Once again, thank you for the reviews urging me to continue on with the story. I was a little stuck on how I should go about this chapter but I really pushed myself, knowing that readers were awaiting an update. There's more than one situation going on here so I decided to separate them with a line which I haven't done before but I've seen other authors do it and I realized how much easier and clearer it makes everything. So even though I didn't do it before, I'm going to start that now when the events within a chapter are taking place from different POVs and places. Better in the middle of this story than never.
Also thanks RaieChibiKid for the tip. I actually hadn't thought of that but you're right. I should refer to the Nobodies as if they were a race of their own and capitalize it. Hope it turned out well.
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Chapter 7
The sun blazed against her squinting eyes as she ran, the breeze drying the damp streaks on her cheeks. Her vision blurred and her chest heaved heavily. A wheeze escaped her panting lips as she stopped to take a breath. She leaned her palm on the cold gray slabs of the overpass before the Market Place, the other palm on her knee. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders and stuck to her skin.
She had finally allowed her emotions to get the best of her. All that was hidden beneath the depths of her heart were now released and even though a part of her was relieved, she was also ashamed. She had never allowed herself to show her weakness to Cloud. Now that the truth was revealed, it would be hard to face him. Words did not come to mind easily when it came to expressing herself to him.
She was afraid. She didn't know what to expect from him now or if she should expect anything from him at all. The words he had said penetrated her painfully as they replayed in her mind. What if he was speaking the truth? He made her question the feelings brewing inside of her. He made her question herself and once again she felt lost. He would never lie to her because although he had unintentionally hurt her in many ways, all he ever tried to do is protect her from harm.
She clenched the black leather of her vest as she straightened her body. She inhaled deeply, hoping the fresh air would calm her. The back of her palm wiped across her cheeks before she slowly entered the Market Place. Her head throbbed slightly and her heartbeat was still slowing down from the running. She hoped that by the time she had returned to the Inn, she wouldn't have to face another awkward confrontation with Cloud. She also hoped that if she didn't show up by the Bailey tonight, that Axel wouldn't notice. Of course she knew she was lying to herself. As much as she wanted to run from the reality she was so unsure of, she knew that she couldn't run from Cloud forever, and as for Axel, he noticed everything. Most likely he had already felt her darkness although she was trying her hardest to contain it, she knew that any time now, he'd come for her.
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Axel roamed through the realm of darkness, letting his eyes follow the kaleidoscope of colors upon its invisible walls. He was getting tired of traveling between the worlds to occupy himself. The days felt long as he awaited nightfall in Radiant Garden. Yet he knew he had no choice. Although Saix was too busy keeping an eye on Kairi within the castle dungeon and aiding Xemnas in his plans for the revival of Kingdom Hearts, he knew that he couldn't take his free time for granted. Saix was a very conniving Nobody. If there were something he could use to his advantage, he wouldn't hesitate to use it. That's why he couldn't be caught with Tifa. If Saix knew about Tifa, he'd definitely attempt to capture her and use her as bait to draw him in. However unlike Kairi, Tifa would put up more of a fight and might actually escape. Either way he didn't want to risk it. He had already made that mistake and he promised himself not to repeat it.
The realm began to grow dark and he held out his palm to open an entrance to some random world. He stepped out into an eerie purple hue, shining down from the moon upon gray sands beneath his feet. The ocean water looked dark and deprived of life. It really didn't matter what it looked like, as long as he was able to rest without interruption. The realm closed and Axel laid back against the cool sand. His ears meditated on the sounds of the waves and he closed his emerald eyes, welcoming some pleasant reminiscence.
His fingertips felt along the edges of his lips, trying to grasp the warmth of her lips there. He smiled as he thought about it. He could almost smell the sweet scent from her hair and he enjoyed the feel of her feminine body wrapped within his arms. He wished she was there at that moment, so they could listen to the waves together. It didn't matter if there was no conversation. He just wanted to be near her.
Axel slowly slid off his black leather gloves and laid them beside him. His hands cupped the cool sand around him as he let the grains fall between his fingers. It made him remember the sparkle in her eyes when he had taken her to Sora's world and she played with the sand. He let his fingers bury into the sand as his mind rewinded to that time, the way her hand felt in his through the realm of darkness. She had trusted in him to keep her safe and that was something he would not forsake unlike her longtime companion Cloud. After observing the inhabitants in various worlds and watching hearts work, he told himself he would not make the mistakes that they had. He would not take for granted what they did. He would not allow himself to lose what was precious to him again.
"I wonder what Roxas would've thought of you" Axel whispered to himself as he looked up into the indigo sky.
Just then he felt his heart pulse with a familiar sensation. His body shot up from the sands. He gripped his chest as he winced with the unpleasant feeling in his body. Although darkness was an element his body was already accustomed to, feeling her darkness now made him uncomfortable. It was something he couldn't ignore and when he felt it, he knew that something was wrong. He didn't like sensing her darkness when it was this strong and he wondered to himself what could have possibly gone wrong now. It seemed that whenever things seemed to go well between them, something else happened to make her feel this way. He slipped on his gloves and just as he was about to get up, another unpleasant and familiar sensation gripped his insides, causing him to pull out his chakram.
He stood up, spinning his chakram in his fingers, lighting the edges with flames. He didn't have to see his face to know who it was. His disgusting presence was enough to recognize miles away and he silently cursed himself for being distracted enough not to notice it in the first place.
"So we meet again traitor," a sadistic laugh escaped his lips as he brushed back a strand of silver hair behind his elvaan ears.
Axel's eye furrowed angrily as he let the name pass through his gritted teethe, "Saix…"
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As Tifa stepped into the Market Place, a familiar figure strolling about in thought caught her eye. For him to be out this early in the morning lost in his own mind was not an unusual hobby for him. He always occupied himself with all the planning for the city and eventually the rest of the land around it. It was good he had occupied himself. She heard how he had helplessly watched his world fall to darkness and took refuge in shame within Traverse Town. He even abandoned his name to hide the guilt he had felt. Now his name was his way of starting his new life and repaying his debts to the loss he had suffered.
He was very much like Cloud in that way. That was why she was drawn to him when she had first met him during her search for Cloud. It was that very thing that was drawing her to him now. Even though she couldn't understand Cloud at times, maybe someone who shared similar shoes might clear things up for her.
She forced on a weak smile and walked up to the man, resting his palms on a ledge, observing and absorbing his own surroundings. His long brown hair blew lightly to the breezes and his handsome scarred face expressed his deep meditation.
"Good morning Leon" Tifa walked up beside him, startling him from his daze.
Leon turned to her and nodded, "Morning" He looked back up at the brightening sky. Tifa watched his strange expressions, stirring the curiosity in her.
"What are you thinking about so early in the morning? More planning?" Tifa rested her elbows on the same ledge he was looking over.
Leon shook his head, "Not really" A flock of birds flew across them, casting their shadows against their faces. A falling white feather seemed to have caught Leon's eye and he lifted his hand out to catch it. It swayed gently into his hand and he stared at it momentarily before he clenched his fingers on the feather.
"Anything wrong?" Leon asked, seeing beyond her happy exterior.
Tifa was caught off guard and stuttered, "W-wrong? Nothing, just taking a morning stroll that's all"
Leon nodded again, "You take a morning stroll? I haven't seen you out this early for weeks"
Tifa was speechless. Ignoring his prying comment, she turned her attention to the feather in Leon's hand. Leon noticed her curiosity.
"Any reason why you're holding onto that feather?"
There was a hesitant pause before he answered, "No reason" He lifted his hand back up to release the feather. The wind picked it up from his palm and blew it away in front of them. Leon didn't take his gaze off of it. "You can't hold onto the past forever. Sometimes you have to look onto the future…"
Tifa tilted her head and stood silent. Was he pondering his past as well? She sighed, "Yeah but isn't the past a part of you? If there is no past then there is no future. Sometimes the past is the only thing that gives you a future"
Leon turned to face her; surprised that she had some philosophical words of her own. She smiled weakly again, also surprised at herself. She gave him another weak smile as she shrugged his shoulders and he returned her smile.
"That's true…the past makes you who you are and without it, there'd be no future," a strange expression passed over Leon's face. It almost looked sad. She hoped that she hadn't touched upon a memory inside him that he didn't want to remember; although she had a feeling he was already doing so. After a long moment of silence, she brought her hand to touch upon his wrist, leaning on the ledge. He looked up from his daze to face her, arching a brow in confusion. Just as her lips parted to say something, Leon snatched his arm from her grasp.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him as he took his gunblade from the floor. The blade glowed and pulsed as Leon's eyes looked ahead towards the middle of the Market Place. His fingers clenched the handle as he stood in offensive stance, watching the winged figure float ahead of them. Black feathers danced in the now heavy winds.
Tifa looked up to see what the commotion was about and her eyes widened. She watched as his long silver hair waved and his black wings opened to reveal the cool smirk on his face. She jumped back, also preparing to strike if necessary. This was something she didn't expect but as usual, luck was never on her side these days.
Leon cursed under his breath before he turned his head slightly towards Tifa behind him, "Where's Cloud? This is his fight. He'd want to be here"
Panic rose in her chest and her heartbeat shook rapidly once again. "I- I don't know," she whispered unintentionally in a weak tone of voice.
"What?" Leon called back at her.
She stammered, "I- I said I don't know! I don't know where Cloud is!" Her voice pitched up to a screech, once again unintentionally. Her nails dug into her palms. She knew that she was no match for Sephiroth although she could probably put up a good fight. As for Leon, she wasn't sure how he'd match up to him but either way, like he said, this was Cloud's fight. Why was Cloud's darkness here, of all places? Somehow the smile on his face made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. An eerie feeling passed through her. Somehow she knew that he had showed up here for a reason, not to see Cloud but because he wanted something with her. She tried not to give into the weakness in her knees and the churning in her empty stomach but she couldn't help the way she was feeling. She was helpless and caught off guard.
Cloud…I- I need you here right now.
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Axel caught his chakram in his hands before continuing to run. The kaleidoscope of colors swarmed around him and was slowly turning to darkness. After being between worlds for a certain period of time, the darkness consumes anyone in it. It makes it harder for anyone to find their way, much less escape.
Axel flung his spinning chakrams at the Dusks surrounding him, blocking his path. He hated the way their bodies seemed to twist and turn, floating around in the air at times like leaves being blown in the wind. It made it hard to aim at them and they were just irritating. He felt the beads of sweat trickling down the middle of his chest as he caught the chakram returning to him from the air. Saix took his time trailing behind him, it was that calm demeanor of his that disgusted him more than the Dusks did.
He wheezed and panted as he stood in the center of a swarm of dancing Dusks, staying cautious not to get attacked off guard. He really didn't want to but Tifa's darkness was leading him to her. Even though he didn't want Saix to know about her, he had to at least pass through there if only to catch a glimpse of her. As he drew closer along the path towards Radiant Garden another darkness worried him. It was a very heavy stench that he had sensed on his search for Cloud. It was Cloud's darkness, Sephiroth. Although he didn't care about Cloud and his inner struggle with his darkness, he would still willingly protect Tifa if Cloud's darkness tried to meddle with her. Something told him that this would not end pleasantly.
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"What do you want?" Leon yelled up to the dark angel flying in the air above them.
A sly smirk spread across Sephiroth's face as he pulled his long sword from his sheath. He pointed it downwards towards the brunette being shielded behind Leon. "I have no business with you. My business is with her, the light"
"What do you want with me?" Tifa demanded, hiding her own darkness as to conceal her current weakness to Sephiroth.
"I just wanted to thank you, for showing Cloud the way to darkness. Because you are lost in your own darkness, he cannot see the light. You have willingly given him to me and I've come to finish him off"
"Not if I have anything to do with it!" She rose her clenched fists in the air. "You leave Cloud alone! Even when the darkness tempts me, I will always protect him! I will always be his light!" She gasped at the end of her sentence. She had said it. Although he had taken her for granted and was the very reason for the darkness hidden within her depths, she still loved him. She was still willing to protect him and no matter what, she'd be his light.
"So be it. You will not last very long with the darkness in your heart. I shall end your life swiftly," his black wings flapped and Sephiroth lunged forward. His long sword was met with Leon's gun blade. Sephiroth pushed forward and Leon retaliated with his own strength, gritting his teeth as he used his strength to hold Sephiroth back.
"Interesting," Sephiroth shared an intense gaze with the stranger holding up enough strength to keep him away from Tifa.
"No one dies in my town," Leon spat at Sephiroth, never releasing his furious gaze or his glowing gunblade from his long sword.
Sephiroth searched Leon's eyes, as if picking for a weak point in this stranger. His lips tugged into another sadistic smile in satisfaction. It seemed that he had found the weakness he had searched for in Leon's eyes.
"What's wrong? Making up for past regrets? Who did you let die in the past?"
Leon's eyes widened at Sephiroth's comment. Just as he was caught off guard, Sephiroth swung his sword and knocked Leon to the side. Leon crashed into the brick wall beside them, his gunblade sliding away from his grasp. Sephiroth landed gracefully on his feet in front of Tifa, preparing to strike again. She rose her fists, ready for him.
Just then she heard footsteps running behind her. The familiar voice yelled out, "Tifa!"
She gasped, "Cloud!" She turned to look back and Sephiroth looked up at Cloud approaching them. Cloud's figure running toward them with his buster sword out was the last thing she remembered before she felt Sephiroth throw her aside and her body flew into the same brick wall Leon was leaning against. Her back crashed against it and she could hear the cracks in her joints. Her head bounced off of it and her body fell to the floor. She smelled the stench of her own blood and the moisture leaking from the back of her head. Her nails clawed the floor as she weakly tried to lift her heavy head.
The shapes around her were blurs and the sounds were being drowned out. She heard the men calling out her name. She knew one voice was Cloud and the other was Leon but there was another. There was another voice calling out to her from above. It sounded like…Axel. Those were the last sounds she heard before the world spun and her eyelids fell. Her body went limp and everything went black. Even though she had tried to stay conscious, her body fell into the darkness along with her mind.
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Wow so how did that turn out? I think I should do this more often with more than one situation happening at once. Hope it wasn't confusing.
