Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Jenova's Children ❯ Dolorem ( Chapter 6 )

Jenova's Children

By Kawaii and Junsui

 

Chapter 6

Dolorem

 

There was an awkward silence in the bar as all eyes turned to Riku. The teen squirmed uncomfortably under the attention. There was a reason Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo looked that way, silver hair and blue-green eyes… and it wasn't a good reason, either. Riku felt that from their presence… it was almost like it was meant to intimidate people like the markings on a butterfly, and at the same time, the look had a… feeling about it.

Cloud decided to speak up and break the tension, “Maybe its time I showed you your room, Riku.”

“Huh? Oh!” The silver-tressed teenager jumped up beside Cloud and began to follow him up the stairs.

“Just have him sleep in Denzel's bed, I'm sure the kids wouldn't mind sharing a bed at this age.” Tifa called from behind the bar.

“EWWW! Tifa, do I have to sleep with Denzel?” Marlene squeaked.

“Uh-“

“It's okay.” Riku paused at the first landing on the stairs. “I can just sleep on the couch or something.”

“No.” Cloud shook his head. “We'll get you a room, there's enough spare.”

“So why the hell do we have to sleep in the bar?!” Loz moaned, plopping down in a seat moodily.

“Because the three of you are not to be trusted, as proven by today's little experience. Riku is a guest of honor- the three of you are merely vagabond delinquents that are lucky enough to have landed in a place where there is actually a roof above your heads.” The towhead spat, eyeing each of the three “brothers” coldly.

“Why are you avoiding the question at hand?” Kadaj asked in a deathly whisper, cocking his head slightly in a near menacing way.

“I-“ Riku began.

“That doesn't matter right now.” Tifa interrupted, sensing something was amiss. She'd grill Cloud on that later if she had to. “You're in BIG trouble right now. Especially you, Kadaj. Plan on telling me how you plan to earn all the money you now owe Edge?”

“ME?!” the teen protested in rage. “They attacked you too!” he pointed to Loz and Yazoo accusingly, who backed away from the younger sibling nervously.

“And who was it that was priding themselves on being the leader, brother?” Yazoo smiled maliciously.

“You asshole.” Kadaj glared. “Backstabbing traitor.”

“Oh contraire, shorty!” Tifa snarled, clenching the teen's wrist in her hand. “I'll tell you how you're going to earn that money-“ She took him and situated Kadaj behind the bar, “Like THIS.”

“You want me to stand here and look all gay?”

“No, I want you to stand here and take orders.”

“What do I look like, a Hooters girl?!”

“This isn't the time, Kadaj.” Tifa growled. “You and your partners in crime are going to work here for more than just your stay, and this isn't all you'll be doing either.”

“What else?” Kadaj snickered, his eyes flitting up and down rapidly. Simultaneously, there was the scathing sound of metal being drawn and flesh hit flesh with massive amounts of force. Riku took a huge note of this - never, never, ever, under any circumstance, hit on Tifa… EVER. Regaining her composure, the woman continued.

“Loz, I want you to help Cloud with the delivery service. Yazoo, you'll help around the house and do a few odd jobs at the shop next door, seeing as you can sew and all.” The longest haired man looked away with slight shame, but hey, someone had to know the housework stuff. “All three of you will work here Monday through Thursdays. You'll get half days on weekends, and depending on the crowds on the weekends, you'll get half-days then too. That should be enough to pay off what you owe. Now for you.” She whirled around to face the brother still standing behind the counter.

“WHAT?! Isn't that enough? Why do I get more work than them?”

“Because you caused more trouble.”

“You're just victimizing me `cause I'm the youngest, aren't you?” Kadaj pouted angrily, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No, generally I like the younger ones. Apparently, I stand corrected.” The black tressed woman cleared her throat. “As for you, Mister, you're going to work community service.”

“NO. FUCKIN'. WAY!”

“Yes way. And you'll start by helping renovate and re-supply all the stores that you destroyed. Then you're going to work at the district office and repaint the signs exactly the way they want you to. After that, you're going to help the other city crew, mainly the W.R.O. rebuild the city. Oh, and somewhere in there you are going to have to squeeze in your time working here, busing tables, and doing your basic chores around the house. Hope you have fun!” she grinned sadistically.

“You've got to be joking me.” the teen whimpered, his eyes filling with horror.

“Get your head outta the clouds, `cause work starts tomorrow buster!” Tifa shrugged unsympathetically. “And if that isn't enough of a burden, then I'll also let you know that we're friends with the head of the W.R.O., Reeves, and he'll be keeping tabs on you for us when you're out. And besides for that, the police are after you for your arrest and are only barely letting us keep you here, so you'd better be grateful.”

“B-but…” Kadaj stammered. “I'M NOT A CHILD THAT HAS TO BE WATCHED OVER!” he burst out, eyes flashing. Tifa's lip curled, and she slapped him again.

“Until you start behaving like an adult, we'll treat you like a child. Until you can show us that you're mature enough to handle this, maybe we'll back off a bit. Hopefully you'll earn some respect and responsibility after learning how others suffer from your own greedy escapades.”

“Funny, I didn't see you ever try to teach blondie here that.” the teen scoffed, nodding towards Cloud. Tifa's chocolate orbs widened in shock. “And don't even bother asking what I mean because you're just talking shit if you say you don't.” he added, crossing his arms over his chest triumphantly.

“Kadaj, I think you should go tidy up behind the counter.” Cloud said seriously. “Yazoo and Loz, you pitch in too.” Stiffly, he turned around and marched up the stairwell. Riku blinked at the three similar boys before following after the older man, his head swimming with a mixture of thoughts.

 

 

Riku blinked icy azure eyes warily as he ran a hand through his silver bangs. A heavy feeling had come over his eyelids, and he found them fluttering downwards, threatening to close. It was so nice being in an actual bed for a change, as well as having his own room instead of sleeping next to a loudly snoring ninja in the freezing cold. The mere though of cold caused the teen to draw the heavy plaid comforter around him even tighter as he flopped over in bed, realizing how uncomfortable his jeans were to sleep in, as the buttons and zippers were poking into him and it was much to cold to sleep without them.

`I need new clothes.' He thought grumpily, turning over once more; it wasn't a matter of comfort, but only a measure to keep himself awake. The drooping of Riku's eyes mixed with the cool darkness in the room created an alluring atmosphere for sleep. But the silver-tressed youth merely shifted in place, prying his eyes open. He needed to think… he always thought before he went to sleep; it was the way he concluded each day, summarizing thoughts in his head.

Kadaj's green-blue eyes staring intently at him flashed into Riku's mind and he turned over to mash his face into the soft pillow. It was uncanny how much they resembled each other… a disturbing thought crossed Riku suddenly. He was adopted. He had no memories of his past. He looked almost exactly like Kadaj…

`Enough thinking. You need sleep.' Riku told himself firmly, and he found himself having to force his eyes shut. His sleep was deep and dreamless; save for hazel orbs watching him fondly through a sea of raven tresses.

 

 

Cloud looked around the now desolate bar. Darkness hung from every corner, the moonlight creeping through small cracks from the closed windows, casting foreboding shadows upon the floors. The air was still yet dense all the same. The floorboards squeaked under his metal-toed boots. Sighing heavily, he strode over to the single candle in the room - although everything else was run electrically - and blew it out. Silently, he watched for a mere moment the artistic way that the smoke curled and twisted before the backdrop of ebony.

With a final glance around the room, he strode up the steps, treading as lightly as he could. At the top landing, he frowned, seeing a crack of flickering light seep over the floorboards. He approached the half-open door with caution, rapping softly on the doorframe. When there was no answer, he pushed the door open. The room was used for only storage these days, and was an unpleasant draft. Heavy dark plaid curtains hung over the cracked windows, shards of glass still cluttered on the ground and sill. Water stained yellowing walls and odd furniture adorned the otherwise empty space. Against the corner was a broken down couch, piled with blankets. Beside it was a rickety wooden nightstand atop which sat a single black twisted candle. A silver tressed teen sat on the couch comfortably, an oversized book with scarlet binding spread open on his lap. Without moving his head, Kadaj raised his cerulean eyes to meet Cloud's. They flashed momentarily with some malicious thought, and in the shadows of the singular candle, his pale skin fell to shadows, making the sockets of his eyes seem unnaturally dark.

“Kadaj…” Cloud cocked his head curiously.

“While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.” Kadaj muttered darkly, grinning.

“What?” the blonde started, trying to ignore the strange thought that arose in the back of mind.

“`Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.'” Kadaj continued, his grin widening to reveal slightly exaggerated canines.

“Kadaj, you should be in bed by now, in case you forgot your work starts tomorrow. You'll need all the rest you can get.” Cloud shook his head, a creeping feeling of fear rising in his chest. “The Raven”, Sephiroth's favorite poem. How could I have forgotten?

From the recesses of Cloud's mind, an old memory arose, much like the tortured ones of his forgotten past that seemed to return even more rapidly to him these days. Cloud, as a young SOLDIER in training, walked alongside Zack through the base camp, the slightly elder boy yammering on about some girl before stopping abruptly, his eyes going wide. The young Cloud followed his gaze as a tall man dressed in dark clothing countered by his long silver tresses walked past them with a long stride. In his hands was clasped the very same sort of book Kadaj held with “The Raven” inscribed on the front in elegant red characters. As soon as the warlord looked up to see the two young men staring at him in awe, as it was not every day you had a chance to look upon a legend. Sephiroth's lips curled into a smile as he read a small passage from the book before continuing on:

“`Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before'” the silver tressed youth continued amusedly, nodding to the darkness behind Cloud, concluding the blonde's memory in a chilling way by quoting the exact same phrase. Willing himself not to look back, he tried to talk to the teen again, hitting the doorframe to draw his attention.

“Kadaj, honestly. Stop messing around and get to bed.”

“`Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. “Surely," said I, "Surely that is something at my window lattice: Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - 'Tis the wind and nothing more." Upon here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more.'” Another devilish smirk.

“That's enough, Kadaj.” Cloud growled.

“`Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore.'” With a single hand he closed the book.

“Enough, I said!” the blonde threatened.

“`This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing, To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining, On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er.'” Kadaj replied, pushing back further into the cushion of the couch.

“This is ridiculous.” Cloud scorned. “Fine then. I'm trying to show some compassion, but if you want to blow me of, then fine. Suit your own damn self. I'm gonna get some sleep. You'll see tomorrow just how right I am!” Kadaj stared blindly into him. “Are you even listening to me?!” growling in annoyance, Cloud moved passed the doorway, heading to his room. But not before hearing the ghastly whisper of, “Nevermore.” The light behind him snuffed out, and with an involuntary shudder, he could envision Kadaj glaring at him dangerously out from the folds of midnight.

 

 

“G'morning.” Riku uttered softly as he walked down the stairs into the bar. Sitting on the tall seats before it was Marlene, whom was eating breakfast quietly, Denzel, wolfing down his eggs as if it were his last day on earth, and Cloud, whom was quietly sipping coffee. Behind the bar was Tifa, humming pleasantly as she glanced up with chocolate orbs into Riku's icy ones.

“Oh! Good morning, Riku-kun.” She greeted pleasantly with a soft smile, “What would you like for breakfast?”

“Um… not anything particular, just some cereal, maybe.” The teen shrugged as he plopped down onto a barstool next to Cloud. He glanced over at the towhead and found that he was holding a gray newspaper in his hands, shaking his head slowly. The front page depicted a large color picture of a pharmacy with smashed-in windows, which large flames crept out of.

“Okay!” Tifa chirped pleasantly, “Kadaj, could you get me the milk?”

“What am I, your slave?!” Said silver-tressed youth yelled as he popped up from behind the counter. Riku jumped, not expecting him to be there and blinked several times in shock, “Can I just fix this fucking sink first?!”

Marlene gasped audibly and clapped a hand over her mouth, brown eyes wide. Cloud looked at Marlene, concerned, and then scowled at Kadaj, “Hey, watch the language.” He scolded.

Kadaj growled irately, narrowing his blue-green orbs and tossing a dirty dishrag onto the floor, “Fuck this!” He spat, “I'm not staying here and making a fool out of myself!”

With that, he promptly leapt over the counter and sprinted for the door; Cloud growled and stood up to follow him, but was stopped by an arm Riku threw out.

“Don't.” Said the silver-tressed teen softly, “I'll get him.”

Cloud frowned, and then nodded with a small, “Yeah.” Before Riku tore after Kadaj.

Being as nimble as he was, and always inhumanly fast, Riku was able to keep a good distance behind Kadaj as well as keep track of him because of the characteristic silver hair. Riku was surprised to actually see many people give him frightened looks as he sprinted after Kadaj; one woman even screamed and grabbed her child from Riku's path. He was once more brought back to the fact that people actually feared those with the appearance of… whatever it was. Even though Riku had done nothing at all to harm them, he looked intimidating; especially when he was putting his unreal speed to the test.

Eventually, he followed Kadaj out of the city and back into the desolate wasteland that surrounded Edge and past the rusting and abandoned Buster Sword that Riku had seen Cloud plant in the ground the previous evening… and then into a slightly dodgy looking area that appeared to be ruins. When he realized Kadaj was slowing down, Riku decided to track him from a distance, studying the destroyed buildings overgrown with dried vines.

Riku then noticed Kadaj head into a set of wooden doors torn off of their hinges, one resting on the ground, and the other leaning in a dangerous way. He followed the elder boy into the church, studying the crushed wooden pews scattered around half of the building, and eventually, the large pool of water with white flowers blooming at its edges. Kadaj promptly plopped down into the flowers and caressed one in his hand, a frown drooping onto his face as a single tear ran down his cheek, “Haha-ue…”

`Haha-ue?' Riku thought, `That means… honorable mother? Its an old term…'

Stepping foreword, the younger teen treaded on a thin shard of wood that splintered and cracked under his foot, causing Kadaj's head to snap up, his pupils mere cat-like slits.

“What do you want?” He hissed coldly, dropping the caress on the pale flower, his blue-green eyes narrowed dangerously.

Riku frowned; words lingering on his lips as he walked over to the small patch of flowers and knelt beside Kadaj. The silence that followed was long and awkward as Riku looked for words… and that strange dream returned to him. The hazel eyes…

“Do you ever dream?” The words left his lips before he could stop them. Kadaj chuckled airily.

“Oh, then, I see Queen Mab of dreams has been with you.” Commented the silver-tressed young man, his eyes coruscating with mischief.

“Who, now?” Riku inquired, cocking his head to one side in confusion. Kadaj laughed again and grinned cockily.

“She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes in shape no bigger than an tiny stone on the forefinger of a child, drawn with a team of tiny creatures upon men's noses as they lie asleep; her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs, the cover of the wings of grasshoppers, the traces of the smallest spider's web, the collars of the moonshine's watery beams, her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film, her wagoner a small gray-coated gnat, not so big as a round little worm drawn from the earth; her chariot is an empty hazel-nut made by the old squirrel. She gallops across the night, through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love; Over lawyers' fingers, who dream of won trials, over ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream. But sometimes this Queen Mab becomes irate, because their dreams are sometimes tainted. Sometime she gallops over a rich man's nose, and then he dreams of money, and sometime comes she with a feather tickling a person's nose as they sleep, then dreams, he of another benefice: sometime she drives over a soldier's neck, and then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, of breaches, ambuscades, Spanish blades, death all around; and then comes rums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, and being thus freighted swears a prayer or two and sleeps again! This is that very Mab that tangles the hair of children in the night! And twists them into foul sluttish hairs, which once untangled, much misfortune bodes: this is the ghost, when innocent girls lie on their backs, that rapes them and teachers them to bear, making them women of good carriage: This is she—“

“What are you yelling about!?” Riku gaped at Kadaj, whom had stood up and began to strut around the church, screaming his speech to the high ceilings.

“Shakespeare.”

“What?” Riku shook his head, a sheet of silver fanning out around him.

“William Shakespeare, a popular playwright of the Renaissance.” Kadaj informed him, gazing down wistfully at the petal in his hand. “I was quoting Mercutio, of `Romeo and Juliet', I trust you've heard of it.”

“Yea.” Riku shrugged, sitting down on the floorboards a yard away. “So… you're into plays and stuff?” he asked after a brief lapse of time.

“Not necessarily.” Kadaj replied mysteriously. Right as the other teen was about to ask him to explain he continued, “My true love is Poe. Shakespeare is reminiscent in a sense, but was a forbearer to Poe in fact. Do you know that he died at age forty and was found half conscious in the streets?” he asked sadistically.

“Hmn.” Riku nodded concernedly. “He also used opium and was an alcoholic.”

“And?” Kadaj shrugged, stroking a singular petal.

“He was insane!” Riku spelled out, as if it was the obvious answer. “He seems to have hated cats as well, and obviously had crazy, suicidal sort of thoughts.”

“Crazy?” Kadaj pondered, his voice taking on a disturbing edge. “Or brilliant? There is a fine line between such -“ he tossed the tiny blossom into the water. “I have erased this line.”

“What?” Riku drew back, preparing to summon his Keyblade.

“Have you never considered what lies beyond the end?” Kadaj posed.

“Beyond the end? As in death?”

“Have you never tempted a peek?”

“What are you trying to -?”

“Can you blame a man for wanting to know?”

“I still don't - “

“So can you truly call him crazy?”

There was silence.

“When all fails, and the darkness blocks the light from your eyes, are you crippled? Do you let yourself grow weak and weary, or do you grow from it? Do you let the darkness win, or do you overcome it?” Kadaj continued.

“I have turned my back on the darkness.” Riku breathed. “It is not wanted here.”

“But what is the darkness but the absence of light? Is it so horrible, should it be frowned upon so? Is it the darkness we fear, or what lies hidden within it? Are we truly just afraid of the shadows within our own hearts?”

“I am the darkness, yet I am not. I shun it, I care nothing for it, I no longer lust for its power.” Riku argued. “The darkness is a thing of evil, it corrupts and corrodes, there is no good to it.”

“Is that what they told you, or is that what you believe?” Still more silence. “So it is what you wish to believe. But do you? Deep down within your own dark memories do you believe so? Can't you see that the darkness is a blessing? For deep in that abyss, you are blind to sight only, and can know only what your other senses tell you. The darkness hides all flaws, and is the essence of what is truly perfect. It holds no lies, for none shall be spoken when there is no lie to be seen?” Kadaj's lips curled into a snarl, glaring maliciously into Riku's orbs. Suddenly, his eyes misted over and he gasped, collapsing into a heap. Riku extended an hand to him, shocked, then recoiled as words echoed back to him, ”Is all that we see or seen but a dream within a dream?”

“What the hell?!” the conscious teen breathed. The words were Kadaj's, but his lips hadn't moved. He just lay with enlarged, glassy eyes, breathing shallowly. “What's going on?!” Riku demanded, rising to his feet.