The Man In The Stone

By
DarkBeauty

Please Feel Free to mail any comments about this story to DarkBeauty: [email protected]

On a chilly damp morning, a man stood by the docks. The glimpse of his tallness seemed to block out the sun's intense beams with his own silhouette, which took shape of his built form. The breeze, with its moisture, dishevelled his strands of darkness making them flutter in a placid manner. The cool blueness of his suit enclosed his structure, all the while having a certain composure to his appearance. But his appearance was to be in vain.

In his thoughts, his mind was far from composed. Inside was a madding frenzy of anger and fear. All accusations and possibilities arose like a madding beast that began to take shape. All this was happening while his patience was deteriorating and his peace of mind was waning. All he could think about was to get there on time to see if she was alright. The ship's arrival was warring thin and he was not about to wait another day for another ship while standing there in agony, for if he had to, he would find other means to get to her.

He needed get to his daughter. At that point, nothing mattered more than to get to his only light and love of his world. He had lost some one he cared about once.

And it won't happen again.

He relentlessly looked at his watch and stared back at the serene. Everything was a dimmed quietness that fluttered in the wind. Nothing right then could disturb his thoughts. Though right then, he wished that something did. He couldn't help but think that something morbid happened while she was up on that trip. Something he didn't want to think about at that point and time. For the thought of where her class was enough to make him distrot. This thought briefly rushed though his mind as a not so seen metal claw-like finger bushed one of his strands of hair back. He quickly dismissed the possibility and reasoned that it was just an accident. Probably she just fell while on the trip, maybe minor, he thought. But he had this feeling. This feeling he couldn't quite shake off.

Ever since he, Cloud, and the others left the crater as it was once they defeated Sephiroth, things have been quite fine for awhile. Cloud resided with Tifa in Kalm; Barret went back to his hometown in Corel with his daughter Marlene, who was now about Alana's age; Red XIII, as did Barret, went back to Cosmo Canyon, to take his place as leader. For Cait Sith, who was revelled to actually be Reeve, went back under the Shinra's wing, but only as a spy, just incase...

And as for he,..
After the incident, he had been an ordinary man working in unknown forces. His life never was normal since that involvement with the Shinra. Where he laid to rest for a sin that was unforgiving and treacherous when he didn't stopped the one he loved from making the ultimate mistake. Therefore, he paid the price, and slept within a coffin in a tormented sleep within a deep, dark cavern in a mansion, only to have horrid nightmares that came. Until Cloud and the others came to free him unknowingly. Since then, their fates were mingled in a similar task. To stop Sephiroth.

But that was all said and done now. It had been years. Only a tiny speck in a deep luminosity.

Just a few days after their accomplishment, He found something that would change his life and make it anew.

Alana.

She was decently young when he found her. All huddled around in a group of unknown children and Shinra guards looking on the watch. It seemed back then even though the Shinra were defeated, some of its forces were still operable.
But that didn't matter to him.

Somehow he felt something for that child. Remorse, pity, no. Some sort of ...love. He saw how wide-eyed and scared she was. No doubt possibly of what was going on around her. All the rubble that was left on the ground due to Meteor's assault and all the rest of the big SOLDERS were to make any child at a small, tender age quite frightened.

But soon that would all end for her. Once the Shinra forces were barely back on line, the agency decided to have the children adopted, but for certain ones, they would be kept back at Shinra headquarters. Alana was among those "certain ones"; therefore, he had to fight with the agency for the adoption of his future daughter. What struck him the most is why had they even divided the children; and with that question he purposed to them, they handed over the girl, quite possibly to keep him quiet for what ever reason lied behind their motives.

His only light. He felt that something more happened. And those feelings were eating up inside him. He rescued her once.

And if he had to do it again...

He was still deep within those memories, unaware of the person behind him.

"She'll be alright." Vincent turned leisurely to see the person standing behind him was Cloud.

"How long were you standing there?" Vincent asked.
Could pause and smiled slightly. He could never surprise Vincent. Usually that was his job.

"Long enough." Cloud answered back.

Vincent turned back to his vision and gazed for a bit at the astounding sky.

"You think.... um...maybe your right. Maybe it's not as bad as what I'm thinking right now," Vincent quietly said.

"Did they tell you about her condition?
And how she got injured?" Cloud asked. He turn and looking steadily at him Vincent replied in a rich undertone," They told me she was found unconscious..." He paused for a bit. He wasn't too sure if he should tell Cloud where they found her for he might start to get suspicious just as he was already. But he continued, "near the northern crater. They said she had some bruises and strains, but they were nothing serious. I don't know. Maybe it's the father in me that is worried. I know I shouldn't be."

"It's alright. You're just doing your job," Cloud gave him a kind grin and a pat on the back, "I'm sure Barret would feel the same way if it happened to his daughter." Vincent gave a slight silent chuckle. The thought of Barret and him having something in common made him do this. He remembered a time when he and Barret had no connection what so ever. Until now, when Cloud brought it up. After awhile Cloud's expression took to a serious tone; "You said they found her near the northern crater. You mean they took the class there? Why? Out of all the excavation sites why that particular place? It's not even a site."

Vincent turned to Cloud in amazement, "That's exactly what I've been thinking. When Alana told me where there were going a few weeks ago, I thought, why there? She also said it was for everyone's history project, but...I had this feeling. Something in myself told me that I shouldn't let her go. But since it was for educational purposes. I didn't know what else to do. So I let her. But you know what Cloud, that's not what bothers me...It's something else. Something seems rotten to me, about everything. The school she's in...The Shinra building themselves up again, but I just don't know what. And if it's going to hurt Alana..." Vincent trailed off. He couldn't bear the thought.

"Everything's gotten freaky, Vince, but first off that's why Reeve is with Shinra, to keep an eye on them. And that's also why Tifa and I are living in Kalm near by Midgair. I'm sure if anything strange starts to happen, Reeve will tell us the news. But the thing I do share in concern for is your daughter and the crater incident. And I've have been having a gut renching feeling that something's about to happen. And I don't think it's going to turn out for our benefit.... Vince.... in this case... I just don't think it's your fatherly instincts that are the only thing that's telling you something's wrong." Cloud gave Vincent a grim look of concern. And he knew what it meant. It was the same grim determine look he gave when they were about to face Sephiroth.

"Boat 105, to Icicle Inn. Stop port Bone Village has arrived," the announcer called which woke Vincent and Cloud from their suspicious accusations in mind.

"Well, should we get going?" Could said in a shallow humorous tone. Vincent exchanged in a look of surprise, "I guess. Are you sure you want to come along, Cloud?"

"We have to find out what's going on, and not just with your daughter, let's just hope our hunches are wrong."

Vincent stared as he watched Cloud make his first move to the docks to aboard the boat.
Then Vincent followed

"Yes. Let's."

****

A blaze and a shadow. A man and his trustworthy blade. Full of angst and enragement.
Only to find the meaning of his fate.

Mother...I have come for you. I have a wonderful idea, mother, lets take back what's rightfully ours.

Mother?

We can destroy those insignificant creatures. Mother, Help me become God. Let's go reclaim the Promise land.

Uh?

Promise Land?

Echoes of voices invade my mind. I see a scene of long ago. He was there.

Give back my town, my friends, MY MOM!!!

Agh! I cannot be beaten now!

My visions were clouded and jumbled in a deep chaotic mix of pictures, but then they stabilised and slowly merged back within its clearness. I found myself watching the scene. And what came to my thinking was how strange it was that this vision was different from others I previously had. It was more like a.... glimpse from something that happened before. I wasn't sure.

Watch and learn, Alana. This may come to be useful to you in the future. I was astounded. She spoke again, after her short-lived silence.

Who are you? Why won't you tell me who you are? And why are you doing this to me? I plead to her for an answer. I was responded in silence, and without much hesitance, I obeyed her wish. The scene started to commence.

The man was walking towards an exit and beneath his feet was a steady rail, which guided him back to where he supposedly came. He was holding something in his hand, something that resembled...like. a...head. Then the next thing I envisioned was a morbid act, a young man came running, enraged and in pain for some losses that I previously heard. Somehow that blond boy looked familiar.

That contemplation was diminished as the man in my visions took his mighty blade of blood and mauled it into him. The sight of steel meeting flesh was so eminent. As I saw this, I expected the boy to fall limp, just as the young women did in an earlier vision. To my astonishment, the boy, with all his desperation and anguish, held on to the man's blade with all he had.

It seemed like The Man was in sudden shock himself.

And along with his feelings, I was even more alarmed when this young boy; with all his strength in the world and with the motives he had, pulled the man's sword and knocked him into what seemed to be a green abyss below. The colour was the astounding green, just as I saw when I was at the crater. And the colour that the man Sephiroth was enclosed in.

I saw his plea with only a deaf response.

Suddenly a flash of light gracefully engulfed my vision, and I suddenly felt like l was flying, no...no I wasn't flying... I was falling.

Falling towards the jade like liquid that was about to meet with me.

I will have my revenge.

His voice came.

I will at last take back what was mine all along.

I tried to close my eyes. But my vision self kept them opened.

I need your help.

I want to wake.
We all need your help

Her?

We will become one.

Somebody please.

You will be....

I want to wake up.

Please help us all, Alana.

...uh...

My..

Help me. Make it stop!!

Help us.... before it's too late.

...what?!

Ultimate...

No!!

You have the key.... the key to mend our biggest error.

Key.

Stop!!!!!

~*~

I had awoken in a dreary fashion. Unfocused and blurred my eyes were, that I was blind to my surroundings. I didn't know what my body was laying on. It felt cold and hard, more like a floor. It took only a few short minutes to realise that it was a floor that I was laying on. I gradually pulled myself up hissing in response to my body that was sore.

My wounds haven't healed yet, but I forced my self up; at least in a sitting position. I tried to focus on what I could remember last in mixed with the visions and on where I was. It wasn't that easy. All of them came at once. I tried to think but my head wasn't working correctly. I had a headache. All those visions. They were real. And her. She was trying to warn me of something. She was asking for help. To help everyone.

From what?

And how?
And she said those visions were to come useful to me.

I didn't understand what was going on.
Right then, I wish I hadn't went to that mountain. If I'd known it would bring all this baring that was laid upon me. As my sight got better and the grogginess cleared, I observed the environs in which I sat in.

It was an old library of some sort with many old books. The atmosphere was dark and only the radiance of candles gave the place a certain illumination to it. It looked as if the place hadn't been used for a long time. I looked to my left and I saw a table with many papers in a muddle and what looked like some type of medical equipment; and across from the table, there where large cylinder tubes, which were enough in size to fit a human being.

I definitely had no idea where I was, that I was sure of.

My eyes continued to wonder around the area while trying to adjust in the within the semi darkness. Till they spotted a little hall that led to a confined office surrounded with more books. I felt a frozen draft from the hall, which made my sore body shiver from its contents. I made my eyes focus in the direction that the draft came from. A desk with books that were stack upon stack and a chandelier that held more candles upon its self.

I keep staring in the direction; hypnotised by the glow of the small flame. So mush it looked like the flames in my visions. It had an eerie beauty that captivated me. Ether that or I was still weak from my pervious venture.

A movement in the shadows of the room disturbed the hypnotism that was upon me. It shone a slome figure that was among the casted shadows that the candles flames created. It startled me a bit, but I kept my sight in a strait position.

In just a few moments, the lining shape of the stature started to show in the gleam. And for a moment it didn't occur to me on who it was, until the stature came slightly closer to the glow. And then I saw him.

Sephiroth.

His face was in a grim look of determination while trying to absorb some of the contents that filled the book that he was apparently holding. The eeriness of the little flames glow made this observation more of a compliment as he paced slightly, letting his clock fly into a steady motion, leaving strains of delicate blackness behind, and not giving any notice that I was awake. Until he was disturbed by the ruffling and tumbling of books that fell with in the study.

That's when he took notice.

He paused and turned slightly, untroubled. With his calm blue-green like spheres, he turned and gazed at what had interrupted him and he then looked up and over to my direction. Another one of his vice-like smiles plagued his face. He paused and put the book down on the desk that was already overflowing with them, and he only took a few steps toward my location. He looked at me quizitively, as if he was meditating on something, still with his baleful grin.

There was only a few seconds of silence. Until he spoke with the familiar soft tone I had heard in the hospital bedroom.

"I see you've woken up, I was beginning to think you were dead," he chuckled within his soft tone, "How was your.... nap?"

I was for at a pasting for some words, so I only said what was on my mind right then.
"Where am I?"

His chuckle began to turn in to a silent laughter. He paused again and cocked his head a little to the side, keeping it in its stance.

"The beginning," he paused and began to say in a slow monotone voice, "This is where it all began, this is where I found out the truth about myself and where my purpose was reborn, and what lied ahead for me..." he trailed off. He seemed to be troubled by something at that moment.

I had no perception on what he was saying, but something in side my inner most parts told me to listen intently to what he had to say. I was waiting for more of his words, but that dreaded silence returned. So I decided to speak up.

" Please, Tell me.... Sephiroth...what all of this is about." I said. I was hesitant on saying his name for some reason. He gave a cold, uncertain glare. I began to eat my words but I pushed on to continue. I needed to know what was going on. I needed to know more about the reason of why all this was happening to me and in my certainty, he may know. The visions, her voice; they were all leading to something. "Why did you bring me here to this place?"

He kept his steady glare directly towards me as he shifted slightly. "As I said before, you will become quite useful to me, and why we are here is none of your concern."

My anger slightly arouse by that remark. I tried to stand up, but my body was still in a weakened state. But I didn't care. I made it move. And over my hunched, limp self; I grab the table for support. Somehow I felt better when stood up, and I was regaining my strength back.

"Listen, please," I sternly pleaded, "You took me...no...kidnapped me from the hospital, knowing in mind that my father may come and be franticly worried and then you tell me that I am.... that I'm...of some importance to you, and I don't even know what is going on. So If I am of so importance to you, I ask you.... no...I DEMAND...to know what all of this is about. And..." but for I could put another word into him, he held his hand up, ordering me to keep my silence. Then he gracefully put it down and stood quietly for a matter of minutes, possibly just to contemplate on what I had just thrown at him. Then he regained his demeanour to speak.

He laughed slightly and in his steady monotone voice he said, "Very well, I'll only tell you this. In this place, I am trying to find something I might have missed; something that could've been of genuine value to me, while I was on my conquest."

"Genuine value? Like what?" I asked.

His stare became a glareful one, not because I asked a question. He looked more meditative, trying to contemplate. He gloved fingers slightly coved over his chin, more of a thinking stance and then he spoke, "The value I'm finding is something that I've seen before in one of these books. But I pasted it by with no concern in my part. Ha now it's funny, I'm back here again...to find out more...." He trailed off. Only leaving my with a brief answer and a chuckle.

"What is it you're looking for? I can help," I said, trying to be friendly as possible. There was no way in my mind I'd want to offend this man. I've been having to many things to deal with and I didn't want to deal with his bad side. He turned, along with is massive coat that followed him, and gave me an evil eye. And with his cool voice,

"I need no help from you, just stay put," he scowled, "I've answer your question and now let me be."

I was about to complain in a remark but I decided to let it go. How could he not tell me anything more? I thought angrily, the nerve of the man.

Let it go for now, Alana.

Uh! You!

I'll tell you who I am later, but for now, let Sephiroth find what he is looking for. And I'll explain things to you in due time.

I was astounded. She can talk to me even when I'm awake?! I couldn't believe what was going on at the moment. Drenched in my confusion, I looked to see if he heard me, burst out of nowhere.
He didn't. He resumed back to what he has previously done before. I saw him take one of the books off the shelves, and begin to open and read what was available within its cover. His silver bangs covering his eyes, which were focused and determined to find this "Genuine value" that he so-called clamed to me.

I smiled at this and I didn't know why. Maybe it was the way he looked, handsome in his feature, thought there were cold, or maybe...

I was finally going to get the answer to my question.

Whether he liked it or not.

****

"What do you mean she's missing!" Vincent lashed out. Though he was not the type. But in this instance he was. They had gotten there within two hours, only to find that their suspicions were half correct. At least Vincent's.

"Please, Mr. Valentine, let me explain," Mr. Wills pleaded. He was already sweating from the nervousness that was engulfing him, "We're doing all we can. We tried to contact you before you left today, but they stated you had already gone."

"How could this happen, how could you let this happen?" Vincent exclaimed, while Cloud, who was sitting next to him, watched as Vincent was eating the man alive.

"Vince," Cloud started calmly, "Let the guy explain." Vincent turned to his companion who had a macabre look on his face. Vincent nodded, took a deep sigh to regain his composure, and sat back in his chair. He licked his lips in anticipation, only to expect the worse.

Mr. Wills did the same and continued.

"Mr. Valentine, when we found your daughter injured, we had brought her to one of the hospitals here. I had a discussion with her and left her in the room for the night and I expelled her from the remainder of the expedition. When the nurse went to check up on her, she was nowhere to be found. At first I assumed she had sunk out, so I sent along a crew to find her, but they came up with nothing, and then...." A buzz on the desk intercom interrupted Mr. Wills's explanation and he reluctantly answered the incoming call.

"Yes" he replied with an answer.

"Mr. Wills, your appointment is here," the receptionist replied.

A sigh of relief washed over him. "Yes, send him and the other's in" He turned to Vincent and Cloud with a light grin on his respite on his face.

"Now, finally all your worries will be put to rest Mr. Valentine, I have called the head board of operations and the Principle and Science officer Mr. Gothen."

"Not all of them will be put to rest," Vincent mumbled silently under his breath. Cloud turned to the whisper that he caught. And he silently agreed.

It was only a few minutes, until the door opened.

Vincent and Cloud turned in unison with Mr. Wills, only to find themselves staring at Reeve.

Reeve acknowledged his wide-eyed companions with a finger to his lips. He obviously didn't want to be found out. And this situation must have been important enough for him to be here. In less than a minute or so two other officers came and with that they waited for another figure in the hall come within the rooms' presence

And it did.

The figure took to a tall form. Skin pale and his hair took to a dark, long feature. He was wearing a dark uniform around his semi-built frame. His eyes were cold and dark. Deadness seemed to plague his eyes, while steady frame glasses conjured his face.

He walked forward, steadily and composes in a gothic manner.

The kindred spirit that both Cloud and Vincent had seemed to tell them that there was something odd about this man. Something they didn't like.

And Cloud assumed that this was why Reeve decided to come on this discussion.

"Oh. Mr. Gothen. I'm so glad you're here please sit down," Mr. Wills gestured for Gothen to take a seat.

He snarled a bit and took the offer.

Mr. Wills, uncomforted by his gesture, continued.

"I was just telling Mr. Valentine about his daughter and that we're doing all we ca..." The stop language of a hand that Gothen held up stopped Mr. Will short.
"To get to this point that we are running around with, to start off, your daughter did not escape; but rather, she was kidnapped."

Vincent felt a knife plunged into his heart at almost no rate at all. But he maintained his calmness as he had done before in the past.

Cloud comforted his friend with a pat on the back, and Reeve had a slight show of concern on his face, but compressed just to listen more on what this mysterious character had to spill.

"There was slight evidence of the intrusion, not much was found though," Mr. Wills regretfully stated.

"On that same day however," Gothen resumed, " when your daughter was found, there had been some suspicious activity roaming around the site I have just ordered. And the evidence found, just as Mr. Wills has stated, were only abbreviated foot prints."

A pause came and a voice broke it.

"That's all. Footprints. That's all you've found of this "intruder", Cloud said in a sarcastic tone.

Gothen gave an eerie smile at this. Which made his black shot eyes even more darker, "Footprints which came from the snowy crater to the destination Alana was kidnapped," he paused a minute, to give thought and then continued, "And the funny thing is, no body saw the kidnapper. And what lead next to the footprints was.... some sort of imprint that a weapon may have been dragged."

Vincent and Cloud's heart stopped all at once. It was a dreaded nightmare that had come true.

"Mr.." Vincent started, "Was that all you found? I'm sure there must have been something else."

"Only the footprints and some debris, it seems like there also was an explosion. Quite possibly what caused some of you daughter's injuries."

No it couldn't be, Cloud thought, but we just....

Silence, for a few seconds filled the room, until the dark character's voice disturbed everyone's thoughts.

"Mr. Wills, I want you to call of the expedition and return the class back to the Junion Academy," he ordered.

"But Mr. Gothen.." Mr. Will replied in shock, but Gothen did not give him time to speak. He turned to the two officers, "And the two of you go inform our special forces in Midgar to go and find the girl." "Yes sir!" was their reply and went to do what was ordered of them.

"And as for you Reeve continue on the watch for me."

"Yes sir," Reeve replied as he saw the man he took orders from regain stance. All who were in the room watched walk to the door, and before he was about to leave he turned to the response to Mr. Wills's voice.

"Mr. Gothen, won't you be staying with us?"

He turned slightly.
"No," he replied in a dark tone, "I have, how should I say, other business to take care of." He chuckled a bit, "And Mr. Wills, don't quibble." As soon as those words left his mouth, his gloomy presence left the room, leaving a dreaded silence behind for everyone who was in the room to bath in.

Reeve walked up to Cloud and Vincent, who were still in somewhat an appalled state.

"Guys, we have to talk now," he said awaking them up from their form transition.

They both keenly agreed, and excused themselves from Mr. Wills's headquarters' which Mr. Wills himself gladly abided.

"Go on take all the time you need, I'm sure this must be hard for you," he said.

"Sorry about he exhibition," Vincent added.

"Oh well, it's not my exhibition, it's Mr. Gothen's," he replied, "He's the one who ordered it all."

"Gothen," Vincent's eyes narrowed at this, while trying to imprint the name in his memory for future use, and then left the room.

~*~

Vincent caught up with Cloud and Reeve, who were already waiting for him.

"Good, since we're here, I would mind saying what's been going on in the past few month with this academy and the Shinra, but first Cloud, I'd suggest you'd gather the others for later on," Reeve started.

"It's that bad isn't it," Cloud said within a dreaded tone.

Reeve slightly bent his head down and nodded, and raise it up.

"All I have to say is this, besides the suspicion that you, Vince, and I have about the crater, what disturbs me more is that guy we just talked to, I think he is planning something. And I doubt it is for the academy's own good and I also think that there is a Shinra related base behind this."

"My sediments exactly," Vincent started, and then in soft grooving tone, "Alana....I shouldn't let Alana go."

Reeve turned to him and gave the best reassuring look to him as he possibly could, "Don't worry, Vince, we'll get Alana back."

"..."

"Ah...Vince's old line," Reeve jokingly said, trying to shake of the morbid atmosphere that surrounded them.

"We have to act and fast," Cloud stated, "I have a feeling we don't have much time, and Reeve, I think you better get back to Midgar just as that man Gothen told you, you don't want anybody getting suspicious on you and you can afford to get caught."

"Right, I'll see you soon, should we meet at Vincent's place?" Reeve questioned.

"The city of Monet?" Vincent asked in response.

"Why not, it's quite and less conspicuous, if we go to Kalm, the Shinra may notice a bit more than when we meet in Monet," Cloud finished off.

Vincent could see this point that Cloud brought up. They need to find out all the disturbances that were surrounding them, ever since there last quest was accomplished.

"Very well," he replied.

"Good, then I'll be off," Reeve said and meant his word while turning and walking toward the halls exit leaving Cloud and Vincent alone with the empty echoes of the ways.

"Cloud...If I'm thinking what your are thinking, let's just hope that it is a mistake on what just happened at the crater," Vincent said, while only knowingly with a grim fact that his statement would only prove to be false, just as the others have proven.
"I have the same hope as well," Cloud answered.

And both went back into Mr. Wills's office, to reclaim to return home.

To be continued . . .