Chapter Fifty-Three: Change of Intent
Business went on at the Seventh Heaven, though the number of customers was down significantly. Perhaps they had sensed the despair and loss that loomed over all of the employees. Life became dull, mechanical, held together only by the hope that perhaps Vincent could find her.
Marlene's protests rang through the diner. She insisted that the door should remain unlocked at night, and that Vincent and Aralyn would be home at any second. Tifa sadly denied the child her request every evening, though the girl never stopped fighting. No one tried to stop her. Denzel kept vigil through his bedroom window until he slumped over, too exhausted to remain awake.
The adults envied the children's stubborn hope.
It was the second night since Aralyn's departure, and Tifa was collapsing in a chair after nearly an hour of assuring Marlene into a fitful sleep. Cloud sensed her fatigue and sat down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll close up shop tonight," he offered.
"Not on your own you won't." And she stood and started down the stairs.
When the pair reached the bottom floor, they noticed that the lights had been turned off. Neither of them was able to truthfully confess to the deed.
"Where is Aralyn?" a smooth, dark voice rang through the darkness.
Tifa listened hard and realized that it was quiet…too quiet. There were no sounds coming from the children's room.
"I do not wish to kill this child," the figure said, as if reading her mind. "Where is Aralyn?" Tifa heard Marlene give a frightened whimper before it was abruptly cut off.
Cloud turned the lights on and drew his sword simultaneously, the sound of metal ringing far. Yazoo was in the corner, pressing his gunblade to Marlene's throat. "Please don't make me harm her."
Tifa wasn't sure whether she should be frightened or relieved that the silver haired remnant sounded sincere when he said that.
"Give her back," Cloud demanded.
"I have nothing to lose," Yazoo said blandly, clearly not affected by the threat. "I'll ask only once more." He pulled back further. "I truly don't want to hurt her," Yazoo pleaded, "but I don't know any other way to get a legitimate response."
Cloud was confused, but hid it behind a tense, stoic mask. "Really?" he asked, mockingly. "The lives of children have always been your highest priority, after all." There was no humor or sarcasm in his tone, but irony was laid thickly in his eyes.
Yazoo looked truly grieved as he began to drag the blade across her arm. Then, slowly, but without hesitation, he let it glide, much harder, across his own.
"Let her go!" Tifa pleaded, reaching forward in an attempt to grab the little girl.
Yazoo leapt back and positioned the now crimson blade at the girl's neck again, then his eyes closed and his hand quivered with the thought of what he was about to do.
"Please," Tifa breathed. "Don't do this…"
Yazoo brought the blade up so it rested beneath her chin and took a deep breath…
…And threw the weapon to the ground.
Marlene ran to Tifa, grasping her tightly as she shook, stifling her frantic breathing in her skirt. Tifa knelt and gently soothed the girl, her hands moving to tend to her wound.
Yazoo turned to leave, the expression on his face numb and disbelieving.
"Wait!" Tifa called after him. He stopped, but didn't turn. "Aralyn…she went to Faramir."
"Tifa," Cloud warned.
But it was too late to take back what she had said. Yazoo whirled around violently, his eyes flaring dangerously. "You lie!" he hissed, his tone accusing.
"Why would she lie?" Cloud said, moving in front of the women in case Yazoo showed any violence.
"What is it?" Tifa cut across, moving Cloud aside so she could meet the remnant's green, catlike eyes. "Where is it? Why is it so frightening?"
"She can't have…" Yazoo breathed, seeming not to have heard her. "She couldn't…she wouldn't…" His eyes drifted closed, and he stood stiff and silent for a long time.
When he regained mobility, it was to walk out the door. "No one knows where Faramir is," he said without pausing his slow, deliberate exit. Then, so softly that they could barely hear, he added, "And, in Aralyn's case, the danger is that it still exists."