Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, and Last Order belong to Square Enix. This disclaimer applies to all chapters.
Warnings: OOC, AU, attempts at humor, mature content.
Requiem
Prologue: Forgotten
The cliffs overlooking the ruins of Midgar played host to a small, private graveyard, the windswept tombstones covered with decaying leaves and surrounded by small splatterings of cropped grass and wild flowers. For the most part, the little sanctuary remained unknown and unvisited amidst the canopy of forests. No one remembered the names adorning the simple headstones dotting the clearing, and certainly no one recalled the achievements these characters had achieved nearly five centuries earlier, during the crisis named "Catastrophe".
The sound of leaves crunching on the ground echoed softly through the otherwise silent mountainside. A man, dressed in a black sleeveless wool turtleneck and some black loose cotton pants, quietly approached the little graveyard, as if the unmarked trail to this forgotten place was well ingrained in his mind. Golden curls, spiking without control on top of the man's head, gently swayed with the winds as he stood watching the tombstones. Gingerly picking his way through the field, he gently brushed away the dust and debris from each of the erected stones, reflecting as the names became visible.
His memories had been blurred by time, and the names barely stirred any emotions or remembrances as he mouthed them to himself. After all, he could only remember this 'Yuffie Kisaragi' as a brunette that he once had traveled with, perhaps even finding her mildly annoying at certain points. That 'Cid Highwind' and this 'Barret Wallace' seemed like people he might have once quarreled with, even if his mind chided him for forgetting their experiences of fighting together. He supposed he had forgotten the significance of the names 'Cait Sith' and 'Reeve Tuesti' quite early on, as did he forget the names of 'Marlene Wallace', 'Denzel', 'Reno', and other names that had been erased by nature faster than he could restore them. He remembered 'Tifa Lockhart' as an affectionate woman, someone he had treasured throughout his life while she had been alive. His heart always lurched with sadness when he read the names 'Aerith Gainsborough' and 'Zachary Fair', though he could never understand the reasons for the behavior. There was always a sense of nostalgia and bitterness, however, when he read the name 'Sephiroth'. He remembered pain and sorrow too, but the details remained rusted and blurred within the deepest regions of his mind.
The name he remembered the most was a 'Vincent Valentine', the man he had killed as the Chaos had broken free. The man who had shared his burdens and his memories, but who had ultimately found part of his salvation when that madman of a scientist had attempted to control the world through his research. He supposed he too had found some form of forgiveness many long years ago, but he continued to feel as if he is still too unworthy to pass on into the purity of the Lifestream.
Soft footfalls alerted him to the presence of another being, one whose gait—measured by the way those paws fell upon the earth—he remembered well even past these years. Standing up, he adjusted his soiled clothing leisurely before turning around to look at his companion, the elderly, red-furred lion named Nanaki. His eyes betrayed nothing, though his intense gaze suggested to the other that the creature explain itself as quickly as possible before he lost interest and fell back to his musings. The lion merely tossed its mane softly to shake off the perspiration gathered during its trek up the mountain and then sat down upon its rump to observe his human companion.
"Cloud," nodded the lion in greeting.
"Red," came the whispered acknowledgement. "It's not quite usual for you to come up here."
"I came to find you," murmured the lion softly, its voice mixed with a pleasant growl as it beckoned for the other to come sit by it. Cloud gently picked his way across the field once again before sitting down by the other, watching with amusement as the elderly creature laid his head with eagerness upon the man's lap. It was expected as always, and Cloud naturally fell into the pattern of stroking the lion's head. A soft smile graced his lips as the lion purred softly in contentment.
"The planet…has been crying again," murmured Nanaki even as its eyes threatened to close themselves in its state of lethargy.
"The weather says otherwise," returned Cloud as he paused briefly.
"I know, but you can feel how tense the air tastes, can you not?" questioned Nanaki.
"I suppose so."
Cloud knew the importance of their roles as the self-proclaimed "Guardians of the Planet", a term, he supposed, he had heard once on the lips of that girl, that 'Aerith Gainsborough'. He and Nanaki had gotten into a debate once about the term, when time had dulled their memories until they could not quite remember their battles or the causes for their struggles during the "Catastrophe".
/We shall be called the "Guardians of the Planet", Cloud, because I have the ability to hear and interpret the messages of the Planet, and you have the strength and the experience to help me carry out the errands of Mother Gaia./
They had concluded the discussion with that in mind, and centuries later, the title remained though the meaning became void through the decades of relative peace. He wondered briefly, as he examined the coarse grey hair dotting the lion's torso, how he had managed to maintain his youthful appearance through the years, like how 'Vincent Valentine' had before his death. There was something…something with that man Vincent had defeated all those years ago. Something with those three silver-haired brothers? Was it silver? Cloud furrowed his eyebrows as a throbbing started to make its notice between his eyes.
"Must you constantly live in the past, Cloud?" snorted Nanaki softly as it nuzzled at the man's stilled hand softly. Cloud sent the other an apologetic look as he left his musings.
"So much forgotten already," murmured Cloud in explanation.
"It is unwise, still, to constantly dwell on the past," replied Nanaki as his wise, old eyes glanced up at his companion.
"Hn." Cloud absently restarted stroking the top of the lion's head again. "So, do you at least know what the planet is trying to warn us of?"
"Not particularly. But I thought you should know anyways," purred Nanaki softly.
"Aren't you too old to be displaying such child-like tendencies?" chuckled Cloud as he listened to Nanaki contently purr at his ministrations. Nanaki merely huffed a little and glared up at his companion before immersing himself back in pleasure.
"Never too old for the little joys of life," groused Nanaki. "Having a few grandchildren will certainly tire you out. These moments are pleasant."
The wind's whistling filled the silence between the two warriors until night fell.
A shock of pain on his left arm woke him up, leaving him panting in a sweat-soaked bed. He sat up slowly, feeling disoriented and nauseous, and blinked away the green fog blurring his eyesight. The cold night air did nothing to soothe his overheated body or dull the stinging pain aching deep into his flesh and bones.
Another shock of pain—almost like he was being stabbed with a rusted knife—left him groaning in bed, making his body twitch and convulse until he was curled in on himself in a fetal position. He felt an odd wave of frigid coldness sweep through his bloodstream before the searing fire returned. He could not comprehend why such pain was flaring up now, of all times, especially since he had not felt these sensations for so many years that he'd nearly forgotten them.
In his haze of pain, he barely saw the emerald strings of light—like strands of mutilated hair—crawl steadily up from the floor of the bedroom towards the walls and the ceiling.
\My…My child…You must…Go back…Give me my rightful…place on this planet…like what he tried…before…\
The weak voice rasping inside of his head sounded vaguely familiar, and his mind hastily equipped him with a short memory of a metallic monstrosity, contained within a tank filled with that glowing green liquid that had not been seen for many centuries. He winced as the first tendril of green light touched his ankle and twisted to escape the tender caress. Something deep inside of his heart lurched and warned him to get away at all costs. Another sharp pain left him temporarily paralyzed. He clutched at his abdomen and bit his lower lip hard enough to bleed. With his eyes clinched shut, he never saw the strings of light grasp his ankle and gently creep up his leg to encompass his entire torso.
Before long, the lights covered his entire body. Opening his eyes, Cloud distinguished a face, etched within the emerald strings, and stilled in fear—the first time he had felt fear in a very long time—as the face descended. A soft kiss was graced on his forehead, and then darkness overcame his mind.
A/N: Reviews are welcome. I'm actually looking for a beta for the rest of the story. Drop me an e-mail, thanks.