Lost in the Shadows
Chapter 32 - O fortuna
Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 -- Squeenix does. xP Didn't ya know?
Musical Muse - Gravity of Love & Halo
One minute her mind was whirling and tears were streaming down her cheeks as she broke down in front of him, in front of Sephiroth. She would never have been prepared for what had happened next and even when it happened, the string of questions that flew by unbidden in her mind were there. Yet she lost herself so easily as Sephiroth's impossibly soft lips descended upon hers and he pulled her closer to him. Her arms wound around his neck as he deepened the kiss and she was completely at peace. Lost in total bliss.
Lost in the moment.
She was kissing Sephiroth.
It felt wonderful, so right.
As his hands settled on her waist and crushed her against him, longingly and fiercely, she knew he felt the same.
It ended almost at abruptly as it had happened though, and she was suddenly looking into his confused reptilian eyes. The raw emotion swirling around inside of him was enough to make her dizzy and she swayed a bit. "Sephiroth..."
"I'm sorry." He bit out. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--"
She watched as he stepped away from her, seemingly distraught over what had just happened.
Sorry?
"Sorry for what?" She asked in nothing less then a whisper. She felt herself shivering then, cold, and she realized the sun was nearly below the water.
That passion she'd just felt, that heat between them -- it was so, so... She couldn't even describe it! She found herself wanting more and it confused her more then anything. Her heart was fluttering at an unbelievable pace and she felt lightheaded. Surely he didn't just regret what had happened?
"I... That shouldn't have happened." He said coldly, immediately distancing himself from her completely. He turned away from her and walked back over to the shore of the beach, letting the water lap at his boots lazily. He was tense now, she saw, and a flood of panic swept through her. He wouldn't use this as a wall between them, would he? He wouldn't just throw it all away now?
"Sephiroth, I can't believe you... Didn't you... Did you feel anything?" She asked quietly.
He sighed. "Nothing good can come from it."
"Sephiroth!" She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. "Everything good can come from it!" She watched as emotion flashed over his face starting with disbelief, then to regret, to fear and finally to his calm and detached expression. "Sephiroth... What are you afraid of?"
He looked down at her then with veiled eyes. "I killed you. How can you just pass it off as nothing?"
"You've changed." She took hold of his hand and watched him carefully. "I told you before, I forgive you. You weren't yourself back then, Sephiroth. You've protected me more times than I can count and you've helped me with things that... Things most people wouldn't be ready to deal with." She smiled then and tilted her head. "You're my stronghold. I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you."
He merely watched her with intense interest and a reluctance she felt the need to address.
"If you don't feel the same Sephiroth, that's--"
He caught her in a second kiss then, more passionate then the last. Breaking away, she grinned at him. He leaned his forehead against hers then and uttered the words she'd seen coming.
"I have a lot of problems..."
"We'll work through them."
"They're not going to like this..."
"Does it matter?"
"They're your friends." He said, baffled by her behaviour.
"Look, Sephiroth." Aerith said, averting her gaze and fidgeting with his trench coat. "I want this. The others... They'll be fine." At his skeptical look, she smiled and walked away from him, her hands clasped behind her back. "Trust me!"
She wasn't aware of his lingering smile as he finally accepted her words.
They were both aware of the joy that flowed through them.
"Do you realize what you have done, what you have said?"
Toyori looked on in indifference, trying to hide any and all emotion the words conjured up in his mind. He knew they were talking about his outburst about Kiyoku -- but then, why? Why would they want him to say nothing about the man who'd ruined his -- their -- lives?
"Why does it matter!?"
Toyori paled.
Whoever this was, they could read his thoughts.
"They can figure out things we cannot afford to have them know!"
A scalding pain ripped through him and he fell to his knees. He kept it in as long as he could, but he eventually let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"All you need to know is it matters," he stopped abruptly and let Toyori sink down in relief as the pain that exploded through him ceased. "And you need to get things moving. We haven't much time." As an afterthought, he added, "That Ancient should be dead."
"Right." Toyori muttered, standing to his feet but not without swaying a bit. His head throbbed in warning and he hurriedly spoke to correct his mistake. "I will, I will make sure everything's ready."
"Go."
"Yes?"
"Vince? That you?" Cid's gruff voice asked. Vincent closed his eyes.
"I hope you have found something."
"We did, we did!" Cait's voice sounded through the phone eagerly. "We found some things on Hojo and maybe Kiyoku."
Vincent sat and waited. Kiyoku. He couldn't remember a thing about there being another scientist aside from Gast and yet he couldn't be too sure. Something about the name rung a bell. "And?"
"Well... I doubt you're going to like this, but..." He trailed off.
Vincent waited for a moment before the silence became too stretched and deep. "What is it?" He clipped, a sudden urgency in his voice. Flashes of memories were flowing through his head but they were gone before he could even inquire as to what they were.
"There's shit here 'bout Hojo havin some other god damned experiment. Somethin' about a 'worthy apprentice' but he 'knew too much' and some other bull..."
"What does that mean?" Vincent asked, confused.
"...There's somethin about this that ain't right." Cid said and Vincent heard the shuffling of papers. Cait came on a second later, Cid was too lost in his searching.
"There was somethin' about a great entity providing powers for a monstrosity. Differ'nt writin', though. Doesn't look like Hojo's."
Cid was back, and he read out the entire verse for Vincent: "'Coming forth as godly beings, unable to be harmed, the world will plunge into darkness as those lost in the shadows reveal a monstrosity, one provided with powers by the great entity. May he rise without fail alongside.'"
A deafening silence.
"Bring those reports back with you. Aerith might know something." Vincent said finally, not sure what to do, but not wanting to disturb Cloud and Tifa.
"Right. I gotta pick up those idiots from Kalm first."
"Alright." Vincent said, hanging up the phone. He laid it on the table quietly. He faced Red, whose ears had picked up the entire conversation. "What do you think it means?"
Red sat back and scratched his ear. "I believe there is only one person who can tell us."
"Just relax, Cloud." Tifa said, but Cloud refused to listen to her again. "Just lay down and rest."
She'd led him to the master bedroom, choosing not to disturb Yuffie in the common bedroom. He was pacing now, shooting unreadable looks her way every so often. She knew she only had herself to blame for that -- he'd been beyond angry at how she'd handled the fight with Hiei -- but he needed to let it go. She was here, she was fine... That's all that mattered, right?
"Easy for you to say." He replied grudgingly.
"Yeah, it is. I'm not sure why it isn't for you though." She said, choosing to sit down on the side of the bed. He watched her intently for a second before sighing and sitting beside her. They were both silent for a moment, thinking about different things that had happened, what was to come...
"What if you hadn't lived? Then what would I have done?" He asked quietly.
"But I'm here." She answered back, just as quietly.
"You can't just take chances like that!" Cloud said, rounding on her. "Aerith had a clear shot. If it hadn't hit him, then we would have kept battling."
"And if someone else had died because I didn't take the opportunity that was right in front of me?"
He closed his eyes and ducked his head. A small smile graced his lips. All anger directed towards the brunette woman beside him disappeared like nothing. That was Tifa -- always thinking about everyone else before herself.
"I love you." He whispered to her, putting his arms around her. He felt her tense and wondered if he should have told her what he'd just did, before she went completely lax in his arms.
"I love you, too." She said, tears shimmering in her eyes.
Cloud's eyes softened. He captured her lips with his and they fell into a passionate embrace. Tifa said nothing as he lay her back against the bed, stroking her face, her arms, her hips... The light touches he was leaving all over her body was making her unbelievably warm and the surge of happiness and love the rushed through her made her flush.
"Tifa?" She looked up at him and his heart caught in his throat. "You're beautiful... I love you so much..." He whispered. She kissed him chastely in response and he intertwined his hand with hers, reveling in the sound of her whispering his name.
"I'm so sorry..."
"For what?" Vincent asked aloud. He sat himself down on the edge of the bed Yuffie was still asleep on and let his mind wander. Sorry...? She had done nothing to be sorry for. She'd... She'd been tricked. He was the one that was sorry. He let what happened to her happen.
Yet... There was no guilt there like there usually was.
No depression...
The demon's weren't hacking away at his mind, his soul, like usual.
No, he felt peaceful.
He knew why, too. Looking down at the young ninja, he managed a small smile. Small, but one nonetheless. He found himself wondering, for the millionth time, why. He found himself wondering, for the millionth time, when.
He would never admit to it. Not to anyone, especially not to her. Sometimes, not even to himself. But Yuffie had saved him from a longer life of misery. She'd brought him out of his shell, she'd brought joy back to his life.
Taking her smaller hand in his, his mind drifted off again. He thought of nothing and everything, content to simply sit there.
What would they do now?
There was obviously danger heading straight for them, or were they heading straight for it?
He was unaware of the pair of stormy eyes watching him carefully until the bearer spoke in a voice that not usually heard from her. Her hand slipped out of his and she sat up groggily. "Whatcha thinking about?"
He looked down at her slowly and his eyes probed hers for what seemed like forever. He sighed and stood, holding his hand out to her. "We need to go. Some things have been..." A small silence. "Revealed."
"Let's get the party started, then." She said quickly, jumping up with more energy then one should have ever been able to have after just waking up from a long sleep.
Aerith waved at her five comrades who were walking down off of the Sierra's ramp and towards her. Elena looked particularly happy, but Aerith figured she knew why and decided not to ask until they had some time to themselves. Reno was walking beside her, his usual grin plastered on his face...
Barret. Aerith's face fell at the expression on his own. She could feel the waves of regret and sadness at having to leave his little girl behind again. They never did get a break, did they?
Cid and Cait looked grave and it caught her attention instantly. Aerith's heartbeat increased tenfold.
"Hey." Cid nodded at her, catching her gaze. "We need to go inside. Got somethin' to share with you."
Aerith watched as they walked away, not wanting to step inside the villa. She felt all the happiness she'd been encased in in the last few hours fade away. Funny how that happened. She heard soft footsteps come up behind her and she forced a smile onto her face, though she knew he would see through it. Turning, she took hold of his hand. "We need to go inside."
Letting her drag him to the villa, Sephiroth looked down at their locked hands. "I doubt they've anything good to tell us."
She sighed upon reaching the door. "I think things are about to get a lot worse." She confessed. She pushed open the door, walked inside and quickly glanced at everyone's faces. The most prominent, she thought, was Tifa's. She was practically glowing. Aerith smiled slightly and closed the door after Sephiroth had brushed past her. She spoke up almost immediately, pushing any thoughts of idle banter behind her. "So, what good news do you have for us this time?"
A few smiles surfaced, for which she was glad, but the tension in the air didn't lessen at all.
"Here." Cid said, his mouth set in a grim line as he slid the papers her way. She picked them up carefully and let her eyes roam over the page, speaking aloud so the rest would know what was written.
"'Coming forth as godly beings, unable to be harmed, the world will plunge into darkness as those lost in the shadows reveal a monstrosity, one provided with powers by the great entity. May he rise without fail alongside.'" She fell silent as she tried to process the words. She skimmed the rest but put the papers gently down onto the table. None would help like this would.
"Provided with powers by the great entity..." She said to herself, drowning out the questioning conversations around her, getting straight to work.
'The White Materia.'
"Hojo wrote those papers himself and in one of the other reports, he said something about a worthy apprentice of his knowin' too much and there are some diagrams of mako experiments performed on hundreds." Cid supplied.
"Kiyoku? Did Hojo kill him then? Experiment on him?" A voice asked, but Aerith couldn't say who it was. She was completely lost in the words written on the page.
'"Coming forth as godly beings, unable to be harmed..." She continued.
'The Mako-infused fiends...'
"May he rise without fail alongside?" She questioned, coming out of her reverie. She looked around at everyone else. "Who do you think that means?"
"Hojo?" Tifa asked after everyone had fallen silent. A murmur of assent from almost everyone at the table was heard.
Aerith narrowed her eyes at the paper. "Maybe..."
'Worthy apprentice... Knowing too much... Mako experiments on hundreds?'
'What does this mean?'
Her thoughts were cut off as the ground shook beneath them.