The next day, the others awoke. Cloud, Tifa, Red and Cait emerged from their tents. Vincent and Zack were nowhere in sight. Nor was Sephiroth.
"Cloud, do you….."
"Before you ask Tifa, no I don't know where they went. How should I know?"
Red had moved over to Dragon Shadow. "This is amazing! All of those injuries have already begun to heal!"
Cloud, Tifa and Cait joined Red. Which proved to be a bad move. At the same moment that they did so, Dragon Shadow awoke. And the first thing she saw was the four clustered around her side. One of whom had previously attempted to kill her. And with no sign of Zack or Sephiroth, she had no way of telling that the four were attempting to help her. She swung her tail around from behind them, and the four went flying, right into her side. At the same instant, she stood up, ready to fight them.
Cait was the first to notice this. "Err…Cloud? I think our friend has just woken up….and I don't think she's in a good mood."
"Thanks for the news flash Cait. I would have never guessed."
Had they not been standing there, looking in the face of an angry dragon they were trying to help, they would have laughed. As it were, all they did was back up… and fall over her tail.
But when they got up, Dragon Shadow was no longer paying any attention to them. She seemed to be listing to something that the rest of them couldn't hear. Then, Zack and Vincent arrived. Zack took one look at the situation, and began to laugh. Then, he walked over to Dragon Shadow, and waited for her to notice him.
"Dragon Shadow, these guys aren't here to cause trouble. They're here to help."
Dragon Shadow turned to look at him. "I've just been told that. But given what I've been through in the last few days…"
Zack shook his head. "I know. But it's not gonna help if you keep trying to kill everyone all the time. So just relax. Ok?"
Dragon Shadow mumbled something under her breath. Zack shook his head, and turned around to look at the others. "She isn't kidding about having a bad time. At this point, I don't know who's had it worse. At least I knew who was out to kill me."
Cloud looked confused. "But I thought you said Jenova…"
Zack shook his head. "It's a lot more complicated then that. When Sephiroth brought her to this world, he looked like you. So…"
Cloud shook his head, suddenly understanding. "She thought I was the one who dragged her here. Then, when she attacked me in the forest for revenge, Vincent attacked her. So that's why she hates me."
Zack nodded. "Only Sephiroth could convince her that you were not the one who did it. However, the situation gets far more complicated then that…"
Cloud turned to look at Dragon Shadow. "So, how did Sephiroth know she was in trouble?"
Zack shook his head. "I don't really understand it myself. But somehow, when the spell to create her backfired, it created a mind link between Sephiroth and her. The two of them can speak over a fairly large distance. However…"
Dragon Shadow turned to them. "Don't bother trying to figure it out. It's far more complex than you could ever imagine."
Zack shrugged. "I guess I'm not supposed to talk about it."
Cloud nodded. "Somehow, I don't think we want to know anyway. I guess we should get back."
"And makes sure everyone's alive." Tifa added, then started to laugh. After a minute, so did Cait, and Red.
Cloud looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
Tifa looked at him. "It's a long story."
Dragon Shadow was still keeping an eye on the group. Even though she had evidence from both Zack and Sephiroth that the group had helped to save her life, she wasn't going to trust them easily. Not till she knew more about what was going on. Just then, a familiar shadow flew over the clearing, closely followed by a second.
Dragon Shadow looked up. "Not them again!"
Zack looked over to her. "Who?"
"Those two dragons that attacked the castle. Only they were after me. Now their after a rematch." But Dragon Shadow's words proved wrong, as the two beast flew on, totally ignoring the party on the ground. Their target was already air bound… "NO!"
With that, she launched herself into the air. The others were left wondering what had her concerned. The Zack figured it out. "They're after Sephiroth."
Zack wasted no time in transforming into the Griffin, and chasing after Dragon Shadow. Chaos followed close behind. Cloud, Tifa, Red and Cait were left standing there.
P
CENTER* * * * */CENTER
Dragon Shadow was the first to reach the air born battle. Sephiroth was forced into the defensive, as he had still not fully recovered from the day before. But as soon at Dragon Shadow was visible to the dragons, the larger turned to face her. Dragon Shadow knew she could not hope to win this battle. She too was still weak from her previous ordeal as well. But she also knew she was not going to let Sephiroth down. (You and Zack were the only ones to understand me. I will not let you down.)
Neither she, nor Sephiroth were aware that Zack and Vincent had followed. The two fought, though they were injured, and tired from the battle the day before. Just as it seemed they were destine to fall, Zack and Chaos arrived. Had Dragon Shadow not recognized Chaos as the one who had aided her before, she may have succumb to the erge to use her magic. But as it were, she just continued to battle the dragon before her. Zack rushed over to aid Sephiroth, while Chaos flew to aid Dragon Shadow. The battle was fierce. The 2:1 odds were evend out by the fact that both Sephiroth and Dragon Shadow were still weakend from their previous battle. But the dragons decided that they didn't want to face the uneven odds, and fled again. The battle had taken the four near to the castle. Zack was the first to figure this out.
"The castle's just over there. Do you two want to head back?"
Dragon Shadow looked at him. "The moment I land, I ain't getting off the ground again. Too much, too soon."
Vincent looked at the three. "I shall go tell Cloud."
Zack nodded, and the three headed towards the castle. But the fight had taken a lot more out of Dragon Shadow, and Sephiroth then first belived. Sephiroth was the first who began to fall. "I fear I shall not be able to make it."
Zack looked back at him, then flew next to him. "Get on. I can carry you the rest of the way. Those dragons took off just after we arrived, so Vincent and I didn't do a lot of the fighting."
Sephiroth nodded. "Thank you." Then got onto Zack's back.
However Sephiroth was not the only one to begin to strain. A few minutes latter, so did Dragon Shadow. "I fear I shall be forced to land. I cannot go much further."
But Sephiroth had thought of something. "There may be a way. If you trust me…"
Dragon Shadow laughed. "I've been trusting you for a while. If you have an idea, I'd love to hear it."
Sephiroth nodded, then began to access their link.
I"Keep flying. You may notice a few changes, but…"
"Alright. I don't have a lot of choice."
/I
Sephiroth began to access the Master Materia once again. Soon, Dragon Shadow was shrinking.
I
"What…what happened?"
"I used one of your spells to make you smaller. Zack may be able to carry us both now."
"But how?"
"I know what magic you are capable of. You, do not. In time you will though."
"Let's hope so."
"Indeed."
/I
Zack noticed Dragon Shadow. "I believe I can carry you the rest of the way."
Dragon Shadow flew over, and landed on Sephiroth's shoulder. Sephiroth said nothing. And soon, Zack landed in the clearing surrounding Guardian castle.
