Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Where the lost ones go ❯ Teardrops from Heaven ( Chapter 36 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

36. Teardrops from heaven

Ever since they had left Junon, the motorcycle had been rushing towards Midgar at a neck breaking speed and the two riding it were lost in their own thoughts.
Cloud kept his gaze fixed on the horizon, wondering if they would actually make it on time. He couldn't quite explain why, as the Sage had given them basically no information whatsoever, but something inside him told the blonde that they had to hurry. In fact, they had been moving at such speed that Cloud's thoughts were barely catching up with him. He was finally starting to notice a few things. Like how the motorcycle was going faster than Cloud had ever managed to push it, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't designed to be able to reach such a high speed.
He was slowly realising that again others were controlling his destiny, ushering him towards being a hero once more.
Cloud sent Fenris into a sideways slide until it halted, leaving a long scar in the dry ground. Breathing hard, he was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear Jessie call out for him. Hadn't noticed her fear when he'd made the unexpected action.
When he failed to react at all, or showed no signs of setting the motorcycle into motion again, Jessie slid off to walk over to the front of the bike. Gazing at his face, she felt an uneasy feeling spread through her. His eyes revealed that his thoughts were miles away. "Cloud? What's wrong, Cloud?"
Snapping out of it, the blonde suddenly focused on her. "Jessie... I'm sorry. I just had to... I realised something."
Jessie managed a cautious nod, almost as if she was afraid to startle him into something. "Why did we stop? We have to get back to Midgar, remember?"
"I know," Cloud agreed in a strange voice, but his eyes kept their focus on her. "But before that, I have to tell you something." He turned off the ignition and stepped off the motorcycle as well. "It has waited long enough. I've been searching over half a year for you, just so I could tell you this."
Her unease doubled, and Jessie turned away to nervously wring her hands. "Oh? W-we really should hurry, you know... I'm sure it can wait a little longer..." She could not think of a single thing that Cloud so urgently had to tell her that could be a good thing. When his hands gently landed on her shoulders, Jessie had to force herself still.
Cloud had to gather his courage once more, not sure why it was so difficult when he'd longed so much to tell her. Still, it was different now that she was actually there. His hands were touching her. "I need to tell you."
Biting her lower lip hard, Jessie decided to let her world be shattered and turned to face him. "Alright. Tell me."
"Jessie, I..." Cloud smiled faintly at his own fear, but only needed to draw a deep breath before he could continue. "Jessie, at Kalm... When Joy took you away from us, from me, it felt like he tore out everything inside me. Suddenly nothing else mattered than to find you. To see you again." The blonde felt the heat spreading in his face, and tried to ignore the raw look in Jessie's eyes. "Suddenly I realised... that I couldn't live without you." He brushed away a lock of hair from her face, tilting his head slightly. "I couldn't live without you because... I love you, Jessie."
The words kept ringing through her mind, yet Jessie could only stare. Lost in Mako blue eyes. Seconds passed, then she slowly took a step away from him. Jessie shook her head, frowning. "No..." She wrapped her arms defensively around herself, feeling more vulnerable now than any moment she'd been used in Jinrei's experiments. It was no way this could be happening! "Aeris!" Jessie just about accused him with the name, returning to gaze into the blonde's confused eyes. "You love Aeris! What about Aeris?"
Cloud exhaled wearily, shaking his head. "Aeris... I was lost, and Aeris found me." He managed a faint smile, but didn't take his eyes off Jessie. Knowing it was important to make her understand. "I was more in love with the idea of Aeris than anything else. How can you not love something as pure and beautiful as her? I was lost, Aeris found me, and Tifa brought me home to my true self. Those two women will always be more important to me than my own life, but I love you, Jessie. Only you."
Sniffling softly, Jessie shook her head again. How cruel fate could be. Why give her what she wanted most when she would have no way of savouring it. "No, Cloud... No..." She hated herself for being unable to stop the tear sliding down her cheek. "Jinrei told me... What he did to me, my body wont be able to withstand it much longer. I don't have long... to live... left..." But there was no way that she could have withheld the gasp that escaped her when Cloud's arms went around her, and gently wrapped her into a comforting embrace. For a moment, she let herself clutch him close and need his strength.
"Don't worry about it, Jessie." Cloud placed a light kiss on top of her head, stroking her back reassuringly. "It doesn't matter. We're together now."
And then the first rain drops fell.

"What the hell is going on?" Cid found himself in utter darkness, and he couldn't even remember how he got there. The last thing he remembered was falling, a voice talking to him, and then suddenly the world turned black. "What kinda idiot forgot to pay the damn electrical bill? Hey! Answer me!"
Trying to move in the darkness was like trying to run in one of those infamous nightmares. The pilot felt like he was stuck in syrup or something, his arms and legs were too heavy to be cooperative, and he was suddenly uncertain if he did have a body at all. It was way too dark to see anything.
There was a distant sound. Like listening to something exploding while holding your head underneath water. Gun fire? Screaming?
Damn it all to hell, he was getting out of there! Cid began struggling anew, this time with a new amount of determination. Whatever was going on, he was going to find out what and then kick it's ass!
"Calm down, or you will break the fusion."
It was that damn voice again! Slowly calming down, Cid fought to breathe. At least, he thought he was breathing, but it was hard to tell in this darkness. He couldn't hear himself breathing, but it kinda told itself that he had to be breathing as he was still living! 'Cause he was still living, right? "Who are you? What's going on! Answer me, damn you! Answer me, or I'm gonna ram the Venus Gospel so far up yer bum that ya'll be farting out through a nostril!" The darkness seemed to swallow up his words into it's nothingness.
"I am you, Cid Highwind."
"The hell you are!" Cid scolded himself for starting to wonder about the entire breathing-thing, as he was getting a bad case of claustrophobia. "I'm not gonna ask ya twice, so you better damn well start explaining!"
"I'm not lying. I am a part of you, Cid Highwind."
Falling silent for a little while, then Cid swallowed hard. "Yer that damn materia..."
"Correct."
"What happened?" He wasn't really sure if he wanted to know, but Cid figured it was just as well to get that living or dead-issue out of the way. He had a pretty good idea of a few people he wanted to haunt, if he did prove to be dead.
"You gave me no choice. Foolishly getting yourself injured so badly that it pierced your heart, I had to take over. You're the last one of the tribe. If you die, then I die."
If he had a body, Cid crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Alright... But you still haven't told me who you are, or what the hell is going on!"
"I am the Summon that resides in the Water materia. Unlike common materia, the Element Materia possess both the magical ability as well as Summoning. The other spirits perished when the Materias was destroyed. Only I remain." There was a brief pause, then the voice continued. "You called me to stop this war. That is what I'm doing."
Cid sighed, or at least he thought he did, that is if he did have a body. "So... am I dead or not?"
"You are very much alive, Cid Highwind. If you die, then I die."
Waving a metaphorical hand, or his real hand, or whatever, Cid tried to make sense of everything that was happening. "So I'm not dead... You're some Summoning... And all this background noise is you kicking Jinrei bootie... Right?"
"Correct."
"Listen, you... Dammit, don't you have a name?" It was hard talking to someone when you couldn't see them. When you couldn't see a damn thing really, Cid mused annoyed and desperately wished he could light up a cigarette.
"They used to call me Panlong."
"Okay, Panlong, listen here. I'm not sure why, but I get the feeling ya want me to keep still here and not mess up your groove. I'll make a deal with ya. Keep messing about with Jinrei, and I'll be a good boy, but you'd better make damn sure you don't lay a finger on my friends!" Cid tried a menacing glare at the darkness.
"Agreed."

He heard the dragon despite the rain that was now hammering down on the ground, but Sephiroth merely made half a mental note to keep a watch for the creature while still hoping to find some way to free the trapped brat prince. Rufus had fallen awfully quiet, and the silver haired man was not foolish enough to think it was from any other reason but the agony the president had to be in. The bleeding was indeed a source for worry, but it wasn't an immediate threat.
Sighing, Sephiroth glanced up at the piece of wall that was towering and slanting over them. It provided them with cover from the worst rain, but it also made it impossible for the frustrated general to cut the iron beam to move Rufus. The pole impaling the firey haired man was also the only thing holding the wall up from crushing them.
"Wark?"
Sephiroth gazed hastily over at the familiar sound, and he jumped up on his feet at the sight that met him.
A few meters away, the golden chocobo known as Trigger stood among the ruins and tilted her head curiously at the sight of her master.
"Trigger!" Walking over to the huge bird, Sephiroth cupped the chobobo's head between his hands and managed a quiet laugh. "You have no idea how glad I am to see your face, girl!" He then cleared his throat and gave a distant pet on her neck when Trigger cooed softly as she nuzzled his shoulder. "Yeah, ok, enough with the greetings. I need your help over here, feather brain."
Hearing Sephiroth speaking to someone, Rufus forced himself to open his eyes and saw the golden animal as it was lead towards him. Giving a weak smile, he closed his eyes again. "I think that bird has a crush on you..."
"Can you blame her?" Sephiroth snapped, carefully guiding the chocobo pass Rufus' silent form to stand underneath the tilting wall.
Rufus made himself open his eyes again, curious as to what Sephiroth was doing. Frowning, the brat prince watched as Sephiroth made the chocobo lower it's head and enter behind the iron beam, where it's back met the towering debris. "What... are you doing?" Rufus felt unease spread through him as Sephiroth ordered the chocobo to stay there. "You're not going to..."
Kneeling beside Rufus, Sephiroth pulled out the Masamune. "I'm getting you out of here, ShinRa. Just like I said I would." He hastily equipped a materia he rarely used, but figured would make things a lot less painful. "Sorry, but I think it's for the best." The silver haired man didn't wait for the nervously confused Rufus to ask, but cast the spell. "Sleep!" Even if things didn't work out, Rufus wouldn't suffer. Straightening with a bitter smile, Sephiroth cut the air with the Masamune as he got ready. When had he become such a weakling? He knew part of it came from his time with Aeris, and another part of him declared that it was the price he paid for becoming more human. Still, it was a price he was willing to pay. Sephiroth could stand being a little soft hearted if it meant he earned a friend that way, and was no longer alone.
The Masamune cut through rain drops and air on it's way, before slicing easily through the iron beam. The wall held up by the pole groaned as it lost it's support, and the sound was followed by Trigger's wark as the entire weight was suddenly on her back instead, making the chocobo tremble slightly.
Sephiroth sent a silent prayer of gratitude to the strength of a chocobo, before taking a hold of the iron beam with trembling hands. He didn't have much time. It took only one firm tug to tear it free, but Sephiroth merely tossed it quickly away to kneel down and cast a Cure3 on Rufus. The bleeding seemed to calm slightly. Then he cast a couple of more Cure3 spells, not caring that he was draining his own magic stamina as he knew the internal damage that Rufus had received was massive. Finally satisfied that the bleeding was halted enough to keep the other man from dying, he took a hold of Rufus' arms and dragged him from out under the threatening debris. Once out in the safety of an open sky pouring down rain, Sephiroth gazed over at their previous location. "Trigger! Get out of there! Now!"
With a wark and flapping of it's ridiculously small wings, the golden chocobo ran off in a wild pace. Circling Sephiroth and Rufus as the debris collapsed behind her, Trigger kept running for another thirty seconds while warking hysterically at the sky.
Soaked to the bone, Sephiroth waited for the bird to calm down then ordered her over to them. "I know I already asked a huge favour of you, Trigger, but I still need you to help me out with another one..." He smiled slightly at the narrow look the bird sent him, and merely pointed for her to lie down. As she did, he hoisted the unconscious Rufus over her back and motioned for the bird to get up again. His praise was interrupted by a strange sound, and Sephiroth glanced over to see the shadowy figures of virus infected soldiers stumbling towards them through the heavy rain. Damn. Quickly gazing back to Trigger, the silver haired man petted her neck. "Make sure you get ShinRa to safety, ok?" Then he turned to face the incoming threat, pulling forward the Masamune, while the chocobo made her way towards the ShinRa tower.

Yuffie had never been a great fan of rain. In fact, she was quite certain she had always hated it.
Still, the young ninja had to feel a sense of relief that the heavy downfall was putting out the violent fires and the suffocating heat seemed to diminish. It also left her free to follow where she'd seen a certain gunslinger vanish into a roaring ball of fire. She refused to think that he was dead, as she knew Vincent was a man who kept his word, and she'd made him promise that he wouldn't die.
But he hadn't really promised, had he?
No, Yuffie shook her head, leaping to another small hill of rubble. She could not, would not, allow herself to think that Vinnie was dead. He was not the kind who died, right? And when she found him, she was going to kick his ass for making her worry!
A quick search, scanning every moving object, Yuffie almost didn't see him at first. Then lightning cut through the sky and provided her with just enough light to make out the puddle of red lying in a small clearing. Oh, dear Planet, no...
"Vincent?" She wasn't sure he could hear her through the violent thunder clash that followed the lightning, but she didn't hesitate to run towards the fallen form. More lightning flashes revealed the former Turk almost covered by his red cloak where he was lying curled up on the ground. The young ninja felt her heart thundering with fear when she finally dropped to her knees beside him. "Hey, Vinnie!" Placing a trembling hand on the crimson heap, Yuffie saw the locks of black seeping out from underneath the cloth and eagerly shuffled over to pull the cloak away from Vincent's face. "Wake your ass up, Vincent Valentine! I ain't kissing you, so you might as well wake up!"
The lack of response did not encourage her, and the young ninja glanced around helplessly for aid, but the heavy rain was making it almost impossible to see anything beyond a small distance. Returning her focus on the silent gunman, Yuffie swallowed nervously. Okay, this was not the time to panic. She could do this! Her father sent her to a first aid course once, and she was a materia expert, right?
Yuffie placed cold fingers to Vincent's throat and held her breath as she searched for a pulse. Unable to find one, she withdrew her hand with a gasp. It took her two more seconds to realise that her fingers were stained with blood. Hesitating, the young ninja brushed the black hair gently away and revealed that Vincent's neck was indeed covered with blood, but there was no wound to his neck. Instead, it had trailed down from the cut by his temple.
"B-but you're not dead, right?" Yuffie stuttered, trying to maneuver the man over on his back to check for more injuries before starting to cast Cure magic.
It was strange that the small sound caught her attention in the middle of the chaotic weather, some mystical dragon's cries and gun fire, but Yuffie would have recognized the sound of materia hitting the ground with her ears stuffed with cheese! Three small and heavily blood stained materia orbs rolled out of Vincent's hand.
Picking up one, Yuffie frowned and tilted her head. She didn't recognize it... She'd never seen a materia like this. Could it be...?
Vincent frowned annoyed at the water hitting his face as well as the splitting head ache that threatened to scar him for life. He wasn't aware of the small groan escaping his lips, but suddenly hands were shaking him and a voice was shrieking his name. Forcing his eyes open, the former Turk watched as Yuffie's face swam into focus. "Yuffie?"
Releasing him abruptly, the young ninja made a loud sigh of relief that drowned out the angered yelp as Vincent's head hit the ground again. "Dammit, Vince! I thought you were dead! You gotta stop your fascination with playing dead! I mean that! Coffins and whatnot!"
The gunslinger sat up cautiously, rubbing his head and blinked puzzled as he withdrew his hand to find it covered with blood. "I rarely get a saying in the matter, Yuffie..." Then he suddenly remembered what had happened and gazed around hastily. "Jinrei! Where is he?"
Yuffie shook her head, picking up another one of the strange materia to gaze curiously at it. They were so small, yet glowed stronger than anything she'd ever seen. "Dunnow about the old fart. I found you inspecting the ground here. That kinda topped my priority list at the moment. Hey, what are these things?"
Picking up the orb with a fierce green glow, Vincent gazed absently at it. "It's what made Jinrei so powerful. He inserted these materias into his body. He re-created the Element materia and inserted them into his own body. Didn't bother to create the Water materia as he probably figured he could just get the real thing from Cid..." Remembering how the monsters inside him eagerly reached to destroy a man that was finally some challenge to them, Vincent couldn't really remember what had happened afterwards. He had faint recollections of claws tearing at Jinrei's flesh, pulling out the energy sources, but then...
Yuffie slipped the materia into her pocket, including the one she snatched right out of Vincent's hand. "So... where is Jinrei?"

The ground had turned into several inches high mud due to the heavy rain, and blood was mixing into the crud as a figure struggled to walk through it. Slipping several times, it was pure willpower that made the person able to continue.
Jinrei had one arm around his waist, while pressing the other hand to his throat. He was bleeding bad. Whatever had emerged from Vincent Valentine, it was like nothing Jinrei had ever been up against before. He'd seen monsters. He'd created countless monsters. Monsters that would keep the most sturdy soldier up at nights in fear for nightmares. But the things that had emerged from Vincent Valentine was probably what monsters feared were underneath their bed. Shaking his head, Jinrei managed a weak smile as he started to climb a small hill of debris. He was not beaten yet!
It had cost him almost everything to manage an escape from Valentine, yet Jinrei had a trick or two left up his sleeve. He hadn't survived for all this years from pure luck!
Blinking through the heavy downfall, the scientist hardly believed the sight that met him. The fires were put out, only a few of his precious creatures were still alive, and his troops were on the verge of fleeing as the Water Summoning didn't even flinch at their weapons! This... This was NOT how he had planned it!
Why wasn't Midgar swarming with virus infected soldiers? Jinrei failed to hold back a cough, feeling the taste of blood in his mouth. By his calculations, the infection should have spread through most of the ShinRa army! The flash of a sword and the glimmer of silver hair made Jinrei grit his teeth in fury, pain suddenly distant as he saw Sephiroth cut down the infected soldiers like a one-man-army. Everything was ruined! Everything!
Jinrei turned around to limp his way down the debris, when he saw Valentine and some young woman at the foot of his small hill. There was no way he could defeat them both. In fact, the scientist wasn't sure he could defeat one of them, as the damn gunslinger had ripped the materia from him! Confronting Sephiroth was not an option, and the final escape route would lead him directly into the Turks to his left.
"You think this is over?" Jinrei screamed furiously at the calm Valentine and his restless companion. "It's far from over! You have no idea! All these years... I have created so much the world has yet to see! Did you celebrate the fall of my base? You fools! I've been waiting for this moment for so many years, did you really think I haven't come prepared? Did you really think I didn't have several back up plans?"
Vincent took a step towards the ranting man, placing one hand discretely on the Death Penalty. "You cannot win, Jinrei. You've lost your army. You've lost your creatures. You've lost!"
"If I have lost..." Jinrei yelled angrily, pulling up something from his pocket to hold it high into the air. "If I have lost, then you're all going to lose with me!"
Yuffie tried to squint through the thick rain. "What is that?"
"It's the Black Materia," Vincent declared silently, suddenly feeling dread spreading through him. "He's going to summon Meteor..."
A blurred figure came out of nowhere, and Jinrei didn't have time to react as someone rammed into him. He could only cry out in objection as he heard metal connect with the materia, and a voice called out Sephiroth's name.
The silver haired reached out his free hand, not taking his eyes off the infected soldiers still shuffling towards him, and easily caught the small orb that flew towards him.
Jinrei hit the ground hard, instantly kicking and punching with all his might at his attacker, sending himself and Cloud tumbling down the debris. The blonde lost his sword in the fall, but neither paused in their effort to choke the other. It simply was not possible that Jinrei could lose! There was no part of his plan that allowed for such an occurrence!
Cloud hit the ground hard on his back, watery mud exploding around him, and Jinrei sprang towards him. He was going to wring his blonde head off! He was so set on getting his hands around the other man's throat that Jinrei failed to see the startled look in Cloud's eyes were not from his appearance. Jinrei saw Cloud pull his legs up, but it was too late to stop, and he felt the hard impact most painfully as it sent him flying up into the air, never seeing what was coming from behind.
Vincent automatically turned Yuffie away, his own eyes widening slightly as the Water dragon's jaws closed around Jinrei. The rain covered any sound there might have been as the scientist vanished into the creature's mouth, and the Summoning gracefully slid pass the former Turk before almost dancing up into the sky again.
Panting hard, Cloud slowly got up on his feet and trembled slightly with exhaustion. He was covered in mud and soaked by the rain, yet slowly walked over to pick up his sword. Gazing over at Vincent and Yuffie, he placed the Ultima sword over his shoulder with a weary look. "Let's finish this."

Aeris gazed down at the battle field, despite feeling tired enough to faint, she just couldn't rest. "It's calming down, isn't it?"
"As much as I hate to admit you right about anything, it would seem so," Hojo reluctantly agreed. His golden brown eyes kept flickering from the fighting happening in the streets of Midgar, to the magnificent Summoning that was now soaring in the sky. The rain made it's scales glimmer like diamonds. No wonder Jinrei was so desperate to get his hands on that creature. Such power.
The flower girl saw Hojo's fascinated look, but could only worry about Cid instead of marvel at the creature that had taken his place. Sighing, she gazed down at the dark streets again. "Sephiroth..." It was no good to worry, but there was no way she could avoid it. "He's alright... Right?"
Hojo removed his glasses to clean them with a flick of his coat. "If there is anyone capable of surviving that mayhem, it would be the Hero of the Wutai war. You shouldn't worry that much about him, but spread your concern for your other friends out there."
Aeris paled, placing a hand to the window frame to support herself as she suddenly felt dizzy. "You're right..."
"For crying out loud," Hojo exclaimed, putting on his glasses again before tugging her over to the sofa. He more or less pushed her down to sit beside Shera and tried to remember what Lucrecia had said to him all those years ago about the finer art of considering other people's feelings. "They're all strong fighters, ok? And remember, they're the good guys! The good guys always win!"
Shera slowly gazed up at the dark haired man. "Do you really believe that?"
Huffing, Hojo crossed his arms and turned his face away. "Well, I sure can't think of any other reason why I would lose! I'm a genius, and I still lost to them!" He only barely managed to keep from throwing in a few curses as well. "So there!"
Aeris laughed silently, glancing over to gaze affectionately at her daughter in Rain's arms. "Thank you, Hojo."
Ever since his return from the ceiling, Barret had kept to himself. Standing by the most distant window from the others as he kept his eyes on the Water dragon. He simply refused to meet Shera's eyes, and guilt was about to tear him to pieces. What if he hadn't persuaded Cid to return to Midgar? Then none of this would have happened, and the pilot might still be among them. It was all his fault wasn't it? Still, if anyone was with the good guys, it would be Cid! Cid was definitely one of the good guys! There was still hope... Strange how they always seemed to come back to that. Hope.
Aeris suddenly reached out and took a hold of Hojo's coat, gazing wide eyed up at him. "Hojo! Your parents!" She struggled to her feet again, ready to run down the stairs to enter the slums in search of Sephiroth's grandparents. They hadn't even met their grandchild! Nor their great-grandchild!
Placing light hands on her weary shoulders, Hojo managed a faint smile. "Don't worry about them." His smile widened slightly at the sight of her disbelief. "I forgot to tell you that my father was once a general in the ShinRa army. And a paranoid one at that. He built a safe room underneath the house that would have withstood Meteor itself." The scientist gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "They'll be just fine. Now sit down before you fall down!"
Aeris wanted to argue, but didn't really find the energy to do so. She was tired, worried and a little hungry actually. This was not how she'd dreamed about spending her first time with her child! Still, she wouldn't mind, as long as Sephiroth was alive and came back to her!
Suddenly Tifa got up from her chair after a long silence, and she slowly made her way over to the window. "Listen to that..."
Hojo frowned and instantly shuffled over to her side, gazing out the window as well. "Listen to what? I can't hear anything!"
"Exactly," Tifa smiled faintly at him, then tilted her head. "The fighting has stopped."
By then, everyone was making their way over to the windows, gazing out with hopeful eyes. Was it really true? After so many hours of mayhem, it seemed like the only thing they could hear now was the constant hammering of rain. There was no movement in the streets anymore. No gun fire. No screaming. No nothing.
Aeris walked over to the broken window, holding a hand out to let a small pool of water gather in her palm. "Is it over? Is it really over?" She gazed over at Hojo, knowing the Cetra's connection to him.
Closing his eyes briefly as the voices of the Ancient slithered through his mind, Hojo then refocused to see everyone's eyes resting on him. Then he gave a faint nod.
Jinrei was dead.

"Care to tell me what we just played catch with?" Sephiroth muttered as Cloud came sliding through the mud to help with the last infected soldiers.
The blonde prevented a soldier from leaping at him with a well-aimed lash of the Ultima sword. "One of Jinrei's toys. A duplicate of the Black Materia, according to Vincent."
Starting violently, Sephiroth cast a disturbed glance over at the other man. The Black Materia? And he gave it to Sephiroth? Cloud had to be even more idiotic than rumoured! "You mean the kind one can summon Meteor with?"
Cloud gave a faint smile at the unease in the silver haired man's voice, but didn't take his eyes off their enemies. "That's the one. I figured you were over the ending-the-world phase, or was I wrong? Is there any reason why you shouldn't have it?"
Sephiroth fell silent for a while, letting his frustration vent through his sword arts. Cloud trusted him? That was just... weird! Finally he mumbled his response. "No... No reason..."
Finally the time came when the last infected soldier fell, and the small group was left to stand numbly in the rain. Sephiroth, Cloud, Vincent and Yuffie. They almost didn't dare to believe, as there were only random and decreasing gun firing to be heard. Aside from the downpour, everything had gone deadly quiet. Was it really over? They had been fighting against Jinrei for so long now, it seemed strange that it actually could end.
"Where did that dragon go?" Sephiroth tried shielding his eyes from the rain as he made an effort to scan the sky, but it was impossible to see anything. "And where did it come from?"
Vincent put the Death Penalty in it's holster and shook his head faintly. "At first it attacked anything at sight, but then it suddenly focused on the Jinrei soldiers. And... I can't help a strange sensation that there was something familiar about it..."
"Don't know that many dragons," Cloud declared, brushing soaked, golden bangs out of his face. "But I did get that feeling too. That it wasn't out to hurt us."
"Rufus!" Sephiroth suddenly remembered the vulnerable state of the ShinRa president, and he sheathed the Masamune with a hasty movement. "I leave this area to you, Strife. I need to check up on something!" He set off towards the tower before anyone could object, and cursed violently every time he nearly slipped in the mud. At least Aeris and the others were safe!
It was impossible to see any tracks, so the silver haired man could only hope that Trigger had actually done as he hoped she had. She was a smart bird, and knew they all used to keep to the ShinRa tower. The tower would mean help to her unconscious rider! Still, he felt everything but secure as he finally approached the entrance when his run actually ended in a sliding halt by the stairs, and his gaze was drawn helplessly towards the sky. Flickers of different colours danced in the sky, almost like small streaks of northern lights. Swirling and dancing. Celebrating with the rain drops. And Sephiroth numbly realised that each one of them were a soul from the Tribe of Cosmo Canyon. The spirits of Nanaki's tribe. They were happy. And for a moment, Red himself appeared. Every person who'd fought in and for Midgar suddenly found themselves gazing at the sky, seeing the great beast giving his final farewell.
A distant howl was heard, filled with sadness and a promise. Seto would live on. He would make Nanaki proud once again.
While the colours were slowly vanishing, Sephiroth didn't really understand why he felt the loss so personal, but he knew that fighting alongside the Planet instead of against it allowed him to enter the fellowship of living beings that wanted to protect their world. It was strange, overwhelming, but... Sephiroth gave a weak smile. For once, he felt like he was a part of something, instead of standing outside and gazing in as usual. The Cetra would probably never forgive him, but he understood that the Planet already had.
A movement to his left caught his attention and the silver haired swordsman gazed quickly in it's direction and he placed on hand on the Masamune.
Slowly dragging his feet through the heavy mud, a certain pilot gazed wearily at Sephiroth. "What happened?"
"Cid?" It was a semi-drowned version, but it was no mistaking the man. Huffing surprised, Sephiroth trotted over to his side. "What are you doing here?"
"Dunnow... Woke up lying in the damn mud... That little fellah kept poking me with his cane until I got up..." Cid wrapped his arms around himself, trembling slightly with a tiredness he couldn't really explain. "Told me to go to the tower."
Though unable to hold back a disdainful snort at the mere mentioning of the Chocobo Sage, Sephiroth had the sneaking feeling that he didn't have to worry about Cid or Rufus anymore. If the little cretin was on the move, then Sephiroth was probably too late to do anything anyway!
Cid sniffled and hunched his shoulders against the heavy rain. "He also said something about ShinRa being in the infirmary?"
Sephiroth merely shook his head with another snort. Figures!