returned to him.
"The brain is out for the weekend, please leave your message after the beep..." Cloud whispered and leaned his head to Zax's shoulder. The Soldier almost barked with laughter.
"Cloud! Now you're really starting to sound like me... this is disturbing!"
"Zax... shut up and kiss me..." Cloud said and pressed their lips together. Zax could only obey. He was still bigger and stronger than the blond, and could easily shift their positions so that Cloud was laying on the narrow, squeaky bed and he was on top.
"You asked for it..." the Soldier reminded and lowered his head to Cloud's neck. He started to lick and gently nibble the soft skin there, making the blond squirm with pleasure. He lifted his torso when Cloud started to tug his shirt off, and soon their bare chests were pressed together. The smaller body beneath him shivered, and Zax felt himself harden when something equally hard pressed against his lower abdomen. It sobered him up a bit, made the Soldier wonder if this was wise, but that only lasted a moment when Cloud demanded all of his attention.
"Please, Zax..." the blond whispered between hot kisses, "even if you don't love me, I need this..."
Zax truly wanted to assure the blond of his love, but felt that words were meaningless right now. But he could get his message across by doing what Cloud wanted him to do, by being there for him.
He rubbed their bodies against each other, making Cloud moan loudly. "Anything you need... I'm here for you." Zax whispered and slid one of his hands between their bodies. Cloud gasped for air, shivered and claimed his lips fiercely. The Soldier thought that they'd be bruised come next morning, but didn't care. Passion was taking over; it was years since he'd last been with anyone, and his body was screaming for that familiar closeness he'd always enjoyed so much. Whether it was just sex or love, he'd always loved it.
This time it would be love, he realized, as he wanted to make Cloud love it as well.
Cloud closed the door behind him and yawned, covering his mouth with a hand. The hand itself was covered with the overly long sleeve of his shirt. Well really it was Zax's shirt, but his was still wet. And he didn't want to put it on again, knowing how bloodied it had been.
The Soldier was in the cabin, asleep and exhausted on the narrow bunk. Cloud had woken up from their nap and couldn't just lie down and fall back to sleep. Zax hadn't even stirred when he'd gotten up, dressed and out. That didn't surprise him, though, they'd both fallen asleep after their love-making. Zax had wanted to give up after the first three rounds, but Cloud had begged for more. He didn't have to beg for long, though, the Soldier had quickly found his energy again.
He had to stare into the darkness of the corridor for along time before he was certain Vincent wasn't there, watching him. He had a sneaking suspicion that the ex-Turk had heard them. The thought that everyone had heard them worried him for a moment, but he doubted it. Even though they weren't moving, the airship's engines were still running to keep them in the air. It was never really quiet, and there was no one staying in the cabins right next to theirs. So he was quite sure no one had heard.
The corridor was empty, and so was the lower deck. He could hear speaking voices from the cockpit but he wasn't looking for company. Just fresh air and clear evidence that he'd eventually get out of this metal prison.
The sky above was dark blue, almost black, and full of stars. The clouds that had hidden the sun from view were completely gone from sight. The air on the deck was crisp and almost cold. They were very far in the north, after all. Cloud wrapped his arms and the thick sleeves of the sweater tightly around his torso and found a wooden cargo box to sit on.
It was nice to be alive, and to know that he was alive.
He wasn't as alone as he had thought. Cloud felt the other person before hearing or seeing anything. Someone else was on the deck, not far from him. Looking at him.
"Who is it?" the blond decided to ask before killing the possible intruder. He somehow felt the other person stiffen, surprised. The he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Tifa walking towards him. She seemed nervous but determined.
Cloud blushed. He could remember the girl from Nibelheim, how he'd tried and tried to become her friend, but she had never paid much, if any, attention to him. He had been too poor, too shy for her. Maybe she'd notice him now.
"Hi, Cloud. Can I sit with you awhile?" Tifa asked, her smile a bit forced when she reached his side. Cloud inched to the left on the large crate, and she sat on his right. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
"Yeah..."
"I still remember the nights in Nibelheim, in the mountains. The stars were as bright but it feels like they're closer to us here. Aeris said that the Cetra used to live here... that they used to travel from star to star. Maybe they lived here to see where they'd been and where they were going?" Tifa smiled a little when she turned to him, even though he could see a spark of fear in her eyes.
"Yeah, maybe."
"Do you miss Nibelheim?"
"Not really. Too many bad memories." Cloud had wondered if she was going somewhere with her questions, or just making small talk. Her next words answered him.
"Everyone thought you died, seven years ago. But you were really held in the Shin-Ra mansion, right?"
"In the basement. Experimented upon. For two years, until Zax and Sephiroth got me out. With... Vincent's help." Just the thought of the mansion and its basement made him shiver.
"Why didn't you escape?"
"Don't you think I tried? Again and again? But there were guards, Hojo's underlings, Hojo himself... it sounds easy when said out loud, but alone in there, it's impossible." This wasn't turning into a nice conversation at all. Cloud was about to get up and go back to the cabin, but she grabbed his arm and asked him to sit back down.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to belittle it. It's horrible to think that all that time, you were just under our noses. And no one knew. Your mother was devastated..." she really was sorry for her words, and honest with him. But she kept bringing up things Cloud really didn't want to think about.
"Well she has a new son now... someone who isn't a monster..."
"I thought that was just lies from the Turks... that's what Cid said!" Tifa blurted out and blushed when he turned to her, eyes wide. "I mean, you don't seem like a monster at all!"
"Cid has been telling you about me?"
"Well, before we met you and Zax. He told us about Sephiroth and you two, and what happened five years ago."
"Nice." Cloud started to get up again, but she put a hand on his shoulder this time. A surprisingly strong hand for someone so small, Cloud noticed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you. I just wanted to talk with you. I mean, we're both from Nibelheim... there aren't many of us left. A lot of people died in the fire. The whole town... the real town is gone. What's there now is a lie. Shin-Ra's twisted it all, pretending that nothing happened. It's like the people who died that night never even existed!"
"It would be bad publicity for Shin-Ra if people knew the truth. That's probably why everything was hushed up." Cloud said and tried to find a comfortable position on the crate again. Making love didn't feel quite as nice right now as it had a few hours ago. This conversation wasn't making him feel any better, either, even though he could sense that the fighter wasn't trying to make him feel uncomfortable. He guessed that it would be kind of... odd, to say the least, to get to talk with someone you thought has been dead for almost a decade.
"Look. I never felt that much at home in Nibelheim, but I can understand what you're trying to say. Shin-Ra's fucked up a lot of people, in different ways. With them, nothing is what it seems."
Tifa was quiet for a long moment. Then she smiled, and shook her head, her long, dark hair flowing with the movement. "I see what you're trying to say, too. Want to know what Shin-Ra's doing to the Planet, just look at Nibelheim?" She turned to him, and Cloud nodded. "What the old President started, Rufus is making worse..."
"'We're in hell under control of him', like the saying goes..." Cloud muttered and turned to the sky.
Tifa nodded and turned to the sky as well.
The stars twinkled like they hadn't a worry in the world.
-
A.N: The story took an odd turn when I accidentally wrote Professor Gackt in stead of Gast... another chapter that just went on and on and on and on... Recognize Cloud's 'saying'? You rock. And even if you don't recognize it, you rock... ;)
I finally got Cloud and Tifa talkin'. :) And Vincent got to be the star for a change! He should be getting a bigger part in the story from now on. Hee, you people seem to like him, eh? :) I fell for him again when I found this wonderful Advent Children -picture of him... he'll DEFINITELY be getting a bigger part from now on... and won't be leaving my desktop anytime soon.
Review? Please? :3