Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Starcraft Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Tassadar's Legacy: The Crusades: Sylvanis ❯ Saving the World and Serving Time ( Chapter 4 )

The next day had me waking up to an almost strange sensation of being warm. I yawned, stretched and scratched my chest. Sunlight was streaming through the window. Honestly I'm kinda surprised that no one got me up, but then again, maybe they're just being nice. Uncharacteristically nice I muttered to myself. I leaned back into the pillow to think about things. Yesterday mainly. First thing that came to mind is what is with Cloud? Why did he suddenly start shaking me when he came up? He apologized for it... maybe it was just an accident. Then there was his totally weird reaction when I asked to see Vincent. I expected maybe... I dunno, an eyebrow raise? But for him to just totally go slack jaw like that... was kinda funny come to think of it. I wonder if he did go get Vincent? I hope so...

Then there's Tifa. All I've got are questions where she's concerned... why did she take me in? Why does she want me to stay so bad that she'd cry over it? She seriously cried. That's another uncharacteristic thing about these guys. Are everyone really so different than I thought they would be judging from the video games and Advent Children? Well... Cloud was shown as smiling. Maybe he's opened up a lot where Tifa is concerned. Why would he go all slack jawed in front of me then? But maybe I just don't know Cloud... after all, he did a lot of things in that game I wouldn't expect. Like wearing dresses and bathing naked with a whole bunch of other dudes... which wouldn't have been quite as odd if it had been in like a pool and not a tiny bathtub... maybe I really don't know Cloud. This Cloud certainly doesn't seem to be Mr. Stoic and all "I must repent at all times"... but seriously, why was Tifa crying over me?

That one seriously floored me. I wouldn't expect Tifa to cry like that. She hardly knows me! Although... Tifa and Cloud do take in orphans now... is that it? I'm an orphan here, so they automatically have a soft spot for me? In a way that kinda bothers me. I actually do have parents they're just not... here. So while I'm here, I guess I am an orphan in a way, but I'd rather have them like me for who I am, not just because I'm an orphan... but maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Perhaps there's more to it than that.

My thoughts were interrupted by knocking on the door. Forgetting myself, I said loudly, "Come in." Obviously they didn't understand what that meant, but the door opened, and Cloud walked in, followed by Tifa, and Vincent. I sat up as soon as I saw Vincent, wide eyed. His eyes really are red. That is so cool! ...and creepy. I stared at him as Cloud made to lean against the wall, Tifa sat on the side of the bed, and Vincent stood at the foot.

Vincent regarded me impassively, then said, "**** **** ******?" I looked over at Tifa hoping she knew enough to translate. Unfortunately she shook her head and just made an encouraging, 'go on' gesture. Shrugging I looked him in the eye, trying to go for being serious, and said the only thing I knew he'd understand. "Hojo." Everyone in the room tensed, and Vincent's eyes narrowed considerably. Tifa laid a hand on my arm and asked, "Hojo?" I nodded. Vincent addressed Tifa, "Tifa, Hojo **** ****** ****." I shook my head, still not understanding, but I was hoping what I guessed he said wasn't wrong. I turned to Tifa and said, "Hojo is alive."

Again, Tifa looked at me in that confused way that could only be translated as, 'what?' Sighing, I threw my hands in the air and did a little jig feeling very stupid, and said, "Alive." Then pretending I had a knife, I drew it along my throat and collapsed on the bed with my tongue hanging out. Then I turned my head to her and said, "Dead." Sitting up, I held up two hands, hoping she'd catch the reference, and holding up one hand I said, "Not dead." Then holding up the other hand I said, "Alive." Then I brought my two hands together and said, "Hojo is not dead. He is alive."

Suddenly the room exploded into arguing, started by Vincent of all people, and I guess Tifa was defending me, and Cloud... well who knows what any of them are saying anyway? Waving my hands wildly I shouted, "Hold on a sec! STOP!" Everyone shut up and looked at me. I'm surprised that worked. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Hojo is dead." Everyone looked confused, but before they said anything, I continued, "But he is also alive." They still looked confused still. I rubbed a hand over my face, wishing I had a way to get them to understand... maybe I could draw it for them? Looking at Tifa, I said, "Tifa, Paper?" Tifa nodded and got up and pulled a bunch of papers from a drawer in the desk next to the dresser, and handed them to me along with a pencil.

Grabbing the pencil, I started drawing on the first sheet. I drew out a stick figure of Cloud and Vincent, one with a sword, and the other with a gun, pointed at another stick figure with long black hair. I even gave Cloud spiky hair and Vincent I gave long black hair, and I drew their names over them. Putting the sheet aside, I drew the scene again except this time with Hojo laying down with his eyes X-ed. I handed both to Tifa and she in turn showed it to the others. They all nodded slowly not quite getting it. I admit the drawing was terrible but sheesh. Taking the pictures back from Tifa, I drew a clock on the sheet with the dial pointing at 10 oclock. I pointed this out to Tifa who definitely didn't understand.

Putting the paper down, I then drew a stick figure hojo in front of a computer with a clock behind him showing 8 oclock. I showed that to Tifa. She nodded and then showed it to the others, Vincent still staring at me in a "get to the point" kind of way, and Cloud just... staring. That seems more characteristic in my mind of Cloud, for some reason. I then drew another picture of the same scene of Hojo opening his head, then another picture of him holding his brain, then another picture of him shoving it into the monitor of the computer. Using it as a sort of flip book, I held the pictures up for Tifa and used it as a slideshow. It took a bit, but by the end of the second round of going through the slides, she suddenly paled and grabbed them and started flipping through them herself.

---

"Tifa?" Cloud was staring at her with some concern. Vincent stuck his two cents in, "If you understand what he's trying to tell us, then share." Tifa looked up at both of them and showed the first picture. "This picture shows you killing Hojo at 10. I know that's not when you killed them, but that's not the point. The point is these next pictures have a clock showing 8. That means before you killed him, he did something on the computer, and from these pictures, it shows him shoving his brain into a computer." Vincent's narrowed eyes, suddenly got even narrower. "You're saying Hojo uploaded his mind onto a computer. What does that have to do with me?" Tifa shrugged, but Cloud suddenly looked angry. "The World Wide Network! Of course!" All of them understood what he was implying by that. All of them had heard that WRO had been working on starting up the World Wide Network that had been shut down due to the fall of Shinra. It was great publicity for them to be able to return one of the better conveniences that the people once had under Shinra's rule, and without the use of mako. But if bringing it back up might somehow allow Hojo to come back...

"We have to stop them!" Tifa said. All three of them went to leave the room, but Tifa turned back and bowed low to Matthew and said, "Thank you."

---

I nodded back to Tifa and said, "Your welcome." With that Tifa ran out and I flopped back onto the bed suddenly feeling exhausted. I hope that that helps. Maybe all those people won't die now. After a few minutes, I got up and dressed in some jeans and a shirt I found in the drawers, and strapped my dagger on to my left thigh, glad that it was just sitting there on top of the desk, along with my backpack. Though the blanket that was in the backpack was gone. I shrugged and put it on. At least nothing else is missing. Musing on that, I wondered what I should do today. I wanted to go out, but then again, what would happen if those thugs were waiting for me? Although, they did get the drop on me last time. I'm pretty sure I can take them if I can handle fighting a giant mutated rat.

Going down the stairs, Marlene was busy taking orders, so I simply walked outside and took a breath of fresh air. Funny, after doing nothing but being outside for the past few days, I didn't realize how stuffy I felt being inside for so long. Shrugging it off, I made my way back over to the map of Edge. I would've liked to go with Tifa and the others, but I couldn't even begin to guess where the WRO building was and what I'd do when I got there. I guess it's time I explored more of Edge rather than just its town square and the shops around Tifa's place. Strolling down the road, I kept a sharp eye out just in case anyone decided to follow me. No one did thankfully.

What a drab place. I thought. Everything in this place is so... industrial and dead. No colors... one could wonder how anyone had hope here. Not even the cars had much personality to them. Shaking my head, I continued down the road, wandering wherever, but still keeping an eye out and making sure to remember the turns so I could go back. Surprisingly and at the same time sadly, it didn't take me as long to explore as I would have liked. Edge really is a small town. No wonder most people walked rather than used cars. It made me wonder just what people did for a living in a place like this. Where's the life? Shaking my head, I stopped before a building that seemed slightly larger than the rest, with large glass double doors. Either this is the WRO headquarters, or I miss my guess.

Making my way up to the doors, I was surprised to find no guards. Open door policy eh? Stepping inside, I was surprised by how large the lobby is. It didn't strike me as being so large from the outside, but then again, I'd only seen the front of the place. Looking around, I at least could concede that this place had some life, with paintings hung on the wall and the marble floor. Guards and other employees were walking around looking busy, and a person at a desk at the back was eyeing me curiously. Avoiding his gaze, I turned to one of the paintings and finding a face I recognized, I walked up to study it. What's the name of this guy? Reeve... ya that was it. Reeve Tuesti. Leader of the WRO. Definitely in the right place. But where are Tifa and the others? And what can I do here anyway? For all I know, maybe they're done already...

I didn't notice as the guy who'd been eyeing me got up and started walking towards me. I did notice when I got tapped on the shoulder and a stern faced spectacled nose asked, "**** ****** ****?" Uh oh. He doesn't sound happy. Taking a step back and swallowing on reflex, I suddenly noted just how many guards are in the place, and some of them were starting to take notice of the man and me, especially since I'm armed. Stupid stupid move Matthew. Walk into a place that's the equivalent of the police station/government office with a rather large knife strapped to your leg. Smooth. The guy in front of me was still asking me questions, and he really started to sound peeved. Some of the guards were putting their hands on their weapons.

Putting my hands up in the air and trying to give a disarming smile I started backing up slowly to the exit. I don't know exactly why since I hadn't done anything, but suddenly the guards were surrounding me with their weapons drawn and pointed at me. I stopped moving and put my hands fully in the air and gulped. A couple of them were shouting at me, but I had no idea what they were saying so I tried not to move. I was aware of movement behind me, but I kept still, hoping they wouldn't hurt me. Suddenly my wrists were grabbed roughly and yanked behind me. I yelped at the rough handling and someone divested me of my dagger while irons were put on my wrists. I honestly had no idea what was going on. Was it some rule that you couldn't come into this building armed? Great... that'd be just my luck.

Being practically dragged by the two guards who'd handcuffed me, I was marched through a door and down a hall, down some stairs, and going through a couple more twists and turns, and down more stairs, then down a hall and through a door with a security checkpoint and bars. Gulping, I waited for them to finish taking my finger prints, then I got marched through the door, down the hall, and into a cell. One guard took off my irons, and left me in there, closing the metal door shut, leaving me in a room with only a fluorescent light, a stiff cot, a toilet, and an air vent. This sucks. I'm so screwed.

---Meanwhile---

"Reeve I know this is bad timing but you've got to trust us. You must postpone the reactivation of the network." Cloud urged. All of them had been arguing with his staff and now finally him, for a good 3 hours now, and Reeve was still waiting for them to give him viable evidence. "Cloud I said it before and I'll say it again, we cannot go off the whims of some kid you found that tells you that Hojo might be alive, but not in a physical sense, but by downloading his brain into a computer. Such a possibility is ridiculous." Vincent, who'd been mostly silent, letting Tifa and Cloud do most of the talking suddenly stepped forward, and grabbed him by the front of his jacket with the metal claw and lifted him up in the air. Good thing they were in his office, or they'd have guns leveled at them from all sides now.

Vincent didn't beat around the bush. "Reeve. Hojo is alive. I know what that man is like. It'd be just like him to do this, and if we let him have this chance to resurrect himself, Jenova and Sephiroth will likely be child's play for what he comes up with next. Regardless of our source, we were foolish to not put this past him. Until we know for a fact that Hojo is gone for good, I will not allow that Network to come online, even if I have to dismantle it myself piece by piece." Reeve chanced a glance at the other two, both of them had their arms crossed and looked final, but he already knew they'd be behind him on this. He shook his head, knowing if they did what they threatened, Avalanche would be reborn and not in a good way. Everything the WRO was trying to achieve would be ruined.

Reeve consented, "Fine, I'll postpone the reactivation of the World Wide Network until you find whatever hard drive or server that Hojo is hiding in. I wouldn't put it past him either myself, and to help this investigation along, you'll have the full backing of the WRO." Cloud nodded to him, and turned to leave when Reeve's cell phone went off. He flipped it open, and listened to what was said, then called out, "Cloud, hold a moment." The three former AVALANCHE members stopped and waited while Reeve continued listening on his phone. Then he snapped it shut and said, "You three may want to stick around for this. Evidently a kid walked in here and tried to make a break for it when an employee confronted him about being armed inside a government building. Evidently he was armed with a black knife that can turn invisible but has no readily visible technology. Interested?"

The reaction Reeve got was interesting. Vincent's eyes narrowed, Cloud frowned dangerously, and Tifa gasped in shock. "...I take it that's your source?" Cloud nodded and said, "Lead the way."

---

I sat huddled on the cot, wondering if it was too late to start thinking that I shouldn't have gotten up this morning. It'd only been half an hour, but for some reason I felt like I'd been in this room for days. Might as well have been considering there's no way to tell the time down here. Besides the impending threat of going stir crazy and being bored to death, I couldn't help but be worried about what Tifa would do when she found out I'm gone. I winced with a pang when I realized she'd probably think I broke our promise and ran away. That made me feel terrible. Considering she and her bar are one of the only familiar things on this entire planet for me... to lose that... would she forgive me? The thought was so depressing I started crying. I felt like such a big baby, but at the same time, I really didn't want to lose my only connection to home and the only person I knew at Home.

I looked up as I heard people coming down the hall. I quickly wiped my eyes and face and tried to summon up my previously bored expression. Don't ever show weakness to an enemy. Never mind these people really aren't enemies, but they certainly haven't endeared themselves as friends either. The footsteps stopped outside my door and it pushed open to reveal... Tifa. In shock, it took my mind a moment to catch up to my body, which had leapt off the cot and nearly barreled her over as I grabbed her and started sobbing anew. Safe. The word repeated in my mind over and over again drowning out the howling in the back of my mind that I was being stupid, and I shouldn't show so much emotion to someone I don't know that well. My last answer to that one was, screw that. Before I buried my face into the crook of her neck.

I don't know if Tifa was crying or not, but she was certainly hugging me hard enough to crack my ribs and I could feel another set of arms around me and her. Cloud?... seemed likely given who was there, but at the same time it didn't. I had to glance up to make sure that indeed blonde spiky hair was in my face too. Why do they like me so much? I felt very confused all of a sudden, but I didn't want to hurt their feelings by disengaging, and honestly.... a large chunk of me just wanted to enjoy the love they were both showering over me, even if I couldn't fathom their reasons. Sad that I consider a hug being showered in love right?

Vaguely I registered Vincent and another man talking nearby, but I didn't bother looking up. Then both Cloud and Tifa were loosening their hold. In an uncharacteristic display of weakness and immaturity, I whimpered and tightened my hold on her, ashamed at myself, but still reveling in the feel of closeness as she tightened her arms briefly, then keeping one arm around me led me out of that stinking cell. I did my darndest not to look anyone in they eye, especially not Cloud or Tifa or Vincent as we walked out. I let them do the talking. Ha! Like I had a choice on that one anyway. Tifa walked me around the building to a parking lot behind it and to a blue rickety pickup truck. I caught Cloud giving it an odd look before climbing on his motorcycle and taking off. Vincent hopped in the back, while Tifa helped me into the passenger's side and got in the driver's seat.

As we drove down the road, Vincent reached through the back window and handed me back my dagger. Taking it gratefully, I said, "Arigato Vincent." He nodded briefly, then turned back around. I strapped it back to my thigh and leaned back in the seat. Before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of home. Home? Where'd that come from? I have a home back on Earth. I can't think of this place as home! Shaking the thought from my head, I climbed out of the truck and headed back inside, to come face to face with Barrett.

"** Tifa, ****** ******* ******** ****!?" The last part was addressed to Cloud and Tifa just chuckled and lead us past the two argueing adults leaving me very confused and wishing I understood what was going on. Tifa lead me upstairs, and then she sat on the bed and patted the seat next to her so I'd do the same. Sighing, I took the seat, and after sitting there for a few moments, her doing who knows what, and me fighting against myself to give in and lean against her. It was a rather ugly battle. At last a concession was made and I quickly took up on it before my mind decided to fight me on that. "Tifa, why do you like me so much?" I was looking down, but I knew Tifa had turned to me and I could just imagine that look of patient confusion as she waited for me to explain what I said. Sighing, I almost gratefully took the explanation as a distraction from my inner war and tried to think how I could explain.

In the midst of my trying to figure out, Tifa, put the pad of paper and a pencil in my lap. Gratefully, I took the two and drew a stick figure of myself and a stick figure of her and drew a heart in between the two stick figures and a giant question mark over it. I showed it to her. Sad to say, she looked at confused at not only the question mark, but also the heart. I scratched my head. Taking the page and tossing it on the bed beside me, I drew a big symbol of a heart, then I drew two stick figures hugging, and two more stick figures kissing, and was in the midst of drawing a guy waving goodbye to his kids while walking out the door to go to work, when she put a hand on mine and nodded to show she understood. So I flipped the page over and drew a question mark. I scratched my head trying to think of an example then looked at her and just shrugged and said, "Tifa?" trying to put a giant emphasis on the lilt of my voice that indicated a question.

You gotta give the woman props for being intelligent cause she almost nearly got it and reached over for my first page and studied it. "Why?" I asked. She looked at me, then hesitantly took the pencil from my hand and started drawing. I give her more props for drawing way better than I do. The little person she drew even looked like me and her. She drew me lying down in a bed with her sitting on the edge brushing my hair. While she drew, she drew lines under my eyes. I'd cried in my sleep. Then she tapped on the window she drew then pointed at the clock on the wall. She got up and walked over to it, then looking at me, she slowly spun her hand around the clock 10 times. 10... I was asleep for 5 days!? "Five!?" Holding up 5 fingers for emphasis. She nodded.

I was stunned. She came back over and sat back down, then drew 5 pictures of the same thing, but each a little different. Two showed my crying. Two showed her trying to keep me down as I tried to get away. The other... the other showed me being hugged close by Tifa as I was crying and there was a line drawn from my mouth that said the word, "mom" over and over... except my eyes were open in the picture and it showed me looking at Tifa. I gulped and tried not to cry but for a very different reason.

Tifa laid a hand on my shoulder and I looked at her. She looked in my eyes then looked down again. I followed her gaze to see her flip the page over and write in fairly big letters, "MOM?" question mark including. I almost laughed knowing for sure she understood about the question mark, if it weren't for the question. My hands shaking, I took the page, then drew a line under it, then with shaking hands I wrote the word, okaasan.

Barely holding the tears back now, I knew it was a make or break situation. Either Tifa would shove me away not wanting something like that, or she'd crush me in a hug. I looked up at her slightly to see her mouth had fallen open and she was staring at the page, at the word okaasan. Then she looked at me. I looked back down sure she was going to push me away, and I prepared for being crushed like I always was. So I was unprepared for the tender way she pulled me to her and wrapped her arms around me and cradled my head against her chest. She stroked my back and the gentleness undid me. I started sobbing into her shirt and this time I didn't care anymore.

She never answered my question, but I didn't care about that either. For once I didn't really care much about anything, anything except for here and now, and the suddenly warm feeling in my chest that was trying to explode, but in a good way, and the arms around me, still being so gentle, yet firm enough to not feel like it was barely touching, and the collarbone pressing into my nose, and the wet feeling on my cheeks. It entered my head about then. I could stay here... that thought alone sent me sobbing anew, but with a joy I hadn't felt before.