At the Edge of Oblivion Author: Silver Rayne Email: kinetic_rayne@yahoo.com Rating: R Pairing: Sephiroth x Cloud Author's Notes: This is my very FIRST fanfic - written in 1996. Chapter 1 All around him was suffering, lies, hate contempt, blood, wanderers with no soul. What had he done to deserve to be punished so? His eyes were open but he could not see. Ears desperately attempting to hear what was not to be heard. Where were the cries coming from? The screams of agony were nearly inside of him. “CURSE YOU!!!” He clenched his fists and lashed out but his arms wouldn’t move. Beside him, many voices whispered, cackled and brought pity down upon him. Now, he knew what this was all about. The sinner was on trial for the errors of his ways. Was this hell? “Show yourselves to me. I fear nothing.” As always, he spoke with barely contained venom but the emotion that would have gone with it was absent. An intense heat surrounded him from all angles, crushing him, burning his flesh. Still, he could not see and he could not feel. At any moment he would spontaneously combust and be done with his punishment altogether. The pain grew and grew, washing through his veins and plunging out of his eyes and mouth. Waves of disorientation and agony struck him but he refused to bend - to kneel - to be that weak. Screams from a world of sorrow drowned out the hearing he no longer had. Now he was deaf and the trial had ended. Surprisingly, the lasting affect was a positive one. “My thoughts are clear.” His eyes shot open to let in an explosion of light. Daybreak. The air was so fresh and smelled of roses. He would have cheered but that would gnaw away at the illusion that he could not be defeated. No. Relief was for the foolish and damned. “Where am I? The last thing I remember…” Long silver hair whipped about in the morning breeze, followed by a black leather cape. Aquamarine mako eyes stared up at the sun and silently thanked the stars that the whole ordeal was over. “How long was I…there?” And where exactly had there been? Oh well, it didn’t make much of a difference. “Cloud,” he hissed through his teeth. It served him right for underestimating Cloud and allowing him too many chances. Well, there would be no more of that. Sephiroth was slightly grateful that Cloud had never made SOLDIER. If he had…Cloud would not have done such a crappy, careless job of annihilating him. To leave before ensuring that the enemy was dead…a terrible, unforgivable mistake. One which Sephiroth felt very happy to correct. “When I get my hands on you, Cloud, I’ll teach you how to do it right the first time.” In the next few days, Sephiroth traveled from one town to another, searching for Cloud. By the end of the week, his nerves were wearing thin from the confusion which he encountered. The destruction which he had caused was not evident anymore and the terror which the townspeople used to have for him was gone. No one gave him a second thought, it was as if they had never known there to be a Sephiroth. Could Cloud be in Midgar? Why hadn’t he gone there first? Sephiroth had been tracking the most feasible route on foot. If Cloud had taken off in a vehicle, boat or plane then he would be long gone. This angered Sephiroth but he kept his mind on the the task at hand. He was a man driven by an obsession and it involved hanging Cloud’s lifeless body from the end of his sword. More time was wasted on the way over to Midgar because Sephiroth had to take a common boat over with a lot of common people. What he wouldn’t give to be able to toss them overboard, one by one. To watch them drowning and begging for mercy. Their kind was no good to him. Within a few minutes of searching the outskirts of Midgar, Sephiroth ran in into some fortunate luck. The first man he asked knew Cloud and where he was hiding. Sephiroth was calm and collected as he walked down the street leading to Cloud’s small house. Cloud must have made a small fortune fighting alongside Avalanche to be able to afford it. A couple of times, the ground beneath Sephiroth’s feet trembled and vibrated but he didn’t care. At the door to Cloud’s house, Sephiroth pictured how surprised Cloud would be if he knocked on the door. Then, his mind beckoned visions of Cloud impaled on his sword, being thrown back into his house and nailed to the wall. Left to bleed, to die, just as he himself had been given that same fate. One of the windows in the back were left open and it was getting dark so Sephiroth easily snuck in. It turned out to be the bedroom. This was where Cloud slept and had nice, peaceful dreams. Well, there would be no more of that. Sephiroth nimbly crossed over to the hallway, noting that the open closet had only been filled with mens’ clothing. So, Cloud still hadn’t found a woman and now he never would. Again, the ground seemed to groan under Sephiroth’s weight and he stopped where he was. Was Cloud in the house? Had he heard? Sword drawn, Sephiroth kept going because the prize was too sweet to deny himself. Inside the living room, Cloud was watching something on the television. He was sitting on the carpeted floor, leaning back onto the couch. The closer Sephiroth got, the more he doubted that Cloud was awake. Two different swords were displayed on the wall with hooks. They were far from Cloud’s reach so there would be no resistance. Sephiroth moved closer and closer, raising his sword to strike as he came in front of Cloud. A few strands of spiky-blond hair were blocking Cloud’s eyes, making Sephiroth uneasy. Was he awake or not? Sephiroth slashed the sword downwards, Cloud remained still. Just as the sword neared Cloud’s head, he abruptly halted the attack. “Why can’t I do it?” Sephiroth grabbed Cloud by his shoulders, picked him up and slammed him into the wall. “Are you awake now, accursed boy?” Cloud’s breath was coming in short gasps after being roughly brought back to the world of the living. His mako blue eyes were staring at Sephiroth, still not entirely conscious of what was going on. Cloud lunged for his sword, punching at Sephiroth’s arms. First Sephiroth released him, then he belted Cloud across the head with the flat side of his sword. Cloud cried out and collapsed onto the couch, his head spinning. Sephiroth tried to make himself strike again but found that he was disgusted by what he had done. What was wrong with him? He had come here to murder Cloud in his sleep if that was what it came down to. But now it didn’t seem very appealing to him. The whole idea now seemed immoral and unjust. When Sephiroth glanced down at Cloud, he saw that his temple was bleeding. Just how hard had he hit him? Cloud couldn’t move at all because of the throbbing headache piercing his skull. He shut his eyes firmly against the sight of Sephiroth, hoping that he would make it quick. “Today you are lucky.” Sephiroth stepped away and headed for the door. That was when the tremors tore apart the ground and forced him to his knees. It felt as if the ground were cracking deep within the earth and it actually was. He quickly looked towards Cloud to see if he had begun a silent attack. Cloud was in the same position, not paying attention to what was going on. Had he passed out? “Cloud, get up!” Why did he care about Cloud being killed in his own home? He wouldn’t have to lift a finger if the ceiling buried Cloud alive. However, as the whole house began to shake, Sephiroth suddenly didn’t want to see Cloud’s body beneath large chunks of cement. The shaking stopped and Sephiroth sighed with relief. Now was the time to leave and let Cloud suffer on his own. An enormous tremor smashed into Cloud’s house like a gunshot going off in a room full of fireworks. The wall beside Cloud leaned inward and the lighting fixture above creaked and swung back and forth. Then, the light snapped off of its restraints and plummeted down. Without thinking, Sephiroth threw himself over top of Cloud and took the pain himself. The light shattered into a million pieces of glass and covered Sephiroth’s cape. Still, the shaking continued and grew more and more powerful. Sephiroth glanced at Cloud and noticed that he was partially with it. He was giving Sephiroth an odd look but not saying a word. “If you say anything, I’ll cut out your tongue,” he threatened. “We have to get underneath something.” Cloud struggled to get up but couldn’t stand the pounding in his head. Sephiroth aimed a cure spell at Cloud and relieved his pain. Immediately, Cloud jumped to his feet and stumbled over the shaking floor to snatch up one of his swords at random. Before he could turn to use it, Sephiroth had pinned Cloud to the wall using his entire body. Cloud could feel the warmth from Sephiroth’s breath going down his neck. He hated to admit it but Sephiroth was much stronger than he was. “Are you finished yet?” There was something about the position that they were in which was turning Sephiroth on. He sensed a hardness in his groin and automatically pushed his hips into Cloud’s back. “You attacked me,” Cloud reminded him. Then Cloud tensed when he felt something jabbing his back and Sephiroth becoming a little bit friendlier. Above them, the ceiling began to crumble and deteriorate. “Do you want to cooperate and find somewhere to take cover?” That was not what Sephiroth had in mind but he pulled Cloud away from the wall and went for the bedroom. It was difficult to walk straight, especially when the entire living room sank into the earth and the ceiling with it. Cloud was shoved underneath the bed to be followed by Sephiroth. They stayed there for a few minutes, listening to the destruction above. “I think it stopped,” Cloud said, uncomfortable with how close Sephiroth was to him. ‘Wait.” With one final groan, a piece of the ceiling rained onto the bed giving Cloud a near heart attack. He stayed absolutely still while Sephiroth got out from hiding. “It’s over.” Cloud crawled out after him and grew very serious. The window and the door were blockaded by large sections of wood and cement. “Help me move this.” He began to tug at the cement but couldn’t move it. “Save your strength. You couldn’t move that rock if your life depended on it.” Was that a joke? Since when did the great Sephiroth joke? There had been a time in his life when he had felt free enough with others to cut loose. What had changed all that? “My life does depend on it. I’m not spending another minute trapped in the same room as you.” “If it wasn’t for me, you would be dead by now.” “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been hit on the head with a sword and left alive to argue about it. Now help me!” Sephiroth sat down on the bed and started to polish his sword on the end of his cape. “Go ahead and strain your back. I have better things to do.” Some part of him was delighted when Cloud aimed for his face. He caught Cloud’s wrist and smiled at him. It was a real smile and not one of the insane ones which usually ended in a fit of psychotic laughter. “Had I known you were this amusing to watch, I would have caved in this planet long ago.” A traitorous grin came to Cloud’s lips but he hurriedly set his mouth back in a straight line. Why should he want to make jokes and laugh with Sephiroth. Hadn’t Sephiroth come to kill him? “Have you thought about food, water and air?” “Oh, those boring things. We will be rescued shortly so sit down and behave yourself.” “How can you be so sure someone will decide to dig up this old house?” Cloud went back to his efforts of clearing the window. “No one knows where I live.” “And your friends?” “Avalanche was over and done with the moment your threat to the earth ended. We couldn’t keep going around acting like some self-righteous gang. I prefer to forget about your reign of terror.” “You have an incredibly lousy memory, Cloud. I hope that you do not forget about this.” There was a hint of suggestion in Sephiroth’s tone of voice but Cloud pretended not to hear it. Cloud returned the intense stare of Sephiroth’s and gave up on trying to move the one piece of rock. “The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I intend to forget about it.” Chapter 2 “Why must you be so relentless?” Sephiroth rested his chin on the palm of his hand, his elbow propped up one knee. He was growing weary of Cloud’s pathetic attempts to escape from their captivity. “You’ve been hacking at that wall for over an hour.” All Sephiroth got for his superiority complex was a haughty glare from Cloud. “That’s because you won’t lift a finger to help. Are you afraid of getting your clothes dirty?” “I gave you my sword didn’t I?” When Cloud turned to hammer the sword into the wood with both hands, Sephiroth laughed under his breath. “Trust me, Cloud. If given the opportunity, I would be the first one out of here. Your presence demeans me in every way possible.” That insult sent Cloud over the edge. He whipped Sephiroth’s newly polished sword into the closet and stormed over to him. “I can’t stand here and listen you! How can one man be so vain and egotistical? And…get off of my bed!” He seized Sephiroth’s cape and yanked on it. Sephiroth kicked Cloud’s legs out from under him, causing him to fall forward and into Sephiroth’s lap. “We will not be able to get out until at least the morning,” he said angrily. He had lost his temper which wasn’t too hard for him to do. He got some satisfaction from Cloud’s discomfort at falling between his legs. Cloud was pushing himself away from Sephiroth, using the older man’s thighs as leverage. “The last thing I want is to hear you whining about this predicament with every breath you take.” After Cloud was safely back on the other side of the room, Sephiroth sought out something to keep himself occupied. He went for the bookcase above the bed and started to flip through a couple of novels. “Can you at least leave my belongings alone?” “This is a time of crisis, Cloud. Nothing belongs to you while we are in the midst of a natural disaster. Learn to share.” Then Sephiroth was skimming down one page out of a novel he had taken a liking to. “I never knew you were a romantic. Who are you acting out these sickening scenes with?” Cloud decided that it was time to fight Sephiroth on his own battle field. “Why haven’t you killed me? Isn’t that the reason you came here in the first place? Or are you getting off at tormenting me?” “So many questions from a child like yourself.” Sephiroth knew that Cloud was preying on his weakness, his inability to do what he had threatened to. “Sephiroth!” Cloud picked up the sword again and slashed it into the wall. An expression of alarm crossed Sephiroth’s face when the bladed instrument flew from Cloud’s fingers. “OWW!” The impact had nearly dislocated one of Cloud’s shoulders. He staggered away from his target, clutching at his right shoulder. “Are you alright?” “What do you care?!!” Cloud bit his lower lip to maintain his composure and dignity. However, he wasn’t so sure he could tolerate being in the same room with Sephiroth for another hour. “You killed Aerith and many innocent people…including my mother. Am I some sort of pawn to you? All you do is pull my strings and you continue to do so even after I killed you.” A low muttering came from Sephiroth. “Maybe I have no use for you dead.” Sinking down onto a cushion, Cloud started to daydream about the whole ordeal being a fantasy. Yes, that was it. A cruel prank that his brain was refusing to give up. It was plausible. It had happened before so why not again? Hands with grips of steel were suddenly clasped to Cloud’s shoulders. Gloved fingers were working their way through his tension, easing the pain. Cloud leaned back and closed his eyes. The sensations grew more intense as those hands slid forward to his collar bone and back again. His neck muscles loosened up just as Sephiroth began to massage his back. Cloud felt so lightheaded that he forgot where he was and who he was with. All he knew was how good it felt to be given so much attention. Nobody had ever considered taking the initiative with Cloud on being affectionate. The experience was new but not entirely unwelcome. Even when Cloud registered the soft breathing touching the back of his neck, he still refused to let it end. “It appears that I have found a soft spot in you, Cloud. I didn’t think that I could reach you after all the hurt that I’ve caused.” Sephiroth wrapped one arm around Cloud’s chest, pulling him closer. Cloud stiffened against him but didn’t resist. “You used to be an honorable man,” Cloud said quietly. “I looked up to you. I even called you my hero…that’s why I couldn’t kill you.” “You left knowing that I had survived?” “I was anticipating it. You may have done unspeakably evil things but I know why you did them. That doesn’t make it right and I can’t block out those memories but…I can forgive you.” For once in his life, Sephiroth felt as if all the bad things he had ever done were banned from any record books. If Cloud forgave him then the rest of humanity could call him what they wanted to. This was the secret that had been held in his heart and forbidden from his mind. He had always wondered why Cloud got away from his traps unscathed every time. Subconsciously, his need to protect Cloud had been stronger than the desire to end his existence. “That means a lot to me. Thank-you.” Sephiroth was now at peace with the world. “I’m starving.” Cloud heard his stomach growl and also yawned from exhaustion. “So am I.” Or was Cloud talking about food? “Try not to think about it.” Cloud shrugged away from Sephiroth and flopped onto his bed. “Thanks for the massage. I trust you to leave my limbs attached for when I wake up.” That was it? He had just made an obvious advance on Cloud and now he was going to sleep? “There is plenty of room for two.” Sephiroth casually lay down next to Cloud who was looking straight into his eyes. “You haven’t done that since I first met you,” he observed. “Done what?” “You put me so high on a pedestal that it was near impossible for you to reach. All I want is to be able to communicate with you on an equal level.” “Then you’d better quit calling me ‘child’ and ‘boy’ and any other derogatory names that your intellectual mind can come up with. I never imagined that we would be having this conversation…or any conversation.” It seemed comfortable to just exchange looks with Sephiroth, knowing that he wouldn’t anger the former crackpot. Finally, Cloud had to cover his mouth and stifle a fit of laughter. How it warmed Sephiroth’s frosty heart to watch Cloud laughing, happy, carefree and directly in front of him. He wasn’t scared or cowering and he wasn’t holding back. Cloud was the reason the goodness in him was returning. “What’s so amusing?” “I never realized how perfect your hair is. Every woman you walk by must be jealous.” Sephiroth stroked his fingers through Cloud’s hair and kept his attention on him. Cloud’s eyes were unfocused as he settled down into the pillows. “I would rather wake up with your hair in my mouth than my own.” Had he really said that? What an unrecoverable slip of the tongue. “You aren’t sleeping anywhere near me unless you take off that ridiculous cape and those leather gloves.” Was Cloud pretending not to understand the subtle hints and gestures? Or did he really want what Sephiroth had to offer? “Done.” Sephiroth untied his cape and took off his gloves, kicking his boots on top of the pile. Cloud had been wearing a loose shirt and track pants to begin with so he didn’t need to change. Having complied with Cloud’s wishes, Sephiroth pulled back the blankets and slipped underneath them. Cloud did the same to feel the heat from Sephiroth’s body. Now that Sephiroth was without his accessories, Cloud was stunned at the muscles which lurked inside of Sephiroth’s clothing. His arms were taut with strength and his chest perfectly developed with no scars. He looked powerful and by experience was known to be a person not to be messed with. “Cloud…about earlier on…I am truly sorry for hitting you.” Cloud merely nodded and looked over at the lamp near the bed. “You’d better turn that off or we may not have it for tomorrow.” Once the light was off, the room changed to a pitch black setting. All that either Cloud or Sephiroth could see were the others’ mako eyes bright in the darkness. Should he prompt Cloud to respond with more coaxing? It wasn’t as if he needed the rest or wanted it. Here he was in a place devoid of any disturbances with Cloud, all alone. Cloud was sleeping in the same bed as him, almost touching him. How could he keep repeating the same mistakes. If he just let it be, would there be another chance? Another situation that offered the same privacy and atmosphere. Something brushed over Cloud’s hip then fastened onto it. “Hmmm…Sephiroth,” Cloud murmured drowsily. Sephiroth moved his hand over Cloud’s hip then to the small of his back where he applied some pressure. Cloud was securely held to Sephiroth’s body where he rested his head onto Sephiroth’s other arm. Now there was no way out but to go ahead and do what he wanted to. Cloud was well aware of Sephiroth’s hands roaming free up and down his body but he wasn’t going to fight it. How could the man be anything but sincere when he kept his hands where they belonged. Sephiroth could have overwhelmed Cloud with his hidden passion but he proved to be too decent. He caressed Cloud’s face and stroked his arms and back but no more than that. “How did I manage to find someone as sweet and compassionate as you, Cloud? You have all the qualities which I have failed at.” “You became sane again.” Cloud hugged Sephiroth’s arm and found that he couldn’t stay awake for another minute. Sephiroth was about to join Cloud in slumber land when a sharp noise alerted his defenses. There was something amiss concerning their recent earthquake, if that was what it had been. His gut told him that something was seriously wrong. Sephiroth spent the night holding onto Cloud and trading glances with the blocked entrances and his sword. Every now and then, there would be a cackling sound, faint but not so far away. Where had he heard that sound before? Then it struck him. What kind of alien creatures were waiting for him behind the cement and wood particles? Were they after him or worse yet, Cloud? “Oh no.” What if he had died for just an instant and upon rebirth one or a legion of undead massacred demons had tagged along with him? “Cloud!” He shook Cloud roughly and got a small protest. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine…go to sleep.” Cloud snuggled closer to Sephiroth again and closed his eyes. While Cloud slept, Sephiroth dealt with his distraught state by monitoring Cloud to ensure that he wasn’t being attacked in his dreams. There was now a stable bridge connecting Cloud to Sephiroth and he would let no one ever come between them again. Chapter 3 “Sephiroth,” a voice whispered hollowly into the small bedroom. “Cloud?” Sephiroth rubbed his sore eyes and looked down at Cloud who hadn’t stirred in hours. Depriving himself of sleep had made Sephiroth a mess of nerves. Was it his imagination running wild or Cloud talking in his sleep? Probably a little of both and neither were helping his frame of mind. There was still a lingering fog of paranoia in his brain cells but he refused to acknowledge the problem. “Sephiroth.” There it was again. The voice had been too low to belong to Cloud and it had come from the doorway. “Who’s there?” What did Sephiroth have to fear? He had been mortally injured more times than he could count and his mind was strewn with holes. Nothing could scare him or top off a near-death experience. “Sephiroth.” “I will not take part in your immature games, cretin!” Acid was boiling in Sephiroth’s blood by the time the voice called out again. “Sephiroth.” A short intake of breath followed. “Kill him. Kill Cloud. Do it quickly lest he awaken and do the same to you.” Pure, unadulterated hatred came pouring out of Sephiroth’s eyes and from his mouth. “If any harm shall befall him, I will show you no mercy.” “It is not I who is the threat to him, Sephiroth, it is you.” Sephiroth was an extremely intelligent man, he far surpassed even the brightest of scholars. He eventually began to comprehend the meaning behind the hidden voice’s accusations. What if he had been freed or split off from his evil, demented self upon entering the Lifestream? No, it couldn’t have been the Lifestream because that was a place of quiet and peace. The place he had been in was best described as a hell-forsaken pit of death and corruption. Still, he realized that the voice he was hearing was his own. His other half desperately wanted to rejoin with him. If that ever happened… “What did you say?” Cloud looked up at Sephiroth with an expression all too innocent and without judgement. “We have to get out of here as soon as possible.” Sephiroth threw off the blankets and snapped on the lamplight. “Maybe we can climb out through the roof.” He began to pull on his long, black boots and fasten his leather jacket back in place so that his cape covered his bare chest. Then he picked up his sword, his back turned to Cloud. “I thought your plan was to wait until we get rescued.” Cloud could see that something wasn’t right by the way that Sephiroth was checking out the room. “Did you lose your glove?” He held up one of them for Sephiroth to take, the other one was missing. “It couldn’t have gotten all the way across the room.” He got off of the bed and crouched down to look under it. The way with which Sephiroth hoisted him off of his feet was none too gentle or kind. “You imbecile!” He pinned Cloud down onto the bed and glared at him. “If someone were hiding under that bed, they wouldn’t hesitate to murder you in that position. What were you thinking?” Sephiroth’s mako eyes were blazing a fiery red as he held his sword away from Cloud. The beating in Cloud’s heart had grown harder and faster, his hands trembling from fright. “I always manage to upset you,” he said sadly. “That’s why we can never be friends. You always make it perfectly clear that I’m some flaw of nature that just gets in your way.” “N…no, I didn’t mean to…” Sephiroth broke off what he was about to say and propped his sword up against the bed. He wrapped his arms firmly around Cloud and embraced him tenderly. “You don’t understand what is happening to me.” v A single tear slid down Cloud’s cheek and many more filled in his eyes. “I want to…I’ve always tried to be there for you but you won’t let me. You push me away.” He started to cry, clenching Sephiroth’s neck with his arm and soaking it with his misery. All Sephiroth could do was to hold on tighter and stroke Cloud’s back to calm him. “I never knew that by protecting you, I was doing more bad than good. Cloud…I don’t want to give up this ‘bonding’ that I’ve established with you. But, if I don’t, I may end up losing control of myself. My dark side, the one that knows only evil, was dispatched from me when our battle ended. It is haunting me, demanding that I reconnect with it. I can’t do that without jeopardizing your safety.” “How can you overcome your fears and inner turmoil by setting it apart from you?” “What do you mean?” This wasn’t what Sephiroth had been expecting to hear. There was wisdom to Cloud’s words and questions he hadn’t considered himself. “When I lost my memories, it only made me weaker and less of a person. I had to confront the truth and conquer it on my own.” “True. However, you were fighting pieces of your past. What I am facing seems to be an actual, solid entity. A physical obstacle to deal with who is most likely a mirror image of myself. How do I fight myself?” That mirror image struck Cloud’s overactive imagination. What if? He clearly remembered Sephiroth dropping his gloves on the floor with the rest of his stuff. Where was the other glove? “He’s in here,” Cloud whispered, terrified. The Sephiroth that had inflicted unspeakable torture upon him was in the same room as them. Still holding onto Cloud, Sephiroth grasped the handle of his long sword and tested it. “You know how to use this, right?” “It’s your sword.” Cloud couldn’t fathom the predicament he’d be in if he had to fight Sephiroth’s evil twin. He didn’t want to be put in that situation because he still hadn’t recovered from the last time. “If anything should happen to me…if I turn on you, I want you to kill me.” A cry of protest was all he got for the order. Then, all he heard was Cloud sobbing in his arms. “I don’t want to live with your death on my conscience.” “It isn’t fair.” Cloud grasped a handful of Sephiroth’s hair and wouldn’t let go. “Why do I have to kill you? I won’t do it! No matter what you do to me, I won’t!” Could it be anymore futile than it already was? Sephiroth couldn’t push Cloud into promising to kill him and Sephiroth didn’t want to be the instrument of torture for Cloud again. But the evil side of him wanted Cloud dead, and wished for Sephiroth to accept his destiny of havoc. “You should have let him look under the bed.” It was Sephiroth’s voice and yet it wasn’t. The voice lacked substance and emotions but the darkness dripped from each word spoken. Another version of Sephiroth slid out from under the bed, one black, leather glove on his left hand. He was an exact carbon copy of Sephiroth in height, weight and form. There was one thing missing though. The evil Sephiroth’s hair was black, his skin black and his shadow failed to grace the wall along with the others. Only two red orbs for eyes shone out from his two dimensional form. “This has gone on long enough.” Sephiroth lowered Cloud onto the bed and menacingly approached his counterpart. “If I had been given the chance to separate from you before, I would have gladly done so and then disposed of your useless husk.” “The boy was correct. You can’t live without me. We are forever magnetized. You can’t kill me. But, I can kill him.” The evil Sephiroth raised a black replica of Sephiroth’s sword and pointed it at Cloud’s throat. With one simple stroke, Sephiroth had knocked the weapon away from Cloud. “I don’t give a damn about the consequences of killing you but I am certain that it can be done.” Sephiroth attacked his twin, slashing for vital organs and pressure points while deflecting any directed at him. His emotions drove him onward for he knew that if he died, Cloud would be lying right next to him in a shallow grave. As the evil Sephiroth was backing away from the thrust of Sephiroth’s sword, he was unprepared for the harsh kick that smashed into his groin. Then, he was grabbed by the neck and choked by Sephiroth’s pinching fingers. “I will do whatever it takes to defeat you.” Sephiroth removed his hand and stabbed the black apparition straight through to his heart and out the back of his ribcage. “Very nice,” Evil Sephiroth chuckled. “If I were a normal human like yourself, this would have hurt.” He discarded his own sword and pulled out Sephiroth’s which was dripping with a green goo. Cloud watched with horror when Evil Sephiroth plunged the sword into Sephiroth as deep as he could. “SEPHIROTH!!!” Cloud screamed and ran towards him, oblivious of the danger he was putting himself in. The wound in Sephiroth’s chest was real but he acted as if it hadn’t hurt at all. With the sword still imbedded in him, he stood in front of Cloud, blocking him from Evil Sephiroth’s reach. Sephiroth withdrew the sword from his body and inspected the red blood now tainting the metal. “Don’t interfere, Cloud. I can settle this on my own.” “But…” “The bleeding has stopped and the wound has healed. We are equally matched but neither of us can really harm the other. I cannot kill myself and therefore he will not be able to do away with me. It would seem that you are the pawn in all of this…again.” “What is the point of fighting him if you can’t win?” “If I don’t, he will certainly kill you. That is an alternative that I cannot bear.” Sephiroth whipped his arm upwards to halt his twin’s sword from slicing open his skull. A large gaping hole appeared in his arm from the blade but disappeared as if it had never been there. From the sidelines, Cloud watched as one blow was exchanged for another. They fought each other with a firm resolution but could neither could break the constant stalemate. Sephiroth couldn’t do any permanent damage to himself but Cloud on the other hand… Would it be permitted to interfere in their abnormal battle? Could he make a difference? There wasn’t much that Cloud could use for a weapon in his bedroom. His swords were still on display in the living room. The Ultima Weapon was locked away in a safe place which happened to be nowhere convenient. Cloud slipped by the pair of identical fighting men and pulled out a coat hanger from his closet. He twisted it in his hands until it was nothing but a mangled piece of wire. Then, he stood back and waited. “Are you getting tired yet?” The evil Sephiroth was dancing around his counterpart, showing off fancy moves. “Never!” Sephiroth was in top physical shape and had no trouble keeping his double’s pace. He even managed to get the upper hand a couple of times. However, the same could be said for the evil Sephiroth who acquired sudden bursts of energy. Just as Sephiroth was about to bring his sword down to meet the evil Sephiroth’s sword, Cloud appeared from behind him. Sephiroth was startled when Cloud leapt forward and roped Evil Sephiroth’s throat with the copper wire. Evil Sephiroth was quite a bit taller than Cloud so he was wrenched off of his feet when the crazy entity went bezerk. Cloud hung on with a powerful determination. He tugged harder on the wire, strangling the evil Sephiroth with all of his might. The sane Sephiroth bent over and gasped for air, choking and grabbing at his own throat. He felt the wire biting into his flesh, cutting off his air flow, restricting his circulation. Sephiroth reacted instinctively and rammed his elbow into the unseen opponent. On the opposite side of the room, Cloud howled in agony and collapsed onto the floor. Was this his reward for finally discovering peace with Sephiroth? Was he damned to kill his friend for a second time? All of the things he had needed to say to Sephiroth would now remain silenced in his heart. There was to be no second chance for them. It was over. Cloud felt cold hands on his arms and didn’t know which Sephiroth had gotten to him first. “We have to go…now.” Sephiroth cleared his throat which was raw from choking. “I’m sorry…I didn’t know that…” Sephiroth cut him off by stroking a finger over Cloud’s bottom lip. Cloud thought that the action was odd but he kept it to himself. “No, you did the right thing. He took the brunt of it.” Sephiroth indicated the prone form of Evil Sephiroth writing on the ground. “We have to hurry.” Using the bed shelves as a ladder, Cloud and Sephiroth clambered up them to reach the fault ceiling. Sephiroth poked it with his sword until a tiny ray of light shone in. He knocked at it some more, making room for them to squeeze out onto the roof. They carefully made their way along the side of the house although their eyes were still unaccustomed to the morning light. “If it was that easy to get out, why didn’t you do it last night?,” Cloud asked suspiciously. “Leaving would have been the easiest thing to do but it wouldn’t have been the right thing to do.” What could Sephiroth mean by that? “It was ‘right’ to stay with me?” “That evil side of me has been in control for too long. I have many regrets and nearly all of them relate to you. I had to let you know this in case I were to be put into a position where that privilege would not be available to me anymore. My feelings for you have always been brushed aside.” Sephiroth took Cloud by his hand and led him past the wreckage of his house towards an empty building. They sat on the steps of some restaurant which would be closed for another couple of hours. From there, not even the evil Sephiroth would be able to find them…at least not right away. “It’s entirely my fault and I don’t want you to remember me as some cold, emotionless bastard.” “You have to stop blaming yourself.” Cloud smiled faintly at Sephiroth, gazing into his remorseful eyes. “I told you that I forgave you, isn’t that what you wanted to hear?” “In part - yes - but more than that.” Sephiroth placed his hand on Cloud’s face and looked at him with an expression which spoke of warmth and a secret passion. “Cloud…I…” Cloud saw a twitch in Sephiroth’s mouth and moved closer to him. He reached over to touch Sephiroth’s arm when the man violently shoved him off of the stairs. The fall winded Cloud but confused him more than the pain. A harsh, bitter laughter erupted from deep within Sephiroth as his eyes seared with red fire. “Pitiful child! You fell for my fake concern for you. What a stupid creature you are to fall for that line of crap. What was I going to say? I care for you, Cloud. I want to be your friend,” Sephiroth jeered. His mouth turned up in a snarl to reveal his teeth which were grinding together. When Sephiroth stomped his foot down, he missed Cloud entirely noting that this was one adversary that couldn’t be underestimated. “Sephiroth, please…think about what you’re doing. That isn’t you talking, it’s him.” “Does it matter who speaks for me? It won’t to me or you once I’ve finished what I came to do.” Sephiroth raised his sword and pinpointed the exact spot where he’d start off in shredding Cloud out of his life. Chapter 4 It was very early in the morning, especially for a Sunday, but all of Midgar was wide awake. People were peering out from behind their curtains and coming out of their houses to see what all the commotion was about. At first, they focused primarily on Cloud and his efforts to dodge every line of intent from Sephiroth’s sword. Then, one- by-one, the people began to really see Sephiroth. “You killed my husband!,” an elderly woman shouted at Sephiroth. She ran towards him with a piece of wood in her hands. Sephiroth knocked the woman away and punched another man accusing him of burning his children to ashes. Soon, he lost sight of Cloud as the gathered crowd circled him, demanding a public lynching or severing his head from his body. There were two sides of Sephiroth reacting to the danger. One was laughing at the puny mortals before him, reveling in their ignorance. The other half wanted to keep his limbs in place and his body free of scars which would only ruin his appearance. “Cloud!” Sephiroth moved from one person to another, trying to break free of the circle. There was no mercy to be found or given. They wanted blood. His blood. So many angry faces. All they were asking for was what they were entitled to, revenge for the wrongs Sephiroth had committed against them. But, nothing would be gained by murdering Sephiroth. He wasn’t the monster he seemed to be, Cloud knew this. Sephiroth was the victim of a heartless scientist who had played god with an innocent man. The dark side of Sephiroth, the one that had crept back into him to kill Cloud, suddenly dived below the streets and into the underground railway system. He would not be caught up in Sephiroth’s fate. Somehow, Evil Sephiroth would find a way to thrive without his host’s body and mind. It had to better than being whipped by stones or poked with pitchforks. Cloud saw Sephiroth’s expression change to confusion and barely concealed fear. He knew why the people were angry but he pleaded with them, denying responsibility. “WAIT!” Cloud stood in front of Sephiroth and blocked one man’s gun from jabbing into his stomach. “He isn’t the man you once knew.” “Then why was he trying to cut your head off?,” the old woman yelled. “You want to protect this…DEMON?” How many of the onlookers were relatives of the people of Nibelheim? They all knew the crimes and atrocities of Sephiroth’s past. Even in Midgar, Sephiroth was loathed as dearly as Satan himself. The shouts and screams grew louder while Sephiroth tried to think of a way out. Cloud was daring anyone to hit him to get to Sephiroth. For a couple of minutes, it worked because they were good people and didn’t want to involve Cloud. “Did I really cause all this?” “Not now,” Cloud whispered. “Maybe it’s best if I get this over with.” There was a hint of resignation in Sephiroth’s tone, as if he couldn’t care less whether he was captured or not. Cloud looked up at Sephiroth with mourning eyes. “Can’t you think of someone besides yourself? Do you think I want you to die?” “GET OUT OF THE WAY!” A teenage girl kicked Cloud’s shins and plunged a knife into Sephiroth’s side. Sephiroth picked her up by her neck and tossed her into the crowd. “Cloud, come on!” They ran down the street and were hassled by the people ahead who tried to stop them. None of them were athletes or former soldiers so they quickly fell behind. “Did she get you?,” Cloud called out from Sephiroth’s right side. “No, she would not make a good assassin.” “Well, I’m going to be feeling that kick she gave me every time I stand up.” “Where are we going?” A rock went sailing above Sephiroth’s head. “This can’t be helpful.” “Rocket Town. Vincent is there, maybe he can shed some light on your split personality problem.” They turned a corner and slowed down to catch their breath. “The vampire? No thank-you.” “Don’t be so arrogant. He went through similar experiments and might be able to reverse the process.” “Hmph! Him? That I would like to see.” The harbor was coming into view and with it plenty of boats that weren’t tied up too tightly. “You get in and I’ll untie the rope,” Sephiroth ordered. The mob wasn’t far off but they didn’t make it in time to witness Sephiroth’s powerful rowing techniques. From another boat, Evil Sephiroth swore upon missing their departure. If he had known that Cloud wasn’t so wimpy and would save his host’s body, he would have stayed with it. He wasn’t as strong or threatening on his own. Sephiroth had to be within a reasonable distance for him to reconnect but now that couldn’t be done. Evil Sephiroth lurked in the shadows, plotting of a way to locate his other self. “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have you,” Sephiroth said as he rowed further away from shore. Cloud stared into the incoming fog and sighed. “I feel seasick,” he groaned. “How bad?” “The water is spinning. Couldn’t you have stolen a powerboat?” When they were out of range from anyone who may have tried to follow, Sephiroth dropped the oars and moved over to Cloud. “I can remedy that.” He was so close, his long hair blowing in the wind. Sephiroth was like some angel from above, offering Cloud something forbidden. “Only if you permit it.” “What did you have in mind?” Cloud felt his thighs grow warm and looked down to see Sephiroth’s hands on them. “I’ve always been astounded by your beauty, Cloud. You look at me in such a way that no one else has ever bothered to before. If I had been more like you…” “You would have been screwed up the same way as I am now. I’m still trying to get over my fantasy of pretending to be someone I’m not. How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t a bad person?” Too many years of longing for Cloud spilled out of Sephiroth’s hands as he caressed Cloud’s face, pulling him off of the wooden bench and onto the bottom of the boat. Cloud allowed it, wanted it just as badly but was too afraid to say so. “Do you have any idea how you make me feel?” Sephiroth lay on top of Cloud, burying his face into Cloud’s shoulder and brushing his fingers through the unruly strands of blonde hair in his way. “I think so,” Cloud gasped as Sephiroth’s concealed erection pressed against his leg. He stroked Sephiroth’s silky hair, kissing his forehead. “I feel the same way.” “It’s so frustrating…not being able to do what I please to you at this very moment.” “Sephiroth, this isn’t just a physical thing, is it?” Sephiroth raised himself up and looked down into Cloud’s face. Their lips were almost touching and their heavy breathing stimulated the atmosphere. “That would be beneficial to you, wouldn’t it? It would give you an excuse to hide from me and avoid ‘this’. Haven’t you ever been with anyone? Can’t you tell that I want more than your body?” Cloud’s pale skin darkened to a shade of red. “That’s none of your business.” “What happened to our honesty? Maybe I’m invading your personal space.” Hoping that teasing would draw Cloud out, Sephiroth started to get up. “Fine! I went out with Aerith on a date. There! Are you satisfied?” Instead, Sephiroth became somber and disturbed. “Aerith. The girl whose life I ended.” “Sephiroth!” “I’ve become too self absorbed. You’ll have to remind me to stop wallowing in my own self pity.” Sephiroth forced the image of Aerith from his mind, the one where she had fallen forward, impaled from behind on his sword. He kissed Cloud’s neck and felt him shiver. “What did you and Aerith do on that one date?” Cloud described their short visit to the Gold Saucer but didn’t mention the ridiculous play he had participated in. “You call that a date?” “She did.” Cloud was annoyed at Sephiroth’s amused expession. “What about you? A first class SOLDIER must have had many girls to boast about.” “And guys,” Sephiroth added. “Although we never went to the Gold Saucer on a date. It was usually a movie, dinner and a romantic evening at my house.” The next time Sephiroth tried to kiss Cloud, he got a knee in his crotch. “What was that for?” Cloud slipped out from under Sephiroth and went back to his wooden bench. “You went out with that many people but don’t know anything about being tactful.” “I was only teasing.” Sephiroth sat beside Cloud and wrapped an arm around him. “The last thing I’m going to do is give you a detailed reenactment of each person I slept with. I didn’t want them as badly as I want you.” “Really?” “Yes.” Then Sephiroth tilted Cloud’s chin up and bent down to kiss his lips. There weren’t any distractions to stop him so he didn’t miss. Cloud was absolutely still and rigid when Sephiroth changed the friendly hug into an embrace. It was very quiet, even the wind and the waves ceased their movement. Sephiroth was trying to relax Cloud by massaging his back. When Cloud had released all of his tension, Sephiroth advanced. The sensation of Sephiroth’s tongue moving across his lips made Cloud resist and struggle. He didn’t know what to make of the intrusion of Sephiroth’s tongue sliding between his parted lips and into his mouth. Cloud gasped and heard himself moan when Sephiroth became more passionate. The kiss grew longer and deeper and neither of them wanted to break the intimacy of it. For his first kiss, Cloud was truly enjoying it. Cloud clung to Sephiroth’s waist and tried to bring him closer than he already was. They ended up falling back to the bottom of the boat with Sephiroth on top. “That was aggressive,” scolded Sephiroth. “I never thought you had it in you.” He smiled and kissed Cloud for the second time. There were moments when Cloud wanted to return the kiss but ended up doing something clumsy and weird. Sephiroth was amused at his inexperience but had no desire to insult him. After a couple of lessons, Cloud was bound to be an expert at pleasing Sephiroth. It didn’t take too long to get to Rocket Town so long as Sephiroth kept his hands on the oars and off of Cloud. They picked the perfect place to escape to seeing as how no one knew Sephiroth there. And it was relatively simple to locate Cid since he lived in the same house he had when Cloud first met him. Shera, Cid’s miscellaneous house maid and assistant rocket technician, invited them in and boiled water for tea. They had to chat with her for an hour before Cid got home. He was messing with his plane again. Cid came home precisely at five o’clock and let the door slam behind him. “Shera, do we have guests? Who do these gawdy black boots belong to? Not the fucking mailman, I hope.” When Cid saw Sephiroth, he nearly jumped out of his skin. “SHIT!” Cid pulled his gun out and leveled it in front of Sephiroth’s chest. “You should have died the first time.” Before Cid could pull the trigger, Cloud had rushed over and knocked the weapon down so that it fired the bullet through the floorboards. “We’re looking for Vincent,” Cloud explained. “We heard he was staying with you.” “Damn it, kid! Does he have control of you again? Do I have to knock some sense into you?” “I would not recommend it.” Sephiroth’s tone had grown cold. He took Cid’s words at face value and despised any attempts to harm Cloud. “Will you listen to me? If you still want to shoot him after I’m finished, then we’ll leave.” Cid put the safety switch back onto his gun and motioned for Sephiroth to get up. “I’ll listen but not in here. This is my house and he is not welcome in it.” They talked or argued for most of the night before Cid agreed to let Sephiroth come back inside. He didn’t trust Cloud completely and wouldn’t let either of them out of his sight. The gun stayed with him and it was filled with bullets. “Cid, where did you get these boots from?” It was Vincent’s voice. None of them had heard the man enter. Vincent wandered into the den where his visitors were waiting. “Sephiroth?” He didn’t sound angry or sad, only devoid of emotion. “This jackass wants your help,” Cid snickered. “He’s got mental problems…thought you might have a cure. Do you buy that, Vincent?” “What do you need from me?” Cid’s jaw dropped when Vincent walked straight over to Sephiroth and Cloud. His right arm was twitching and his clawed fingers clenched. Cloud and Sephiroth remained in the den while Cid discussed the issue privately with Vincent. “Are you out of your freaking mind? There’s a homicidal maniac in my house with a voodoo curse over Cloud and you’re going to help him? I say kick them both out, that way I can’t be held accountable for plugging them full of lead.” “Cid, put your gun away. They mean us no harm.” Vincent was a man of few words but he seemed to be very verbal on the subject. “Have you forgotten what I have been turned into? A monster with one arm and half a soul. I can relate to Sephiroth’s dilemma.” Vincent popped three frozen pizzas into the oven and opened a can of beer. He drank steadily from it, well aware of Cid’s stare. “And Cloud? How does he fit into Sephiroth’s sob story?” “Cloud doesn’t interest me. I owe Sephiroth for not being able to save his mother and my first true love.” “You’re acting as if she was your last true love.” Cid lit up a cigarette before tossing a six-pack onto a tray with some nachos. “You owe me too for not coming home last night. Remember where you’re supposed to sleep. I’m not going to wait up for you to waltz in whenever you feel like it.” Sephiroth ate and drank whatever he was offered but Cloud declined on getting drunk with the three older men. He was embarrassed when Sephiroth kissed him during the evening news. Cid was watching it to see if Sephiroth’s story checked out. Sure enough, there was a report on the disturbance in Midgar. Vincent watched Sephiroth pawing Cloud and glanced at Cid. Cloud tasted the beer from Sephiroth and grimaced, he didn’t like alcohol. But it didn’t turn him off from being kissed. Cid was occupied with his television and only caught a glimpse of Cloud fixing his crinkled shirt. The fact that Sephiroth followed Cloud into the guestroom was of no concern to Cid. He was blind to their mutual attraction. To get Sephiroth alone, Vincent beckoned him to the hallway. “I expect something in return for aiding you.” “Nothing is ever free in this world.” Sephiroth shook his head at Vincent’s pitiful gaze. “You do me a favour, I do you a favour. Is that how it goes?” “I want you to show me how to be romantic.” “WHAT?!!” “Shhh!!!” Vincent glared at Sephiroth. “Do you want Cid to hear?” “Cid? That old crone?” He couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of the dark-haired man in bed with Cid, the short man with the gutter mouth. “For your information, I am older than he is.” Now Vincent was getting impatient. “Will you or will you not do what I ask? Keep in mind that I have plenty of reasons to want you dead right now. I might not come up with a cure at all but a deadly virus that will eat you away from the inside-out.” “There’s no need to be so melodramatic about it. I’ll do what I can but what makes you think that I am romantic?” “You are sleeping with Cloud, aren’t you?” “That’s none of your business.” Sephiroth could barely keep the thought out of his head. “Let’s stick to me giving you pointers. What goes on between Cloud and myself stays with us.” Sephiroth spent the evening on the edge of the bed he was sharing with Cloud. His new love interest suspected that he would be obligated to give more than he wanted to if he got too close. It was hard to blame Cloud for the distance when Sephiroth was thinking dirty thoughts. “VINCENT, you dropped your damn cape in with my laundry!” Cid was yelling at the top of his lungs. Cloud groaned and covered his head with the pillow. “My new boxers are fucking red!” “He is the one who needs to learn to be romantic.” Sephiroth was startled when Cid flung the door open. “Do you mind!” The pilot muttered something inaudible and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s going on in here? First you two are sworn enemies and now you’re bed buddies. I don’t want any of this crap in my house.” “He’s nowhere near me,” protested Cloud. “Tomorrow night, you’re on the couch.” He tapped his cigarette to shake off some ashes and fixed his eyes on Sephiroth. “I know your type. You’ll screw Cloud’s head up some more to get your kicks. He doesn’t need you molesting him.” “Cid.” Vincent appeared in the doorway and placed a restraining hand on Cid’s shoulder. “I think Cloud is old enough to make his own decisions.” “You! This is the hundredth time that I’ve had to warn you about my damn underwear.” “Maybe I like them red.” Vincent was attempting a smile but couldn’t raise his head to look at Cid. The concept of Vincent finding his boxers sexy when dyed red skipped over Cid. “And since when have you sided with Cloud’s poor judgement? You’re always telling me about the misled kid who lost his marbles.” Vincent was mouthing the words for Cid to shut up but he was on a roll. “Do you think that Cloud matured so much in the last few months that his sleeping with Sephiroth is normal?” “Can I say something?” Cloud pushed Sephiroth out of the bed and stood nose-to-nose with Cid. “I am not sleeping with Sephiroth in that sense. And even if I was, you would have no right to stop me.” Cloud didn’t have to look at Sephiroth to know that he was drooling over the possibility. “Sephiroth, you can sleep on the couch tonight.” “If he’s serious, Cid, you’re dead.” Sephiroth stomped past all three of them and gave Vincent the evil eye. “That flesh eating virus is starting to sound better by the minute.” Chapter 5 Somewhere close to Rocket Town, a teenage girl rode a Chocobo through the long grass, her teeth gritted against the flying sand. She shifted and stretched many times as though her long, slender body just wasn’t long enough. It felt cramped to her and she had a seriously throbbing headache. The sooner she returned home to her parents, the sooner she could be lying in bed with a large bottle of aspirin. The journey across the ocean was stuck in the back of her head, reminding her of the weirdness back in Midgar. She wasn’t old enough to know much about ShinRa or the trouble they had caused her people. To see a mob rising up against two young men was new to her. Just wait until she arrived home, her parents would have a long story to listen to. Anything for the conversation. There wasn’t much that she had in common with her parents, as most teenagers her age were light years away with their music and fashion sense. But, a spark of a well exaggerated story was exactly what was needed to keep their attention on her for a few minutes if not more. Meanwhile, inside of Cid’s kitchen, Vincent was performing all sorts of tests on Sephiroth. He pricked him with needles, drew blood, measured breathing, heart rate and even asked for a very personal sample from him. Sephiroth was outraged but humored the man because he had no choice. No choice but to lie flat on his back and watch his body be picked apart by Vincent. “Have you found anything yet?” Cloud was hovering nearby, averting his gaze whenever Vincent decided to take more samples. “Actually, yes I have. It’s scientifically impossible but…Sephiroth’s entire body is lacking half of what it should.” “WHAT?” Sephiroth snatched the results from Vincent’s hand and looked over the information himself. “He’s missing half of his blood cells, half of his skin tissue, half of…” Vincent cleared his throat. “Well, his performance might not be what he’s used to.” “I’d appreciate it if you kept your comments off of my genitalia.” The silver haired man sat up and began to dress. “What does this mean?” “It isn’t good if that’s what you’re asking. You need your other half to go on living but if you do rejoin, your evil side could retake control.” Cid hurried through the kitchen and gave Sephiroth a withering glance. “I’m never eating off of that table again.” “Old crone,” Sephiroth muttured beneath his breath. “So what should we do?” Poor Cloud was hoping against hope that there was a way to keep Sephiroth alive without reverting him back to a back-stabbing snake. For once, Vincent didn’t have a solution. “His other half will be coming to find him. Neither of them can survive long without the other. Once they are whole again, we may be able to eradicate the evil tendencies in his brain.” Outside of Rocket Town, the young girl dismounted off of her Chocobo and patted his head. Then the furry, yellow bird was bolting off, warking all the way. “I can’t wait to tell …” She suddenly clutched at her head, her knees buckling. Then she collapsed as a shadow of a man climbed out of her body. “Thanks for the ride,” Evil Sephiroth sneered at her quivering body. The shadow moved from house to house, searching for his host, no longer as powerful as he once was. He sensed that the original Sephiroth wasn’t exactly in top condition himself. No matter, he had an agenda to stick to and eliminating Sephiroth was high on the list. When Sephiroth was once again under his command, the first order of business would be to execute Cloud. Evil Sephiroth recognized one of the houses as belonging to Cid, the smartass pilot. They were inside, all four of them. Now was his chance. He walked straight through the wall, wincing a bit from the strain it put on his abnormal powers. Sephiroth was just leaving the kitchen to take a long shower. The evil half of him could feel the defeated attitude surrounding Sephiroth. Now, it would be easy. He ran the last few feet and lunged at Sephiroth. Cloud, Cid and Vincent rushed into the hallway to see Evil Sephiroth disappear inside of Sephiroth. The result was horrible as Sephiroth screamed and smashed things, fighting against himself. He staggered one way, then the other, punching the wall, tearing at his hair. “NO! NO! Anything but this!” Neither Cid nor Vincent made any effort to stop Cloud when he moved forward. “Sephiroth. You can win, I know you can.” Sephiroth let out a low sigh, trembling from the weight of his conscience. There would be no teaching Vincent how to be romantic, no life with Cloud, no freedom. He had been doomed from the beginning. How he had wished to shake Cid and tell him how precious Vincent’s companionship was. To tell the man never to let it go. The words wouldn’t come out. What he wouldn’t trade in exchange for an hour of apologies, of things left unsaid and undone. At his side, Cloud was moving things out of his way, clearing a path straight to the guest room. What did Cloud want from him? To make it all better, to magically restore his humanity? “You didn’t come all this way just to give up.” Cloud led him into the room and shut the door, massaging his neck, kissing his knuckles. Sephiroth could feel the will being driven out of him. So tired. If he could only rest and dwell on his misfortune the next day, the next life. Faces rained hard down on him. The people he had murdered, killed, slain. They howled for restitution, saying that this was what he deserved. A life of torment. Shaking his head, Sephiroth managed to dislodge those emotions temporarily. He took Cloud’s face in his hands and kissed him. Even after all he had done, Cloud was still on his side. Cloud’s loyalty astounded him for he didn’t deserve it. “Cloud. I love you.” Sephiroth hugged Cloud tightly, feeling the dampness of tears on his neck. Half belonged to Cloud, the other half were unfamiliar stabs of pain. “I love you too…” As they were moving towards the bed, Sephiroth knew what was going to happen. Cloud must be preparing himself, waiting for the ultimate act of surrender. His hand gripped something on the way over. It must be Cloud’s hand, he thought. But the object was cold and lifeless. He pushed Cloud down onto the bed, still kissing him, running his hands through that soft, blonde hair. “You will never forget this moment,” Sephiroth spoke icily. “I’ve wanted to be with you for a long time. I want this now, Sephiroth. I love you,” he repeated. Cloud opened his arms to embrace Sephiroth, his expression vulnerable, loving. “And so you shall have it.” He pulled back his right arm and revealed his sword. The look on Cloud’s face turned to confusion then to sheer agony as he was impaled. Sephiroth drove the sword in deeper, cutting through Cloud’s heart and nailing him to the mattress. A strangled scream escaped Cloud’s blood, soaked lips as he fought to loosen the sword. He cried out again and again, feeling his very life shattering before him. Sephiroth moved the blade up higher, cutting even further into Cloud’s flesh. In his mind, he knew that he was breaking Cloud’s ribcage, had already punctured both of his lungs and was making short work of the younger man’s heart. Cloud was staring up at him, unable to scream anymore. He bit straight through his bottom lip, eyes tightly shut as tears of blood streamed from them. Then Cloud was dead. “What have I done?” Sephiroth slid the sword out of Cloud and began to shake. Why didn’t Cid or Vincent come to help Cloud? “Why didn’t you stop me?!!” He shouted at the ceiling, letting the weapon drop to the bed. He picked Cloud’s body up in his arms and cradled him close, sobbing with a sorrow so great it consumed his soul. “How could I kill them man I love?” “You can’t.” “Who said that?” Sephiroth raised his head away from Cloud’s face and found that he was no longer in the house. All around him was darkness. He couldn’t see and when he raised his arms, Cloud was gone. “What is going on?” “Cloud cannot be killed by you when you are imprisoned here.” “Where am I?” “Where you’ve always been.” Deja vu struck when the cackling, the laughter from that dark place invaded his mind. “Why are you doing this to me?” “I’m not responsible for your actions, Sephiroth. You are. I only showed you what could have been.” “Aerith,” Sephiroth snarled. “Could have been? You mean all of this was just a dream? A figment of my imagination? What about Cloud and my evil side? You’re a liar!” “Anything can be as real as you make it here. You are still on trial for your sins. Your delusional fantasy with Cloud merely withdrew the imagery from deep within you. It’s time you came to terms with your love for him. Time you suffered for nearly killing him. For killing me.” “I wouldn’t have killed him. I couldn’t have.” “But you did and it was easy, wasn’t it? He gave you his heart and you tore it in two. And you expect to be allowed to leave this dimension with a personality like that? Sephiroth, you are going to pay for what you did. I’ll ensure that.” “Send me back to Cloud. I have to tell him the truth. I can’t die unless he knows. He has to know!” Sephiroth ran into the black aura and kept going, trying to find an opening somewhere. “He already knows what a psychological deviant you are. Don’t worry, if I ever see him, I’ll tell him how much you wanted him dead.” “Where are you, witch? Come over here and speak to me or are you too much of a coward?” “Very well.” Aerith appeared above him, floating with her long brown hair and big, green eyes. “You want me to have some compassion I suppose?” “I know you have the ability to send me back. I’ve changed, you must listen to me. All I want is to have a second chance with Cloud. There won’t be any evil doubles or split personalities. After seeing what I’m capable of, I know not to repeat my mistakes.” She flew higher and smiled at Sephiroth. “Are you sure that’s what you want? It will be like replaying a scene in a movie. An earthquake will hit Midgar and trap Cloud inside of his home. Unless you are there, he will be killed in the living room, on the couch. It doesn’t matter what you try to alter, the exact same thing will happen twice. Only this time, you will not encounter your evil side as I have already banished it. However, it will be even more difficult to seduce Cloud this time.” “Whatever the odds, I will be there for Cloud. I can convince him that I am a new man. Will you do this for me?” “No.” She smiled, the same ethereal smile down onto him. “Not for you, Sephiroth. For Cloud. He showed me the world as it really was and now I will show him you as you were meant to be. Go.” A window of bright light pierced into Sephiroth’s eyes and he greedily went through it. He was afraid that Aerith might change her mind and hurl him into a dungeon deeper than hell. “Aerith, thank-you…and I’m sorry.” Her projected form melted under the light but the last thing Sephiroth noticed was her smile. She was at peace and it this rested the gnawing guilt that had chewed away at him for that eternity. Midgar. He was in Midgar, and in ten minutes, he’d be at Cloud’s house. Cloud. The man he loved with all of his heart. Optimism flooded his spirit, lifted the corners of his mouth into a broad grin. He practically ran towards Cloud’s home, stopping only to grab a bunch of flowers and throw his sword down a well. Sephiroth ignored the urge to climb into Cloud’s bedroom and instead flung open the front door. Cloud leapt off of the couch and his jaw dropped. “Sephiroth…how?” But Sephiroth grabbed Cloud’s arm and led him to the bedroom as the ground began to shake. “I’ll explain everything later,” he said when the ceiling collapsed and they had to hide under the bed. “But for now, just know that I love you.” -End- Back to FF7 Fanfiction