EVER AFTER (by Mitts)
CHAPTER 1.
"And so, we've decided that the City of Ancients is the perfect place for the baby's arrival. Cid likes the peace and quiet there……. What do you think?"
Tifa gazed enviously at her friends swollen belly. "I think it's perfect, just perfect", she said, wistfully.
"And you'll come visit us, as soon as you hear? Promise?"
"Promise".
The two women hugged tightly, in a companionable embrace. Tifa fought hard to keep back the tears that were threatening to flow. What would she do without her closest friend near her? Who else did she have to turn to when life seemed black?
"Oh…. Look what you've done," she said, breaking away with a forced laugh. "You've gone and made me all mushy". She swiped quickly at her tear-filled eyes, averting her face so that the other woman shouldn't see her cry.
"Don't you DARE start blubbering, or you'll start me off too" her friend warned.
A loud siren split the air, and they turned towards the large flying machine which was idling nearby.
"YUFFIE! Come on woman, standing there wasting time……. That baby's due any day soon now. Wobble your-self over to the Bronco here. AND GET A MOVE ON!" Cid yelled.
"Ah, pipe down old man. Or else I'll wobble over there and kick your ass!" Yuffie shouted back, affectionately. Cid blew her a kiss.
Turning back towards Tifa, Yuffie's smiling face grew concerned.
"Will you bring Cloud with you, when you visit?" she asked tentatively, her eyes glancing beyond her friends shoulder. Tifa half-turned, slowly dragging her gaze towards the spiky, blonde-haired man leaning, arms folded, against the side of her house.
"If he'll come" she replied, softly.
"HEY, CLOUD! Will you come visit when the baby's arrived?" Yuffie called out to him. Cloud raised a hand in reply. "He'll come" Yuffie informed Tifa, trying to believe it herself.
Tifa forced a smile. Of all the places on the planet, the Ancient City was the last one Cloud would want to visit willingly, the painful memories that the place held for him still affecting his life…... her life.
"I'd better go, before Cid starts hollering again" Yuffie said, breaking the awkward silence.
The two friends hugged tightly again, burying their tear-filled faces deep in each others hair.
"AW MAN...Knock it off you two," commanded Barrett, who had been helping Cid un-tether the flying machine. "Or is it your intention to leave me with an image that's bound to keep me up all night?"
A giggling Yuffie made her way towards Cid and the waiting Bronco. "Wish me luck!" she called out excitedly, as the craft gently took off. A chorus of cheers, and a sea of waving arms from the well-wishers gathered below, saw the expectant couple off.
CHAPTER 2.
Tifa awoke from her shallow slumber and felt her eyes drawn towards the vacant part of the bed beside her, a part that had been filled by the warm, pressing body of Cloud only hours earlier.
Why won't he ever stay the night with me? she thought in silent despair, as she tenderly caressed the empty pillow next to hers where his head had lain. With a groan, she buried her face deep into the pillow's cushioning softness, breathing in deeply the scent of the man left behind.
It's so unfair. Why can't we be happy together, like Cid and Yuffie?
Thoughts of her friends brought about new worries for Tifa. She hadn't heard from them in two days, and it was unlike Yuffie not to keep in touch. Tifa hoped that everything was okay. Although Yuffie had sounded cheerful enough during their last phone conversation, she'd also seemed a little peeved that the baby still hadn't arrived.
At least you're having a baby, you lucky thing.
The sound of ringing brought Tifa out of her self-pity. Pushing back the sheet, she swung her legs to the floor and made her way towards the phone. She pressed a button, and spoke.
"Hello?"
"Tifa…..(crackle) Yuffie……(fizzzzz)"
"Hello? Who is this?"
"(crackle, crackle) Seph….."
"Red? Is that you?"
"….need help……(fizzzzz) NOW!"
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
CHAPTER 3.
"Hey, Tifa. Are you sure you got the message right? " growled Barrett, his gruff voice battling to be heard over the roar of the powerful engines of the bikes they were racing on. "Cid and Yuffie, they need our help, right?"
Tifa nodded. Barrett revved the engine of his machine harder, spurting ahead and leaving a screen of dust in his wake. Knowing that Cloud would do likewise, Tifa gripped her armstighter around his body, preparing herself for the backward thrust as the bike was forced to go faster.
She closed her eyes, and tried to stop her imagination going into over-drive. She was pretty certain that it had been Red XIII who had made the call that morning, although, what he had been doing at Ancient City, Tifa had no idea.
But that one word she had heard him utter, Seph……. It could mean only one thing.
SEPHIROTH!
Tifa bit down on her bottom lip. She hadn't told the others about that part of the call. How could she? Sephiroth was dead. They had destroyed him. The power of 'Holy' had eradicated him from their lives forever…..Hadn't it? What if…………
NO! No 'What if's'. We defeated him. He's gone. He can no longer hurt us…….hurt you.
She squeezed her arms tighter about Cloud, fearful of where her thoughts were taking her. Cloud glanced back at her, mild concern in his eyes.
"Its not far to go now," his calm voice reassured her.
Up ahead in the distance, the peaked towers of Ancient City slowly rose above the horizon. Tifa felt Cloud's body tense. Just for a second. But she had felt it.
Why? Why can't you let go Cloud? Why can't you be happy? Why can't I…make you happy?
Entering the city they slowed the bikes down, and looked about them. An eerie silence greeted their arrival. Cid and Yuffie were nowhere to be seen. There wasn't anybody to be seen. There was nobody around. Anywhere.
"CID? YUFFIE?" bellowed Barrett, his voice echoing around the empty and deserted paths.
The roar of an animal was heard close by. Cloud lead the way towards the sound, his eyes and ears alert for any other signs of life. There were none.
They turned a corner that led into an alleyway.
There, standing guard just in front of them, was Red XIII. And he was wearing his battle feathers!
CHAPTER 4.
"What the hell took you guys so long, eh? Take the scenic route did you? Stop to take a look at all the pretty flowers along the way?" snarled Red XIII as the two bikes came to a standstill before him. "I've been waiting here for hours".
"Well, we're here now, so quit your belly-aching" Cloud responded, dismounting.
Red XIII gave a guarded growl. The blonde man could be so dispassionate at times. Didn't he realize the danger they were all in?
"So, what's the problem then? Cid having trouble with Yuffie? Needs someone to hold his hand does he?" Cloud asked, mockingly.
"$#&$" exploded Red XIII. "I can't believe you're taking this so calmly. What's the matter with you?"
"They're having a baby, Red. So what's the urgency?"
"Baby? BABY? Their baby has nothing to do with this!" shrieked Red XIII. "Didn't she relate my message to you properly?" He nodded his head in Tifa's direction.
A puzzled look crossed over Cloud's face, and he darted a glance over at Tifa. She turned away from him, her cheeks beginning to redden. Perhaps she should have told him about the whole phone conversation. Or at least, about that one word.
"What's going on?" Cloud asked. His voice had taken on a distinctively colder edge, and his blue, mako enhanced eyes turned a shade darker. He began to have suspicions that Tifa had used deception to get him here.
Tifa knew what he was thinking, and it stung her.
"The message was garbled. But I understood enough to know that our friends needed help" she said, defending herself to him.
"Well, if they do, standing round here gossiping like a bunch of women ain't gonna help them" Barrett scolded. He was beginning to feel edgy, the quietness of the place getting to him. And their bickering wasn't helping either.
Cloud tore his doubtful eyes away from Tifa, and turned to face Red XIII. The powerful animal met his stare and returned it, taking in from tip to toe the stance and attitude of the man standing in front of him, trying to judge which was the best way to go about this, for the news he had to give wasn't pleasant.
"Cid and Yuffie have been caught in some kind of trap………Set by Sephiroth" he explained.
A widening of the eyes was the only reaction Cloud gave at the mention of his enemy. He fiercely fought down the feelings of hatred that still lingered within him for the man who had destroyed his life. Sephiroth was gone, wiped off the face of the planet. Cloud had seen to that. And yet, impossible though it was, somehow Sephiroth was hurting his friends once again.
"Where are they?" he asked.
"Follow me" Red XIII instructed.
CHAPTER 5.
Like all the others around them, the building that Red XIII took them to was empty and deserted. He led the quiet little group through countless hallways and passageways, the only audible sound being their footsteps that echoed hollowly against the stone floors.
Finally they came to a large, brass-studded door, set deep within a recess almost hidden from view. Red XIII stopped in front of it, and turned towards the others.
"In there" he said. Cloud stepped forward and, grabbing hold of the door, he swung it open wide. A flash of electric blue light blinded them for a second and then, what they saw inside, stopped them in their tracks.
Cid and Yuffie were suspended in mid-air in the centre of the room, silent and un-moving, their bodies twisted and contorted , their faces etched in pain. The shining blue light that encased them swilled and flowed about them, seeming to go around, under and through their bodies.
Tifa clasped a hand over her mouth, as a gasp of horror slipped through her lips. She stared in dismay at her captive friends, her eyes mesmerized at the sight of their suffering. THE BABY!
"Tifa….. NO!"
Cloud's warning came too late, and he could only watch as she raced through the doorway towards her stricken friend. Another blinding flash of light was produced, and Tifa was ejected forcefully backwards out of the room, landing with a sickening thud against the wall opposite Cloud. He ran to her, and breathed a sigh of relief as she emitted a groan of pain. At least she was alive.
"You stupid woman, don't you think I hadn't tried that already?" Red XIII reprimanded Tifa as he approached her. "It didn't work for me either, I got knocked clean across the floor too. And there isn't any other way in there. Why do you think I called for help?"
Barrett cautiously approached the doorway, stopping just short of crossing the threshold. The blue light swirled within, keeping him at bay. He raised his gun arm, and then slowly, tentatively, he pushed it into the room. Immediately he was hit by a bolt of lightening that pushed him back, away from the door.
"DAMN! That's some strong shit," he roared.
"How do you know this is Sephiroth's doing?" asked Cloud, as he helped a shaky Tifa to her feet.
"Do you know of anyone else who is capable of producing such a thing?" Red XIII replied.
"Sephiroth's……."
"Dead? Yes, I know that. But perhaps he's not as dead as we'd like him to be".
"Then how the hell do we go fight someone who's not quite dead?" asked a puzzled Barrett. His question was met with silence.
"I think I may know a way," said a familiar voice behind them.
CHAPTER 6.
Cait Sith placed a cold compress gently across Tifa's forehead. The colour was finally returning to her cheeks, and her friends' concern for her began to ebb a little.
"There you go. Have you good as new in no time" the stuffed-bodied mog reassured her. Tifa rewarded him with a weak smile. Her body ached all over, and her head felt as if it were split in two. Barrett had fared better, although he needed to attach a new gun to his arm.
"There ain't no way of saving this" he moaned, staring in dismay at the damaged weapon that had been bent and twisted out of shape. "That was my favourite model too. DAMN!"
They had retreated together back outside the building. Cloud was pacing up and down, restless in both mind and body. He paused to look down at Tifa's prone body, and his brow took on a worried frown. He had never seen her look so pale and helpless. The force that had struck her must have been very powerful indeed, to leave her so defenceless.
He could only just begin to imagine the pain and anguish that his two friends, still trapped within, were going through. Cloud wasn't sure if they were even still alive. A part of him prayed that they weren't. He didn't want to think of them suffering.
"So, what exactly is it that we're up against?" he asked sharply, directing his question at Cait Sith.
"Sephiroth!" Barrett spat.
"Or something that Sephiroth has left behind" said Red XIII. "I've felt for quite some time that things are not as they should be. I could feel a disturbance in the air. So I set out to seek what it was, and my search led me here. Sephiroth has left something for us, something that is……………"
"I'm not so sure that's right" Cait Sith broke in. The others turned to look at him.
"Explain" barked Cloud. Cait Sith bounced forward a little, taking centre stage.
"Like Red XIII, I too sensed something amiss here in Ancient City, because people stopped coming to visit. So I used the old computers at Shinra to do a few scans of the area, and was amazed at the data that was being recorded. According to the results of my survey, there is something buried within this place. And whatever that 'something' is, its producing enough energy to power a dozen mako factories all on its own". Cait Sith stood quietly and waited, while the others digested the information that he had just given them.
"Like I said………Sephiroth!" retorted Barrett.
"No," Cait Sith answered. "According to the sonic graph charts,this has been here since before Sephiroth was even born!"
"Then how come no-one's ever noticed it before?" asked Cloud. "We were all here when Aeris…………." He paused, unable to finsh that particular sentence. "We didn't detect anything then," he spat out.
"This is a force that has been growing steadily stronger over the years" Cait Sith explained. "It has been slowly building up in energy, and it has now reached a point where it has broken through the earth's crust, and has made contact with the outside world."
"What is its purpose then?" asked Red XIII.
Cait Sith sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "But we have to hope that, pray that, it's friendly".
Tifa had been listening intensly to the conversation going on around her. Now she forced herself up into a sitting position. "Whatever it is buried down there, friendly is definitely not in its vocabulary" she stated painfully.
CHAPTER 7.
"So, what do we do now?" Cloud asked. "How do we rescue our friends?"
"I say we go find whatever it is……..and blast it to smithereens!" Barrett yelled.
"Oh, I see. And how do we do that? I suppose you expect us all to go running into that room guns a'blazing, do you?" remonstrated Red XIII.
"There may be a simpler way" Cait Sith said, slightly abashed. The others looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "Umm….. Apparently, Shinra had been excavating here for many years………"
"WHAT? This is a scared place. Shinra had no RIGHT," burst out Red XIII.
"No-one was ever supposed to know," Cait Sith argued. "And no-one ever would have known, except…… no-one ever expected this to happen. But I have seen some files that Shinra kept on this place" he continued, quickly.
"How does that help us?" asked Cloud.
"Well, one of them, a really old one, gives quite explicit details of the very first excavation that was carried out. I almost missed the file, it was hidden deep within the data base network, but I'm glad I didn't, because it gives instructions on how to get below Ancient City".
"Well, let's go save them then. What are we waiting for?" shouted Barrett.
"Because the bad news is……….." Again, all eyes focused on Cait Sith. "First, we have to pass through the Gateway, a protected force shield, which Shinra set up to prevent any unauthorized access".
"£#&£! You mean, we got to go get ourselves singed by something Shinra left behind?" roared Red XIII.
"Yes, I'm sorry. But the Gateways force shield isn't anywhere near as harmful as that which is holding Cid and Yuffie," Cait Sith said, desperately trying to placate the irate beast. "I'm sure we won't have a problem in deactivating it, not if we all work together".
"And this particular Gateway, it will take us to the source of this stronger power?" asked Tifa. Cait Sith nodded.
"Lead us to it" ordered Cloud.
CHAPTER 8.
The stuff-bodied mog walked the little group out of Ancient City, taking them away from the tall towers and empty buildings, heading instead towards the mountainous hills that were beyond, their snow-capped peaks rising high and majestic into the air.
"Hey! Wait a minute," said Barrett, stopping and looking upwards as they approached the base of the mountains. "I thought you said that Shinra made a way beneath the Ancient City?"
"They did. But they could hardly go digging around undetected in the city itself now, could they?" Cait Sith answered.
"So where are we going?"
"Just…..about……….HERE!" Cait Sith announced proudly, standing in front of a large boulder.
"Huh? What? We have to smash our way through that?" Barrett asked incredulously.
"No, you just have to find this and………… Presto!" exclaimed Cait Sith, pushing at a button that had been concealed within the smooth face of the rock. A low grumbling sound could be heard, and they jumped back as the the large boulder began to move, slowly juddering backwards, and stopping to leave an opening in the ground before them that led down into the dark depths below.
"The Gateway is down there, a little further ahead" Cait Sith informed them.
Cloud pushed forward and, with a determined stride, went through into the ominous interior. The others followed.
A pale, golden glow lit the gloomy area below, giving off just enough light to be able to see where the underground tunnel was taking them. It was cold under there, and Tifa shivered, rubbing at her bare arms in an effort to eradicate the goose bumps that had suddenly sprung up. She felt slightly nervous, and walked closer behind Cloud, needing to draw reassurance from the strong presence of him.
"This way, just a little further now" Cait Sith told them, taking the lead as the path they were following suddenly split into two. A low humming could be heard coming from the new direction they were taking, growing ever louder the further they walked. The path began to dip sharply, and the group had to half-run, half-stumble down a steep embankment. At the bottom a bright, shining globe of fire blocked their way.
"This is the Gateway" Cait Sith told them. Cloud sized up the situation.
"Here, you'll be needing this" said Barrett, tossing over some Blizzard materia. Unsheathing his Buster sword, Cloud inserted the materia. He swung the sword around his head, and then sent it crashing through the centre of the fiery orb with all his might. The orb fizzled and hissed, then flashed brightly for a second, before extinguishing itself with a clamorous explosion, showering the group in tiny goblets of red-hot lava. The Gateway was gone, and the path before them lay open.
"Well, that was easy" exclaimed Barrett.
"Almost too easy" replied Red XIII.
CHAPTER 9.
The group continued, going deeper down into a narrow, twisting tunnel. Tifa began to shiver. The coldness and the dark seemed to penetrate its way into her very bones, and the humming noise was hurting her head. Her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably, and Cloud turned round to face her.
"You okay?" he asked. Tifa nodded, and wished she hadn't, it made her head hurt more.
"It's just a little chilly down here," she said.
"Huh? Chilly? Are you crazy? It's so hot, I'm practically melting," Barrett said, loudly.
"Would you quit yelling so loud" cussed Red XIII. "You and that damn humming. You're making my ears ring!"
Cloud pressed a hand against Tifas forehead. It felt clammy to the touch.
"I'll be fine," Tifa said, reassuring him. "It'll pass. Come on, lets hurry".
But it didn't pass, and before they had gone much further, Tifa found herself unable to continue. Her whole body was shaking from head to toe, her clashing teeth echoing within the confines of the narrow passageway. Cloud stopped and returned to her, concern touching his face as she slid slowly to the floor.
"Tifa?"
"So……..c…c…cold"
Cradling her in his arms, Cloud cast his eyes towards the others. Red XIII came forward and checked the slumping form of Tifa.
"Out cold!" he said, "No pun intended". They stared down at Tifas unconscious body.
"We have to go on Cloud" Cait Sith said. It's not very far now. She'll be safe enough here"
Cloud hesitated, unsure of what to do.
"CLOUD!" Cait Sith pressed. Making a decision, Cloud gently released Tifa, and re-took his place at the head of the little group, leading the way forward once again, trying hard to force thoughts of Tifa from his mind. He had to keep focused.
"Damn! How much further?" gasped Barrett. He was drenched in sweat, and was rubbing at his eyes.
"Almost there" Cait Sith answered.
"I don't think…..I'm……gunna…….."
With a heavy thud, Barrett crashed to the ground. Cloud turned to Cait Sith with questionable eyes. The stuffed mog looked back.
"Forward Cloud. We have to keep going forward".
Unwillingly, Cloud left Barrett behind also. The three remaining friends continued, but suddenly Red XIII began lurching from side to side, shaking his head violently.
"Make it stop!" he whined. "Please! Make it stop".
"What the hell is going on?" Cloud shouted out desperately.
"The noise in my ears, it hurts sooo much……..it…….." Red XIII lost control of his front paws and fell forward, falling in a tangled heap at Clouds feet. Cait Sith stooped to examine him.
"Looks like its down to just you and me" he said as he straightened back up. Cloud looked back down the passageway, at the way they had just come, feeling the urge to go back and check up on Barrett…….on Tifa.
"We're here now Cloud, we can't turn back" Cait Sith said, reading his mind. With a heavy heart, Cloud pressed forward and a little further up ahead, just as Cait Sith had predicted, they came to the passage that opened up to the middle of Ancient City.
CHAPTER 10.
"What the heck is all this?" Cait Sith exclaimed aloud, as he took in the sight before them. The large hall in which they found themselves was bathed in a gentle, pearlescent light. In the centre of the room was a plinth, and the soft coloured glow that bathed everything appeared to be emanating from a body that was laid upon it. "This wasn't in the files!" he said, in awe.
Cloud cautiously approached the plinth, his eyes opening wide in amazement at what they saw.
Laying, as if in death, was the perfectly formed figure of a beautiful woman with waist-length, raven black hair. Cloud allowed his eyes to wander slowly up her body, letting them take in her long, slender legs, and the smooth flatness of her stomach. He let them linger a while on her small, pert breasts, before gazing down at the flawless features of her face. A puzzled look came over him. The girl seemed familiar to him. Did he know her?
Think!
His head began to hurt.He had to remember if he knew her.
Think harder!
He felt that it was important for him to know, that somehow his life depended on him knowing.
Who am I?
The pain in his head doubled, and Cloud fell to one knee, his balled fists clasped at his temples. It felt like his head was going to split wide open, and the pain was almost unbearable.
"Cloud? CLOUD. It's the GIRL!" shouted Cait Sith, watching in alarm as the strong-muscled blonde began slipping to the floor. "She's the one that's causing all this. You have to fight her Cloud, FIGHT HER, before she gets to you too!"
Struggling against the pain in his head, Cloud slowly eased his body upright, grabbing hold of the sides of the plinth to steady himself. Through pain racked eyes, he stared down at the woman lying serenely before him, unable to believe that she was the cause of his pain.
Do you know me now? I AM DEATH!
Renewed agony sliced though Clouds brain, and it took every ounce of strength he had to remain standing. Breathing hard, he took out the Buster sword and raised it above his head, both hands on the hilt, ready to strike.
"Sheath your sword Cloud. Do not make me kill you."
CHAPTER 11.
"Vincent?"
Cloud's tortured brain struggled to come to terms with what he was seeing. Vincent Valentine, friend and ally, stood behind him, firm and unmoving. He had a rifle held shoulder high, and it was aimed directly at Clouds heart.
"Lower your weapon Cloud," Vincent said emotionlessly. "I will not ask again".
Confused, and in intolerable pain, Cloud let the Buster sword clatter to the floor. Vincent walked forward, gun still out-stretched, and kicked the fallen sword away from him.
"What have you done?" Cait Sith exclaimed aghast, watching helplessly as Cloud lost his fight for consciousness.
"I did what I had to do," Vincent replied, staring down dispassionately at the recumbent body of Cloud.
"But he'll die. They'll all die!"
"No", said Vincent, as he approached the plinth. Flinging back his tattered red cape, he produced a phial of black liquid, and injected some of it into the woman's exposed neck.
"Sleep awhile, Precious one. Sleep," he murmured.
The humming sound that had been reverberating all around slowly ebbed away, until it finally ceased altogether. Grabbing the unconscious Cloud by the ankles, Vincent pulled him effortlessly across the marble floor, dragging him out of the large hallway and into a smaller chamber. Inside there was a barred cage, in which were strewn the bodies of Tifa, Barrett and Red XIII, all of them still out cold. Vincent pushed Cloud into the cell along with the others. Cait Sith, useless to act out against Vincent, had followed quietly behind. Vincent stood to one side of the door. "You too!" he ordered. Cait Sith obeyed, knowing that he had no other choice.
"Eva has been sedated," Vincent said, as he locked the door of their prison. "Her hold on them will abate in a little while. They will be fine". He began to leave.
"What about Cid and Yuffie? They had been suffering far longer than the others," Cait Sith called out. Vincent paused, hesitating for a moment, before wordlessly leaving the room.
The group slowly came to, as if from a drunken stupor, their heads and bodies still aching from the vice-like pain that had over-powered them. All their weapons and materia had been taken from them by Vincent. They were trapped.
Cloud shook the bars of the cage in anger. Why had Vincent done this to them, and why had he protected the strange woman? Who was she?
"Save your strength, Cloud" Red XIII advised. "You may be needing it soon".
"I'm gunna be using all my strength pummelling that caped $&$ into the ground" Barrett retorted, after finding out who had imprisoned them.
The heart-rending scream of a woman in pain split the air. Everyone froze.
"YUFFIE!" cried Tifa.
CHAPTER 12.
Vincent Valentine walked back into the chamber, and approached the people in the cage.
"I found the other two, and I have taken them where they will be safe," he told them.
"And?" demanded Cloud. Vincent turned his head away from the angry blue eyes that were burning into his face.
"It will take a while, but……they will recover".
"And…….the baby?" whispered Tifa, fearful of his answer. Vincent looked down at the floor.
"It………wasn't strong enough" he said, flatly. Hot, angry tears spilled over Tifa's cheeks.
"You #&$ son-of-a-bitch" yelled Barrett, slamming his meaty fist against the bars of the cage, wishing it was the caped man's face he was pounding.
"Why, Vincent?" Cloud questioned angrily, fighting hard to keep composure in his voice. "Why'd you stop me from killing her?"
Vincent strode forward. "Because I thought it was the right thing to do, at the time," he stated simply, unlocking the cell door. With lightening speed, Red XIII jumped at their captor, knocking him to the ground and pinning him to the floor.
"And now?" he snarled softly, his sharp fangs barely inches away from Vincent's jugular.
Vincent struggled slightly beneath the mighty beasts weight, his fingers closing on an object secured about his belt. He tossed the object towards Cloud, and watched, as it landed with a clinking sound at his feet. It was a small key.
"The blue door in the next chamber. Your weapons are in there" .
Picking up the key, Cloud and the others filed out of the small chamber. Tifa was the last one to exit the cell, and as she passed by Vincent she gave in to her anger. Waiting for him to rise to his feet, she marched up to him, and, using all her strength, raised her fist high and brought it down hard across his mouth. Vincent took the blow, and readied his body against the assault he knew was coming. "Shall we follow the others now?" he said, after Tifa had finally exhausted herself.
Cloud was waiting outside the door for them, and he now raised his sword to Vincent.
"Explain!" he ordered. Vincent obliged.
"The girl you see on the plinth before you is named Eva. She is the very first off-spring of Jenova, created even before Sephiroth. But, unlike Sephiroth, she was not pliable, she would not bend her will to others, and as scientists, we found her hard to control. As she grew older, the dark powers within her became more evident. She had no respect for what we were trying to achieve, and no respect whatsoever for the feelings of others. She was pitiless and without compassion. She took the greatest delight in maiming and hurting. We were losing our grip on her, and so a decision was made. We would have to entomb her, seal her away, and start again with a different subject. We knew that Ancient City was the only place that could contain her black magic, and that is why we dug below the city, using the story of excavations as a cover for anyone inquisitive enough to ask. I thought that we had deleted all the files relating to this place. Obviously not!" He cast a quick glance at Cait Seit. "The black mako I have been using on her to keep her dormant is losing its potency though. She is breaking free of its restraining powers, and when she does………………No-one will be able to stop her".
"If she's as evil as you say, why didn't you destroy her yourself, when she was still a child?" asked Cloud.
"Because Lucrecia, my one true-love, was her mother, and because…….." Vincent paused. "And because……….. I am her father!"
CHAPTER 13.
The tension in the room was intensifying as all eyes went from Vincent, to the woman led out on the plinth.
"Look at her! She is the perfect image of her mother," Vincent said softly. "When Lucrecia died, she was all I had left. I could not have harmed her, not even if I had wanted to."
"So, what's changed your mind?" Cloud asked, guardedly.
"She promised me that she would never kill a human being…………… She lied ".
"So there's nothing stopping me going up to her, putting this gun against the side of her head, and blowing out her brains then, eh?" Barrett quipped, storming up to the motionless body, his gun-arm aimed and ready. But he didn't get a chance to.
A bolt of energy shot forth from the woman's body, knocking Barrett off his feet. He landed heavily, cussing and swearing in front of his shocked friends, his hair and clothing smouldering. Vincent ran up to the plinth, and quickly injected a phial of mako into the woman. As he did so, she opened her eyes slowly, and smiled at him.
"The black mako is not working. She is coming to," Vincent shouted out in alarm. "You have to leave here, NOW!"
"Why can't we just stay here and fight her together?" Tifa asked.
"Because you would never win," Vincent replied shortly. "All you can do for now is to run, put distance between you. It is your only chance!"
Heeding his advice, they raced quickly back through the twisting tunnels and passageways that they had travelled through earlier.The soft humming could be heard again, slowly gaining in strength, and with the humming came the renewed pangs of pain that began to tear at their minds.
"FASTER! You have to get out-side, she's still to weak to reach you from there," instructed Vincent.
Sure enough, as they reached the opening where the large boulder stood, the humming and the pain subsided. The group stopped momentarily, pausing to catch their breaths, their breathing hard and laboured.
"Aww Man! What did you go and create?" Barrett panted.
"And more to the point, how do we get rid of it?" Red XIII asked. All eyes turned to Vincent for the answer.
"There is only one way to be rid of Eva. But it is hopeless……. Cloud would NEVER agree to it!"
CHAPTER 14.
Cloud listened as Vincent Valentine explained to him the only way possible of defeating Eva, the expression on his face changing from one of mild interest, to one of total disbelief, as the words the other spoke began to sink in.
"NO! No WAY!" Cloud argued loudly, his blue eyes filling with horror at what was being asked of him. He pushed his way roughly through the small group gathered around him. "Sorry, but it's not happening," he stated firmly, walking away without a backward glance.
"Cloud!" Tifa made to go after him, but Barrett's strong arm restrained her.
"Let him go on ahead," he told her. "He just needs to think about it. He'll come round."
They watched as Cloud headed back alone towards the safety of Ancient City. They followed behind, their pace much slower, their deep thoughts making their footsteps heavy.
"Are you certain that there is no other way?" Red XIII inquired. Vincent shook his head.
"I wish there were, but, there is not," he answered.
"Well, I think you're asking too much of him!" Tifa cried, staring after Clouds retreating figure. Cait Sith broke the ensuing awkward silence.
"So you think that, by merging together, Cloud and Sephiroth could be successful?" he mused.
"Sephiroth has the strength and the power we need to defeat Eva," Vincent replied. "But Cloud is needed to control him, to insure that he does not use that power against us".
How do you know that Sephiroth will help us?" asked Red XIII.
"Because it is not only our lives that are in danger" replied Vincent, enigmatically.
"And how do you know that Cloud is strong enough to withstand Sephiroth's will?" Red XIII continued.
"I………..don't" Vincent admitted.
"Will Cloud be safe?" Tifa asked, fearfully. There was no reply.
"Here he comes," Cait Sith warned, as he saw the young blonde striding back towards them, his face set and determined.
Cloud marched straight over to Vincent, his mind made up. His voice was calm and controlled.
"Let's do what we have to, to bring the bastard back!"
CHAPTER 15.
Vincent led the way to the lake in the middle of Ancient City, the same lake in which Cloud had interred the body of Aeris after she had been killed.
The others stood by and watched as Cloud slowly entered the chilly water, the coldness of it making him catch his breath. Vincent walked beside him.
When the water had reached chest-high, Cloud stopped and turned to face Vincent, nervous but unafraid.
"Are you ready?" Vincent asked. Cloud nodded.
From beneath his cape, Vincent produced a phial of the black mako, and injected it into Cloud. On the shore-line Tifa stifled a cry, watching helplessly as he slipped beneath the water.
Vincent waded back alone towards the others. "It is done," he stated. "Now we must wait for him to return".
Red XIII spoke aloud what they were all thinking. "Yes but……… Which one will emerge?"
CHAPTER 16.
A movement in the water caught their attention. Tifas wide, expectant eyes turned slowly to dismay, as she caught the first glimpse of silvery hair as it broke the surface.
SEPHIROTH! She should have expected it.
The little group prepared themselves as the tall, black-leather clad man strode through the water towards them, a mocking smile playing about his thin lips.
"Well, isn't this nice," he drawled. "A welcoming committee. Are you pleased to see me?" He stepped out onto the dry paving, assessing the people standing in front of him. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked sardonically.
Vincent stepped forward. "We need your help".
The smile faded from Sephiroth's face. "And why should I help you?" he inquired.
"Because, without your help, we're all doomed," Vincent replied.
"And that worries me………because?" Sephiroth answered, flippantly. Barrett bit down an oath, fighting the urge to smash his gun-arm into the smug face before him.
"Our existence is being threatened by a being like you, named Eva. You should know that, not only will she destroy us and the planet, but she will also destroy Jenova too, and in doing so will take from you any chance you ever held of returning," Vincent explained. The mocking smile returned to Sephiroth's face.
"I have returned now, have I not? What is to stop me from slicing you all down this instant?" he threatened, menacingly.
"Our little insurance policy," Barrett spat at him.
Sephiroth's green eyes narrowed. What were they talking about?
They're talking about ME!
Sephiroth spun around, looking to see who had spoken so close to him. There was no-one there. "Huh! Playing games are we?" he said.
"This is not a game, Sephiroth," Vincent replied.
And if it was, it would be a game that WE would win!
Understanding came over Sephiroths face. He recognised the voice now, it belonged to Cloud, the spiky blonde-haired one. And he was INSIDE Sephiroth's mind! He began to smile.
"This will be interesting," he smirked, as he reached behind to draw forth his massive masamune blade. He raised it high into the air, watching as the group instinctively backed away from it. "Okay Cloud. Now you will see what it's like for me to kill someone you care about, and you will have the opportunity of seeing it through my eyes!" His arm began the vicious downward sweep.
No! I won't let you!
Sephiroth struggled, his left arm seemingly held by an invisible hand, an extremely powerful hand. He laughed, and relaxed his muscle, allowing the deadly blade to drop to his side.
"A test. Just a small test," he mocked.
Vincent breathed a sigh of relief. He should not have worried, Cloud had just proved that he was more than a match for the other. But for how long? It was going to take all of Cloud's energy to handle Sephiroth, and just one slip could prove fatal, for them all.