Number VII

Rufus and I went to the north, to a little village called Icicle Inn, while Sephiroth, Zack and Cloud went to Nibelheim, Cloud's hometown. Who could've known that trip would end up to such a misery? Of course, Shinra kept quiet about it, and everyone involved to that case were drawn aside and - from what I know - killed. It was supposed to be just a regular check out for a Mako reactor that had been acting a bit weird for some time. But what Shinra didn't know - and still don't - was that I saw everything in a dream.

This is what I gathered when I saw that dream.

Some time ago, professor Hojo planted some Jenova (an alien form that had came to the world about 2 000- 3 000 years ago) cells inside a woman called Lucrecia (who has been hidden somewhere), and Lucrecia gave a birth to a child who was taken away from her soon after. Professor Gast and some other people raised this child, and a bit later this child became the legendary SOLDIER - Sephiroth. Shinra was impressed by the results of this little experiment, and started a bigger project. I was wrong when I thought they put Mako inside us... It's not Mako; they are planting Jenova cells inside our bodies (Mako energy on its own would just kill us, I suppose). In other words, we are all just clones of Sephiroth.

Sephiroth himself, however, started to believe his mother was Jenova - that alien form. He went on a rampage and burned Nibelheim, killed some townspeople, and entered the reactor to take his "Mother" with him. Inside this reactor were also Hojo's experiment results: he was doing human experiments. We SOLDIERs weren't enough for him: those who couldn't adapt the Jenova cells were taken to Nibelheim reactor and Hojo... turned them into monsters. Sephiroth thought he would become a monster, too, within time, and I guess he decided to take his destiny in his own hands... thus all that killing. He tried to kill Zack and Cloud, too, and Cloud pushed him over into the depths of the reactor.

Then came Shinra and exposed their bodies with Mako energy. Cloud, of course, couldn't take it and fell to a coma-like state, but Zack was able to stay sane and he escaped with Cloud. The Turks were sent after them, and right before they managed to get to Midgar (why the hell were they going there anyways? Right into the devil's nest!) Zack died, and Cloud lingered back to Midgar. And that's when I woke up.

---

Celes jumped up from her bed, her green eyes burning with Mako and wide open, her breath heavy, and sweating. She crawled to the edge of the bed, let herself fall on the floor, and crawling again, she got herself to the water glass. She drank all the water and reached out to the can to get some more. A cold hand with long, thin fingers landed on hers.

"My, aren't you in a bad condition", Rufus said softly, and his grasp tightened. "Having a bad dream?" His eyes flashed in the darkness of the room.

Celes just glared at him. "What of it?" she blurted out. She managed to get the can by force, and drank it empty as well.

Rufus smirked. "Such a rude personality you have", he said. "Not just that you can't answer me properly, but that you drink all of the water as well. Such manners you have been taught."

"Your sarcasm is as cutting as always."

"Ah, that hurt."

Celes stood up to her shaking feet. "Right", she said disbelievingly. "And where are your manners? Shinra's executive or not, it's still not right to sneak into Shinra's weapon's bedroom in the middle of the night."

Rufus laughed. "Executives and weapons", he said, amused. "Aren't we sharp tonight!" His eyes were as cold as ice cubes as he studied Celes' facial expressions and body movements. She's nervous - no, even scared. Something inside him felt delighted; fear. With fear he wanted to rule the company, like his father was ruling it by money. Fear! What is she scared of, this weapon of mine? He raised his hand and touched her cheek. She shivered, and Rufus moved his finger down her cheek to her neck, almost gently. "You are scared", he stated.

Celes withdrew, covering her chest with her arms, and the Mako energy in her eyes was shining in the darkness. "Not because of you, Mister", she said, proudly. Rufus snorted but shrugged his shoulders. She's a SOLDIER.

"Then of what?"

Celes turned away from him, and even in the dark Rufus could see how she was shaking. "Nothing you should worry about. My mind's just playing with me, ok? It was just a ... bad dream. Nothing more." She whispered the last words, and to Rufus she sounded desperate. He gasped and moved closer to the woman.

"Tell me", he whispered to her ear, his hands on her bare shoulders. Just a little more and this dress will fall off...

Does he know? Is he aware of what his father's company is doing? Human experiments! As cold and cruel as you come, would you accept these experiments, Mister? Would you? Celes realized she was shivering and that the man's hands were moving lower... She shook his hands off, shaking her head. "I can't", she said with a broken voice. "I'm sorry, Mister."

Rufus felt how anger flashed through him. "You can't", he repeated, softly. But before he could continue his cell phone rang, and slowly he took it out from his pocket, his cold eyes staring at the SOLDIER's back. "Yes?" Silence while he listened. "What?" He turned around, and Celes closed her eyes and she felt dizzy for a while. My dream was right.

She walked next to the window and watched silently the sleeping village. Some candles were burning behind the window glasses, and she moved her eyes up to the starlit sky. So different from Junon and Midgar... She touched the glass as Rufus finished with the phone call. "We are going Midgar as soon as possible", he said, without explaining anything; not that Celes needed to know why. She was sure of the reason, and so she just nodded. "Yes, Mister", replied the woman. Rufus left. I... Celes stared at the sky, and she sighed. I need to find Cloud and tell him... I promised to tell him, right? Right...

---

"Sir, from what we have gathered General Celestial Mourir was suspecting us from something... horrible." Heidegger saluted to his leader, the President of Shinra. "She talked about it to Mr Strife, peace for his soul." Heidegger bowed his head.

"I see. Have you taken action on this matter?"

"Yes. Tseng just called Rufus, he and the woman should return soon."

"Oh? They were somewhere... together?"

"Yes, we haven't found out why."

"Use your head, dumb-ass", Scarlet laughed hoarsely from her seat. "Why would a man and a woman go somewhere together?"

Her words caused a deep, angry silence in the room.

"Send the Turks to escort their return", the President ordered Heidegger coldly. "And bring General Celes here."

Heidegger saluted again. "Yes, sir!"