Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.
A/N: Reeeally loooong author's note at the end of the chapter.
Reviews, critiques and flames are welcome. I absolutely love all reviews about the story as it gives me motivation, I use good constructive criticism to help my writing improve and I feed the flames to the fires of my imagination.
Thanks to my before posting beta Queen of Jokers and my after posting beta SubZeroChimera!
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom." –Isaac Asimov
Chapter 53
'Giggling? Who is giggling?'
He opened his eyes; he must've fallen asleep in the position he fell in.
"Are you comfortable?" Aerith stood looking in with her arms crossed on the door leaning her head in the open window with a grin on her lips.
With a muscle twitch of embarrassment, his back resisted the movement. He supposed that he did look pretty odd asleep in this position on the floor board of the truck. A small smile crossed his lips, "Not really." He grabbed a hold of the dash board and seat cushion and stiffly hoisted himself up to the bench seat. Once he got himself unstuck, he asked the curious ancient, "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same," Aerith tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows, "You and Tifa didn't have a fight did you?"
He shook his head, "Nah, just couldn't sleep." He slid to the driver's side next to her, "I went for a walk and ended up here." She backed up as he opened the door, "My back is killing me." He stretched and a loud pop made a pain-filled groan leave his mouth, "Oww."
"Come here," Getting in front of him, she wrapped her arms around his torso, grabbed her hands at his back and pulled hard, making his back popped again. This time it was a moan, and a sigh of relief from him, "There, is that better?"
He bent side to side and then forward and smiled, "Yeah thanks." He rounded her shoulders with one arm and started walking, guiding her toward the cabins, "Come on, let's get back and get something to eat."
"Cloud? Are you okay?" She put her arm around his waist and put her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I think so, I'm just worried. From what Yuffie said, he isn't doing well." He didn't want to let her know that he could feel some of what Zack was going through, that he'd been through it during their time on the run after they escaped the labs.
"Cloud, he'll be fine. I have to believe that," She sighed and could feel a different kind of energy coming from Cloud. She still couldn't shake the feeling that Zack was disappearing though.
Cloud stopped and faced her, "We are going to find him. Me and Seph are going to do everything we can, okay," He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, "I have to believe it too."
She put her hands up to his face, cupping his cheeks, "I know you will do what you can. I trust you." She gave him a kiss back and smiled gently, "Now, let's go get something to eat, I'm starving."
At breakfast, Tifa wouldn't look at Cloud. Finally having enough of the dirty looks and silent treatment, he left and went back to the room. Laying down on the bed, he rolled to his side and curled up with a pillow. Later, Tifa walked in with Yuffie and noticed that Cloud had fallen asleep.
Not noticing, Yuffie continued to talk, "…So this one place I went, Rocket Town. I think that was the name. This guy was going to fly a rocket into space!" She plopped down on the chair. Cloud stirred at the noise. "That guy was kind of a meanie too."
Tifa plopped down on the bed and Cloud bounced awake, "Hey…" He looked around, "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."
Under her breath Tifa said through gritted teeth, "I'll bet."
Rubbing his head, he asked as he made his way to the bathroom, "What?"
"Nothing!" Tifa scowled.
Yuffie looked at both of them, sensing the tension, she spoke hesitantly, "I'm gonna so see what that guy is doing in the thing, over by that whatever," As she left, it took three tries before the door finally clicked shut.
When Cloud left the bathroom, he asked, "What is your problem?" She just stared at him. Standing across the room from her, he added, "I can't read your mind Tifa. Zack's and Seph's maybe, but not yours."
At the risk of sounding like a jealous and desperate girlfriend, she asked quickly, "Where were you last night?"
Cloud got a dumbfounded look on his face, "What?" She stood up and repeated her question. He went back and laid down on his stomach, he wrapped a pillow in his arms under his chest and explained matter-of-factly, "I went for a walk and fell asleep in the truck."
Tifa crossed her arms, "With Aerith?"
He turned his face toward her, "What are you talking about?" He raised his head a little and then realized what she must have seen. He got a devilish smile and narrowed his eyes, "Are you jealous?"
"No!" She said severely unconvincingly.
He turned his face into the pillow, "Uh, huh. Okay." Turning his face to her, and in a mocking tone, he answered, "Nothing happened." He smiled just before she punched him in the ribs, "Oww!"
"That's what you get for making fun of me," A sheepish glance to him made him smile.
He rolled over onto his side and took one of her hands, caressing the fist until her hand softened, "You are the only woman for me." She smiled and before she could kiss him, he added, "And that's almost too much for me to handle." He ended with a laugh and she tackled him and pinned him to the mattress as he laughed out, "See what I mean!"
Once they got to Casa Del Sol, they drove their vehicles off the ship and found parking. It was late by the time the ship docked, so Sephiroth went to get some rooms for the night. They were quickly running out of money and they still needed to get supplies. While they were waiting for Sephiroth to return with the room keys they began talking about how to get more money.
Without looking up from his leaning spot against the side of the truck, Barret spoke with a fair amount of seriousness in his snarky statement, "We could always sell Harding to slave traders. Not that we could get much." Barret smiled at Harding as the physician's assistant quickly reddened with anger.
"I've had about enough of your shit!" Harding threw his bag on the ground and started toward Barret with his teeth bared and fists in front of him.
Barret stood up, grinned and taunted, "Gimme your best shot-"
Cloud got between them, "Enough!"
Unfortunately, Harding already swung a punch, getting Cloud in the side of his head. To Harding's surprise, not only did Cloud not move with the force of his punch, but his knuckles cracked audibly and he let out a cry that he tried to cover up with a growl.
Cloud's face reddened, and talking through his teeth with an anger that Harding never saw in him before, the blond grabbed the front of the man's shirt and spat out, "I said enough!" Pushing him back and releasing his shirt, Harding fell to the ground landing on his butt.
Barret stepped toward Harding to help him up, "Damn Spike, calm your shit!" Cloud turned on him and stared him down.
Tifa pulled Cloud back by his sleeve, "Boys, just cut it out!"
Aerith got a hold of Barret to reassure him. She held his arm and turned him around and they walked toward the beach, "So. Have you ever been to the beach?" They heard Aerith talking him down as they disappeared. Yuffie went and helped Harding up and she directed him to other side of the truck.
Sephiroth walked up as the group started going their separate ways, "I have the room keys. Bad news is I could only get two rooms again."
Tifa took one of the keys that Sephiroth handed her, "I think that we will take Barret and Yuffie again if you and Aerith can room with Harding." Cloud stormed off down the sidewalk.
Yuffie stepped forward, "As entertaining as this is, I think I am going to check something out. I'll meet up with ya'll later." With a skip and a wink, she walked around the corner of a nearby item supply business and disappeared.
"Sometimes I wonder about her," Tifa looked at Sephiroth and then watched Cloud duck into a bar.
Sephiroth's stressed stance as he tried to sound calm while he spoke to Tifa, "I'll go check on him." He knew that something else was bothering Cloud. It was most assuredly the same thing that bothered him. Walking in the bar he found Cloud drinking down a beer and then ordering another. Finding a spot next to him, Sephiroth said quietly, "You might want to slow down on those," Sephiroth held up his finger to the bartender and he hitched his leg up and boosted himself on to the stool.
"You feel it too don't you?" Cloud put the second empty bottle down and ordered another.
Sephiroth nodded, "I'm afraid so. I hope he can hold out until we can get to him." Cloud turned and slammed his fist down on the bar. Sephiroth put his hand over the blonde's tight fist, "Let's go sit at that table." He pointed over to an empty table and headed in that direction.
They sat and Cloud finished off his third and the waitress automatically brought him another, "This is bullshit." Looking at each other, they finished off the beers that they had and then ordered more.
Tifa and Aerith had turned in for the night in their rooms. Harding hadn't shown up yet and Yuffie was still missing in action.
Aerith laid in the dark and watched the shadows of the palm tree branches sway in front of the window. When the street light shined through the opened door she turned over to her back. In the midst of taking his clothes off, in his drunken state, he fell and slurred a whispered, "Shit." He then bumped into the table causing it slide across the floor a short distance, "Dammit." He finally sat down on the side of the bed and finished taking off his clothes. He lay down and curled up to her. She felt that he had taken everything off. He usually didn't like sleeping nude because of the few things that he'd told her about the labs.
'That is kind of odd.'
He began to kiss on her neck and his hands roamed up to her chest and he lifted himself up to his elbow and leaned over her. His leg went up and over her leg and he pushed one of her legs out of the way. He hoisted himself up and his kiss got harder and deeper. He made a noise that she had missed for so long.
'Wait. That was the noise that Zack always made.'
She shook the thought. When she put her hands up to his hair she noticed something.
'His hair, that's not right. It's shorter, like Zack's.'
Before he got any further, she pushed herself back away from his face. She could clearly see her dark haired former lover, his deep aqua colored eyes, and the small "x" scar on his cheek. In a hurry she reached over to the lamp and turned it on. His eyes squeezed shut at the sudden light that assaulted them. She began to tremble, but let out a little sigh when she saw Sephiroth roll over to his back and lay there breathing hard. Blindly, he took a pillow and covered his face.
She jumped out of the bed and went over to him and pulled the pillow back and he snored lightly. She furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. The door opened and Harding walked in. Aerith quickly grabbed the sheet and covered his naked body. Unfortunately, part of him was still awake and demanded attention. Aerith nervously threw a pillow at it to cover it, but not before Harding already became aware of the situation, and asking with no small amount of anger, "Should I leave?"
"No, he's asleep. He's just… uh…" Aerith fumbled for words.
Harding sighed and noticed that Sephiroth was snoring, "I get it. I'm a guy, remember. Sometimes Mr. Happy has a mind of its own." He pulled the extra blanket off the chair and spread it out on the floor and kicked off his shoes.
Aerith sat on the foot of the bed and looked at Harding. Her nerves were frayed, she could swear that she saw Zack.
'Maybe I'm going crazy.'
She gave her thoughts serious consideration as she wrung her hands nervously, "May I ask you a question?"
Harding pulled his shirt off, "Yeah, what is it?" Harding put the pillow down and lay down on his pallet.
"Do you think that Zack can disappear?" Pausing at the man's blank face, she tried again, "What I mean is that I am having trouble feeling his separate energy."
Harding put his hands behind his head, "That is one thing that I don't really know. Hojo said something to the effect that if they were able to communicate with each other, it might be difficult to keep their identities separate from another." Harding cut his eyes over to her, "I don't know what to think though. Why? Have you noticed something?"
She got up and took a drink of water, "Just little things here and there." She paused and suppressed the urge to cry.
"Let's just keep an eye on them. They are all three strong personalities so it may be nothing other than just sharing a little of the other's emotions. It's probably nothing. We're sure to find something once we get to Nibelheim." Harding turned over and closed his eyes, "Good night Aerith."
"Good night," She got up and went back to her side of the bed and Sephiroth turned over and promptly nestled up to her back.
The next day, they met back up at the vehicles, and Tifa looked over the group, "Where's Yuffie? I haven't seen her since last night." Sephiroth and Cloud winced at the pain in their heads as they pulled them down, blocking as much sun as they could with their hands, they both were quiet. Cloud quickly pulled his sun glasses out and perched them on his nose.
Harding came over and gave them both some aspirin, "I should just let you both suffer." He slammed the pills in their hands.
Aerith pulled her bag up and over into the back of the truck, "Isn't that her?" She nodded her head toward the beach and a feminine form bounced toward the group.
"Hiya!" Yuffie had a large smile and a smaller bag hanging off of her backpack, "Are we leaving?"
As Sephiroth helped Barret get the heavy things situated, he asked, "What have you been up to young lady?" He said with some concern, "I hope that it doesn't come back to bite us in the ass." His silver eyebrows rose.
She twisted back in forth timidly, "Well if you must know, I procured more supplies and money." Her smile broadened.
Barret came around from the front of the truck, "Legally I hope. Not that we aren't already wanted or running with criminals." He cut his eyes over at Sephiroth and Cloud with a slightly amusing smirk.
She pointed into the back of the truck, "It is all legal," Then under her breath, "Well most of it anyway."
Cloud snapped his eyes over at her harshly, "I heard that."
She smiled and timidly walked over to him and took his hand. He pulled back and she grabbed at it again with a smile. He looked down and she put a large wad of Gil in his hand, "Here you go." She got into the back of the truck, "Let's go! This place is too hot to stay here any longer." Her smirk was hidden behind her hand, but it didn't go unnoticed by Tifa.
Barret said quietly as he and Harding got in the cab of the truck, "Yeah, I bet that money is hot too." Harding laughed and closed the door.
Cloud looked at Sephiroth, "I don't know if I want to know."
"Maybe she wants to stay with us longer and this is her way of telling us that," Sephiroth walked toward his bike.
Tifa and Cloud got to the other bike and Tifa added, "Yeah, but if she is stealing, it isn't helpful now is it?"
Cloud flung his leg over the bike, "We can just keep a closer eye on her. Until that though, she kind of saved us this time."
"How so?" Tifa got on the bike behind Cloud.
"Me and Seph kind of drank the last of our money," Cloud sheepishly admitted. Sephiroth bowed his head in an attempt to hide his face and from his headache.
Tifa leaned up to Cloud's ear, "Oh, yeah, I know."
Cloud let his eyes roll, "Of course you do." His body tensed under her touch.
Tifa squeezed his waist, "Its okay. I understand. You have a lot on your mind and I want to help you if I can. Just let me know."
Aerith ran up to Tifa and pulled her aside and whispered to her, "Tifa, could you ride in the truck with me. I need to talk to you about something important," Tifa looked at Cloud and then back at Aerith.
She nodded and spoke to Cloud, "I'm gonna get in the truck, Aerith needs to talk." Cloud nodded and reached to start his bike. Tifa leaned in for a kiss and he drew back very slightly. He got a confused look on his face and turned away from her, "What's the matter?"
His eyes blinked, "Nothing." He gave her a kiss, but it was quick and lacked any of his passion and heat. She walked back to the truck and her thoughts were a bustle of hasty memories of him.
Cloud and Sephiroth started their bikes and Sephiroth signaled Barret and they left Casa Del Sol behind.
The girls hopped in the back of the truck and got comfortable in the blankets that Yuffie had laid out. Aerith looked at Yuffie and asked, "Could you sit in the front of the truck? I have a personal problem."
The truck lurched forward and Yuffie looked at them both, "I guess I'm stuck back here."
Aerith lowered her eyes and spoke to Yuffie, "I would appreciate you not talking about this to anyone please."
Yuffie nodded her head, "I won't. Ninja's honor," She held up one of her hands palm out.
Turning away from Yuffie, she took Tifa's hand and looked deep in her eyes, "Something happened last night." She paused and breathed out and glanced over to Yuffie and then continued, "Seph came in drunk and when he got in bed, he started kissing me…" She paused and blushed but went pale just a moment later.
Tifa took her hands in both of hers, "Aerith, go ahead."
"He sounded like Za… I mean, when I looked at him, it was Zack," Aerith's eyes full of sadness, "But when I turned the light on, it was Seph."
"I was just a trick of the light, or maybe you were dreaming."
Aerith shook her head, "No, I wasn't dreaming. I know it."
Tifa sat back on her heels. She ran back through last night in her mind…
Barret decided that he wanted to be alone so he decided to sleep in the truck, so Tifa and Cloud had the room to themselves for now. Tifa sat up in bed and read an old issue of the 'Junon Times' that Cloud had stuffed in his bag just before they left Junon. The headline caught her eye. She studied the pictures and recognized Jason Conners. She read the story and couldn't help but laugh. She wondered if that was what Cloud had been laughing about when he got back to the Inn that first night in Junon.
The door opened and Cloud staggered in. A quick movement and he had the door shut and locked, "Uh, Cloud. Yuffie hasn't shown up yet, we need to unlock the door until she gets here."
Cloud ignored her, "I gotta take a piss." With faltered steps he bounced off the furniture to make it the bathroom. Without closing the door, he relieved himself and Tifa just sat there, shocked because Cloud was such a private person. He would even close the door when he brushed his teeth. When he finally came out, he looked at Tifa, and slurred, "Heeyy babe."
Luckily she was used to dealing with drunks. She'd never seen Cloud this way and it amused and disturbed her at the same time. His walls that he worked so hard to keep up were down, "Cloud, let me help you."
He grabbed her at the waist and yanked her to him, "I'll tell how you can help me." She resisted and he backed her up toward the bed, stumbled again and fell over on her. She landed on the bed with his weight on her as she sank down in the mattress.
She moved her shoulders to one side and he slid off to the other side. She got up and as she was taking his boots off, "I think you need some sleep." He sat up and tried to stand and slung his shirt off and threw it over at the dresser. She started getting his pants undone and she got the button undone and when she reached for his zipper he grabbed her wrists. Her hands immediately started to turn red, "Cloud!"
He jerked his arms and pulled her hands to him, his eyes glowed brightly in anger, "What are you doing?!" It kind of reminded her of when he went green-eyed monster.
In a voice that she worked very hard at keeping calm, "I'm trying to help you get to bed."
His whole demeanor changed as he dropped her wrists, smiled shyly and pushed lightly at her shoulder, "I was just kiddin."
Tifa finally got him in bed, "We have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow, and we need to get some sleep." He turned to his side and looked at her and ran his fingers sloppily through her hair and tangled himself in her long locks, "Oww!" Tifa's head jerked to the side and she grabbed her hair where he had it tangled.
He started to laugh, as he called out playfully, "I got you nooww!" He rolled to his back and his arm was crossed over his chest and pulled her hair harder, he continued to laugh, unknowing of his causing Tifa any pain.
"Dammit Cloud! It's not funny. It hurts!" Tifa wiggled her way to her side so she could see the tangle. He twisted his wrist and grabbed a good handful of her hair and pulled her head to his chest. Tifa let out a scream of pain and when her head landed on his chest, she pushed herself up, "That's enough, now let go of my hair so I can get it untangled."
He turned his head to the side away from her. His voice changed in octaves and in a drunken anger, "Fine! I was just trying to have a little fun!" Tifa was startled and she quickly untangled her hair. Once his hand was free he rolled over with his back to her, "You don't have to be such a bitch."
Tifa's blood bubbled into a rolling boil and she yelled back, "You don't have to be such an asshole either!" She slammed herself down on the bed with her back to him. She reached over and turned the light off and in the dark she listened to him beginning to snore softly. She let out a sigh of relief and she turned onto her back and she eventually fell asleep.
Sometime later, she woke up to the familiar sound of someone throwing up. She raised herself up and the bathroom light was on and the door was ajar. She got up and walked slowly until she saw his feet and they were up underneath his rear. His arms were wrapped around himself. He raised his eyes to her face and he said, "Tifa, I'm sorry." He jumped for the toilet again and as he emptied his stomach she got a couple of cold wet rags and put one on the back of his neck. When he raised his head up again she took the other one and wiped his face.
Tifa calmly reassured, "I understand Cloud. You are under a lot of stress right now. You just need to get things in perspective."
He sat for a minute and glanced at her, "Can you leave me alone for a minute?" He dropped his gaze to the floor. She nodded and shut the door on her way out.
She heard him brushing his teeth and when he came out he lowered himself down to the mattress slowly. He rolled over and looked at her. His eyes had a strange glow to them that she hadn't seen before. They weren't the deep blue she knew; they were more of an aqua color. They looked very similar to Zack's eyes, "You deserve better than this."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sayin that Cloud… uh, I mean me," He shook his head, looking as if he were trying to shake the confusion out, "He should be able to make you happy. Let me make you happy. "
She pulled the covers up to her neck, hiding her body from him, "We can talk about this tomorrow. I'm pretty tired. Good night Cloud," She rolled to her side and wondered what that was all about. It had to be because he was drunk.
Several days out of Casa Del Sol, they found a place to stop for the night. They took extra precautions because the first night that they stopped after leaving town, they had been attacked by a group of goblins. Sephiroth and Yuffie kept them from getting into the truck while Tifa, Cloud and Barret took on the rest of them.
After dispatching them, Barret and Sephiroth dragged their bodies away from camp and Cloud took an assessment of the damage. Tifa took some damage in the form of a scratch and Yuffie got bit. After Harding looked them over, Aerith bandaged their wounds. Cloud and Sephiroth covered their own wounds and Barret declared that he was the better fighter by not taking any damage at all. Harding mumbled under his breath and no one understood what he said, but he was laughing to himself about it.
Now that their extra precautions and camp were finally set, Cloud fell asleep. Everyone else stayed up longer and exchanged stories.
"…and so this behemoth, I guess decided to take my tent for a walk." Harding paused to laugh, "All I saw as it ran off was my tent flapping behind it!" Laughter broke out at his story.
Abruptly, Sephiroth and Cloud both jumped up, and asked the other, ignoring the rest of the group, "Did you hear that?"
Sephiroth took off to his bike, "We have to go. NOW!" Cloud ran to his bike and they left.
Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Harding looked around puzzled. Yuffie raised her hand, "Uh, did anyone else hear anything?"
"I didn't hear a damn thing," Barret looked at Aerith, "What about you? You're an ancient aren't ya? The planet sayin anything good?"
"No, I didn't hear anything," She took Tifa's hand, "They will be fine."
Tifa looked at everyone, "Should we stay here? They left so fast."
Aerith squeezed her hand reassuringly, "We should stay here. Whatever it is, we will find out soon enough," Aerith continued to hold Tifa's hand. She was more scared than she let on. Tifa squeezed her hand softly and looked at her face. Aerith's face was burdened with a great deal of emotion. Aerith realized that Tifa was actually comforting her.
A/N 2: (This is the last time I am going to do this with these anonymous reviews from this person(s)) I left trollslayer's review up because I thought it was funny and made a good point about the other guest review being a troll, whether they'll admit that they are now trolling or not. Now in the midst of this debate that these anonymous reviewers (truth, real truth, guest(s) and trollslayer) are doing on MY review page, I get to step in and say something. Since this situation has declined into a sub-level, I decided that I've held my tongue long enough and I'm going to have a little fun with it by way of my sarcastic and smartass personality. (I am a strong advocate that you shouldn't dish it out if you can't take it.) Enjoy!
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(Monday January 5, 2015)
I have to admit that I deleted a guest review because A. it didn't really have anything to do with the story and B. it was supposed to be insulting to me. However, now that I think of it, maybe I shouldn't have, so here is what this person sent in. (I did not edit any of this. This is exactly what they sent in.):
"To So. called Trollslayer who maybe the Author...Really? Is all you got?
1: i Was Not if You Had a Brain You Would know not being a Troll.
2: Any True Final Fantasy 7 Fan Would Not Degrade Zack.
3: I was Not Being A Troll... But if You want me To Flame you then keep on acting like prick and I will enlighten you.
Dont you feel like idiot. I Always see Authors like posing as guest reviewers to defend their Own story. It is really sad and pitiful."
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Here is the review again and I added some of my thoughts in bold. Here is MY version of the review:
"To So. called Trollslayer who maybe the Author...Really? Is all you got? (Nope, I'm not trollslayer and I'm just getting started… Read on…)
1. i Was Not if You Had a Brain You Would know not being a Troll. (Possibly this is supposed to say: If you had a brain, you would know that I wasn't being a troll.) (Actually the definition of "troll" in the Urban Dictionary is: "One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument." Serve, set, score!)
2. Any True Final Fantasy 7 Fan Would Not Degrade Zack. (Story time!) - (Are you actually implying that all the other authors that have varying degrees of assault or mental breakdowns to Zack in their stories are not true Final Fantasy 7 fans?! If that's the case, then you might want to inform all the other readers of the plethora of fanfiction on this site that when they read a story where the authors may degrade favorite characters that they aren't true fans either.)
3. I was Not Being A Troll... But if You want me To Flame you then keep on acting like prick and I will enlighten you. (I've got nothing on this one, it just makes me giggle.)
Dont you feel like idiot. I Always see Authors like posing as guest reviewers to defend their Own story. It is really sad and pitiful. (Who is the idiot? Is the idiot really the person writing a story for the free amusement of others, or is it the person who leaves "purposefully provocative messages" on a story where the author isn't a "true Final Fantasy 7 fan" and the same reviewer who is also reading said story where the author "degrades" the best and one of the most beloved Final Fantasy 7 characters of all time?)"
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(Wednesday January 7, 2015)
After I took that first review down, I then received another review. (I can't help but think that they got upset that I took their review down.) This one is a really good example to all of you who may not know what a troll is. Here is the unedited version with my thoughts in bold:
"Who Knew The Author the Author But a Bitch in Sheep Clothing. My grammer is fine thank you. But i Think you need to get yourself Mentally Checked because I'am not the one turning this story into Yaio Rape Fantasy Fiction who constantly add The Same Elements over and over again... Oops ..did I basically pretty Much Summed up Your Disturbed and Whorish Personality? Yep. I got it down packed. Lol"
(Now, you almost killed me with this one. I was eating some Reese's Peanutbutter Cups and almost choked when I burst out laughing. Thanks for that, I needed a laugh. On to business. Somewhere in this crazy world, I apparently said something about your grammar in my previous author's note? Nope! I re-read it twice and nowhere did it say anything about your grammar. I did make a statement in an author's note a loooong time ago on another one of my stories about some other reviews that had the same sentence structure and such, but I wouldn't dare poke fun at someone who has English as a second language. [Are you stalking me? Squeal fit!]
On another note... When I woke up this morning, I checked just to be sure, and sure enough, this was still my story that I'm writing, and I will put whatever yaoi, non-yaoi, rape fantasy, non-rape fantasy, sugar shakers full of bricks, folding table lamps, mushroom furniture, green-blooded muscle-eating aliens, shiny silverware wrapper-eating walking pop tart populations who like to dance naked while wearing saran-wrap, or red-tinted water-drinking turtles in here since this is my story.)
You can flame me if you want, but you really don't hold any creditability to me one way or the other anymore. Now you called trollslayer (thinking it was me) a prick and an idiot. Then you sent in another review and called me a "bitch in sheep clothing" (I wonder if you meant bitch in cheap clothing? I do shop at Wal-mart after all.) and insulted my "disturbed and whorish personality" (Who told you?! That was supposed to be a secret!)... tsk tsk… that's pitiful… reducing ones self to name calling is a sign of loss of control...)
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(Thursday January 8, 2015)
After I had the above all written out, another review came in trying to "calm the storm," but it occurs to me that it could be the same reviewer just regretting what they sent it to me since I didn't take down the review that called me a disturbed whore. They also still accused me of being trollslayer. Here is the newest review with my thoughts in bold:
"Really? That is really immature to respond to that Guest Reviewer. ... Also Trollslayer.. Aka the Author ? if read correctly He or She was not Outright Insulting you.. if anything they were disgusted that you potrayed zack in such a degrading way. Also On that comment on the gramner... real Mature. Tell me are you acting this way because you are not use to reviews that are not praises? Or did you misunderstood what the guest or Guests was saying and acted rashly because you thought he or she was being a troll. And now You likely pissed off that Guest Reviewer or Reviewers.
Also do not be naive Enough to Assume All Guests are the same. Yes, some guests Will Spam reviews, but not always.
Also you are nor even to suppose to respond to Guest Reviewers anyway! Only learn from Reviews. You pretty much started This mess."
(Just like EC said in her review, I really don't know how I'm not supposed to take any of the most recent anonymous guest reviews as anything but insulting. It really made me laugh at the low levels this person(s) dipped to though.)
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I really don't need to say much except that enchanted cross/trollslayer said it before me... Damn it! Thanks for defending me in your round-a-bout way EC. I know of the colossal review you talked about and yes it was fantastic, epic even! Too bad it's gone now.
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(Friday January 9, 2015)
The day after I wrote all the above, I got another "guest" review. Here is the review with my thoughts in bold:
"Right. And this Could be the Very Same Author thatThat Simply have another Account.. Which is Rather Pathatic. it Up you are only Making A Fool out of Yourself. I have always seen You Type of Vile Authors Posing as Guests and Making Accounts To Review Your Own Stories and attacking Guests that Do not Agree With your Views. The Account Do not even have a Story. It is just a Blank Account. A Account tgat happens to have Nexus as a Favorite.
That so Called Author Review only proves my point.
If by Small Chance You are innocent, I'am Sorry, But I Have seen To Many Fake Authors like Rhen Chan and etc. If Trollslayer Aka The Retarded Troll is not you. Then He or she Had Have Business Harressing me and the Other Guests. If You could speak for yourself.
Aso Why She We bother to make a Account? It is rather rude. To say we Dont make accounts because we are simply insecure? Have you jave don't make accounts because we Simply dont care about making a Accounnt?... Hmmm?
I'am Done"
(Yes, I do have another account, it is fairurbanstrife. You can look it up if you want, I only made it so that I could send a message to an author who was plagiarizing me and several other authors. I had to make up another account because she blocked this account. I was trying to talk with her to fix the situation, but all that happened is she blocked that account too. [It is a really long story and I'm not going to get into it here.]
I really have no problem with other views and if you notice, I have been overly nice until this got to a humorous point and I had to poke fun at it.
The fact that EC doesn't have a story published; there are plenty of people on here that do not write, they just read. I didn't write anything for a long time after I got my account. If you don't want an account, that is your prerogative, but when you single out an author, call her names, and accuse the author of various things, it is rather off putting to anyone. If you make an account, then private messages can be utilized so that these exchanges aren't public.
If I'm attacked, I WILL NOT sit by and take it. It is just not in my "disturbed and whorish personality" to let other people insult me, my story or anything else that I care about, so don't be surprised when I call you out. With that said, I really don't take your views seriously any longer because of the stance of "attacker" that you've chosen to take. I've been through too much in my life to let someone who doesn't care enough of another fellow human being to consider their feelings before they say something to that person; I don't let negative comments effect me.
You might consider that other fans or friends may say something to you as well.
I've said it before, I'll say it again - If you don't like the story, move along. If there is some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, I'm listening. Now when the reviews become insulting and accusatory, I cease to listen to or value your opinion. If you are done with this story, great. If you are done with me, great. If you continue to read, great. All I ask is if you continue to read, keep the reviews about the story, and please be respectful.)