III. Landing

The Shin-Ra General awoke to find himself sprawled on the bed, still in the Turk suit. His phantom colored streams of hair spread all about again. He lifted himself off gently hoping he hadn't slept in a sore position. Sephiroth smirked finding he actually felt better, even though he had just passed out, it wasn't hard to move at all.

He walked out of the room shutting the door, feeling more than a little bewildered as to why he passed out. He had recovered from the Mako poisoning hadn't he? Well he still had things to do, like finding Cloud and Zack, and of course killing that bastard Hojo… That was enough for him to grab the cloak on the rack down stairs and pull it over his hair. Sephiroth tapped the sunglasses down to cover his eyes, he jumped over the banister towards the door. The place really was trashed…

The former General looked at the shattered glass on the floor then up to the giant hole in the ceiling. This place had seem conflict rather recently, the ceiling was titled until it came to a giant glass dome. Sephiroth could see the gloomy sky of Nibelheim through it, and vaguely wondered who had the gall to damage Hojo's property. The thought brushed out of his mind as he walked out the front doors to the sleepy mountain village. It looked almost deserted at first, there was a fine layer of dust coating everything. The rough sound of an airship could be heard off in the distance, Sephiroth had a specific feeling about that airship. For some reason he knew it meant trouble, so in an effort to avoid it he went for the Reactor trail on the side of Mt. Nibel.

There was a dull thud as it landed nearby, Sephiroth sped up his pace a bit. Enough that anyone disembarking the airship would think they had only seen a shadow. He made sure to watch his back, feeling very under armed with only the Turk pistol. If he had any problems he would have to call the Masamune from the manor. As he entered the reactor he instantly wished he were somewhere else.

It reeked, broken pods that littered the inside. Bones, blood, and Mako the sight was overwhelming and more than just disturbing. His senses looked to the places in the footage where Zack had been thrown to and were Cloud had fallen after stabbing what looked to be him. Sephiroth looked around at the evidence of that struggle, it was unmistakable that the video had been showing the truth. Traces of Zack's hair and blood were on the back of a tank on the left with the giant indent of a human body.

He shook his head disgusted walking to where Zack had thrashed the door open with the buster sword. Two separate trails of something had actually melted the steel plating of the floor. The place where the woman's blood and what looked like his blood had been. He walked forward cautiously, still observing the floor. There was a giant chunk missing were the buster sword had been driven into it by an opposing force. He could see the deadly strokes of a long sword, more than likely his 'borrowed' Masamune.

What wasn't in half had dents of bodies, deflections, or feet. Meaning whomever Zack had fought it had been tooth and nail. He walked up the narrow path to one last shattered Mako tank. The inside was filled with the remains of something bluish or green. Strands of silver littered the side of the tank, the creature must have been Jenova. The head must have been hers, that would make sense after all seeing how Hojo was so obsessive about it. The clone had come for Jenova, and his friends had tried to stop it.

Sephiroth slammed a fist into the side of the tank in frustration, then he caught the sound of someone taking in a breath they had seemed to hold in. He jolted towards the closest pod and slid silently behind it. He turned slowly not sure what to expect from the guest, a hand starting for the pistol. Then he caught the sight of the Chocobo colored hair, spikey and untamed. He dropped the hand and watched silently as the former cadet and someone else entered the reactor. The shadowy man next to the Chocobo haired boy was silent as he moved despite what appeared to be metal shoes.

The General watched, as the two of them walked right up to Zack's handy work with the door. The Chocobo strains bowed for a second, and Sephiroth could hear a small stifle in the breath of the cadet. Ebony locks draped over the shadowy man as he leaned towards the blonde, a gloved right hand touching the center of his upper back. Sephiroth almost growled, he wasn't quite sure why he wanted to growl, but it was some feral instinct from deep inside him.


Cloud looked up at Vincent with a look of gratitude for the silence. He could still feel Zack in this place, it was both a good and a bad feeling. Sephiroth's presence was more prominent here than anywhere else in Cloud's world. It was the place that Sephiroth changed Cloud's world, the place where Cloud was forced to kill the man that he cared for the most. Only Cloud had come to realize over the many months of being at the Seventh Heaven that he actually cared more about Sephiroth than Tifa.

It was strange to him, the feeling that used to be obsessed over Tifa in his youth had transferred over to a man he had been forced to kill on at least three separate occasions. Each time he felt a small piece of that feeling burn a bigger hole in his chest. Sephiroth had always been like some untouchable god of perfection back before he went into SOLDIER. It was after Zack had introduced him to the General that he realized his hero worship was odd.

Others drowned themselves in some sort of foreign fantasy with a sheet wrapped Sephiroth feeding them grapes or something, others less restraint gave him some very gutter worthy thoughts. Then there was the straight up hero worshipers, the ones who dreamed of being a 1st class at his side like Zack. Hearing praise, and protecting the General from random strikes of violence (or the delusional fan-girls and boys) should they come to near. Cloud was combination of these back then, he had met the General in his office in a rather tense setting created by Zack whom seemed to be immune to Sephiroth's intimidation factor on everyone else.

Not that Cloud had minded meeting the man, but he had almost shit himself when Zach shoved him and all the paperwork that he was carrying towards the slightly amused Shin-Ra General. Cloud had later found out that not running away at the threshold, then staring straight at the General's eyes without looking away in order to be dismissed had earned him big points with the man. Zack had literally spouted praises for the move for the next two weeks of training sessions.

Cloud's strange version of hero worship then developed more from the protective side to the one he still carried. When he was told he would be attending a mission to Nibelheim he almost felt like he was being abandoned for being a shrimp. (No one really knew how people were sent home alive from Shin-Ra after all) Then Zack found him, and all was okay. At least until he got claustrophobic in a van riding towards said hometown while being stared at by one's hero very oddly.

Zack had to explain something to both of them that day. Cloud had learned that Sephiroth lacked basic social understandings that were not required for his role as the General. Sephiroth from what he gathered learned about phobia's. Sephiroth was amused that other people had such things. Zack pointed out that he was phobic of anything lab related, and Sephiroth's lips formed an 'o' in understanding. Although Cloud was now sure that his phobia of labs was more than justified.

"Cloud?" the gunner called through his reminiscing thoughts. Cloud decided that a blank face would be best as he refocused into the present time. He shook his head slightly and looked up at the semi worried face behind him.

"It's nothing, just day dreaming in memories," Cloud explained vaguely. Vincent made the same 'o' shape as Sephiroth, both were small and outside their normal choice expressions. Cloud rose to his feet slowly and looked at the door jam again. Zack's handy work always had a distinct mark to it, always the opposite of a mushroom effect since the Buster Sword was so much heavier than any normal blade.

"Is that Jenova's original tank?" Vincent asked pointing to a place that was burned in Cloud's memory from all the nightmares. The place where Sephiroth had stood forehead leaning against the tank motionless, until it cracked as the Buster Sword penetrated his torso. The place where he had brought the mighty Shin-Ra General to his knees, where he fell like a maiden rather than the prince of madness that he was. Cloud nodded remembering how much of his heart had fallen into the abyss as Sephiroth had jumped with the head of the alien into the Mako reactor.


"Yes, the one where her head was sliced off by Seph, no it wasn't Sephiroth," Cloud's voice was weak and almost in danger of cracking, "it was something made by Hojo and controlled by that hag in the tube. Something that in the end finished her off too. No matter how much the remnants try she's dead, even the Seph clones know that." Vincent walked silently as ever over to the blue pile of gush that remained in the tube. What had once almost seemed to be a woman's torso was nothing but a pile of blue flesh like gush.

"That seems likely Cloud, just don't let it cloud your skills. We are not alone in this place that would have been Sephiroth's grave as well as your own," Vincent ran a gloved hand along a broken shard of glass. It had fresh blood on it bubbling and dissolving the glass. Vincent's hand was at his Cerberus, his crimson eyes analyzing every shadow.

He barely caught the blur as it rushed out of the reactor, cloak billowing behind. This time Vincent gave chase with everything in him, his Cerberus in hand as they raced toward Nibelheim. The cloaked figure was almost faster than him, but said being had to been surprised running into them. When it finally realized that it had been noticed it shot out faster than humanly possible. Only someone with Mako in their system could move that fast.

It was taking all of his effort just to keep up with the mysterious cloaked figure, though it still wasn't enough to make him sweat. Hojo had made him into something that could not be outrun by the likes of some random SOLDIER, very few people could possibly possess such speed. All of them had been tainted by the mad scientist, Cloud, Zack, and… the Shin-Ra General himself. Sephiroth was the only one who could possibly move that way, with that much speed, but the grace gave all of the shadows away.

Vincent aimed the Cerberus at the back of his caped escapee, the cloaked figure turned his head slightly as he cocked the weapon and took out a pistol Vincent recognized from his earlier days as a Turk. A basic .357 pistol elegantly made with a decent fire materia on the relief, his old fire materia to be exact if he recognized the suit that the cloaked man was wearing.

He watched every movement the cloaked man made, searching for something any type that could render this conclusion wrong. No such luck as the man fired one shot at something that answered with giant flames in response. Vincent stopped dead in his tracks, this figure didn't want to hurt anyone. Whatever it was he wanted, Vincent doubted he could have prevented the cloaked from achieving it. So the gunner walked disappointed back to the reactor where Cloud was looking at the tube.

"That shadow, it was a SOLDIER wasn't it?" he whispered, "Still trying to find him aren't they? Did you catch him Vincent?" The gunner walked up to where the Chocobo haired swordsman was kneeling, apparently still guilt tripping about something. He looked up at Vincent momentarily, there was something there that clicked. The reason that Cloud was looking more… Cloud-ish than usual. Brooding, and cold towards the world.

"It may have been a Sephiroth clone, but an odd one at that. There's no proof, unless you take the speed and grace as the proof, then it's quite obvious even with that cloak," Vincent reasoned, watching the sudden twitch Cloud gave at the mention of Sephiroth's name, "that it was at least part Sephiroth. I dunno much more than that, it kinda made a mess that even I wasn't about to explain to the townsfolk…"

"Did it catch something on fire?" Cloud asked, inwardly annoyed as Vincent nodded, "definitely, but you hesitated… Why?" Vincent had heard the story about Sephiroth, and he had set the whole town on fire using his own magic without the aid of materia. Where clearly this cloaked man had used the materia, was it to prove a point? Well it would make Cloud feel better anyways, why not?

"The cloaked person used a materia to cast it, that or he shot off a normal round that just happened to light the waste products on fire," Vincent explained, "there is proof that it was and was not Sephiroth. However I would like to believe it was Sephiroth for my own reasons."


Cloud looked at Vincent with a bewildered face, none of this made any sense. Vincent was saying, or rather implying that a Sephiroth clone had been present and not hurt anyone. He retreated before Cloud could look and had even out run Vincent. He caught something on fire, but only to keep Vincent from catching him, using materia no less. The more he learned about this shadow, the more his head hurt and his heart pounded. Vincent helped him up, tugging his wrist slightly since he seemed to be deep in thought again.

Cloud led him back down only to see the brunt evidence that Vincent had been referring to. He could feel Sephiroth now, or at least something like him. Cloud decided there was only one place left to look and turned towards the route to Shin-Ra Manor. Vincent arched an eyebrow but followed none the less. Cid would kill him for even considering to enter the building later, he was sure of it. Upon noticing the cloak thrown on one of the banisters he drew his Cerberus again.

"Cloud," Vincent nudged him out of his thought induced state enough to point out the cloak. The blonde looked at it then up to see phantom streams of silver fade into a hallway above. If he hadn't known he killed the man three times, and that ghosts didn't exist he might have believed it was Sephiroth's ghost. Cloud dumbly stumbled after the silver hairs, the gunner following behind silently.

Cloud tripped on his way up the stairs, following the moonlight colored strands down one of the hallways to something like a study. Cloud turned around, using long underused senses to track the man's movement. The soft clicking of heels on wood, staggered breathing, the hum of… the Masamune. If startled he could easily cut his way out, but did he really need to? Cloud knew he wasn't a threat to the General, but did Sephiroth know that?

"Seph…" Cloud tried to open the door, it felt like it was locked. Vincent pushed him aside and shot the lock to hell. It opened easily, Cloud could hear the familiar sound before it even left the man's lips. The small 'tsk' Sephiroth made when irritated, but that was all as he fell to the floor for what seemed to be no reason. Vincent holstered the Cerberus and flipped the General over to show his sweat plastered forehead. Just as he thought apparently, the gunner lifted him up and looked at Cloud sympathicly.

"Mako poisoning, he reeks of Mako and laboratory chemicals. Not to mention blood," Vincent held the unconscious man's face close to Cloud's hand. Cloud set a hand on his forehead, feeling the extreme heat even through his glove. He frowned bring his hand back.

"We need to get him on the Highwind," Cloud stated, "we'll wrap him up and sneak him into the med bay." The General's body flinched at the word med, but that only made Cloud smile slightly. Still phobic to anything that barely even hinted at a lab of some sort.

"I'll distract Cid, you'll have to lug him up yourself. Can you Cloud?" Vincent asked attempting to pass the unconscious General to Cloud who crumpled under him. Cloud frowned trying to lift him up, Vincent frowned gently tugging the man to his feet. Phantom streams of silver stuck to Vincent's cloak pinned under the General where he was leaning, Cloud forced himself forward into a squat and he was instantly reminded of Zack.

"Appearantly not… maybe I should distract Cid and let you take him up Vincent. After all you're the ex-Turk," Cloud's voice dropped to a whisper, "we could wait and let him pull himself up. I can't carry Seph, but he could lean against me until I can get him to a safe place in the Highwind." Vincent nodded carrying the General towards one of the beds to lay him on. Cloud nodded in approval, seeing as though Vincent must have been tired of dealing with Sephiroth.

"Cloud, I'll talk to Cid," Vincent said after what seemed like an hour of just staring at Sephiroth. Cloud nodded, watching him leave he was just a little preoccupied with his thoughts again. Vincent made sure to close the door loud enough that Cloud knew he was gone. His hazy cerulean eyes were locked on Sephiroth, who had not moved since the mention of medical attention.


He was dizzy, angry, and… short? Since when was he short? Sephiroth was very confused now, why did he feel so damn short? He was at least six feet tall, with a few inches to spare, short was not something used to describe him. Cloud however, had always been described as short in comparison to Sephiroth or Zack. Right now he was staring at the familiar walls of Shin-Ra Manor and could not even reach let alone read the titles on the top of the bookshelf.

He turned around heading towards the lab and found himself stuck between a very angry looking scientist and a wall. Hojo wore his tipical disgusting expression, but Sephiroth didn't move. He willed to take the Masamune to the man, but the blade did not come. Hojo smiled, if you could call it that as he raised his hand to slap him. Sephiroth felt his teeth grind, whatever he had been expecting faded to nothingness.

"He's dreamin'. Doesn' look too pleased 'bout whatever it was he was dreamin', does he Vinnie?" the annoying pilot commented loudly, "well… s'pose its better than him being all fuckin' crazy 'n stuff. Right Vinnie?" The person that must have been Vinnie sighed with a heavy tone of annoyance, which Sephiroth clearly understood why with the other man's speech. It was the same person who was with Cloud before…

"Vincent," the man from before replied annoyed, "so he can stay onboard?" The man called Vincent seemed rather calm compared to the man before and Cloud. Thinking of the Chocobo haired cadet made him wonder where Cloud was.

"Yea, I s'pose he can. Looks like he's comin' 'round, hey!" the annoying man pointed out. Sephiroth opened his emerald eyes cautiously, he was greeted by an older blonde than Cloud and the ebony haired shadow man. By the looks of it the ebony haired one was Vincent.

"Cid, get Cloud. He wants to talk to Sephiroth," Vincent told the blonde. He walked off leaving Vincent alone with him, and that was when Sephiroth finally noticed the rather large pistol on his right thigh. Crimson met emerald as he locked eyes with the gunner, curiosity in his glance.

"Where am I?" he asked wearily, noticing finally that the Turk suit had been removed and replaced with scrubs. He barely leaned forward, then felt the gunner's right hand push him lightly back down.

"Cid's airship the Highwind, he's an interesting fellow," Vincent added as an after thought, "he won't go back on his word and kill you. Cloud would kill-" The gunner's words bothered him, the little cadet with the Chocobo spikes killing anyone… He couldn't see it happening, the boy he had been was to shy to even speak his name at first.

"Strife wouldn't kill anyone, that's why…" Sephiroth realized something. He sat up again lookingat the ebony haired man That was why he had looked out for the cadet, he wasn't capable of harming a fly. Zack had pointed that out on more than one occasion, that and how good the kid was at sparring. The gunner was looking at him strangely now, the same way he had when he saw the pistol. The loud footsteps running near them alerted them to a third presence. The door that the pilot had shut earlier to reveal Cloud, he was panting softly and blushing.

"Seph!" he shouted wrapping himself around the man's waist tenderly, "I knew it! I knew it wasn't you who did those things… Thanks Vincent." The last part was added softly, the blonde was leaning against the ex-General calmly. Vincent smirked and left the room swiftly, closing the door behind him with a soft click.


Cloud could hardly believe his eyes, the silvery haired man was sitting there calm as ever speaking with Vincent. The gunner was just as calm as the general, and they were getting along perfectly. Cloud latched his arms around Sephiroth's waist, fearing that if he let go the man might go mad. With a few I knew its and a thanks Vincent left the Cloud with his General. The strands of phantom silver had a soft glow under the artificial light of the med bay.

Cloud squeezed the lean waist before him, and felt the other man's arms start to rest lightly on his back. The General's wise hands rubbing softly along his tense shoulders, releasing some of the pain from years past with the killings of the clones. Cloud felt memories creeping up on him and pushed them away staring up at the pale face.

"You never were just a memory. You were always something more," he breathed into the light layer separating him from Sephiroth, "…" Cloud usually had plenty of things he wanted to say to this man, but right now he was out of statements. Sephiroth was here and he was sane, that was all that mattered to the blonde at the moment. Tifa had been wrong, Hojo was responsible for everything yet again.

"Never a memory? Cloud Strife, I believe you owe me some sort of explanation now," the velvety tone was low and very persuading, "the last thing I remember walking to Shin-Ra Manor while the three of us were in Nibelheim." Cloud smiled, the three of us… General Sephiroth, Cadet Cloud Strife, and SOLDER 1st Class Zack Fair. The world would never find another trio quite like them, two advanced SOLDIERS that were always looking out for their skinny cadet friend.

"Hojo made clones of you… those clones attacked Nibelheim, Shin-Ra, and Gaia. In order to save Gaia I joined a group of Anti-Shin-Ra's called AVALANCHE," Cloud swore there was a smile when he said Shin-Ra, "together we defeated at least three clones. The first one was at the reactor, another in the President's office, and the last one was gathering Meteor from a crater above the Icicle Inn. Up until recently things had been quiet for about three years."

"Until recently? Something happened not too long ago involving more clones?" he questioned. Cloud nodded enjoying the moment as much as possible.

"There were these three, I dunno… remnants? They started causing some trouble, especially after Rufus got his hands on Jenova's head," the 'o' shape must have returned at this point, "Kadaj actually turned into a clone, but I defeated him all by myself. Now the giant Bahamut summon I had help with, that thing was huge!" Cloud laughed recalling how he had needed every last boost to cut the damn thing down.

"I don't doubt that. Bahamut was always temperamental, more so than Ifrit any day," a little laugh ran through his frame to Cloud. Who nodded in agreement, he slowly unwrapped himself from Sephiroth's waist looking eyes with the man.

"Indeed, so what were you doing in the reactor?" Cloud asked finally, "and dressed up as a Turk no less."

"Investigating, and if you must know about that suit… I found it in the Manor, after I determined my Leathers were not fit to go out into public," Sephiroth was frowning, "I wasn't about to go around with only shreds of leather and the Masamune. The Mako pretty much ate through them, and that old suit was the only thing my size." Cloud's light bell tone laughter filled the room as Sephiroth explained.