Well Shaleice you wanted a physical relationship :) It'll continue in the next chapter. I just wanted to toss this up for now while I spend my next 8 hours at working writing the fight scene instead of paying attention to the people trying to steal gas. A little bit of devo here.

thanks to all who R&R.. to the rest of you... DON'T BE SHY!

Anwyho, I don't own nothing :(


Weeks came and went with no special event to mark their passing; small anti-Shinra groups rose and fell at the hands of the unstoppable force known as Shinra Electric Power Company. General Sephiroth, Zack Fair, and Tifa Lockheart had dealth with many of the major problems, not that those issues had been difficult for the trio. When not out on a mission with Zack and Sephiroth, Tifa spent her free time with Hojo, watching his work. She had no idea that his diligence was to her project. Within the year Hojo planned to have the specimen that he had spent the last ten or so years working on. All of his research and careful planning was going to reach a head soon. Once he had the desired specimen he would give Tifa and Sephiroth fully to Soldier, they would cease to be useful to him. He could clone any further specimen if they were needed.

"Anything I can do for you professor?" Tifa asked when Hojo paused his frenzied typing. Beady black eyes darted around, searching for the source of the feminine voice. Finally, they came to rest on Tifa,w here she stood near the door. He had taught her to remain near the door and out of his way unless he instructed her otherwise. It would be a shame to see her scrapped like a piece of junk, she who had been the only one to make it out of the original group of over three hundred women; but, it was a necessary evil. He would not have the time or resources to continue her project once he harvested the eggs from her ovaries. Those narrowed eyes continued to look over her form, but this time as a man rather than as a scientist. He regretted making the deal with the head of the Soldier program to turn Tifa over to them, knowing that he should have sold her to Don Coreno. What did it matter what the fat pimp did with her when he was done?

Perhaps he still had time to brain was all of her Soldier training out of her. The thought was appealing. All he would have to do is trade Tifa in for a large sum of money and that would help finance the projects of his that were sitting on the back burner. The Shinra executives were always cutting his budget, claiming that his research did nothing for the company. He had given them their precious Soldiers. Without his work, they would never have known the benefits of Mako. They would still be trying to figure out how to harvest it for energy. Should he cross the higher ups for the sake of his research? Why not? They were sure to do the same thing that he was planning to Tifa, except they would keep her for themselves. Once her body was used up and no longer appealing to them, they would toss her to the side.

"No," was all he replied turning back to his computer screens. His thoughts were back to his work and by this tone he implied that he did not want to be bothered again. Feeling a little dejected Tifa hung her head to turned to leave the laboratory. Hojo seemed to have less and less interest in her lately. She wondered what was distracting the scientist. He had always seemed rather attentive to her and had given her tasks to do around his lab when she asked if he needed help. What could have made him care less for her, why did he turn a cold shoulder to her like he did to everyone else? While she was walking, engrossed in her own thoughts, she nearly ran into Sephiroth. Only his large hand on her forehead from an arm's length away prevented the collision. Tifa scowled and looked up, angered that someone dared to touch her and interrupt her from her thoughts. Her anger did not disapate when she noticed that it was the general who had stopped her.

"Yes, sir?" she questioned in an annoyed tone. Sephiroth still received Hojo's attention. He was still cared for and attended to, why was she not? He was older and had spent more time with Hojo than she had, that had to be it. Tifa was enraged. It was unfair that she should be cast aside as second place to Sephiroth. The general always did his best to avoid Hojo, so why was he the favorite, the beloved son. Tifa's lips turned down into a frown as she continued to stare boldly at Sephiroth. What did he have that she did not? They had received the same treatments, she was at the same levels that he was. She had to be near the same strength as he, though the two had never fought. Teeth settled into her bottom lip as she wished death on Sephiroth. If she were ever to gain her position back as Hojo's favorite, he would have to be out of the picture.

"Something wrong Lockheart," the cold voice asked from nearly a foot above her. Tifa blinked in confusion a few times. Had she really thought about killing her idol, the man she wanted to be just like for years? Was that what jealousy felt like? Why should she want to kill Sephiroth? To be Hojo's favorite again? The scientist had always bounced around from project to project, his attention had always been elsewhere. Where had those thoughts come from, thoughts that had never crossed her mind before? Was something whispering evil nothings in her ear, something that wanted her to eliminate all competition in her life.

"N-no Sir," she said looking down at her feet. "Just frustrated and confused."

"Sort it out in the training center," he commented moving to step to the side and allow her to pass. While emotion was not something that he enjoyed dealing with, an annoyed Lockheart might prove to be useful for something. He had always wanted to test her strength himself, but free time was not something either of them had large amounts of. Now, the opportunity had presented itself. Of course, he had some sort of meeting that he was supposed to sit in on, but that could all wait. He was never known as one to show up on time to meetings or stay for the duration.

"On second though, Lockheart. We'll spar," he said, a cruel smile drifting across his lips. He would not damage her too much, not that anyone would care besides Hojo. What could the scrawny scientist do to him anyway? Teal eyes, looked down at her, gauging her reaction. To his confusion, he found none. Tifa's face had fallen into a peaceful mask of nothingness. He could not tell if she looked forward to the challenge or was annoyed that he proposed such a thing. Her eyes remained downcast for a second longer. When she looked up he saw a smile that mirrored his own dancing across her lips, a smile that he had only seen on one other face besides their own, Hojo's.

"It would be an honor sir," she said in a mocking tone. Where had her arrogance come from, this new found attitude should have annoyed him; but instead, it intrigued him. He wanted to see more, wanted to know what look she would have on her face as they fought. Of course, he would only use his hands and feet as it would have been a little unfair to use a six foot sword against someone who only used her hands. He watched Tifa as she all but stormed down the hall towards the training center, wondering what was going through her mind.

"You're a soldier, let someone else do all the thinking," a voice in the back of his mind commanded. Sephiroth obeyed the voice that he thought came from his own mind. It had been with him for as long as he could remember, so he attributed it to his subconscious.

By the time the two had made it to the training center a crowd had gathered around the running track that was raised above the combat floor. They all watched as Tifa and Sephiroth prepared themselves for battle. Usually, when sparring was taking place protective gear was worn to prevent any serious injury. Sephiroth had not bothered to put any one and thus neither did Tifa. He was was so sure that he would come out of their battle unscathed she could afford that level of arrogance as well. Tifa knew this would be the toughest fight of her life, even though it was no a real one. This was only a training exercise, something to blow off steam. It was luck that had brought her the man that she was upset with to fight.

"Ready, Lockheart," Sephiroth asked taking up a fighting stance. Tifa finished binding her hair in what turned out to be a long ponytail with a dolphin like tail at the end and turned to face Sephiroth. He was not using his sword. She knew that she would have the advantage for the beginning of the fight. A man used to killing from a distance would take a round to adjust to the intimacy of a pugilist fight. That would be her chance to strike hard and fast. She had never seen him in hand to hand combat, but she was confident that he was no slacker.

"Yes, Sir," she said, taking up her own stance.


"Let's get physical, physical..." -Thank you Olivia Newton John for such a disturbing song

But ooooooohhhhh intimacy :) you'll all like what I have in store for the next chapter, though it may take me a while to get it how I want. Maybe one day i'll care about editing and get a beta.. but until then sorry about the typos.