Promise by Aridea Moons

|Chapter 98|

In a spaceless time where there are no boundaries to death only a limitless field of pro creations casted down. In a floating rock separated by other flat grounds, a raven haired female with black leather clothing stood up on the ground as she turns her head to find herself in an enchanted purple realm. As she looks forward there descended her other evil self and Tifa narrows her eyebrows but she did not want to fight instead she observed her evil self circling around her.
"You fight well but I think your out of practice just a little."
Tifa stood silent
T: "What is this place? It seems magical yet forbidden, could it be another universe?", so she thought suddenly her evil self smiles at this.
"No..this place is you"
Tifa was shocked to see her know her thoughts
"We are inside you, I am you, this is where we connect and become one", she smirks
T: "What?"
"Yes, because we can not die here it is safe"
T: "Why is there no death?"
"You don't like pain or suffering", her eyes began to glow as if she was a snake
T: "No..you're trying to manipulate me", she raised her fists as her evil self smirks at this then raised her hands to the level of her chest as these floating images came in floating around them confusing the brunette. As a memory came into view she widens her eyes to realize they are all her memories.
T: "Are these..mine?"
"Your memories and mine of course..."
T: "Yours?"
"We are the same", her eyes glistened
T: "No, you are an insect another revenant of Sephiroth you just look like me but you are not me"
"I know everything about you"
T: "I dont understand"
"Cloud committed adultery in his heart he loved me and took care of me while you were off playing patient in an underground facility", she pouts mockingly
T: "He found out who you were didn't he?"
"Not quite, you see he didn't believe I was a danger to anyone thats why he left me in Midgar and didn't believe we would have this chat", she chuckles
T: "You're just a virus"
"Oh is that what you think? That I will melt like an evil witch and begone..No, I am not so easy to get rid of. Just like you, you share hatred just the same as Cloud that is why Sephiroth exists so long as you hold onto that hatred we will never die"
T: "Your wrong, I have forgiveness-"
"No, you believed you have forgiven but you haven't let go of it all. There is no forgiveness without letting go, and humans can not do such a thing because it is all the more difficult than anything else in this world"
T: "You sound just like Sephiroth"
"Perhaps but remember I am you just another form of yourself but I am you"
T: "No you can't love, you cant even feel as for Sephiroth he died years ago."
The evil brunette rolls her eyes
"Dont you get it by now Teef, Cloud hates Sephiroth with all of himself so much that he fights the urge to kill him because he knows if he kills him a part of himself will fade away forever and do you know which part he doesn't want to give up?"
The brunette realizes as she looks at the ground
"Thats right, Aerith..he killed Aerith and thats all he thinks about. He believed that he could move on if he just gave into his feelings with you, why else would a man sleep with a woman and never speak to her in a bar?", she raises her eyebrow as she folds her arms
T: "Your lying this is what you do, you manipulate our minds to-"
"To what? Turn against each other? Why would I do that when he's out there fighting his other self?"
T: "Thats not his other self, thats Sephiroth"
"But you just said he died? Right?", she smiles as Tifa widens her eyes, "Cloud refuses to give her up, if he cared enough he would give her up because shes dead and care for you instead"
The brunette lowers her fists gasping under her breathe lowering her eyelids
T: "Thats not true, he-"
"Told you he loved you? If he really cared why wouldn't he let Sephiroth go?"
Tifa stood firm and raised her chin
T: "Because he doesn't know peace, he loves all of us we are his family and he accepts that. He always tries to keep his promises and when he fails-"
"He feels guilty"
T: "Wrong! He tries again, sure he may lie sometimes about where he is but thats because he thinks about us-"
"So you knew he was in the church visiting Aerith? Missing her existence? Holding onto that love that was never his?"
T: "huh"
"You dont know everything Teef, I understand that being faithful is part of loving him but if there is no truth then it is just a lie"
Tifa gulps
"The reason why you feel sick is because its true, you know its true. The Tifa I know who stands tall is the one who knows the truth and not lie to herself over a man"
T: "He's all I have"
"He doesn't think so"
Tifa gasps widening her eyes
"The real reason why he cant let go of her is because he loved her first before he loved you and you can't get over your first love when he dies in front of your eyes"
T: "I-"
"He was your first love wasn't he? He can't get over her because what he remembers was only memories of her, all his other past self died in that string when you crossed paths"
T: "No-"
"Why do you think Aerith tried so hard?"
T: "What?"
"She knew about his feelings for her and she knew she was going to die, theres no other reason why would she try so hard. Think about it if not here are your memories to help you", a bubble comes close to Tifa tempting her to remember
T: "No! I know him-"
"If you knew him you wouldn't say that, you and I both know that"
T: "Cloud tries...to..he..", her voice wavers
"You know its true, he doesn't remember even if you told him about it. He wont remember because he doesn't want to, and you know why? Because the memories with you bring him pain, you are his past"
T: "I am..but he needs me to know who he is"
"Is that so?", she raises an eyebrow, "Would you like to reminisce on these memories ?"
Tifa looks up at her evil self with doubt in her eyes as she is tempted to touch the bubble.