Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sqauresoft Characters such as Cloud,
Tifa, and Barret etc. I do however own all of my own Characters Such as
Gale Amber, Stratus Strife and so on.

The Forgotten

Chapter 40: The Rematch.

The sound clashing metal sounded throughout the room over and over again as the two sword wielders battled. Stratus twisted and spun on his heel, dodging a downward slice by Piper and going for his own. Piper blocked that and began to force Stratus towards the right wall with pounding blows.

"I see you gave up on your fathers pathetic fighting style!" Piper roared and swung again.

"Whatever you say Piper!" Stratus retorted and began to push against Piper's Oblivion, forcing him back after a struggle. Piper stumbled but quickly regained his footing and stabbed forward but was too late as Stratus leapt over his head after kicking of the wall and brought his Ultimate Buster down on his opponent. Piper blocked and Stratus flew back, landing a few feet away with a smirk on his face.

"Not bad." Piper remarked with his own smirk before attacking again.

Meanwhile Tifa and Gale watched as the two battled it out fiercely.

"They're good." Tifa said in awe.

"Very good." Gale added. "Stratus is better than ever. Last time it was all one sided but there absolutely even."

"Your right." Tifa confirmed. "At this rate I don't think either will win."

Gale nodded her agreement as Stratus jumped over Piper's sweeping leg and kicked at his face. Piper saw it coming and dropped back onto his hands whilst raising his legs for a drop kick to Stratus's face. Stratus landed just in time to grab Piper's feet and flip him round. Piper landed on his feet, grabbing his Oblivion, which had been stabbed into the floor and swinging it at Stratus, sending out a shockwave. Stratus gabbed his Ultimate Buster at the same time and countered with his own shockwave. The two waves met along the way and contorted around each other before dissipating. Piper and Stratus stood to their full height and grinned at each other.

"This is more like it Stratus." Piper said. "Your much better than last time."

"Thanks." Stratus replied and then attacked Piper with an arc slice with his blade, which was blocked by Piper's Oblivion.

----

Cloud, Barret, Akira, Cid and Yuffie defeated the remaining Forgotten easily and all converged together after their victory.

"Well," Barret started. "What now?"

"We find a key card that's what." Cloud answered. "Okay everyone. Search all the bodies, Forgotten and Ranish alike and see if you can find a card that will let us go higher."

Just as the group where about to begin searching Rain and Blain entered the room.

"Hey guys." Rain cheered as he entered the room then stopped as he saw the mess around them. "Whoa! Nice going."

"Your both alright?" Akira inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"We're fine." Blain answered in his usual gruff voice.

"The help us find the key card to go higher will ya." Cloud mumbled as he began looking himself. The rest followed and it didn't take them long to find the card and enter the elevator. When they arrived on the other end they found themselves in a long drawn out corridor with a huge double door at the end.

"You think that's it?" Cloud asked as he turned to his companions.

"Judging by the style I'd say yes." Barret answered.

"Then lets go already!" Blain roared and charged down the corridor.

----

Red charged up the stairs like only he could, bound after bound he got closer to his goal. It didn't take him long to reach the end of his road and enter the elevator leading to the upper level and the President of Ranish. Once there he saw Stratus and Piper going at each other like no man ever before, their speed and agility amazing even to him.

"Red!" Tifa cheered as she approached her friend, followed by Gale.

"Hello." He answered brightly. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

"Well okay." Tifa smiled at he friend as he sat back on his hind legs to watch the fight. "That's Piper. And him and Stratus have a kinda grudge thing going on."

"I see." Red responded. "So that's the infamous Piper. They certainly are good aren't they?"

"Yes."

Meanwhile Stratus and Piper had not let up one bit, constantly clashing and attacking each other. Both hadn't tired one bit, and if they had they hid it well. Piper dodged a kick and swept his leg round to trip Stratus but missed as he flipped back and attacked with his sword. Piper blocked and the two jumped back, both showing a fiery passion in their eyes, as they never broke their gaze on each other.

"Wait a second." Tifa suddenly blurted out and sprang to her feet. "Piper. I know him. I had forgotten but know I remember. A little boy about three years old used to live in the sector seven slums with his parents. But they died when Shinra dropped the plate on us. I thought he was dead though."

"Then how could he survive?" Red asked with a confused expression on his face.

"I'm not sure." Tifa stated blankly. "But I'm sure it's him. He look's around twenty-three, has the same name and I can kinda recognise him. A little."

"You sure?" Gale asked.

"Yeah." Tifa answered. "Like I said he would only have been three the last time I saw him but it's that hair. I remember it. The same dark drown hair. It's unmistakable. I can't believe he's become that strong. He was such a scrawny kid back then but now."

"But he said Avalanche killed his parents." Red thought aloud. "But you said it was Shinra. How did he get it in his head that it was you?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Gale said bluntly.

"First we have to get them to stop fighting." Tifa replied. "And I don't think that will be easy."

"Indeed."

Stratus and Piper had abandoned their swords a while back as it was clear their sword abilities where equal and now faced off in hand to hand combat. Piper punched and Stratus dodged to his left and punched himself. Piper grabbed the hand and Stratus tried with his other, which too was blocked by Piper. Stratus jumped and kicked at Piper's mid section. Piper stumbled back and lost his grip on Stratus. Before Stratus could attack Piper beat him too it and swung a kick at him. Stratus raised his arm and blocked the attack before trying his own. Piper blocked too and they jumped apart again, both now panting slightly.

"This is getting annoying!" Piper roared and raised his hand before a huge wave of flames came hurtling towards Stratus. Stratus dodged to his right and kept running as icicles began crashing down above him. His stopped and flipped back as one last icicle dropped and shattering on impact. Stratus began to pull back for his own fire attack but Tifa voice interrupted him.

"Don't!" She yelled and ran between the two. "Stop fighting! Both of you."

"I don't listen to you Tifa!" Piper shouted with rage.

"Just listen for a moment." Red interrupted and strolled up to Tifa's side. Gale joined Stratus and calmed him.

"Now Piper," Tifa began. "You used to live in the sector seven slums didn't you?"

"Yes." Piper grunted. "Until you destroyed it along with my parents and everyone else I knew!"

"But that's not true Piper!" Tifa protested. "Avalanche did not drop the plate. Shinra did."

"You're lying!" Piper was furious. "The president told me you destroyed my home!"

"The president?" Tifa asked.

"The president of Shinra Rufus." Piper stated. "He took me in and told me everything. That's when I decided I wanted revenge and I've been training ever since."

"Rufus?" Tifa shouted. "Of course he told you that. He was the one that did it. Or rather his father but they are practically the same person. He tricked you Piper. You must believe me!"

"No!" Piper dropped to his knees. "You're lying!"

"I'm doing no such thing Piper." Tifa stepped forward a little. "Believe me when I say we would never harm anyone in the slums. Think about it. Biggs, Wedge, Jessie and everyone else where all their when it happened. Why would we kill our own people? Our allies against Shinra."

Piper roared to life, jumping to his feet and grabbing his nearby Oblivion. He gave Tifa a look before storming towards the double doors behind him, fists clenching his weapon and feet booming against the floor as he strode with rage.

"Come on." Tifa said as she followed after him.

----

The normally dark room was this time covered in light, the blinds allowing the morning light to shine into the room, making the president glow with light. His hood no longer covered his face but he had his back to them as they stood there and waited for him to answer them. A shine of metal glinted under his cloak as the sun shone on it.

"Answer us you coward!" Blain roared and stepped forward, brandishing his blade to his side.

"Coward you say." He chuckled and began pacing in the light, which still veiled him. "How so?"

"How so?" Blain could hardly keep his cool with the man. "You killed thousands of people and made other's lives misery! Yet you don't even have the courage to do it yourself, you get your lackeys to do that. Talenous! Piper! You're a coward!"

"And you a saint I suppose Bounty Hunter." The president chuckled again. "And the Assassin. How honourable. Two of the lowest forms of scum becoming heroes. Pathetic!"

"Why you!" Blain stepped forward to attack but was stopped in his tracks as Piper burst through the door and stepped between them.

"Back off!" Piper snarled.

"Piper." The president said softly. "Good timing. Take care of this fool for me."

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

"I said no Rufus!" Piper snarled and turned on his leader before showing his blade to the mans neck as he turned his back to the light. Rufus's face was a scared mess; one eye was shut and scared. His hair was quite obviously false and his teeth grinded as the blade singed his red neck.

"Shit!" the group remarked as they saw the man they thought dead.

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