Janet, I know exactly what you mean! That's what I was saying when I played KH2 and they were explaining what the nobodies were and how they were just empty shells with no emotions. But if they're deprived of emotions their facial expressions should always be blank and they shouldn't really care about anything because well…they're supposed to be emotionless. Even Xemnas said it at the end of the game that they had no choice and they just wanted to belong and Sora was like you can't feel sorrow and Xemnas agreed. So if that's the case what did they care in the first place about belonging or restoring Kingdom Hearts etc. Also just like you said, Axel and Roxas' friendship made no sense because friendship shouldn't exist between beings with no hearts or emotions or cares. Although it was explained in the Ansem Reports why Namine and Roxas were special cases I believe that maybe some other organization members might've been special cases too like Axel and even Demyx or else it wouldn't make sense. Why would Demyx get angry at Sora when he said they didn't have hearts and Demyx was like we do too have hearts… that was never clarified why he said that. Anyway so yeah, I know exactly what you mean but I guess Axel may be special just like Roxas and Namine was.
As for ManaG and many other readers who suspect a sad tragic ending, don't worry, I'm undecided on an ending and I have thought of using alternate endings. You won't be disappointed at the end.
Since the different scenes were so successful in the last chap, I'm going to do it more often since it enables me to expand on the story and show scenes happening at once.
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Chapter 8
White bulbs speckled and glistened across the dark sky. Cool breezes whispered over the roofs of Nibelheim. It was deserted at this time except for the few flocks of birds whose shadows danced across the gray stones on the floor. Everyone was asleep, oblivious to the small presence sitting on top of the well in the center of town.
The fourteen year old leaned back against the rough wooden wall of the well, counting the stars to keep herself occupied. Her thin legs swung beneath her as she waited. Finally after some time she heard a familiar set of footsteps approaching her and climbing up the well. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. After all it was she who had invited him out in this time of night.
After a moment of silence, the blond boy began to speak, whether her attention was tuned into him or not, although it was. Her fingers clenched the wooden ledge she was sitting on, absorbing the words he was sharing with her. He was going to join SOLDIER. He wanted to become stronger and strive to be like his hero, Sephiroth. After all the time he had spent watching her, protecting her, now he was leaving. Her lips parted to say something but she could not. She could not say goodbye.
She sighed to herself, continuing to swing her legs. Their shy gazes avoided each other's as he awaited a response from his childhood friend. Finally she had decided, what was best to say to him.
Her finger curled around a stray lock of brown hair, placing it behind her ear. She took a deep breath, trying to work up the courage to say what was on her mind.
"Hey, why don't we make a promise? Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind... You come save me, all right?" Her fingers fumbled in front of her nervously.
"What?" Cloud looked up at the young brunette sitting on the well with him, a baffled expression on his face. He hadn't expected such a request. Especially after he had let her fall off the bridge when they were eight and she was in a coma for a week. He didn't feel like he had the strength to protect her. He wasn't enough. That was why he was leaving. He needed to become stronger, for himself and for her.
Tifa smiled, "Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to at least experience that once," she turned her face away to hide her flushing red cheeks.
"What?" Her words were still not registering. He was still hesitant to answer after he felt he had let her down already.
"Come on! Promise me!" she pleaded, urging him to promise. She wouldn't accept that he was leaving. She needed to know that he'd come back someday. She needed something to hold onto while he was gone.
After a moment of thought, Cloud nodded, "All right... I promise." Although he felt weak, although he felt he wasn't worthy at that moment, he promised himself that he would always protect her with whatever strength he had in him. He'd always be there to keep her from harm and this time, he wouldn't fail.
Tifa's head tilted as she glanced over her shoulder to look at the boy nearby her. A satisfied smile spread across her innocent face. Cloud turned slowly to face her, meeting her gaze and her smile. He smiled weakly in return before spinning back around to stare at the ground beneath them.
His ears perked up as he listened to the creaking sounds of wood from the brunette climbing closer to him. His body was tense and his cheeks were hot but he stood still. Even when he felt the weight of her head on his shoulder and her long hair tickle his neck, he stood lifeless and mute. Tifa nuzzled her head on his shoulder, shyly hiding her face as well. Her eyelids fell as she inhaled the fresh air around them.
Make sure you come back Cloud. It's a promise…
She told herself to enjoy the moment, because tomorrow he'd be gone. Despite her efforts of looking through the newspapers and thinking of him constantly, it would be years before she'd see him again. It would be years before he came back to rescue her in the Mako Reactor when Sephiroth rampaged through their hometown. It was a surprise as well as a relief during such a traumatic time. Even though his mind had been meddled with, after all those years he remembered. He remembered their promise.
The heat of the flames surrounding them burned against her tear-streaked face. Her limp body was cradled within strong familiar arms as she lifted her head to look at her rescuer. Her trembling fingers lifted weakly to reach his now masculine face.
"Cloud…you came. You really came when I was in a bind," her words breathed out from her weak lips and almost smiled before her head fell back and her world went black.
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Finally after what felt like forever, the clamor of young voices below the wood paneled floor had calmed down. It seemed that Cloud was finally able to put the children to sleep. It was difficult, especially since he hadn't spent much time with them before and now that they were all cured, you would see him walking down the halls with a child hanging on each of his limbs, begging for him to stay longer. Now that he was around more often, nothing would pry the children from latching onto him and making sure he didn't leave again without coming back quickly. She was glad for that.
I'm not alone anymore…
The thought made Tifa smile as she nuzzled her cheek against the soft cotton pillow beneath her head. She stared up at the pale moonlight flooding through the window panels. Her heartbeat quickened at the sound of heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs towards the bedroom. She tried to keep her body still as the door creaked open slowly.
The hallway light had clicked off and the bedroom door closed slowly as if he was trying not to wake her. Little did he know that she was wide-awake and waiting for him.
The rustling of the sheets in the bed next to hers and his heavy sighing signaled he was ready to fall asleep. It was time to make her move.
Just as the weight of his eyelids were about to carry him off to sleep, he felt a presence nearing him. His eyes shot back open to find the woman's body floating above his on his bed, her hands and legs straddling him. Her long hair draped beside their faces, making her expression unclear to him.
His brows furrowed as he whispered in a low husky voice, "Tifa, wha-"
Before he could say anymore, her finger rose to seal his lips. She timidly tilted her head at him as she always did. His blue eyes, outlined with layers of Mako, stared into hers, pondering her intentions. He had never seen her this bold when it came to the relationship between them, although the status of their relationship was never really clear.
"I'm glad that you finally feel at home. I…I've missed you," her eyes glistened with vulnerability. It was as if she was pleading for him to be close to her, to reassure her that he'd stay by her side again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her regretfully, knowing all too well that as usual it was his actions that caused him to be away from her so long along with everyone else.
Tifa rolled her eyes, "Zuru zuru zuru zuru…" she smiled lightly, "Can't you do anything without feeling regret?"
His expression softened. It was true. Even though he had reconciled with his own sins for Aerith's death and Midgar's destruction, feeling regrets was the way he was, ever since he was a child. It was a part of him that he couldn't get rid of even when he tried.
Before he could say anything else, she rushed in and pressed her lips firmly on his. He felt her body tense and shiver from being nervous, not knowing what his reaction would be. He lifted his hand to cup her shoulder and push her back gently.
As he opened his mouth to say something she rushed in and cut him off, "I'm sorry, it's just that…I'm tired of having regrets myself"
Her bangs hung over her eyes, concealing her emotion until he swept them aside with his fingers. She lifted her head to look at his solemn expression. Once again without letting him react she leaned in to kiss him again, this time he did not stop her. He held her hair away from their faces, deepening into a kiss that they had never shared before. They were always distant or shy even though they both had an idea what the other felt, it was never fully confirmed. Now she was pouring herself to him and hoping that after all the distance between them that he'd accept. He owed her that, he owed himself that. He owed them a chance at happiness.
Slowly their bodes shifted until Tifa felt her back on his mattress and now he was hovering over her. Slowly he broke away to share an intense glance with her as she unzipped her leather top slowly. His eyes widened a bit but he knew by her expression that she was sure of herself and nothing would stop her except for him.
"No regrets" Tifa whispered into the darkness. As the vague buzzing of the opening zipper came to an end, he brought his face to hers and whispered onto her lips.
He was finally trusting himself and trusting himself with her. It was time he let her in.
"No regrets…"
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"No regrets…" Cloud whispered to himself, knowing that she was on the bed, still unconscious. She couldn't hear him, therefore she wouldn't get angry at him for once again, dwelling in his regrets.
He stood up and opened the shutters so the moonlight could guide his eyes. He steadily made his way to her bedside, to observe her sleeping curves. Her chest rose and fell slowly as small breaths escaped her lips. His fingers lightly touched the bandages wrapped around her head. It was only a slight concussion and he knew she'd eventually wake up from it but either way, he still felt at fault. He should've went after her right away. Had he known Sephiroth was going to show up, he would've never let her run out of the Inn earlier.
Thankfully Tifa didn't sustain any more serious injuries since Leon got back up infuriated and attacked Sephiroth beside Cloud, causing Sephiroth to retreat for the time being. If it wasn't for that, who knows what could've taken place. Thanks to Leon's help, Cloud was able to tend to Tifa's bleeding head and carry her back to the Inn.
He sighed to himself before his hand left her head and he sat back in the chair by the window. He ran his fingers through his blond hair, his brows furrowing with determination, "I promised I'd always protect you and I will. From now on I will make sure of that. I will even protect you from that Nobody, wherever he may be. I will not let you fall into harm's way again…"
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A tall slim figure, cloaked in black, sat on the rooftop adjacent to the Inn. His hand clawed the material on his chest where his heart would've been if he had one. Her darkness was gone. He was at least thankful for that.
After fleeing through Radiant Garden just to see Tifa get tossed aside so violently, he felt the adrenaline in his body enrage. He only had time to call out to her before unwillingly disappearing into the realm of darkness to escape Cloud's eyes and Saix's suspicion. Once inside the realm he unleashed a powerful attack towards Saix, trying to escape his grasp so that he could tend to Tifa as fast as possible.
Saix only laughed at Axel's efforts and just as he was about to lose hope of ever getting him off his back, Luxord appeared behind Saix, alerting him of Xemnas' latest orders. It seemed that Sora was slowly finding his way to Kairi's whereabouts and was in Twilight Town, gathering clues about an alternate Twilight Town. Of course this was not pleasing news to Saix and the others. Sora finding a way to the World That Never Was would only bring him closer to their demise.
Axel was out of breath and exhausted from the running and the last powerful attack he had unleashed. Saix grinned, leaving him with unpleasant words of advice, "You won't last long Axel. Soon you'll fade away"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Axel demanded and it only seemed to make Luxord smile as well.
"I've seen the woman you have grown rather attached to. However you have latched yourself to a pointless existence. If you put your existence in her and she turns you away, you will fade. Without a purpose to strive and exist, we have no reason to exist. Therefore we won't exist at all"
"What are you saying?" Axel clung onto his chakrams, now brought to a lazy simmer.
"I'm saying that there's no need to destroy you now. You will destroy yourself. We exist because of the revival of Kingdom Hearts and Xemnas' will. We will not fade until that goal is fulfilled or the keyblade wielder destroys us. You on the other hand, seem to have fully put your existence into one of these foolish beings. If she does not believe you to exist, you will believe you don't exist and of course, vanish"
His lips curled into a sadistic laugh as both him and Luxord began to retreat through another realm exit. Axel spat at them, "You're full of it!"
"Shut up and enjoy the remainder of your sorry life. Consider it luck that you have escaped this round," Luxord dawned his last mocking words upon him before they completely disappeared, leaving Axel breathing heavily.
Now here he was, fully rested and now haunted by Saix's words. His pupils seemed to go ablaze at the sight of Cloud in Tifa's room over her bedside. Although this made him uncomfortable he could not object since he was caring for her after all and Tifa needed her rest. Even though he hated to admit it, he should at least be thankful that Cloud was there before Sephiroth could cause any more damage. It was Cloud who probably tended to her injuries and it was Cloud that her eyes would wake up to.
He cringed at the thought but he was helpless. Considering the circumstances, he could not take any rash actions right now.
His fist clenched and his teethe grinded against each other as he spoke aloud, "You'll see Saix, I will not fade! She believes in me and I know…I will not fade!"
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I liked this chapter. I think it's because I liked going back into the flashbacks and their thoughts as to what happened. Lots of conflicting thoughts here huh? Also the term "zuru zuru zuru zuru" is what Tifa says in Advent Children, the JP version, when Cloud seemed to go on and on in his regrets and in english they translated it to "Dilly dally shilly shally" (which I thought sounded so corny).
