Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII ❯ Chapter 16 Aeirs is Kidnapped ( Chapter 16 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"They'll never just give us a break," Reno sighed and then turned to wake Tifa.
After everyone was awoken they jumped in the car. Cid who had remained in the car, jumped awake when everyone piled in. He looked around grumpily at the people who just woke him, then mumbled something to himself. He settled propping his head up by his hand and looking to the right, where the passenger window would be.
Reno turned the car to life and slammed on the accelerator. According to Vincent, the people behind them weren't far off. Reno had a hunch that it was the turks who were chasing them. He had beytraed his orders, escaped from punishment with his life, and now stolen one of their cars. If they caught them he'd be dead for sure.
After about an hour or so, they spotted a city on the horizon. Reno pushed harder on the petal. If they got to the city before the turks could catch them. Then they could ditch the car and go into hiding. Suddenly Cloud sat up from where he sat half asleep. He appeared alarmed now. Aeris too, felt whatever Cloud did and sat up.
"Keep going Reno," Cloud said his voice brimmed with panic.
"What are you talking about? I am going," Reno said over his shoulder.
"Don't stop Reno, please even when you see him," Aeris begged in the same tone as Cloud.
"What?" Reno questioned but as soon as the words came from his mouth a figure appeared in the middle of the road. Naturally Reno slammed on the brakes. Everyone in the car was lurched forward as he came to the sudden stop just in front of the figure. When they raised their heads, Sephiroth stood just in front of the car, about a finger length away. He had an evil smirk across his face.
"For a minute there, I thought you weren't going to stop," Sephiroth laughed.
Reno opened his mouth to say something but then quickly closed it. He knew better than to challenge Sephiroth. Sephiroth had crushed his arm easily, if he challenged him again, he'd be writing his own death wish. Sephiroth's eyes went from person to person in the car and then settled on Cloud. Cloud's eyes were wide with fear of what Sephiroth could do to him. He didn't want to be manipulated again and end up killing everyone around him.
Sephiroth's smirk turned into a smile as he tapped into Cloud's mind. He spoke to him not out loud but through the mind. "What's wrong Cloud? You look terrified," Sephiroth's voice echoed in Cloud's head.
Cloud put his hands on his head as Sephiroth's voice invaded it. "Leave me alone," he told the voice back in his mind.
"I can't do that, you are my puppet and you'll forever be my puppet," Sephiroth's voice replied laughing.
"No.....," Cloud said outloud.
Sephiroth began to glow white as he took over Cloud's mind. Then he rose from the ground. Then as if in thin air, he disappeared. Just as Sephiroth disappeared Cloud clutched his head harder, grunting. Everyone turned and looked at him slowly. Cloud finally stopped grunting and released his head.
"Cloud?" Aeris questioned touching him lightly on the shoulder.
Cloud raised his head slowly. Until he was looking into Reno's eyes. Reno was turned in his seat to peer at Cloud, now he froze as he saw his eyes. They were teal and the pupils were cat eye shaped. Sephiroth had sucessed in taking over Cloud's body once again. Tifa gasped as she regconized the shape of the eyes.
"Those eyes are like...before....like Kadaj's," she said.
"You.....trade me spots now!" Cloud demanded his voice raspy as he pointed at Reno.
Reno raised his hands to show that he was defenseless. "Ok, I don't want any trouble," he said slowly opening the driver's door.
Cloud opened the back door and waited as Reno went past him and sat in the back. Tifa watched him carefuly, as did Aeris. They knew the trouble that those eyes meant. If they refused to do what Cloud said, not only would Sephiroth make him suffer, but he'd make them all suffer as well. Cloud pushed on the accelerator and headed towards the city.
"Bring her to me Cloud, or I'll kill them all," Sephiroth's voice echoed deep within Cloud's thoughts.
"Let me go," Cloud said back to Sephiroth.
"Can't do that until I have what I need," the evil voice answered.
Finally they reached the city which had been on the horizon. Cloud's body was still under Sephiroth's control. He stopped the car just outside a church similar to the one that Aeris' garden lived in. Cloud stood and ordered everyone out of the car. Then he told the others to stay outside or his body would die. They obeied and Cloud took Aeris by the arm and dragged her inside. Sephiroth was waiting at the far end of the church. This one had holes in the roof, but no garden. Sephiroth stood under one of the bigest holes. Light reflected off his silver hair making it look metalic. His teal eyes shimmered in the light as he watched them approach.
Cloud stopped about five feet in front of Sephiroth. He was on the floor, on his knees. Sephiroth's eyes were on Aeris. She stood just behind Cloud, hand clutched up over her chest. Fear struck her, as badly as it had Cloud from the very presence of Sephiroth.
"Do you still remember your death Aeris?" Sephiroth asked.
She gazed at him for a long time before speaking. "I do," she said her voice grim.
"Well then, I suggest that if you don't want your lover to die the same way, you will come with me," he said taking out the long silver blade which glinted in the light like a silver stream of light.
Aeris looked down at Cloud who was still on his knees. Cloud's eyes were blue but empty. Sephiroth still had him under his control, but he was on standby.It was as if his body and mind could not hear the words being said. In reality his body couldn't react to the words, but his mind heard them loud and clear. On the inside Cloud was yelling desperate at Aeris to not go, but his lips and body weren't responding to his words.
"You'll release him if I do?" she questioned looking up at Sephiroth.
Sephiroth smiled. "Of course, I'll have no use for him," he said.
Aeris knelt down to Cloud's level, his eyes were still empty. She raised his head so that those empty eyes were looking at her. "I'm sorry Cloud, but you'll die if I don't," she whispered and then touched the lips gently with her own.
Cloud's wrist actually moved around Aeris' as she pulled away from him. She gazed into the empty eyes with tears in her's. Sephiroth waited paitently still smiling as Aeris made her good byes. A tear squeezed from one of the empty blue eyes. Aeris lifted the hand he had grasped and escaped it.
"I'm sorry Cloud. I don't want you to die..." she said tears running down her face. "I love you...." The last part was in a whisper and she stood and turned to the waiting Sephiroth. She walked towards him until she was standing in the light beside him.
Her own silver hair gleamed like a jewel and matched Sephiroth's in color. An evil grin was upon his face and he watched Cloud's empty eyes reach desperatly to regan feeling. He wanted to stop her badly, but his body wouldn't respond. Sephiroth raised his hand to Cloud and then clentched it shut. Cloud dropped his head and his eyes returned to their normal blue, but he still couldn't move. His body was too weak, Sephiroth had drained his strength.
"No.....Aeris....don't...." Cloud said desperatly looking up at them from where he was knelt on the ground.
"You're too late Cloud," Sephiroth laughed and they both began to glow white. "Your Aeirs is coming with me!"
"No!" he manged to yell as they both disappeared from the light, and from the church.
Cloud collasped under his own weakness. He was thrown into a world of blackness for a long time. He felt himself moving and being lifted, but he kept his eyes closed. Cloud was too weak to move, too weak to even spare a glance at who was carrying him. He just letted them take him, whoever they were, and he let himself slip into unconsiousness.