The roof grew hot as the motorcycle tires tore across it. The grey sky reflected on the cycle's surface shone like a fine badge of valor. Rearing up on one wheel as it came to the edge of the rooftop, it leapt into the air as the wheel lost contact with solid ground. Like a missile flying through the sky, Cloud and his trusty ride jetted toward the adjacent building. With a crash and a spray of glass, Cloud entered the building through a now shattered window. Braking and swerving his bike, he was now face to face with man currently pointing a pistol at his head. The man's arm shook violently; as if he could barley hold his gun. He wore a business suit and his eyes were hidden by dark glasses. However, even from where he was Cloud could tell there was something wrong with his eyes. Protruding from the edges of his glasses were dark veins that seemed to stem from his eyes.
"I saw what you did to those office workers" Cloud said drawing his sword. His voice was as serious as stone. "You'll pay for that innocent blood."
The man merely grinned, and a small amount of drool ran down his chin. His finger gripped the trigger hard, and bullet was shot. Quicker than lighting, Cloud's sword was in front of him, taking the bullet. In the next moment Cloud was half way across the room, sword poised for the strike. With hardened precision he sliced through the man's body, cleaving him in two. The deed was done. The two halves of the murderer were lying on the ground, still twitching.
It had been a long year for Cloud, but a relatively normal one compared to the one before. There were no aliens, monsters, or other worlds to deal with. Only the occasional vigilante escapade he'd become used to in these times of relative peace. Once in a while he'd see his friends. Barrett and Yuffie were doing well, Vincent was keeping to himself as usual, and Cid was somewhere half way across the world with his new air machine. He was now living with Tifa, and taking care of the children.
He sheathed his sword back into his bike, and prepared to leave, when suddenly he heard something behind him. The Upper half of the body was now upright and staring at Cloud. His glasses had fallen and now Cloud could see his eyes. It seemed that pupil and iris of the man's eyes were gone, and they were completely red.
"Well done my child." A woman's voice exited the man's mouth. "You have grown since the last time we have faced each other."
Cloud drew closer.
"But then, this is not one of my most formidable puppets. But then again, you have destroyed the rest."
"Jenova?" Cloud's eyes grew wide.
"Perceptive insect."
"What do you want?"
"You."
Cloud stepped back.
"I'm in the crater. Face me there, or I will send more to slaughter your innocents." The man fell limp on the ground and the redness of his eyes left him.
--
The journey to the North Crater is a hard one, but Cloud has done it before. He arrived early the next day. He came alone. Bringing Tifa and the others would have been helpful, but it could have put their lives in danger.
The heat quickly left his bike as the ignition switch turned off. Cloud assembled all his swords and made his way inside the crater. Not much had changed, it was still the most depressing place he'd ever been. Not a rock had been moved since the night of the meteor. Shin-ra had come back once searching for Jenova's head. But they only found her neck. That caused some trouble in the past.
As Cloud entered the main passage he saw it immediately. Sephiroth's original corpse. Now it had decayed quite a bit, and was mostly just a skeleton, but it was moving. As Cloud looked closer he could see the tendrils. They covered most of the bones.
"Jenova." Cloud said drawing his sword. "Desperate to have you 'son' back?"
Sephiroth's corpse suddenly opened it's dead and rotting eyelids to reveal deep red eyes. The eyes of Jenova.
"No my child. You've killed him enough times. It looks as if this time I cannot bring him back."
"He said you were gone." Cloud said gripping his sword. "That there was no trace of you left."
"Oh there wasn't my child. Yet here I am, all I needed was a little help."
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll never know. All you need to know is, that you are mine, and it will always be so."
Without warning, Jenova sprung forward and tried to grab Cloud, but Cloud easily evaded.
"You have no sword" Cloud stated shifting his balance. "You can't win."
"I need no sword boy!" Jenova screeched, extending her arms and pointing her palms at Cloud. Suddenly a strange mark glowed red on her forehead, and flames burst from her palms and shot at Cloud! He was caught off guard and barely escaped being burned.
"What was that?!" Cloud said to himself.
Jenova shot another stream of flame toward her foe, but this time Cloud was ready, he blocked the fire with his sword and jumped toward his attacker, he was about to swing his sword, when a third arm made of what seemed like black mist burst from Jenova's side inches away from Cloud's face and glowed as if it was about to spray fire as well. There was no time to think, Cloud had not expected this, and now it seemed he would die.
Suddenly, the buzzing sound of a laser beam could be heard, and the arm was no more. Jenova's head was stricken from her shoulders and she lay dead on the floor, as the strange mark on her forehead faded away. Cloud got up and looked at the cause of Jenova's demise. There standing to the right, in front of a familiar green swirling portal was Sora, and behind him was a man with graying blonde hair holding a sword of blue light, and a troubled looking massive orange rock beast, wearing blue pants of all things.
Cloud took a deep breath and hesitated asking what the strangers were doing there, because he knew he'd probably get dragged into whatever they were doing.
"Hey" Sora said with a grave look on his face. "We've got a problem."