Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII : Atonement ❯ Chapter 21 - Now What? ( Chapter 21 )

Author's Note: Once again, I have taken waaaay too long to update. I apologize…These sorts of things happen when a girl gets a boyfriend; she ends up doing things other than sitting at a keyboard. But, anyway, here is the next chapter. Enjoy and Review please!

Chapter 21 - Now What?

Sephiroth went silent, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard, his dry throat aching. He looked at them, felt their stares on his body, and waited for a response.

Tifa sighed, turning to Aeris. "Is what he says true?"

Aeris nodded. "Yes," she said softly. "As far as my knowledge and memories serve me, everything he has said is true."

"So that's it? So am I just supposed to forgive and forget? Am I supposed to put my trust in this man?" Tifa was crying now, her warm tears flooding her eyes and running rivers down her face. "What is all this fighting for!? Why is there no one I can trust!?"

Tifa stood sharply, shoving the chair she had been sitting on and watching it clang to the floor. "I need time to think," she said forcefully before racing out of the room.

There was another moment of silence, followed by many uncertain glances. No one knew what to say.

Barret glanced out the open door that Tifa had passed through. He shook his head sadly. "Well, shit," he swore. "Now what do we do?"

Cid shrugged. "Last time we had a set enemy. We thought things were simple."

Yuffie nodded. "Yeah, kill the enemy. That's simple enough."

"That would be simple," Vincent reminded her, "if the enemy weren't some super-evolved Ancient."

Red XIII twitched his tail thoughtfully. "Grandfather never told me anything about the Bactra, but perhaps we should check Cosmo Canyon and look through his books. Then maybe we can find a way to defeat Jenova."

Sephiroth nodded. "Ah, yes. The wiseman Bugenhaagen. He is sure to have hidden some information on the Bactra."

Red XIII tipped his head to one side. "How do you know grandfather?"

Sephiroth smiled. "Do you know how he knew about the lifestream and could hear the cries of the Planet?"

Red XIII shook his head.

"He had a little Cetra blood in him. It was rather weak as the bloodline is decreasing, but it was easily enough to know about the Planet and speak to the Ancients living within the lifestream. It also explains his longevity. He lived to be quite old indeed."

Red XIII frowned. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"I'm not surprised that he didn't tell anyone. You of all people should know how today's Cetra were being hunted by ShinRa. Aeris and her mother would have kept it a secret too if they had known better or how to."

Red XIII sighed sadly. "I understand."

Sephiroth looked around the room again. "So, to Cosmo Canyon?"

Barret grumbled. "Who the fuck put you in charge?"

Aeris looked over at him. "Barret please!"

He looked into Aeris' pleading eyes and sighed. "Whatever." He glanced back at Sephiroth. "But I've got my eye on you. I don't trust ya, not yet. Just remember, one wrong move and I'll shoot ya in the back if I have `ta, no questions asked."

Sephiroth nodded. "Agreed."

"Fine," Barret said. "Let me go get Tifa and then let's blow this joint. It's about time we got off out asses."

* * * * * *

"You have failed me again."

Cloud glanced down at the ground. "Please forgive me, Aeris."

"You never pull through when I need you."

"I'm sorry."

"You can't even kill an unarmed woman."

"Please forgive me."

"Sephiroth is going to hunt me down and kill me again. I'm not sure you will protect me."

"I'm so sorry. I'll never let you down again."

"Am I worth nothing to you?"

"You are everything."

"You have failed me again. You are weak. You allow impostors to manipulate you. You must be punished. I will not allow you to betray me again."

Cloud screamed and fell to his knees as Jenova ripped at his mind and raped his thoughts. He had no privacy. He was a prisoner, and he didn't even realize it. Cloud gripped his skull with a white-knuckle grip, his nails biting into his scalp.

Jenova let go of his mind and Cloud's cries ceased and he slumped forward onto the ground. Jenova flicked her long light-brown braid over her shoulder and smiled.

"No resistance," Jenova whispered. "He's completely broken."

She nudged him with a booted toe. Cloud moaned softly, but didn't move.

"You are mine, forever…"

A/N: Well? Good? Bad? Any suggestions? Reviews please!!