Requiem of The Past
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the fanfic. All characters and/or places are the property of Square Enix and Disney.
There were so many things in life Sora felt unhappy with. Things he was unsatisfied with, such as places, events, and people. Of course most of those things weren't techniqually his problem or business to begin with. But since he was a 'meddler' as so many poeple had called him, he took on the problems of others and made their business his own, if only to lighten or completely take away their burdens. That was just how the young Key Bearer was. He absalutely hated seeing others in pain, especially when he knew them and had the power and means to help. He simply could not leave them alone until he could rectify the problem, or at least made some kind of effort to try to help.
Riku would shake his head with an exasperated smirk before he would tease Sora about his idealistic views on life. But Riku would also turn around and say "Never let go of that optimism. It's part of your light that guides the lost people in the dark." or something along those lines.
Kairi would also say something like that, all the while giving him an approving smile, her eyes telling him she understood him.
This was also the reason why Sora was where he was now, in Radiant Garden visiting. There was something he wanted/had to do for a certain friend and there was no way 'it' would leave him alone if he didn't do it. Looking around, Sora could see the many members of the Restoration Crew putting up the finishing touches around town. The only major project left would be the reconstruction of the castle. It had already been torn down to its skeleton and corner stones. Certain unpleasent rooms had been destroyed and Ansem's lab and study had been picked clean of anything that could be salvaged. The central computer room where the main frame computer that held Tron had been taken apart and moved so it could later be put back together and reconnected to Cid's computer. Now they were reconstructing it, building it back up to its former shining glory.
Sora quickly weaved through the town's market place, dodging shoppers and fruit and vegtable carts, as he made his way to Merlin's house. The venders were much more energetic and wily than the last time he was here. Maybe it was because there were little to no Heartless and Nobodies left lurking around in the shadows ready to ravish their wears.
When the young black clad warrior did make it to the old wizard's home he rapped the door several times before pushing the door open and walking in. "Hey guys!"
A moment later three little pixies flew by waving a Munny purse tauntingly in the air with an angry konuichi hot on their tails. "You little theives! Give me back my Munny!" Yuffie yelled as she tried to corner the Gullwings.
"As if you could talk." Paine usual monotone, albeit smirking voice called as she flew up to ceilling and tossed the pouch to Rikku.
Catching it, Rikku yelled, "Yeah! Takes a theif to know a theif!" The tiny, perky blond dodged to the right as Yuffie made a grab for her and chucked the purse to Yuna.
The Gullwing leader giggled lightly as she caught the bag. "We are treasure hunters after all and Munny is treasure." With that the three took off out the door and passed Sora saying, "Hi Sora, bye Sora!"
Yuffie ran after them, aslo saying, "Hey Sora! Be right back!" as she passed.
The brunette watched as the Gullwings played a sort of 'Monkey-In-The-Middle" game with Yuffie. Sora smirked at their recurring antics before walking further into the house.
Cid, who had been muttering obscenities under his breath about 'bratty ninjas' and 'annoying fairies', greeted Sora. "Well, if it isn't the little-man-who-could." Sora frowned at the 'little' part. "What cha' doin' here?"
"Nothing much, just checking up on everyon in all the worlds. Can't be too careful, right?"
Cid nodded. "I hear ya."
"So, where is everyone anyway?"
The blond shugged. "That crazy old coot wen' out to Travers Town to see that Godmother lady. Leon's over at the castle reconstuction site. Tifa n' Aerith wen' out to the market, ya jus' saw the brat an' the fairies, an' Cloud..." Cid tapped his chin in thought. "... I reckon Spikehead went to the Ravine." Cid frowned as he said that.
Sora, being ever curious asked, "Is something wrong?"
The Gummi Ship builder chewed on the end of a cigarette as he crossed his arms. "Not really, jus' wondering bout Cloud. He's been spendin' a whole mess o' days there after that time he faught Sephiroth."
Sora pursed his lips at the name. This was also part of the reason he was in Radiant Garden but he wasn't about to say anything... at least, not yet. Good thing the others would be too far away to stumble onto his plans too early. That would be bad. "Alright Cid, I'm gonna go poke around town for a while. See ya." with that the thirteen-year-old left.
Cloud sighed as he stared across the oddly blue colored ravine. He had been sitting here for the better part of four hours now and have yet to make a move to leave. The blond picked absently at the white stip of cloth that tightly wrapped around the blade of his First Tsurugi Sword. He hadn't bothered to remove the binding cloth ever since he first stepped foot into this alien world. Contrary to what most have come to believe, he, Cid, Tifa, and Yuffie weren't natives of Radiant Garden. Cloud wasn't all too sure about Leon, but he had a sneaking suspicion he was no different. Non of them ever spoke much of their past lives. For some of them it was just far too painful.
The group had arrived separately in the near same fashion as someone being thrown through Innerspace would a little after the whole ordeal with the Tsviets and Deepground SOLDIERs.
Cloud had yet to see Vincent, Barret, Nanaki, or Reeve and Cait Sith, the remaining members of AVALANCHE, or even Denzel and Marlene. He hoped the kids were okay. He knew Marlene would be fine, she had her father after all, but Cloud had been quite alarmed to see Tifa, Denzel' big sister/mother like figure, when she showed up. Hopefully the boy was with Barret too. Even Vincent of Reeve would do.
The supposed ex-SOLDIER still found it a little uncomfortable to have Aerith around. She wasn't his Aerith, the one he knew from Midgar. That flower maiden had died, he wittnessed her die and saw her to her grave. This Aerith was someone else. A double, an alternate version of the last Ancient who had the same kind personality but no prior knowlegde of him and the others up until several years ago.
Cloud looked up at the sky. 'Today's the Anniversary.' he thought solemnly to himself. 'It's been nearly seaven years now. But it still hurts, I thought time heals all wounds.'
"What's got you down?"
The blond jumped and whirled around to see Sora looking down at him. Cloud frowned. The older man didn't like to be taken by surprise. He must have been seriously out of it if someone like Sora could get the jump on him. Cloud eyed the younger teen for a moment. Usually the bright Key Bearer was all smiles and almost inhumanly energetic when ever they met. The boy's bouncy attitude had strongly reminded Cloud of him before he left his life. Today, however, he seemed to have reigned in his usual cheerful hyperactiveness, showing his serious side. Cloud had to remind himself that for all of Sora's naive, innocent simplicity, he was still a hardening warrior who faught against the darkness more offten than not.
The older swordsman gave the boy a curt nod in greeting. "Nothing..."
Sora seemed to frown slightly at the answer. Cloud couldn't help but to notice the odd gleam in the brunette's expressive blue eyes.
"... Thinking about Zackary Fair?"
Cloud's mako eyes snapped up to Sora who seemed to look past him at the castle reconstruction site. "How do you know that name?" the blond demanded, his voice almost a low growl, as he stood. He knew he never gave that name to Sora or told anyone of the owner of that name.
Sora glanced at Cloud as the man towered over him. If this was some kind of intimidation act, it definately wasn't working. Sora had learned not to show fear to Cloud, or anyone else for that matter, a long time ago. However Sora had to think bout how to answer that question. He could be truthful and sound like he lost his mind, or he could lie and make Cloud mad. Since he was neither good at or liked lieing, he went with the truth. "The Voice told me about him."
Cloud gave the boy a weird look. "I beg your pardon?"
"The Voice told me." Sora repeated. "Don't ask me what I mean cause I bearly have a clue about it myself." In the boy's hand appeard the Keyblade. "See, when I first got the Keyblade I was being swallowed up by the darkness. There was this weird voice saying not to give in to it, a bright light came out of nowhere and then the Keyblade appeared." Sora lifted the blade between them and looked at the odd weapon. "I had heard the voice once before that, in a dream I had two days before the Heartless came to my island."
The dark blond could only nod. He had once wondered how Sora could have possibly obtained the Keyblade but never asked. Now that he knew it wasn't such a mystery. The voice, as far as he could guess, was the voice of the Light talking to the boy. But now Cloud could only wonder why Sora was explaining all this to him and what Zack had to do with any of it.
Regular crystaline blue eyes lifted to Mako lit blue eyes. "The voice talked to me again, it asked me to help the one who is teetering between the darkness and the light."
As soon as Sora said this, a bright flash of light blinked into existence. Cloud had to sheild his eyes from its intensity. When he could open his eyes again, Cloud saw a set of white marble double-doors that were as tall as a three story building and as wide as a truck was long with stain glass windows of various colors standing a few feet away from Sora. The doors had no door knobs or handles and were bound shut by thick silvery chains with a large aesthetic lock that gleamed with light.
Cloud was now confused and suddenly had a sinking suspicion that what ever intentions the light had with him was going to have a sever impact on his life, and possibly others.
Sora walked over to the door and looked it over. Cloud came to stand next to him also inspecting the door with weary eyes. The wielder of the Keyblade took two steps back and lifted said weapon up towards the lock as rays of light gathered at its tip. A beam of light shot into the lock and a thick click was heard. The lock fell away, disappearing before it could hit the ground. The heavy doors creaked open slowly to reveal a massive helix of swirling of colors and light.
"It this... the Door to Light? Or the maybe even the Door to Kingdom Hearts?" Cloud asked
Sora chuckled and shook his head at both questions. "No, this is the Gates of Time." Cloud looked down at Sora questioningly. The boy grinned mischieviously. "The Light told me to open it and send you through." With that said, Sora gave Cloud a rough shove forward.
Cloud gave a surprised yelp as he fell through.
As the door began to close behind him, Cloud could hear Sora shout, "The Light is giving you a chance to fix your life and the lives of others, Cloud! Have fun in the past! I'll see you soon!" The doors then shut completely with a loud thud and all Cloud could do was watch as images of events, places, and people rushed past him. Then an unnatural tiredness pulled at his mind and body before he succumed to it's power and everything went black.
Hello everybody! Welcome to another of my fics. I hope you've enjoyed it so far. This fic came out of nowhere, I just suddenly got the urge to write it. I've been wanting to write a fic on FFVII or a KH2 fic for a while, I just never found time or knew how to start one. Yes, this is a Zack/Cloud fic. If you don't like it, then tough nuts. What the heck are you doing in the zack/cloud section if you don't? I happen to like the pairing and I'm a pretty open minded person about yaoi and other things. I plan on writing at least twenty chapters on this one, more if needed or if I'm up to it. I should also be coming out with a few more fics soon so be on the look out. Reviews are my motivation as a writer so please send me some! See you again sometime!