Chapter Text
Epilogue 3
Over the next year, Rikku's personality started to blossom. She learned to tolerate her sisters and even enjoy their company. Yuna's incessant need to mess with her hair was something she could enjoy after a while. In fact, she had started her own little collection of shiny hair pins, beads, and bands. But she discovered that the reason Yuna was so fixated on outer beauty was that she was hiding behind her shiny things to disguise her crushing loneliness. Yuna never said outright what her concerns were but the way she watched their friends with their Charges and the way she talked about finding her own was overly obvious in some instances. Rikku felt guilty for being so fortunate with Ventus.
She made friends with just about everyone in her hall of the female facility. Her sisters were only a few doors down, but so were Alicia and Franziska, as well as one of Tifa's sisters. She spent a lot of time around Alicia and subsequently Sora, who were major influences in her personality. Roxas couldn't decide if he felt alright with that. The whole idea of hand picking traits was so that he didn't get another Sora, but then again, Rikku was similar to a child in that the environment helps her develop a certain way. He eventually stopped himself from caring and was happy so long as she was. Ventus was perfectly happy with the energy and the upbeat attitude she adopted. Sora was his first friend in the facility, after all. That wasn't to say that Rikku was a copy of Sora. Quite the contrary, she was actually like Roxas in a lot of ways. Just a livelier sort of Roxas.
One thing she did share exclusively with the blonde Charge was the fear of thunderstorms. Her fear was even more acute than his in that she was rendered virtually motionless for the duration. There were a lot of times she would retreat into one of her sister's beds for the night or cling to Axel if she happened to be in the lab studying. The redhead thought it was cute the first couple times, with Roxas hanging on one arm and Rikku on the other, but he soon realized how much it stagnated the work day and had yet to come up with a solution. It was puzzling, but not debilitating. He'd figure something out eventually.
Rikku still hadn't made Ventus her Charge yet. It wouldn't be official until they exchanged Signets, but things were progressing. They spent a lot of time studying together. Ventus sat and tutored her in just about everything she could ask. A lot of times they got distracted by talking about other things though. Interests, stories about Ventus' past, the future, hopes and dreams, those sorts of things. Rikku didn't usually have much to offer aside from more questions but the bonding experience was there all the same. She had gotten comfortable enough to where they could walk around together holding hands and the idea of leaving Ventus for the night made her chest hurt. Living in separate buildings took its toll to an extent. The temptation to make him official so he didn't have to leave her was a big motivator, but she stopped herself. She really didn't want to do things for the wrong reasons.
Other than Rikku and Ventus' relationship, not much was changing. Carriers were growing, life was continuing on at its normal pace, and things were peaceful. The only exception was during the last inspection. A Technician that had somehow flew under the radar since Xemnas' death had discovered Leon was the culprit and took it upon himself to try and express his displeasure for losing his mentor. The Carrier was unharmed after several dodges away from a swinging electrified prod but the same couldn't be said for the Technician. Cloud got to him before he could react and rearranged his front teeth in retaliation. The entire incident was conveniently captured on the video surveillance system and any accusations towards Leon were immediately dismissed. The Technician was fired.
As the year grew to a close, Leon and Cloud decided to have a small get together. They had two neighbors that were Technicians and they happened to be away at the same time, leaving curfew a non-issue because everyone else living around them didn't give a damn. Several years after the weather generator was installed, the pair had ripped up the giant concrete slab in their back yard in favor of laying down sod and giving Leon a space to 'play in the pansies' as Cloud described. In reality there were hardly any flowers to be had but there was a plethora of vegetables planted specifically for the blonde so he couldn't really complain. Leon liked the plants, Cloud liked the food. It was a win-win.
Additionally, they had purchased a set of outdoor furniture, a grill, as well as put up a four foot wall around the top of their house. Living in a giant cube was beneficial if you wanted to use the top of it as a pseudo third floor, which they did. There was even a series of metal rungs cemented into the back wall of the building to access it. There were a lot of quiet jokes circulating around the proverbial water cooler that the rooftop balcony was where the really kinky sex happened, but there was no evidence. In fact, there was another set of outdoor furniture up there with a very innocent looking chair swing. It was clear the pair enjoyed the outdoors rather than being cooped up inside. It was more interesting out there than the rest of their house, which hadn't changed much since they got it.
But it did make for a nice party space. All of the siblings were invited, of course, as well as their circle of friends. There was a lot of food and a lot of booze which Zack and Yuffie immediately dove into together. Tifa and Vincent milled around and visited and waited for the inevitable. They were either going to fall asleep, or vomit. Or both. Axel was betting on passing out in a puddle of each other's vomit but no one was willing to put any money on it. Roxas, Ventus, Zexion and Sora all had a few drinks as well but nothing overly substantial. Plus, the rule was 'no booze on the roof' as Leon so eloquently put it. The liability factors there weren't something any of them were willing to ignore.
The women stuck around inside for the most part. The gossip circle was enormous with so many of them in one place and the stories were much more entertaining than watching the men stumble around drunk together. The biggest cause for conversation was Tifa. She was hugely pregnant with her seventh litter and she waddled around the living area as gently as she could. Leon's sisters were aghast that Zack would get so hammered with Tifa on the verge of bursting at the seams. But the pregnant Carrier was insistent that it was fine. That they were Vincent's cubs anyway, and so long as one of them was sober, she would be fine. They even brought Yuffie's car, and prepped the lab beforehand, just in case something happened.
"Hmm…" Rikku hummed thoughtfully, peeking over her cards at the other participants around the coffee table. She and several other girls were playing and almost everyone had a good poker face. Except for Tifa. She was more concerned about fussing with her shirt and keeping her protruding stomach covered while fidgeting in her place uncomfortably. "Frannie do you have any threes?" the youngest asked sweetly. Franziska simply nodded and handed over her cards. Rikku giggled and took the pair she already had with the other two she had been given and plopped the book on the table triumphantly.
"Have any fives?" Frannie asked quietly. Rikku immediately shook her head with a wide grin.
"Go fish," she said and the other picked a card. The pile in the middle was running out and after only a few more turns was gone and the game was over. Tifa won, having the most books. "Well that was fun. I wonder if the boys killed each other yet," Rikku said, idly tapping her chin with pursed lips.
"Intentionally or unintentionally?" Theresa asked with a small smile. Rikku shrugged.
"Either or, honestly. They both seem likely to me. That said, I wonder if anyone's fallen off the roof yet too. I think I'll go out and check and skip the next game," she said curiously and pushed herself up off the floor. Theresa nodded and pulled the piles of cards into one orderly stack and began shuffling. Rikku stepped into the back yard and looked around at the activity. Tiny clusters of the male species dotted the space in varying degrees of conversation. In the back though, Yuffie and Zack huddled around a table together surrounded by a few of their friends, being encouraged to drink more to see who could hold the most. Two garbage bins were stationed nearby for emergencies. Rikku didn't see the younger Charges with the others and assumed they were elsewhere.
She took her time climbing the ladder up to the roof where Ventus, Sora, Roxas, and Axel were sitting around together. Ventus and Sora were talking on one of the couches, an ash tray between them, each with their own tightly packed blunts of Zen smoking away, neglected. Axel was sprawled out on his stomach, his face resting in Roxas' lap, the two of them on the swing, swaying back and forth gently. Rikku hauled herself up into the space as daintily as she could; hoping no one at the bottom of the ladder was watching her fumble around with her back end in the air. Sora noticed her and nodded in her direction, pulling Ventus' attention away from their conversation.
"I really wish you wouldn't smoke," Rikku chided as she brushed her clothing back into place. Ventus looked to the ash tray and immediately snuffed his blunt out.
"Then I won't," he said and folded his hands in his lap, eyes low.
"I'm more concerned about your health than anything else," she defended.
"Understandable. Can Sora?"
"I don't care."
"I would prefer he didn't," Roxas chimed, his sibling turning to him quickly with a deep scowl.
"Now now," Axel sighed tiredly, nuzzling his face into his Charge's stomach. The blonde sighed.
"I have the same concerns. I'd like him to outlive me."
"Aw, you're so cute Roxas," Sora snorted. Rikku giggled and took a seat on the couch next to Ventus. "I totally know you're lying though. You just think I'm getting high."
"Even if you get the tiniest bit inebriated, there's a propensity for falling two stories to the ground. It could kill you today or twenty years from now, either way I still want you to outlive me," Roxas shot back. Sora rolled he eyes and sighed dramatically.
"Yes mom," he huffed and extinguished his own bud. Ventus stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the package of Zen and handed it to the brunette for future private use. Sora grinned and stuffed it in his own pocket. "See? Ventus loves me," he giggled. Roxas sent the other blonde a nasty glare but Ventus purposefully paid no attention to him. Axel distracted Roxas from the burgeoning tirade by discreetly lifting up the edge of his shirt and licking a line over his skin. The blonde immediately shut up and turned his glare to the redhead who simply placed the fabric where he had found it and went back to his quiet half-asleep state. He had eaten too much and the food coma was setting in and the calm rocking of the swing wasn't helping.
"The card game not as exciting as you had hoped?" Ventus asked, settling back in his seat, giving Rikku a thoughtful look. She shrugged.
"We played a few games and I just decided to come out here instead. Lots of gossip and not enough fresh air."
"Anything good?"
"Hardly," Rikku snorted with a laugh. "Just the usual 'so and so went out with their Charge to somewhere they weren't supposed to and didn't get caught' stories. It's always the same people, too. It's only interesting when it's someone unexpected. Like if Frannie and Alicia went out to a strip club or something. That'd be way more interesting."
"Alicia better not be out there," Sora grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. Ventus laughed and gave him a playful shove.
"Oh come on. A few tits between friends never hurt anyone. I'd laugh and give them a high five if they ever did that," he said with a sly grin. The brunette huffed.
"This is one of the few times I've felt the need to be suspicious of your judgment."
"You've been to the strip club. What's the difference if Alicia wanted to go?" Ventus asked.
"Uh, aside from the fact it's illegal?"
"Yeah, aside from that. If she's careful she could pull it off."
"She could but I still don't want her to."
"Just because?"
"Right. Because."
"You wouldn't understand," Axel chimed with a wave of his hand, half of his face buried in Roxas' abdomen. "I don't want any of my girls to go either."
"Stifling jerks," Ventus huffed and mimicked Sora's pout and crossed his arms over his chest. Rikku furrowed her brows.
"Why couldn't I?" she asked. The redhead shrugged.
"It just doesn't seem right to encourage you."
"But Tidus and Wakka are allowed to?" she persisted.
"It's different. Guys aren't preyed on like girls are," Roxas added, gently combing his fingers through Axel's hair. Rikku snorted.
"Oh and I suppose me being a Carrier doesn't counterbalance the physical weakness some human women have. The things human men tend to count on in order to overpower their victims."
"She has a point," Ventus said.
"Do you even want to go to a strip club? Or are we arguing just for the sake of arguing?" Roxas asked. Rikku seemed thoughtful for a moment. She looked to Ventus.
"Want to go to a strip club?" she asked simply. Sora snorted and burst into sudden laughter.
"Seriously?" Ventus asked with an intrigued twinkle in his eye. She shrugged.
"Sure."
"Wh—Yeah! When?"
"I don't know. I have no idea what I'm doing," she giggled. He laughed.
"See, and this is exactly why you shouldn't," Axel sighed. Ventus waved him off.
"Don't discourage her free spirit."
"Free spirit? Or your escape route to getting your rocks off?" Sora asked. Ventus scowled and smacked his friend on the arm. Rikku shrugged.
"How am I going to understand anything if I stay cooped up in the facility my entire life? I don't get to spend a few couple decades away from home like everyone else," she said. Ventus fidgeted.
"You can if you really want to," he said quietly. She shook her head.
"I don't want to focus on anyone else."
"Oh," he said, a small smile ghosting over his features. "Well, you could go out and pick someone else and leave for a while. Then you can come back and say they were hit by a bus and you couldn't bring them back with you or something," he added. Axel laughed.
"That's awful. That's not only a waste of resources and time, but it's taking a Charge away from someone else that may have really wanted them."
"True. But it still doesn't change Rikku's very valid point."
"Studying helps getting to know things," Roxas said blandly. Rikku frowned.
"That's not exactly life experience though," she said. Ventus hummed thoughtfully to himself before letting out a small gasp of revelation and looked to Rikku.
"Let's go watch like, twenty hours of softcore porn and you'll get the general idea of what a strip club is like."
"Don't want to hear this!" Axel blurted and kicked his feet. Rikku giggled again and took Ventus' hand in a quiet sign of encouragement. The enormous grin that spread across his face nearly split it in two, his eyes sparkling with over amusement. Roxas sighed and rubbed his eyes. After a few minutes of silence Axel forced himself to sit up, yawning wide.
"Sleepy?" the blonde asked. The redhead nodded.
"Been up since five this morning and I'm a million years old. It's almost midnight and I overate. Yes, I'm tired," he said with a small smile. Roxas chuckled.
"Let's go, then," he said and stood from the swing. He held his hand out to the Carrier and Axel took it and let himself be dragged along to the ladder. They bid their farewells and descended, leaving Sora with Ventus and Rikku. The brunette fidgeted some.
"Well, now I'm the third wheel," he said with a laugh. "I'll let you guys have your alone time, I guess."
"You don't have to, we weren't really planning on doing anything," Ventus said. Sora shrugged and picked up his things and pocketed them before taking his leave quietly. He stood at the top of the ladder and leaned over the edge.
"Hey Riku!" he called down. It took a moment for the Carrier to respond.
"Yes?"
"If I jumped, would you catch me?" the brunette giggled.
"No," came Riku's very dry reply. Sora's posture sagged.
"That's mean. Why would you let me fall?"
"Because if I said 'yes' you would do it and there's no guarantee that I would catch you with you getting hurt. So if I say 'no' I just avoid the issue entirely."
"Oh."
"Sora, I swear to god, you jump, and I'll piss on your grave," Cloud chimed angrily. Leon smacked him on the arm and they held a glaring contest for a few seconds. Sora laughed and eventually climbed down normally, leaving Rikku and Ventus alone.
"You weren't serious about the strip club, were you?" the Charge asked with a knowing smirk. Rikku shrugged.
"Not right this second anyway. Maybe eventually. But…" she trailed, trying to pull her thoughts together as her cheeks turned pink. "I'm willing to learn otherwise," she said, giving him a shy look out of the corner of her eye. Ventus' expression blanked as he stared at her, speechless.
"R-really?" he asked, his eyes growing wide. She wrung her hands, looking down at her lap. She nodded.
"I trust you," she said quietly. He smiled.
"There are so many things I can show you. You've opened what some would consider a Pandora's Box of sorts."
"…Can we start small?" she asked nervously. He laughed.
"Of course. We can start with… a kiss? Would that be okay?" he asked. She gave a small nod and leaned a bit closer, unsure of how to start. He curled a finger under her chin and brought their faces close. The kiss was brief, but firm. Lips on lips. Ventus pulled away and smiled, giving Rikku a moment to process it, her cheeks on fire. "Okay?" he asked. She nodded.
"Your lips are soft…" she trailed quietly. His smile spread into a grin.
"So are yours."
"…Another?"
"As many as you want," he chuckled. She giggled a bit and went back for another kiss. Then another. And another. Ventus planted his hands around her waist and forced himself to keep them there as the kisses drew out longer and longer. He could feel her tension the longer they stayed together so he pulled away and gave her a moment. She let out a long breath and abruptly hugged him around his neck tightly, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. He hugged her. "Are you alright?" he asked. Her sudden demeanor change confused him.
"Yeah, I just feel weird. Give me a minute," she said behind a nervous laugh.
"Weird?"
"Anxious."
"Oh. Well, we don't have to do any more."
"Okay…" she trailed and sat back with a sigh. Her hands stayed around his neck and her fingertips ran through the ends of his hair on his nape. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. It's a big step. We can take our time. We have a lot of it."
"Yes…well…okay. Do you think…maybe we can try again later?" she asked.
"Whenever you need me, you can have my attention. You don't have to ask," he said, attempting to sound as innocent as he could but the implications there were too much to ignore. He meant she could come to him for anything but the context must have come off as purely sexual. Her face turned bright red and she pulled her copious amounts of hair over her shoulder and raked her fingers through the ponytail nervously. Before he could amend his statement though, the back door of the house flew open and cracked into the outer wall, startling nearly everyone in the back yard. Ventus and Rikku jumped up and went to the wall and peered down over the edge. Theresa was running across the grass at full speed, coming to a stop where Zack and Vincent were and began talking excitedly to them.
"What?" Zack blurted with a drunken slur. Cloud overheard and scowled.
"Damn it, she's not getting it all over my couch is she?" he asked grumpily. All eyes in the immediate vicinity turned to him in silent astonishment. Cloud rolled his eyes. "It was a joke, assholes! God," he sighed.
"Not funny," Vincent growled and stepped around the table to scoop Yuffie up out of her chair. Zack whined a bit and reached out towards Cloud.
"Cloooouuud," he whimpered. "I need a favor."
"I'm not babysitting," was the blonde's immediate reply.
"No, I need your help," Zack grumbled and flailed an arm around until his hand smacked into the garbage bin. He pulled it to himself. "Punch me in the stomach," he grunted. Vincent whisked Yuffie away towards the car and plopped her in the back before going into the house to find Tifa. Cloud did as he was told and pushed Zack onto his side and gave him a swift jab in the gut. There was a small pause before Zack projectile vomited into the bin.
"We should go with them, I don't know how much Vincent can do by himself," Leon offered. Cloud stood and let Zack continue his self punishment alone.
"You know he'll be fine. You just want to play with the kittens," the blonde huffed. The Carrier simply shrugged.
"You're my best friend ever, Cloud," Zack hiccupped.
"Zack?" Tifa squeaked from the doorway, using Vincent as a crutch as they hobbled towards the car together. The Charge in question shakily pushed himself up and wobbled in his place.
"Coming, no worries, I got this," he stammered. He volunteered Cloud to help him to the car by slinging an arm over his shoulders and leaning against him.
A female Carrier, in Implant form, cannot treat her cubs as if they were a human child. The labor process was very much the same except there was no pushing involved. It was best to allow the body to naturally push the cubs out the way a mother cat would. Tifa was carried into the lab and gently laid in what could only be described as a 'nest.' It was a pen that had been set up in the middle of the room with a surplus of soft bedding and blankets spread around. The setup was mostly for the cub's benefit but it helped because Tifa would sleep there for the evening as well. Zack had a cot set up outside the pen for himself. Vincent debated staying with them, having put Yuffie to bed already.
The four of them were the firsts back to the facility, having zoomed past Roxas and Axel walking home on their way there. Vincent's limited driving ability was illegal, but Leon and Cloud's house was essentially a straight shot to the facility so it wasn't all that difficult to maneuver. Leon and Cloud themselves, came on the blonde's motorcycle, as expected. The girls stayed behind to clean up. Everyone else though, was in the process of running home in one massive swarm. Everyone wanted to see the cubs though Tifa and the lab were locked up tight to keep the stress level down.
"Are you feeling alright?" Vincent asked as he draped a blanket over his sister and sat next to her. Tifa had been disrobed and was lying on her side, one of her legs pulled up to keep herself as open as possibly to allow the cubs to simply roll out of her when the time came. She nodded.
"Just a little uncomfortable," she said and tensed as another contraction tightened every muscle in her body. She squeaked and grit her teeth and let out a long sigh when it dissipated. She knew what to expect and how to prepare herself for it. If she didn't resist, the process was much more bearable, but she doubted how many more litters she could carry after this last one. It wasn't that she was losing her drive, but that her body simply couldn't take much more without needing surgery to bring her up to speed again. Much like humans who wanted a complete sex change, she would most likely need a new uterus, as hers had several scars already from all the stress. Her new one would be synthetic (like Zack's liver), and more resilient, but it was still a major undertaking when the gestational chambers worked just as well for rearing cubs. She didn't want to push her luck and not be able to bear Zack a human child when the time came either. It was a battle for another time, but she couldn't help thinking about it.
Zack, escorted by Cloud, eventually made his way into the lab, having showered and brushed his teeth to rid himself of the booze and vomit smell. His friend had gone with him and waited outside to make sure he didn't fall into things. Zack was still drunk off his gourd but his bleary judgment snaked through the alcohol and told him 'it's time for babies, you should probably be there.' And so he was. Vincent was the one who actually participated but Zack was there all the same. Tifa hardly noticed her Charge, her mind elsewhere. Leon hung around outside the pen with towels and a basin of warm water, waiting to be useful. Cloud stayed out of it entirely once Zack was in his cot and went to take a nap on the exam table.
"He can stay in Zack and Tifa's room if he's that tired," Vincent said. Leon looked to him and saw him looking to Cloud.
"Hm?" the russet Carrier grunted and looked to his Charge. "Oh, no, don't mind him. He's only here because I am. They aren't his so he doesn't care all that much to be a part of it."
"Sorry I sort of ruined your party," Tifa sighed from her place on the floor. Leon shook his head.
"Don't worry about that. This is more important."
"Well, I shouldn't have come in the first place. I started feeling strange even before we left," she admitted. Vincent looked to her with a slight glare.
"Why didn't you say something?"
"Because I didn't want to hold you all back."
"Well that's just ridiculous," Leon snorted. "Don't do that next time. Worry about yourself first."
"Agreed," Vincent chimed. Tifa sighed. She assumed she had been in labor for several hours already but it had only become unbearable shortly before Theresa had run outside.
It seemed to be a common theme amongst Carrier society that the wait was always the hardest part of everything they did. Giving birth was no different. Tifa lay on the floor, exhausted, for almost four hours without any result. It had gotten to the point where Leon was practically asleep on the stack of towels. Vincent wouldn't allow himself to get that comfortable though and was ready for when the first cub slid free. He broke its tiny amniotic sac and wiped it as clean as he could, using the towels as a substitute for a mother's tongue. Tifa pooled a bit of blanket in the crook of her arm and Vincent set the tiny one pound cub in it. It blindly tried to climb out but Tifa kept it in place, using a finger to rub its speckled fur around. It wasn't until daybreak when the other two were born. Once the last was out and Vincent was cleaning it up, Tifa changed to her Primal form and scooted to a clean area of the pen. Her cubs were tucked against her an allowed to nurse as she was finally able to sleep.
"So little…" Axel cooed as he gently scooped up one of the cubs. There were two males and one female, they came to find. They were all of normal coloration, unlike Tifa herself. The melanin allele was recessive and only two out of all of her cubs came out completely black like she was. None of her siblings were, either. Even Vincent, whose wardrobe was almost entirely black with his hair the color of raven's feathers, was of standard coloration. The redhead fussed over the tiny cub for several minutes as it squirmed around in his hand. He held it out for Roxas to see and the blonde laughed a bit.
"I'm aware of it, yes," he said as the cat was shoved in his face. Axel wore an enormous grin and his eyes twinkled with that playful light that the blonde had come to understand all too well. The redhead set the cub back where he had retrieved it from up against Tifa's stomach, the female snoozing away peacefully. It was several days after the cubs had been born and she and Zack were finally allowing visitors. Most everyone had been in to see them already, Axel and Roxas being the last ones for the day.
"I want some," Axel sighed and he peeked over the edge of the pen longingly.
"I know. We'll get there," Roxas assured and rubbed the Carrier's back. Axel sighed again before abruptly turning to the side and hugging his Charge to his chest. The blonde let out a yelp as he was pulled to the floor and rolled with to the side. Axel eventually came to rest on top of him and Roxas was smothered with kisses.
"Let's go make some," the redhead purred and squeezed his Charge tight. Roxas tried to claw himself out from under him but the seamless flooring gave him no heed.
"I need an adult! I need an adult!" he cried as he flailed around uselessly. Axel laughed and hugged the blonde around his waist and hauled them both upright, slinging his Charge over his shoulder like a sack of resistant potatoes. He marched out of the lab, Roxas quickly realizing the futility of the situation and letting himself dangle over the redhead's shoulder with a deep sigh. He should've seen it coming as soon as Axel approached him about going to visit the cubs. Now he regretted it because he knew that once the redhead was finished with him he wouldn't be able to sit for a week. No matter how determined Axel was, he wouldn't be able to get any kittens out of Roxas, but that didn't stop him from hoping or trying, as ridiculous as the motion sounded.
But, they were well on their way. Things were positive and moving forward. The hardships were never over, and no one expected them to be, but at the very least there was the confidence that they would be successful no matter how long it would take. And success is what it had been about since the beginning.