Chaos Cursed

“Seraphina?” The voice was quiet, coming from the shadows of the park in Midgar. Due to her decreasing condition, Sephiroth had moved the sisters to Midgar in order to keep her near the best medical centers in the world - just in case, he said. Seraphina turned to the young woman, managing a weak smile as she gestured to the empty swing beside her.

“Hello, Aerith.” She had met the woman when Sephiroth had sent her to look for Zack - she had found him with this young lady, and after she had sent him back, she’d suffered another fainting spell. Aerith had been with her still, and had helped her back to the apartment Sephiroth had acquired - one that she still shared with her siblings and Angeal. Sephiroth had owned the apartment for a few years, and as though she had known it already, Seraphina had gone, not to the room Sephiroth had prepared for the sisters, but instead to the one that had once belonged to Genesis.

“How are you?” She questioned, moving to sit in the swing next to the woman who had, in such a short time, become a very dear friend to her. Aerith noticed more than the others had as of yet. She could see how hard Seraphina was fighting to stay alive - she also saw that her friend was fighting a losing battle.

“I’m alright, really.” A smile, more forced this time, though Aerith saw the tension of her hands on the chains of the swing, as though grasping that was all that kept her from screaming in agony. Her eyes showed so much - the near constant state of pain she was in, the weariness that truly was constant. A soft sigh from beside her made Seraphina glance over to see that Aerith was shaking her head.

“How much longer can you keep this up, Seraphina…? Even you have a breaking point, you know…” Her eyes held tears within them, tears of pain that her dear friend would not allow herself to shed. She felt her friend’s pain, she felt her sorrow. “…we don’t know if he will be found…you need to take care of yourself, or you’ll be dead if he ever does return…”

“I know, Aerith. But…I need to keep fighting. Just a little longer.”

“Zack told me you’re sending Sanura with your brother and Angeal…” Aerith whispered, gaze falling to the pebbles their feet rested upon. “…how will you…take care of yourself?”

“I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Come stay with me, Seraphina. Please. Sanura has already begged me to at least help you when you get so weak…If you came to stay with my mother and I, it would be so much easier for you…” Pleading gaze shifted to meet a set of nearly apathetic dual-colored eyes, and as she realized that the answer would soon come in the negative, she got to her feet. “Seraphina, you’re always stronger when I’m with you. Surely it would help -”

“That’s exactly why I cannot, Aerith.” A sad smile passing into her eyes, she got to her feet, shaking her head. “Don’t you understand, Aerith? If I stay around you too long…you will become weaker. I’ll drain the life from you…I need to go help them prepare.”

“Seraphina! Who is going to help you? You can’t…you can’t last long alone!” Aerith followed after her friend as she began to walk away, reaching out to grab her arm. “Please, Seraphina. You need help, we both know this…if you won’t find someone to help you…I’ll tell your siblings how severe your weakness has become. You know I will.”

“…Aerith…” She knew the woman was true to her word - the promise she had made to keep silent on the subject would not bind her if it was a danger to Seraphina. A soft sigh, glancing back to her best friend, someone who was closer to her twin, in some ways, than Seraphina herself. “I’ve arranged things already…Tseng has agreed…to help me. Once the others are gone…truly gone…I’ll be placed in one of Midgar’s finest hospitals. Tseng and another Turk, Rude, will be keeping watch over me…so that…if my condition worsens…they can send word.”

“…thank you, Seraphina…I…” A faint sigh. “I won’t visit you so often that you will worry about me and feel guilty for weakening me, as you seem to believe you will…but I will come see you often. I promise.”

“I know, Aerith…” The smile she gave her friend now was almost unblemished by the pain that wracked her body, the two heading back to the apartment together, where they found Zack watching in amusement as Sanura threw clothes into a suitcase - Sephiroth staring in utter horror as he saw the vast number of slinky camisoles and too cute boy shorts that were among Sanura’s normal clothing. The sight brought giggles from both Seraphina and Aerith, and as Zack heard Aerith’s voice, he turned with a grin to pull her into his arms.

“Hey…” His voice was quiet, and as Seraphina made to slide away from the warm, fuzzy, loving moment that made her heart ache for the man she had grown to love, it was brutally shattered by Angeal’s yelp. Sephiroth was dragging him into the room to point in fury at the suitcase.

“…bloody hell.” Seraphina’s voice was weak, and the moment that would have exploded into violence ended as Sephiroth dropped his friend roughly to the floor in favor of diving across the room to catch his fainting sister.

“Seraphina?!” Sanura’s voice was the first to draw her from the darkness that had swallowed her mind, and as her eyes blinked open, it was to find herself on the couch. A few moments of disorientation at the move kept her from realizing the entire group, plus one, was around her.

“Oh…hey Tseng.” Seraphina whispered, pushing herself up to sit with a wince. “I see you’re here to escort me to see these pains in the ass off.”

“…yes.” The response was curt, the worry plain in his gaze as he held out a hand to help her to her feet, her arm sliding through his to take the carefully hidden support of her full weight. The others had realized that there was a bond between Tseng and Seraphina, one which was nearly as strong as the bond that held Seraphina with Sanura, if not stronger. His gaze slid to her, eyes giving a meaning into his next statement more than what her siblings or Zack would understand. “Is everyone packed?”

“Yes…Sanura just finished.” Seraphina answered - the bags were gathered by a large, silent man who Tseng introduced to the others as Rude, who stayed at the apartment with Seraphina’s key after putting the bags in the trunk of a car.

Soon enough, they were standing at the helipad at ShinRa headquarters, though Aerith had chosen not to join them, returning to her home after a few moments alone with Zack. As Seraphina gave her siblings hugs goodbye, Tseng stood silently to the side. Only when the helicopter was out of sight did he return to Seraphina’s side, once again the support to help her walk.

“Are you ready to go, Seraphina?” He questioned softly, looking carefully away as she wiped tears from her eyes. Only when he felt her start to move did he look to her again, escorting her carefully back to the car. He alone had been told how each step, of late, filled her with a pain akin to being burned alive from the inside out. He alone knew how difficult it had become for her to eat, or drink, or even sleep - he alone knew she was slowly dying.

“I need to rest, Tseng…” She whispered, as the car pulled up to the entrance of the hospital. By this point, it was nearly midnight, as they had planned. Seraphina had not wanted anyone to learn of her hospitalization, for fear that the news would get back to her siblings and distract them from their mission.

“I know…We prepared for it. Your bags are already in the room - the staff have been sworn to silence…” He informed her, as he opened her doorway, then stepped back to allow Rude to lift her carefully from the vehicle and place her into the wheelchair he had brought out for her. As Rude wheeled her into the building, Tseng walked just beside her. Her hand reached out, grasping his and clinging to it a moment as she looked up to him with tears in her eyes.

“…please don’t tell them…please, Tseng, don’t tell them anything until…it’s necessary.” She pleaded. As they paused in the elevator to travel to her floor - the very highest floor - he glanced down to her, and nodded slowly.

“As long as you are conscious…I will not tell anyone.” He promised her. The absence of nurses or doctors of any kind had drawn her notice by this point, looking to him in confusion. Tseng chuckled softly, nodding. “We sent them away from this part of the hospital until we get you settled. They have been informed that no one is to disturb you without my permission.”

“…thank you, Tseng.” She whispered. As they entered the supremely clean, white, sterile room that was now hers, and Rude locked the wheels of the chair to lift her to the bed, she looked to him. “And you, Rude…thank you.”

“…It’s not necessary.” He told her quietly, as he carefully laid her down on the bed, and pulled the blankets up over her. “…rest. Just rest, now. We will watch over you.”

“Oh…Tseng…let the staff know that Aerith is allowed in…please…” She whispered, slowly closing her eyes.

“I will, Seraphina.” The response was nearly silent - as his phone vibrated in his pocket, he frowned, pulling it out to answer it. A glance to Rude, and the man saw his superior was mildly irritated by the interruption. “Rude…the boss needs me to return.”

“I’ll be waiting here.” He informed him, pushing the wheelchair into a corner off to the side, and beginning to unpack the suitcase Seraphina had packed for this trip. He noticed that she had packed only her most comfortable clothes - skirts, cloth pants, and light blouses. The realization that her usual clothing caused her pain even to wear made his fists clench slightly, though he was careful not to damage anything as he silently placed the clothing in the dresser across the room. Tseng left after a last glance to the woman sleeping so peacefully on the bed, closing the door carefully behind him. Only when the door closed did Seraphina open her eyes to look to Rude.

“…open the blinds, please, Rude…I want to see the sky…” He nodded silently, walking away from the suitcase to pull open the blinds. The stars were hidden, being in the city as they were, but the sight of the sky seemed to ease her, as her eyes drifted closed once more.

Rude finished unpacking her clothing and toiletries, though a small part of his mind wondered sadly how long she would be able to keep up the appearances of a healthy life. It had taken them days to convince her to come to the hospital, and though he understood why she had fought so hard against the idea, it pained him to know even this would do no good.

In the bottom of the suitcase, he found two pictures, framed by very simple black picture frames - as he lifted the first out, he saw a picture of Seraphina, Sanura, Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal, Seraphina and Sanura leaning happily against the ones they loved, while Sephiroth loomed behind them as though threatening anyone who dared to tarnish that joy. Rude couldn’t help the faint smile as he set the picture on the bedside table where Seraphina would see it when she woke. It was the second photograph that made him pause, heart aching as he realized that her family, in her mind, was not contained in that single picture. This was a photograph taken on the cliff above Junon, the three sitting in the grass, Seraphina leaning against them both, all three having to lean back so she could take the picture. It was at an odd angle because of this fact, but all that struck him was the fact that she was laughing so happily - yet he could now plainly see the pain in her eyes.

As he placed the picture beside the other on her bedside table, he glanced over to her, noticing the way her brow furrowed. Even in sleep, the pain did not cease. This was even more painful than the memories, as he drew up one of the chairs to sit and watch over the one who he had come to care for as though she were family.

“…if I could take your pain, little sister, I would…”