Eva ran out of what was left of Ancient City. She didn't look back, she knew that they would be behind her….the tall man that wanted to destroy her, and the smaller one that meekly followed him. Of the two, it was him that scared her the most, for he could see though her magic, he could betray her presence. She knew she would have to find a way to destroy him first, before she could even hope of thinking of destroying the other.
She was going to have to split them up. But how? Her mind worked as fast as her feet ran. The blonde boy had to have some weakness she could exploit, some vulnerable part that she could work on. She thought back to earlier, when she had done the mind-probe on the unconscious silver haired man, and remembered the thoughts that had been revealed to her.
"Tifa! Are you alright?"…….."Let's do what we have to, to bring the bastard back!"
A plan began to form in her mind, and a slow lazy smile began to form on her lips. In what might have been seen as a foolish move, Eva doubled back, and headed once again for Ancient City, knowing that what she sought was still within its shattered remains.
Red XIII walked sombrely alone amongst what was once a place of great beauty. Although his eyes took in the damage and devastation, his mind refused to accept the loss of such a beautiful place. Already he was naively thinking of ways to resurrect the fallen city, even though he knew deep within him that it would never be. But he struggled hard to bury the negative feeling, refusing to accept that Ancient City had been lost to them forever.
The sound of quick running footsteps attracted his attention, and he turned his head inquiringly to see who it was rushing at such a pace. The running feet abruptly ceased. Puzzlement crossed Red XIII's face. He could see nobody there, yet his sensitive hearing easily picked up the sound of someone trying very hard not to breathe heavily, of someone trying to control the wild beating of their heart.
The fur on the back of his neck rose, and without even being aware of doing so he snarled, the low warning soft and dangerous. He bared his fangs, and took a defensive stance. His nostrils twitched, sniffing at the air, trying to distinguish between the scents he inhaled, trying to differentiate between the knowing scents of his friends and the one that pricked at his memory, a scent that he had smelt recently. How recently? He breathed in deeper, raising his snout up to the air……and then slow realization crept in, and he felt afraid.
"Show yourself to me," he growled lowly, every hair on his body bristling.
Eva chuckled to herself as she continued onwards, towards her goal. The beast had presented no problem to her. Although, she had to be fair to say, he had tried. But he lay still now, blood seeping from his ears and clotting in the fur around his face and shoulders. He had fallen. It was no surprise, not after the magic assault she had fired at him. Eva had been quite impressed at how hard he had fought to resist her, how much he had struggled against the pain tearing in his mind that she mercilessly attacked him with. It had taken much more than she thought to take him down, and his strength surprised her. But he was never a match for her, he hadn't even gotten close enough to her for his sharp claws to touch her. Without a second thought for him she hurried on.
As she approached the centre of Ancient City, Eva became aware of the murmur of voices. Words were being spoken softly, reservedly…as if the people uttering them were afraid to raise their volume, afraid of maybe disturbing the slumbering of others. But there were no others. There was just the three of them there, clearing up and moving the mess that Eva had left behind in her wake. Her father she instantly recognised, his long dark hair, his tattered red robe. The other male was entirely different. Big muscled, dark skinned and with cropped hair. Eva was curious to note though, that he did share one similarity with her father. One of his arms was different to the other. But, unlike the abnormal clawed hand of her father, this strange man had a different sort of metal attachment at the end of his arm. Eva didn't know what it was for, but she did know to be wary of it.
Her violet eyes lingered on the third person. The young woman was slim and voluptuous, her long dark hair pulled back off her face showing a fresh rosy complexion with a hint of sweat glistening on her brow. The clothing she wore clung to her figure, and Eva looked down at her own body, comparing her naked form to the girls. She noted that the others breasts were larger, her lips fuller and redder and that her hair shone with more one than one colour in it….light brown's, dark brown's and gold. So, this was the person that the boy, Cloud, cared so much for.
Eva darted her gaze back towards the two men. She still had work to do before attaining her target. She quickly en-cloaked herself within her invisibility spell, knowing that they wouldn't be able to see her as she approached. But the broken shell crunching beneath her bare feet was another matter. They would be able to hear her. She had to think of another tactic.
"Why the hell are we trying to clear up this mess anyway?" Barrett complained, sneezing again for the umpteenth time, as the disturbed dust flew up his enlarged nostrils.
"Can you think of anything better we could be doing?" Vincent bit back.
"Hell yes!" Barrett retorted. "We could..."
"Stop it!" Tifas voice bordered on desperation. It was bad enough having to cope with the loss of the city, without having to break up squabbles between themselves. "Just….Just give it a rest, will you?" she sighed, dejectedly. With a tired hand, she pushed the stray strands of her dark hair back away from her hot brow, tucking it back behind one ear. She surveyed the damage around her. Barrett was right. It was useless, there was nothing anyone could do. The city was destroyed. All that remained were broken structures and a few little dwellings that would not stand long….and lots and lots of debris. Ancient City was gone. And yet, Tifa still felt that she had to try and restore it…..for Cloud. A tear fell. Vincent saw it, saw too the tired look on her face.
"Time for a rest, I think," he said gently, touching her elbow. She let him lead her towards one of the safer buildings that still stood, grateful for his steadying arm as the tears flowed freely now, blinding her. She felt so angry at herself for allowing them to fall, for surrendering to weakness. But she felt so helpless…..so tiny.
Rubbing a hand against the small of his back, Barrett winced and made to follow them, but a movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him. A smile lit his face up, as his eyes alighted upon a small creature which was rummaging and scavenging beneath the debris. As if it sensed Barretts eyes upon it, the creature stopped and sat up, its front paws held up in front of it. Its large dark eyes were wide and intelligent. Its tiny nose and whiskers twitched and a long bushy tail wrapped itself protectively around its furry body.
Barrett took a step backwards, not wishing to frighten the little animal, watching fascinated as it began its search amongst the debris again, scurrying and digging in amongst the dirt and rubble. It darted close to a wall, a wall that Barrett knew was in danger of toppling at any moment.
"Hey! Hey! Get away from there," Barrett shooed. The creature lifted its head up and turned, then hurried closer to the crumbling wall. Without thinking, Barrett hastened forward. The creature scampered quickly behind the wall and disappeared.
"Where are you? Come here, you stupid little……." Barrett called, in a coaxing voice. Behind the wall, Eva returned to her human form, and, holding her hands out in front of her, issued a bolt of magic out from her finger tips that sent the weakened structure crashing down on the unsuspecting man behind it. He didn't even have time to cry out.
Eva waited just long enough to make sure that he was not going to get up. She stared down at him, or what she could see of him. He was covered almost completely. She didn't know if he were dead or alive, and she didn't care either way.
With a grunt of satisfaction, she turned away……and walked into a solid red wall that stood behind her. Damn, she hadn't heard her fathers approach. He stared down at her, his red eyes angry and accusing. She tipped her head up and met his challenge, her own violet eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement. A smile played about her lips.
"What have you done, Eva?" Vincent asked, his voice no more than a whisper. Her smile spread wider.
"Why….Nothing Father," she replied, innocently. "I've done nothing."
Vincent's lips bit together. His clawed hand clenched into a fist, while his other hand grabbed at the girl's exposed neck, his fingers tightening until they hurt. And still she smiled at him. "My friends, Eva…..What have you done to my friends?" he asked, his eyes searching hers, trying to delve into her soul.
Eva's pale little hands raised up the one that was still pressed around her throat. And, with a power belied by her small stature, she forcefully removed it, taking pleasure in the small gasp of pain and disbelief that Vincent involuntary let slip as she bent and twisted his fingers, almost to breaking point. Without a second though, Vincent made to attack her with his clawed hand, but Eva was prepared, and the mind bolt that she cast stopped him in his tracks, paralyzing both his body and his mind.
"Your friends, Father?" she hissed at him. "Your FRIENDS? You're worried what I have done to THEM? And what of the harm they mean to do to me? Do you care more for them than you do for your own daughter? Is that it, Father? Don't you love me anymore?" Her voice was sneering, mocking. Unable to move, or even speak, Vincent let his eyes do his talking for him. Eva registered the contempt and loathing in his gaze. Angered, she reached out and spread her fingers across his face, digging her nails into the softness of his flesh, uncaring at the small rivers of blood that trickled down from his cheeks as her sharp talons punctured his skin.
"You should have killed me yourself, when you had the chance," she goaded, beginning her deadly mind-weld on him.
I know…..was the last of his thoughts, before the pain of her torture sent him toppling into blackness.