(Author's Note: Well…here's chapter 14…thanks for reading it this far! This one is probably the longest one yet. Enjoy!)
Disclaimer: FF7 and Squaresoft are not mine. Cassandra and Navarro are.
Chapter 14
2 years later…
"ATTENTION!"
"YES MA'AM!"
"Good…these recruits do learn unlike some," Cassandra said to herself as she rolled her eyes at Cloud. All the recruits stood stock still. "Now begin your drills," she yelled at them so they could hear. They did as told. "No no NO NO!" she yelled. A few of them faltered.
"STRIFE! DO IT RIGHT!"
"Yes ma'am," he said weakly.
This went on for another 2 hours. "HALT!" she yelled. They stopped and stood at attention. "You are dismissed for today," she said and turned to head back inside. A few sighed in relief.
****
"You're not yourself today," Zack pointed out.
"I know," Sephiroth said looking at a few tests.
"So what's bothering you?" Zack asked. Sephiroth just looked at him. "Oh that…so what's Hojo doing to her?" Zack said.
Sephiroth put the papers down. "He won't even tell her. He's had her go to his lab every month the past 2 years…I'm about ready to go talk to him myself. I probably should have a long time ago," Sephiroth said.
"But it doesn't really seem to have changed her any you know. Except for what you told me of her reaction to it that seems to be the only thing that happens," Zack said as Sephiroth picked up the papers again.
"Yeah. You could be right," Sephiroth said. The room was completely silent for about 5 minutes except for the sound of paper and pens moving. "Well would you look at that…Cloud Strife finally passed," Sephiroth said.
Zack just shook his head.
****
Cassandra slowly opened the door to her room. She glared at Navarro who was standing in front of her now.
"My my. You don't seem happy to see me," he said.
"I'm not. You're helping Hojo. I don't like him so I don't like you," she growled.
"Oh I see how it is," he said faking hurt.
"Don't push me," she said with the same growl.
"If you're trying to scare me it's not working. Hojo…"
"I'm not going to that lab!"
He raised an eye brow. "You know you'll just end up being dragged there kicking and screaming like a little kid," he said.
"Go away!" she hissed and slammed the door shut in his face.
He smirked.
****
"Hey Sephiroth?"
"Yes Zack?" Sephiroth said as he was interrupted…again.
"I was just thinking…" Zack said.
"About what?"
"Hojo should have Cassandra about now…"
Sephiroth looked down at the papers on his desk still. "This isn't anything that can't wait till tomorrow," he said standing.
Zack stood too. "This way. I'll show you where I usually see them," Zack said as they left the office and started down the hall.
****
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
"Oh quit yelling. It's not going to do you any good," Navarro said locking the door as he closed it behind him.
"Get out of here NOW! I'm not going to that lab!" Cassandra snapped.
"Who said we were going to the lab?" he asked.
"What?" she hissed.
"Oh indeed today you would be going to see Hojo but…there's been a change of plan," Navarro said coolly.
"Then you have no reason to be here," she snapped.
"Oh but I do have a reason…you're not the only one being used in his current experiment," he said.
"What?" she said slightly confused.
"Oh yes…he's also been doing some testing on me," Navarro said.
"But why should I care?" she snapped her temper coming back to her.
"I've received some orders from Hojo and intend to follow them," he said.
"Well why don't you go do that then," she said sarcastically.
"I am," he said.
"What? Making me mad? Is that what you're supposed to be doing?" she laughed.
"Laugh it up," he said crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall.
"I am!" she said still laughing at the thought that Hojo wanted to see how mad she would get just because someone was bugging her. For a minute all she could do was laugh. She stopped abruptly when she noticed he was standing right in front of her. She took a small step back out of surprise.
"Now…Hojo's orders," Navarro said.
"What do you want?" she growled.
"You'll see…" he trailed off.
The next thing she knew was that he had her pinned to the floor. "Get off of me!" she snapped.
"Oh hush," he whispered in her ear.
"NO! YOU GET OFF ME RIGHT NOW!" she yelled struggling to get out from under him. Her struggle was useless.
"STOP!" he yelled in her face.
"YOU…!" he silenced her with a back handed slap to the side of her face. There was complete silence as for a moment she was completely stunned as she looked the other way. Slowly she turned her head to look up at him. "How…dare…you…" she said in barely concealed rage. They glared at each other in still complete silence.
****
"They should be coming any time now," Zack said.
"Maybe they already went past," Sephiroth said.
"Could be…I'll see if Navarro is in his usual hiding place," Zack said and walked away.
Sephiroth walked to the door. He listened but there was no sound coming from inside. "I don't think there's anyone here," he said as Zack walked back up to him.
"Navarro's not in his usual spot. Maybe they are in there…you just can't hear them because they aren't making any noise," Zack said with a shrug.
"That could be. I'll just come back later," Sephiroth said.
"Or you could just go right on in."
Sephiroth stopped. "Or that," he sighed and went back to the door.
****
"Get off," Cassandra said trying to sound calm.
"Not until I have carried out my orders," Navarro said in the same tone.
"And what exactly are your orders?"
"Oh you'll see…"
Before she could do anything he had kissed her. She stared at him for a second in shock. But then her senses came to. "HOW DARE YOU!"
"Hojo's orders," he smirked.
"NO!" she yelled at him trying to get out from under him.
There was a thud on the door. "Cassandra!" it was Sephiroth.
"GET OFF OF ME!" she yelled as Navarro forced her down again.
"Zack! The doors locked!" they heard Sephiroth say.
"I'll be right back!" Zack replied and they heard him running down the hall.
"LET GO!" Cassandra yelled even louder.
"SHUT UP!" Navarro roared and slapped her again.
The door creaked as Sephiroth pushed his weight against it. "Cassandra!" he yelled when he heard the slap.
Navarro's slap had stunned her a bit as her head had hit the floor hard. She saw stars and things were kinda spinning. Navarro was ignoring Sephiroth and kissing her neck.
"Stop it!" she managed to say while trying to focus and push him away. Navarro ignored her too. "STOP IT!" she screamed.
He slapped her for the third time. The door gave way as Sephiroth rammed his shoulder against it. It crashed to the floor broken off its hinges. Navarro jumped to his feet pulling Cassandra up with him. He held her against him and he faced Sephiroth.
"Let her go," he said in a deadly tone.
"Come and get her," Navarro sneered and rubbed his face in her hair. She shuddered and tried to push away from him without success. The next thing Navarro knew was that he was pinned to the wall with the masamune blade at his throat. Cassandra took a shaky breath and sank to her knees.
"I don't like you and you just gave me the perfect reason to kill you," Sephiroth snarled his eyes a solid block of ice.
"I'm only following orders. And since you still seem to care for her I'll just have to tell Hojo about this once I take care of you," Navarro said his hand moving to his sword hilt.
"I bested you years ago. I'll do so again!" Sephiroth jumped back to dodge his attack and began one of his own. The blades were flying fast and sparks were seen every time they met. Navarro tried to back Sephiroth into Cassandra but Sephiroth avoided the move and delivered a blow to Navarro's shoulder.
Cassandra watched. Her own sword was a few feet away still in the same place she had set it down from earlier. She had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach but she didn't move from her spot on the floor.
Sephiroth was winning easily. He was pushing Navarro harder and harder until Navarro was too exhausted to keep up with him. He tried to hit Sephiroth's side with his sword but misjudged…and the masamune found the mark it had been waiting to hit…
Sephiroth pulled his blade from Navarro's chest and cleaned it on a spot of Navarro's shirt that wasn't stained. He turned to face Cassandra…in time to see the tip of her sword disappear from the doorway. He ran out into the hall and looked to the left. She just disappeared around the corner. He ran to catch her but by the time he had reached the corner she was nowhere in sight. He stood there for only a few seconds before Zack came running up with another SOLDIER.
"What happened? Where's…" Zack stopped at the look Sephiroth gave him.
"…clean up in that room for me…I have some paper work to do yet…" Sephiroth said softly and disappeared down the hall. Zack just nodded and watched after him…knowing what had just happened.
****
