Author's Note: THIS CHAPTER CONATINS SPOILERS FROM FF7 IF YOU HAVE NOT PASSED DISC 2 YOU WILL BE LOST!!!! ...kinda... This involves the Jenova Reunion.
Chapter 13 - Seeking The Truth
Time... we are always against it. You have to realize that time itself is what we created and what does not really exist... Keeper Deyxem...
Pain... Alyssa's body was aching and it started to become unbearable. It felt as though someone stabbed her with a batch of daggers. This was now telling her it was over, the surgery, everything. What happened is what was lingering inside her head.
A dream of Cloud then made her realize something. The memory, the memory she saw with Cloud, or the illusion of Cloud being with her had her remember what she been through, but only part. Throughout the whole dream, it made it seem like he was really with her. A question still lingered if he WAS really with her. His presence seemed so real.
Alyssa's eyes slowly opened. They felt cold and achy as well. She felt herself form back into reality once more. It grew hard to breathe at first, but she took a deep breath to catch her breath before gasping. Her heartbeat was relaxed and normal, or what she could tell what normal at the moment.
Realizing her surroundings and slowly sitting up, Alyssa knew that she made it through surgery and was really back into reality. No more hellish nightmares her mind was bringing back. Her eyes focused, trying to see more. Wanting to become more conscious.
"Welcome back, I see that you've awakened." A warm voice says.
Alyssa turns her head to her right, seeing Cloud. She couldn't seem to say anything back, she just stared, then looked down at her hands. Cloud gave a sigh and nods. It was just one of those moments where no one could really say anything, an intense moment.
"I'm glad you pulled through. I was wondering, debating." Cloud was trying to strike up a conversation, breaking the ice.
Feeling shivers down her spine, Alyssa shook, her teeth chattered. Cloud noticed, giving her a hug, comforting her. He noticed that she had been sweating, but only a sign was on her forehead and in her hair. Alyssa realized what he was doing and relaxed her head on his chest, nesting in warmth. Cloud held her close, one arm wrapped around her body and one hand holding her head against his chest.
Alyssa was now paying attention to his heart beating... She could tell that he was distressed a moment before. "Cloud, thank you."
Cloud had let the moment last before he let go, bringing her face into view. "I have a question... there's been something that's been bothering me for a while."
"You mean our connection?"
Cloud's eyes grew surprised. "So it's... the dreams aren't illusions?"
"I can't really explain, but ever since I was born, I had a way of connecting with certain people. At least that's what I think Shinra told me. They say that my father, my real father, had a mysterious way of connecting with certain people that can change history. For the reason, I do not know, for it remains a mystery for me as well."
"How did you figure this out?"
"While I was out, memories, not just ours, flashed in my head. Anyway-"
"So your ancestors have been searching for the longest time as well? Then how did you make the connection with me?" Cloud was feeling himself running in circles now.
"I do not know, it just happened after Jenova cells were injected into my body, I don't know when, I can't remember."
Cloud was wanting more information at this time. "A while back, you said you saved me, can you tell me how?"
Alyssa gave me some thought before speaking up, "What I remember is an area, collapsing around me. Water rushing up, filling up in the place. I saw you, unable to move. I had also seen your companions run out, as if they HAD to leave you behind, seeing no other choice." Alyssa gave a second, closing her eyes. "Many feelings surrounded me: Rage, fear, confusion. I ran after you, quickly diving into the water. Surprisingly, it was warm. It glowed a pale green, but never once did it grow cold."
"Lifestream." Cloud whispers.
"I don't know, but the next thing I saw, was you, sinking slowly into the water. I swam as fast as I could, clutching onto one of your arms and continued swimming. The current we were in then sucked in took forever before we could get air, so we had to go according to where ever it was heading." Alyssa gave a breath. "It grew cold within seconds, the water was then freezing soon after. I saw that the surface was near, so I brought us both up for air. You were unconscious for a long time, but I didn't know how long it was."
Cloud was growing interested and stuck into what she was explaining, "What else happened?'
"The last thing I remember is seeing a beach, getting you over there and feeling exhausted. I then felt my body drift off to sea, looking at you one last time before I woke up."
"A while back, during the journey to defeat Sephiroth, I was tricked to go to the Jenova Reunion. I handed him the Black Materia, not being able to believe who I was anymore. The carven collapsed soon after. The others had no choice but to leave me behind since I was 'unreachable.' The next thing I know, I end up at Mideel, in a wheelchair, with an advanced case of Mako Poisoning. After Tifa went through my Lifestream, putting my real memories back in order, I remembered everything, but something still wasn't right... A memory that seemed like a dream, an illusion. I started doubting it after I heard them say 'You must have had someone watching over you.' Now this..." Cloud gave her a look right into her eyes, indicating he was telling the truth. "Your dream, is 'our memory, something we both went through... but I still want to know-"
"What? A way of how I got to you subconsciously so that you could take place the way you should have?"
"Balance, you helped me regain a balance that would have been lost." Cloud said without thinking. "... I get it now... We have to see Garrett about this. He was the one that told me what you did. He really wanted us both to remember... We need to tell him everything."
Alyssa gave a questionable look. "Garrett, why him?"
Cloud raised an eye brow, then nods, "I forgot to tell you. Garrett uses the Shadow Claw name to keep secret about his group, the Keeper Council."
"I heard you discussing that, I think I was half dead at the time though." Alyssa admits.
"Oh yeah, that's right." Cloud laughs.
Cloud's cell rang and he answered since nothing exciting or concerning was coming up at the moment. "Strife Delivery Service." He answers... a moment passes... "All right-" He says, "-see you soon Tifa." Cloud hangs up his phone, putting it away with one hand. Alyssa was watching him all the time, he could tell when he looked back at her.
Alyssa was the deciding on something else as she pulled the covers off her body. Cloud still watched, but didn't know exactly what to say. Slowly and weakly, Alyssa put her feet on the ground, wanting to get to her feet again. Cloud continued to keep a close eye on her, ready to take action if something were to really happen. Her steps were only to a result of stumbling upon each other, which made it difficult to keep balance even for a moment. Her legs were trying to adjust after being unconscious, but her mind was feeling dizzy. Cloud reached out to her, but she looked at him as if she wanted to do this without any help.
"Just let me try." Alyssa assures. "I would just like to at least try."
Within a couple of steps, Alyssa almost lost balance once more, Cloud reacted by instinct, reaching out to her. "Alyssa." His voice whispers calmly.
"I want to be on my feet Cloud, just let me-"
There was a knock at the door a second after. "Cloud, we're here." It was Tifa's voice.
Avidan, Tifa, even Vincent and Nornaz walked into the room. They soon concentrated on the scene on which Alyssa and Cloud were now getting themselves into. Cloud had Alyssa sit back on the bed so that there would be no more pressure on the condition she was in. He then nods his head in approval as they all formed a type of circle. They then started discussing what was going on.
"Cloud, I see you got some form of rest." Avidan starts.
"Enough, we have to get to the point." Nornaz snaps.
"Go ahead." Cloud agrees.
"Sephiroth may be heading to Midgar soon. He's planning on capturing Alyssa with force, even if he has to kill us." Nornaz cuts to the chase.
Cloud looks around, back at Alyssa then turns to Nornaz, he didn't seem to give any thought for this one. "Then we fight. We can stop him like we did before."
"We'll need a plan." Tifa says. "We're going to need everyone's help."
Vincent was now joining Alyssa, leaning up against the nearest wall. "Who all agreed?" He asks.
"We need to see who knows what's going on first of all." Avidan answers.
"That won't be necessary." Nornaz explains. "Garrett and Deyxem are all ready asked. I got orders to see Vincent, that's when I also saw Avidan and Tifa. So I told them what was happening. But all of your companions agreed to join in on the fight... Cait Sith, Cid, Red XIII and even Yuffie. I still need to know of-"
"I'm in." Cloud answers.
"Same here." Tifa agrees.
"Might as well." Vincent says with a mumbled tone.
"It's good to know. I'm in as well to assist." Nornaz remarks.
Everyone turned their attention towards Avidan. He shook his head. "I need to get Alyssa somewhere safe."
"You do just that." Cloud agrees, thinking of his words. "We can't get her involved than she already is."
"We should move out then, we need to move out as quickly as we can." Avidan replies.
Cloud felt his heart sink. It was probably going to be his last time he would see Alyssa for a while. Everyone noticed the worry in his eyes. They seemed to know what was on his mind. Alyssa sat there, unable to make a suggestion or say anything. She just said nothing, keeping in deep thought. Cloud walks up next to her, only knowing what could be on her mind.
Nornaz breaks the tense moment. "Garrett has agreed to help. All of us Shadow Claws are going to assist you all that we can."
"Good, when can everyone meet?" Cloud asks.
"My estimate would be within the next hour. By this time we can meet at Seventh Heaven." Nornaz says aloud, in the process of thinking.
"Alyssa should get out of here then." Vincent speaks.
Avidan walks up to Alyssa, while slipping a piece of paper to Cloud. It was his cell phone number. Cloud entered it as soon as he realized what it was. He then looks at Alyssa again, seeing the dissolution in her face. Cloud recognized sadness, fear... a fear that was already saying 'What if something happens to you?' He reached out, giving her a hug. Everyone then saw her trying to be strong.
Alyssa was instantly crying for a second, but sucked up her tears, and hugged Cloud in return. "So much has been going on for you." Cloud whispers so that no one would hear except her. He held her close and tightly, feeling concern, "I can only do very little to support But, you know no matter what happens, I will always be with you."
Avidan gave a moment before he broke the silence. "All right, let's get you out of here Alyssa."
Alyssa whipped was remaining tears she had as she released Cloud from her grasp. Cloud and Avidan both helped her to get to her feet. Avidan then took over, helping her walk, but slowly. They both walked out the door, giving everyone one final type of encouragement before they left.
Cloud on the other hand rejoined to circle. Vincent did the same, but still acted like an 'outcast'. The silent tension returned, no one said anything to each other. All of them felt a sadness and/or guilt. But what had to be done had to be done.
"We need to meet up with everyone at Seventh Heaven, we'll plan then, but it doesn't mean we can start now." Nornaz says.
Everyone was now leaving the room, traveling to Seventh Heaven as a group. Before Cloud left, he turned back, walking over to the table. His hand once again reached for the unfinished drawing that Alyssa started. Cloud folds up the picture, stuffing it in his back pocket. He took a deep breath, only wanting time itself to stop right now. But Cloud knew he couldn't do anything, all he could do was stop Sephiroth. With a thought of the future, Cloud caught up with the others, heading to Seventh Heaven.
Alyssa was feeling a bitter loneliness, a sadness that lurked in her heart. The only person she had left was a person that was risking to sacrifice. Cloud was still the only person she could trust, on one else. Avidan just seemed a little skeptic, strange and untrustworthy in Alyssa eyes. The pit feeling wasn't going away. Something told her that something bad was going to happen, and very soon.
Alyssa was overlooking Midgar one last time before leaving. Avidan was speechless, he only kept his attention around them. He was keeping alert, acting a little suspicious, not just skeptic. They walked through the wasteland carefully, looking in all directions. Alyssa was only feeling her own feet drag behind. Avidan looked back at Alyssa, understanding why she dragged her feet, she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Cloud, but she continued as if to remind herself what Cloud had to get done.
Avidan was realizing that he never became the godfather he was meant to be. Only did Cloud visit her and become friends with her dad while he ran away from a life he thought was gone. But here he was, with Alyssa, and not forming that trust... that trust now was with Cloud. Nothing could change that. He could see that in Alyssa's eyes. Avidan felt guilt, unable to do anything to change Alyssa's prospective.
Avidan felt riled up, continuing to question his actions and his guilt. "Alyssa, I'm sorry I was never there for you. I can understand why you trust Cloud more than I."
"Avidan, it was never your fault." Alyssa says in an understanding, sweet voice. "Besides, we have time to talk about what happened once you get me somewhere safe."
She showed courage saying that, Avidan could tell. She wasn't the type to hold grudges. There was a type of forgiveness that he saw. " Right, let's just get you back to Kalm."
Alyssa flinched to what he said. "Kalm?" Her voice questions. "I haven't been there since my 'adoptive' father committed suicide."
"We all have to confront a problem sooner or later, Alyssa. You have to go back and find the truth. I too wish the details of what happened that day." Avidan says.
Alyssa felt as though something punched her in the stomach and knocked the wind out of her. Her expression still stayed the same. "You're right you know." Her voice whispers, sounding hurt. "I really want to know what happened that day as well."
Avidan offered his left hand, reaching out to her. "Let's go then."
Alyssa hesitated, but took his hand and nodded. He gave a nod and smile back. They continued on their journey through the lifeless, dead wasteland. Alyssa was more focused on Cloud, so was Avidan. With that thought, something caught them off guard. Gunshots filled the air and the next thing happened in slow motion, Avidan was now on the ground, wounded. In Alyssa's frightened eyes, it would be the every first time she would be face to face with a possible death.
Looking around while holding Avidan, Alyssa spots a silver headed man with some companions. There was a smirk on his face as he lowered his gun. Alyssa saw that there was a total of four silver headed men. Two with swords, two with guns, one of the gunmen had a rifle, it was the one that shot Avidan.
Alyssa felt terrified, not knowing if Avidan was still alive, but he protected Alyssa from dying herself. She rolled him on his back, seeing that he was in pain, slipping away and there was signs that he WAS slipping away... She couldn't say anything. Would he still be alive?
Alyssa touched his face. The skin was warm, there was just color draining from his face. For every second that was now passing, it turned into minutes.
Alyssa reacted differently, now seeing someone possibly dead, right in front of her. Rage, anger, hate, all these feelings racked up inside. Her eyes focused on the shotgun that was in Avidan's coat. She pulls it out, noticing right then, it was loaded. Her finger pulled the trigger as she aimed for the one that shot Avidan. Everything was still happening so slow, to the point where Alyssa heard her own heartbeat. It then speed up, the reality of it happened in seconds. The bullet nailed the silver right on his right knee. He fell instantly.
The three companions charged after Alyssa, not bothering on attacking, but to find a way to capture her. Alyssa wasn't going to give up, she shot another bullet. The bullet turned unto magic, doing Ice 2 on the two swordsmen, two birds with one stone. As she back up, Alyssa didn't have time to grab bullets and reload. She continued searching her equipment, knowing that she didn't have her sword.
So searching with one hand, Alyssa's mind screamed something. Garrett's Dagger and Materia he gave me!
Alyssa reached into her jeans, pulling out Garrett's Dagger. She then threw it at the closest silver head who was the other gunman. The dagger sank right into his skin, making him fall back.
The two swordsmen stop right in front of Alyssa, ready to move when she was. One gave an expression. "Very impressive, in all my years of serving Lord Sephiroth, I would never think that you'd be this skilled."
Alyssa, feeling disgraced, glared. "You'll pay for what you've done!" Her voice was screaming on the top of her lungs.
Alyssa did Ice 3 on both of them, to have them stop. She tried her best to dodge their attacks, only realizing that they were faster than she. It made it more difficult when they attempted to attack her with their swords. Alyssa was hit a couple of times, but pain didn't seem to matter to her. She dodged their attack before her balance was lost. Her feet kicked them out of the way, then she shoved the back end of Avidan's shotgun right into one of their faces. He grunted in pain, now covering his face as his nose was dripping with blood, it was obvious that it might have been broken.
Alyssa had spit seconds to block the other swordsman attacked. She moved the shotgun side to side until she was able to attack with the gun itself. With a couple of steps, Alyssa backed up, tripping and finally falling to the ground. The swordsman was growing frustrated by this time. He stuck Alyssa to the ground, pinning her through right arm with his sword. Alyssa didn't get a chance to think, she kicked him out of the way, pulling the sword out with a shriek of pain. With a final attack, she did Ice 3 once more and fell back. She felt exhausted and confused.
Struggling to her feet, she took her little but of remaining strength to get over to Avidan. "Avidan, Avidan!" Her voice called, begging to have him respond.
There was nothing, Alyssa couldn't tell if he was alright. She checked his breathing, realizing that he was unconscious, breathing very shallow. Alyssa had to do something, so she stuck the shotgun in her jeans and picked Avidan up, trying her best to carry him. The wounds that he received would get infected, she knew that much. All Alyssa really knew is that Avidan's life was in her hands. Continuing to Kalm, seeing that it was nearby, she dragged on. It was the only thing she could do... The sky began to turn dark, indicating that rain was coming, and soon. That was telling her there was very little time left.
If someone up there has mercy on me, please, send me someone that can find me, protect me and give me a new change for life. Give me a chance, a bodyguard, somebody that can help me in this life. I want a chance to have a normal life... PLEASE... Just give me a chance. I don't want to go through this anymore.