Beyond
Flora Winters
I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
Summary: Sometimes the dead simply do not stay dead. This story will contain boy love, strong language, and scenes of explicit violence.
Chapter Eight
Violet tendrils of lightning flashed outside the window, followed by a low rumble of distant thunder as Cloud silently rose up off the bed. The lavender sheet hissed like a coiling serpent as it slid down his smooth white flesh. He gazed down at his sleeping lover and smiled with blood red lips. The herb he had slipped into his drink would keep him asleep until dawn. He leaned his head down, kissing him on the lips and quickly retreated before he did something naughty.
He picked up his clothes off the back of the chair and walked like a pale phantom into the bathroom. He quickly closed the door and began putting on his clothes. The storm that was quickly brewing outside the window would give him perfect cover. The darkness and all its shadows were his friends.
He walked back out, took another long look at Zack, and left the room. He put his ear up to Sephiroth's door and could hear the general snoring. It looked like the prick had drunk his bubbly, too.
He suddenly pursed his lips. It would be so damn easy to just stroll right on in and gut him like a fish. In fact, he could string him by his intestines and bathe in his crimson warmth as it dripped down on him. He shook his head, walking over to Steff and Rik's door. The two of them were snoring something terrible. It made him grin wickedly. He was in the clear.
He silently rushed back into his room, closed the door, picked up his boots, took another look at Zack who had not moved, and went to the bathroom again. He locked the door behind him, slipped his feet into his boots, went over to the window, and opened it up to the hot night. He crawled out onto the narrow ledge and jumped down to the pavement below, landing on his feet with feline grace. It would be a cinch to climb back up.
He took off running like a dark shadow as the pink lightning crackled and hissed in the black sky above. The clouds were rolling and the thunder was rumbling. Perhaps, if he was lucky, the people would sleep through the explosion, thinking it was only the thunder. Well, if not, they were too far away to do anything about it.
The Shin-Ra mansion was still smoking as he made his way around what was left of the structure. He came to a stop when he saw Vincent come walking out of the darkness. The crimson eyed man turned to look at him with folded arms across his chest.
"Are you ready?" He asked in a hushed voice.
Cloud nodded his head, stepping right up to him. Blowing up the reactor would really delay the whole Sephiroth going crazy, if not stop it all together. The thunder rumbled like it would soon herald in the rain. It echoed all around them.
Vincent's ever flowing cloak seemed to split right down the middle, transforming into large crimson bat-like wings. They reminded Cloud more of a dragon though.
He put his arms around the taller man's neck and Vincent lifted him up into his arms. It made Cloud feel a little funny, but flying was the quickest way to get up the mountain.
"Ready?" Vincent asked once more, flapping his wings.
"Yes," Cloud said and the night air whispered all around him as he soared with Vincent up into the storm. It really was amazing. He felt like he could reach out, grab the violet-green lightning by its hissing tail, and throw it down to earth.
"Did we ever do this?" Vincent asked, tightening his hold on him.
"Not like this," Cloud said, looking all around in wonder. He was literally in the storm. It was so fucking cool. "What's it like knowing you have the power to fly wherever you want?"
"Don't you know?" Vincent asked with a cocked brow.
Cloud shook his head, holding on tighter. "I never asked."
"Freeing," he said, lowering his eyes. "And lonely…"
"I'm sorry," Cloud whispered in his ear.
"Is that it?" Vincent asked, spinning around in the air, causing Cloud to look down.
"That's her home," he said.
Vincent hissed. "Jenova…"
"I'm going to put this on her forehead," Cloud said, pulling out a wonderful little device that would soon make a large boom. "And send her straight to Hell."
"What's more dangerous than a man who has nothing to lose?" Vincent asked as he descended with incredible speed.
Cloud could only grin as the wind rushed all around him. "A man who has it all to lose."
Vincent chuckled. "Shin-Ra's doomed."
"And they don't even know it," Cloud snorted, laughing right along with him.
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Cloud stood before the door which the Mother off Abominations was chilling behind. He could feel her presence and he mocked her in her helplessness. She was just a corpse and would soon be not even that. She would soon be nothing at all.
He could hear the screams and the shouts. He could see the haunting echoes of Zack being thrown through the air and Tifa being struck by Sephiroth's sword. He was standing right in the place Sephiroth had been, watching her fall down the steps. He could see Zack trying to get back up, but was too injured to move.
"You're one of the reasons why I was left so alone," he hissed, spinning around, punching the door with all his anger. It rattled and whined under his rage. "I fucking hate you, you goddamned bitch!"
He punched the door again and again. The metal screamed as it dented.
"You're so fucking helpless!" He laughed as the tears streamed from his wide blue eyes. "Just like he was in his final moments…before…"
His fingers dug into the metal and he pulled. The door screamed as he jerked it off its large metal hinges, sending it flying through the air. It landed with a violent crash at the bottom of the steps as a cold mist enveloped him.
His fingers were bleeding again and he didn't give a damn. He had a job to do. He was going to blow this bitch to pieces.
"Hello, Mommy," he said, walking through the mist like a white ghost. "Isn't that what we clones call you?"
Her voice was so loud in his head. She was screaming at him.
"What's that?" He asked in mock hurt, wrapping his arms around himself. "Don't you love me, Mommy?"
He slowly walked right up to her, smiling with cruel blue eyes. They were glowing with molten insanity.
"Scream all you like, bitch," he cooed, wrapping his arms around her neck. "No one can save you from me."
He placed a warm kiss of death upon her left cheek, and gently attached the explosive to her forehead. He pulled away with an evil white grin.
"Cloud!" Vincent called. "I've placed all the explosives where you told me to!"
Cloud turned to look at him, wiping the tears from his eyes. He nodded his head, ignoring the bitch's screams of rage.
"No longer with Shin-Ra fuck with peoples lives," he said, following after Vincent. "And no longer will her voice haunt me in the darkness."
The two of them walked out of the reactor and Vincent turned, took him in his arms, carrying him to a safe distance. Thunder echoed as their feet touched the rocky ground.
"Ready?" Cloud asked.
Vincent could only nod with glowing red eyes.
Cloud smiled and it was twisted as he pressed his thumb down on the little green button. Explosion after explosion went off as fire danced its way up into the sky. Jenova's voice was silent, but, he had to make sure.
He held out his hands and the Odin materia was floating between his palms, glowing with an angry light. His eyes shimmered with molten blue brilliance.
"Odin, come forth!" His voice growled with the thunder as black smoke filled the mountain air. "And smash this place with your awesome might!"
The orb flashed with radiance and Vincent's eyes widened as a god eradicated the reactor and all that was within. A giant spear of lighting was hurled from the heavens. Cloud fell to his knees, trembling. He was covered in sweat.
"Are you all right?" Vincent asked, going down on one knee beside him, putting an arm around him.
Odin vanished and the reactor was just a crater in the mountain side. Debris was falling all around them. All that was left was twisted and melted metal.
"I'm fine," Cloud said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I just…I just need to rest."
"Are you sure?" Vincent asked. "You're so pale, Cloud."
He chuckled. "Well, aren't you the pot calling the kettle black?"
"Can you stand?" Vincent asked, helping him.
Cloud managed to do so. He looked at the destroyed reactor with triumph in his eyes. Jenova was no more.
"Ding-dong," he said, smiling as Vincent helped him to lean against him. "The fucking bitch is dead."
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Sephiroth's brilliant green eyes snapped open and he sat up on his bed in silent wonder. He looked around his quiet room, feeling a sudden sense of peace rushing over him. It made him tingle from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes. It caused him to smile and he didn't know why.
He lied back down, closing his eyes. For some odd reason, he wanted to speak with Cloud.
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A knock came at the bathroom door and Cloud looked up from where he was in the warm water. The door opened and Zack walked in. All he had on were his shorts.
"Morning," he yawned rather loudly, walking over to take a piss in the toilet.
Cloud rolled his eyes. "Sexy."
Zack smiled, giving it a good shake. "Want me to wash your back?"
Cloud nodded his head. He never could do it by himself.
"You're up awfully early," Zack said, washing his hands in the sink.
"Yeah," Cloud said, watching him with hungry eyes. "Did I wake you?"
Zack shook his head. "I honestly think you actually fucked me unconscious last night. I've not slept that good in a long time."
Cloud held up his arms, flexing his sculpted muscles. "I am god."
"I'm your faithful worshipper," Zack snorted. "And you're all mine."
"Yes, I am," Cloud said, holding out the rag for Zack to take. He was careful not to let him see his fingers. He had tried to patch them up best he could.
"I had a dream," Zack said, taking the rag from him, kneeling down behind him on his knees.
"Oh," Cloud said, leaning forward. "Do tell."
"You were standing all alone on this snow covered hill in the silver moonlight. The snow was shimmering like billions of tiny diamonds under your naked feet."
Cloud closed his eyes. He could see it in his mind.
"You started walking away and rose petals began to fall from the sky like shooting stars."
Cloud's eyes opened and he turned his head around to look at him.
"It was a beautiful dream," Zack said, gently rubbing the wet rag across the back of his neck. "And it was so sad. I tried calling out to you, but…I couldn't. It was like I didn't have a voice."
Cloud turned all the way around in the tub, resting on his knees, looking at him. "I love you."
"Is something wrong?" Zack asked, lowering his eyes. "I just have this feeling…"
Cloud reached out, gently cupping his smooth cheek. "Everything is fine, Zack."
It was a lie. But, it was a comforting lie. Everything would be fine.
He put his hand on top of Cloud's, and brought his smooth white hand to his lips, kissing it. "I love you, too."
Cloud smiled, blushing pink. It was always the sweet little things. "I'm sorry about my actions yesterday. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."
"Eh," Zack said, letting his hand go. "You just need to tell me when you're feeling stressed, dummy."
Cloud nodded his head. "I promise."
"And no more speaking to Sephiroth like a crazy person," he said, poking him on the nose with his finger. "I refuse to have to kiss you through the loony bars."
Cloud made a face and shrugged his naked shoulders in the end. He would try and do his best if it would make Zack happy. "I'll try…"
"That's all I ask," he said, standing up. "Can we heat this water? I want in with you."
Cloud's eyes lit up and the water was steamy.
TBC…
Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you all so much for your reviews.
Flora.