A/N-I squirmed with all the blood in this chapter… even correcting it. Edited, enjoy
Chizapter 23. Geostigma (or Goodtime as the spell check wants me to write)
Why are you and your brothers making an arm of clones?" Cloud growled, kneeling on Kadaj's arms.
He jammed the sword deep into the boy's shoulder blade, causing him to howl with sincere pain. Kadaj's mind was moving too fast for him. He kicked and screamed, trying anything he could to free himself…but Cloud was not moving.
"Answer me!" he demanded, pressing the sword deeper and ignoring Kadaj's screams and kicks.
"Ahh… I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about." Kadaj winced, finally allowing his body to calm down.
"Wrong answer." Cloud hissed, stabbing the boy in the chest and making zigzags all the way down to his abdomen.
Kadaj gripped the ground, refusing to scream. His warm blood seeped out of the wounds and began spilling on the ground.
"One last time. What are the clones for?" Cloud growled, now standing on the boy's arms.
Kadaj shook his head and hissed at the pain stinging his chest.
"Wrong answer." Cloud smirked and raised the sword high.
Kadaj screamed knowing Cloud was going to jam it into his chest.
Just before the blade reached his body, a black blur tackled Cloud.
"NO!" it screamed, stunning the blonde.
Cloud let his sword drop to the ground as the dark figure caught him off guard.
"Sorry Cloud!" it stammered, as soon as they hit the ground.
It was Alathia, and she was trying her best to hide her face from him. Kadaj moaned and began rolling over. Blood was everywhere. Alathia scrambled off Cloud and ran over to Kadaj.
"Oh my gosh! Are you all right:gasps: your bleeding everywhere. C'mon, we gotta get you home!" she cooed, helping him up.
Cloud sat up and looked at the two.
"What's going on here?" he growled, picking up his sword and striding up to the two.
Kadaj winced and griped her arm helplessly.
"We can't stay, I'm going to bleed to death." Kadaj grunted into her ear.
Cloud wasn't about to let him go…not even if he had to kill this stranger. He made to slice the two in half but was immediately stopped by her two blades.
"Stop it Strife. You know this is wrong." She whispered softly.
"What are they up to? How do you know them?" Cloud yelled, now thoroughly confused.
"They're not up to anything! Jenova's is making the Mako copies of Sephiroth." Alathia snapped, rushing Kadaj over to his motorbike and grabbing the fruit.
Alathia winced as she felt Jenova squeeze her throat for telling the truth.
"You didn't answer my last question." Cloud calmly stated, poising himself for another attack.
"DON'T MAKE ME GO QUAKE THREE ON YO' ASS BOY!" she spat, as Kadaj showed her how to turn on the bike.
The engine revved, and Kadaj clung to her back…blood smearing into Alathia's coat
He winced as Cloud made another strike.
…
…
…
Alathia went all Quake three on his ass and bought them time to escape. She knew that her life had been spared purely by luck…She was lucky the both of them weren't dead.
Alathia'd never driven the bike before…so it was a very bumpy ride. Again, the journey was a blur, and the next thing she realized was that they were back at their home. Everyone, including Yuffie, rushed out to help the two
Kadaj collapsed into Sephiroth's arms and was quickly carried into the house. Everyone followed, eager to see if he was alright…
They tried everything. Restore material stopped the bleeding and worked only a little bit on healing.
Something was stopping it from working to its full effect.
Everyone helped out in one way or another. Loz and Yuffie went out together and got things for soup (Loz in a clever disguises). Alexia and Yazoo quit bickering momentarily and cleaned up the bloody mess; Alexia forcing Alathia to leave Kadaj's side and clean the blood off of her body. Sephiroth restored, cleaned, and bandaged his wounds as best he could.
Alathia stayed by his side…talking and holding his cold hand in order to keep him conscious. By the end of the night everyone was exhausted. Loz walked Yuffie to the exit while Yazoo and Alexia retired on the couch together. Both were leaned against each other, slumbering quietly.
Alathia had fallen asleep beside Kadaj, still holding his hand. Her head was resting on the bed and her figure was slumped over her chair. She felt warm hands gently shake her, and heard Seph whisper in her ear.
"C'mon girl…leave him be. He's asleep now." He said gently as he helped her up.
"I have to talk to you anyway." He smirked, sitting next to the slumbering Yazoo and Alexia.
Alathia knew it was going to happen sometime today, but she still couldn't help but feel unnerved. Seph was such a scary man, and having to sit so close to him was nerve wrecking. His dark eyes bore into hers as he asked his first and last question.
"How did you know?"
She sighed, and poured her guts out to him. Alathia told him everything…from what happened in the room before he left all the way to them coming home. She didn't look up once; too afraid of seeing his reaction to what they'd done in the room and to her hearing and obeying Jenova.
When she finished, there was a moment of silence.
Sephiroth finally sighed and lifted her chin up to look at him.
"He's contracted Geostigma. Jenova poisoned Cloud and his blade with her clones. Every time their mako (or mayo as spell check states) blood spattered from him killing one, Jenova penetrated his body. Now, not only is Cloud stricken by it…Kadaj is too.
Do you see why we need your help now?
By tomorrow…Yazoo, Alexia, you and I will be ill too…we haven't much time left." He spoke softly.
Alathia was angry with herself…she'd let Jenova penetrate their fortress. She felt as though she were fighting a losing battle.
"What do you want from me?" she choked, staring right into Sephiroth's glowing green eyes.
"Alathia, I'm tired…I'll discuss this with you and Alexia tomorrow. For now…you need your rest. Go to bed." Seph sighed, and walked her to the stairs.
Alathia agreed and slunk up the stairs. She was asleep before her body even hit the bed.