status: completed, 3 chapter + mini epilouge
rating: PG-13 for mild violence, mild language, some sexuality, alcohol use
Company: Square Enix
*disclaimer* I do not own any character in this story. They are all copyrighted of Square Enix
Chapter 3: Cloud Strife the Rogue ~a Final Fantasy VII fan fiction
Vincent
Valentine threw his red, hard, cold gaze across the battlefield to a
man six years younger than himself who he used to consider a friend. A
kindred spirit. Both of them were guilty of some sin that had helped
shaped their personalities. But now.... The Buster Sword deeply
penetrated the cracked dusty ground. The battle had been long and
strenuous for both of them and the small recession is what they needed.
For the battle was far from over. "How dare you Cloud? How dare you?"
Vincent whispered to himself through tightly clenched teeth. What did
Yuffie and Cid do to deserve death? Vincent raised his Cerberus, the
break was now over. As Cloud continued to blankly stare at the
unfriendly end of Vincent's handgun his mind was being torn into pieces.
The pain cut through his temples like a burning knife that was still
being forged, without noticing, he dropped to his knees. The pain sheared
through each quarter of his head, hitting every nerve causing spastic
muscle spasms until it was too much. He screamed in agony as all of
Sephiroth's memories and emotions poured into him. Vincent just watched
from afar.
Cloud screamed again,
"Make it stop, make it stop!"
Sephiroth laughed devilishly
No, destroy him Cloud just like you did all the others
"No!! I didn't I didn't!"
You destroyed them all even Tifa the bitch
Cloud's scream was so hoarse, so loud, it was damn near inhuman.
Vincent
just stood, not sure if approaching him would be the best COA. He couldn't even begin to fathom what was happening. "Damn
you Cloud. Damn you Hojo and damn myself." There was nothing he could
do, he turned. Cloud outstretched his hand, Vincent his only friend was
turning his back on him.
Cloud tried crawling towards him.
"Vincent! Don't leave me!
Stay with me please! Kudasai!
Visento! Visento! I don't remember!"
Sephiroth laughed in a silky, heavy evil tone, what is there to remember?
You killed them Cloud now kill him like you did the others
With
each word Sephiroth spoke a hot white flash slashed his mind causing
searing headaches. He placed his head on the cracked sandy earth, crying
he forced his head up, there was a strain on his neck. His head felt
too heavy, the longer he struggled the more pain he experienced.
"Vincent! Vincent!" Yet his cries did not reach Valentine's ears.
Vincent was getting harder to see as he continued to walk away. Would he
hate himself for walking away and not avenging his friend's death? But
Cloud seemed to be in so much pain, he would deserve instead of the
third chance of life he was being given. Valentine had lived alone in
despair and self-contempt for so long.....well he knew he'd never be
happy among people. Sephiroth's chuckle ringed in Cloud's ears.
Do you miss my mother Vincent? How much do you hate my father?
Do you wish I was your child or that I was never born? You could've stopped her you know. Do you wish that you were the one Lucrecia fucked?
The voice had risen from the ashes of Cloud's sore throat but the words and voice were not his.
Vincent heard that.
Anger
burned inside of him, there was little room for guilt as both the
Galian Beast and Chaos threatened to brake his control. "You bastard!"
Vincent ran towards Cloud. All Cloud could feel was the earth tremble
under his friend's fury. "Arigatou gozaimas Visento......for staying
with me." Vincent took aim. BAM! Shot him in his right shoulder where
Sephiroth had previously stabbed him in their last encounter. Vincent
placed his hand on the wound then squeezed it, smacking Cloud with
the barrel of his gun knocking him unconscious. "Rest."
Inside Cloud's mind was the memory of what he could not remember.
For
a few days Cloud returned to his normal life as a delivery boy but
deep underneath pain and guilt was stirring again. How could he look
at Tifa and Marlene and knew what he had done to Kairi, a 15 year old
girl. No matter what he thought, it was still him who hurt the girl. It
was his body that had penetrated and broken her. His mind drifted to
children...to a terrible outcome. He tried to shake these thoughts as if nothing happened.
Everyday seem to pass so slowly but he
didn't mind, Sephiroth's voice was silent. That was all that mattered.
Until the headaches started. Oh the headaches started normally but
slightly became more severe. Splitting flashes of white light, tearing
his nerves apart. Then....then the voice returned!
Cloud.....
Kurado.....
Cloudo.......
CLOUD!
The headache lessened.
Did you miss me?
I told you...you aren't free
"Ahhhhh!!"
Cloud stumbled forward falling down to his knees, his hands on his
head. "Gahh!! Shut up! Leave me alone! Atchi e ike! Hitori
ni shite oyte!!" He rocked back and forth on his heels sobbing silently
to himself all the while asking why. Why? Why? Why had this happened?
How did Sephiroth force himself into his mind and gain control?
Sephiroth should be dead! Then something far more sinister began to
claim dominance over him once again.
The feeling came in small waves
that expanded over every muscle mass in his body. Slowly gripping
his soul, clawing its way into his heart, the certain evil found its hold. The physical pain that threatened to paralyze his body had broke
him of his will. He was no longer Cloud Strife, he was now Sephiroth.
And Sephiroth now only desired the death of his - Cloud's - friends and
family.
It was easy, too easy to kill off the two children, Cid,
Yuffie and Barret. The screams of the children were a pleasure only
rivaled by the sensual voicing done by that brat kid's girlfriend. Kairi
was so much better. The adults (Cid & Barret) crushing was nothing
more but a hallow victory over two inept opponents. The kunoichi was
entertaining, her speech "the single white rose of Wutai," her mediocre
skill bored him. Yuffie had saw Cloud, had fought Cloud, and she had screamed for Vincent. Had called
his name over and over. Sephiroth wasn't as satisfied as he had been with Kairi.
However
when he had tried to demolish that bitch named Tifa, Cloud emerged from
his eternal slumber. His consciousness woke to protect the woman who was
always there for him. She was scared being cornered against the wall
behind the counter of the bar. Cloud stood in front of her, blood
dripping from his hands. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "No Cloud.
Say it isn't true. TELL ME IT ISN'T TRUE!"
Cloud blinked trying to
understand her sudden emotions. The flames engulfed his mind as the
cruel lips rose in a smile, only then did Cloud finally remember. He closed in
on her grabbing her wrists, "Tifa listen to me, Sephiroth has taken
control of me, I don't know how but..." He leaned in a little closer
until his forehead touched hers, needing the reassurance of a light
innocent touch to keep him sane. He breathed in deeply then let it out
slowly. Tifa sighed taking in the man's pain. She rose slightly
until they were eye to eye then slowly kissed him.
Cloud's body
began to twitch Vincent noted as he kept watch over him in his home in
Kalm. He had been out for nearly a day with no signs of waking up
anytime soon. However...his body kept twitching at first it was sporadic
then it became heavily concentrated. "Must be awful memories." Vincent
commented.
Cloud's mind was now blank and empty, how was Vincent
supposed to save him from himself? Even if the two of them did figure a
way between themselves how to extract Sephiroth, what would happen
after? Would he really leave Tifa with his child the way he had intended
to? Would they continue their battle, forever clashing and avenging the
precious memories? Vincent would become Sephiroth in Cloud's eyes and a
new battle would emerge due to the indistinction that the memories
caused. Memories. That's all this was about, all it amounted to, all it
will ever amount to. When will he let go? He already knew the answer to
that.
Fire. A lot of fire. Hot burning embers but of what? Guilt?
Regret? Hatred? Anger? Fear? Inside his mind's eyes he saw the towering
flames scorch everything, completely burning anything and everything
that could block its path. Was this Sephiroth? No? As hot as the flames
were they didn't feel malicious. Didn't feel evil or sinister. But it
didn't feel warm either. He didn't know what to make of all the images
in his mind but the awareness of his body changed. His breath was slow but deep,
Vincent snapped to attention. "Cloud-kun are you awake?" His words fell
upon deaf ears, his body was there but he......
His body felt too
heavy, he couldn't move even if he wanted to, his nerves seemed to be
disconnected somehow. "Cloud-kun? Cloud-kun?" Again his chanting did not
reach the blonde's ears. Inside his mind stood the dark figure that had
possessed him for so long. Smirking he gave an airily arrogant laugh.
Cloud......welcome now let's begin the battle for that soul of yours drenched in
darkness
What are you talking about? Your soul is the darkness.
Cloud let's not repeat ourselves, as long as you live, I live, it is your darkness that
calls me. Sephiroth held his sword in
fighting stance, come to me Cloud....now.....let us fight for all
eternity
No Cloud thought, let's end this now so there is no eternity.
Sephiroth
charged at him with his fallen angel's grace, swiftly moving the sword
for a diangle cut. Cloud sidestepped then swung his sword a little below
the enemy's abdomen. The cut had been too narrow to do any real damage,
little blood trickeled down Sephiroth's clothes. "Nice going Cloud did
you get stronger?" Cloud ignored his tauntings as the fire burned higher
than before, closing the two of them in a circle. The heat of the
flames, the heat of the battle, too hot, too hot as Cloud began to fail.
In the waking world, Cloud's twitching became worse than before as he
developed a very high life threatening fever.
Vincent tried the best he
could by putting a cold wet towel on his forehead and placing the
heaviest blanket he could find over his friend, "sweat out all the
impurities Cloud. Kill whatever is in your body, only you can help
yourself now."
"Only I can help myself now," he chanted his friend's
wise words as if he had heard them. He stood up then dusted himself off
and smirked as smugly as he could. "Come now Sephiroth! I will not die
for you! Just like I told Sora, from here on out I'm a different person.
A stronger person, neither light or dark. If I can kill the light I can
kill the dark and you will not exist ever again."
Sephiroth charged accepting the challenge. "Kill the light Cloud, all you'll be left
with is the dark, I'm still here. If there is no light then there is no
dark, neither can exist without the other, I will be left with shades
of grey. And that is enough for me to survive on and do what I must."
Completely ignoring Sephiroth's Masumune that came crashing down onto
his left shoulder before he could move away, he started attacking the
flames that sorrounded them. The flames. They did not feel evil nor did
they give warmth but they were there. Why? Light. They gave off light
and light only. They were his light, the flames was his first enemy. He
spun his Buster over and over like the propellers on a helicopter, each
time swinging lower and lower till he cut the light, causing it to grow
fainter till not a trace of light remained.
Sephiroth had grown
curious and had waited till Cloud finished extinguishing the flames. "What
now Cloud? You can't see me and like I said now all you're left with is
the dark." Ignoring him, Cloud attacked without warning or sound nor
light. That pale glow he had while last fighting Sephiroth and Sora was
gone.
His strength increased. Sephiroth with his too long of a sword
could barely fend off the attacks. Slashing, crashing, blood and
silence. A loud silence reigned as Cloud continued to attack from all
directions it seemed, each time pushing Sephiroth back into the chasms
of a unknown abyss. Sephiroth rose his sword and caught only air, he
tried again and again in other directions. There was no fear, no panic
in the villiain, he was still confident that he would still conquer in
the end. Finally he stood still once he was aware that Cloud was no longer
fighting.
"Watch now
Sephiroth, I will show my shades of grey, the absence of both of
light and dark." Cloud whispered then snapped his gloved fingers. A blue
flame dance slightly above his hand, the enemy watched as the flame
danced to capture the enemy's attention. Throughout the darkness
only the blue flame was seen until it broke, split in half and grey
steam rose from it. Suddenly a blast of air, neither cold or warm blew
past, neutral grey wings shot out from Cloud's back. Cloud tilted his
head up then glided in the direction he was looking, his wings looked so
strong and graceful, far more powerful than Sephiroth's one black wing.
"Rise Sephiroth and meet me. There will be no eternity for you. You will
stay in my memories where you belong."
Sephiroth, pissed off with being
outdone, flew after his true enemy. In the higher chasms they rose,
clashed swords as if they were two fallen angels who had betrayed God and this was
their punishment till the End of Days. Sephiroth's strength seemed to
weaken as the Buster came down upon his left shoulder as Cloud
effortlessly pushed down, cutting flesh, breaking bones. SNAP! His left
arm fell into the demanding darkness. His blood, a deeper crimson that
anyone had ever seen drained into a river. "You bastard," Sephiroth cursed.
"Nothing
more than a memory," Cloud replied silently and more to himself. He drew
from his Buster and produced another sword, violently he began to slash
and cut in different angles that left his enemy defenseless, especially
with one arm. Blood lashed out from under Sephiroth's dark clothing
causing permanent stains. "There is no eternity for you," Cloud whispered
as he held his swords in an X shape to deliver the final blow.
Sephiroth's mind went blank, his head ached, his chest was caving in as
he found it harder to breathe while he fell into the lonely abyss that
awaited him. "You can't kill me.....Cloud.......... my brother......... "
Cloud
snapped out of the daze he had momentarily fell in after seeing his
bitter enemy fall, brother? "I'm not your brother. Wait Kadaj?
..........." Then Sephiroth fell too deep to be seen and the strain
disappeared. He felt lighter but he felt no light nor dark, he had rid
himself of all emotions both positive and negative. "Brother........" he repeated longing to know its meaning before he returned to his waking self.
His
fever had gone down physically thanks to Vincent for making him sweat it
out. He awoke with a tension headache behind his eyes as well as a
strained pain in his neck. "Cloud? Are you okay or do I need to shoot
you?"
"Visento?" His vision was blurry, Vincent placed his hand upon his
right shoulder and pushed him back down.
"Sleep now."
He obeyed.
The next day he said
goodbye to his friend, "are you sure you're leaving Cloud?" Vincent
asked while watching his friend mount his cycle.
"I have to Vincent, I
caused too much trouble here." Vincent nodded not needing to hear more,
he understood well. Perfectly well, this was a sin Cloud could never be
forgiven for even if it wasn't really his fault.
"Cloud....what about
Tifa?"
Cloud stopped, his hands trembled on the rims of his goggles
before letting them fall around his neck. "Ore wa....,"
he shook his head, he was a different person now but maybe not so
completely. "Give her......my regards.....but Vincent can you
do something for me?"
"What is it?" Vincent had become wary of Cloud
since he woke up, he wasn't sure if Cloud was walking the thin
line of sanity that could snap at any minute. "If it's a boy and when he is old enough, Vincent, tell him all I've
done the good and...the bad. Watch over them for me Vincent. And never
give any second thoughts to the choices you made and never become so
emerged in your memories."
Vincent understood.
"What if it's a girl?"
Cloud looked away the peacful streets of Kalm that was once in danger a
year ago due to Wiess and Deepground but now it
flourished again. The wind was warm with the sprite of
summer. "Then it's her daughter. Keep me
anonymous." Vincent nodded to the silent agreement. Cloud looked at his
friend then gave off a faint pain strickened smile, "have a good life
Vincent. I'll see you again one day." Vincent nodded again, he would've
said the same but they both all ready knew, it was too late for him.
Picking up his goggles, he put them on and rode off without ever looking
back.
Chapter 3: Cloud Strife the Rouge ~ a Final Fantasy VII fanfiction
Bloody Kairi ~ a Kingdom Hearts II fanfiction END
Bloody Kairi
~The Final Conclusion
Sora
had spent few restless nights inside the cavern that hid the door
to other worlds for so long. Crouched in a small ball holding his knees
tight to his chest, he rocked back and forth as if he was losing his
sanity. He cried, "I'm sorry Kairi, I'm sorry."
"I don't think she can
hear you Sora." Riku said bending down to lend a helping hand to a
friend in need. Sora stared at him through red, puffy
eyes.
"Riku?"
"The one and only. C'mon Sora let's go." Sora stood with
Riku's help, he felt dizzy and his legs were weak. His head still ached.
Before Riku was the one who led Sora into the darkness and in return
Sora led Riku to the light. Now it was Riku's turn to show Sora the
light, to help him remember the feel of the sun on his face and he warm
sand beneathe his lazy feet like before in a time long since passed.
The
day sun was bright and tore at the keyblader's eyes, "so this is how
Cloud felt," he whispered. "Huh?"
"Nothing." The water was clear, calm
but the beach was empty except for the two of them. Sora continued to
stare, this is what he's been missing for a year. Guilt overwhelmed the
pain of failure. "Riku I -" "Oh here comes Kairi." Kairi was walking
towards them, wearing her school uniform. (Riku was skipping that day)
Sora stared then looked away feeling ashamed of himself.
"Sora! You're
back." She ran at him throwing her arms around his bruised neck. Tears
claimed him again.
"Kairi I -"
"It's ok Sora. I'm fine. I forgive him,
it's all over now." Sora hugged her back and as they stayed in that
embrace, Riku walked away.
BLOODY KAIRI
a Kingdom Hearts II fan fiction
END
I love Tifa x Cloud and Sora x Kairi pairings.
There's a lot of Japanese mixed in here, like when Cloud calls Vincent, "Visento" which is the Japanese pronunciation of the name.
Cloud has unresolved issues with Sephiroth, who's gonna keep coming back again and again so the power struggle and even the battle and flames represent Cloud's guilt and inability to let go and move on. Essentially his dark side is disguised as Sephiroth because Cloud feels the need to be severely punished for what he believed he failed in like saving Zack and Aerith. It's terribly written but I wrote it back in 2006 and didn't know much about character development and what not.
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