Fate Chapter 5
The General's of Sephiroth
By Tifa Gainsborough
Author’s Note: You asked for it, so here it is. A deeper look into our beloved characters warped minds. The General’s of Sephiroth.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun no longer graced the top of the waters. Vincent Valentine watched the churning waters of the bay from his window. No longer could he hide in his coffin in Nibelhiem. He had to serve his master these days. So he had been assigned to Junon by Sephiroth. He would have rather been assigned to Nibelhiem but Tifa had gotten first priority. Simply because she’s Cloud’s bitch.
Vincent turned from the window, his red cloak swishing around his ankles. The few people standing around the room cowered in fright as he passed by them. Weak and cowardly are those that surround me.
His damned claw snapped out and wrapped around the neck of a young woman. She screamed in fright as he pulled her close.
“Why do you scream,” he asked.
Green eyes grew wide against pale skin. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound emerged.
“Will anyone speak for her,” he inquired, glancing up at those gathered around.
“She’s frightened,” a timid voice echoed from the back.
Vincent turned his crimson gaze back onto those scared green eyes. The woman nodded quickly, still no words escaped her. His clawed thumb left a small trail of blood as he pulled it back. He simply blinked as the sharp claw tore into the woman’s neck. A scream erupted from the women standing around as the warm blood pulsed through his claw. He tore the woman’s neck out and kicked her away.
His eyes flashed momentarily to the screaming women. He flicked his hand in their direction, globs of flesh landing at their feet. Wiping the blood on a rag somebody had bravely handed him he headed out. If he had turned he would have seen the people gathering around the limp body. He let his mind wander as he walked down the empty halls. People ducked into doorways when he would pass, clearing a path for him. That woman that I thought of so often. The woman that had caused so many of my sins. Pausing momentarily to glance out a window to the darkened sky he continued on. What was that damned woman’s name?
For many years it had plagued him. The ghostly whisper’s of his past that would not leave him. But they never provided him with answers. At nights, when he would lay awake, they would haunt him. Drive him to the brink of sanity and then roughly pull him back. He had wished to ask the other’s if voices haunted him. Clenching his clawed hand he could hear what Yuffie would have said. She would have laughed at him and called him insane.
I suppose I can say I am truly untroubled with her lose. She was the weakest of us all and her vanity brought upon her defeat. Sephiroth is much better off without her around to mess things up.
His eyes narrowed to slits as he remembered the words Cloud had spoken to him.
“You must go reclaim Yuffie from the traitors.”
Cloud dared to give him orders. But he had simply declined wasting his time going after the spoiled bitch. Now they gave him orders to go get the other two. But in his eyes, if they had been foolish enough to be captured, they weren’t worth saving.
He continued to walk through the empty halls, his crimson eyes taking in everything but seeing nothing.
For a moment his mind began to wander. He thought of Yuffie, sitting in her cell deep in the traitors lair. He thought of her and laughed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Watch for me, simple one,” Yuffie Kisaragi sang to her darkened cell. “Come to me, save me. Deliver me from hell and return to my rightful throne.”
The song was ancient, an old song from Wutai. Her mother had taught it to her when she was young day’s before her death. Passing soldiers from Midgar had found her mother beautiful. But it had been her that found her mothers violated body lying in an alley. Her mother told her father what then men had done to her. Raped her repeatedly as she screamed for her savior. Godo had returned her to honor by killing her.
That was the day. The day I lost all compassion for that man.
She had enjoyed killing him when Sephiroth had come to power. Enjoyed watching the pain on his face, enjoyed the warm blood that coated her hands.
The sounds of metal scraping against metal drew her attention from the past. Yuffie glanced up at the people guarded around the opening to her cell. The blonde woman that the other’s called Trista stood in the doorway.
“Food,” she told Yuffie.
Gun’s trained on her body as the girl Trista entered. One wrong move and they would open fire on her. No use taking hostages, everybody was willing to die for the cause. Stupid foolish humans and your high standards for honor.
“Your eyes are cold,” Yuffie commented as Trista kneeled down next to her.
“They have seen much suffering,” Trista explained. “Your eyes are filled with laughter. You mock us and what we are doing.”
Disregarding her for a moment, Yuffie looked over her meal. Finally she looked back up at the girl.
“I was once like you. Fighting for this goodness that you think will come to save us. But it is simply a joke. A balance of good and evil must always exist. One without the other is impossible.”
Those cold green eyes narrowed as she listened to the words I spoke. Perhaps one day you will understand. I learned that hard way, so it seems, will you.
“There is no balance. This evil you speak about has no rules. It play’s to destroy,” Trista snapped.
“That is life,” she commented, plucking a slice of bread from the tray. “Yesterday is gone, today is life, tomorrow will never come.”
The other woman froze as she recognized the words. “Never speak those words.”
“Yesterday is gone, today is life, tomorrow will never come!” Yuffie screamed as Trista back peddled for the exit. She continued to scream as they left. “Yesterday is gone, today is life, tomorrow will never come!”
She laughed, kicking her feet with joy at the reaction she had just caused. She grabbed her tray and threw it at the bars that held her prisoner. The food went everywhere and she only laughed at it. Jumping to her feet she launched herself at the bars. She leaned out, watching the younger girl leave.
“Yesterday is gone! Today is life! Tomorrow will never come!”
She only had to wait a few minute and Trista came running back. The stood, staring at each other divided simply by the bars.
“Yesterday is gone,” Yuffie started.
“Today is life,” Trista continued her voice soft.
“Tomorrow will never come,” Yuffie said simply.
Say the next line little girl. I know that you know it. Yuffie waited calmly for the taller girl to speak.
“Life is yours,” Trista spoke.
“Fight to protect it,” Yuffie sneered.
“For it is all you have,” the girl spoke, her voice heavy with emotions.
Yuffie reached out and grabbed the girls shirt. Dragging her down she peered into her eyes. “Those are you fathers words, yet now he is dead. But life is not yours, it belongs to Sephiroth. You fight him so now he has your life. Whether he lives or dies, you have already lost.”
“I don’t understand,” Trista whispered.
Yuffie shoved the taller girl away. Yuffie laughter pierced the air as the other girl ran. Her laughter would drive her mad yet she cared not. The two trapped next to her said nothing, just sat and listened. Listened to her laughter, listened to her despair, to the madness that was her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She rubbed her aching shoulder, scowling at the memory that seared her mind. Damn those former Turks. A tiny smile overtook her as she remembered their fate. Remembered gazing down at their blood stained bodies. Elena had not died instantly like Rude. Tifa still remembered the look in her eyes as Cloud stared down at her. She laughed to herself, remembering the feeling of the woman’s warm blood on her hands.
“Still bothering you,” Cloud asked appearing in the doorway.
She frowned, turning back to the window. Instead of heading straight back, he had stuck around to keep an eye on her. What can’t he just return to being Sephiroth’s watch dog. Heaven’s knows he’s good at that.
“I’m fine,” she snapped.
“What the hell is your problem,” Cloud snapped entering the room finally.
“You,” Tifa shot back. “I don’t need you here peering over my shoulder. Sephiroth trusts me to take care of this section.”
“If you could handle everything fine Rude wouldn’t have shot you,” Cloud retorted waving to the scar on her shoulder. “If I hadn’t been there, you would have been killed.”
She crossed the room in three giant steps and slapped him across the face. Cloud’s head snapped to one side by the force of her slap. She raised her hand to slap him again and he grabbed it, bringing it down to her side.
“I would advise you not to repeat that action,” he hissed. “I still outrank you.
She pulled away from him, ripping her wrist from his grasp. How dare he pull a stupid thing like rank on me.
“Get out of here. Go back to being Sephiroth’s little watchdog,” she sneered rubbing her aching wrist.
“Jealous,” he asked with a smirk.
“I would never be jealous of you, Cloud Strife,” she said turning away from him.
Once upon a time you use to love him, a soft voice in the back of her mind spoke.
Yes, she answered back. Once upon a time. But now I have no room in my life for romance. Besides, romance can make one weak and the people don’t need weak leaders.
Her back stiffened when she felt his hands resting on her shoulders. Making no move to brush him away she continued to stare out the window. The clouds pierced the top of Mt. Nibel and she frowned. She use to fear those mountains like so many others. Now what do I fear?
The tiny voice that always lingered made a vain attempt to answer the question. Your past.
I do no fear my past! I loath it and what memories I still have of it.
Cloud leaned in close and whispered gently in her ear. “Fear me. For if ordered I will kill you.”
She merely blinked as he released her shoulders. Jumping slightly as the door slammed closed behind him she scolded herself. With a scream of rage she grabbed the nearest chair and threw it at the wall. Her long brown hair fell across her face, slightly blurring her vision. Brushing it away angrily she grabbed a vase and threw it. It shattered against the door Cloud had just exited.
“Fear me Cloud Strife,” she screamed, kicking over her desk. “Fear me!”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A half smile adorned his cruel face at the sounds of Tifa’s screams. People froze as he passed, some stared in awe while others in fright. He was Sephiroth’s second in command, the last line of defense for his master.
Years ago you would have rather died then called him master, the voice of his memories whispered.
The smile disappeared, a sneer slowly melted onto his features. That voice was always there, always at the edge of his mind. But it made sure that it was never forgotten, never passed over. At nights it would keep him awake, driving any sleep from him. He loathed that voice more than anything. The voice that had once been him, that longed to be once again.
Yet I still live, while you are a mere shadow of my past, he reminded the voice, not bothering to reply to the last comment.
You know that I am right, it laughed at him.
“You are dead,” he spat to it as the cold Nibelhiem air welcomed him.
Harsh laughter trickled from his lips when the voice didn’t reply. Don’t get too cocky, a new voice said.
You! He would recognize that voice anywhere. Get out of my head, I killed you long ago.
The voice snickered to him, killed me and stole my life.
“I no longer need your life Zack. I have one of my own,” Cloud whispered out loud.
One that is driving you mad. You are a cold blooded killer, serving the one man you swore to hate, Zack’s haunting voice reminded him.
I hate you, he yelled to the voice. Zack’s voice slowly faded away, returning back to the Lifestream. As Zack’s voice disappeared others took his place. Cloud broke in a run, trying to escape the voices. One of the most feared men in the world ran. But he could not run, could not hide, could not rid himself of his insanity.