So.. I'm still contemplating whether or not to continue with this plot. Vinnie is soooooo out of character when thinking at the end, but alas it had to be done, along with the numerous POV's. Sorry if I confuse you. I still am trying to get the mythological creatures sorted oiut, and I know Artemis despises 'hooking up', but in here she's like 'Well, might as well give it a try'- remember that I'm mixing her in to fit Yuffie, so Artemis is going to go WAY out of character and Yuffie is gonna butt in XD READ ON~
"CLOUD!" Tifa screeched in horror as she watched as Cloud maneuvered away from Sephiroth, defending attacks with his own sword. "Cloud, move, he's too strong!". No matter how loud she screamed desperately Cloud ignored her and continued fighting in hatred against Sephiroth, to caring about anything other than killing the man before him.
"He has no reason, we must evacuate the rest of the civilians" Vincent urged as he landed gracefully on top of the roof Tifa had took refuge on, tears glistening in her eyes as she stared in fright as she continued to watch the two men fighting. "Tifa, we must ensure they are safe" Vincent repeated, reloading Cerberus.
Soldiers were coming in from every direction now, blocking the city in matter of seconds.
"CLOUD!" Tifa screamed as Cloud was almost struck, but dodged in a matter of mille-seconds.
Vincent cursed under his breath and jumped off the roof to the ground and shot rounds and rounds of gunfire at the soldiers, one after another they fell dead on the ground.
"TIFA!" Marline's voice screeched making Tifa's eyes avert from the scene in front of her and scream in terror as she saw Marline struggling with a soldier, "TIFA! There hurting me!" her small cheeks huffed and tears rolled down her face. She was too close to the soldier for Vincent to kill and hand to hand combat wouldn't do with Marline in his hands.
"HELP" My head snapped in the direction of the cry, making my ears ring. It was a child's scream. Who would ever think of harming an innocent child? It was dishonor. I made sure my bow was secured across my chest, bows in their basket strapped behind me before I dashed to the screaming, using a bit of the strength of the gods to get there fast.
It was a soldier, not the SOLDIER that I was, but something similar because I smelt the mako around them. They were enhanced soldiers, and right now one of them had a little girl with light brown curly hair in a choke hold. A disgrace to the mortal race.
I took off my bow and grabbed one of my arrows, and without a second thought the arrow flew true to its destination, hitting the man through the neck and staid lodged in there as he let go of the child and fell backwards, dead instantly.
The child's head snapped up and she stared at me in awe, her round eyes widening, her innocent features glowing. Without a second thought, whether she knew I was good or not I do not know, she came running towards me for safety and I automatically kneeled down to catch her, her arms wrapping around my neck.
I pulled another arrow out of my basket and braced it on my bow, aiming at a perfect alignment of soldiers and let it fly, it went through one soldiers head, to the next soldier's head, and continued that way until at least ten soldiers were instantly dead.
Before I reached back for another arrow my eyes caught a glimpse of the real fight amongst us.
Damn, the war really came to me this time.
It was Cloud Strife, a man I hadn't seen in ten full years, going against him was our ex-general, Sephiroth. I knew about his history, how he was the one that blew up the camp sight, but looking at him now I knew that he had more than an overload of mako in him, his eyes glimmered with excitement at a kill, and I wouldn't doubt he would kill one of his own men if they got in his way.
Did I want to get myself involved with this man again when I knew that ending the human race was not destinies will? Did I really want him hunting me when I thought I could run from anything?
"P-please, help them!" the little girl in my arms sobbed and I felt hot tears coming down my neck. I cannot deny a child when they plead, I protect the young, even if they are mortal.
I took a deep breath and focused. I was going to die one way or another so why not? I wouldn't be able to kill him here, knowing I couldn't let them know my true identity.
"Apollo" I called out lowly, careful not to draw unwanted attention, and not even a minute later there was a loud thud and my brother stood next to me, gazing at the fighting scene I was staring at. "Take the child?" I looked over at him and his eyes went to mine.
"Of course, sister" Apollo muttered as I untangled the girl's arms from my neck and lifted her over to Apollo's waiting arms.
"Don't leave me alone" the little girl cried her eyes staring at me with tears rolling down her face. She was safe, that was my duty and I had fulfilled it.
"Stay far so no one see's you, I will be back with the girl's companion's" I told my brother who merely nodded and leaped upon a rooftop and disappeared from my line of vision. I turned my attention back to the two ex-SOLDIERS, and thought how I could separate them long enough to get Sephiroth alone with me, to possibly to talk him out of his rampage.
I snorted.
Like hell that man wanted to be talked to, I was with him enough to know he like action not words. And I would give him action.
I drew the arrow and focused on Sephiroth's hand that held his sword, just at enough of an angle to discard the sword so we could have a hand to hand combat, the easiest way to talk to a man was through hands. I glanced at Cloud and with a rise in my strength I willed the air around me to stiffen, to thicken, and with an invincible force I forced it outward to Cloud before quickly letting my arrow fly and it was true to its aim as always, just as the wind blew Cloud on top of a rooftop away from Sephiroth.
"Been awhile, hasn't it, General?" I inquired putting the bow around my shoulder and started walking towards my ex-general who was now discarded of his death weapon.
"Yuffie, what a surprise, though I had no doubt I wouldn't see you again, you were always my favorite" Sephiroth said with a sickening smile as he too came walking my way, like he owned the land on his feet.
"You're going the wrong way, General, war's over, go home" I stated side stepping as we both started circling each other, in an animal hunt scene, my style as well as Sephiroth's, he always acted animalistic, so some things never change.
"There's no home to go to, plus the war has never stopped, don't you see? War is splendid, the blood, the ending of life, Mother is proud, she misses you, Yuffie, you have been her favorite pawn, just like me" Sephiroth laughed pulling out another sword from inside of his leather cloak.
"You enjoy being a pawn?" I snorted my nostrils flaring as I caught a whiff of all the mako emitting from his body. Disgusting. "I personally didn't like Jenova, though back then you didn't really pay attention to your orders, killing was your prize. Nothing has changed I see.".
"Dear, we are all pawns, we both are the lucky ones to be noticed by Mother" Sephiroth chuckled tossing his sword back and forth between his two hands, "I still have a spot open for you, Yuffie, and as I remember you enjoyed the bloodshed as much as I still do".
"I do not take pleasure in killing the young" I stated my lips curling when remembering the young girl about to be taken away by the soldier, "besides, I'm for the people nowadays, killing is in the past, but alas killing has resurfaced, and this time, General, I stand head to head to you, not beside you".
"Why go against destiny?" Sephiroth asked tilting his head to the side, "Mother has planned a bright future for all of us".
"That is not your Mother, Earth is your mother and she demands justice" I snorted edging myself to the inner circle, closer.
"A mere child, no more than the last time you served for me" Sephiroth sneered copying my tactics.
"The people are meant to live" I said remembering Apollo's words ten years ago, "Fate has been put to the test and he says that human's must rule over, normal humans that strive for simple goals, not enhanced abilities you have blinded them with" .
"They are weak, but we, we can make a better world, make a world of immortals" Sephiroth continued, eyes piercing through me.
"Immortals don't belong here" I stated, a string tugging at me, reminding how true it was that I didn't belong this. "Go back, Sephiroth, this is not the beginning of your end". I wanted to save him, but it seemed he has been tainted by Jenova too much.
"We'll see about that" Sephiroth hissed pushing off the ground with his feet and swung his sword swiftly at my head, I dunked, he swung, I side stepped.
I couldn't believe my eyes, I blinked numerous times in an attempt to clear my vision but the scene was still there, that girl from ten years ago in SOLDIER was their, fighting against Sephiroth, not even fighting, just maneuvering around him, like she wasn't there to fight.
Zack had mentioned her to me numerous of times, telling hard to believe tales of her unique fighting style, rumors of being the favorite of the General, and refusing any weapons brought up to her.
Sure I met her once or twice, and I couldn't forget her because of the way her eyes shown in the darkness, they glowed for Christ's sake!
I thought she was on the General's side because of her appearance with him, that's why I didn't want to know her at all.. But here she is, defending while talking to him, saying that fighting was wrong, the girl who stole millions of life's is now willing to save? What to redeem herself?
Yuffie is what she called herself, though she gave no one her last name.
"CLOUD, HURRY AND CLIMB UP!" Tifa's voice screamed above me and I looked up to see her gesturing to get on the roof with her and run. I couldn't run, not when Sephiroth was in my reach, after searching for him for months.. "Cloud! I can't find Marline! Come on!". I sighed at the mention of Marline, she was too precious to lose and I suppose I could deal with Sephiroth later seeing that he was having a field day with a reunion, Barret would kill me if I let anything happen to the child anyways.
With one last glance at the two a jumped onto the roof in the search of Marline. She wasn't on the ground, if she was then one of the Soldiers must have her hidden.
Damn them.
"Cloud" Vincent's voice shook me from my thoughts, I turned my head to look at him as I kept listening closely for anything that might point to Marline, "The child is safe". I stopped and jerked my full attention to him.
"She is?! Where?" I asked looking at the solemn man before me who looked off in the blaring sun.
".." he blinked but motioned with his head which direction.
"I need more than that, Valentine!" I shouted wanting to shake him to death but knew he might draw his gun on me if I even made a move to go against him. He has been in AVALANCHE for about three months now, still a bit new since he had been found in a coffin.
"The bar.." Vincent answered emotionless before his eyes seemed to go behind us and stare at the fight between the Ex-SOLDIER and General, than he looked back at me for an explanation.
"She butted in" I stated grimly, "as much as I hate to say this, let's Moose, we need to rest" with that I jumped down to tell the other members, only to realize that Vincent hadn't moved. "Are you coming or what, Vincent?".
His eyes glanced back and then lowered for a second before his eyebrows furrowed and he stepped from the roof, landing next to me.
"You know her?" I asked curiously unsheathing my sword and prepared to fight off the soldiers to get to the rest of the group.
Vincent gave a grunt, not really answering the question so I pushed it to the side and it would wait until we found Marline.
"I want you to think about it" Sephiroth laughed as he turned his back to me and summoned a beast as he took his leave, "you were an obedient one back then". With that he disappeared into the crowds of soldiers. How I wanted to tie up that man and gag him.
I sighed and raised up my arrow, and before the beast had a chance to charge I shot him between the eyes, straight through and he fell backwards, dead. Wonder if he had any relation to the titans… oh well.
What now? Sephiroth wasn't persuade by my speech and it wasn't in my line of duty to stop him.
… Was it?
I groaned out loud and slammed my fist backwards to hit an unsuspecting soldier in the face, knocking him out.
Why can't the world just give me peace and let me wither away in the forest?
I shook my head and rubbed my temples, I guess going to Apollo might help, and if I'm correct the little girl that he has is accompanied by Cloud. We could have a chat I suppose.
I pulled up the shorts I had been wearing, they didn't even go down mid thigh, and the braw like shirt I was wearing pulled up a bit. Who cares about your appearance when you are comfortable in your outfit.
The man that we found at Tifa's bar wasn't at all what I suspected when I saw him from afar, he looked… how should I say, he looked inhuman. He had a brown-blond head hair that was curled everywhere, his eyes bright, almost glowing and the aurora around him powerful, almost intimidating against the demons inside me, all except Chaos who surprisingly staid quiet for once, not taunting me because of this man.
"My apologies, the young one told me to make myself at home" the man said in a smooth flowing voice and with my mako hearing I heard how it flowed, like a singers voice. He was sitting on a stool near the bar holding a cello, the bow head stopped playing its music as it lay gingerly in the man's hand. He than stood and almost surpassed my height, only passing my should by an inch. Who was this man, and why did I feel… not threatened by his unearthly appearance?
"You mean Marline? MARLINE?" Tifa blared off making me cringe a bit at the shrillness of her voice and I noted that the man's hand flinched, like he was more affected than I was by the high pitch.
"TIFA!" Marline's voice laughed out of the other side of the bar and she sprang into Tifa's arms before running over to her 'Papa' and hugging him, Barret muttering slang reassurances in her ear, hugging her as gently as possible. "Papa, this man is awesome, he bought me ice cream on the way over here!".
"Yeah didn't poisen' it di' yeah fo'?"n Barrett snapped at the man who merely just starred at him with lazy eyes.
"Language is so poor" the man sighed as he got up and put his Cello in his case that lay behind him and I mentally noted that on the case it had strange marking, ones that I have seen in ruins. Greek if I can recall correctly.
Roman, Host, get your languages lined up right Chaos growled in my mind, snapping his teeth making a popping sound echo in my head.
What does it say, Demon? I asked as I leaned against the wall and kept a close eye on the man.
Why don't you ask him, he's been asked that plenty of times before Chaos snorted, but there was something in his voice, and the way he used his voice, like it was a statement, not a suggestion.
I stared intently at the righting, to find any kind of pattern that might tell me what it read. Nothing came, none of my Turk training could decipher it.
"Please excuse my rudeness, I'm Apollo" the man, now known as Apollo, said with a slight bow.
I'll be damned, that pipsqueak survived.. Chaos sneered in my head making my eyebrows furrow down in confusion.
You know this man? How could you possibly know? You are thousands of years old while he looks like a mere teenager, if not early manhood. I questioned wanting answers. Does this mean he is a demon too?
"It's not polite to stare, my friend" Apollo stated drawing my attention away from his Cello case to meet his eyes, "it says from Artemis that is all, a gift from a family member".
Well one question answered… Chaos muttered though he has never talked this often meaning he has interest in this man.
Do you know him? I asked, grounding out the words.
Metaphorically, Yes, Personally, No. Chaos stated, muttering a few quibble words under his breath.
Speak up, Demon. I ordered.
Have respect, mortal, I at least had more respect from the damn fool who imprisoned me! Chaos snapped, his temper flaring again.
Hojo had no respect, only for his experiments I said averting my eyes from Apollo's.
Like the likes of him could imprison me, he just stumbled upon my energist Chaos stated, growling echoing through my head.
Before I could repeat myself once more to the Demon my ears flinched at a new sound, soft padding and then the bar doors swinging open revealing a teen with black hair and.. Glowing eyes just like Apollo. But that's not what made me pay attention to her, I felt a pull towards her, my heart tugged and emotions just started flaring into my heart.
What is this? It can't be not after.. I began as I continued staring wide eyed at the teen, her eyes scanning everyone one of the contents of the room, nodding to Apollo, and then her eyes stopped at me, tilting her head to the side in curiosity.
I knew she would survive, but what in heaven and hell's name did she do with her hair? Chaos grumbled, I could hear him sigh in disbelief, damn woman in her lack of respect for her appearance, needs more clothes on before she gets rapped.
I wanted to ask him just how he knew these two strangers in this room if they looked not older than twenty and Chaos hasn't seen the light of day for more than hundreds of years, but that tug just kept pulling, mesmerized by every feature about her.
No.. I though in anguish, refusing to believe that I had fallen for this girl by mere glance.
Let go of the dead one, I know it and you know it too that she was merely a crush Chaos stated, this time seriously. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, saying how many sins I had wronged starting with her, it was a truth, but I had crushed hard on Lucrecia. How could this mere child- Love at first sight is normal, Host, but this… isn't the work of that damned man with that pretty bow of his.. No this is the doing of that destiny man…
What? I snapped at his rambling, trying to pull myself together but with no use. It had only been a look, and now we were staring at each other.
Fated love.. Chaos stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world, not caring how blunt he sounded, like he ever cared, or as you mortals like to call it, soul mates.. Didn't think it would be her… out of everyone… ah, Fuck.
"Hey, vamp! Retard!" Cid's voice shouted out, but became a background voice as I watched the teen's eyes move elsewhere, and I blinked as everything unmuted and blared.
This wasn't supposed to be happening, I was supposed to replenish my sins, make her forgive my foolishness.. Not fall in love, real love, with this girl in front of me. But as soon as I saw her glance my way, give a wink, I knew I had a long ride to go and that I was never going to let this girl go.
Another sin.
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