Main characters are all copyright of Squaresoft. Most tertiary characters are mine, but the others - including cameo characters - are, again, copyright of Squaresoft.

Note: In the story, I often refer to Vincent as "vampire." Understand that it isn't my intention to imply that he's a blood-sucking fiend of the night. This is merely a generic term I use to describe him, which holds no true meaning.

Unforgiven

Day One

10:40 a.m. Junon Hospital.

Rufus rolled up the Sunday paper and used it to smack Heideger on the head, much as one would do to a disobedient dog. Though far from fully recovered, the young president was recuperating well from the injuries he received during Diamond Weapon's attack one month ago. "What the hell do I keep you around for?!" he shouted at the terrified executive.

"Mr. President," the head doctor of Junon's medical division said, "please calm down."

"Calm down," Rufus hissed. "My company's in the hands of morons while I'm stuck in this roach motel you call a hospital, and you want me to calm down." He tightened his robe around him. "No, I will not be calm! I'm sick of calm! Calm sucks!"

"Mr. President, this stress isn't going to help your recovery."

"I agree." He turned back to Heideger. "Have my car brought around front," he ordered. His underling whipped out a cellular and made the phone call. Rufus then proceeded to get dressed.

Realizing that he intended to leave, the doctor rushed to block the doorway. "Mr. President, you're in no condition to leave!" he protested.

"And my company's in no condition for me to stay." He winced as he shrugged on his white blazer; he could feel the gashes along his ribs beginning to bleed again. *No time for that now. Keep focused. I survived Diamond's assault. barely. I intend to make sure ShinRa Inc. does the same.* "Heideger!"

"Yes, sir?" the fat executive responded.

"My car ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Shoving the doctor out of his way, he walked out of the room and down the hall. Every motion he made sent shock waves of pain coursing through his body, but he was too determined to be deterred by physical hindrances. His mind was set, and nothing was going to get in his way this time. Not his father. Not Sephiroth. Not the doctor. Not even Avalanche. *My company will go under when I do, and I'm not out of the fight yet. ShinRa will be great again. this time, better than ever,* he promised himself.

At the same time.

The Highwind sat on the grassy plains outside Gongaga. Cloud and company had spent the last three weeks hunting down the rest of the Weapons. Only when the final monster had been disposed of did any of them feel their work was truly done. However, minor issues that had been ignored began to arise. Such as: What were they going to do now that the world no longer needed protecting?

Vincent sat down at the Highwind's conference table. "So, it is done. Sephiroth is dead." But even as the words left his mouth, he knew they weren't true. *Jenova is gone, but. Sephiroth, where are you?* Vincent thought to say something, but a feeling deep in his soul told him to keep quiet. An emotion he could only describe as a paternal protectiveness took hold of his heart. He said nothing, but tried to ignore the sensation all the same.

"It's finally over," Cloud said. "ShinRa's done for. Sephiroth's dead. The planet's finally safe."

"So what do we do now?" Tifa asked.

"I know what I'm doing," Barret answered. "I'm going straight back to Marlene. I've been away from her too long. She probably misses her daddy."

Cloud remembered back to when they had arrived in Costa Del Sol after stowing away on a cargo ship. Everyone had gone off to do his or her separate things while at the resort; Cloud had found Barret at the Inn, grooming himself in the bathroom and talking to himself. "Are you still going to wear that stupid sailor outfit when you go to get her?" the young man snickered.

"What you talkin' about?" Barret shook his gun arm at him. "I hate that thing! I don't ever want to see it again. So what makes you think I'm going to ever *wear* it again?"

"Well, back in Costa Del Sol I heard you."

"Well, back in Costa Del Sol you were probably suffering from too many bangs to that spiky-assed head of yours and didn't know what you were hearing."

Yuffie, eager to help embarrass Barret, chimed in with, "Then why's it sitting at the bottom of your travel pack?"

Barret flushed, but used rage to hide his humiliation. "What're you doing going through my travel pack?"

"Looking for Materia," she replied with a wink.

Deciding it was time to change the subject, Tifa turned to Red XIII and asked, "So, what will you do Red?"

Red XIII sat down and looked at her. His furry features were solemn, but full of pain. "I shall go back to Cosmo Canyon. That is where I belong. Someone needs to protect it, now that Grandfather's gone."

Yuffie piped up, "Yeah, I'm going home, too. Do you guys still need all your Materia? 'Cause if you don't, I'll be more than happy to put it to good use." She smiled in that way that made everyone wonder what she had planned.

"You going home too, Cid?"

The scruffy pilot shrugged. "Hell no! I ain't going back to Rocket Town. That place is more dull than an old folks home."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I've got nowhere to go, and nothing to do."

"I, too, have nowhere to go," Vincent added. "I suppose I'll simply find someplace peaceful to settle down."

"Yeah, I'll probably do the same."

Tifa looked disappointed. Her eyebrows drooped, and tears rimmed her eyes. "Oh. So I guess this is good-bye." Her voice was full of emotion.

"It seems so," Red XIII padded over to her. "But good-byes are never forever. I am sure we will all meet again."

"Hey, don't be so glum." Cid rose from his seat. "We're just doing our own thing now that our work is done. You act like we're dying or something. Tell you what. I'll leave the Highwind with you and Cloud. That way, when you two feel like visiting any of us, you can just fly on over to us. That sound good to you?"

She nodded weakly, grateful for the offer but still saddened by what was to come. "We'll come visit," she assured him.

"Just be sure you tell us where you are when you get there," Cloud reminded the group. With that, everyone departed, leaving Cloud and Tifa alone.

They sat in silence for nearly two hours before Cait Sith came rushing into the room. He looked greatly disturbed. "Guys!" He stopped and looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"They all went their separate ways," Cloud told him. "What is it?"

"We've got problems."

"What?"

"Rufus is back."

2:30 p.m. Rufus's office in Junon.

Rufus sat at his desk and scanned the file displayed on his computer screen. There were so many casualties, both financial and resourceful. He shook his head, dislodging his golden locks, and sending them to hang in his face. He ran his hand through his hair to straighten it out. *This will take years to repair in the best conditions. How to go about it?* His mind was pulled from his homework when Reeves walked through the door. He didn't even look up. "What is it, Reeves?"

"Whatever you're planning, it won't work," the executive threatened.

"Oh, really?" There was no hint of concern in his voice or face. "And why is that?"

"Avalanche will stop you."

A wry smile and low chuckle was the only response.

"They'll see to it that no one ever suffers because of ShinRa again."

Rufus finally raised his head. The expression on his face said, *What are you, an idiot?* He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "And what do you think the people are doing now without ShinRa Inc. to support them? Dancing in the streets? I don't think so. Take a look for yourself." He spun the computer screen around so Reeves could see it. "Since Weapon's attack the economy's gone down twenty percent, and it's still falling. Costs for damages are up into the trillions, not to mention the death toll is worse than that of the war." He paused and allowed Reeves to assess the information. "Now, do I have to explain the total effect this is going to have on the world, or can you figure it out on your own."

"My God."

"ShinRa's needed to keep the economy afloat. How long do you think the world will be able to maintain itself before it financially collapses?" There was no answer, only quiet shock. "You see my point, then." He stood, and placed his hands on his desk. With subtle venom in his voice, he told Reeves, "Tell your buddies in Avalanche not to interfere, Reeves. I will not allow them to plummet the world back into the Dark Ages because of their misconceptions and silly notions of heroism." He waved a hand at the executive. A dismissal. The young president returned to his work, and left Reeves to stand in the office, shocked and confused. After a minute or so, he turned and paced down the stairs.

Once Reeves was gone, Rufus sighed and massaged his temples. *This is going to be fun. Avalanche will have its nose in everything we're doing so long as we're using the Mako reactors. So, if we want them to mind their own flipping business, we can't use the reactors. But we'll need the power, or reconstruction will take decades. That leaves two options: put up with Avalanche's mischief, or find a new source of power.*

He picked up his phone and dialed up Reno's cellular. "Reno, it's President Rufus. No, I'm not dead. Listen. Are you and the Turks still working for me, or have you decided to retire young? . It's nice to know Elena hasn't lost her zeal. Okay, here's what I need you to do: find all of ShinRa's scientists and bring them to Junon. Tell them I've got something very important to do. I'll tell them when they get here. Oh! And before you go, find Cid, too. Yes, Cid Highwind. Well, do you know of a better engineer? . Thought not. Get to work. I'll explain things when you get here." He hung up the phone, sighed again, and went back to his own work.

2:45 p.m. Somewhere in the Northern Crater.

Sephiroth woke with a start, reacting to a nightmare he couldn't remember. Sweat poured down his face and torso. He instinctively looked around him, searching for whatever unseen threat his dream had presented to his subconscious, and found himself lying on the cold stone ground of a large cave. There was only one opening, which was off to his right, a cold draft floating in from its gaping maw; Sephiroth shivered as his evaporating sweat leeched the heat from his body. He hugged his arms to his chest in an attempt to keep warm. *I wish I had my trench coat,* he thought.

He stood, but slipped and ended up flat on his butt again. Inspecting his footing, he found his coat under his feet. Standing up again, he shrugged it on, and drew it tightly around himself, still shivering. He found Masamune lying a few feet from him in a puddle of Mako; he picked it up, and sheathed it.

*Where am I? And how did I get here, for that matter? I don't remember. I remember Holy. I remember Cloud coming to kill a clone, thinking it was me, and. and then what? My mind must have blanked out, but why? What happened that caused me to lose control? Jenova. That's the only answer. Did she not trust me to kill him?* Bitter revelation hit him so hard he staggered back a step. Despair and rejection coiled around him as the truth came into light. His heart sank. *No. She didn't need me to kill him. I'd served my purpose when I summoned Meteor. She used me. Story of my life.*

The soldier approached the single opening, and walked through to the adjacent cave. It was smaller, and green with the Mako soaked into its stone. A maze of stalactites and stalagmites was the only adornment to the room. Unable to remember seeing this particular room before, he began to pick his way across it, following the persistent breeze. On the other side he found another opening.

He discovered a well with a long natural spiral path of rock leading upward. With a non-chalant shrug, he ascended the path. It rose for at least seventeen stories before it spit him out in a long tunnel that led to the southern edge of the Northern Crater.

He blinked. *This is a long way from the planet's core.* He looked up at the sky. Meteor was gone, which meant Jenova was, too. He scolded himself for his lack of resolve. *Well, there's nothing I can do about that now.* He looked down the Crater wall, a cliff of sheer rock. "Oy, this should be fun," he groaned. After strapping Masamune firmly to his back, Sephiroth made his slow descent down the icy wall.

3:57 p.m. Plains outside the Gold Saucer.

Vincent and Cid walked in silence, feeling remorse at parting with their comrades, though Vincent looked as stoic as ever. The two men had decided to travel together; at least they would have each other's company for a time. After a while, Cid broke the silence. "What's bothering you?"

"How could you tell?" Vincent asked in his musical monotone.

"We've been traveling together for how many months? If I can't read you by now I never #$@%ing will!" When Vincent didn't say anything, he pressed. "So what's wrong?"

"Sephiroth's alive," the vampire replied bluntly.

The cigarette fell from Cid's mouth as he dropped his jaw. He froze in his tracks. "What the @#^% do you mean he's still alive?!"

"Exactly what I said. He's still alive."

"How do you know?"

Vincent stopped walking, but didn't turn to face his friend. "I. I just know."

The pilot's face took on a skeptical expression. "You just know."

Vincent nodded.

"So why didn't you tell anyone? We need to hunt him down and finish him off!"

Vincent whirled around and grabbed Cid by both shoulders; there was desperation in his grip. "No, we don't." Cid became puzzled. "Friend, listen to me. I don't know what logical reason I can give you for what I'm about to say, but you must believe me. There is some connection between Sephiroth and myself. I don't know what or how, but it's there. I can feel it. I know he's alive, and if I were to ever actually face him - him and not one of Jenova's little magically altered clones - I don't think I would be able to bring myself to kill him. I know wouldn't." His grip slackened, and his arms fell lifelessly to his sides. "He doesn't need to die. I know he doesn't really want to destroy the world. He's not evil."

Cid stood there for long minutes, undoubtedly contemplating what he had just been told and his friend's sanity. "All right, Vince. I'll trust you on this one, but I hope you're not wrong."

"How many times have you known me to be wrong?"

Cid shook his head, and laughed. "Never. Never in the few times you've ever said anything, that is."

They resumed their walk, and again there was silence. They spent an uneventful two hours traveling the open plains of the western continent. There were few monsters, and even fewer animals. There was only flat landscape covered with waist-high grasses. The mountains were to their left, hazed by the distance between them and the two men.

Around four fifteen, the unfiltered heat of the sun was becoming unbearable.

Vincent took off his cloak in an attempt to cool off; he stuffed it into his pack. However, his ebony hair and clothes did nothing to avert the heat. The strip of cloth tied around his forehead was drenched with sweat, as was the neck of his shirt. Wherever his skin was exposed sweat glittered on its surface.

Cid was no better off. He had removed his flight jacket and scarf, and was dragging them behind him. Sweat stains marked the armpits of his shirt; his face was red from the sun's abuse. He looked around him, hoping to find some water or shade, but saw nothing. He didn't even recognize where they were. "Damn, it's *$^#ing hot."

Vincent nodded his agreement, but remained silent. A drop of sweat dripped from the tip of his nose.

Sick of the quiet more than the heat, Cid kept talking. "This heat's something else, huh?"

Vincent nodded.

"We need to find someplace to catch a nap. Preferably somewhere with some shade. Water would be even better."

Again, Vincent just nodded.

The vampire's silence was beginning to annoy the pilot. "Sooooo," he said in a last ditch attempt to strike up a conversation, "where should we go?"

"I'm not sure," was the response.

*Finally!* Cid thought. *It speaks!* "Hmm, we could go to Costa Del Sol."

Vincent shot a glance at the sky, but quickly returned his gaze to their chosen path. "If the heat there is like it is here, then there is no way I'm going to stay there." He shrugged. "Perhaps the Northern continent?"

Cid shivered. "Too cold." He thought for a moment. "Mideel?"

"Maybe. But we would have to make a stop in Junon. There's no boat going directly to there from Costa Del Sol."

"That's okay. It's not like we'll be there long."

"Very well. That would make our immediate destination Costa Del Sol." He checked his watch. "We should get there by tomorrow morning."

"Works for me, but I still think we need some water and shade."

Vincent nodded.

8:51 p.m. Cave on the Northern continent.

Sephiroth ducked into a cave. He moved to the side, and kept his back to the wall. Outside, he could hear the wind howling. The blizzard had sneaked up on him, and so he'd spent the last half-hour looking for shelter from its brutality. He was now thoroughly drenched and well on his way to a severe case of hypothermia.

He wrung the water from his long silver hair, even as he shook uncontrollably. He fought hard to concentrate on a fire spell, and after some extra effort he managed to conjure up a fist-sized ball of flame; the cold had numbed his mind as well as his body. He further focused his mind causing the ball to grow to twice its size. He sighed. *Not much, but it's all I can manage. The storm sucked all the strength right out of me, and I don't have any Materia.*

He drew the fire closer to him, felt its warmth slowly drive the chill from his flesh. His body eventually stopped its trembling. He slid down the wall to sit on the ground, drawing his knees to his chest and the fire closer. *I suppose I'll have to wait here until the storm dies out. Then the trick will be finding where I wandered to while my sense of direction was upside- down and backward. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have stayed in Ice Town for a day or so.*

A/N: For the life of me, I could not get some things to work right when I uploaded this story. So, there are some grammatical errors I couldn't fix, and others that had to be changed (i.e. *'s around parts that should have been italicized). Oh, well. Tell me what you think. If nobody likes it, then I'm not going to bother to post the rest of it.