AUTHORS RAMBLING NOTES: Alright! Look what a good girl I am and how fast I updated this for all of you! Yay to me! Anyhow, this chapter (or the last part of it) is somewhat dedicated to Vampire Toy! And that doesn't mean I don't love all of you equally, but he made me the sweetest AMV inspired by Ashes and ghosts, and that was just too sweet! (yes, I lack synonyms) And to a Matchbox twenty song, non the less!
As usual, I appreciated all your lovely reviews! And welcome to devinedragon who somewhat review-bombed be yesterday:)Hope you'll stay with me! Oh well, ONWARD to the story!
The untrained eye wouldn't spot it. It was just a twitch, a small widening of the eyes and a effort to wet his lips as his mouth went dry. Other then that, there was no change in the carefully resembled façade of Cloud Strife. But he was chocked. Slowly he stepped of his bike, unto the sot-stained ground which used to be his front yard. Of cause people had hurried to his side to tell him the grave news and the good ones. Sarah was dead. Tifa was alright. That's about all the information he absorbed. Some in the small gathering of people talked about a heroic man who had saved the children, but he didn't listen. He just watched the scene and felt… nothing. Why? Sarah was dead. He tried the thought out. Nothing. Had he really become this insensitive? Was he so accustomed to grief that he no longer felt it?
Burned buildings… it did something to him. He didn't stand watching those blackened skeletons.
He walked back to his bike, consoling and assuring as many people he could with as few words as he could on the way.
"Tell Tifa I'll be home soon" he told a woman he knew was a friend of Tifa "I have one more thing to take care of"
"But…!" the woman tried, but Cloud had already started his engine and driven off in a cloud of sot, smoke and dust.
"Poor boy" an old woman said, shaking her head.
"Peculiar"
Kadaj stopped dead in his tacks. Loz almost bumped into him but managed to avoid it by almost falling backwards instead.
They had left their bikes on the foot of some mountain and climbed for almost four hours. Kadaj was unusually slow in his movements, and he wouldn't tell Loz where they were going and if it had something to do with finding Yazoo. Finally, they had reached a clearing with a remarkable view of the landscape below.
"What is?" He asked, trying to locate what Kadaj was looking at.
"Somehow it stronger up here" Kadaj said, placing one hand on his stomach "I didn't expect it to be so. It's peculiar. Usually it weakens the higher up you get, but here it's grown stronger"
"What has?" Loz was on the brink of crying, that's how frustrated he was with this.
"The feeling" Kadaj answered.
It was meant as an explanation, but Loz didn't feel non the wiser. But he stopped asking questions. He didn't understand the answers anyway. Yazoo and Kadaj were closer to each other then he was. He just had to rely on that that bound between them was strong enough to lead Kadaj to Yazoo, even in his somewhat odd state. His mind always seemed to drift now days. Either that or he was so focused it was scary. Those were the times when he could become dangerous, but right now Loz would be willing to risk it for some logic in this search.
Kadaj hand closed his eyes, turning his face towards the ever-clouded sun. A strong breeze whipped his hair around his face and he looked somewhat angelic where he stood. When the wind had passed, he opened his eyes and looked at Loz. A sparkle of energy in one of those intense eyes told Loz that maybe he had wished for more then he could handle.
"I know where to find him" Kadaj told his older brother "But things just might get a little complicated"
Yazoo felt a slight change in pace, like someone was pulling at his heart. Kadaj. They were coming. It was sooner then Yazoo had expected. He had hoped to regain some strength before having to face his brothers. At least enough to be able to walk or stand up straight for longer periods. The smoke combined with his usual condition had gotten to him more then he had at first been willing to admit. He was really tired. But he didn't want to sleep. Something in his innkeepers behaviour had tipped him of that not everything was right here. He hadn't been able to pinpoint what she felt though. And it consumed him. She looked at him like she knew him. Why?
"Hello!"
A small brown-haired head popped up behind the foot-side of the bead. Yazoo gave away a small "eep" and pushed backwards into the bed-frame. He hadn't noticed the girl coming in. He must be worse of then he had first thought!
"Did I scare you? Sorry!" The girl smiled and walked around the bed to where he was sitting "How are you feeling?"
"Um, better" Yazoo said, unsure of how to act. He wasn't used to children. In fact, he had probably never talked to a child before in his entire life.
"I'm glad!" The girl said, putting a tray down on the nightstand "I made you cookies!"
Yazoo was absolutely puzzled.
"Here!" she handed him one "Their raisin-oatmeal 'cause we didn't have any nuts. Hope you like raisin"
Raisin? What the hell was raisin? He carefully took the small cookie out of her hand, cautious not to touch her skin. He didn't like skin-contact with other people.
"Thank you" he said, expecting her to leave.
She did not. Instead she stood there, smiling, her glittering eyes fixed upon him. Yazoo looked back at her, not knowing what was expected by him.
"Well?" she said "Aren't you going to try it?"
"Yes, of cause" Yazoo mumbled. He took a bird-like bite of the cookie, carefully chewing it. It was sweet. Really sweet for something containing oatmeal. But it wasn't bad.
"Well?" the girl urged "Do you like it?"
"Yes, thank you. Their very good" Yazoo answered, hoping he was being polite enough.
"I made them all by my self!" she claimed "I didn't let anyone help me"
"You are very accomplished" Yazoo complimented.
The girl smiled and blushed.
Yazoo quietly finished his cookie.
"My name is Marlene" the girl said when Yazoo was done, her eyes still fixed upon him.
"Nice to meet you" Yazoo replied "I'm…"
"Yazoo, I know!" Marlene said jumping onto the bed, much to Yazoos horror. But she didn't come closer, she just sat down.
"It's a little funny, your name" she continued.
"It is?" Yazoo responded. How could a name be funny?
"Yeah, well, maybe not funny" Marlene corrected herself, not wanting to hurt his feelings "It's… different. I never heard about anyone named Yazoo before"
"Well, I never heard about anyone named Marlene before"
"Really? It's not all that unusual"
"I never heard it"
"That's weird"
Yazoo left at that. Marlene switched her position, pulling her legs underneath her.
"Your hair is really long" she pointed out.
"So is yours" Yazoo replied.
"Not as long as yours" she said "Besides you're a boy. And I have never seen such long hair on a boy before"
"Well, I like it long" Yazoo said, letting one hand run trough a lash of sliver hair.
"I like it too" Marlene said quietly.
Yazoo suddenly became aware that she was studying him. He didn't much care for it, naked as he felt without his jacket and shirt. He crossed both his arms over his chest, averting his eyes from hers.
"Oh, are you cold?" Marlene asked "I guess Tifa forgot to bring you clothes. I'm sorry! She's just been really busy with everything happening and all. I'll go get you a sweater!"
Then she quickly hurried out into the hall and down the stairs. Much to his own surprise, Yazoo found himself smiling.
AUTHOR NEVER SHUTS THE HELL UP: There you have it! Hope you liked it vampire toy! Sorry about the short cloud part. He'll show up a little later. And yes he's being a bastard in this chapter for not going straight to Tifa but as always, he has his reasons. Anyhow, does anyone care what Loz and Kadaj are up to or should I just leave them out of it until they actually matter for the story? Tell me your divine thoughts! As always, thanks for redaing!
Music for this chapter; Matchbox 20 "Disease", "Unwell", "All I need", Colin Hay "Overkill", Guided by voices "Hold on hope"