The next day dawned bright and clear. Cloud was just coming down, when he heard the sounds of a sword fight outside. Zack and Chrono were practicing. Sephiroth was nowhere in sight. Cloud looked around trying to find him. Zack and Chrono both stopped their fight, and looked at him. Cloud noticed this, and turned to them. "Where's Sephiroth?"

Zack gestured towards the gate. "He went that way. He wanted to practice on his own. Why?"

Cloud looked out the gate. "No reason."

He saw Sephiroth heading back towards the castle. As soon as Sephiroth noticed Cloud, he halted. The two watched each other across the field. It was Sephiroth who looked away first. Zack noticed Sephiroth, and walked over to him. Sephiroth waved him off. Vincent suddenly flew down from the window of the room, where he and Red had spent the night.

Suddenly, Sephiroth turned to look into the forest. And his hands gripped his sword, hard. "Dragon Shadow! I come!" He turned, and flew off towards the forest.

Zack turned to look at Cloud, then Vincent. "Something's wrong." A bright light engulfed him, and when it cleared, Zack was gone. In his place stood a griffin. "Come or stay as you choose."

Cloud ran over to him. "What happened to you…?"

Zack shook his head. "There's no time. Are you coming? If so, get on."

Cloud looked back at Vincent, then leaped on.

Chrono looked at them. "I'd best stay here. The king will want to know what happened yesterday, and where you went."

Zack launched himself into the sky. Vincent followed, close behind. Soon they were over the forest. Cloud didn't ask how Zack knew where to go. He knew himself. Half an hour latter, they passed over a clearing, where Sephiroth was attempting to hold off both his brother, and Jenova. Dragon Shadow lay there, unmoving. Blood was streaming from numerous cuts in her side. A golden light flashed behind Cloud and Zack. Suddenly, Chaos dove down to join the battle. Zack followed close behind. But as soon as numbers were against them, Sephiroth and Jenova retreated.

Sephiroth looked up at the three, then collapsed in exhaustion. Zack, now in human form, rushed over to him. "He's out cold. It must have been a hard fight."

Cloud still couldn't believe it. "He fought to protect her." He walked over to Dragon Shadow. "Why…?"

Zack walked up behind him. "You see him as his brother. Which he is not. But they need help. They will be unable to defend themselves if Jenova comes back."

Cloud turned to him. "Which means one of us has to go back. Either you or Vincent are the best choice…"

Zack shook his head. "I'd best stay here. They are not comfortable around any of your friends, or you. If one of them should wake up, their could be trouble."

Vincent nodded. "Then I shall go." Once again, he flew towards the castle.

Cloud turned back to Dragon Shadow. "What were they trying to do?"

"Break her." Zack looked over at her too. "Just like they tried to break me. Only this looks worse than anything I ever went through. Jenova must want control of her really bad."

"The Materia…."

"What?" Zack turned to Cloud, not understanding the comment.

"That dragon is the only one who seems to be able to use the higher materia. Either because of the merging, the fact they are Mater Materia, or something else. I don't know which. All I do know is that she called a Bolt 3 spell. Earlier I tried to cast a Fire 3 spell, and failed."

Zack shook his head suddenly understanding. "That's why Jenova had to run from her. She's more powerful then either of them. But she can't always control it. Sephiroth is the control for her power, and she's the one who has the power."

Both Zack, and Cloud turned to look at Dragon Shadow, with new respect in their eyes.


CENTER* * * * */CENTER


Meanwhile, Vincent reached the castle. He met Tifa, and Red, who were trying to find out where Cloud had gone. Tifa was the first to notice him. "Oh Vincent! Have you seen Cloud?"

Vincent nodded. "That is why I am here. There has been an attack on Dragon Shadow. She is lieing in the forest, severely injured. Sephiroth and Jenova were after her. But the second Sephiroth arrived, and may have saved her life."

Red nodded. He understood what Vincent was saying, even if no one else would. "So why are you here?"

Vincent looked at him. "They need help. Should Jenova return…"

Yuffie, who was standing inside, and heard the whole thing, came out at this point. "Big deal! So we lose one stuiped dragon, and Sephiroth. I thought the whole idea was to KILL HIM!!!!!!"

The same momnet that Yuffie was yelling kill him, Cid and Barret walked out.

"I told ya she was a vicous brute. Who d'a wanna kill this time?"

Yuffie turned around. "Err……Hi Barret."

Barret didn't look happy. "Who the hell do ya wanna kill?"

Yuffie didn't answer. Instead, she ran off. Cid and Barret followed her. The yelling could be heard, even as the three vanished into the castle.

Vincent shook his head. "It seems we shall have no aid then…."

Red turned to him. "You're going back?"

Vincent nodded. "Strange things occurred during that battle. Cloud is not the only one wishing to know what."

Tifa walked up. "So, Cloud's staying until he finds out what happened?"

Vincent nodded again.

There was resolve on Tifa's face. "Then, I'm coming too."

Red nodded, "And I."

Just then, Cait came bounding out. "Hey! Where are you off to?"

Tifa turned to him. "We're gonna go find Cloud. Wanna come?"

Just then, the four ducked, as a bullet flew overheard. Cait looked back. "Going with ya, beats sitting here."

The four headed off into the woods. Even as the castle vanished from sight, they could still hear the chase.

Red looked back, as another shot rang out. "I hope Yuffie will be fine."

Tifa laughed. "Oh, she will be. It's the people who live in the castle I'm worried about."

Red, Tifa and Cait burst out laughing at that. None of them saw the smile on Vincent's face.

Author's Note: I know it's highly unlikely that Sephiroth and Jenova, at the present time, could overpower Dragon Shadow. But I needed something to start on the change Cloud's view of Sephiroth.
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