Disclaimer: FFVII isn't mine.
A/N: Dont't even ask. I haven't got a clue what I was thinking when I wrote this.
Filicide
Vincent didn't come back.
When Cloud said that they didn't have to return, they'd all thought that it was a courtesy. An attempt to make them feel better about the whole thing, nothing more. It hadn't even occurred to them that someone wouldn't come back, that they'd be left hanging by a teammate.
"We'll wait an extra half day. Maybe he just got caught up in things, didn't realise the time." Cloud's voice held false hope as he tried to reassure everyone, and himself, that the somewhat detached man wouldn't let them down.
They waited those twelve hours, and an additional six, but there was still no sign of him, and they couldn't put off leaving any longer.
Seems that Vincent really was as cold as he appeared.
Cloud sighed dejectedly, then signalled for the pilot to take off.
The Highwind swiftly arrived at the Northern Crater, and the party disembarked.
"Okay, this place is crawling with monsters, so be on your guard." Warned Cloud, "I'll lead. Tifa, Cid and Nanaki are just behind me. Barret, Yuffie, you're support. Cait Sith, you're taking Vincent's place at the back. You've got two pairs of eyes, so you're the best for the job. Everyone ready?" Receiving nods in reply, he turned to look down the path, unsheathed his sword, and spoke, voice full of determination: "Allright, let's go."
Expressions grim and weapons ready, they set off.
The, surprisingly few, monsters they met on the way down proved to be little challenge, even if some of them did prove to be annoyingly persistent.
"I expected this to be harder. This place should be crawling with creatures." Cloud muttered to himself just after single-handedly finishing off three 'Movers'. Raising his voice, he glanced toward the others "This is too easy. Sephiroth's probably set a trap for us. Let's be careful."
They continued on.
All seven members of AVALANCHE stared down in the swirling, bright green vortex that led to their destination. Platforms of stone hung there, suspended by nothing, seeming to invite them to descend.
"Are you sure this is the way, Cloud?" Tifa spoke, echoing the unease they all felt at the prospect of jumping onto such small and precarious looking things. "Are you absolutely certain that Sephiroth is down there?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Cloud's voice didn't allow room for doubt, though he couldn't conceal his unease at actually going.
They simply stood there, willing someone else to go first.
Surprisingly enough, Yuffie broke the spell first. She flung a stone down. It clattered onto the first platform. The ninja, never one to be particularly cautious, jumped after a mere moment's thought.
The party held their breath.
She landed safely, turning to grin up at them before moving to leap to the next platform, which somehow seemed closer than it used to be.
"Wait up, Yuffie!" Cait Sith shouted, before throwing itself down after her.
The remainder exchanged amused, yet apprehensive, glances before following.
The platforms seemed to go on forever, and yet they found themselves on the last one in what felt like an instant.
The mechanical process of leaping, landing, moving, leaping, landing, moving, could have lasted for an eternity, and yet they felt no tiredness, despite the fact that when they looked up, their entry point was nowhere to be seen.
They expected to see Sephiroth, to fight and hopefully vanquish him, to save the planet. In this regard they were not mistaken.
What they had not anticipated was to see their errant gunslinger standing before the silver-haired swordsman, head cocked as if inspecting a troublesome problem.
"V-Vincent?" Cloud stuttered.
"Cloud." Vincent didn't seem surprised in the slightest, not even turning to look at them.
"What are you doing here? Why didn't you come back?" Shock metamorphosed into confusion, then into the beginnings of anger, "We were worried, dammit!"
"Yeah!" Chipped in Yuffie, who seemed able to bounce back from surprises easier than the others.
"My apologies." Still no inflection whatsoever, "I felt it was best to discover the precise situation for myself, without interruption."
"What the $&£$ do you mean by that, Vamp boy?" Cid's confusion was apparent.
"Should I add another sin to my list…"
"I believe the term is 'filicide'." Sephiroth's cold, clear voice cut across the proceedings. He still made no move.
AVALANCHE glanced at each other, mystified, before Tifa spoke, "…filicide…to murder one's son or daughter…Vincent? What's going on?" The uncertain, hurried question seemed to galvanise the gunman into action.
"Did you really see no resemblance?" He turned to face them, a slight, bitter, smirk nearly hidden by his high collar. He sounded mildly amused.
Nanaki and Tifa saw it instantly. Shock written all over their faces, they simply stared, unable to think. Seeing the others more confused than surprised, Sephiroth chuckled quietly, and decided to hurry the process along.
"It really is quite astounding just how blind humans can be, isn't it, father?" His tone carried a condescending mirth. Smirking at their shocked expressions, he continued, "It is a biological link, nothing else, though Vincent here seems to believe that I could have been persuaded to give up this 'mad crusade' because of it."
"So you will not?" Turning back to face his son, Vincent had the air of one whose last hope had just been cruelly dashed.
Looking almost amused, Sephiroth shook his head, "There is no madness in my mind. My goal is godhood, and that is almost within my grasp. What need have I for insanity? No, demon, I will not stop, not even if you invoke the name of that fool woman who birthed me, Lucrecia."
Vincent recoiled like he had been slapped. He seemed shocked into immobility.
Cloud chose that moment to step in.
"Sephiroth, you will pay for what you've done!"
"You don't have a hope of defeating me, puppet, not you and your sorry little band."
Cloud's response was a roar as he charged.
The battle had begun.
A/N: Something seems wrong with this, but I'm not sure what. Opinions, anyone?