Chapter: 8, Perfect
Summary: Rayne finds evidence of having been created in a similar way as the other projects within the JENOVA project and sets out for answers, finding more than she had bargained for before the day is out.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the main character, Rayne. Final Fantasy is a product of Square Enix, while Kingdom Hearts is a joint production of Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios (Buena Vista Games.)

“Are you sure... you want to do this?” Rude questioned as he hovered the chopper over the plains just outside of Kalm. Rayne smiled, thankful for his concern. For a man of so few words, it meant a lot that he would voice his worry to her, let alone take time out of his day to take her here.

She'd been avoiding Reno ever since the incident with Cloud and Tifa.

“I'll be alright. After all, I can just call you when I'm ready, right?” She smiled, looking back at him. He nodded, bringing the chopper down low enough for her to hop out, the wind expelled from the quickly rotating blades blowing her chestnut hair wildly to the point where she had to actually hold it down as to not catch it in them. “Thanks again, Rude.”

“Mhm.”

The helicopter rose back into the sky, heading off towards Edge once more as she was left to gaze upon the grey cobblestone streets of Kalm. She felt very out of her element, wearing the light faded blue jeans and long sleeved purple shirt. Rather than hide her ears within a hood, she wore her silken hair down along her shoulders, bangs just barely gracing her thin eyebrows. Her ears hid some, just the points sticking out from within her hair, leaving the Mako-induced glow of her sea green eyes the only thing left to separate her from the crowd.

Her sneakers made little sound as she made her way through the stone town, looking into her cell phone for the address she'd saved earlier. Since they had returned from their last mission over a week ago, since the reaction she'd gotten from touching Cloud, she had retreated within the Research and Development Department, reading file after file that had been kept on her, on the JENOVA Project, on her host parents.

Nevermind the fact the no cellular phone rule had given her a reason to avoid Reno.

As of late, things had become more complicated when here was near. Her thoughts were a little more clouded, and she found herself running different “what if” scenarios through her mind. There were many things, some silly, some a little more emotionally... involved. The feelings were all too reminiscent of the days she had spent with Axel and so she distanced herself. If there were a time and place for such things, it had to be later.

For now, a part of her begged for proof that she had been something other than an experiment before, something more meaningful than a monster born of science. If she could have proof, just one little thing that noted that she had come from something other than cells bred within a test tube, she could put her soul to rest.

Unlike Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis... she'd lived her entire life the experiment and monster. She'd lived knowing she was different because she was created for science, her existence was not her own to do as she willed. They had been raised special, but human first, monsters later. The transition of human to fiend was one more mentally devastating than a road to reverse the process.

Of course, Rayne knew this mission of hers would bring no changes to what she was, but for her, it was a matter of who she was. She needed that reassurance that there was something that changed her, something to blame, something that said she had the right to be.

A Nobody doesn't have the right to know... nor does it have the right to be.

Those words had echoed in her mind often as of late, the words DiZ had explained to her when she had expressed her grief of Axel's passing, and his insistence that he couldn't love her, and that he was sorry. Back then, she had connected with him on another page, outside of friendship and petty attractions. They were both existing in a World within odds where they shouldn't have existed at all. They were there of special circumstances, leaving them a little less human than those around them, leaving them to ridicule from the ones who didn't understand what it was like.

Sure, he lacked what was needed for the basis of feelings and emotion, but that didn't make him any less of a person. If she could have just let him know that. No... there wasn't anything you could do there, but lie. You, however, have a chance.

Rayne looked up, glancing at the stone houses, their midnight blue rooftops some complete with chimneys. Each looked quaint and friendly, inviting even as she—an outsider—looked in on them. She looked down at her phone again, scrolling through the menus to bring up a picture of a young blonde woman with emerald green eyes that seemed to sparkle with the riches of the world despite the meager clothing she wore. It was a picture that had come up in the databanks along with an address and the name “Sephyria.”

Her host mother.

From what she understood, the woman had offered her body to the science department in exchange for a ticket out of the slums. It was what many people who lived under the plate dreamed of, and the money they paid for the experiment on her unborn child was enough to get her a place in quiet Kalm after she had the child.

The notion that she was given up so easily didn't bother Rayne, for she understood it well. It was common survival of the fittest, basic human instinct. Life was one big race to live, as comfortably as one could manage, to be the best of the best, and then die and leave a legacy. Naturally, it was common sense that sacrifices may need to be made.

Like giving up a child to science.

So lost in her thought, Rayne almost didn't see the elderly woman until she stumbled into her, knocking her groceries onto the ground. “Oh! E-excuse me! I'm sorry. I wasn't paying any attention!” She quickly apologized as she bent down to begin picking up the mess. The lady bent down as well, checking the produce as she put it back away, a kind smile on her face.

“You are alright. I don't move as well as I used to.”

As the last tomato was put in place, the young Turk hefted the bag into her arms and reached out to take the other. “Here, let me help you get these to your home. Its the least I could do for knocking them out of your hands.”

The woman smiled up, kindred emerald eyes glinting with a soft glow up at her as she turned to begin leading them down a side street. “You are too kind, dear. There should be more young ones like you, it would do this world some good.”

A warm breeze swept through, brushing Rayne's hair from her face some, feeling heavenly on her bare flesh. It wasn't often that she spent time outside the World Regenesis Headquarters, hiding away to research or just escape the world in general. Perhaps after this she'd take a walk around Edge when she got back. “It's this one, hun.”

Glancing up, she hadn't realized the woman had stopped and unlocked the door to her tiny cottage. Shuffling within, the rich smell of polished oak floors and various flowers enraptured the younger woman. “Where would you like me to put these Mrs--”

“Ms. Xionysis, and you may sit them there on the table. Can I get you anything, dear? A glass of milk?”

“It's fine Ms. Xionysis, I really should be going,” Rayne answered as she looked around the house. It was strange to think the two story home could house just the lone woman, no sign of pets or a husband, or children for that matter. Old paintings lined the wall, portraying different landscapes, yet only one single picture existed. On the mantle of her fireplace, a portrait of a young blonde sat. There was a sad smile on her lips, and she was pregnant.

Is this... is this really her? Could this old woman really be my mother?

“Miss?”

She glanced up, having been carried away in her thoughts again. “I-I'm sorry?”

“I haven't seen you around here, I asked if you were visiting family.”

It was hard for Rayne to focus, to be looking upon the face of the woman who gave birth to her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask her, like how she heard of the JENOVA Project, where her father was, why she didn't have a family now... “Um... I guess you could say that.”

“Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from them, I'm sure they're worried sick.” The woman spoke with a slightly authoritative manner that brought a smile to the young Turk's lips.

“They don't know I'm here, actually. It was going to be a sort of surprise. We haven't seen one another in... years,” Rayne spoke softly, still in awe. Her heart was slightly aflutter, despite the buzzing of questions in her mind. Here was the lady who brought her into the world, in the flesh, close enough for her to reach out and touch...

The woman seemed thoughtful for a moment, before heading toward her making a shooing motion with her hands. “Well go to, go to! Family may always be there, but that doesn't mean its right to take advantage of that!”

“That's a little bit easier said than done, ma'am. My situation is a little more complicated.”

“Nonsense!” Ms. Xionysis argued adamantly. “I look at you and I see a capable and polite young lady, and judging by your eyes, you look like you just may have been on of those SOLDIER folk. If you're worried about that, then you're foolish! They'll love you just as you are dear, anyone who would do different is nothing to fret over.”

“Do you really... think so? Do you honestly believe a shared bloodline is enough to do all that?”

She smiled sadly and touched Rayne's cheek with her palm, a jolt being sent through the younger of the two. If the elder felt it, she showed no signs as she only smiled reassuringly. “I know so,” she began, looking into the girl's eyes and Rayne couldn't help but to wonder if that slight glow in her eyes was from the JENOVA sells injected into her womb while she carried her. Suddenly the woman turned, heading back into the kitchen as she began putting her groceries. “After all, look at me! I'm an old woman, my wisdom should be infinite as you youngin's seem to think.”

The two shared a laugh that all too soon vanished into a silence. It was comfortable though, no feelings of awkwardness in Rayne as she shifted her feet out of lack to do than nervousness. If the picture hadn't been proof enough, the jolt she felt when the woman had cupped her cheek made her feel all she needed to know.

Perhaps words weren't needed, not to drag on and make for what could possibly be a strange meeting. She'd come and found out what she needed to, spoken with the woman, and even connected with her on some level. With the way she spoke, it was as if she held family in the highest regard... and Rayne pondered on the possibility of her regretting ever giving her up. Was there really a need to drag that up, especially when she had seemed to find some solace in her life now.

Turning, she began to leave, though her hand no more than reached the doorknob and she heard her mother call to her. “Leaving?”

“Um... yeah. I think I better be getting on my wa--”

The woman embraced her tightly, taking her off guard so much that she stood there blinking in confusion for a moment before returning the hug. She dwarfed her elder quite a bit, but it didn't keep her from hugging her the best she could before the elderly woman backed away with a teary smile. “You give that to your mother, let her know that she did right by you.”

Rayne had to swallow her own tears before she was able to choke back a reply. “I... will. Thank you, m-... just... thanks.” She turned, heading out the door before closing it softly behind her with a quiet click of the latch.

Sephyria stood there stationary for a moment, a tear falling down her cheek before whispering, “You're welcome, Rayne.”

- - - - -

“You are horrible at answering your phone, ya know?”

The pointy-eared Turk didn't look up at the familiar voice as she sat on the couch in the abandoned Commons, looking out at the darkness that had enveloped Edge, yellow lights dotting the skyline. He slid onto the couch next to her, stretching his arms long the back of it as he propped his legs up on the see-through glass coffee table.

“Not talking to me still?”

No reply.

“You know, I would like to get a message through to the female populace, if you could take this down. We males can't fix what we screwed up unless you tell us what we did wrong.”

“Sorry... its not you. I've had a lot on my mind,” Rayne spoke softly, tearing her eyes away from the glass to look at him. “I've just had to think some things over.”

“In the Research Department...”

She sighed, nodding slowly. “Partially... I needed to find my mother. Which I did, and while I didn't tell her who I was, I was just content with knowing that I came from a human and she had regrets about giving me away.” Ignoring the fact that she still had her shoes on, she pulled her legs up onto the couch and hugged them. “It wouldn't have been fair to barge into her life like that... so I just left.”

Reno had nothing to say to that. Emotions were never his strong suit. He knew the basic things: love, hate, anger, hunger, happy, sad... but complex mixed feelings that came from strange situations, those were more the department of someone like... well... any woman, which he certainly was not. Instead, he lent her an attentive ear, the best—if not only—thing he could do for her at the moment.

It was impossible to tell how long they remained there in silence, the night dragging on to the point where they no longer heard the ever present footsteps of colleagues and executives outside the door, but the gentle hum of the air conditioner overhead. “I'm sorry I didn't ask you to take me. And that, I haven't been answering your messages. I wasn't... upset with you but...”

“But...”

Rayne chewed the inside of her lip, searching for the words to say. “You make things complicated for me.”

“Funny, and I've always been told I'm a simple man.”

She rolled her eyes, turning fully on the couch so that she lay her cheek against the back to look at him. “Seriously, Reno. I-” And then she froze, there was little for her to say, she wasn't sure exactly why he made things complicated for her. Rather... she thought she knew, but she was unsure if that be the reason or it be something else. “I cannot think clearly when I'm around you, and I'm having trouble figuring out why that is.”

He seemed to ponder this for a moment before answering. “Axel.”

That's exactly what it is. “What's he got to do with this?”

“Well...” Reno began, turning so that he also faced her. “You obviously cared for the guy, and you've said that I remind you of him. So, he's dead I'm here. Simple.”

Well... you're partially right. “I came to terms with Axel's death a long time ago.”

“It wasn't your mourning that I was talking about.”

She quirked her head to the side. “Then what is it?”

Reno closed the distance between them, letting his lips brush hers almost apprehensively at first before pressing his thin ones against her soft full ones fully. He brought a hand up to her cheek as he kissed her gently, her hand coming up to rest just on top of his before, all too soon, it ended and she found herself staring breathlessly into his grey-blue eyes.

And yet again you remind me of him, always knowing just what's on my mind.

Reno didn't say anything, and neither did she. They didn't have to, for in that small kiss their bounds of friendship had been breached into something their past couple months had nurtured, love. A small kindling flame had sparked between the pair, igniting with the touch of their lips.

If home was where the heart was, then perhaps Rayne had found hers.

It was right here, in this moment.

((A/N: And that is it for Thrice-Blessed. :) I hope you enjoy, as the plans and first chapter to the sequel is already in draft mode and should be up within the next few days. Don't worry... Rayne and Reno aren't going anywhere. ))