Chapter 7: So Far Away
Cloud:
The trek back up to Mount Nibel wasn't difficult – years of childhood experience directed his legs as he practically sprinted up the side of the mountain.
And then...he was there...the Reactor loomed, its metallic face glinting in the faint sunlight.
...and then he saw it...
The door...the 12-inch thick, steel-plated door...had been completely ripped off of its hinges...
...how in the gods' names had that happened?? Not even Sephiroth could do that...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...could he? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Terror lurked in the recesses of Cloud's heart. He couldn't turn away from it any longer: he was afraid.
Afraid of what...? Well, there wasn't any one thing to pin the fear on...no one event of the past 24 hours had, all by itself, brought the fear...but he knew one thing: whatever had caused its arrival, it now had hold of him.
He had thought that seeing his town, the one place he could truly call home, set ablaze would push his mind out of the equation – he had hoped to ride the wave of pure anger straight to Sephiroth.
How wrong he had been.
Cloud Strife didn't know he if was brave enough – he couldn't truly know if he was courageous enough to take on the man he had once called "General."
Cloud moved forward slowly, edging his way towards the torn metal of the Reactor doorframe.
He didn't know if he had the strength to defeat Sephiroth – not this time, even with the rage coursing throughout his body. He felt weakness, just as he always had...
...he didn't know if he had the power to stop the one person who had sworn his loyalty to...he just didn't know...
Taking a deep breath, he entered the threshold of the Reactor, packing away as much as possible the fear within.
He would do this, whether or not his mind would allow him to. There was too much between them now, and, no matter what, he would not let that get away unpunished.
~{:*:}~
Sephiroth:
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...Mother... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ...Mother, I'm here now...Nothing can come between us ever again... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sephiroth sat there, kneeling before the enormous cryogenic tank that held the frozen body of his mother.
They had imprisoned her here – they, those beasts at Shin-Ra...Hojo included...had kept her in this timeless existence, serving only to satisfy their own greedy desires.
He had long since stopped wasting energy in his rage against Hojo. That animal...that monster...would pay in due time, even if Sephiroth had to hunt him down to the ends of the world.
He felt a shift in the energies near his being. He closed his eyes, reached out with his mind, found the aura so close to his own.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
...I know Mother, I know. Hojo will pay for doing this to us. And so will everyone who dares to get in our way...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
However, it would be not only Hojo that answered to the crimes of humanity – all those humans, they, who had pushed aside the Cetra...they would all pay...
...None would be spared of mother and son's wrath. None could escape it because, for all their combined hatred, they would not allow them to.
~{:*:}~
Cloud:
He moved through the bowels of the Reactor, steadily heading back towards the room...the room that, from somewhere deep inside, seemed to pull him towards its grasp.
Left, right, left, left, left again...the chambers seemed to go on forever.
As he moved towards an exposed manhole covering in the corner of the room he was in, he stopped. He heard it, faintly...crying...
...crying, somewhere in the depths...
He knew that sound...he knew who it belonged to...He had heard it once before, long ago, in a different time, but in all the years that had passed...
...it was still the same, still just as present in his mind as it had been all that time ago...
Quickly, he lowered himself through the opening, clutching to the ladder as he descended into the unknown.
~{:*:}~
The first thing he saw, the first thing that he felt, as he moved lower on down the ladder was the intense energy of Mako.
There, below him...the giant pipes that snaked their way through the blinding blue glow reminded him of the Shin-Ra HQ in Midgar. A faint hissing sound could be heard through those pipes...he had to strain to hear it...
...Which suddenly brought him back to reality. In all his straining, he began to hear the sobbing again.
Quickly, he dropped to the metal walkway beneath him and crawled over to edge. Peering over, his worst fears were confirmed.
His prediction had been true. He had known who was crying...
...It was Tifa...
She knelt there, below him, her face in her hands, crying hysterically. And there next to her...lying on the ground was...oh gods, no...
It was Mr. Lockhart.
There, lodged in his chest, was a sword...an insanely long sword...it's metallic sheen reflecting the light of the Mako...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...It was Sephiroth's Masamune... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Tifa continued to cry, he hands on her father's face, holding his head in her lap.
"Daddy...Daddy..." she moaned.
And suddenly, the crying ceased. Cloud peered down at her, trying to discern what was happening.
It was as if she had not noticed the blade in her father's chest before. But now, all her attention, all her focus, was bent on it.
Slowly, she stood up and touched the handle of the blade. She recoiled, as if the blade's energy had been too much for her. But, as suddenly as she had drawn back, resolve crept back into her face.
She grabbed the blade again, and this time, with one painful wrench, pulled it from her father's lifeless body. She held it, trying at all costs to balance the weight of the ancient blade against her own.
Peering at the blade, she spoke so softly that Cloud had to strain to hear her.
"Sephiroth...Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he?? He destroyed our town, and now...now's he's taken you..."
She stood silent for a moment, and then a change of incredible magnitude came over her. Anger rose in her slender face, painting over her face like a raging storm.
"No..." she whispered.
Staggering slightly from the intense weight of the Masamune, she turned and headed through the illuminated doorway next to her, disappearing into the light.
Cloud gasped as he saw his love leave. Oh no, he thought. She meant to take on Sephiroth – with his own blade. She couldn't possibly understand how foolish that was; she couldn't possibly know how strong Sephiroth truly was...
He raced down another ladder, skidding to a halt when he had come next to Mr. Lockhart's body. He gazed softly, sadly, at the older man.
He pushed the sadness away from his soul – there was no time to let the anguish take hold again.
Tifa was walking straight into danger, and he was the only one who could save her.
~{:*:}~
As he rushed through the doorway, the sights before him nearly sent him reeling. For one thing, he saw Zack, his slumped body thrown over one of the incubation pods. Zack had a large gash across his chest, and appeared to be unconscious.
His more immediate concern was Tifa. She was slowly marching up the steps, heading towards the door marked "JENOVA," struggling with every step to carry the immense load of the Masamune.
And then...he was there...
At the top of the steps, his silver hair shimmering, he stood, watchful of the young girl that was advancing towards his position.
All of a sudden, she noticed his presence, too. For one long moment, they both stood still, eyeing each other, gazes containing hatred and indifference.
Without warning, she heaved the sword up and rushed at Sephiroth, anger pouring from every facet in her body.
No, Cloud thought. Tifa, no!!!
It took no time at all. No sooner had she reached him than he easily disarmed her of his holy blade. She stood, horrified that she had been taken so easily...she didn't even have time to react before...
The Masamune came down in a swift arc, it's user wielding it with the greatest of ease. There was a horrible slashing noise as it tore through...
...Tifa...
She flew backwards, carrying the residual energy that the blade had passed through her. She seemed to float through the air as she swept downwards.
Cloud felt himself move, even before he had time to consider his actions. Never before had he sprinted so fast, but then again, never before had he had a reason to.
Beyond all belief, he reached Tifa – he caught her as she fell, holding on for dear life.
When he finally had the guts to look at her through his mask, he saw that she had surprise in her eyes. She didn't know who this masked Shin-Ra grunt was; she didn't know what had compelled him to save her.
Cloud felt his stomach turn. He wanted so badly to reveal who he really was. But could he...? Could he face her, even now...?
As the two parts of his mind battled, his body was pushed to a decision.
Reaching up with one hand, he unfastened the metal strap that held the mask to his head. With that undone, he slowly pulled the mask away from his face.
The first thing he recognized on Tifa's face was utter surprise. It took a moment, but that surprise eventually morphed into recognition. She slowly reached up and gently caressed his face.
"Cloud...?" she asked, her voice chocking to a whisper.
Tears gently filled his eyes to once again hear that sweet voice say his name. He nodded, cradling her body in his lap.
She smiled slightly – then concern flooded into her face again.
"You...you promised...you promised that you'd...always be there to...to rescue me..."
The tears fell faster as Cloud felt despair rip at his heart. She was right. He had promised her, long ago. And he hadn't been there to fulfill his promise.
He looked at her again, holding her, letting her know that he was there.
Without any warning, he eyes suddenly drooped. He panicked; quickly, he felt her pulse. It was still there, steady but weakening. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the truth hit him squarely in the stomach.
Tifa was dying...
He knew that he had to bring her to safety – he had to get her out of here, but...
If Sephiroth wasn't dealt with now, his terror would continue, and that was something Cloud was not going to allow to happen...
He rose, gently laying Tifa's unconscious body against one of the pods. He began to rise up the stairs when...
"C...Cl.....Cloud..."
The weak voice could almost not be heard, but hear it he did. He slowly turned back, back towards the sound of the voice.
It had come from Zack.
Cloud slowly walked up to Zack and laid a hand on his friend's arm.
"Zack..."
Zack's eyes glared at Cloud, focusing all of his energy on the young man.
"Cloud...you have to...to kill...Sephiroth...he's gone...insane...Kill him…"
With wracking slowness, Zack raised his right hand and pointed to the fallen Masamune that was lying, forgotten, on the ground
"Kill...him..."
With that, Zack felt into an unconscious stupor. Cloud reached down and picked up the surprisingly heavy Masamune. However, heaviness no longer mattered to him. New resolve flooded into his veins – before, he had been unconfident and terrified at the prospect of facing a vengeful Sephiroth.
But now, he had greater reason to defeat his former leader. Many lives now depended on it.
As he slowly walked up the steps towards the "JENOVA" door, Cloud knew that there would be only one winner in this battle. And now, with Sephiroth's powerful weapon pressed in his hands, he was going to make sure that it was he who was victorious.
~{:*:}~
Sephiroth:
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...It's almost time, Mother. Soon you'll be free again... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ...and we'll be together again... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sephiroth stood once more before his mother's containment cell. He knew it, felt it – she would be free of these earthly bounds once more, and then they would accomplish what they had set out to.
He was so happy for the thought of his mother's release that he did not notice that faint stirring of energy around him. It was subtle, like a slight breeze, but the famous Sephiroth, who could feel anything, did not feel it.
He was too swallowed up in his own joy that changes in the aura around him went unnoticed.
~{:*:}~
Cloud:
He couldn't believe it. Sephiroth hadn't noticed his arrival into the chamber. Either that, thought Cloud, or he's just toying with me.
Regardless, Cloud pushed himself forward, holding the Masamune out in front of him.
Now or never, he thought.
He stood for what seemed to him like an eternity. Finally, his body was pushed once more to a decision.
The Masamune struck flesh with a hideous metal twang. Cloud quickly let go of the blade as some of Sephiroth's tremendous energy conducted through the handle.
Slowly, with a sword sticking out of his chest, Sephiroth turned around.
There was fear in his eyes.
Cloud had never seen that in his master before. Sure, there had been times when Sephiroth had shown surprise, even resignation, but never, never, had he shown fear.
Gasping softly, Sephiroth glared at the unmasked Cloud.
"Who...who are you?!?!"
Cloud tried to control his emotions, but couldn't. Venom, along with a hint of despair, dripped from his voice.
"My town...my parents...Tifa......everything......give it all back!!"
With that, he grabbed Sephiroth by his shirt and threw him down the stairs. His slender body landed with a dull thud on the metal floor below.
Cloud bent forward and gasped. How...how had he done that?? How had he thrown Sephiroth down a flight of stairs??
He was sharply brought out of his reverie when he looked below him. Sephiroth...he was no longer there.
Adamant, Cloud sprang forward, swearing to not let Sephiroth get away from him again.
~{:*:}~
He sprinted forward and took the entire flight of stairs in one enormous jump. He quickly glanced at the unconscious bodies of Tifa and Zack as he flew past, vowing sternly, for their sake, to finish what he had begun.
~{:*:}~
It took a moment, but Cloud finally saw him. He was kneeling near the edge of the platform, staring down into the blueness of the Mako waves.
Cloud screeched to a halt as he saw Sephiroth – suspicion now filled Cloud; he had no clue what Sephiroth was playing at.
Sephiroth looked up at Cloud, his breathing ragged.
~{:*:}~
Sephiroth:
The boy thinks he's won. He has no clue as to what I really am.
Sephiroth didn't know if those were his own words or what his mother had taught him, but he didn't much care. Soon...soon, he would surrender his control to the will of his mother.
He looked up at Cloud.
He was a little miffed that a spiky-headed kid such as this was the one to spell his downfall.
But then again, it didn't really matter. Soon, his mother, his dear JENOVA would be in control...and everything would be right again...
Breathing heavily, he spoke one last time to Cloud.
"You think you've won, but you...haven't...I promise you...that..."
~{:*:}~
Cloud watched in horror as Sephiroth flashed a venomous grin, then fell forward into the raging Mako pit.
He rushed to the ledge, only to watch Sephiroth's body vanish back into the eternity from whence it came...
He said that I haven't won, he thought. But...I have...he's gone...
... ... ... ... ... ...(*HISS*)... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...(*SNAP*)... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ...You are not victorious – I am, just as I shall always be... ... ... ...
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A piercing screech flooded into his mind, causing him to drop to the ground in agony. He clasped his hands to his ears, trying to will the horrors out of his mind, but he couldn't.
With a last gasp, he fell to the floor, enveloped by darkness before he felt the metal against his skin.
~{:*:}~
He didn't know how long he had been out – he struggled to open his eyes.
He finally managed a glance around, noticed that he was still near the Mako pit. But, that wasn't all he noticed...
...He wasn't alone...
He peered forward and saw a blurry figure standing in front of him. He focused harder, was able to clear his vision some...
...He did not know the man...or maybe he did, and did not remember...there was something strangely familiar about the man's white lab coat, his long, greasy black hair, the silver glasses that reflected the light of the room...
"Well, well – look what we have here...how interesting..."
Cloud wanted to shout, wanted to scream "WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?!" But before he could do anything, he felt the dull sting of a hypodermic syringe being inserted into his arm.
Almost instantly, he felt woozy, and as he fell back into the darkness, confusion swirled around him in layers thicker than the worst evils imaginable.