Chapter 14

Aeris knew something was definitely wrong. It had been 2 days and they were still not back, and the presentation to Rufus was today. Aeris stormed into their soldiers headquarters, all were in for a surprise....

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Lacey finally awoke. She realized she was sitting up, and surrounded by a sea of townspeople. She held her head in her hands and tried to think, but nothing came. Who was she? She could not recall who she was or what she was doing, though apparently it seemed important.
Lacey took her head out of her hands. She glanced up and saw a Silver hared man riding a black chocobo-well at least she remembered him. What a nice guy what was his name.....Sephiroth that's it! And I work for Shin-Ra. Yes I remember…
Lacey had remembered what Hojo wanted her to think, but this was quite unknown to her. Feeling safe she smiled and waved, not noticing the cage being wheeled behind her. It was an extremely long ride to the Shin-Ra building, but 3 hours later they managed to get there. It was mid-day and the sun was a scorching ball. The temperature had to be at least 100 degrees. All were weary, but when they got there they all freshened up , and walked to the hall.

Vincent and Natalie were heavily guarded, and cuffed. Sephiroth walked up to Lacey's "cage" and asked her a few questions. "Who is Rufus, and what does he mean to you?"
Lacey shook her head thinking he had gone dumb and replied. "My boss and leader, aside from you of course, but we all serve him humbly."
Hojo nodded his head and let a large smile slip across his face. Sephiroth offered Lacey his arm and together they walked into the assembly room. They both sat in the front row, in seats that were apparently honored, while Vincent and Natalie were put in a cell in the back of the room, just out of Lacey's hearing distance.
Natalie and Vincent had given up hope. Rufus had everything and nothing could stop him. They frowned, he would take the whole world and torture them all.
Except for his dear soldiers, Natalie thought with disgust.
"Vincent what have they done to Lacey?" Vincent just shook his head and gave Hojo a cold and evil stare, for next to him sat Lucrecia, his ex-fiancé. Vincent would get them both, he planned the action (hopeless as it was) out in his mind, revenge getting him all worked up. Natalie saw what he was looking at and slapped him so that he would not try something stupid and get them killed. Natalie relaxed and sat slowly.
What was the point, they were going to be executed any way.

Sephiroth was given a small blue pillow with gold around the edge. Lacey's shacrum sat in the middle. Of course she didn't recognize it but she looked at it with a familiar eye. Horns blared from the corner of the room, and Rufus walked in and sat in his chair in the topmost level in the room.
It took forever for everyone to quiet, but eventually they did, and an announcer rose from the crowd.
"Now introducing the great General Sephiroth and his bounty." the short man choked down the words, for even looking at Sephiroth made him shaky, and talking was a greater difficulty. The short man stepped back and Sephiroth rose. He climbed the stairs leading toward Rufus, holding the pillow outstretched in a sign of triumph.
Lacey sat in the audience clapping with glee, until she saw a vision, a sight so cruel she yelled out, but her scream was lost in the noise of the crowd. Cats and Wolves flashed across her mind.
Then they stopped and just stared at Rufus trying to think, but even that was a feat in itself.
Sephiroth finally reached Rufus and he kneeled gesturing for Rufus to take hold of the ancient weapon. Rufus gripped the shacrum and held it up, inspecting it, then he laid it back on the pillow which was then put to the side. Sephiroth stood and turned to announce his news.
"The armies of the enemy had been beaten, and I have brought you this glorious warrior woman."
He pointed his hand toward Lacey indicating for her to stand, and so she did.
Rufus turned to see the young lady. Then asked Sephiroth what her name was.
"This one's name is Sheyala, it means outlander and barbarian, in which she fights as well as her name suggests. And I also bring you the missing Vincent Valentine, and the warrior from the other side named The Cat"
All turned to the two prisoners in the back and Lacey, stunned, began to shudder and spin, she sat quickly for fear she would collapse.
Flashes of memories ran through her mind in a bright array and she tightly closed her eyes against the pain. Her parents ran through her mind, the monsters, then the soldiers, then her mentor, no her love, Sephiroth the evil betrayer, then she remembered all, the war, and how much she hated them all.
She must release her friends and kill the man who did this. She screamed and all turned toward her. She stood, her old dark appearance returning, and Rufus sat, quite shaken.
Rufus turned to Sephiroth and said, "You have failed me."
Rufus grabbed the sword at his side and rammed it into Sephiroth's chest. Sephiroth's eyes widened in pain as he sank to the floor.
Rufus laughed and said "You should have gone with her, she was right. Now she will be mine and this time you can't get in the way. She will be my wife."
Sephiroth sank lower still and gripped at his sword but was too weak. The crystal was aglow on his chest and he managed to get out 5 telepathic words.
He said them clearly in Lacey's mind and she turned to the sound of the voice. "I still love you Sheyala" Lacey screamed as Rufus removed his sword and went for another stab. Lacey's shacrum then flew from the pillow to her hand. Her crystal aglow, and so hot it burned her chest, but she paid it no mind. She threw her shacrum and it struck Rufus's sword. It went flying and struck a nearby guard.
Lacey's red loving heart had returned, but was it too late for Sephiroth?