12/8/10 NOTE BEFORE YOU READ: This story has been published before and was set as "complete" however, after much thought and time passing since its end, I would like to re-pick up this story. So with its next installment coming soon, I thought it'd also be great to revise and edit the first part of the series, adding new things for things in Part Two and fix little mistakes here and there. Please review and enjoy!

Final Fantasy VII:

Angel on Puppet Strings

Chapter 4

Plot Twist

"We have to go back to Cloud!" Marlene screamed at the man in the red cloak. The two had escaped the pursuit of the silver haired men and were resting near the side of a lake.

The man folded his arms, "No." he was dressed in a red cloak, as said before, with black pants. He had his gun holstered at his side and gold plates that extended to past his toes were clasped to his shin and feet. He wore a metal gold glove with sharp finger tips and a red headband at his head.

Marlene stomped one of her feet, "Why not?"

"He's old enough, he can take care of himself."

"But-" Marlene was about to begin to protest, but a rustle in some bushes nearby caused her to jump. The man stood in front of Marlene and raised his gun in the direction of the noise. A grunt was heard and out from the darkness and trees stumbled Cloud, who fell onto his chest. "Cloud!" Marlene rushed to him but the man, gently, pushed her back and lifted Cloud up against a tree.

"V-Vincent?" Cloud muttered as his senses began to return to normal,

"Yes Cloud, I came to help you when I heard the gunshots." Vincent took a step back and leaned against one of the other trees crossing his arms, "I saw you be buried under the crystals." He paused, "How did you make it out?"

"I… I don't know." Cloud replied with a confused tone in his voice, "One moment I see the trees falling down on me, the next I'm free and I see one of those silver haired men, I think his name was Loz, dead. I heard rustling in the trees, and I made a break for it."

"Running?" Vincent looked surprised, "Not much of your style is it?"

Cloud paused. His only explanation for Loz's death was Sephiroth, but it was not the time to be spouting off assumptions, "I… I don't know what came over me…" Cloud looked down at the ground,

"Cloud!" Marlene pushed his chin up, "Cloud, Tifa is…"

Cloud grabbed Marlene and stood up, "Tifa is fine Marlene you don't have to worry."

"I want to see her!"

Cloud nodded, "We'll head home soon." He looked up and Vincent, who still leaned against the tree, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Will you join us in this battle?"

"I will be there, when the time is right." Vincent jumped up and disappeared into the darkness,

Cloud looked up until he was gone and looked back down at Marlene, "Let's go."

. . .

The sun was bright, the next morning, and the sky was cloudless. Rufus stared off into the endless sky and sighed, "What have I gotten myself into?" Sephiroth still hadn't shown his face to him since their last encounter at the Healin Lodge and he was beginning to doubt whether or not what he saw as actually real or not. He looked down at his lap where the black box was hidden, "I hope you're worth all this."

"Rufus!" it was Kadaj, he didn't sound too happy,

"Kadaj, you're up early." Rufus spun his wheelchair around and saw the silver headed man's angry face. Kadaj pulled something into the room with his other hand and tossed it front of the Shinra President. Rufus moved his head around and saw it was the face of one of the other men Kadaj had been running around with, "And what happened here?"

"I know you have some knowledge of this. Who did this!" his voice got louder with every word spoken,

"Kadaj," Rufus said calmly, "what would I know about this?"

"We got into a battle with Cloud-"

He was cut off by Rufus commenting, "Cloud was potentially a part of SOLIDER, it could have easily been-"

This time Rufus was interrupted, "I am aware of that, but this was not Cloud's doing!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

Kadaj pulled out his sword, Rufus flinched as the sound of the sword being unsheathed stung his ears, "There. Look." He pointed his sword at the bloody sword wound on Loz's chest.

"What of it?" Rufus asked listlessly, "Cloud cut him down, so what?"

"This wound was not done by Cloud." Kadaj replied a bit more calm,

"Explain."

"The hole, do you see? It is barely the size of my hand." Kadaj pointed out,

"So?" Rufus commented sternly,

"Have you seen Cloud's sword? The width it easily as large as my head! This was done by a smaller sword. Do you also see his neck?" Rufus moved his chair closer and saw the purple bruises on Loz's neck, "He was chocked before stabbed."

"A mystery indeed." Rufus mused, "I hope you find the culprit responsible."

Kadaj leered at Rufus and picked up the body, "For your sake, let us hope I do. This is not the end of this discussion."

Kadaj left the room and Rufus exhaled a large breath of relief. That was no doubt's Sephiroth's blade killed Loz, "So I'm not going crazy after all." Rufus smiled and turned his wheelchair back to the window and began to admire the scenery again.

. . .

Cloud and Marlene sat down by a small fire near the side of the road they had been walking on. It's been about a day and they still had a bit to go before they reached the city of Edge. "Cloud?" Marlene broke the silence they had after they'd eaten,

"Yes Marlene?"

"Hi!" Marlene laughed and went back to star gazing,

Cloud shook his head with a smile and looked off into the dark.

"Cloud…" a voice called out, it echoed in the darkness. Cloud's senses jumped up, "Cloud… it's time."

Marlene pointed up, "Look Cloud! A shooting star!"

"Cloud… come meet your destiny."

Marlene turned to Cloud, "Make a wish!"

"Do… do you hear that Marlene?" Cloud asked her, still looking into the darkness for the source of the voice,

Marlene cocked her head, "What? Hear what Cloud?"

"Cloud… behold!" Suddenly from the darkness walked out Sephiroth.

Cloud immediately stood and grabbed Marlene and helped her up, "Get behind me now!"

"Cloud?" Marlene was shoved behind him and she cowered behind his legs, slightly peeking out to see who was there,

Sephiroth continued to walk forward, Cloud, realizing he had no weapons, raised his fists, Sephiroth smiled as fire began to surround Cloud and Marlene.

"Cloud…?" Marlene tugged on his pants,

"Stop Marlene." Cloud said, almost a whisper, sweat pouring down his face from the heat, "Get closer…"

Sephiroth moved closer.

"Cloud what are you doing?" Marlene asked,

"Marlene! Please keep quiet!" Cloud's eyes continued to focus on Sephiroth and the fire that surrounded him.

Sephiroth was even closer.

"Cloud!" Marlene yelled,

Cloud looked down at Marlene and yelled, "Marlene, be quiet!"

"But there's no one there!" Marlene yelled back. Cloud looked back to where Sephiroth was, and no one was there. The fire and heat, too, had disappeared.

Cloud looked around and saw nothing. He slowly sank to the floor, shocked. Was he going crazy? He wiped the sweat from his brow and breathed deeply.

"Cloud…? Is something wrong?" Marlene sat next to him,

"Marlene…" Cloud muttered, then suddenly, he froze. "Oh no…" Cloud couldn't move, he saw Marlene, with her concerned eyes and he looked over her head, seeing Sephiroth. "No!" Cloud screamed in his head, "Run Marlene! Get out of here!"

Though, it was too late, Sephiroth grabbed Marlene's head with his great hands and raised her from spot. "C-Cloud…" Marlene's voice was muffled from Sephiroth switching hands, now covering her mouth and neck.

"Oh God, no!"Tears began to stream of Cloud's face,

"Say goodbye Cloud." Sephiroth smiled and there was a large crack! and Marlene fell to the ground, lifeless.

"No!"Cloud watched as Marlene's body twitched and the stopped moving all together.

Sephiroth knelt down and looked at Cloud, "You cannot feel these feelings Cloud." He pushed Marlene's body away, "You must let it all go. In order for you to embrace your true destiny."

"You mean become a heartless being like you!"Cloud screamed in his mind,

"No Cloud, you can't be 'like' me. You are me!"

Cloud stopped for a second, "How did he know what I was saying?"

Sephiroth laughed, "Fool! Think for a moment. Why haven't I killed you yet? Why are you not trembling in fear as you once have? Why do you only see me when others claim nothing is there?"

Cloud stopped a moment and he recollected his thoughts and it finally hit him. His mind brought him back to the Forgotten Realm:

(Flashback)

Cloud stumbled and prepped himself for a jump when Yazoo fell from up above and slammed Cloud into the branch, breaking it. Cloud fell through the branch and to the base of the tree where the branch and tree began to crumble on top of him.

Marlene had been watching the battle from a safe spot off to the side of the road and upon seeing Cloud fall she rushed from her hiding spot, reaching out, "Cloud!" However, she did not see the neighboring trees begin to fall and as soon as she saw the large shadows covering her she looked up and screamed.

Suddenly a red, tattered, cloak appeared from the black sky, grabbing Marlene, "I got you." The red figure assured her,

"We have to get Cloud!" she urged, speaking as if the figure knew who he was; though as the red figure made its way towards Cloud, shots were fired at two rescuers. The bullets seemed to have no effect upon the creature and a figure from inside fired back.

Kadaj, who was standing afar, saw the bullets fly from the red cape and he pulled out his sword, but it was too late, a bullet grazed his arm and he winced in pain.

As this happened, all attention was diverted to Vincent, which allowed Cloud some time. He broke free from his crystal prison and stumbled and walked towards a tree and rested behind there. Suddenly, his Geostigma began to act up. "No not now!" Cloud's arm began to glow and his eyes looked down on it, "What's happening?" but before Cloud could have answer himself his eyes began to glow, followed by the rest of his body. He began to shake violently and the glow began to dim. His hair began to fall off until he was completely bald. His clothes began to dissolve leaving him bear.

Then, Cloud's head began to sprout white and silver and grey hair that grew long, all the way past his hips. Black leather clothes seemed to seep from his skin covering his nude body, with metal shoulder pads covering his shoulders. Large black boots formed at his feet and a seven foot Masamune appeared from thin air and Cloud grabbed the handle, unaware of him doing it. The glow finally disappeared and the transformation was done. Cloud opened up his, now, grey eyes and smiled. He was now Sephiroth.

He smiled and stretched a bit until he heard a voice calling out, "Brother! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" It was Loz.

Loz laughed as Cloud, now Sephiroth, walked up behind him. Loz turned around and Sephiroth grabbed his neck and immediately lifted him from the ground. Sephiroth snatched the weapon from Loz's arm and pulled it from his forearm. Loz watched as his weapon was flung carelessly to the side of the road and he met eyes with his attacker. "Loz," Sephiroth smirked, "it's finally nice to meet you."

"S-Sephiroth…?" Loz gasped surprised,

Sephiroth smiled, "Yes Loz. Are you ready for the Reunion?" Under all the pressure from his neck being slowly crushed, Loz still managed to shake his head answering yes. "Then Loz, go to Mother!"

Suddenly Loz felt a sharp pain to his stomach. He slowly released the grip on Sephiroth's hand that was choking him and felt down his chest to where a sword was penetrated through. Loz, his hands bloody, reached for Sephiroth, "B-B-Brother…" he managed to utter, but before he could reach him, Sephiroth pulled his sword out and tossed Loz onto the road.

He gasped for air and held his chest to stop the bleeding, as he did this he yelled, "Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth smiled from off the road, "A going away present, courtesy of my Mother." And with a swift flick of his sword, one of the large crystal trees began to slide and make its way to Loz, crushing him.

Sephiroth took one last look as Loz and began to walk away, "The Reunion is for my Mother and I. No one else." Sephiroth laughed and threw his sword to the ground as he continued to walk forward. The sword began to dissolve away into nothing as he continued forward. Sephiroth's clothes then began to fall from him and dissolve on the ground. His hair fell from his head and his eyes began to turn from green and silver to brown and black. Sephiroth felt a slight ache and Cloud's hair began to grow from his head, his clothes and shoes forming onto his body again and as the transformation was finishing Cloud began to sprint. He continued to run until he stumbled forward and fell on his chest. He lay there, not even for a second, when he heard Marlene's voice.

"Cloud!"

(End Flashback)

"Do you see now Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, "When you see me, you're actually just seeing me inside your head. Whenever you see me, but are frozen, you are actually me, but your mind separates us, making it seem as though you're seeing me, but you're not. Thus explains why you cannot move."

"Then… Then it was me that killed Marlene?" Cloud asked,

Sephiroth shook his head, "No. Indeed Marlene saw you choking her, though it was I that killed the girl."

"Why? Why would you kill her? What did she do? How did this happen…?"Cloud asked in his mind,

"Simple. You're Geostigma is different. That fateful day, two years ago, caused a part of me to fuse within you. Call it," he paused looking for the right word, "collateral damage." He smiled,

"You killed Loz… Why?"

"I have no need to explain myself to you Cloud. I've come to show myself now, to tell you the Reunion is coming! Mother has been found again and I am ready to fulfill her wishes. We are ready to do her bidding."

"No!"

Sephiroth shook his head, "Such a sad child you are. You will obedient. I killed Marlene as a lesson to you. If you do not listen to me, I can easily steal your body and kill another."

Cloud had no response.

"Better." Cloud's limbs loosened. Sephiroth stood and Cloud, unwillingly, stood as well. Sephiroth grabbed Marlene and tossed her into the fire, "A proper burial. It is the least I can do to ease your pain." Hot tears rushed down Cloud's face as he saw Marlene burn, but as he tried to reach her, his hands flowed right through her body. "I am in control now, you can do nothing for her anymore." Cloud knelt at the ground and more tears flowed from his eyes. Sephiroth grabbed him and lifted him to his feet, "Come now, you must be strong and stern. It is the way you will live from now on. Let us go, we have a Reunion to get to." Sephiroth began to walk into the darkness. Cloud began to follow but turned around and watched Marlene for a bit longer and walked away into the dark, following his alter ego.