No Wish to be Alone
Chapter 9
AN: This is for all the people
asking me, "What did the Planet do to take Sephy’s
mind away from Jenova? And when will they meet up with AVALANCHE?" Read
on, my friends, and thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Consider this an
interlude. *wark*
*****
Hours later, in the deepest
part of the night, the Planet called her. She woke to find herself held tightly
to the sleeping General's warm body, covered completely by her bedroll.
Credit to
Cetra, child.
So good.
Do you think so? Desperation tinged her thoughts. I
wanted him to understand so badly.
Good, good, his sleep is
peaceful now. Sweet child, loving child, lonely no more.
Yes, she thought, smiling to herself, Lonely
no more.
Happy?
Yes.
Love him?
Sigh. Yes.
Good good
good good right right right so happy. He loves
you. Sweet music
swirled about her, purple and blue and green. Serenity.
Are you sure?
Can feel
it. Good good. Will help you and friends.
I miss them. All of them.
Here soon. Will watch over all.
Dear Friend, I must know,
how did you gain control of his mind? How did you take it from Jenova?
Hesitation
for a heartbeat. Look
Inside.
She turned her vision inward,
to her soul, as the Planet had taught her long ago. She saw them lying in each
other’s arms, both of them dreaming. She looked at herself, seeing only a
mirror image of what was happening now, her bending over her own sleeping form.
A shimmering aura surrounded them both, seeming to be one entity, until she saw
a thread connecting the two separate people. She touched the thread, finding it
surprisingly light and flexible, like a heavy spider’s web.
This I have done. Bonded both of you. You see? A harp-like chord sounded in question. Keeps him away from Not-My-Child. Closer you are, stronger bond is. Farther apart, grows weaker. Must stay together.
It seems so fragile! How do
we strengthen it? Is there a way to keep him safe forever?
A
decrescendo.
Love strengthens. Vow makes permanent. Life-bond. Promise. Oath.
Marriage?!
Indeed. The music rose again, harp scales. Not
such bad fate? Love each other. Will be good. Must talk with him.
She studied him, noticing the
flickering images about his head as he dreamed. Her dream form stepped closer
to try to decipher his thoughts. She realized that all the images were of her. What
is he thinking about? She wondered, moving even closer. Her eyes widened at
the scene before her. She saw herself, eyes glazed with passion, arching her
back, crying out as he moved above her. Another image showed them sitting together
under the willow, she in his lap, kissing him and laughing, holding the lapels
of his coat. Yet another was an actual memory of their kiss in the stream, only
he had…changed it toward the end. She blushed furiously. This is what he
dreams of?
The harp laughed. As before, not such bad fate?
No, but goodness! She surveyed the images again. Is
that what it’s really like, I wonder? She looked again at the first one,
where he had begun biting at her neck and shoulders, grinning as she ran her
hands over his back. Oh, my. Well, I suppose it’s far better for him than
being tormented with those awful visions, isn’t it?
Agreed.
As she turned away, one image
caught her eye. In it, she had been transformed into an angel with wings the
colour of her hair. She was leaning over him, about to kiss him. Ah, so now
he imagines that I'm an angel, hmm? The ideas men get sometimes. She
half-expected the Planet's laugh again, but it was strangely quiet. She got the
impression that it was preoccupied. My Friend?
It seemed to realize she was
talking. Must sleep now, child. Much happens on the
morrow.
She tore her eyes away from
his dreams reluctantly. With great care not to disturb him, she brought her
mind back to semi-wakefulness. As she fell back into true sleep, one thought
remained from her conversation with the Planet.
AVALANCHE was coming.