(Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long to update but for some reason I wasn't able to upload…oh well…)
Disclaimer: Don't own FF7 or Squaresoft. I own Cassandra and Navarro.
Chapter 5
One year later…
"Are you crazy?!"
"No," Cassandra said and rolled her eyes.
"Then what are you thinking?" Sephiroth asked.
"I want to get out of here. I don't know about you though," she said.
"No no listen to what you're saying…"
"I know good and well what I'm saying. Either you do or don't want to get away and start a new life or you want to be tortured by that madman for the rest of your life. Do what you want but I'm getting out of here," she said. With that said she turned and walked away. He watched her disappear around the corner. A minute later he was practically running after her.
****
Cassandra was about to walk down a flight of stairs when a voice hissed behind her.
"Cassie!"
She spun around. "Oh it's you. Did you make up your mind?" she asked when she saw Sephiroth.
"Yes I did. Now what's your plan for doing this?" he asked.
"What plan?"
"You don't have a plan?"
"Well no. You never know for certain what's happening around this building so I thought it best if I played it by ear," she said and shrugged.
"You're hopeless," he said.
"Whatever. Are you coming or not?"
"Yes yes I'm coming."
"Good. Follow me," she said and started down the stairs. They reached the lobby on the ground level of the building surprisingly without any problems. They stopped just within the shadows of the stairs and looked around. There were some people milling around the reception desk but that was all. Sephiroth looked back at Cassandra…only to find her gone. He caught a glimpse of her as she ran out the door. He followed. He looked around when he was outside. "Don't just stand there! Come on!" she hissed from where she crouched waiting for him.
She bolted for an alleyway that was close by. He followed. They got to the alley and ducked behind a dumpster.
"Did any one see us?" she asked softly not wanting to be found by any noise.
"I don't think so," Sephiroth answered just as quietly. After a few tense minutes they sat back against the buildings wall and relaxed a bit. "Well now what?" he asked breaking the silence between them.
"I'm not sure…what do you want to do?" she asked.
"…well…during one of my basic training sessions I had to study some maps…one of the places I looked at was called Costa Del Sol…if we really have gotten away from this place I kinda want to go there…" he trailed off thinking.
"Why there?" she asked interested.
He shrugged. "I don't know…it's always sunny and warm I guess…better than this place…that's why…what about you? Where would you go?" he asked.
"Me? Well…I…I really like snow…don't know how or why I do considering I've never seen it…it just seems…pleasant?" Cassandra looked unsure.
"Pleasant? What do you mean?" he asked.
It was her turn to shrug but then she gave a small laugh. "I don't know…I read about it in that weather book we had to read…it just sounded…nice?" she said.
"If that's what you want…" he stood up. She did too and looked around the corner of the wall at the Shinra building.
"I think we're safe. I guess we'll meet sometime…right?"
"I guess so…just be careful and watch your step. Shinra probably will be looking for us," he said.
She smiled and looked up at him. "I'll be careful if you will," she said.
"Very well…I guess…see you sometime…?"
"Yeah…later… but first…Cassie?"
"Oh…that was a slip of the tongue…I didn't mean to say that but I might not have been able to stop you since you were getting ready to go down stairs and I would have had to say your full name. I won't do that again," he said sheepishly.
She shrugged. "I didn't mind…it was just…startling," she said.
He stepped away from the dumpster. She followed. Something hit the side of his head causing him to stagger to the side a few steps.
"Looky here…the runaways…" They both looked up and found Navarro. "Didn't get very far now did you?" he smirked.
Cassandra glared at him. Sephiroth shook his head trying to clear the spots out of his vision.
"We're not going back!" Cassandra snarled at Navarro.
"Oh I think you are. Hojo wants to have a word with you…Sephiroth will be dealt with later," Navarro said.
"No…I won't go back. I'm leaving this city!" she said taking a few steps back.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Navarro said stepping closer. There were a few other soldiers behind them that neither Cassandra nor Sephiroth had seen. Before they had realized it Sephiroth was restrained.
"Let him go!" she yelled and tackled one of the soldiers.
Navarro crossed his arms as he watched the struggle. He suddenly laughed when Sephiroth started to fight back.
"What's so funny sir?" a soldier asked.
"Oh just this…Hojo said they would be almost unstoppable…but yet…" Navarro laughed more and gestured at the small fight.
"What did you say?" Cassandra demanded.
"It's nothing really…from what Hojo said you 2 are supposed to have power beyond dreams…but from where I'm standing it doesn't look like it…it would seem that you are failures," Navarro said.
"I am not a failure!" Sephiroth yelled and punched a soldier in the stomach. Navarro smirked.
"That goes for me too!" Cassandra hissed and ran at Navarro. He waited until she was about a foot from him then jumped. Sephiroth was punched in the stomach and fell to his knees. A hand on both of his shoulders kept him from raising or getting away.
In a swift movement Navarro drew out his hand gun and grabbed Cassandra's wrist from behind her when he had landed. He forced her to spin around and pinned her so her back was against the wall. He pointed the gun at her.
"Now. Hojo wants to talk to you Cassandra…" he glanced at Sephiroth. "I'll deal with you when I get back from taking her to the lab. Get him inside."
The soldiers proceed to drag Sephiroth back towards the building. He struggled but it did very little good. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Cassandra use her other hand to shove Navarro away from her. He stepped back a few steps but that was all.
She was able to free her hand and take a step before the handle of his gun hit the side of her head. After a few staggering steps she went down. Navarro stood over her with an angry look on his face. After a second he picked her up over his shoulder and followed the soldiers with Sephiroth.
"…only 14 and causing this much trouble…" he was muttering to himself as they entered the building.
Sephiroth was taken back to his room. He snapped his fingers. If only they had had a chance to get their swords out then they could have beaten Navarro and the soldiers…but it hadn't worked. He sighed and sat down waiting for Navarro to arrive…waiting for the lecture and punches that were sure to come.
****
