Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mako Eyes ❯ "Through My Eyes..." ( Chapter 7 )

“I swear to you, that bitch is going to pay!” James snarled as the healer, Lynda, tended to his wounds. His jet black wings hung limply and were tattered from the fall through the roof and the impact into the crates. His body was battered and he figured he had a few broken ribs. Lynda had been tending to him for the past four days and despite his quick healing abilities, he was still in bad shape.

 

“At least you don't look like a walking corpse anymore,” Lynda said in a thickly accented voice. Her pale blonde hair was pulled back in a long French braid, her royal blue eyes focused on the task at hand.

 

“She is a Mako Eyed, yet she is siding with humans, humans that helped Shinra several months ago!” James roared, topaz eyes flashing. “And she fought against me, her own species. I'm all she has now, the only Mako Eyed left, but she turns me down for humans!”

 

“There could be more out there, James,” Nemo said from where she stood near the infirmary door. “You thought that you were the last, but we come across another.”

 

“Perhaps, but I don't have the time to look,” James said as Lynda finished. He stood up, wincing as he did, but forced himself to pace, the wings on his back twitching slightly from jolts of pain every now and then. “Strife was a lost cause, which I figured he might be. Valentine was useless as well because he was close to dead when the project began. So we are back to square one… again!”

 

“What about Reeve Tuesti?” Nemo asked. “Although he's friends with Strife and his gang, he may be able to get where they cannot. I wouldn't be surprised if they already contacted them.”

 

James looked at Nemo and smiled. “Well then,” he said, “when I'm fully healed, we'll have to pay Tuesti a visit then.”

 

“And what about Aneilla?”

 

James's smiled turned to a frown. “She will join our forces, one way or the other. Even if I have to force her to join us, she will join.”

 

“You may have to use force… perhaps if you threaten the life of the one she treasures the most out of that group?”

 

James nodded and said, “That might be the way… we'll give it time.”

 

“And when we do get her,” Nemo said, “how will we make her listen to our commands?”

 

“We'll just have to keep that person hostage, wouldn't we?” James said with a smile. “I will have my revenge, Nemo, and I will do everything I can to get it.”

 

*~*~*

 

Aneilla swooped high above Cosmos Canyon, performing twists and turns that would suffice in aerial battle. She had been training in secret with the dragon inside of her for over a week now, slipping out during the night and slipping back in before dawn. Aneilla was able to do spins, flips, dodges and dives through the air that she wouldn't have been able to do before. She was quite pleased with the progress she had made, and so was her teacher.

 

“Very well done, but your training is just beginning. There is so much for you to learn before you are ready to fly on your own.”

 

Aneilla swooped over to a cliff and, with a twist of her wings, landed with ease on the ledge. She stretched her neck and let out a soft croon before looking across the canyon, at the place she had once called home.

 

The Cosmos Canyon was where Nanaki had taken her when he pulled her from the burning orphanage. They had lived here for years, in peace, and she was never bored. Every day she would venture out and explore the canyon and all of its small crevices and caves. By the time she was ten years old, she knew this place better than anywhere else. And I still do, she thought. The people who lived in the village of Cosmos Canyon had treated both her and Nanaki well. Aneilla remembered the few times a week she would go there for supplies and food and how they would always wave and give a cheery hello. Aneilla had been happy living there and was sad when they left. They left the canyon when she was fourteen and traveled to the cliffs near Nibelheim where, two years later, Nanaki was kidnapped by Hojo and taken to the lab in Midgar. Aneilla had been devastated losing the only one she considered her family and she had tried searching for him, but gave up when she knew that Nanaki's capture would have been in vain if she was taken as well. She knew that Nanaki had done everything he could so Hojo wouldn't hear about her. So she slipped into the slums of Midgar and lived out her life there until Nanaki found her a year before Kadaj and his gang showed up. She had been so happy to see him alright and couldn't stop hugging him for hours on end.

 

“You were lucky,” the dragon said, interrupting her thoughts. “You were lucky Nanaki saved you and took care of you for all those years, or else you would be dead now.”

 

“I know,” Aneilla said, looking up at the sky and at the millions of stars that scattered across it. “And I am grateful to Nanaki and owe him so much.” She then sighed and stretched her wings. She then froze as she sensed another presence nearby. She growled and whipped her head towards several rocks below her. “Show yourself!” she snarled. There was a moment before the person in hiding came out from behind the rocks. Aneilla jolted slightly when she saw who it was. “Vincent!” she gasped.

 

Vincent looked up at her, arms crossed over his chest. “So,” he said, voice monotone, “this is what you have been doing the past week and a half.”

 

Aneilla whisked her tail back and forth in nervousness. I've been found out... she thought. But then she realized that she had done nothing wrong, so she lowered her head, stretching her neck until she was a few feet from Vincent's face. “It's none of your business,” she huffed.

 

Vincent raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, “Not my business?”

 

“Yes...”

 

“We have been the ones protecting you, and yet you sneak off during the night without telling us, and you say that it's none of my business?” Vincent glared at her and said, “Let me remind you that Cloud was hurt, Tifa and Marlene were threatened and I was shot because of you. Is this how you repay us? Sneaking off and goofing around where people can see you…”

 

“I'm not goofing off!” Aneilla snarled, although she was starting to feel guilt from what Vincent said, because he was right. “I'm training!”

 

“What?”

 

Aneilla sighed and shifted her position, getting comfortable. The dragon inside of her said, “You must tell him... I don't want him to get a wrong impression... tell him, but let him know that none of this must be spoken to anyone else until I say.”

 

Aneilla nodded and looked at Vincent. “There is a spirit of a long dead dragon inside of me. You can say that the dragon I turn into is the reincarnation of him. He has been training me how to fly, fight and use the powers of the dragon. Once he is done training me, he will return to the lifestream to rest in peace forever. He told me not to tell any of you just yet because he didn't want me to become distracted from my lessons in the beginning, and although you know now, the others still can't. This is training that I must do on my own because no one can really help me. But I'm not doing it unsupervised, so you have nothing to worry about...” She could see Vincent looking deep in thought, but his face showed nothing. “Please, believe me Vincent. I wouldn't throw everything that you and the others have done for me aside.”

 

Vincent looked up at her and nodded. “I believe you,” he told her and Aneilla felt relief bloom through her body, “and I won't tell the others until your teacher feels that it is time to do so.”

 

Aneilla nodded and then she tilted her head slightly. “How did you know that I've been sneaking off?”

 

Vincent chuckled and said, “You maybe able to slip past the others unnoticed, but it's hard to do that when I'm around. We're somewhat alike, remember?”

 

Aneilla snorted and lifted her head up as the dragon inside of her spoke. “Now that he knows,” the dragon said, “he may be some help for your lessons. Instead of dodging invisible attacks, he could send some at you. Perhaps he can help you when the time comes for you to know what it's like to fly and fight with a rider.”

 

Aneilla whisked her tail and relayed the message to Vincent, who only nodded in agreement, saying he would help when she needed it. Then Aneilla spread her wings and took off into the sky, showing Vincent what she had learned thus far. Vincent sat on the cliff edge, golden clawed gauntlet arm resting on an upraised knee while his other hand rest beside him, close to Cerberus. The dragon taught Aneilla a few more things before they started to head back.

 

As Vincent walked through the canyon, Aneilla swooped around and above him. “So,” she said as she twirled past him, low to the ground, “still no sign of James or his men?”

 

“None,” Vincent said, looking up as Aneilla sped by in front of him before she took to the air again but staying in hearing range. “We may have to wait until he shows his face again.”

 

“If he ever does,” Aneilla pointed out. “He must know by now that I have obtained close to my full power. He would be stupid to face me now, and will be until he reaches the same rank of power as me.”

 

“Perhaps,” Vincent said as Aneilla swooped past him again. “Or he just may try to hurt you by attacking someone dear to you, to weaken you in spirit, other than strength.”

 

Aneilla hovered a few feet in front of him, he hind legs touching the ground, moving her along as Vincent walked. “You seemed to believe you know his motives.”

 

“As I am no different from you, I am no different from him,” Vincent told her. “In fact, I am more like him than you; while you have a peaceful beast inside of you, I have a demon, just like him, and if I am right, he will be thinking just like his demon.”

 

“You are nothing like James,” Aneilla told him.

 

“Then you do not know me as well as you think…”

 

Aneilla frowned slightly, her red eyes narrowing as she studied him. She turned her body slightly towards the front. “So be it,” she said before launching herself back into the air, the blast of air making Vincent's hair and cloak blow back. “Or perhaps,” she then called down to him as she flew higher, “you do not know yourself as well as you think.” She then flew high into the sky, gliding as she thought. Vincent really believes what he said...

 

“Then show him that he is wrong,” the dragon inside of her said. “If your heart tells you that he isn't like that, then find a way to make his heart believe it. If there is one thing that you must remember about being a dragon, the power of the heart is much greater than any other power you may posses. If your heart tells you something, believe it.”

 

Aneilla nodded and then smirked slightly. “I have an idea,” she said. “Something that may lighten his mood.” When she told the dragon her idea and he gave her approval to do it, Aneilla swooped back down to the earth, where she saw Vincent still walking. Coming up behind him and gliding low to the ground, she gently picked him up with a claw before he realized that she was there and took off up into the air again.

 

“Aneilla!” Vincent exclaimed as she lifted him up to the place where her neck and shoulders connected, the one place that was spike-free. “What are you doing?”

 

“This,” Aneilla said, turning her head to look at him, “is goofing off. Now hold on!” She then gave herself a burst of speed as she flew higher, feeling Vincent grip her at the sides of her neck as she did.

 

“Aneilla!” Vincent called out, settling himself and gripping the dragon at the shoulders with his legs. “Put me down!”

 

“Geez, Vince, are you always this uptight?” Aneilla asked as she glided high in the star scattered sky. “Just relax and enjoy yourself.”

 

“You are not going to get away with this…” she heard Vincent grumble.

 

Aneilla laughed and said, “Just hold on... we'll be back home soon.” She glided silently, over small villages and towns, the moonlight casting her shadow on the ground below. They flew over the cliffs by Nibelheim back towards Edge. When they got over Midgar, Aneilla slowed down and looked at the city below. She could sense Vincent's slight bewilderment at the glowing lights of the city. “This is what it's like looking through my eyes,” she told him as they glided over Midgar. “From up here, you wouldn't know about the pain and suffering people are going through. Up here, you can be at peace, even if it's just for a moment.”

 

“Hmm…” was all Vincent said as he stared down at the rebuilt city below them. Aneilla could feel a sort of calm emitting from Vincent and she smiled slightly to herself. Then she frowned when she sensed pain underneath the calm; pain and suffering. How can I remove that from a heart, after it has been there for so many years? She looked back at Vincent and noticed that the stony, emotionless mask that he usually had was missing for a moment. She could see the sadness and pain written on his face and in his eyes. She saw it a moment before he replaced the mask and looked at Aneilla. “You're lucky,” he told her, “to have this peace to go to.”

 

“You can have it too, you know,” she told him.

 

“I can't… I have too many sins to be able to enjoy that peace.”

 

“What are your sins?”

 

“I allowed Lucrecia to die,” Vincent said softly.

 

Aneilla sighed softly and turned back to the front. “Sins can be forgiven,” she told him. “You just have to forgive yourself first. I'm sure Lucrecia has forgiven you, so now it's your turn.”

 

“You don't understand,” Vincent said, “and you never will…”

 

“Suit yourself...” Aneilla said flatly before tilting slightly, heading towards Edge. Perhaps Vincent is someone who will never forgive himself, or realize that he isn't what he believes himself to be, she thought.

 

“Or perhaps,” the dragon inside of her said, “he has been alone for a very long time and has forgotten what it is like to have someone to care about him, to show him compassion.”

 

Aneilla flew in silence, neither her nor Vincent speaking again. Every time she glanced back, she could see Vincent deep in thought. Finally, Aneilla landed gently in the yard behind the bar, folding her wings to her sides as Vincent jumped down. Aneilla changed back into her original form, the process much quicker than the first time she did it on her own. She watched as Vincent slowly walked back to the bar and sighed. As she started to follow him, Vincent stopped and faced her. “Thank you for the ride,” he said softly. “You fly well…”

 

Aneilla smirked and, placing a hand on her hip, she asked teasingly, “Did the great Vincent Valentine just give out a compliment?”

 

Vincent stared at her and Aneilla swore she saw his lips tilt in a slight smile in return. “Don't get use to it,” he said before turning and walking inside.

 

Aneilla chuckled and looked skyward. The stars were beginning to fade as the dawn began to approach. With a smile, she turned back to the bar and went in, intending for at least five hours of sleep before starting a new day.

 

*~*~*

 

Reeve Tuesti was running through files in the old Shinra database on his computer. With the help of Cait Sith, he was able to go though it all without being tracked. Don't want them to know what I'm up to. He was hoping to find the file involving the Mako Children Project, hoping that Shinra or Hojo hadn't deleted it when the project was concluded a “failure”. So far, he has had no luck.

 

Cloud and the others trusted him and he knew that if he couldn't find anything, then they would be stuck back on square one, leaving their only option being to confront Rufus Shinra himself, which Reeve knew that they didn't want to resort to that. If Rufus was to find out about Aneilla, who knew what he would try to do. Although the man had changed since Shinra fell and he gotten over the Geostigma illness that occurred a few months ago, the group still didn't trust him. Reeve was glad that Rufus was too involved in getting the Shinra Company up and running again, although with a great deal of changes to the company. It kept the man from noticing anything unusual, especially the appearance of a Mako Eyed. And if Rufus has noticed the new member of the old Avalanche team, he didn't really focus or question on it.

 

Reeve sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes for a moment, just to rest…

 

The chiming of his computer woke him up. Reeve sat up, rubbing his eyes as he thought, How long was I asleep? The question soon flew out of his mind when he realized that the chiming was the signal, indicating that his computer found something. Reeve hit a few keys on the keyboard, bringing up a file that dated back over twenty years ago. As Reeve opened it up, Cait Sith jumped up onto the desk, his face lit up from the light of the screen. “What have we got?” he asked in his Scottish accented voice.

 

“Give me a moment…” Reeve said, scanning through the files and documents. Finally, he found what he was looking for, only it wasn't what he had expected. Reeve took out his phone and quickly dialed the well known number. As he waited for a pick up, his eyes never left the title of the document that held all the answers and then some.

 

“Cloud… this is Reeve… yes, I found something… yes, and you might want to come down here as quickly as you can…”