"Oh….my head… What happened?"P
The dragon had finally awoken.P
"Boy, I'm sure high up, but something dosen't seem right….WHAT THE HELL!!!!"P
She finally realized that she wasn't herself. Zack, and Sephiroth had vanished into the shadows of the cave.P
"Great… Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse." She turned her neck, to look at the rest of her. "Well, I guess I won't be going to any more lectures this term…"P
She turned to look around in the rest of the cave.P
"There's some one here…Some one in my mind…Who are you?"P
Sephiroth and Zack didn't move.P
"I want to know who's in my head! Now come out, or else…"P
She was getting angry. But then she got an idea. "Fine then, stay here. I'm leaving."P
With that, she attempts to get down off the ledge, which by now was more like a step to her. Then she began to awkwardly move towards the cave mouth. When she finally got outside, she laid down in the sun, across the cave mouth, exhausted. And she soon fell asleep, again. But this time, it was due to exhaustion, and not any magical means.P
Sephiroth, and Zack came out of the shadows, and looked at her.P
"If I had never seen it, I would have never believed that a dragon could be so clumsy. It looked like she was ready to fall over anytime."P
Sephiroth nodded. "Indeed. It seems as if Jenova erred in creating her. She has, apparently, never seen a dragon before… But even if she had, I do not believe it would have helped her adapt."P
Zack shook his head. "So what do we do?"P
"Try to teach a dragon, to be a dragon. Or more correctly, help a dragon discover how to be a dragon."P
"And how do you propose to do that?"P
"I do not believe that Jenova would wish to wait for her 'creation' to figure out how to be a dragon. I believe that the knowledge is there, just like it is for you. But for some reason she cannot reach it."P
"So your proposing that we attempt to help her find it? That's crazy! She has no reason to trust either of us, and, in your case, every reason to kill us!"P
Sephiroth looked at Zack, then at the dragon stretched across the cave mouth. "I cannot undo what my brother caused, but I can help her to accept, or at least live with it. She is as much a stranger in this world as us, if not more so. She has no one. Without help, I fear she will not survive long. Could you live with that on your conscious?"P
Zack looked at the beast too. "Perhaps you have a point…"P
CENTER* * * * */CENTER
P
IMeanwhile, Cloud, Chrono, and the others have reached the castle./IP
"My Lord, we have returned."P
The king shook his head in disbelief. Nadia and Lucca laughed.P
The king sighed. "And…?"P
"They spoke truly of the shape shifter. I have seen one. And there we those who sought to kill him. There may be more truth to their words then first thought."P
"Very well. Release him, and his friends." The king turns to Cloud. "But you'd best be careful. Many will seek to blame you for what has occurred. Not all will believe that a shape shifter is loose."P
Cloud just stood there."…He's coming. They're both coming. There's a third, like, yet unlike. What is it…No! There are…Coming, leaving staying. What are they…?"P
The king turned back to Chrono. "What is this?"P
But Chrono shook his head. "I do not know sir. It happened once before."P
Neither Yuffie, nor Vincent made a move to explain. Red shook his head, then moved forwards.P
"Cloud, what is it? You say he's coming. Who?"P
"I don't know…One of two. And her."P
Red didn't need to ask who she was. He knew. "Where are they coming? Here?"P
"I can't…there's one. It overshadows more. It's not moving…they are coming. He's..no! Not again! Get out… Get OUT!!!"P
Cloud fell to the ground, and lay still. Then he rose. P
Red backed up. "It's like the Temple all over again. Not good."P
Cloud looked at them. But his eyes glowed… "Mine once again! This time there shall be no escape. I shall rule!"P
Suddenly a new figure immerged…. It was Sephiroth.P
"Brother halt this! There is no need."P
Cloud/Sephiroth turned to the newcomer. "No need? Ha! You know the need. You know it, as I do. Admit it!"P
But Sephiroth shook his head. "I know you well brother." He stepped forwards. "I know well what you did. And what you've done." He took a second step forwards. The two were now only feet apart. The others backed away. "And I know what you did for me." He covered that final ground. The two now stood face to face. They starred at each other, no weapons drawn. But everyone could feel the tension.P
Then Cloud/Sephiroth spoke. "How can you know? You never lived through it. Even now…?"P
But Sephiroth cut him off. "Even now you feel it. I do too. You think she's given up on me? Perhaps you've forgotten the last several years!"P
"I forgot nothing! That is why I stay as I am. The pain I feel is nothing compared to yours!"P
Cloud fell. Sephiroth knelt down, took one look at him, and stood up once again. He turned to look at Red, Vincent, and Yuffie, then vanished. The three wasted no time to arrive at Cloud's side.P
Cloud shook his head, then looked at them. "Somehow I get the feeling I don't even want to know…."P
Red shook his head. "I'm not even sure we understand ourselves."P
The others in the room just watched…P
