Haru had walked out. If I wasn’t so in tune with her emotion, I would’ve been furious. She could be my only hope, but she had run off. She was, however, totally distraught, and I couldn’t blame her. She’d been under a lot of pressure lately, and Kairi turning up, then disappearing, totally screwed her up inside. I really felt sorry for her… on the other hand, now what could I do?
I didn’t really have any choice, I couldn’t do anything. Riku piped up; “I’ll go look for her…” and ran out. Zexion lay by my side. “My love… I know you can hear me, understand my words… I don’t think I’m a mage, though I’ve never tried, but… I could try and use Holy?” I laughed (in my head, of course. Don’t be silly). Zexion, trying Holy? I meant no offence, but if it worked I’d be thoroughly surprised. “Here goes…” Wait, what? He was actually going to do it! He placed his hands, clasped, on my chest. I felt a shiver run down my spine (though of course, it didn’t happen) and he closed his eyes. “Holy.” He said calmly, and I lay there apprehensively. Ermm, hello? Anything happening? Seconds later, white light burst from his fingertips, totally engulfing me. I cried out, and then my ears registered the sound. I’d spoke! Zexion grabbed hold of me, ran his fingers through my hair as he sobbed into my shoulder. “I thought I’d lost you forever…” I began to cry as well, hugging him tightly. I didn’t say a word. I didn’t need to.
I don’t know how long I lay in the pavement, crying. I only know that eventually, someone came splashing down the road playfully. A pair of spiky, black boots stopped in front of me, and Misa’s face appeared in the gloom, peering down at me. “Are you okay?” she asked brightly. I couldn’t say anything, just stared up at her. Maybe she understood from that that I wanted to be left alone, because she straightened up and ran in the direction of her house, humming a dark tune.
I was alone again. That suited me just fine. I felt like I could just sit there forever, until I melted into the pavement, and never had to think, never had to feel, never had to talk ever again. The rain had not lightened up, and thunder was crashing down every two minutes. I had never been scared of thunder and lightening, though. I actually quite liked it; liked watching the flash of light stretch out over the sky and then suck back in again, all in a split second.
Eventually my tears petered out. I had nothing left to cry with. I was soaked through, but I couldn’t feel it anymore. Nor could I feel the cold that I knew I should. But I wasn’t worried. If I caught pneumonia and died then, well, so be it. I lay down on my back now, staring up into the inky sky, and started to count the times the thunder and lightening crashed down. One, two, three, four…
I can’t even begin to imagine how awkward Misa must have felt walking into her house to find me and Zexion hugging, crying together. “Wow… what is it these days? Everyone seems to be crying…” she said emotionlessly as she walked playfully upstairs. I smiled a little. “Oh Misa, always trying to lighten the mood…” Zexion pulled out of the hug and looked back at me. “You know, I don’t think she actually meant anything by that… but what about Haru?”
I swallowed hard. Haru! Where was she? Why hadn’t Riku come back with her? Surely it had been twenty, thirty minutes? And then it hit me again. I had to make the biggest decision I’d ever made. If the Aeons returned, finding me not on the Clock Tower rooftop, and looked around, they’d have thought that I was Sephiroth. What did they have to go on? “Look for a man who looks exactly like me…” I repeated, and stood up, before sitting back down. I looked at Zexion, and he nodded. “I have to do it.” He nodded again. I rushed out the door, knowing full well that if anything went wrong, or I wasn’t fast enough, me or Haru, or both of us could die. “Haru! Where are you?”
One hundred and twenty four, one hundred and twenty five, one hundred and twenty…what? A pale face appeared above me in the dark sky. I giggled slightly; it looked like they had no body. “Haru,” they whispered. I was confused, and sat up, pushing back my dripping wet hair. I didn’t say anything, just looked at them. “Haru,” he repeated. I stood up now, wincing as I put weight on my injured wrist, forgetting it once again. He was looking at me closely, as though searching through my thoughts, and I took a step back. “Haru, it’s me, Gildas. You can’t have forgotten?” I heard the note of panic in his voice, but still didn’t speak. Thunder ripped through the still night again, and I turned my head to see the lightening illuminate the town’s skyline.
“Haru!” It was another man’s voice, and I rolled my eyes and turned back to see Riku standing by Gildas. Neither of them was even slightly wet; so why was I so soaked? They really hadn’t cared enough to come straight away? Although, I couldn’t blame either of them – I had run away from the responsibility of helping Gildas. I shoved my hands into my pockets, and ambled aimlessly down the road. I just strolled away from them both, humming tunelessly and ignoring the two people stood behind me, shouting and waving their arms.
What was she doing? I’d looked everywhere for her, finding a lost-looking Riku in the process, and after we finally find her counting (lightning strikes?) she just walks off! Doesn’t she know the danger I’m in, and now her as well, for being near me? Darn it, Haru! I ran after her, jumping in front and walking backwards as I tried to get her attention. “Haru? Can you even hear me? It’s me, I’m alright, you didn’t need to-“ I stopped mid-sentence. Haru had shot a lightning bolt my way, throwing me against a nearby building. As I stood up, my leg jarred, and I had to hobble after her.
Riku stayed by her side, trying to gain her attention. He shook her several times as he walked, but she just acted as if he wasn’t there. Then he did something very brave, and very caring. Even after seeing what she had done to me, he jumped in front of her, pulling her into a hug. She just carried on walking, and he nearly fell over as she ignored him completely. “Damnit Haru, don’t make me do this!” He cried as they walked, me limping after. Then I saw him do the bravest thing that he could have. He slapped her. Tears welled up in his eyes. He didn’t ask for an apology, just stood there, nearly crying as Haru stopped walking. I heard a crackling sound, and Haru moved around Riku and continued to walk away. Riku didn’t follow. How could he, when he had been encased in ice?
