Disclaimer/Note: I don't own any characters from Final Fantasy 7.
Baller101, I will find a way to include Cid into the story. It will probably be after the next chapter. And you guessed right about who was mentioned in the first chapter.
Also, the SHM will be in this fic. Now, on with the second chapter.
Kya and Kiera slowly walked towards the orphanage, talking about possibilities for the future.
"Will I be happy?" Kiera asked in a small voice.
Kya looked down at her and smiled. She remembered having the same question when her mother left. But she never found an answer for it.
With this memory in mind, Kya led Kiera to a mound of rubble. It reached high enough that they could see the land surrounding Midgar. It was perfect for what Kya wanted to explain to Kiera. It was a lesson she wished she had learned before becoming an adult. Then again it was just another regret added into her mind. A regret she didn't understand but still held onto.
With slow cautious steps, Kya helped Kiera to the top of the rubble. Small rockslides flowed with each misstep until they finally reached the top.
Kya knelt down next to the little girl and pointed out into the distance. "Look out and tell me what you see." She calmly spoke as she watched the little girl through the corner of her eye.
"I see land." The girl said with a slight hint of annoyance with the ridiculous question.
"Yes. And what is out there, do you think?" Kya asked in response to the little girl's annoyance.
"Other towns, people… monsters." Kiera shivered with the last, memories of her past reminding her just what kind of world she lived in.
"In other words a whole world that you haven't seen yet." Kya stood, a cool breeze picking up her hair, appearing as a torch to any who watched. "And somewhere out there is a couple waiting to find a smart little girl to raise as their own daughter. Somewhere in that vast landscape are your future parents. And when they do find you, you will have the happiest life any girl could ever wish for."
Kiera looked up at Kya to see tears rolling down both of her smooth cheeks.
"Did anyone ever say that to you?" She asked.
Kya smiled and whispered, "I told myself that every day." She then wiped away her tears and quickly added, "But you'll have more luck than me."
She quickly lifted Kiera onto her back and carried her down the pile of rubble. The whole time she thought of how she hoped she was right about Kiera's future.
They reached the orphanage within twenty minutes after their small talk. Both were laughing and playfully slapping each other. They made so much noise that Tifa came out to see what was going on.
"I've brought another runt." Kya announced as they approached Tifa. Kiera, knowing she wasn't serious, began to argue with Kya about whether she was a runt or not.
"The only runt around here is you." Tifa said with a smile. "After all, you are only how many inches taller than Marlene?"
Kya, wishing Tifa had never mentioned her height, answered in a fake growl, "Three inches. Soon to be two-and-a-half, much to my distaste."
Kiera giggled about Kya's mock anger and caringly took Kya's hand.
The three laughed and led Kiera into the house and introduced her to Marlene, soon to watch them run up the stairs for Kiera's grand tour.
"How have you been sleeping?" Tifa asked as she went about going into the kitchen and starting on the dishes.
"Good. I haven't had any nightmares since I moved in. The silver fires have left my dreams." Kya answered as she took a seat on the counter.
"Did you ever find out what they were supposed to symbolize?"
"No. It doesn't matter anyways. Everyone's safe, thanks to you, Cloud, and whoever else was there a year and a half ago."
"Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Cait Sith, Red XIII and Barret. You should have been able to remember at least half of them. And you didn't even mention Vincent even though you had met him and cared enough to show him some respect."
"You forgot one." Kya whispered, knowing it sill effected Tifa to think about her. "Aeris."
"I know." Tifa whispered. "She's the one that deserves all the credit. Her sacrifice saved us all."
To escape the depressing atmosphere, Kya jumped down from the counter and made for the door.
"You're leaving?" Tifa asked with her back towards Kya.
"I'm going to the playground to think. The others will be coming back today, won't they? The othersick ones?" Kya replied as she opened the door and paused for Tifa's answer.
"Yeah. And Denzel is still worrying Marlene. I don't know how she's going to handle having more children like him around again. Maybe she should go back to Barret."
"You know he won't allow that. He believes she'll have a better life here. Besides we haven't even heard from him in a while. I don't think there's much of a choice right now." Kya walked out the door, leaving Tifa to think of her memories of AVALANCHE and her newfound friends from the past.
Had that been a year-and-a-half ago, she wondered? She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind and went back to her work.
Kya sat on an old rusted swing, pushing herself back and forth as she thought of the nightmares she had. What made Tifa ask about them? And why did she even ask at all? Then again, why did Kya lie about her lack of knowledge about the meaning of the silver flames? Of course she knew what they meant. But the last anyone had said anything about him was almost two years ago. There was no reason for her to dream of him. She didn't even know why she dreamed of him in the first place.
The squeaking of the rusted chains kept the rhythm of her thoughts as she quietly began to hum the one song she had ever written. Slowly she began to sing the words to a single verse.
My wondering child,
You never knew how hard I tried
To save you from the dark.
But you kept slipping
Until there was nothing left.
"The living singing to the dead. I never would have expected that from you."
Kya twisted around, searching for the person who had spoken. All she found were shadows. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the sun going down.
"Who are you?" She asked as she pushed herself from the swing.
"Are legends so easily forgotten? Was I so hastily erased from your mind?" The voice asked.
Kya closed her eyes, focusing on the voice. It's deep, calming tone seemed so familiar to her. But could it really be him?
"Sephiroth?" She asked, hoping she was right.
There was no answer. The owner of the voice had disappeared from the shadows and her presence. She wondered if it was Sephiroth. And if so, how he could have survived. She had thought Cloud and everyone had destroyed him. But the dreams said differently. The silver flame had survived in her dreams for close to six months after his "destruction." Could it have been that her connection to him had been severed? But then it was a connection that never should have been. She had never even seen him for more than five minutes. How could she have known if he was alive or…dead? Her hesitation to even acknowledge the word seemed to confirm the connection was because of her.
Without much though, Kya walked back to the orphanage. She promised herself she wouldn't say anything about what she had heard. No one would believe her anyways. They were all worried about the Geostigma victims. Her dreams and hallucinations would mean nothing to them.
Tifa laughed about Kya's alleged adventures while in the streets of Midgar. She had never realized the people had recovered so well. Especially since it had been enough to create stories of living statues jumping at unwary passersby, one of these "statues" being Kya. Strangely enough the people seemed to enjoy her somewhat destructive humor.
Without much warning Kya shushed Tifa and looked up to the ceiling.
"Are the kids on the second floor?" She whispered.
Tifa couldn't tell if the question had been aimed at her or not.
"No. They're on the ground floor, as normal. What is it?" Tifa inched her way closer to Kya, hoping to find out what she was so concentrated on.
"There's whispering up stairs."
"But that's impossible. No one's up there."
Kya looked at Tifa. The look in her eyes made Tifa's blood freeze. It was a look of fear. But there was something else. It was almost as if she knew who it was.
"Where are my knives?" Kya asked, her eyesfocused on the ceiling once again.
Tifa handed her the belt which held her two fighting knives. The crescent blades were safely sheathed in thick leather and securely strapped onto the belt. The light sound of a snap alerted Tifa to the severity of the situation. The sight of Kya holding one of the knives making her prepare for a fight.
The bright silver blade glinted in the light. It almost seemed to be excited for the possible fight ahead.
The two stealthily climbed the stairs, skipping any steps that had developed a creek over the years. Neither one stopped for fear of the children being in danger.
They reached the door and silently prepared to catch the intruder unaware.
With silent counting they moved into position. Kya placed her hand on the doorknob and nodded her head with each number her mind passed. After reaching five, she threw open the door and rolled into the room while Tifa leaped over her, landing before the windows.
No one was in the room except for Kiera.
Kya sheathed her knife and walked to the small girl. She knelt in front of her and struggled to calmly ask, "Were you talking to someone?"
She nodded.
"Who?" Kya nearly dreaded the answer but had to know.
"The silver flame. He told me to ask you how your dreams have been. What did he mean, Kya?" Kiera looked into Kya's emerald eyes curiously and waited for her answer.
"Nothing." She whispered.
"Tifa, why don't you take her downstairs and get her some breakfast. The others should be getting up soon." She stood and walked to the only open window. Her eyes seemed blank as she looked out.
Tifa did as she asked and began to lead Kiera down the stairs until Kiera broke away and ran to Kya.
"There are more flames." She whispered. "One shines as bright as him but not as mean. He needs your help."
Kya looked into Kiera's dark eyes. Did he tell her that?
Kiera ran to Tifa and went down the stairs, leaving Kya alone in the room.
Note: The third chapter is in progress. It shouldn't be too long until I have it up too.