26/07/2013

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Note: I've decided I'll post the nine to ten chapters that make up part one on a nice schedule, then take a break while I write part two. Don't worry it's all the same fic, just for my writing purposes, it came out as part one and part two as there was a natural break. Part one is almost exclusively from Raisa's point of view. Part two shares the load around so we have Cloud and other characters moving to the forefront of the action. But that won't be for a while… I think I'm halfway through it.

Title: A Mother's Love
Chapter: 6
Author: Jade Tatsu

The voice was gravelly and cold.

"No… not a milk maid," it continued as Raisa felt her limbs go stiff with fear. Whatever was behind her was worse than the wolf… Far, far worse. "A bitch of a woman who experiments where she is not wanted… just like the other." There was a growl and unlike the growl of the wolf, which was natural, this seemed to hold the hatred of the universe in it. It was inhuman and laced with power.

Claws gripped her shoulder pulling her upwards and away from Cloud and Raisa was spun around to see their saviour.

She gasped but did not scream, blossoming agony from her back holding her voice. The twisting motion opened the cuts and there was a fresh gout of blood behind her. The claws drew their own blood and she looked into the face of a demon. It was vaguely human but the eyes burned red, and fangs adorned the mouth. The skin was a deep purple and looked almost soft but she was sure it was tougher than armour. The creature was naked and had a well-defined muscle tone and two leathery dragon like wings arched up behind it. It grinned at her, teeth exposed as it ran a long tongue over them.

"Perhaps this isn't too bad," the gravelly voice continued. "I couldn't get the other woman but I can get this one."

Raisa noted stupidly that the wolf was held in the creatures other hand, its yellow eyes closed but she saw the slight movement in the chest. Wolf was still alive.

"Don't hurt my mum!"

As proud of Cloud as Raisa could be, this was one time when she did not want her child anywhere near here. Yet he was here, and he did act and as the monster dropped the wolf to look down at her son, she lifted her hands, gripping the arm that was holding her to steady herself as she raised her feet, kicking as hard as she could towards the exposed parts she could see.

She impacted, she knew she did but her efforts got her thrown against the wall and stars danced in her eyes. Were monsters, no matter how well endowed, not as sensitive there as other males? There was a snap of leather and something heavy pressed against her chest. Raisa looked down to see one of the creature's wings holding her in place. The sharp talon pressed against her in warning. "Cloud!" she cried out as she was forced to watch.

The monster had knelt down slightly, one clawed hand reaching out to grab at Cloud's face, forcing her blue eyed boy to look into the monster's face. It was to his credit that Cloud didn't flinch and somehow managed to meet the monsters gaze clearly.

"So that's why…"

Raisa wasn't sure what she should think of the way the gravelly voice muttered the words thoughtfully as the monster peered closely at her son, bringing its face to mere millimetres from Cloud's as red eyes peered deeply into blue.

From behind them both the wolf stirred. A deep rumbling growl began low in wolf's belly as the animal gathered itself. The monster spared the animal no attention and was instead content to continue examining Cloud. When wolf finally got his feet under him, the creatures other wing snapped out, and the leading edge was driven down on to the wolf's neck, driving the animal back down to the ground.

"Stay there, Fenrir. I don't have time to play with you," came the order.

All was quiet for several long moments. Wolf growled at the monster yet his paws could not get traction on the stone to rise and Raisa's breathing was laboured. With the wing tip pressed deeply into her stomach she couldn't rise either. And still the monster examined Cloud, turning her boy's head back and forth as it seemed to be trying to measure something.

"Don't hurt my mum!" Cloud repeated, bringing his small hands up in an attempt to hit the monster. He did hit the creature, but the dark skinned demon laughed, moving his other clawed hand to catch Cloud's fists.

"Oh, ho, ho, ho!" the monster laughed and Raisa shivered. "The little one has spirit! But spirit will do no good against me," the monster added with a hiss, rising to let Cloud dangle in its grip. Long talons pressed into Cloud's face but did not draw blood and the monsters wings shifted with his movements, keeping Raisa and wolf locked into place.

"So now what, little one? Will you continue to fight me?" the monster asked before laughing as Cloud stilled in the grip around his throat. But blue eyes continued to glare at the monster.

There was silence for a few more moments before the monster huffed slightly. "The Planet's Champion and the Planet's… well, I'm not sure what you are," the monster said, glaring at Raisa as it turned slightly. "This is quite a predicament. What were you trying to do, woman?"

The wing tip digging into her stomach released its pressure slightly and the monster's free hand gestured towards her to speak.

"Enhancing the wolf," Raisa answered, prompted to speak by something deep within her.

"Experimenting?"

"Enhancing," she repeated putting more force into her voice. She had no idea what this creature was. Even her memories were being silent but he smelt odd. With his look, she almost expected the typical fire and brimstone but instead what she was smelling was rich deep earth and that tinge in the air that one got right before rain. It was almost calming but there was an edge to the monsters tone that said it would not tolerate experiments.

"A subtle difference. Why?" Red eyes speared into her blue and Raisa took a deep calming breath when she saw it shift its grip on Cloud, releasing the tension on his throat somewhat.

"The future," she gasped, trying to ignore the way the wing tip moved on her body, the talon that had been pressing into her was released, though the wing was then twisted and the sharp cutting edge of the claw brought to rest under her chin. "I need to change the future," she added, not even sure how she could explain.

"And what of the cost?" the monster questioned, though his voice appeared almost amused. Raisa wasn't sure what that meant, or even if she was hearing that.

"Cost?" she asked her own question.

"The cost… what of the cost of your changes?"

"And what of the cost of leaving the future as it was?" Raisa made the challenge not even knowing if the monster would understand but no longer caring. The way it positioned its wing claw she had no choice but to answer and if it wanted her dead, then she would be dead. Regardless of what happened now, it had rescued her and Cloud, she had to assume that on some level the monster did not want them dead… no matter how much it acted like killing them would be the easiest thing.

Cloud was dropped and fell with a yelp but he scrambled to his feet and to his credit he did not back away. He stood, facing the monster as it turned towards his mother, one wing still stretched out to hold wolf in place.

"So… you would change the future?"

"I would."

"For your glory? For your gain?"

"No," Raisa replied. "For life," she continued feeling compelled to explain. Nothing she did was for herself. It was all for Cloud, it was all to prevent the future she remembered, the future she had watched from the Lifestream.

"Noble but a lie. Why?"

"For Cloud!" she screamed as the claw dug into her. The pain from her back was forgotten as the more immediate pressure on her throat became too much.

The monster grinned, his fangs shockingly white against his dark skin. "See, the truth isn't that hard," he growled at her, as his wings were pulled back and shuffled around his body. Cloud moved to hold wolf who licked at him as if nothing was wrong. The monster then moved towards the wolf, reaching out to grab one ear. With a sharp tug the monster knelt slightly moving to pull the wolf's yellow eyes around so that they could glare at each other. "Fenrir," the monster growled. "Do not challenge me again."

Wolf bared his teeth at the monster but submitted, earning another deep throated chuckle. "Leave wolf alone!" Cloud spat though his voice was tired.

"Oh, my little champion, I will leave your wolf. I will leave your mother but you…" the monster licked its lips, crouching down so that its face was level with Cloud's. "You, I will never leave." Gently the monster reached out to grasp Cloud's chin, pulling him close and placing one chaste kiss on the blond boy's forehead. "Sleep now," came the command and Raisa cried out as Cloud collapsed straight into the monsters waiting arms.

The creature rose, and gently placed Cloud on the desk, pulling a forgotten blanket over the small boy.

"So you would change the future, woman?"

"I have to," Raisa replied, struggling to remain conscious herself. The wounds wolf had inflicted hurt and it did not comfort her to see the way wolf now moved to stand at the monsters side, as if he recognised him.

"And what of the man who sleeps here?" the monster gestured behind her, towards the room she knew the red dressed man was.

"I will wake him before we leave."

"He will not wish to be woken."

"Then he will die," she replied simply.

"Ah, not afraid of blood," the monster laughed. "I like you woman, but you are still an experimenter… And that I cannot tolerate. For the future woman, remember, a diluted mako bath will ease the pain, but chose wisely, for the shock of hearing can be fatal to some."

"What?"

The monster shook its head. "How would you feel woman, if you went from the silence of your own mind, to hearing the world?"

"I don't understand."

"The Lifestream!" the creature snarled, bending so that it was practically spitting the answers into her face, wings mantling above it. "What do you think you were giving Fenrir? You were giving him the Lifestream, condensed into Mako. You were giving him the Voice of the Planet. And you got lucky. I won't be here to protect the Champion next time, so don't make the same mistake again, meddler."

Raisa didn't know what to think but as she blinked the monster disappeared and she was left all alone in the basement, Cloud asleep on the table, her back dripping blood on to the floor and wolf just looking at her with curious glowing golden eyes. Unsteadily she got to her feet and staggered over to the chair, collapsing into it.

The process worked… But at what cost?

They waited a few days after that. It was a matter of necessity since Raisa's wounds had to heal. In that time wolf seemed unharmed and Cloud woke up without any ill effects from the night. He was the one who put their travelling packs together, and gathered the necessary supplies while Raisa rested.

It was a bit difficult to hide things from the villagers but they managed. It would not do to disappear with them knowing she was wounded. That would spread the word too fast and with her travel speed halved, they needed all the time she could get. She really should be waiting for the wounds to heal and that would mean waiting until the spring, but she felt the need, deep in her bones to move now. She spent the time she was recovering writing letters, some of which she even intended to deliver. Others were written only for herself. She condensed her notes into something only she would understand and she thought about what she would tell the man in red.

And then the morning dawned and as Raisa stepped out of her house in the darkness she trembled. Now she was afraid. For everything that had happened so far, she had felt no fear. That was for now, that was for the first true action that would really change the future and for several long moments, just standing on the threshold of her house she could do nothing but shake as the enormity of the situation descended upon her. What was she thinking? She was a house wife! She had no way to change the future, no right, no ability… She was a nothing…

"Mum?"

Just like that, the fear crashed into nothing around her and Raisa smiled at her son, who was looking back at her from the front of their small garden, wolf at his side. She may have no right, and no ability to actually change the future, but for her boy, she would try. Firmly Raisa stepped across the threshold, closing the door behind her as she joined Cloud for the short walk to the Mansion, hiding in the shadows.

They left their packs in a sheltered alcove at the back of the mansion before going in. It felt different this time. Something about the Mansion was brooding. Monsters appeared but wolf showed his use, ranging in front of them, clearing the way. Raisa was thankful for that, because her back was still swathed in bandages and the best she could hope to do was fire off the flare gun. Wounded as she was, she couldn't use the rifle that was slung across her back. It was there for emergencies. Cloud seemed adept at the pistol she had given him but then, most mountain kids were adept with some weapons. Enough not to shoot themselves anyway.

It was risky but they laced the upper rooms with incendiary before making the slow journey to the basement. If she wanted to destroy everything then that's where the fire had to start and Raisa didn't trust that Shinra wouldn't just dig out the basement if that's what they truly wanted. This way they could dig all they wanted, but all they would find was ash.

Finally in the basement they made their way into a small room beside the laboratories. Raisa shivered as she looked around. It was one thing to know that Shinra was corrupt and allowed many forms of human experimentation, it was another to see the side effects of that experimenting and the casual nature with which Shinra accepted that. Scattered around the room were coffins, and Raisa had no doubt that they were full. And these were just the bodies that Shinra felt the need to 'honour' with a proper… with burial such as it was. Or perhaps these were the bodies they could not get rid of. It was unusual to have a body much past the time of death. She'd never had Damian's body.

Fiercely she wiped a tear from her eye and moved to the centre coffin. The room was silent and freezing, far colder than it should have been with the advent of winter but that was not her concern for the moment. "Stay behind me Cloud," Raisa instructed and she felt his reply.

Slowly Raisa entered the room, holstering the flare gun as she moved towards the coffin and with a hard shove she pushed the lid off. Thankfully for her sanity it did not contain a desiccated body but instead the red dressed man was there. Someone she had seen only in her memory.

He was pretty she supposed but no one would ever hold a candle to her Damian. His skin was white and his hair was black. She didn't know how long he had been here but he was not emaciated and for her peace of mind that was something. The clothes he was dressed in was almost shockingly red in the gloom of the room which made the gold tipping his boots and covering one arm all the more stark. It was a strange combination but it worked. Raisa snorted to herself. It didn't matter.

"Wake up," she said, somewhat stiffly.

"Who?" The voice was groggy.

"Wake up!" Raisa repeated.

"Hmm? What do you know?"

She blinked, wondering where that question came from. This wasn't going how she envisaged it. The man in red was meant to be taciturn but not completely unapproachable. "I know about Sephiroth," the words slipped out.

"Sephiroth?"

"Shinra's General," Cloud spoke up though his voice was soft but in the quiet of the basement.

"Sephiroth is Shinra's General?"

"Has been for years," Raisa replied, though she wanted to shush Cloud.

"My sins are multiplied."

"Your sins?"

"My sins are of no concern to you."

"That's true," Raisa agreed. "But my sins concern me and I would prefer not to commit another by murdering you."

"You could not woman." There was a slight hint of scorn in his voice.

"I'm not going to stab you. I am going to burn this mansion down to get rid of Hojo's research."

"Hojo?"

"Hojo's research needs to be destroyed."

"Will I meet Sephiroth if I go with you?"

"I don't know," Raisa replied. "But you aren't going to meet him if you stay here. Nor can you atone if you remain sleeping," she added slyly referring to the sins he spoke of.

The man looked introspective for a moment but before he could speak wolf pushed into the room and jumped up to look into the coffin. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he barked slightly before shuffling higher to lick at the man.

From the door Cloud laughed and Raisa had to raise one hand to her mouth to stifle the laugh that threatened to escape.

"I don't care if you go back to sleep, but I would prefer not to kill you when this mansion is destroyed."

As the man sat up, pushing the wolf off him he looked around and Raisa didn't miss the way his red eyes opened slightly when he saw Cloud. There was something going on with her son that she did not know about if both the monster and this man recognised him. She knew he was important for the future she remembered but did that translate? Had she come back in time to rescue him from one future only to condemn him to one worse? No! That would not be. She would not allow that!

"Where will you go?" the man asked.

"West," Raisa replied, not sure how much of the modern world the man knew. "Shinra is currently using Sephiroth to fight a war there."

"Will you rescue Sephiroth?"

"That is not my intention," she admitted.

"I'll rescue Sephiroth!" Cloud interrupted from the door and Raisa smiled gently at him, not bothering to try to correct her son. He wouldn't be encountering Sephiroth for a very long time, if ever, if she got her way. The red dressed man nodded to Cloud and her boy flushed before there came the motion for Raisa to continue her explanation.

"I can't do that," the blonde woman continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "I won't be able to get him away from Shinra but I want him to be able to know the truth. I want the planet to be able to know the truth, not the truth Shinra sees."

He nodded slightly. "I will come with you."

"I'd appreciate that."

"But I do not know how long I will stay."

Raisa nodded and backed away slightly. Once she got him out of here, she expected the man to leave almost immediately. There was some information she had found that she would tell him as soon as they were over the mountains. The wolf let himself down and returned to Cloud's side as the man leapt out of the coffin, before dusting himself off slightly and moving out into the corridor.

Setting fire to the Mansion was easy. Raisa simply started a baby fire, back in the underground library and then made sure that they retreated before the flames spread. Walking over the foot hills, with the burning glow from the Mansion behind them was quite satisfying. It was perhaps a waste to destroy so much knowledge, but Raisa had those few books and notes that she needed to show the truth. Letting it burn was the safest course of action.

Their progress through the hills was slow and Raisa chaffed at it, but was unable to go any faster. Her pack had been carefully made so as not to rub her wounds but they slowed her down. The weather was chill and the air was heavy with the promise of more snow but while they were walking, there was only the wind to accompany them. The first snows were on the ground but the path was clear enough.

"We are going up to the Reactor," Raisa said for the benefit of their travelling companion. "I don't think Jenova will be there, but we have to check. If she is, we are going to destroy the reactor. If she's not, I'll just leave the notes and we will continue on our way."

There was not even a nod from their new travelling companion but somehow Raisa could sense he was curious. "Jenova is the creature Sephiroth thinks is his mother."

"His mother was Lucrecia… beautiful Lucrecia."

"I know," Raisa agreed with the red dressed man. "But I only know that because I read some of Hojo's notes while he was experimenting. There was nothing in the mansion that says it. It's almost like Hojo is trying to keep the truth from Sephiroth."

"My sins…"

"We are sinful creatures," the blonde woman interrupted before the red dressed man could say much more. "I don't know why Shinra don't want Sephiroth knowing about his birth mother but that's one of the truths I think he should be allowed to know. What he does with the information after that is his own concern but it's such a simple thing and everyone should know who their parents are."

"Who are you woman, that you know such things?"

The question was so very direct and suddenly Raisa felt red eyes boring into her. Behind her Cloud tensed and the wolf growled softly at the feel of menace.

"Someone who knows the future," she said with a small smile, ignoring the wilderness around them and acting as if that one line should make everything clear.

The man said nothing but it was clear from his gaze that he did not believe her. Raisa fought the urge to tell him more knowing full well that silence was his chosen interrogation technique for this time. It was amazing what she could remember of the future and what gaps were in her knowledge. This man had helped her son, and for that, she would help him as much as she could, but not to the point of jeopardising her own mission.

The silence stretched between them and Raisa could feel Cloud looking back and forth between them. He didn't quite understand what was going on but his confusion prompted the blonde woman to action. There was really only one more thing she could add to her explanation. "I am Cloud's mother," she said quietly, gesturing to her son. There had been recognition in the red dress man's eyes earlier, when he had first seen Cloud but he had given no further indication of knowledge. Whatever it was, perhaps it could tip the balance here.

"And for that you would challenge Shinra."

For a split second Raisa heard the words differently. She heard 'And for that you would change the future,' and she looked at the man before her sharply, then her mind caught up and translated his speech clearly for her and she knew he had not said that. His gaze lacked the soul deep knowing that one who knew the future carried. This man meant exactly what he said, no more no less, but Raisa couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere, someone had said what she heard.

"All mothers care for their sons," she replied softly.

Red eyes gave her a hard look and the man turned away and resumed walking towards the Reactor, giving Raisa and Cloud no choice but to follow.

The rest of the trip to the Reactor was uneventful and Raisa was thankful. She could not help but feel a tickling between her shoulder blades. Something was telling her to hurry for by now the villagers would have noticed that she and Cloud were missing. She hoped they'd try to search the ruins of the Mansion first, but it was more likely that they would send someone up the Mountain to locate them. She didn't really want to explain why she was not going back and at the moment, it would merely be speculation that she knew about the Mansion fire, though her absence probably confirmed suspicion. If she went back, it would be confirmed absolutely. Waiting in the village for Shinra was not an option.

The reactor was bigger than she remembered and loomed in the mountain like some sparkly insect. After Damian's death, Shinra had completely automated it, though they had been known to send a maintenance team up from time to time, just to make sure it was running in peak condition. That was their excuse anyway. Raisa didn't care. It made no difference then. It made no difference now. There would be no team there with the onset of winter.

She made no move to stop Cloud or the red dressed man when she mounted the steps to the Reactor entry, pulling out Damian's identity card as she climbed. She'd debated with herself for a long time before deciding to try to use it. If necessary she'd break in but she wanted Shinra to know who had done this. There was some logic in trying for anonymity, in just disappearing and allowing Shinra and the villagers to think what they would but that would focus all of Shinra's investigative power upon her. By using Damian's card, knowing that the use would be recorded, she hoped to muddy the waters. It could be her, but would she be dumb enough to use his card? Or was it someone else, some other enemy of Shinra who was trying to frame her? Or was she merely a disgruntled former employee, her husband dead, herself redundant… Did she have some sort of plan for revenge? And if so where? Midgar… was most likely and if Shinra took that belief, she hoped they'd head any search in that direction first.

Raisa's precautions were flimsy enough as they were. She had two things on her side at the moment. One, Shinra didn't know anything was amiss and two, speed, at the moment she was completely ahead of them. If the snows fell right, she'd have a three month head start… despite the fact she was going to head into disputed territory. The real problem arose because she burned down the Mansion. She could have gotten where she wanted to go, even visited the reactor all without Shinra knowing. But she couldn't just leave Hojo's lies in place and no amount of effort on her part could have corrected the papers. She could have left the corroborating books out and opened but she had no guarantee that they would be checked and read. After all, Hojo's contemporaries didn't bother, why should anyone else? No, the Mansion had had to go. And by all rights she should be running as fast as she could right now. But she had to know. If Jenova was here, then it had to be destroyed here. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Resolutely Raisa swiped the key card.

Blue eyes sparkled happily when there was a bleep from within and the doors opened. She managed to suppress a hiss of surprise when their travelling companion swept passed her into the Reaction, his red eyes flickering over everything. After a moment he motioned that they could follower.

"What was that?"

"These places are dangerous," was the short reply.

"No more so than the mountain," Raisa retorted.

"..." The look said everything that the man wanted to say.

"How would you know?" Cloud's Mother snapped after a few moments of silence.

From the way their companion was standing, Raisa could tell that he wanted to remain silent but she would not accept that. "It was my job to know," came the reply finally.

"Shinra?"

There was a sharp nod and Raisa couldn't suppress the hiss from her quick intake of breath. Her memories definitely hadn't prepared her for that information.

"Turk," he said moving deeper into the Reactor.

Raisa's thoughts crashed in her head and it was only Cloud's touch to her wrist that brought them under control. She took a few deep calming breaths, moving forward as Cloud crowded the area behind her. Their companion may have worked for Shinra, but being laid to rest beneath their Mansion was grounds for termination of employment. He would not be returning to Shinra.

"I haven't been very polite," Raisa said by way of apology. "We should have done this earlier. My name is Raisa Strife. This is my son Cloud and his wolf."

"My name is Vincent, Vincent Valentine," the red eyed man turned slightly and replied.

"It is very good to meet you," the blonde woman said with a smile moving fully into the Reactor. She looked around at the confusing mass of pipes and lights. Damian would have known what they were for, but they just looked confusing to her. "Do you know the way to the core?" Her memories said that Jenova would be in the core if she was here.

Another sharp nod and Raisa caught the gesture for her to follow. She was tempted to make Cloud stay here in the beginning of the reactor but decided it would be best if he accompanied them. She didn't know what dangers were inside the reactor but she knew well enough the potential dangers that were without.

They encountered a few monsters in the reactor but they were minor things. Mutated spiders for the most part, a few field mice but Vincent crushed them all or wolf ate them. They went down, and through and around so many pipes that Raisa was lost. How Damian had managed to navigate his way through this mess all the time and actually know which pipe needed repairs, or maintenance she would never know. And then finally they were there...

The light was red. Capsules formed tiers around a central stair that lead to a larger capsule. They mounted the stairs and Raisa wasn't the only one that felt the air getting heavier. There was something oppressive here. Raisa actually shivered as she saw the scroll work on the central capsule. The letters spelt out the name Jenova and she would recognise that anywhere.

Vincent made precise movements as he tapped on the keypad. The door slid smoothly open and steam escaped. The room inside was blue but the light didn't mix at all. There was a sharp delineation between the rooms. "Wait here," Raisa told Cloud and for once he didn't argue. His nod was eloquent as he moved to the side, wolf going with him and he sat down at the end of one of the tiers to wait.

Once inside Raisa looked around. There room was large but there appeared to be an inner room. "If she is anywhere, it will be inside."

She nodded, gesturing for Vincent to open the inner door and was not surprised when he drew his pistol before moving to the door, tapping again at the keypad. Once against the door swung smoothly aside but Raisa didn't even have time to scream before the attack was launched.

The creature was big and ugly and appeared to have two heads. It was fat and far too brightly coloured to be natural. Long teeth adorned the mouth and claws and spikes seemed to be everywhere. It was fast but Vincent didn't appear to be concerned. He had jumped away from a vicious slash firing his pistol at the monster. She saw the bullets impact but they didn't even appear to slow the creature down.

"What is that?" Raisa screamed the question, realising as she asked how completely futile it was. It didn't matter what the creature was. It was big, strong and dangerous and they had to kill it. Nothing else should be their concern. Vincent kept shooting at it, trying to hit a vital point and while his bullets were penetrating, as evidenced by the thick dark blood dripping down the monster. Raisa drew back, wrestling with the rifle slung across her back. Another gun joined the battle and the deep throated growl of wolf was heard right before the massive animal ran in, biting and clawing at the creature. Raisa got a glimpse of blond hair and while she longed to tell Cloud to run, she couldn't spare the breath. He was doing well, hiding behind the door and ducking around only when he shot. She could see that his aim was true and in any other situation Raisa would have been proud. At the moment she was just scared. She finally got the rifle around to the front. It was loaded and she placed it against her shoulder, taking careful aim. The blonde woman couldn't help but cry out with the shock of recoil and she thought she felt the wounds on her back re-open but she didn't dare check. Not yet, not now and instead Raisa pulled the rifle back, taking aim again. There was a larger impact wound where the first bullet had hit and this was the strongest weapon they had. She shot again, crying out again, and this time definitely feeling the tears break.

"Yes! Mum!" Cloud called his encouragement and Raisa drew strength from her boy's voice as she raised the rifle again. The two pistols continued to fire and Raisa hoped that they were damaging the monster. Vincent was keeping the majority of the monster's attention for which Raisa was thankful. She didn't think she could survive if it hit her and she knew that Cloud wouldn't. She took grim pleasure in seeing the gashes that wolf's claws were opening in the hide of the creature.

Stars danced in her eyes after she fired the rifle again and this time Raisa sagged slightly. The monster took advantage of her moment of weakness and she smelt its breath hot on her skin before she could draw breath to scream.

After that things got fuzzy for Raisa but Cloud always told her that she was never in any danger. Something barrelled into the monster, driving it off her. She didn't see what happened but there as a cacophony of growls and snaps and snarls before there a moment of silence before a deafening roar.

The next thing Raisa knew Cloud was standing over, gently poking at her bandages and tugging some new ones into place. Vincent stood slightly at a distance, his back turned, and Raisa blushed when she realised her chest was uncovered. She maintained enough presence of mind to wait until Cloud declared that everything was all right before slowly slipping her clothes back over her wounds, buttoning them fast. "Is she here?" Raisa asked Vincent though she smiled at Cloud, thanking him for his efforts.

Wolf lay beside her, and seemed to radiate warmth.

"No," the gunman replied directly, turning to look at her. "You should not have moved with wounds like that." There was no accusation in his tone, there didn't have to be, she felt it never the less.

"There was no further time to wait," Raisa replied to the unasked question. "If I waited any longer, it would be too late to act."

"Too late for what?"

"Too late to change the future."

Red eyes blinked, and nothing more was said as Raisa rose. "I have to see it," she added shifting slightly so that she did not stagger.

"In the morning," it was Cloud who replied. "For now, you need to eat."

It was only then that Raisa really looked around and was surprised to see that they were in the first chamber of the Reactor again. Somehow they had manhandled her up out of the bowels of the Reactor to here and set up a small camp. "We have to go," Raisa shook her head. "Shinra will know by now."

"Shinra know nothing yet," Vincent assured her. "And even if they did, they would be doing nothing yet. You will wait until tomorrow."

She knew she was not going to get anything further and nodded sitting back down and accepting a bowl of something from Cloud. "Thank you," Raisa said to Vincent. She didn't know how the battle ended but obviously they had won. How was lost to her but perhaps how was not important. The fact that they were still alive had to be enough and she would ask later. Raisa ate slowly that night, they all did and she could sense the question heavily in the air coming from Vincent. After they had eaten and cleaned up, she breathed deep, sighing. "It is not an easy tale to tell," she said softly, almost inaudibly,

"The truth seldom is," Vincent replied, his voice dark with its own inflections.

"I know the future," Raisa said matter of factly, repeating what she had told him earlier. "I do not just think I know. I know. I don't know how it happened but years back I collapsed, and when I awoke, I remembered. I remembered the future. I knew that Sephiroth would burn the world for Jenova. That he would be killed three times and that he would taint the life stream. I knew that Hojo would corrupt everything. And I knew that something had to be done to stop it."

"So you will change the future?" It was difficult to tell but there seemed to be amusement in Vincent's tone. It reminded Raisa of the Monster she had seen in the Basement.

"I will try," she answered as humbly as she could.

"You will die."

There wasn't much she could say to that not even when Cloud looked at her nervously. She had accepted death as a possibility but that did not mean she wouldn't try.

"How will you change the future?" The question came only after she had shifted slightly.

"Shinra needs a watcher," Raisa said almost with relief, feeling the tension lessen. "I intend to provide that watcher. In the future I remember Wutai is defeated. I will give them weapons so that they won't fall."

"..."

"I know how to enhance humans, just as Shinra does. I will give Wutai the ability to match Shinra in that manner."

There was only more silence from Vincent but Raisa could feel the question.

"It may lead to further death, and the continuation of the war will undoubtedly lead to more death. But in the future I remember, the world died. Thousands died of disease, of sporadic war, of a thousand things that Jenova created." Raisa took another deep breath and sighed. "I do not know if this is the best way. I don't even know how to get Wutai to listen to me, but this was the only way I could see to make a radical change in the time line."

There was a soft hiss of air from Vincent but he remained silent. Once again though Raisa heard a voice almost mocking her with its tone. "At least you gave this some thought."

"I will tell you more as we travel," Raisa offered though she had begun to doubt the wisdom of telling this man about Lucrecia. She would tell him. She promised herself that, but the world was a dangerous place and he was a strong warrior. They needed the protection on their path. Her lips parted but her tongue remained silent. She'd tell him once they got over the mountains, just as she had originally planned. Probably. She would pay for this deception but she would tell him when she could, but not before.

There you go, Chaos, Vincent and a Monster battle all in the one Chapter. If you are wondering which monster, I moved the monster from the safe into the reactor.

Thanks for reading and feel free to give me something to read in return!

Jade

PS: Thank you to everyone who has favourited, followed or reviewed! Over 100 favourites is awesome! With more follows! And approaching 100 reviews. I am stoked! So thanks everyone!

J.