Are We... Just a Memory? (Sephiroth x Cloud [Eilonwe and Ryu])

[Ryu]

"I will never be a memory."

Cloud woke suddenly, gasping out as his blue eyes looked about the abandoned and completely trashed church. He had thought it was ruins when he'd found it while Aerith had been living here. But after a fight between Tifa and Loz, a clone of Sephiroths', and a battle between himself and Kadaj, the main clone, it had become nothing but a huge pit with fallen pillars and broken pews. That went without mentioning the large pool of clear water or "life stream" that had healed all the children and even himself of the sickness known as the geostigma that had plagued so many and been most of their deaths.

The flowers had returned, however. Cloud had torn away more of the planks that had once resembled a floor, only to find their little bulbs starting to come up out of the rich soil. He looked around again, sighing softly as he laid back, thinking about the dream again. Or really, it was a memory, wasn't it? He could still remember how the other man's silver hair had been blowing in the wind. How distant he had seemed, looking down at cloud with that odd black wing, those blue green eyes staring right through Cloud.

There had been nothing left of the Sephiroth that Cloud had admired as a child. Nothing left of him since the day he'd intercepted the once hailed hero from the Shinra-Wutai war in the fires of the burning Nibelheim. His admiration for the other had died when he had thought he had disposed of the sickness that had consumed his idol in the Mako reactor just outside of the village.

Slowly, the man sat up again and actually stood, sighing. He thought he'd never have to return to this place full of memories... Not only for himself, but for his past friend, Zack. But Tifa had started being a little too pushy for the blonde. She'd started really trying to bring them in as a family. He was happy to be closer to Denzel and Marlene, but Tifa... he just didn't like how assertive she was.

He remembered once... that he had this fascination with Sephiroth. He wanted to grow his hair out to be like the other's once. He wanted to have a long sword and to jump around and be the hero. Now that he thought about it... He had quite adored the man as a child. He wanted something like that... where it was almost innocent. To love someone that you wanted to be near them... that you almost wanted to become them, just to know... how they had done it all.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth shuddered as the memories wracked him. Damn the Fates, Damn the Gods, Damn the self-righteous Cetra... Even in death, he found no peace. The world he had once fought to protect had betrayed him, and in trying to cleanse it of all he'd thought corrupt -- he'd almost destroyed it. There was no one now living who even seemed to remember who he once was, or what he had stood for. Everyone only wanted to see him as the monster, the evil villian, no matter how much he'd been hurting to see his precious world falling into chaos. He'd only been trying to help, but he could see it now. No one had the vision to see what he saw... the rot and the festering decay in the hearts of those who held power now. He was lost, ripped away from everything real and now cast rudderless to the winds of fate. Damn the fates anyway...

But then... that ... that bitch and Zack... they had both come, looking so damn calm and... and... what right did they have to look at him with such sorrow?

"It's never to late to make the wrong things right. Even now, you can make a difference. If you want. Do you want to make a difference, Sephiroth? Do want to change anything that's happened recently?" Zack asked lightly, his face as smug and as full of mischief mirth as ever, his arm slung lazily over Aireth's shoulders.

Sephiroth thought about it a moment... there was a time, a time when he was a hero and younglings like Zack and then Cloud looked up to him. A time when he was wise and noble and a BAMF nobody fucked with, and everybody wanted to be. But everyone was gone now. Genesis and his mentor, even Zack and the Gods only knew how many other SOLDIER's. The only one left who remembered anything about the man he used to be was ... Cloud. And how fucking fitting was it that Cloud was the means to his end? He had tried to kill him after all...

Sephiroth sighed heavily. "Nothing can change what I've done. And I'm not certain I would if I could... no one understands what I was trying to do or why... I guess... I just... I hate being villian. I want to be the hero I once was. But no one remembers me that way... no one... except maybe Cloud Strife. And... given that he just killed me, I doubt he'd want to relive those times. There's no way he could forgive what I've done... no way... I could earn his respect again."

A sound like thousands of tiny bells rang out, the sound of laughter and it made him shiver. "Don't be silly... if you want to be forgiven... forgiveness is possible. You just have to be willing to work for it. Are you willing to pay the price to start over with Cloud Strife?" Aireth asked, her smile annoyingly wise.

Sephiroth thought about it, but there really wasn't any choice to be made at all. He could handle being dead, he even thought he could handle being loathed, but what he couldn't handle was being forgotten as a hero, as a man of strength and honor. If Cloud Strife couldn't live with that memory... if it couldn't be revived in him... than there was nothing left worth living or dying for. Everything he had done or ever was would have been for nothing.

"Yes... whatever the price... just ... don't let the man I was be forgotten." He hung his head, uncertain what the fates or Aireth had planned. The world went white and his vision blurred and he felt a sense of falling.

Spoiler:

[Ryu]

When the man had walked out to his motorcycle, he slipped his leg over the leather of the seat and started the motor, revving it gently to get it going before he took off from the little broken down church and made his way out from the ruins of the plates and old slums. Instead, he made his way out towards the forgotten city.

He'd slept well into the late morning of the day, so the trip took up most of the night from where he'd been located. Plus, he honestly had to stop by Denzel's school for a little bit. He hadn't been gone too long, at least not long enough for anyone to worry. Cloud was a free spirit at heart, so it wasn't unnatural for him to go places for a few days at a time. But he didn't want to worry the boy. He'd worked hard to show Denzel that he wasn't going to be gone for so long anymore. Not now that he'd found a cure for the boy and had finally ridden him of them both of the geostigma.

So when the teacher had let them out for recess onto the concrete play space to the side of the school, Denzel had been greatly delighted when he saw the man leaning up against the fence, smiling. The boy rushed to him and begged Cloud to tell him where he'd been. "Just been running around for a few days..." He replied, running his fingers through the boy's hair as Denzel pushed the man's hand away. "Can you take me for a ride?" He asked, bouncing up and down, but the man shook his head. "Not today... but when I come back, I'll take you for a spin, Ok?" He asked softly, as the boy pouted, but slowly nodded.

It was dark when Cloud finally got to the quiet city. The trees petrified and glowing, as he found his way into the shell.

He didn't really know why he'd felt the need to be here. Something had called him here. He remembered having laid Aerith here. He remembered the feeling of having failed her... of having failed Zack.

Slowly, the man stood from the bank and stripped himself of his armor and clothing, walking into the water until he was completely submerged and sunk into the cool liquid until his feet touched at the bottom. He opened his eyes and slowly pushed himself up, suspending himself in the vast emptiness of the water and let all his anguish go. Let all of his pride and anger... hate, and fear seep out of him and into the water surrounding him.

When he felt the weight of it leave him, he pushed himself up to the water, tossing his head back and walked out, taking a slow walk over to where he could see the sky.

That was when he saw it. There was a flicker of something shining brighter than all the stars. It was so small at first, but it was steadily growing brighter and larger.

Suddenly, without warning, the little ball of light flashed the night sky with cosmic energy, lighting it all with a bright white light that blinded Cloud for a few seconds, as he covered his face and looked back. It was someone falling, he realized, his eyes growing concerned as he looked around to see if maybe it was a sky diving crew. But there was no one in sight. Quickly, he ran back to his clothing, threw on the necessities and revved his engine, wheeling out of the city and towards the falling person. He knew that the other would hit ground before he got there, but at least he could either make sure that the man used something to help himself from dying, or he could at least identify who it was... hopefully.

[Eilonwe]

He felt himself falling, and even without even looking back, he could feel the ground rising up. It was going to hurt. He would probably break bones. But he would survive, it wouldn't make sense to send him back only to be killed on impact. And trying to stop his descent would be counter-productive the atonement he hoped to achieve. He'd more than earned this coming pain.

His body slammed into the ground hard enough to leave a small crater, his body bouncing up in recoil to splay him face down in the hard-packed dirt. He couldn't help bur groan. His large black wing had been obliterated on impact, the shards of splintered bone embedded in his back and legs even as a cloud of feathers started their lazy descent back to earth.

As much as he wished the impact had knocked him senseless, he was all too lucid of his current state. Naked, broken, bleeding... he was brought as low as he could possibly be. He almost considered just laying there, giving himself time to catch his breath, but he could hear an all too familiar rumble of a bike approaching. His pride wouldn't let him be seen flat on the ground. He tried to push himself up, but his left forearm was broken, so it was a struggle to make himself get to his feet with one hand. His right ankle was also swollen and possible broken as well, but at least he was standing, if a bit unsteadily when it became obvious that it was Cloud who was approaching.

He tried to remain standing, he really did, but just as Cloud stopped his bike, his ankle betrayed him, dropping him to his knees, his long silver hair obscuring his face even as it revealed the damage to his back.

[Ryu]

Cloud was actually quite amazed at how slowly the other was falling towards the ground, but he was, indeed, falling. When he got closer, he realized that the man had a large black wing flailing out behind him, and Cloud couldn't help but slow down and wonder. Could this really be Sephiroth? Had all the mental preparing and fighting and physical fighting not been enough?? Could the other really be coming back to hurt them all again?! To hurt others??

He saw the man's back hit the ground, a cloud of dust coming up around him and engulfing him like some monstrous beast. Cloud sped up again, then, making his way closer only to slow once more and come to a stop, his engine purring gently, as he opened his sword compartment and pulled out Vigilante and hooked it to his back, closing the compartments and began to walk over.

When the dust began to clear, he saw Sephiroth's shadow standing and before he could think, Cloud had sword in hand, his whole body ready for another fight to the death. But as the dust blew away, so did Sephiroths' menacing spirit, the man kneeling in front of Cloud, broken and bleeding. Literally.

Despite everything in the name of fear, Cloud found himself running towards the cast out hero and sliding over to him, to gently look him over and found that not only was the wing completely ripped away, but he had a broken left arm, a broken right ankle, and a most certainly broken rib under his left lung.

The man carefully helped lift the man to his feet, Sephiroth being much taller than himself, he really was nothing but a wobbly crutch at best, but he slowly helped the man over to his motorcycle and onto it.

*

Cloud starred at the man, rather worriedly, really. It'd been a rather rough struggle to snap the bones back into place and wrap them in splints properly, but luckily, Cloud was rather knowledgeable in first aid in battle. At least for the beginnings of it, anyway. He would need to get the man to a doctor, but what doctor in their right mind was going to help SEPHIROTH!? Most people would rather just let him die... but... there was something telling Cloud.. no... nagging in the back of his mind that something was different about the man.

Well... besides the fact that he had no clothing and no 7 ft weapon... it was a major plus to know that he wasn't as dangerous... but... Cloud couldn't help but wonder... worryingly. "You awake?" He asked, the words sounding a little more coldly than he'd really meant them to, but he didn't apologize or try to say it differently.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth watched Cloud approach through the fall of his hair, the silver tint casting a ethereal glow around Cloud as he approached. When he saw Cloud unsheath his sword, he thought ' this is it, Cloud will end me for the second time and send me back to serve my time in hell. It serves me right, I don't deserve absolution for destroying Cloud's innocence and his belief in the man I used to be and want to be again. '.

But the death blow didn't come, moment's after he collapsed, Cloud's sword was sheathed and he was running toward him. To his utter shock, Cloud's body became a supportive crutch as he helped Sephiroth limp toward his bike. Cloud propped him up against it and after rummaging in his saddle bags he quickly - as really as painlessly as could be in done in the field with no medications - splinted his fractured arm and ankle. As much as Sephiroth didn't want to appear weak in front of his former protege, the pain still made him cry out softly, his mind so fuzzy with pain he felt likely to pass out.

Cloud's clipped question, cut through the haze though. It made him smile, because the tone was half clinical detachment and half honest concern and all Cloud. "No. I'm dreaming, I think. The man who killed me, who had more of a right to kill me than any other, is patching me up rather than leaving me to die again. His name is Cloud Strife, and a more honorable Soldier I've rarely met. I miss him."

Sephiroth sighed heavily, the truth of his words weighing heavily upon his heart. He really did miss the man Cloud was before the betrayals and war. He even missed the jaded but yet somehow still hopeful Cloud who'd killed him. He wondered what kind of man Cloud was now? The fact that he still had even one ounce of compassion left, gave him hope that the Cloud he'd come to respect admire still existed. Cloud had been the most worthy adversary he'd ever met.

[Ryu]

A frown crossed the man's face at the other's words. "Miss?" He asked, a little confused; shifting and looked away and into the darkness of the forest around them. His eyes scanned everything, but they really weren't looking at the dirt or grass, or the little fireflies that lit the air around them. Instead, he was going through memories of his friends. Of the boy that had once looked up to Sephiroth as a hero... of the broken man that had silently feared the monster after he'd gone insane.

"It wouldn't be right... to kill you at such a disadvantage." He said then, talking over his shoulder at the man. "It would be dishonorable on my part to kick you while you were down, so-to-speak." He explained, but those weren't really his true feelings on the matter. Despite everything, Sephiroth was a strong individual. It had taken all of Cloud's strength and mind to defeat him the times that he had.

In a way, Sephiroth was his greatest opponent... and there was a small part of him that loved Sephiroth, because he understood him. At each moment just before Cloud had killed Sephiroth in the creator and again in the ruins of the old Midgar, he had connected with Sephiroth, he had understood his pain and fear, his suffering and sorrow. In that final split second of a moment, Cloud had forgiven him and loved him more than anyone.

It was because of this understanding... it was because of this deformed notion of love... that Cloud couldn't bring himself to hurt Sephiroth again. It truly scared the other because if Sephiroth was hiding back some form of hidden strength... if he turned around and tried to kill Cloud... the man wouldn't be able to stop him. He didn't have the fight inside of him any more. Or at least if he did, it was just as hidden away from himself as the meaning of why Sephiroth had just fallen from the sky.

"Don't get me wrong though... I haven't decided what I'm going to do with you... the others won't be so kind if they find out you're alive... You have a lot of sins that weigh on the people of the new Midgar. If anyone were to find you... that wasn't me..." He trailed off. He didn't want to think that such hatred still thrived in the kind people of Midgar, but he'd felt it too. He couldn't lie to himself and say that he hadn't. There was a dark spot in his memory that only belonged to Sephiroth, just as the simplest and most innocent memories did. That hate, he feared, would never go away in himself, and much less in others that were affected by his actions and were unable to do anything to come to terms with it.

Although Sephiroth had originally been defeated, it hadn't been enough of a closure for some of the families of the men and women that he'd killed collecting fragments of Jenova. It wasn't enough for some of the parents of the children that Kadaj and his gang had stolen away and made into their temporary puppets. Midgar was cured of the geostigma physically, but it'd spread through their hearts in a dark cloud known only as Sephiroth.

Could he really be forgiven? Cloud asked himself, turning to look at the silver haired man, but the darkness inside of him faded a little and a soft and warm red feeling overtook it. Yes... I think so...

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth managed a weak smile.  The Cloud Strife that had once looked up to him, who had been such an honest and honorable SOLDIER, still existed beneath his jaded exterior.  "Yeah, I missed you.  The young, idealistic, hopeful, honorable, strong warrior you were before I destroyed your innocence and most of your hope and belief in people.  That Cloud Strife, I miss him.  I'd do... I'd do whatever you demanded of me to see him again.  Cloud, I... there is so much I regret, and yet I cannot think of anything I could have done differently.  You are the only person, who ever even tried to understand what I was going through, and what I was thinking, and what I was trying to do.  Even if I couldn't accomplish what I was striving for without causing so much destruction, I still wanted someone to understand.  I wasn't just some crazy psychopath.  I wanted to make right the wrongs and pain that so many had suffered under Shinra, and the only way I could think to do that was to destroy everything that Shinra had touched and start over.  I thought, in that way we could purify the lifestream.  I still don't think I was entirely wrong, because somehow together, in my destruction you helped me accomplish exactly what I'd set out to do.  We got rid of Shinra and purified the lifestream. And as for Jenova... I'm still not convinced that it was evil.  I think it was meant to be a force to help speed up evolution, but our world is not like any other it had ever encountered.  Our world is a living being, the lifestream it's very soul.  I think that Jenova was meant to create living worlds like ours.  I think it was meant to take 'dead' worlds and make them living and sentient beings like ours already is.  I think that's why they didn't mesh so well, and why the geostigma occurred. Jenova was attempting to 'awaken' and already awakened world.  Or maybe Jenova had already been here in the past, had already transformed and awakened our world and it was like when you've grown up and leave home and then years later your parents show up and start trying to treat you like you're 4 years old again.  Of course you're going to rebel and kick them out."  

Sephiroth sighed heavily.  "Cloud Strife... Thank you for your kindness, but could I perhaps beg a furthur indulgence from you?  I know I have absolutely no right to ask of you any damn thing... but could I stay with you a while?  I really don't plan on going on any walkabouts. I have no other agenda other than ... I wanted to see you again. I just, I don't want you to continue to hate me. I want more than anything to receive your forgiveness, but I also want to be the honorable man you once looked up to.  I want to honorable in your eyes again, I don't want to be the monster.  I will serve my time in hell when this third life in done, because I know I've more than earned it.  But I don't want to go until I know I'm more than just a monster in your eyes.  You're the only person left whose opinion matters, Cloud.  Please let me show you how sincere I am.  Please let me show you that the man I once was, the man you once looked up to is still there inside me. I'm begging you, Cloud.  I'd get on my knees if I thought I could get up without your help.  Hell, I'll still get on my knees if that's what you want.  My life is yours to take and to do with as you will.  I asked to return to you, I asked for this one chance to make things right with you.  Will you give me that chance?  Please, Cloud?"  

Sephiroth's voice was soft, throughout his entire dialogue though he would only occasionally look him in the eye. Sephiroth was as weak as he had ever been physically, and emotionally he had never been so vulnerable not even when the enormity of what Shinra had done to him sank in.  This, this was the most vulnerable he had ever been and if Cloud chose that moment to end his life, he knew he would do nothing whatsoever to defend himself.  No matter what happened, he wanted the end of this life, like the last, to be at Cloud's hands. Because only Cloud would have the compassion to end his torment and mete out justice for all those he'd wronged in the last life and this one.

[Ryu]

The beginning of Sephiroths' speech was more or less rather pathetic, it seemed. Him? Why on earth would Sephiroth care what he thought of him? He asked himself, looking into the man's eyes as soon as he would look up.

Then he started going on and on about Jenova and what Sephiroth thought she was actually doing here, and Cloud wanted to just cut him down right there. He didn't want to hear about Jenova any more, he didn't want to remember all of that pain of pushing his makeshift family away, of trying to find a cure for Denzel. He didn't want to remember the pain of being the only one strong enough to kill Sephiroth after he'd absolutely lost his mind... to think of the alternate Sephiroth that Jenova had created...

All of it... every bit of it had been just pure torture, and he was happy that the other finally changed the subject... Until he heard the request. "I don't know..." He said softly, looking away. It wasn't like he couldn't, but the task would definitely be difficult. It's not like the other's wouldn't recognize their sworn enemy hanging onto Cloud's side like a wounded animal. And on top of that, it wasn't like they wouldn't try to kill him while he was weak.

Cloud didn't want that. Despite his anger, he didn't want Sephiroth to die. Despite everything, he did sound sincere.... and it both terrified Cloud and gave him hope. What if it was all a trap? What if it was just a way to gain back his strength and come after Cloud and his friends again and try to get back into the lifestream and kill this planet. What had he said before? Use it as a transporter and find a new planet? So that they could rule the cosmos... him and mother? Thinking of Sephiroth as that man was quite terrifying, Cloud couldn't lie to himself.

It wasn't after a while had passed, when Cloud realized Sephiroth had stopped talking and was probably waiting for an answer of some sort. Cloud grunted, wringing his hands together a little, looking around as if the answer would be written in the dirt. It wasn't.

"I... Don't know..." He said again, reaching up and scratching at his head nervously. "I guess... you can stay... in the church." In the same place that Aerith had been!? Are you stupid!? He thought to himself, but there was just no way that he was going to get away with carting Sephiroth through the streets of the new Midgar.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth winced at the mention of the church. But it was the most logical place to stash him. Still, lingering bitterness resided in him for Aeryth, She was the instigator of so much. Worse still, it held powerful memories for Cloud Strife, and memories that would likely inhibit his ability to make Cloud see him in a light not tinged with cold vengeance.

"The ... church it is, then. Thank you, Cloud." Sephiroth winced and tried to stand a little straighter but his wounds screamed at him to remain slumped against Cloud like a full body crutch. Sephiroth shook his head at the thoughts tumbling around in his brain. "After I ... afterwards ... everyone is okay? Your friends, they are still getting themselves into trouble?" He asked, just trying to break the awkward silence.

[Ryu]

Cloud had moved and had gently picked up the other to help him back onto the bike. They would need to get there, and quickly. Perhaps the water would be able to help Sephiroth, and then Cloud got a little worried. That was, after all, life stream water. A gift from Aerith herself. He couldn't change his mind now, though. He needed to keep Sephiroth somewhere and that would be the best place right now.

He helped the man up and slipped onto the bike as well, starting it up, careful with the other's foot, making sure that his arm was around his waist.

Something stirred in him at that moment though... a feeling... no... no it felt like a memory. Something not so long ago... the feeling of Sephiroth's arm around his waist like this before. It made his stomach flop in a rather odd way. Not like he was going to be sick, but like there was just too much joy in his belly to contain it all calmly. And then it was gone... like a simple flash and Cloud was back to just being Cloud.

He knew that nothing had happened... Or... Had it?

Revving the engine, Cloud took off slow, working his way up to speed and made it back to the church where he carefully weaved through the debris of the fallen plate and stopped at the broken steps of the building. "Here we are... home sweet home..." He said softly.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth stared at the broken church for a moment, sort of taking it all in. Nature had already started reclaiming it, for vines crawled up it's crumbling walls and streams of sunlight shone through it's shattered roof like a spotlight seeking to slay all darkness in it's wake. And up near where the altar once stood, a small clear pond dotted with the white lillies Aeryth used to sell. Even from this distance - for Cloud had pulled the bike only just past the entrance - the water shone with energy. A clear clean distillation of the very life force of their world. It should have been inviting, or it should have stirred some kind of greed for it's power - but it didn't. Instead Sephiroth found himself shivering, nearly cringing away from the very thought of that pure water touching him. He was Demon was he not? And Aeryth's holy spring would surely burn him in condemnation. Not that he was afraid of pain, rather he didn't want such an absolute confirmation that he was beyond redemption, no matter that fatal dream that sent him here to Cloud's side.

He slid off the bike with a groan, attempting to hold his balance on the bike, rather than on Cloud's warm, strong shoulders. "I... I could probably just... just make a palate by that column, in the shadows... that way if anyone comes to visit the spring, they'll be less likely to see me." He said, as an excuse really to get as far from that pool of water as possible and still be inside the refuge of the church.

[Ryu]

Cloud watched the other's reactions, but said nothing. He let Sephiroth move and helped him off the bike slowly. When he heard the other's deep voice talking about shadows and keeping from being seen, Cloud looked over to said corner and frowned. It would be a hell of a lot of work to fix that spot up to be livable. Several large pieces of stone from the pillar that had fallen occupied the area... there were splintered pieces of wood as well, and the floor was half gone.

"No... Not there..." He said, nodding his head. "You'll stay over by where I stay... it's clean already and there's plenty of room." He said, helping the man over to said spot, laying him down slowly. In the light of the area, he could see Sephiroth's damaged body better. He took it all in first, then made a decision that he could clean the wounds again with water, and make a better splint for the man's leg.

He left the area and grabbed a small cup that he used to drink from the spring water usually, dipping it into the cool water and then came back, setting the water down as he knelt at the other man's leg, slowly starting to work the makeshift splint he'd made earlier.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth watched with curiosity as Cloud began to clean and splint his leg. A part of him was so damn weary, and the other part was tensed waiting for Cloud to strike. The man should want vengeance. He should have immediately slain Sephiroth, but he hadn't. After all the pain and damage he'd caused, Sephiroth knew he had nothing. He had no family, no friends, no home, no faith, no rights... no hope. All he had was his life and he'd gladly trade it for Cloud's forgiveness. To earn a hint of the respect he'd once seen in them before he'd lost his mind to rage, indignation, and ambition.

He'd tensed for the water to burn him like acid, so when instead it felt ice cold and immediately began to sooth and heal his wounds it was a shock. He hadn't expected that. Not at all. He reached down and threaded his fingers through Cloud's hair, not even thinking really about what he was doing, he just needed to touch something as the throbbing pain in his leg began to subside a little. As spiky as Cloud's hair looked, it was actually incredibly soft to touch.

Cloud looked up at him, the move causing his hand to slide down and inadvertently cup Clouds cheek. "Thank you." He said, meeting Cloud's confused gaze with his own sense of disorientation and need.

[Ryu]

When the other felt Sephiroth's hand gliding through his hair, he looked up to see the man's piercing green eyes starring directly into his soul.

"Thank you." The other had said with such pure honesty, that Cloud felt like pinching himself, in fear he was trapped in one of those sickly reality-like dreams that made him feel like life was just a dream. He looked around, pulling away from the hand on his head and expected Aerith to be there somewhere, tending to her blossoms.

But it was just him and Sephiroth... her murderer. The reason that she wasn't here... and why he was here instead. Forgiveness... that was what he was working on, wasn't it? But forgiving was a little harder to do, when the man responsible for all the forgiving you had to do was sitting right in front of your face.

Taking a long needed sigh, Cloud calmed himself and looked down at Sephiroth's leg. It was just a leg. A thin, pale muscle wrapped in skin, belonging to no one else but a man named Sephiroth. He wasn't his enemy. He wasn't his friend. He wasn't a hero. He just simply... was. Nodding to himself, Cloud decided that would be the better way to look at Sephiroth right now, as he finished cleaning the other's wound and redid the splint with real rods instead of branches. "Now... let's look at your arm..." He said softly, lightly touching the man's shoulder and saw the wreckage of the wing that had pretty much just exploded on impact with the ground.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth couldn't bear to fathom the look in Cloud's eyes as he raised his head. Such a vast depth of emotion of shown there, flashing, but he dared to think - the one emotion he didn't see was hatred.

Cloud sighed in that sweet way he always did when he was trying to gather himself for the task ahead - that long deep breath that said more than anything that while Cloud might not be certain of what was coming, he was still determined to see it through. Gods... Cloud'd had such incredible potential. As had Zack, and Sephiroth regretted his death - if for no other reason than that it had brought Cloud closer into the mess that had gotten Aeryth killed and made Cloud his enemy. If Zack and Cloud had not been such good friends, and if Zack hadn't been seeing the girl then Cloud wouldn't have been compelled to be her friend after Zack's death. And if Cloud hadn't felt so responsible for Aeryth then maybe he wouldn't have cared that she died... if wishes were fishes they'd all walk on the sea, right? It was just a bunch of "If what's" and it mattered none. Events had occurred as fate decreed, and too many worthy souls had died.

Sephiroth winced as Cloud moved to examine his shoulder. The massive black wing that appeared there just before Cloud had slain him had been a revelation, to the say the least. It had been nearly the epitome of his evolution, and sadly he'd met his end - just as Genesis had done. Though it had been appropriately ironic that Genesis's wing had been white - for he'd still kept his honor to the end. But Sephiroth's wing had been black, because his heart had been black and he'd willingly soiled his honor for revenge.

It was fitting that the appendage should be broken and all but destroyed - he was trying to amend things and needed the not the reminder that he was tainted by his last deeds.

He looked up at Cloud, watching him as the other began gently examining the shattered wing. "Is there any way you think you could remove it, the wing? I don't want it, I don't need it, and it's ... " Sephiroth sighed, he knew this was going to sound... hokey. "It's full of ... negative energy, a reminder to me of how... tainted... and dishonored I'd become. My heart is not as dark now, it's more weary, and weighed down with regrets than anything else. And for whatever time I have left, I'd like to try to reclaim some of my lost honor, if that's even possible. So... can you remove it Cloud Strife? I know I can't start with a 'clean slate', but can I start with a few less marks?"

He had no doubt it was going to hurt like a bitch, but he had earned the pain, and it would be worth it to have it there as a constant reminder of his failures.

[Ryu]

As Cloud looked at the bleeding mess and broken bones, he blinked and looked back at Sephiroth with curious eyes. He wanted him to get rid of it? The blonde looked back at the remains and then to the other's eyes once again and felt something well up in his chest that he hadn't felt in a long time. Empathy. He couldn't truly imagine everything that had gone on in Sephiroth's head at the time of his downfall... everything that continued to grow inside of him and caused him to become the man that had caused so much pain and hate and suffering.

The other really couldn't hate him now. And there was a small piece of himself that hated just Cloud for forgiving this man. But he had to. "I can't do something like that... But I know someone who owes me a favor... and he can." He said softly, moving to the other's arm instead and began working on getting it stable and readjusted. "Stay here and relax... I'll call him up." He said, standing and walking over to a pack that lay on the floor. He took his black cell out and quickly went through his contacts to find the one he needed.

The rough voice of a man being woken from slumber came over the other end, as Cloud smiled a little. "Hey... Look... I'm cashing in that favor." He said softly.

[Eilonwe]

Kalen reached for the ringing phone, quite ready to slam it back on it's cradle just so that it would shut the hell up, but then he recognized the caller id. Cloud Strife. That boy had been through more shit than any 3 people should have had to, and he still kept going. He'd offered to help him out on more than one occasion, but Cloud wasn't one to ask for help very often. He had that kind of personality that required that he reciprocate, accepted nothing as just a given gift and so if he didn't think he could reciprocate he wouldn't accept what was given to him. Stupid way to think, in his opinion. But, if Cloud was calling him, it had to be important.

He almost knocked himself unconscious when he sat up at Cloud's quiet statement. *BANG* "AH! Shit! Hold a sec.... oh dammit..." The sounds of shuffling and things falling came across the line but finally it seemed as if Kalen had found a spot to sit down. "Alright, what do you need, when do you need it, and where do you want to meet?"


*********************************************************

Sephiroth tried not to groan too much as Cloud gently splinted his arm, the shattered mess of what remained of his wing throbbed, every breath causing minute shifts that shot pain through him like a thousands knives. It was no less than what he deserved, but he had to smile. Cloud's generous spirit still remained. Ever the protector, Cloud would help him because he was needed, not necessarily because he wanted to. He wondered if Cloud's friend would be able to do what he wanted him to. To be free of the burden of the wing would bring him one more step closer to absolution.

[Ryu]

The few noises in the background made the other cringe a little, asking the man if he was 'ok' softly until the questions came over the line, and Cloud felt himself turn to look at Sephiroth and bite his lip. Should he trust to ask the man over the phone? Maybe it'd be better with as little detail as possible. "I need you to amputate something for me... You'll see when you see. It's not on me, it's on, uh... someone else." He said, scratching behind his neck. "Look, I'm sorry, but I have to be careful. Just understand that I want him alive and... feeling better, and I really need your help with the removal of a wing." He said. "I need you to come to me, though... moving his is difficult as it is... plus, I have the waters here to help heal once you're done."

He paced a little, as he brushed some of his blonde hair out of his eyes and looked back to Sephiroth in a slightly pained and worried way. "And I need you here... as soon as possible." He finished, waiting for the other man's response with baited breath. There really was no good reason for him to help Cloud without all the information. Kalen was always so straightforward and up front about everything. But Cloud couldn't risk the man going somewhere else. He knew that Kalen hadn't been personally scorned by the SOLDIER, but that didn't mean that he didn't hold some form of resentment towards the man any way. A lot of people were that way. "I promise, you'll understand when you see him... I just need you here... and I need you right now..."

[Eilonwe]

This situation was becoming more intriguing by the moment. It said alot that Cloud Strife, of all people, was calling for help. But he was being rather vague about it too. Kalen just knew this meant trouble, but without trouble life would be boring right? "I'll get my things ready. You're at the old church, right? I can be there in... about an hour. I have to make sure my mobile surgury kit is fully stocked. What kind of medications are we going to need? Animal or human? Never mind, I'll stock both. See you soon."

Kalen hung up and began to stock his kit. He had strange feeling of foreboding in the pit of his stomach but he did his best to ignore it as he gathered the equipment and meds he'd need for his kit. Fully stocked he could perform any kind of surgury in the harshest of environments. He was one of the few doctors who could do things the old fashioned way with just as much success as those who depended upon the newest Shinra technology. It was one of the reasons he was in such demand with the less-than-legal crowd.

Sephiroth rolled his head on neck, wincing at the sound of his vertebra crunching. Still, he could feel at least some of the tension ease from his neck, which seemed to help the throbbing headache that was building behind his eyes. "You have someone coming, then? Can they be trusted? I don't want you to catch any flack for helping me, Cloud."

He said softly, as he watched other close the phone a hand still running nervously through this white-blonde locks. Sephiroth had never understood the other's wild hair style, but it seemed to suit him.

[Ryu]

"Thank you..." He said, hanging up as well, looking at the phone. He hoped that he could trust Kalen. When he heard the other's voice, he looked up and nodded, "Yeah..." He said, looking Sephiroth up and down slowly, his mind racing. Should he have the other look over the patch job Cloud had already done? It wouldn't hurt to see if he'd be willing. The worst he could say was no.

Slowly, Cloud made his way back over to the other man and sat down near him, looking to the large puddle of water and sighed, watching the sunlight reflect off it. It looked like a huge mirror. Over the last year, some weeds had begun to grow along the bottom, so it was refreshing to dip one's feet in and wade around in the waist high water without the worry of catching his foot over a piece of wood or rubble from the decaying church. He wanted to do this now, but he decided that he'd wait until Sephiroth was no longer conscious. He needed to take a bath.

[Eilonwe]

"How long before they get here?" Sephiroth asked quietly. The pain of his crushed wings had settled down to a full body roar, and it seemed like every muscle in his body was clenched up in a tight knot. He'd ask for a drink, but then again, he didn't want his mind any more fogged than it already was. A part of him just wanted to sleep for a century, but he couldn't allow himself that luxury. He didn't know how much time he had to make things right. He couldn't waste of moment on such frivolous things as sleep.

[Ryu]

Cloud hummed, being roused out of his thinking before he looked over to Sephiroth. "Not long... about half an hour, I'd think..." He said, looking the other over again. "He doesn't live far... but I am sure I surprised him, so I'm sure he needs time to get ready." He said, ruffling his hair, as he pulled at one gravity defying lock and twisted it in between his fingers slowly.

"Hopefully sooner... I don't think you should have my fingers against that busted up wing any more... I'm not good with all that stuff." He said sheepishly, shaking his head. Thinking back on his healing skills, he hadn't really been taking all that good care of himself when he'd been infected by the Geo-stigma. In fact, changing his bandages were a chore that he rarely did much for.

He did venture over and make sure that the new splints were keeping the man well set before he heard the opening of the door, his head snapping over to it, hoping that his friend Kalen's face would be the one coming through the door.

[Eilonwe]

Sephiroth sighed in disappointment as Cloud pulled away. True, he needed the assistance of whatever healer Cloud had summoned, but that didn't mean he wanted Cloud to stop touching him.

Tentatively, he reached out and trailed his fingers down Cloud's jaw for a few seconds before he dared to brush his fingers across the back of Cloud's hand.

"You heal more than you know, Cloud Strife. Will you talk to me? Will you rail against me, speak of all my wrong doings? I have but one last purpose, one will... to make amends to you, and to whomever you require. I've hurt so many people, I know I'll never be able to set everything right, even when I die again. Not even if I die a thousand painful deaths will I repay the sorrow I've sown in this previous life. But ... I know it's selfish, completely, utterly selfish of me... but before I die again, I want us to be friends again. I want you to respect me again. I want to reclaim my honor in your eyes. Many men and women were my enemies, but you were the only one who was strong enough to truly stand up to me. Even though it meant you might die trying, you still stood your ground. And in the end, my glorious end, you defeated me. I hope your friends understand what you sacrificed, what you wrought to destroy me.

[Ryu]

Cloud felt the light touch against his jaw, and he flinched, but didn't move away, that unnaturally soft hand touching at his own, scarred and calloused from years of training; years of hard work. Looking back at Sephiroth, the man's blue orbs searched over the man's own cat-like gaze and blinking looking away, moving over to the front door.

What he had given up to defeat the other hadn't only been himself, but his whole being. His soul. He'd given everything to kill Sephiroth, not once, but twice. He didn't think he'd have the strength to cut him down a third time. Little by little, time spent with the children had really done him good, but there was just an emptiness in his chest that he couldn't seem to fill, no matter how much he tried to love Tifa, no matter how much time he spent with Marleen and Denzel. "Thank god you're here... he's starting to talk nonsense." He lied, mainly for himself. He didn't want Sephiroth to be giving him a reason to fall for his charms again. He didn't want to believe that the other was going to give him a cure for his emptiness. Why on earth would he allow the man who'd created the hole in his chest to heal it?

But then again, thinking back, he remembered when he'd first seen Kadaj transform into Sephiroth, something other than fear had raced through Cloud's heart. There had definitely been fear, but there had been a slight flicker of... relief? Love? Something... but as soon as he'd seen the other's eyes... the moment he'd heard his name, he knew that there was nothing but resentment and hate left for Cloud. Perhaps it'd been because of Kadaj's feelings, but that's when Cloud had lost all of his hope for the man. Even now, he suspected that the other was trying to lead him into a false trust, just to get back at him, again.

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