A/N: Late. Late. LATE. *angry face*

Sorry this was so late in coming! Life's been a drag queen with a vendetta at the moment and this chapter just refused to get written until recently (action scenes... they'll be the death of me, I swear). I hope everyone has had a really good Christmas/Winter Solstice/Holiday thus far and I wish you all a Happy New Year in two days, one hour and 39 minutes.

Thank you so much for all the reviews and love. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the last one (and for those who are reading Arashi as well, I should update it in the new year so watch this space). Review please, for reviews are my yule logs! :) :)


By the time Leon had managed to catch up with Hope, with Cloud easily matching his pace, yet another heavy door slammed behind them. This elicited a stream of curse words that was practically unheard of coming from the SeeD Captain. His grip on Hope's arm tightened considerably, almost delighting in the pained yelp that came from the younger boy as he wrenched his arm up in the air.

"You ever run off like that again while we're here and you can forget about getting out of this alive," Leon threatened, his eyes blazing with anger. "I've just about enough of all this-" He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning his head slowly. Cloud was giving him a passive look, shaking his head.

"You need to calm down. Remember what we're here for."

For a moment, all Leon could do was just stand there, as if it only dawning on him just how he was behaving. He quickly let go of Hope, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. The boy looked at the SeeD sheepishly. "Just…" Leon started, "Just don't go running off into danger again… There's only so much I can take of this kind of situation…"

"And it's only going to get worse for you three," that voice chuckled, causing them to jump into attention. "So amusing how it takes the impatience of childhood to get you all to move forward quickly. Now… I can really have my fun."

It may have seemed like Leon was manhandling Hope quite a lot, but -for the boy's safety- Leon pushed him to the back so that he was right in the middle of him and Cloud. "The kid's got nothing to do with this. Let him go."

"Are you sure about that? After all, his mother is involved." He heard Hope tense. "Maybe he never told you, but the Estheim family are quite prominent in your country's government. The boy alone is worth a sizeable ransom."

-What's that supposed to mean? Leon wondered.

"If you don't have anything else to add, then I'd like to play a little game with you… and two other little friends of ours."

"Friends…?" Leon questioned.

"Oh yes. Friends. My little poopsies I'm sure you'll get to know and love as much as I do."

"…Poopsies?" Cloud blinked, part of him rather disgusted by how patronizing that word sounded to him. Somewhere deep inside the Fenrir, he was inwardly glad that Leon seemed to have problems with showing closeness rather than being too affectionate. His nose suddenly picked up a scent… slimy, fishy sort of smell, but the notes of the sea were mixed in strongly. Not entirely pleasant.

"Now usually, I'd let all three of you play with my little poopsies, but seeing as an old friend of yours wants to see you Captain Leonhart… I guess you'll have to play with them later."

"Wh-What?" Leon was about to ask into this further, but he suddenly felt the floor move quickly, forcing all three of them to fall on their backs. Another door that had been secreted away flew open.

"Leon!" The brunet's head swivelled watching in horror as the other two began sliding down to another door, realising that no matter how hard they struggled they were never going to be reunited.

"Cloud! Protect Hope at all costs!" Leon ordered, feeling himself slide down the slippery slope. "Don't worry about me!" He was glad he managed to get that order across; he had just passed through the door and it had shut behind him, leaving him to slide about in the sheer cold darkness that seemed to go on forever.

On the other side, Cloud knew that all he could do was to obey his orders. He grabbed onto Hope, pulling the boy to his chest protectively as they slid down to the door that had been awaiting them. He heard it slam close with a metallic clunk but rather than continue to slide about blindly like he thought he would, Cloud realised quickly that it was a sheer drop that was waiting for them. He tightened his hold, readying himself to twist in the air so that he would bear all the weight of the fall rather than the fragile body that he was protecting with his life.

Down, down, down they fell, the air whistling in their ears until they landed with a sickening crash into cold waters. Cloud felt like his body had almost been snapped in two, but he was thankful that his body was modified to endure this kind of punishment.

Mindful of the unconscious boy he had been tasked with protecting, he swam over to a nearby ledge after moments of feeling around, throwing the boy over onto dry land before struggling to pull himself up. He tried to catch a whiff of what he had smelt earlier… but the dampness of this place made it impossible to discern between smells. Infuriating as it was, Cloud knew that he was going to have to improvise.

It was just one more small mercy that his greatsword didn't seem to have suffered too much damage, though all the different compartments were waterlogged. Methodically, he took his greatsword apart to fix it, ears and eyes ever wary for anything approaching them in this damp place. If something struck now, he'd have a long fight ahead of him.


He landed with a clunk on a metallic floor, wincing a bit at how sore his landing had been. He forced himself to sit up, letting his storm-coloured eyes survey the scene. Dimly lit, metallic walls wherever he looked, one solitary prisoner's crib. A prison cell? He stood up slowly. A door that had been concealed as a wall panel opened and someone walked in. Someone that Leon did not expect at all.

"Wh-What…?"

"Long time no see, eh Squall?"

-This has to be a dream… Standing before him, in a coat that seemed so similar to the long white one that he had worn in the old days, only this time this trench coat had no sleeves to speak of and it was completely tattered. He was clothed in total black, with only one white cross on his vest serving as some sort of break within the colour scheme. But it was the same slicked back blond hair, those same green eyes that were looking at him with a cold smirk and that scar that Leon had left in retaliation to being scarred himself. It really was him. "Seifer…"

"In the flesh," the Crusader model smirked, suddenly picking the SeeD up by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Leon winced in pain. "Surprised to see me, eh?"

"I thought… I thought you died…" And he truly was happy that Seifer hadn't died like he had thought, but why was the blond treating him like this? Wasn't he the one who sacrificed himself in order to protect the SeeD?

"Let's just say the enemy was a lot more gracious than expected." His leather gloved hand squeezed around the fleshy parts of Leon's throat, making the brunet gag for breath. "Can't say the same for you. After all, you pretty much left me for dead." His hands grabbed a hold of Seifer's arm, trying to pull it away but the Crusader was far stronger than he was. "Noticed that you replaced me as well. That wasn't very nice sweetheart."

"Let me go…" Leon managed to get out. He gasped as he felt the Crusader's hold tighten.

"So tell me, was it all planned? Did you become so sick of me that you tried to find the quickest way to get rid of me? Couldn't bear to tell the truth? Hmm?"

"It wasn't like that!" Leon struggled, feeling his feet just barely scraping the floor. He spluttered as he felt his windpipes crush under the Crusader's thumb and fingers. "I wanted to… go back…!" Seifer's face leaned in slowly.

"Then why didn't you?" By now Leon couldn't respond back at all, his vocal chords compressed to the point speaking was impossible. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" He then smirked cruelly at his former partner. "Or should I say dog got your tongue?" Without even a thought, Leon swung his legs up and kicked Seifer in the chest, using both feet to push the Crusader away from him. By doing that though, when he was released from the chokehold he ended up falling to the floor, gasping for air. Instinct was making him act as soon as his eyes caught sight of the open door, forcing himself to run. However, Seifer grabbed him by the ankle. He landed on his chest heavily, winded by the move. "Oh no you don't, lover."

-Lover?-! Leon struggled, but Seifer pressed his whole weight on the SeeD, chest to back. His hands pinned the brunet's wrists to the floor, his breath fanning into his ear. So familiar… all too much familiar that it scared Leon that he couldn't remember where this strong sense of familiarity had come from.

"We have a lot of catching up to do Leon… and I intend for us to catch up quickly."

Probably for the first time in Leon's life, he was terrified. And for the first time ever, Leon actually wanted Cloud to be here going into a berserk rage. –Cloud…where are you?


Cloud's eyes snapped open as he heard a disturbance in the water, hand reaching over to the groaning mass of flesh behind him and pulling him close. Hope could only look at the Fenrir in question, too weak to try and pull himself up. "Can't stay. Too dangerous." He held the boy securely around the waist after placing his greatsword on his back, eyes waiting for something to move in the water, hand curled around one of the shortsword components' handle.

"What are you doing…?" Hope whispered. The blond seemed to be waiting for something, his fingers very slightly twitching. The surface was disturbed for a second.

"Now!" Cloud suddenly launched himself, watching as the grotesque, slimy head of a gigantic eel creature lunged towards him. His shortsword went straight into its head, his ears blocking out the screams from both creature and kid as his feet landed firmly on the back of it, struggling to stay on top thanks to the slipperiness of the eel's skin. Hope clung onto him tightly.

Cloud knew that this was only the start of their troubles. There was one more to deal with. "Hope, hold your breath!" With an almighty crash, the eel screeched as it sunk into the water, trashing to rid itself of its unwanted passengers but Cloud only pushed the sword deeper into its skull. When he finally felt it still, he pulled out and swam back to the surface. The young boy next to him sputtered and gasped for the air.

"What was that?-!" he yelped.

"Poopsie Number One," Cloud answered calmly. The agonized screech and yell down the loudspeaker wasn't so much.

"How dare you?-! My poor Jetsam…! Flotsam! Get them!"

"Time to go," Cloud muttered, swimming as quickly as possible with a heavy sword in hand and Hope in the other. He did not want to get on the wrong side of 'Poopsie Number Two'.

"We're gonna die," Hope whimpered.

"Shut up," Cloud barked angrily, eyes glowing in contempt. "Or else I'll make you."

Satisfactorily intimidated, Hope stayed silent for the duration of Cloud's struggle.


His blood was trickling down his face, gunblade and handgun kicked away from his reach so that he had no means of protecting himself. He was exhausted from struggling and fighting, his body feeling so heavy that just lifting a finger felt like a labour. Seifer had bent down on one knee, his gloved hand grabbed Leon by his chocolate locks and lifted the SeeD up so that his chest was off the ground. Leon cringed in pain. Seifer only chuckled. "Glad to see you're still a scrapper. I would've thought those promotions made you soft if you weren't." Leon was too tired to fight, but he still tried to escape. Ultimately though, Seifer was the stronger one. "Shame you don't seem to remember anything."

"What…are you…talking…about…?" Leon heaved. He didn't understand what Seifer was trying to get him to remember. It was then Seifer got him to his knees, one hand locked around his throat while the other wrapped his arm around Leon's middle. The move, although it was meant to threaten him, also had the tone of sensuality, which made the brunet realise that despite his discomfort there was something so familiar about it. And to his horror, his body seemed to remember what his mind could not as it blushed and tingled in response. Seifer only smirked; he knew what was happening.

"So you do remember after all." His hand around Leon's waist slid down to what the brunet would consider dangerous grounds. "So tell me Leon, what was my memorial service like? Were you crying your eyes out or were you acting too cool? Maybe you didn't even turn up to it." Leon didn't respond. "Couldn't bear it, could you? Just the thought of me having my hands all over you must've made you physically sick."

"Stop it," Leon pleaded weakly.

"So long did you have to put up with me? Sex not good enough anymore? You made it clear that you thought my personality was lousy."

-Sex?-! "What are you talking about?-!" –Stop it… Stop it…!

"Don't play dumb with me," Seifer growled, forcibly pressing their lips together. In that moment, the floodgates that held back the onslaught of repressed memories collapsed. It only proved that Seifer wasn't lying; they were so much more than just a SeeD and a SOLDIER partnership. The meaning of their relationship had been so much deeper with every touch, every kiss, every small private moment…

Every night spent together in that apartment that he had bought for them, away from the glare of the judgemental who believed loving a SOLDIER was taboo, had meant something so much more than he had remembered. But how could he have forgotten? Why did he forget? –Why…WhyWHY? Lips detached from his.

"You remember now… don't you?" He felt himself being turned, their eyes meeting. He wondered if he appeared scared, because he certainly felt it. More importantly, he wondered what was going through Seifer's mind. He kept his silence, looking away. He couldn't face the other. And that only served to infuriate the Crusader further. He felt a closed fist strike his cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Little bitch…" Seifer grumbled, standing on the SeeD's neck and trying to crush it. Leon gasped for air. "I know that she wants you alive, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to torture you for what you did to me."

Leon, although still in shock at the flood that had overcome him, some small part of him was acting upon instinct. He saw that the handgun was within reach. His hand reached out.


Exhaustion had finally claimed the Fenrir once he hauled them up to what looked like a way out via a large ventilation shaft. Thus far, they had been lucky that they seemed to have had outwitted the other monstrous eel that was lurking in the depths of this dank, watery dungeon they found themselves in. Thankfully, for him at least, Hope had twigged onto the fact that whining was going to worsen Cloud's mood so he kept quiet. That didn't stop him from silently fretting over the whole situation, which in turn made the lupine-like SOLDIER even more irritable. Worse still, there seemed to be no clue about Leon's whereabouts. He couldn't even get a scent of the SeeD's gunblade, which suggested that Leon hadn't used it yet for some reason (because to Cloud, he equated gunpowder to Leon). That only made him worry even more.

"Um, I know you don't want me to ask but… what are we going to do now?"

"We wait."

"Wait? Why? Leon could be in danger! My mom too!" He shut up when Cloud gave him a feral glare.

"Rushing into danger isn't going to save either of them," Cloud evenly replied. "If we go in and get eaten by that… monster in there, who's gonna help them then?" He flinched when he heard the water's surface being disturbed. Hope stiffened. "Speaking of which… looks like it's found us." He stood up slowly, gripping his weapon tightly. "Stay put. I'll take care of this."

"…just… be careful," Hope murmured. Cloud nodded, satisfied that the boy was going to stay put. Turning his back and without any hesitation, Cloud dived into the murky waters.

Hope stayed where he was as promised, looking over the edge in vain hope that maybe he could catch sight of the SOLDIER. He nearly shrieked in surprise when, far away, the sound of gunshots echoed faintly in the room.


The lips of the gun were smoking, a faint scent of gunpowder perfuming the area around him. Leon's hands were shaking around the handle and trigger, eyes looking straight at the man he had shot. Seifer had backed off considerably, nursing his injured arm and howling like an enraged animal.

No, this was no longer Seifer. This was the enemy. The Seifer he knew died a long time ago. –Keep telling yourself that… He's the enemy. He wants to kill you. He won't stop until either you die or he is killed. You need to stay alive. Too many people need you to stay alive. He forced himself to his feet, his legs were quaking under the strain. He didn't care. His eyes never broke contact with Seifer's. "You forced me to do this…"

"Oh ho, so there is a spine after all," Seifer sneered. Leon let off two warning shots that skimmed past Seifer's ear. The Crusader only wolfishly smirked at that.

"Don't make me kill you Seifer," Leon calmly ordered, hoping that there was still some small glimmer of the man he once trusted his life with. "Come quietly and you can explain everything to the Commander. He was our squadron leader back then. Remember? He'll listen to you."

"I don't feel like going along with that."

"Seifer… please…" Leon's expression fell into one of desperation. "I don't want to shoot you again."

"Shame… because I really want to kill you right now!" Seifer grabbed his Hyperion that had been slung across his back, charging over to the brunet. He barely managed to block the attack with his gun, seeing the sharp blade was nearly tickling his throat. Seifer's expression would be aptly described by him as 'demonic'. And right now, his life was in danger if his strength gave in. "Where's your little friend now?-!"

"What? Jealous?" Leon struggled, glaring at his former partner with defiance. He tried to kick him away.

"Don't think he thinks much of you since he hasn't made an appearance yet." He felt his arm being pressed more against his chest. "So I'm gonna take my time and enjoy torturing you."


Cloud came back up for air, forcing the eel he had been wrestling with to come along. It trashed wildly, trying to shake off the Fenrir that had pierced its eye with his sword, but the wolf-like SOLDIER wouldn't relent. They went under again, and Cloud pressed his sword even deeper, his fingers fiddling blindly with one of the fastenings that would release one of his many short swords that made his main weapon.

Strike. Now! He obeyed the voice in his mind, taking the short sword and forcing it into the monstrous eel's skull. Although the water muffled sound, Cloud knew that the skull had cracked; the eel's skin had begun to collapse into the skin under the weight of the water, blood spilling out in smoke-like clouds. The fight had been long and hard, but at least they could search for an exit in safety. –Ah… Hope. He pulled his weapons out of the eel and pushed himself up to the surface, gasping for air before swimming to where he had left the boy.

As he pulled himself up, he noted that Hope seemed to be looking for something. He didn't ask into it, just collapsing onto his back and breathing heavily. Next thing: find Leon. Find Ursula. Destroy her upon sight, like her 'poopsies'.

"Oh! Cloud!" Footsteps splashed in the dank space. He saw Hope's face come into focus. "Come on Cloud. I think I found a way out. You can't stop now." Cloud's eyes fazed out, the shapes and shadows becoming blurred and merging. "Cloud! Hey! Cloud! Don't pass out! I need you! Cloud!"

-I know… but I'm tired… two of those eels and swimming around with dead weight is more than enough… I need to rest… but I can't stop… you need to stay safe… I need to find Leon… We have a mission to fulfil… He mentally cursed himself. –Some all-powerful SOLDIER I turned out to be… I haven't got the same endurance as Zack…

Then go to sleep and leave it to me.

-But…

You can trust me that much. I'll give your body back for the good bits. You have my word.

"Cloud! Wake up! Cloud!"

"Just stay quiet for a moment," he muttered, opening his eyes. Why was it that this stupid host body of his seemed to always choose to be in dark places? Then he remembered this probably came with the territory: this body did belong to this time's military. He was probably on a mission. –Though having this boy coming along was foolhardy. What were they thinking? "Now… what's this about an exit?"

"It's up there," Hope stated after a moment's hesitation. He was pointing to what looked like a dead end. "I heard gunshots earlier on. It was coming from behind that wall. I know it sounds stupid, but with your strength you should be able to find a weak spot in the wall." He then pursed his lips. "Maybe I'm being optimistic though."

"Optimism may get us out of here," the SOLDIER responded, sitting up slowly and looking straight at the wall. Did this boy really think he could break through a steel wall? "But let's not get ahead of ourselves." He brought himself up to his feet, walking over to the wall while sheathing his weapons. Mentally, he grimaced at the weight; it was something that needed getting used to with this body. He placed a palm against the cold wall. Solid, but when he knocked it, he could tell it was thin and malleable. This body had the strength. Carrying that ridiculously heavy thing was proof enough of that, but he doubted it was that strong.

"Can you do something?" Hope asked, hopefully.

"Considering the amount of strain I've already put my body through, the chances are slimmer than normal." He turned to face Hope. "Or to translate that: there's a one in a million chance that one punch will make a hole through it." The boy didn't deflate though.

"But it's possible to get through."

"Listen, maybe you haven't realised, but someone of my strength could probably leave a sizeable dent in it but not break a steel wall, regardless of how thin it was."

"But it can be melted down."

"And how, my dear delusional friend, do you propose to do that?" He raised a blond eyebrow in a sceptical arch. He doubted that the boy could get a fire going that would be fast enough to scorch even a fraction of that-

"Stay out of my way," Hope responded, outstretching his left hand in front of him. "Unless you want your hair burnt off."

"Wha-" He ducked quickly as he saw multiple balls of light shoot out of the boy's hand, feeling the heat brush past his back. More magic? –What is it with this era and magic…? He daren't stand up straight while he heard the metal being scorched and melted down with almost snake-like hisses. He glared at Hope, his eyes (now grey) demanding an explanation. Deep down, so was the mind of the true owner of this body.

The silver-haired youngster hands fidgeted a little when he was finished throwing balls of flame. "Um… I shouldn't really have done that… but it was an emergency so-"

"You're a Sorcerer," he cut across the boy.

"…Yeah. But I'm not registered," Hope admitted. "My parents didn't want to register me because it would mean that I'd have to spend the rest of my life in one of those White SeeD monasteries." He pinched his lips before speaking again. "But if it was an emergency, I could use my powers."

"Your powers being?"

"…I guess my rank would be pretty high. A Magus type." Hope's fingers were fidgeting wildly. "Fire spells are not even half of what I can do. Water spells, Thunder spells, Blizzard spells, Aero too. Then I can also do some white magic too, like healing and protecting."

"And you failed to mention this… why?"

"Because if I did any of that from the start, I knew Leon would turn me in! He's a SeeD! SeeD's are supposed to monitor the Sorcerer-kind! That was their primary objective when it was first established!" Hope's eyes were glimmering; tears? But why was he getting so wound up? Surely living in one of these 'White SeeD monastery' places wasn't that bad. If his memory served him well, in the past monasteries were places of sanctuary. They certainly helped him if he had a few pesky, misbehaving young noblewomen to deal with in his court. "If you're going to put me in one of those places, fine! But let me find my mom first!"

The boy was silenced by a hand put on the crown of his head. "I'm not the one you should be making your appeals to," the SOLDIER stated. "Make them to Leon when we find him and your mother. Right now, we need those powers to keep going." He turned to face the new path that was open to them. "Use them how you see fit. And how far away would you say these gunshots were?"

"They didn't sound too far away."

"Then let's hurry."


Leon screeched in pain as his back collided against the wall for a third time, feeling his bruises gain bruises from the punishment he was subjected to. His breaths were heavy, his body felt broken, but he refused to give in. He glared at Seifer, who was stalking towards him like a predator.

"Gotta hand it to you, Squall. You're still as hardy as you were in the past." He was getting closer. He felt the wrist that was encircled by the Odine bracelet warm quickly. "Don't know why and don't really care why the old bag wants you so much, but orders are orders. I can just say you got banged up badly since you wouldn't go down quietly. It wouldn't be lying. I know you'd fight to the bitter end."

"So you won't kill me…" Leon murmured. –I need to get out of here. The Odine bracelet was burning the skin of his wrist.

"Nah, but I will once the old hag doesn't need you anymore."

"I'm not going quietly." He opened his hand, concentrating all the magical energy withheld in his body into the palm. He ignored the small shocks attacking his skin.

"Don't expect you to come easily." Suddenly, Seifer jumped back several places, eyes wide in shock. Leon's hand was outstretched, sparks of electricity licking around his fingers, tingling the callused skin. "What on…"

"You're not the only one with surprises, dear," Leon smirked. He struggled to his feet, letting another bolt of electric thunder build up in his hand. "I've already guessed you've changed your allegiances to Sorceress Maleficent, and I've no intention of ever joining her. So do thank her for her little helper's gift, because it's ruined my life already!" He let loose the bolt that was building up in his hand, forcing the Crusader back. Seifer's eyes glared at him; Leon felt an especially cruel smile cross his face. "Payback time."


"Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Ah, right. You're normal…"

"Feel what?"

"Magic. Strong magic. Like it's not totally in control."

"Where's it coming from?"

"Straight ahead."

"Then that's where we're going. Back me up."


The whole cell was now humming from electrical currents shivering through the walls metal bodies, some sparks jumping up in flashes of light. Leon and Seifer were facing each other, gunblades -Leon retrieved his during his barrage against the Crusader SOLDIER- pointed at each other's throats. Both were panting heavily, though it was obvious that Leon was in a worse way.

"So you're a Sorcerer…"

"Yeah…"

"Well this fucks up everything."

"Funny, that's exactly my thoughts when I first got these powers."

"Glad to see we're on the same wave length after all these years."

"Hmm, reunion could've been better."

"Maybe." The corner of Seifer's mouth quirked into that trademark smirk of his. "I think this was a pretty good way to 'bump' into each other."

"I don't share that opinion."

"When did you share any opinion with me?"

"Touché." Leon and Seifer broke into another brawl, the gunblades singing through the air and clanging against each other like misshapen cymbals. But for them both, the familiarity of the vibrations shuddering through their weapons, the smell of gunpowder as they pulled the triggers to cause more damage to the cell around them, and the familiar adrenaline rush that accompanied battle, was a reminder of their past. A past that was coming back to the brunet SeeD with every swipe he made.

"Here."

"Here?"

"Here." A pointed finger at the grill. "It's coming from there."

"That's our way out then."

Leon's back was pressed against the wall, struggling to keep Seifer away from him, their eyes locked in angry glares as they were struck by yet another stalemate. However, it was all about to change. A loud crack filled the air as something on the floor was kicked.

"What the-" Seifer started. Leon saw a familiar tuft of blond hair appear from a newly made opening in the floor, looking straight at them. Relief swept over him.

"Took you long enough," he grunted.

"You try fighting mutated eels while keeping a kid safe," was the response.

"You can explain later."

"Mind introducing us, Squall," Seifer demanded.

"Seifer, my pet guard dog. Cloud, my supposed to be dead ex-SOLDIER."

"Pleasure to meet the dog." Cloud just gave the other blond a deep glare, some feral instinct sparked into action as he growled. "Now if you excuse me, I have to murder your master right now." Cloud pounced, which forced Seifer to dodge and put Leon at risk. The SeeD just about managed to stop the large sword from cutting into his face. He parried the SOLDIER quickly, before letting loose another electric bolt at the Crusader model when he tried to slash at Cloud's back.

"Was that-"

"Not now Cloud," Leon dismissed. "Where's the kid?"

"Down below," Cloud replied, holding a battle stance as Seifer recovered. "I told him to stay put."

"Let's end this quickly then." Cloud just nodded his head in submission. Seifer lunged; Cloud and Leon lurched forward to meet him.