The Forbidden They can't tell me who to be Cause I'm not what they see Yeah, the world is still sleepin' While I keep on dreamin' for me And their words are just whispers and lies That I'll never believe And I want a moment to be real Wanna touch things I don't feel Wanna hold on and feel I belong And how can they say I'll never change? They're the ones who stay the same I'm the one now 'Cause I'm still here -John Rzeznik/Goo Goo Dolls A/N: I give you a longer chapter! Onward! mush mush ----------------------------------------------- It was the hand that stole into her grasp which comforted her, she realised dimly, as she stared with disbelieving eyes at the town of Nibelheim. Like a spectre from her past she had locked inside a cupboard and tried to forget about, it stood there in full glory, with bright lights in the streets as soft dusk was slowly approaching after their long hike across the grassy hills that day towards it, a day she had spent in a giddy kind of moments, flitting from one to the next, with her. Picking her flowers, like the rare Sunset Nibel flower that she knew grew close by and when they'd taken a brief break, presented it shyly to Aerith... ...only to have Cloud, squished on the other side of the flower girl most conveniently, present her with a practically identical one, which had done absolutely nothing for the tension rising between the two friends. Aerith, for the most past, had blushed and stayed very quiet, not daring to look at either one for fear of exacerbating the rather awkward moment. But they'd picnicked and spent time under the sun, with Tifa trying to remember different things about the town that had existed only in her fading memories since that fateful night five years ago. And now... She gripped the hand, fighting the breaking sob in her chest as the party came closer to the town. She was confused, this was all a wasteland: Zangan had sent her photographs of the devastation and the tabloids had even printed brief obituaries that no one would have looked twice at. One of them had been her own, the tragic death of local teenage beauty and rising martial arts star, Tifa Lockhart. At their leaders sudden pause by the gate, she also realised that Cloud couldn't entirely understand what was going on either, looking from the town and to her, specifically her, in the same measure of 'being lost' as she felt. She lifted her shoulders helplessly, "Cloud..." "I thought it was a pile of rubble," rumbled Barrett, coming to a slow, lumbering pause behind them and scratching at his neck. Tifa winced a little, "What’s this then?" "It looks pretty good for a ruin," chimed Yuffie, peeking out from behind Cait who was trying to secure all of her stuff in the trunk so it wouldn't be lifted by another thief - a simple exchange of stolen goods, about as far as Tifa saw it, to be honest. "I'm not lying!" Cloud muttered. "He's right," she said, "This was nothing. After the fire, there should have been absolutely nothing left of this place. Only ashes and the vague memories of those who escaped to live faceless lives. Like me." "Alright, but then what's that doing there," Yuffie persisted. She was like a dog with a favourite toy when it came to being obstinate. "It looks like someone had other ideas." Tifa narrowed her eyes, as did the blond ex-soldier. Both of them knew she had avoided adding on 'If what you say is true' but they also both realised as intelligent adults, that there was some measure of truth to this. The only reasonable thing she could think of bubbled from Aerith's mouth in soft soothing tones before the situation could escalate from hand. "Then, why don't we look for clues?" "...I was just going to say that," she smiled in relief. "I know. Mind reader! Or I know you very well." The ancient crinkled a smile, dimpling her cheek in the most adorable fashion. Tifa’s cheeks bloomed with a blush a little, realising the mad urge to bend her backwards and kiss the ever-loving life from her, looking away quickly with a cough as the hand squeezed hers knowingly. "Well guys? I think something got covered up here, sneaky like." "ShinRa," Red said softly, "It'd have to be." "Why dya say that, mmm?" Looking down at Red, Barrett folded his arms, both the size of branches, across his barrel chest. "Isn't it obvious? Cloud told us that Sephiroth caused the chaos here. If he did, then ShinRa would be indebted to take care of any mess incurred by its military." "Military." Barret blinked, and then grinned, "Ah that's right, he's a General. Or at least he was, at any rate." "Exactly," Red looked towards Aerith who nodded gently. "So if ShinRa covered it up, it would be by the expense of building the town exactly how it was from local planning records. Nibelheim wouldn't be tossed aside, the reactor would be too value to them for their plans to get to the Promised Land, not to mention, as Cloud said, their... ex... e..." "So, we go looking for proof," Tifa butted in, seeing Aerith stumble over her words. She knew that memories of ShinRa were very painful for the maiden, proven further by the fact that the tanned cheeks suffused with a blush, eyes casting down to the floor. "Any proof we get, the quicker to drag ShinRa to the dirt." "Alright, let's mosey," Cloud agreed, much to the sudden giggles of Yuffie who sprinted forward. "What!" "Mosey? Teeheehee, Cloud the Cowboy. I can just imagine you in chaps with your ass hanging out!" He flushed suddenly, a bright red and opened his mouth, just as Red added in a dry tone passing him, into the town, "Better than a dress." Aerith covered her mouth as she did when laughing, seeing Cloud's neck colour furiously and even Tifa was forced to bite her lip, reminded of that vision of Cloud as a dolled up lady for Don Corneo. Chuckling softly, she watched him storm off into the town, and then glanced at Barrett who looked confused. "It's a long story." "I'd like to hear it." She smirked, "Buy me a drink and I'll consider it. Come on Aerith, let's go see how much they rebuilt." "Alright," as they trotted into town together, the flower girl looked over her shoulder at the large man, left with the equally bulky but soft bodied Cait Sith, "I can tell you he wore pigtails and makeup." There was a long, silent pause as Aerith turned back to carry on walking, then laughter, booming laughter, exploded behind them. --------------------------------------- It was by the inn that Cloud stood for long moments, trying to collect the thoughts that ran rampant, the feelings he had disconnected with the lies of his memories, lies he believed to be the utter truth: they felt as fresh to him as though they'd sparkled in his chest only days before, the laughter of children that were absent and the sounds of the busy town on it's business. Now it was ghostly and he didn't know what to do about the ache in his head, the pain in his heart. With a glance back at laughter, Barrett's laughter, he spotted Tifa and Aerith walking into the town. His attention slid without conscious thought to the flower girl who twirled the fiery sunset coloured flower between her hands and he smiled gently. She kept my present with her. Glad of the growing friendship between the two pillars of his existence, he turned back to the inn and pushed the door open and slid inside, closing the door on the soft murmurs of conversation between the girls behind him. ---------------------------------------- "You like that flower, mmm?" "This? I've never seen anything like it before. It's like every sunset I ever saw in a picture book." "Isn't it just? It's called the Nibel Sunset. It only grows around here, it's normally pretty rare. But..." "It's okay. I guess... Cloud had the same idea too." The flower stopped twirling around and around in her slender hands as she leaned forward to put the bloom behind the ear of the taller fist fighter, smiling gently as the rosy glow of orange and red seemed to compliment the pale, dark beauty of Tifa. "But this one you got for me. So keep it safe?" Tifa blushed and reached up to brush the flower gently, "Aerith, you don't have to do such things." "What, you don't believe in romance?" The petite girl laughed and went steps ahead of Tifa, pink skirts twirling. Then she glanced back and caught the somewhat confused expression on her face and paused, touching a hand to her necklace, then cheek in thought, unaware of how comical or attractive she always looked when deep in thought, "I do, though." "I can see that." Tifa's voice was warm with affection as she drew closer, walking in step. "So, shall I believe in it for both of us?" "No, I'll figure out how to make romance live for you. Er, somehow," her laugh was faintly nervous, "That is, if you don't mind?" "I'd love it." "It might take me a while, but I'll figure it out eventually." Tifa suddenly pointed with an expression of surprise, "Wow." "Wow?" She turned to peek where the finger was pointing. It traced a direct line across the cobble plaza in blues and greys to a thatched, tall house that seemed big enough to house three families, in cream paint and the beams of old oak weathered and worn in decorating the outside. Pleasant cobble colours of mushroom and beige were pressed against the lower half, with a very tiny front yard that seemed little more than a collection of pots and planting boxes, filled with verdant life. The house seemed to be new to Aerith's eyes, but she tilted her head at Tifa all the same, "...wow, what?" "It's... my house. My home." "That's your home!" "Yeah... but..." Her voice broke, "It shouldn't be there. I'm almost afraid to look inside." The Ancient gnawed on her lower lip for a long moment, then summoned the will to smile from deep inside her self, pasting it on her pale lips. The fighter's expression was pained and torn: she clearly wanted to see inside it, curiosity ever a driving animal inside all living things, but was also afraid of what she would find inside. Not for the last time, Aerith made the same promise within herself, firming it down into her soul. I promised myself, I'll be Tifa's inner strength, if she can be my outer protection. "Well, it's not long until evening and Barrett will probably book us into the hotel for an evening meal, so why don't we have a quick look around?" The dark wine coloured eyes creased with indecision, "You think we should?" "Hey, it's your home, not like we're doing anything illegal after all. Come on!" She took the hand of Tifa, grasping through the hardened leather and sharp prongs to grip tightly. The grip in return felt desperate and lonely, gripping back as if she would fade away and a rueful smile bubbled inside her as she drew Tifa towards the house. Only twice did the fighter try and break away and escape, but each time, firm as iron, Aerith grabbed those hands and willed her to come with her. Even if she didn't admit it aloud, she was just as frightened of what Tifa might find inside there, but wisely kept those details to herself. The house was, surprisingly, unlocked with the door stood slightly ajar. Tifa went inside first, stepping over the threshold whilst wearing the face of someone who was expecting to walk into a shotgun on a string. But she was met with only silence, the black cloaked figure of a man huddled over a table. Seeing as Tifa was rooted to the spot just inside the house, Aerith squeezed by and went directly to the figure that rocked back and forth whilst muttering something about a reunion. Under the cowl, that was the one place it wouldn't let her see, so she simply checked his pulse and looked him over for injuries. With a twist of her healing magic and a tendril of air, she touched it through the cowl to his temple and drew back with a gasp of air. But when Tifa looked over in concern, she just smiled, and pretending she'd seen a mouse. Luckily, no questions were asked, so she rejoined Tifa who had begun to creak up the stairs. "Third step up, always creaked," she murmured and sure enough, she put her foot on the step and it creaked loudly. Her eyes filled with pained tears and Aerith tried to smile for her. "If the ShinRa do a job, they seem to do it well," she said softly, putting her hand on the small of Tifa's back, "So instead of standing there like a decorative statue, move up those stairs and continue looking." "I guess." They went up the stairs, another step creaking loudly when Tifa paused in the hallway between two rooms. Aerith peered round her at another figure who she could see through one half closed door in a wide room, rocking as it walked, hooded and caped just as the other figure in the front room downstairs. Her green eyes narrowed faintly but she said nothing, following the taller girl as she moved into the other room. It was furnished in the old country style much like the rest of the home; beige walls and wooden furniture. The bed was nestled into an alcove by an upright piano where sheet music sat. On the bed was a pile of dolls and toys. The main part of the L shaped room was dominated by a homespun carpet with flickers of red and brown in the pale cream design that reminded her uncomfortably of a whirlpool. By the wide window was a desk with a lamp and a massive set of wardrobes stood along the same wall with a full length mirror. She stood before the mirror: it was dirty as if no one had dusted it for a while, so she drew her hand over the surface, clearing a section with a smear of dust onto her hand. Only her curious green eyes looked back at her, calmly and with a clear outlook. "It's exactly how it was," Tifa said sadly. She went to the bed and picked up a doll; it was an old rag doll type with corn row hair in russet red and a bonnet tied under the chin, gingham dress and floppy arms and legs. "Samantha, my old doll. How could they get this right? Even my piano... They even had the sheet music." "A piano?" Aerith looked back, "I didn't know you played piano." "Oh, yes. I took lessons in it when I was younger. I was pretty good." She picked up the sheet music, "Yep, 'Angel's Cry for Me'. This is what I was learning when... when..." "..." She looked away from Tifa, changing the direction of the topic slightly, "So will you play for me sometime?" "Huh?" "The piano." Aerith smiled, blushing as she looked down, "I would love to hear you play. Anything you make, it would be beautiful, and I know it would be. So... one day, play for me and only me?" "Play?" Tifa laughed and joined her by the window, reaching to take her by the waist with affection painting every line of her body, looking down at her. She felt so fragile, just being held by this powerful woman and the blush hurriedly spread up her cheeks, "I would make a song just for you. I'd write lyrics that would never do it justice; I'd mess up every single phrase of notes and sing, badly, very badly... if you wanted me to." "Tifa Lockhart," she scolded with a laugh, "And you said you didn't know romance." Pleased by the blush that now mirrored her own; Aerith touched the taller girl gently on the lips with her fingertips then looked shyly to the side as they were kissed back. But she soon broke away, reaching for the piece of paper on the desk much to Tifa's displeasure as was marked with a grunt of disapproval. This, she ignored as she lifted the paper and blinked. "Tifa, did you write any letters to ShinRa?" "No, why?" Grinning triumphantly, she turned and held up the sheet so Tifa could read it, "Proof! Ta da!" ------------------------------------ Over dinner they had discussed the topic of proof. They had all found different morsels of the real truth hidden around the village and whilst eating (in Barrett's case, for ten people) they found collaborating proof from each other than ShinRa had indeed covered up the incident that had struck Nibelheim. Later, after trying to spend a relaxing evening, it was agreed that ShinRa Mansion in the dead centre of town would likely hold the key to unlocking their mystery, so they left it to the next day. Mostly for Yuffie's sake, as she complained it would be "Way too creepy!" in the dark. So Cloud, Yuffie and Cait all played a card game (which the ninja girl cheated outrageously in), Red spent the evening trying to pick the burrs from his fur whilst adding commentary to the card game and Barrett promptly fell asleep almost right after dinner, burping in his sleep. As Yuffie commented, to howls of laughter from those still awake, "Only pigs fall asleep right after eating." When he later woke up and she kept saying oink-oink whilst the others chuckled at him, Barrett found himself angry... but not entirely sure why. Tifa was planning to try and show Aerith how to use the piano, she looked as though she had the hands for it, but when she went looking for the girl in their rooms, she found no one there. Instead, on the bed closest to the window which Aerith always seemed to bag, the jacket was left with the small diary just peeking from the pocket. Her fingers itched: Tifa knew curiosity killed the cat... but... No! She loved Aerith and would never betray that trust, so with a regretful glance at the secrets it contained and she couldn't see, she sat down and looked up through the window at the night sky. It was very much like that night had been, so long ago now, where the sky was scattered with diamonds and it twinkled, it burned with the fires of heaven. The sky was indigo and blue and black and melting with the heat of the beautiful stars and the vague cloud of a nebula somewhere in that hazy indistinct feeling of the moonlight. She smiled. There was something about the night that Tifa had always loved. It was cool and calm and it was dark. A little like me. It was then she realised she could hear someone singing softly and she tilted her head to try and hear it. "Straight on this long continuing road There is surely something to believe in. Like a traveller in the midst of the wind I have my eyes on the northern sky! The passionate feelings that were beginning to vanish Once again sway with radiance in my chest, I don't want the tears to spill, As so not to lose to my weaker self. In eyes, holding only an unadorned spirit There are great, unseen wings. So I open my arms while singing, To embrace the perpetuity of time To be tied to life... ...so... straight on the long, continuing road There is surely, something to believe in." Tifa found tears in her own eyes and touched her lips, realising that she could hear Aerith, that the unseen singer was the flower girl. Was she looking up at the night sky too? Quickly, so she wouldn't be spotted, she hurriedly left the room, promising to teach Aerith about the piano some other time. It's something I shouldn't intrude upon. Even she deserves to feel sad now and then. My Aerith. -------------------------------------- She was close now, the door rattled and jiggled and jolted on the hinges. It was alive. So she reached out and took the door knob, the door instantly falling dead silent. But regardless, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. It was the same inside, the lab, the tubes, the desk scattered with books and the floor littered with torn up pages. The two tanks were left there, almost neglected in the corner of the room, a figure floating inside each tank, formless in thought and silent apart from the soft sounds of breathing through the masks they had to wear to keep them alive. "Little Princess, falling like a flower petal, I see you're curious." She turned at the sound of his voice, surprised at how calm she was when her eyes fell upon the face of Sephiroth, seated across a table from where she was, a book in his strong and capable hands as he raised a pale, silver brow at her. His hair glistened bright against the black of his clothes, like he tried to cloak himself in shadows. "I wanted to see what this place was." "ShinRa take. ShinRa destroy. ShinRa only ruin everything, they can only twist and distort. This place, once the seat for great knowledge, is also home to great sins that mankind can never atone for, they can never be clean from." He closed the book with a snap. "Was Zack here?" "You saw for yourself, didn't you? Yes, he was here." "Cloud... he didn't come to Nibelheim with you?" "Maybe. Maybe not." He stood, inky black and smooth in his motions. She was vaguely aware that she wore a flimsy white dress to her ankles, arms bare and her hair down as if she was been swimming, damp like that. "Think you can save what has been mired in Hell?" "I can. I will. I’ll do it for all of them." "Pretty little Tifa is here with you too. It will be nice to see her again." She looked to the side, expression tightening, "You'll stay away from them. Because..." "Because?" "Because I'll stop you. You'll see." He laughed at her, vanishing into the shadows with an amused murmur of: "Save your self first, Angel." She watched the shadows he'd slipped into and out of the room with, then turned back to the tanks and started closer. One housed a figure that was indistinct to her still, but her eyes moved back to the other and the familiar scratch of 'Free Me' on the tank of glowing green. A hand thumped against the glass, making her jump. Her eyes flew up to meet eyes of the exact same green, widened in fear. Her exact replica screamed silently in agony, drowning without a way to be free. So she hammered on the glass from her side, beat at it with spells and with staff but nothing worked, to no avail at all. And Aerith could nothing, but watch herself die... ------------------------------------ "Jeez, we have to go in? It looks way creepy even in the daylight." Yuffie hugged her arms to her stick thin body, pouting darkly as Cloud started towards the main doors, "Yes. In, Yuffie. Now." "Don't talk to me like I'm a dog!" She huffed, "Red's the only dog here." "Firewolf," he corrected her. "Wolf, dog, all related. Alright, don't blow your stack Cloud, I'm coming." She hurried ahead to pick the lock, her sock sliding down her leg and catching on Aerith's skirt hem so she was being hurried along with the ninja girl, her dress riding up as buttons popped. "Y-Y-Yuffie!" she exclaimed, turning bright red and instantly putting her hands on her skirt. "Oops! Oh well, least it didn't get any higher, though, Cloud might have liked it," the smile was playful. Tifa scowled. Cloud mimicked her expression, but not without a hint of a smile on his lips as he glanced towards Aerith, cheeks tinting red. These made Tifa bite her lip harder, and then punch Barrett on the shoulder to indicate they should catch up as Cait was once again resigned to carrying the luggage of item packs. "Come on, day dreamer." "Sorry. Yo Cait, you awright with that?" "Absolutely, laddie, I ha’e the strength o' ten men, y'know." "Which ten? I knew men like weeds, scrawny little bas-" "Barrett!" She reprimanded sternly, finally getting to Aerith's side to help the Ancient button her dress back together, following it with a scowl for Cloud who watched with far too much interest. He seemed to take the hint and looked back to the doors which Yuffie threw open with a smug smile. "Piece of pie!" "That's cake, thief," Barrett rumbled. She sniffed airily, "I don't like cake; I like pie." "I don't care what y'like, say the language right, awright!" "You first," she stuck her tongue out. Tifa sighed and straightened after slipping the last button into place, getting that grateful smile from the Ancient almost immediately and she smiled in turn. But her eyes strayed to the strange building, fear clotting at her heart, strangling her almost and she realised that she had never really been inside apart from a few errands for the ShinRa employees in the past. It smelt musty, pervasive damp over the years had grown mildew on the doorframe and inside. It was wide, the reception foyer, with a desk to one side where canisters of gas had been stacked. The central floor had several rooms branching off from it, as well as two staircases rising on either side. As she recalled, the layout of the mansion was pretty expansive, and dark. Someone had left all the curtains closed over all the time since anyone had been back inside the ill fated house of ShinRa. "It's big," remarked Yuffie, "Are we going in groups?" "It'd take too long, and we can all take care of ourselves," Cloud sighed, "I don't like it, but we'll go off by ourselves. Use the PHS if you get into trouble." "Or scream." Red grinned lazily, "Screaming like girls tends to help." "Yo, I ain't screaming like no girl," the big man huffed, reloading his gun arm with each click of the large bullets, "That's for Cloud to do." "I see that someone explained the dress incident to him," Cloud said through gritted teeth. Tifa felt like grinning in a terribly smug fashion, but didn't, instead tucking her arms about herself. Her mood died suddenly, looking towards the flower girl who was rubbing at the staff in her hands. Would she be alright on her own in such a horrible place? Maybe she shou- "Alright," Aerith said, "Let's go. Good luck everyone." She smiled and like usual, everyone smiled back. She certainly had a way with people, did her flower girl. She was the first to step inside, but was soon overtaken by Yuffie who dashed to the back, along with Red at her heels. The flower girl took the stairs on the left up, eyes soft and wondering. Tifa watched her go, left with just Cloud and Cait, who wandered about aimlessly, clearly not sure if he could even investigate anything with his huge, soft toy hands. Cloud looked back at her as they both stepped inside. "Tifa, this feels odd." "I know how you feel. Let's make it quick, I've always hated this place." "I remember throwing stones at it as a kid." She smiled, starting to the other staircase, "Let's hope it doesn't remember you then, eh?" He laughed and went a different way. She continued up and to the room right at the back, pausing by some floorboards that creaked to peer at the painting on the wall. It was of the Nibel Mountains where the sunrise was just starting to peek over, flooding the land with rich gold and oranges. It looked beautiful and almost peaceful, nothing like her memories of fire that had flooded over Nibelheim town. Then she moved on past it, kicking the door open and ducking inside with both of her fists raised up before her. The room was spectacularly empty, not even a mouse stirred inside. Instead there was a bed and a stack of papers on the desk written in a legible, cramped hand that she moved to and picked up the first sheet of paper on the top. It was the diary of some Turk. She didn't recognise any of the names involved with it, Lucrecia or a few others, but the name Hojo stood out in clarity and she swallowed a little harder than she intended. March 22nd Lucrecia is pregnant! But she had decided to continue with the programme for Hojo. What can I do to prevent such a loss? How can I ever fully explain my love to the woman who would throw away, the woman who is my entire life? I don't know. My heart, it lies in pieces and she is the glue, she is everything I have ever known, I have ever wanted. So I'll think on it tonight, and find a way tomorrow. I will. One day, I will kill Hojo. And enjoy it. She put the paper down, feeling sympathetic. After seeing what he'd done to Aerith in the short time they'd been separated, hearing stories of him from the scattered reports, she wondered if she would complete this mans wish for him. She'd love to be able to strangle him herself. Feel the blood on her fingers... the dark revenge for harming her most loved person... "AHHHHH!" Someone screamed into the house, followed by a massive crash. Dropping the paper as instinct took over, she hurtled from the room, crashing into the painting outside so it fell to the floor and was crushed under her heavily plated feet. With her hair flying behind her in the familiar fish tailed style, she was Cloud hurrying from the other room and the others taking the stairs, steps by steps in great bounds. Yuffie slipped and she grabbed her quickly as the doorframe of a room where Aerith had vanished into splintered open and a massive red tentacle came from nowhere. Her eyes widened, seeing Aerith backed into a corner, magic already crackling the air and burn marks spotting the wood of the wall from where fire spells had burned off in excess. Her eyes were worried and large and as another tentacle arm came crashing down, this one purple, she dove to the side with a shriek that turned Tifa's blood to terrified jelly. Aerith! Then as she moved, Cloud was already there, taking the next blow so he was flung to the side with a grunt, not without stabbing back. Jealousy surged inside her and she scowled darkly, letting go of Yuffie so she stumbled and diving into the fray with a flying kick at the monster from behind. Cloud grinned at her, blood trickling down his chin as he seemed to think she was there to help. She didn't smile back, moving to stand over Aerith wordlessly. ...because then I'll be her hero. And she'll love only me. ...what a dark monster jealousy is. With green eyes just like yours... So when the next blow came for the flower girl, she was ready for it. She was always ready... ------------------------------------ Spooky mansion. Check. Spiral staircase. Check. Creepy and abandoned basement. Check. The door to the lab. Check. The tanks. Empty. Check. "Free me". Check. She stood shivering by the door, outside the room where Sephiroth had just flown from. After the fight with the monster from up above and after being awarded with a new materia to summon a god of all things with and a golden key, they found the passageway down that Cloud somehow remembered. It was exactly as she'd dreamed. It made her blood run cold with fear. The visions of her sleep, she'd tried so long since leaving Midgar to ignore them, but now they were coming true. She wondered what she'd dream of next as they continued to plague her nightly, leaving her sweating and open to psychic attack from the mind of the General, who had mockingly smirked at her as he'd fled past. He'd been in her dreams, of this, she was unswervingly certain. So she was by the other door that her key had fitted into, waiting for Cloud to open it whilst shivering endlessly from the chill of being downstairs. Tifa was laid out cold upstairs after being hit a little too hard by the monster in what could only be called 'kamikaze' protection of her own wellbeing. She smiled a little: the ninja girl had shown surprising knowledge of herbs as well as a little natural healing magic of her own, so she'd left her in Yuffie's care. Yuffie had been awed at the trust placed in her by 'Aerith-sama' and swore to watch over the comatose Tifa, who no one dared to mention, drooled in her slumber. Cloud pushed the door open and went in. She went moments after him, just the two of them alone in the cobwebbed tomb stuck under the earth. It was a tomb, she realised with a shiver, replete with coffins and sarcophagi, faces carved into wood and some exposing velvet lining. One in particular was resting in the middle, not stacked together and with a swift flash of insight; she went directly to this coffin over the others as Cloud gave her a curious look. She pressed a finger to her lips and then rapped gently on the lid. "Hello?" The lid flew off and someone emerged, looking at them with red eyes. It was a man, wearing a heavy burgundy cape that was riddled with bullet holes and a leather suit with tight fitting trousers, boots with gold armour and a golden arm to replace his left, claw like and opening and closing restlessly. The Cape was drawn up so it covered the bottom half of his face, a heavy headband of the same colour cloth covering his brow. Hair the colour of night was shaggily cut around the thin, pale face of the man with eyes of burning red, like the Fallen Devil Star on summer nights, just over the horizon. "Who disturbs my slumber?" He grated, in a voice that was melodious but dark, filled with the deepest of self hatred and darkness. Her compassionate heart swayed in pity. "You were having a nightmare," She said softly. "Hmph," he said, looking from her to Cloud, most intently, "A nightmare? My long sleep has given me time to atone." Atone? "What are you saying?" Cloud blurted, staring right back at the strange man, crouched in the coffin. "I have nothing to say to strangers, get out. This mansion is the beginning of your nightmares." He turned to lie back down, but Cloud said quietly, "You can say that again." He paused and looked back, eyes glistening. She wanted so badly to drag him out with them but resisted the need to, listening instead to his voice and the strange inflections he used, "Hmm? What do you know?" And so it was she stayed there, patiently listening to Cloud as he explained about Sephiroth. Sometimes there would be a glimmer of understanding, sometimes sympathy hidden in the dark turmoil that seemed to be this mans lot in life. But when Cloud was done, their candle in the darkness of the mansion had burned down by a quarter and his voice was slowly fading into a rasp, for talking so much. Finally, he drew to a close. "Like you said, this mansion is the beginning of a nightmare. No, it's not a dream, it's for real. Sephiroth has lost his mind. He found the secrets hidden within this mansion." The secrets of Jenova in the geological stratum, the horrors of the experiments, the terror of his own life... The fundamentals of mortality and immortality... unhinged him. I pity him. "...So Sephiroth knows that he was created, five years ago you say he found out? And about the Jenova Project... he was missing and has recently appeared, he has taken and is taking many lives and is seeking the Promised Land," He sighed softly. "Now, your turn," Cloud prompted. "Sorry, I cannot speak." "But," she finally said, the paused, seeing the look of pain on his face. "Hearing your stories had added upon me yet another sin. More nightmares shall come to me now than previously before. Please... go now..." And so saying, he laid down and firmly pulled the lid shut. Aerith looked wordlessly at Cloud and held her hands up, "Cloud, he's in so much pain." "He just said he wants to be left alone." "No!" She cried out softly, "No one wants to be alone, not really. So we'll reach out to him, you and me. Come on, open that lid." "Alright, but if he complains, it's your fault," he shrugged and came close to push the lid off. The man's eyes snapped open, a bit angrily. It was a good thing, Aerith supposed, that at least he was still capable of some emotion! "...You're still here," he muttered sourly. "Yeah. Who are you; at least tell us your name!" "..." He glanced at them both, and then sighed, "I was with... the ShinRa Manufacturing Department in Administrative Research. Otherwise known as the Turks. Vincent Valentine." "The Turks!" She squeaked, jumping back. Cloud, she noted, moved to be between them. "...formerly of the Turks," he said soothingly, for her sake she supposed, "I have no affiliation with ShinRa now. And you?" "Cloud Strife, formerly of Soldier." "Aerith Gainsborough... the last Cetra." His eyes bored into her and she swallowed, looking away. He seemed to have the ability to look right through her to her soul with unerring vision, but if he saw anything inside her, he didn't say. She flushed, feeling weak and suddenly wishing that she'd stayed upstairs with Tifa, watching over the girl as she slept her wounds off. Her healing magic was stronger than Yuffie's after all... "You were also with ShinRa, do you know... Lucrecia?" "...who?" "Lucrecia. The woman who gave birth to Sephiroth." Now she -did- jump, staring at him with some surprise. The tone in which he'd said her name was filled with love and despair, but Sephiroth born from a normal woman? She'd thought he was... Cetra in some fashion, Jenova at least... What was going on? "Wasn't Jenova his mother?" She asked. "That isn't completely wrong," he smiled faintly, "but just a theory. He was born from a beautiful lady. That lady was Lucrecia Crescent, she was an assistant to Porfessor Gast of the Jenova Project. Beautiful Lucrecia," Vincent sighed. "A human experiment..." Cloud said flatly. "There was no way to cancel the experiment. I couldn't stop her," his eyes closed and he lay back down, tugging his cape over himself like a burial shroud. His voice was filled with pain, deep agony that he couldn't exorcise from his own life. "That was my sin. I let the one I loved, the one I respected the most, face the worst." And so saying, he tugged the coffin closed. She rubbed her arms, looking at the coffin lid sadly. "What a sad story." "...ShinRa. Bunch of monsters. I'll bring them down... come on," He smiled and went to the door, smiling to try and cheer her up, "Lets go make sure everyone is alright." "Yeah," Aerith nodded and hurried after him, looking forward to being back out of the creepy darkness. But they'd not gone far down the hallway back to the staircase when she heard footsteps behind her and they paused, looking back at the figure of Vincent who settled onto his feet with the torn cape floating down behind him. He fixed them with glowing red eyes, "Wait. If I go with you, will I meet Hojo?" "Hojo," she murmured softly. "Dunno," Cloud said, "But... we're after him and Sephiroth. I guess sooner or later..." Vincent looked down, "Lucrecia. Alright... I've decided. Let me join you... let me pull down ShinRa with you. Being a former Turks I may be of some help to you." Aerith smiled. At this rate, I should open some kind of Psychiatric practice, she chuckled to herself as together, and they set off for the distant daylight in the upper echelons of the forbidden and forsaken mansion. ----------------------------------------- Tifa patted her side and then smiled, "Yuffie's medicine worked fine, don't worry." "But, the mountains look rough," Aerith muttered. "I don't want you breaking that wound open." "Worrywart," Tifa teased. But she was happy, that she worried. It's an indication of love. ----------------------------------------- The journey over the mountains took two days. The going up had taken longer than expected. The first pathway had been pretty much plain sailing, especially when Cloud found an upgrade for his weapon with better slots for his materia. He called it 'Rune Blade' but no one had the heart to mention how awful it sounded, despite Aerith's giggles into a hand when he strutted with it. The monsters were vigorous; no doubt because of the experiments Sephiroth had set loose during his rampage at the reactor. The first day wasn't without incidents. The first and foremost had been Cait accidentally dropping half their rations when a flock of crows startled them. Curses in that northern dialect flew thick and fast as the packets of trail food vanished into the misty depths of the harsh mountains, so they'd been forced to pick the pace up in order to get to a plain that was flat on the other side. Next came the moment when Yuffie's sock elastic broke again and it came sliding down. She caught it on a spike and crashed face down, and then when she tried to get up, she howled blue murder. A quick inspection from their resident healer had calmed the girl with an expert touch, fixed the sock and pronounced it a sprained ankle. To prevent squealing, Yuffie took the spot of their missing rations on Cait. This did much to worry her as she clung for dear life to the stuffed toy, eyeing the distant drop that swayed with distinct unease not so far away. Thirdly, the fire was incredibly hard to make when they stopped for camp, because wood was scarce, so the best Aerith and Barrett could conjure were some materia reactive rocks which Red then helped set fire to, as he showed proficiency with fire magic. It made logical sense, what with him being what he called himself - a Fire Wolf. Fourthly, one of the tents had a massive rip in the side which Tifa spent the evening repairing, her touch with a needle clumsy. Comments about it being lopsided and badly done were met with frosty silence and unspoken threats of stewed wool for a week to eat if they continued. The second day wasn't as directly awful - they made better time. Cloud and Tifa both went off to examine the reactor together, coming back with sombre faces. When she and Aerith stole a break alone, she wept into the lap of the Ancient as memories of her father were stuck in her mind and the stains of old blood had been left in his exact spot on the grate walkway. She didn't say anything about the subject after she'd wept, instead looking grim and deathly ill as they trudged on. Quickly, trying to be as romantic as she remembered she'd promised Aerith she would be, she showed her the mako fountain to which the girl reacted with euphoric delight, exclaiming that she could hear the Planet very clearly in that spot. Then at the exit onto the path that would lead to the northern plains of the continent stood a large hulking spider creature that they had taken an hour or so to defeat. It was a hairy moment for all of them, but eventually a clever combination of Yuffie's distraction tactics, Vincent's speed and strength, Aerith's magic and everyone else just beating on the creature that they'd come out of it in mostly one piece, and a pretty necklace which Yuffie gave to Cloud, who gave it to the Ancient. She slipped it into the backpack and said nothing, knowing Tifa's jealousy would flare up. As twilight fell slowly, all of them followed the path down with some help needed: Vincent simply picked the tired Ancient up with respectful hands and helped her to the grass plain, then backing off with respect deeply afflicted his voice as he suggested they all camp for the night after such a wearying battle with the monster. So they set up tents, made camp and roused good cheer despite their mission to follow Sephiroth north, across the mountains. The path of the plain curved around the mountain and Tifa told her that it would be a week or so before they got to the next town, a town that Aerith would find fascinating. And for the first night in a week, she curled into bed, aware that the dreams of the desolate and haunted mansion of ShinRa wouldn't trouble her. --------------------------------------- Tseng was dying. The blood pooled as the madman laughed, holding the curved sword in a glittering, evil arc overhead, blood splashing down from the blade. Behind him was the altar and pictures, blurred but close, or distant. She wasn't sure which but no matter what she tried to do by squinting or otherwise, she couldn't focus them. So she looked instead behind her. Tifa pressed hands to her mouth as a voice echoed. "Aerith's star. Cloud's star. They show a bright future!" Cloud was there, reaching to her from before Tifa, who was crying, weeping gently. "My hand, take my hand!" "Cloud, just what do you think you are doing!" Tifa shrieked and pushed him down. "Run, Aerith, run far away from us! RUN!" But Aerith couldn't, because she was sinking. There was water, like there always had been water. She tried to flounder and swim badly, but her arms wouldn't move, her legs wouldn't listen to her demands and she knew she was drowning, she knew she was going down and down but the panic filled her as the light grew from underneath her, swallowing her whole... ...and she was there, strapped to the ShinRa table as Hojo leaned over her, his breath rancid as he pulled the flashlight from her eyes. But when he pulled the medical mask down, his face was replaced with that of Sephiroth, who smirked at her. She tried to scream as he picked up a scalpel labelled with the word 'Love' and pressed it gently to the skin of her chest. "Liar!" she shrieked. "You are... my work," he breathed and pressed hard, shattering her breastbone. She screamed. ...She screamed still, opening her eyes and looking down at the figure crumpled before her by the stone column. Tseng was dying. The blood pooled as the madman laughed...
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