Author's Note: Sorry if the story's a little slow, but between covering the mellowed out events and searching myself for interesting twists, I'm a little…sloth-ish I guess.

Author Note 1 ½: I know there was a request for Cloud to come in and do some butt whoopin', but if you'll be patient enough, he'll get his share. I swear it!

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own. Naturally.

Part 7

"Life…joy…pleasure and pain…In my eyes, it is the greatest gift anyone could receive, but yet, why is my life so…complicated lately? What kind of gift is it that puts the Gordian knot to shame? All of those twists, turns and loops and yet, no one knows when it will end. I guess the best place to start is the beginning of it all…"

-Selena Talos

Rain. The symbol of the beauties in pleasure and pain. Today for a certain goddess it was a day of mourning. She lay in her room quietly watching the heaven's tears fall and listening to Sigmund's soft lupine breaths as he slept in his wolf form. She swiped the back of her hand over her teary eyes and sniffled. It was her fault.

It was all her fault.

She was a plague out to harm the innocent and she was doing her job fairly well, whether she like it or not. Suddenly, she heard solemn footsteps outside her door and the gentle turn of the knob. She already knew who it was, but just couldn't bear to face him.

Sigmund's head picked up and Selena could hear the happy thumps of his beautiful bushy tail. Thus, confirming who was coming in.

"Selena, are you awake?" asked a man with shaggy sandy brown hair. Shibuki had finally returned.

She stayed quiet and decided to play opossum; however, Shibuki did not fall for it.

"Selena…I'm here now. You have nothing to be afraid of." He soothed as he gently seated himself on the bedside and reached out to pull back a small tress of her golden hair.

"I left her all alone…I left them both alone and they got hurt…Shibuki…why was I even born? All I can seem to do is hurt everyone around me, so why? Why am I even here?"



Shibuki felt like his heart was about to break at such a sight. He shook his head and turned to Sigmund.

"Sigmund, please step outside for a moment. I need to speak with her."

Sigmund tilted his head in a confused manner before lazily getting up and walking towards the door. He paused briefly and gave a reproachful look but Shibuki waved him on. With a sigh, he finally trudged out of the room.

Shibuki got up and closed the door and said softly "Selena, being born is no one's fault. If there is anyone who is at fault it is your father. His infidelity to Artemia had a price to it and you seem to be the one paying for it. Forgive me if I'm speaking ill of Helios, but I believe it is mere cowardice that keeps him from stopping Artemia."

Selena frowned and slowly shook her head.

"Shibuki…what if she's done something to him? What if he's currently incapacitated? You know Artemia as well as I do and we both know she'll stop at nothing to keep everyone out of her way. Even if it means putting my father into an eternal slumber, she'd do it."

"Yes I suppose you're right, my Lady…Yet if she did, why hasn't Sol taken arms against her?"

Selena sat up slowly and her frown turned into a dark smirk. She turned slightly so Shibuki could only see the corner of her eye. He had a feeling he was not going to like what was going to come out of her mouth.

"It's because he knows she has every right to punish her husband and any child born outside of their marriage."

"Well, what about Yumiko? She was locked up for nearly eighteen years before you helped her escape."

Selena's smirk faded and she lost herself in thought. It had been a long time since she had seen Yumiko, her older half sister. She shook her head.

"Shibuki, Artemia disowned her because Yumiko couldn't handle being in sunlight. Sol can't do anything for a child who's been disowned by their mother. As for my father, he couldn't take care of her because she would've burned up in his presence. Besides that, we both know Artemia has full control of the Celestial Court and she could easily sway them to her liking. We just can win against her…"



Shibuki swore under his breath and his hands tightened into fists. He knew within his very heart, as much as he loved Selena, he could do nothing for her either. He was a Summon as was Sigmund. He was forbidden from lashing out at a God or Goddess. So all they could hope to do is run from battle as much as he hated it. Then a thought occurred to him…

"Selena…You'll have to take up arms against her."

Selena whipped around and stare at him like he was crazy.

"Shibuki you can't be serious! She'd demolish me before I could even land my first blow! I've seen her fight before and let me tell you, give her a fan and your fate is sealed!" she exclaimed and shook her head wildly. Shibuki approached her, tilted her head up and gave her a quick smack across her face.

"Please forgive me my Lady, but it was for your own good! Listen to yourself! You are a goddess too, whether Artemia likes it or not! You wield a powerful strength Selena, something she'd never hope to have. Do I have to remind you of the things you possess?"

Selena rubbed her cheek and looked confused.

"What could I possibly have that Artemia doesn't? The woman has everything!"

Shibuki's eyes narrowed as he hoisted her off the bed and tugged her to the window. He pointed outside to a group of children playing in the rain.

"Long ago, you were spirited to the human world when you were just a little girl at the tender age of four. You knew you were a goddess, but yet you were unsure of yourself around other people. Artemia had you in a chokehold in your own home back in Detalia, but as soon as you stepped into the human world, your eyes shined with light. Now tell me, how do you feel seeing those children playing?"

Selena watched the group of boys and girls laughing and squealing as they danced and sang. As if praising the sky for its gift. Gift…Joy…

"I feel…I feel happy…"

"Tell me why you feel happy?"

"Because life is a terribly beautiful thing and…and it makes me happy that I can give life to the world…to the universe…"

Shibuki nodded and patted her head.



"That's right. You are the sole being who has authority to give life and absorb it when a creature's life is at an end. When my days are dwindling to the end, my only wish is for you to be the one to welcome me into your light. However, that dream cannot be accomplished if Artemia destroys you. You have no choice but to face her one day and destroy her."

Shibuki turned his head to see her expression: blank. Her green eyes were void of emotion, but filled with thought. She narrowed them and asked "Shibuki?"

"Yes?"

"How long have you and the others been watching over me?"

Shibuki chuckled and replied "Since the day Celestia brought you into this world and let me tell you, it was not easy trying to restrain Sigmund from bounding up to you and licking your face clean!"

Selena stifled a laugh and continued watching the children. Soon, one by one, they started to leave until there was only a boy and a girl left. Seeing the boy look rather sad that everyone was leaving, the girl placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. After a few choice words were exchanged, she took his hand and they ran off as twilight settled across the land. Something in Selena's mind stirred…

Anger and the urge to protect surged in the heart of a little girl as a group of older boys toward over another little boy. Before another beating ensued, she dashed forward and viciously slapped the leader of the brutal gang. Sprawled out on the mountain village soil, he stared up at the little girl completely astounded by her strength.

"Pick on someone your own size!" she hissed at him, doubling her fists menacingly. The two other boys looked from their dumbfounded leader to the pint sized femme fatal before deciding to make a run for it. The leader scrambled to his feet, being sure there was distance between them before shouting "We'll get for this, Talos!!" Like the others, he ran away too.

Young Selena turned to the boy and extended her hand to him to help him up. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked and the blond little boy blushed. He had such peculiar hair: it matched the tail end of a chocobo. Being absolutely fascinated by his hair, she reached out and petted him. His eyes widened and he briskly pulled away.

"What are you doing?" he asked, completely caught off guard by such a bold move. I mean, she practically kicked some major butt moments ago and now she was petting him like a dog!

The girl tilted her head and looked a little lost. She couldn't have been older than four.



"You don't like being petted? I would think it would feel nice compared to getting kicked and punched."

This caught the boy off guard again. The girl extended her hand out to him again and said sweetly "My name's Selena! Who are you?"

"I'm…"

Selena racked her brains. What was his name? What was the little boy's name?

"Damn it! What was his name?!" she growled and Shibuki looked taken back.

"Who?"

"That little boy…I don't remember his name…"

"You don't remember?...Hmmm…I know I could fill in the blanks, but it would be best if you remembered on your own." Shibuki sighed regretfully and Selena looked at him reproachfully.

"Please Shibuki? Pretty please?" she begged but the great Lion Summon shook his head.

"No, I'm not telling you his name. I will however, tell you that you two were very close as children. You two were practically inseparable! It took his mother and I just to make one or the other come home because neither of you wanted to leave the other's side!" he chuckled fondly before making his way from the window. Selena could barely hear his footsteps as he tracked over to her bedroom door.

"I hope I helped you feel better Selena. Just promise me you won't dwell too much on Faera's kidnapping."

"But Shibuki-"

"Selena, when Faera, Sigmund and I became Summons long ago, we were honor bound to protect the gods and goddess, even if it meant forfeiting our lives for the sake of their own. We regret nothing and do not fear death, for we died once. We're nothing more than living spirits." He concluded with a wry smile, opened the door and left the room.

Selena stared at the door blankly, then looked back outside. The sound of an engine going silent caught her attention and she opened the window to peer down as Cloud dismounted. She pulled back and made a wild dash downstairs.

She skipped the last step on the stairs and ran. Just as Cloud walked in, she threw her arms about him and nuzzled against his chest. Cloud's eyes widened and his cheeks went red as he 

looked down to see the goddess currently latched on to his waist. Unsure as to whether or not to pry her off, he just let her hug him to her heart's content.

"What's all this for?"

"Cloud, something bad has happened! Artemia and her henchmen came by and took Faera!" she cried as her distraught eyes met his. His eyes widened as he stared at the damaged wall with a body print in it and at the demolished cabinet. Blood had soaked into the floor boards and that only made the panic in his heart worse.

"Is Tifa and the kids alright?!" he panicked taking Selena by her shoulders and prying her off from him as gently as possible. Selena nodded and explained what had happened to the best of her knowledge. Cloud looked at her briefly before hustling up the stairs. As his boots faded away from sight, Selena felt something stir again…

"I'm Cloud." Replied the little boy and he shook her hand.

"Cloud…" Young Selena repeated softly to herself and blushed. "Let's be friends, 'kay?"

The boy looked dumbfounded, but shyly nodded. Selena smiled happily and tugged on him.

"C'mon! Let's go to my house for some of Faera's cookies!" she exclaimed and that's just what they did…

"Cloud…Cloud was my…" she murmured softly, the gentle glow of pink rising into her pale cheeks.

"Did you remember?"

Selena turned to look at Shibuki as he sidled up to her. She smiled and nodded. Shibuki chuckled and replied "Life is truly a terribly beautiful thing."

"Yes…That settles it."

Shibuki looked at Selena oddly and inquired "What? Did I miss something?"

Selena eyes were ablaze with confidence as she whipped around to face Shibuki. Her mouth twitched into a smile as she said "I…I will fight back!"

Sigmund's ears pricked and he slowly sat up, threw his head back to howl. Glasses shattered at the high pitched battle cry and Shibuki shot him a dirty look.

"Sigmund…"



"What?"

"Shut up."

Author Note #2: I know this chapter might be a bummer, but hey, I was feeling bummed out and a little dramatic, if you can call it that. Patience my charming readers, patiences.

P.S.: Thanks for all those who are devoted in seeing this story through. You have my eternal gratitude.