The king looked to Chrono. "You say these people know what happened the other day?"P
Chrono nodded. "I believe they know more than we do. But I wonder if anyone really knows what happened."P
Cloud looked to the others. As leader, it was his job to try and explain what had happened. The only problem was he wasn't sure himself. Tifa nodded, so Cloud stepped forwards. "I'll try to explain, but I'm not sure how much of this is going to make senesce. The army of monsters was lead by Jenova, and Sephiroth. Or the younger Sephiroth. Had the elder Sephiroth not appeared with Dragon Shadow, and Zack, it is very likely we would not have survived. She wasn't after you, so much as she was after us. We were the ones who stopped her plan before."P
Chrono looked at him. Having been one of the few near to Cloud during the battle, he had knowledge of what had happened. "What did his first comment mean?"P
Cloud didn't answer at first. He stood there, then shook his head. "Nothing. At least noting I want to talk about."P
But Chrono couldn't accept that answer. "He gave you a way to avoid the war! Why didn't you take it!"P
Cloud was getting angry. His past was his own. "Trust me. The cost of avoiding that battle would have been greater then the cost of fighting it. Even had they not shown up! What he was talking about, is something I don't want to discuss. And for a good reason. And as it has little bearing on what happened the other day, I see no need to discuss it."P
The two were about to erupt in another argument, when Red intervened. "It seems to me, there should be more concerns over then a fight that was won two days ago. Jenova is loose, with Sephiroth, and apparently is trying to discover Lavos, a creature whom nearly destroyed your world. Furthermore, these two are gaining strength due to the presence of the other. Shouldn't that be more of a concern, then who could have avoided a battle that ended, and was won?"P
Nadia walked forwards. "I think he's right on this one. How else could we hope to avoid another end of the world disaster?"P
Chrono shrugged. "Fine. But we still don't know how to stop them. We know when they are, but without knowing how to stop, or where they are, them…"P
"Correction. We believe we know when they are. You're forgetting those two stole the Epoch. So they could be anywhere, anywhene."P
Chrono rolled his eyes, "You just had to bring that up, Luca."P
Luca laughed. "Of course."P
A growl from the back of the room caught everyone's attention. Dragon Shadow had awakened, and seemed very irritated. Sephiroth wasn't paying any attention to the group in the room. Cloud looked to Zack for an explanation.P
"I have no idea. I can only think of two things that would upset her. Sephiroth, or Jenova. If those dragon's hadn't just fought us, I'd add them too, but I don't think they'd be back already…"P
"And what exactly is that?"P
Zack looked at the king. "That is Dragon Shadow. She's the dragon that was involved in the battle the other day."P
Most of the people in the room looked at him in disbelief. But before the conversation could continue, Sephiroth turned to Zack. And he looked worried. Zack nodded, then Sephiroth flew out of the room. Zack turned around. "Apparently there's something going on that's bothering them. But I have no idea what."P
"Oh this is just great! If something's bothering him, then it should worry us!" Cloud added in a sarcastic voice.P
"Indeed it should!"P
Cloud turned to the corner of the room, apparently, the only one to have heard the voice. And there stood… "You!"P
No one else could see, or hear the mysterious visitor. Chrono turned to Red. "What's up with him?"P
Red was watching Cloud, worried. "I don't know. But I don't think it's good."P
At that moment, Cloud drew his sword, and began to advance on an apparently empty corner of the room. "I'm through playing your game! No more!"P
"Ha ha ha ha…. Do you really believe you can stop me…Puppet!"P
"I am not your PUPPET!" With a battle cry, Cloud charged Sephiroth. But what the others saw was not the same…P
Cloud suddenly charged the empty corner of the room, murder in his eyes. Red put everything together. "CLOUD! Stop it! Sephiroth is just…"P
But the moment Cloud reached the corner of the room, he vanished. Red and Tifa went racing after him. But the wall was solid, offering no explanation as to where Cloud had gone. At that moment, a dragon's cry echoed throughout the castle. Red, followed close by the others rushed outside. What they saw amazed them. Dragon Shadow, and Sephiroth were challenging the other two dragons. But the moment the others appeared, the dragons vanished.P
Zack suddenly put everything together. "So that's what happened…"P
The others looked to him. "What do you mean?"P
Zack looked up at Red, who had asked the question. "Sephiroth knew that his brother could break the trap. So he sent those dragons to challenge his brother, and Dragon Shadow, while he managed to trap Cloud. But why…?"P
Red shook his head. "Because Sephiroth wants Cloud for himself."P
Any more questions were cut of by the sudden landing of Dragon Shadow. Sephiroth followed behind her. Most of the guardsmen backed away from her, as she began to glow green. With a flash, she was once again small enough to take up her perch on Sephiroth's shoulder. The others just watched in shock, as the huge beast became the size of a house cat. By this time, dusk was beginning to fall. Chrono took on look at those gathered, then made a decision. "Let's call it a night. Tomorrow, we'll go gate hunting."P
The others shook their heads in agreement.P
Sephiroth and Zack were once again place in a room of their own. But this time it was for more than one reason. The others were placed in rooms throughout the castle. Most really believed they would be unable to sleep after the day's excitement.P
However, soon there were few awake. Yuffie was one of those few. And she was annoyed. "That stupid dragon has my materia. Therefore, it should be MY dragon. I'm gonna go and get it." Self confident with her reasoning, Yuffie set off in search of Sephiroth's room, where Dragon Shadow was sleeping. She soon found it, and entered. What she hadn't counted on was the reaction that occurred when she placed her hand on Dragon Shadow.P
"Ribbit?"P
Once again, Yuffie had been turned into a frog. And unfortunately for her, Sephiroth, Zack, and Dragon Shadow were not among the few who were awake. Yuffie ended up hopping up onto the desk, as spending a miserable night as a frog. (When I get changed back, someone's gonna pay for this!)P
