Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Obsession ❯ Three ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or its characters.

A cloaked figure landed on the concrete floor after jumping atop the roof of a three storey building successfully startling the stray cat that happened to pass by. Glowing emerald eyes underneath the cloth gleamed in warning at the feline causing the frightened animal to jump and quickly scurry away.

Walking towards the end of the alley he suddenly stopped and clutched his head when the pain once again resurfaced. Body tipping towards the wall, Yazoo leaned in and took off the hood hindering his circulation. Breathing in deeply he tried with all his might to will the pain away. Closing his eyes he gasped when his body suddenly felt cold. As though pinpricks of ice were being drilled to every pore of his skin.

Kill.

No.

He's so near. Just a shot for the heart would be enough.

I won't.

Do it.

Stop.

What are you waiting for?!Do it now!

Go away.

Just fucking do it!!!

Shut up!!

Mouth opening to a silent scream when the pain reached unbearable heights. He clutched his head and banged it to the wall he'd been leaning on with enough power for a dent to appear on the brick. Banging it some more when the pain still won't stop he gritted his teeth when he felt a bone break. Panting heavily, he opened his eyes when it seemed to have receded and used his left hand to feel his way towards the spot where his bike was parked.

Riding the vehicle he quickly took off to the few blocks towards his motel. It was good no one had been able to spot him. He didn't exactly trust himself to be civil if he came in contact with someone in this state. Especially if that someone meant to lock him up or kill him for what he'd done. Turning off the engine when he arrived, he got off and approached his room in quick strides.

After entering he pushed the lock on the knob and closed it almost jogging in his hurry to reach the bed and lay down. Flopping in the mattress he inhaled the calming scent that had occupied it ever since last night.

Tifa…

It was strange but it smelled just like the lilies Kadaj had picked that one time, they were still children then. He said he got it from an abandon chapel where a lady once lived in. They didn't know it at the time but they found out later that the lady who so painstakingly tended to the blossoms was actually Aeris. Loz had snorted saying it fit her description perfectly.

Lovely flowers for the lovely lady.

He grinned. The reason why Kadaj took it in the first place was to annoy Loz. His older brother always had an aversion to flowers. He hated--no abhorred it. Too weak he said. Step on it and it'll die. Leave it alone it'll wither away. Shaking himself from his momentary nostalgia, he opened his eyes and raised a hand feeling his way for the table beside the bed. Clutching the knob of the drawer he opened and took out a small glowing sphere. Cure materia.

Raising the globe to harness the power he closed his eyes when the familiar soothing sensation overcame his weary body. The power left in this single materia was minimal at best. He had used it one too many times. Though he tried to use it only when he truly had no choice, it couldn't be helped. It was the only way he could remain coherent after those kinds of attacks racked his body.

The attacks had started just recently. Before, he never even knew that his body was capable of producing pain such as those. If it were…he didn't doubt for one minute that he'd probably be in some asylum somewhere trying to kill himself because of the voices in his head.

It was just like what Kadaj had once said. He had said that Mother was speaking to him. Telling him to find her. Save her. So he had begged and pleaded with him and Loz till they finally gave in. They didn't doubt Kadaj for one second. After all, they felt the pull too. Though miniscule compared to what Kadaj had gone through, it was still there.

It was then that the mission to find Jenova had started.

And now…it seemed that the call had come to him as well. Slowly sitting up, Yazoo stood and took the wooden chair by the dining table. Placing the seat in front of the window, he opened the blinds just enough for him to see the club across the street. Eyes squinting taking in the darkening skies, he raised a hand to clench his nose. It looked like it would be awhile before he could go anywhere near seventh heaven.

The attacks were only triggered if big brother was near.

It always said the same thing too. Kill him. Kill the traitor. Yazoo grimaced. It wasn't that he didn't want to kill Cloud, quite the contrary actually he wanted to crush him for what he'd done. But that had to wait for another day. After all, wouldn't it be fitting that if his vendetta were to fail he would die by Big Brother's hand as well?

He sighed. It looked like he would have to rest easy here for sometime. It had been so close too. The hands shaking to reach his gun and pull the trigger had been too great this time. Preventing it to the last minute when he spotted Valentine by the door, he didn't dare shoot with the guy around.

Valentine would've heard a bullet sailing from a mile away.

Letting out another sigh of boredom at the lack of things to do, Yazoo did the only thing he could at the moment.

He waited.

For awhile they chatted about the new drawings Marlene had done and some of the children in the neighborhood when the sound of the door opening made them stop and glance to see who it was.

“Denzel!”

“Tifa! Is Cloud here? I need to speak to him it's important!”

Walking around the bar to approach the panting boy, Tifa frowned wondering if something had happened. “No, you just missed him. I can call him if you want but it has to be really important.” Glancing at the thick folder he clutched in his hands she was about to ask him when Vincent who had managed yet again to slip her notice answered “He found some files. I checked and it contained data connected to Sephiroth and Jenova.”

Shocked she stared at the boy and took the folder; quickly thumbing through the pages it seemed Vincent was right. It was about Jenova. And so much more.

Which meant…

”Look, Cloud's picture is here. It has his name too.” Staring at the picture Marlene pointed she read the words beneath his name.

Physical statistics…amount of Mako exposure…compatibility to other experiments…turning to several pages she stopped short when she finally reached the page that held a long silver haired child with eyes that seemed too large for his face.

His face.

Immediately closing the folder when Marlene and Denzel were about to glance at the page that held her attention. She stood up and placed the folder in the counter. “Don't worry I'll give it to Cloud when he gets back. Go take a bath Denzel. We'll call you if lunch is ready.”

“Un. Marlene, don't forget I like pickles in my riceball okay?” Grinning Marlene replied a cheery okay and went to the kitchen to prepare the meal. Glancing at Vincent who occupied his seat by the window she smiled at him in gratitude when he turned to her.

“Thanks Vincent. It's always nice to have you around.”

For a moment he just kept silent observing her before turning away and walked towards the room leading to the kitchen. Pausing he answered “Aa. I'll help Marlene in the kitchen” before leaving.

Urgh.

Sighing she gazed out the window to the bustle of people passing by. It was already noon. The customers should be coming by soon. Scanning the bar for any lingering mess that they had failed to notice, she stopped short when her eyes landed on the folder at the counter.

Hmm…I wonder what they wrote about him. Besides, it didn't seem like she had anything better to do. Turning her head to the open door that lead to the kitchen she quickly took the folder when she was sure nobody would be coming out anytime soon.

Tifa flipped through pages till she reached the one she opened earlier and read.

Subjects seems susceptible to act of kindness and easily fooled or manipulated…Extremely protective of one another…Youngest seems to have claimed to suffer delusions of a parent communicating telepathically…These delusions may very well be passed on or accumulated in time to the other remaining two…Causes the subject to be prone to acts of violence…A danger to themselves and society…

Looking up when she heard the definite tap of expensive leather shoes clicking at her porch signaling a customer approaching, she tossed the folder to land at the exact spot it had been moments ago.

Turning her body to face the entrance, stance adopting a relaxed pose she mentally cursed. Of all the people to visit and just when she reached the interesting part…it just had to be him.

Mr. Rufus with-a-huge-stick-shoved-so-far-up-his-ass Shinra.

“A bit early I see…Its good no one's around. Never did like too much noise.” Rolling her eyes at the haughty blonde, Tifa took out a wine glass answering “Can't say I'm glad to have you around Rufus but a customer is still a customer so…the usual I presume?”

Taking a seat at the stool in front of her Rufus let a long drawn out sigh to pass his lips “No. I'll have one of you're strongest batch for today.” Shrugging she went to get the drink. It wasn't strange for the man to want to get drunk. Sometimes he came here to do just that especially if events were a bit too stressing for him. Preparing the drink she turned her back to him concentrating on the task at hand.

Emerald eyes observed her taking in the surroundings of the recently repaired seventh heaven. Tifa really did a good job in rebuilding the place. Eyes landing on a suspiciously familiar red folder with bold letters reading Confidential in yellow ink he frowned. Now this was new.

What would that be doing here--?

“Denzel brought it. He said Nicky found it lying by the dumpster at the back of the playground.”

It was Valentine's voice. Eyebrow raising the only indication of his surprise, he turned to the man currently addressing him. “I see you're uncanny ability to pop up in places when you're not wanted hasn't failed to deteriorate.”

A small shrug, he approached them and took a seat at the stool two chairs to the left of Rufus murmuring “Thought you might want to know.” To which Tifa's loud sigh of exasperation was heard.

Vincent took the folder in front of him and passed it to Rufus just in time for Tifa to place his drinks at the table. Remembering what Vincent said about the location of the folder Tifa smirked 'unknowingly' saying out loud a

“Hmm…I wonder how such important files managed to land at the dumpster of all places. And at the children's playground too I might add.”

Oh she had an idea who might be responsible alright.

After all, the name was scrawled all over her blacklist, everytime said person showed up in her bar he would order a drink for him and his buddy and just as conveniently forget to pay the bill calling out a cocky “Leave it in my tab sweet cheeks” for good measure.

So no, this wasn't for revenge. Really it wasn't…maybe just to teach the man a tiny lesson is all. Smirk turning devilish she watched the annoyance flare to anger in the blonde's eyes.

Oh yes, she didn't doubt Rufus' disciplining skills for a second.

Raising an elegant hand to rake his hair Rufus growled. Taking out his phone and flipping it open with a press of Reno's cell number he waited for it to ring two times before he was answered by a jovial “Hey boss, now don't you worry. I think we found it. See that over there, it's almost in sight. Rude's just about to get it.”

Silence.

On the other line, said Turks were currently lounging in the living room sitting in a circle cards placed at the center playing poker with Reno just about to pee his pants in fright. While on the other side we have the stoic Vincent snorting and a red-faced Tifa trying her best to hold in her laughter.

Rufus finally at the end of his patience and probably sanity finally barked a loud

“Get your ass in here you bloody idiot! I found the files. Humiliate me one more time Reno and I promise you. You. Will. Pay.”

Flipping the phone closed hands immediately going to his temples for a rub he took the glass on the counter and drunk just in time for Lockheart to finally have had enough and burst out laughing, hand pounding the counter accompanied by tears unknowingly spilling her cheeks at the hilarity of it all.

When her laughter died down to chuckles Vincent, who had a smile present on his face because of Tifa's merriment advised a “You should come here more often” to the scowling blonde, eliciting another round of chuckles from Tifa who gasped out a “Yes. Yes you definitely should.”

By the time nighttime came, Vincent had gone saying he had business to attend to leaving Tifa with the children while Cloud had phoned earlier saying he'll be back tomorrow because of a delay in the items delivered. Staring out the window after she had swept the floors and wiped the tables clean Tifa concluded, it wasn't such a bad day.

After the spectacle that happened earlier with Reno and Rude coming in to a somewhat drunk and very hostile Rufus. Let's just say, it was enough to brighten her day. Glancing at the clock when it read 11:00, Tifa took the keys by the desk and exited the bar locking it in the process. Denzel and Marlene were upstairs asleep so she could rest easy.

It was time to go.

Feet automatically moving of its own accord, Tifa glanced up at the starlit sky and smiled. It didn't matter if she went to see him. Every time she stared at the nighttime sky it never failed to bring a smile to her face no matter the occasion.

The only time it had failed to lighten her mood was when…but she didn't have time to remember that for now.

Leather boot landing at the concrete, a familiar motel in front of her with its neon light blinking out a “Savannah” on top as its sign.

Tifa's mouth formed a straight line, she had arrived.

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