Disclaimer: I do NOT own Final Fantasy VII or its characters.
Chapter 5: Liking the Wrong Guy
We were heading towards the Sleeping Forest. I knew this path all too well. We weren't just randomly heading towards a place inside the forest. We were heading towards the lake where Aeris was last seen, to me, Aeris's grave. I was holding Denzel's hand real tight as I felt my heart pounding against my chest. Kadaj was on my mind the whole trip. It was weird; me being here made that small encounter with him so powerful.
As we arrived, the kids took off the truck. Their faces expressed confusion and at the same time, hope. I took off as well while scanning my surroundings. I grabbed Ke Zhang just to be sure I had it. Just a little further than me, I saw him… my heart stopped instantly. He was just a few feet away, and he seemed not to notice me. I turned and told Denzel I was going to check this place around, and he nodded.
As I was rushing to approach him, I felt my whole being getting heavy… I was having a bad feeling.
"What do you think you're doing?" I turned him around roughly, he seemed upset at first but when he saw me, his face eased. His shoulder–length hair was partly covering his face, and I noticed that he had cat-like green eyes too. His silver hair was unbelievable silky, I wanted to touch it.
"Well, look who it is, I'm glad we did got to meet once more." He began to chuckle, while walking around me. I suddenly felt intimidated, but hid all hint to give me away. We kept eye contact all the way. His hair… A girl would kill for that hair, and boy… why did he had to be so darn good looking, every step his taking, it takes my breath away. Stop it Cynthia, focus!
"What are you going to do with the kids? What's this cure I hear about? You better have not lied to them." I demanded him.
"You're here to witness my reunion, I see. I'm glad, mother will know what's best when she comes." He said completely avoiding my question.
"Reunion?" that word, it took me back to the past. There was something familiar, but different about all this. "What do you mean by that?" I stood in front of him, he walking around me and it was creeping me out, and he smile right down at my face. Focus! Focus! Focus!
"Mother wants him." He turned and began to laugh sadly. "I never met him, but somehow… I can sense him." He turned to look at me now, our eyes meeting. "It hurts, to think that mother prefers him over me, but I would do anything for her." His hair covered his face; I wanted to brush his hair to uncover it.
"Who does your mother wants?" I asked, almost feeling sorry to even ask him. I felt a strange sensation of fear inside my stomach, as if I knew already who he meant, but it was necessarily for me to hear the name out loud.
"Sephiroth, he's coming back." He stared with such intensity into me as he said the name. An old fear came rooting back from inside me.
"No… you can't bring him back!" I drew my sword out, I was going to confront him, but he instantly stepped right in front of me. We were inches apart from each other, and he grabbed my face so tenderly with both of his hands.
"Hush now, last night you were the one who didn't want to fight… tonight… I don't want to fight you… it's only fair." Just then, I felt a great deal of tiredness overwhelm me and before everything went black.
"A… a… Sleepel... m... ateria." I manage to say.
I felt someone call for my name, over and over again. It was a voice I did not expect to hear in a place like this. Still, she kept calling for me to wake up, and I open my eyes to see Marlene's worried face. I was confused at first, and then I remembered.
"Marlene!" she hugged me. "What are you doing here?"
I scanned around and noticed the guy with long silver hair, whom recruited the children at Edge, approached us both.
"Silence you two… it's about to start." Just then, a muscular guy with very short silver hair took Marlene away while the long silver hair guy pointed a strange looking gun at me. He was very serious. I began to search for Ke Zhang, but I didn't have it on me. It's been long since I last felt useless and hopeless. What's going on here? What am I going to do? Can't help anyone if I'm death…
Just then, I saw Kadaj… and across the lake all of the children. And he began to speak…
"Mother has given me a very special gift: The power to fight… against the planet that torments humanity! She gave this gift to all of her children. That's right, you and I are brethren. Brothers and sisters, chosen to inherited mother's legacy throughout the lifestream. But… the planet doesn't approve of that at all! It doing everything it cans to hold us back! That's why it's wrecking our bodies with pain, and filling our hearts with doubt!" he had so much emotion in his words it was hard for me to tell what was the lie and what was the truth if there was one at all. Suddenly, he became so intense. "I will heal you… and together we will join back with mother and strike back at the planet!" as every word escape his mouth, the intensity surrounded him with a strange energy so dark, it rose my hair. Ordering the children to do what he said, I got a glimpse of Denzel.
I needed to do something, but as soon as I got up, I was kicked by long silver hair guy. What pissed me off the most was the fact that his kick landed directly on my butt. Marlene and I kept screaming out for Denzel… but… he drank the black water and the second he opened his eyes, I saw cat-like eyes.
"What did you do to them!" I screamed at him, my heart pounding with supreme fear when Denzel wouldn't response to either Marlene or me.
"I healed them." He smiled at me as if he done something humble.
"No you didn't_" I was interrupted.
"Kadaj, big brother is coming." The long silver hair guy reported with a slight smile on his face. Great, another little Sephiroth?
"Perfect, we're stopping that traitor… "He turned to look at me, he open his mouth but said nothing. "Let's go." He turned and all the kids, including Denzel, followed. I couldn't take this anymore. Fine, they can shoot me.
"You're not going anywhere!" I rushed forward, intending to stop Kadaj, right here and now, but the muscular guy stepped in, and I ended up in a combat fight with him. I managed to punch him a couple of times, but he gotten extremely fast as a short time passed… and I was knocked down with a electrical punch right under my belly, blowing me off into the opposite direction. I felt weak, that blow… was quite heavy.
"Cynthia!" Marlene was about to run towards me, but…
"Stay with Denzel! Kadaj, you better not hurt her!" and they all left.
What the heck was going on? I can't understand anything! I stood up, feeling a bit stronger and right then, I spotted Ke Zhang, just holding my sword made me feel stronger. I headed myself towards where Kadaj went.
As I ran, I heard Kadaj's voice, talking about someone being the black sheep. I saw them and just then, I saw a blonde spiky head figure on the ground.
"Cloud!" Marlene stole the words right out of my mouth, and a fearsome fight began.
I joined in just when the muscular guy was about to land a punch on Cloud. I managed to block him with my sword. He was surprised, but quickly changed his face to amusement. I blow him off.
"Pay back!" Cloud was surprise to see me, but there wasn't any time for chit chat, as he busied himself with Kadaj and sliver long hair guy. I got into an intense fight with muscular guy. He was still too fast for me, but this time I was wide awake and had Ke Zhang with me, I suddenly remembered an attack and summon it. A long bright light of beam came back into my sword, and I used it as my best defense and attack… Cloud on the other hand was blocking bullets and Kadaj's attacks. Dividing and joining his sword as he saw fit. He was just as fast as them and managed to take everything they seemed to offer. Suddenly as I my beam died, muscular guy landed a blow to the ground causing mug slide coming right towards me. You got to be freaking kidding me! I ran towards the other side getting out of its way, and he once more approached me. I immediately dropped down and water kicked him off his feet. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Bet you didn't see that one coming!
At that moment I glanced to check on Cloud and just when he had Kadaj, my heart went up my throat and then down my stomach. I was covered in fear and worried for both of their safety. I didn't want either of them getting hurt, but Kadaj had to be stopped. Just then, Cloud's face show pain, and that alone gave Kadaj an advantage. I ran towards them when I saw that Kadaj was about to slash Cloud. Suddenly, a familiar red cape appeared in that very moment, he came to Cloud's aid. Vincent!
I use that chance to get Marlene out of there. I knew that the children would not be harm, I come for Denzel later. And so, we both ran out of the fighting scene, with the hopes of finding Cloud and Vincent.