Hiya! Don't have much ta say, but that I will update more than I've done in the past half year- and I will, I promise! As soon as the holidays rolls around, I will finish this and my other fic, once and for all. Thanks for getting up ta chapter 8- I know the plot changes quite dramatically from the carefree beginning that I started off with! Enjoy, please.

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Chapter 8- Weakened Power

Sephiroth tensed for the attack, his eyes roaming over the hundreds of translucent ghost-like figures. He didn't think that his Masumune would protect him this time… but as the spirits drew near, he instinctively slashed out at the spirits.

The spirits in front sliced in half, their wispy form detached. But within a moment, they had reformed again, and looked angrier than ever.

Sephiroth clenched his fist, and he closed his eyes to endure the attack…

With no mercy, the spirits hurled themselves at him, aiming directly at his chest. As hard as he may try, slashing the Masumune in every possible direction, it did not buy his any time; the more he slashed, the angrier the wraiths became, and the harder they hit.

Hojo stood next to the cage, watching the increasingly violent battle before him. As Sephiroth threw magic spells every way, Hojo grew more frustrated… and when it became apparent that it was not possible for Sephiroth to become fully defeated with these ghosts, Hojo snarled in disgust, and summoned the ghosts back to the cage, locking them in for his next victim.

Sephiroth stood upright, sweat gleaming from the long silver hair.

Hojo glared at his well- defined figure, as though he was silently cursing them for their power. But Sephiroth knew that he was not as frustrated as he looked to be- Hojo couldn't hide his usual smirk, concealed beneath the anger, as if he knew something Sephiroth didn't.

" Have we had enough, then?"

Sephiroth looked sharply at Hojo, as though daring him to extend on his comment.

" What do you think you're doing here? This isn't the Shinra base…"

A spasm of surprise flitted across Sephiroth's face. Not in the Shinra base? What could that possible mean? Wasn't Experiment 9A-

Hojo laughed, menacing and high, like a madman about to achieve his dreams.

With a snap of his fingers, a metallic orb closed itself over Sephiroth. Its sparks danced in thin streaks, forming the image of a circular cage around Sephiroth. Sephiroth raised his sword, and was about to strike when-

" I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Sephiroth froze abruptly, wit his Masumune an inch from the sparks, which had turned an electric purple at the sudden movement.

" Unfortunately for you, this is where it ends. This cage, being naturally attracted to weakened power will zap it out of you and store it-"

" Then why didn't you do it before, Hojo?" Sephiroth hissed, his hands clenched around his sword.

" Well," Hojo went on breezily, " you would have easily been able to smash through it had you have full power. But since you don't… mwahahaa… weakened power, that's what you have now!" Hojo laughed evilly again, his hand rubbing together in anticipation. " How I have always dreamed to see you fall, my son… your cells will be ultimately useful…"

Sephiroth opened his mouth, but before he could say anything a poignant purple gas was emitted from the sparks…

" Say goodbye to your power, Silver."

Sephiroth tried to speak, but his energy was too low… radiating from his body was streaks of strong silver rays, as if it was attracted to the cage… and Sephiroth fell backwards gracefully, before he touched down on the walls of the cage.

Hojo closed his eyes, savoring the power…Sephiroth's power, which was now his… and Sephiroth himself, which could now be used…

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Cloud and Co. stood outside on the step of the dragonship, staring at the wreckage. Leon appeared calm however; at least he had a vague idea of what was going on. The others, on the other hand, were flabbergasted.

" Wha… what…" Yuffie stared open-mouthed at the broken door, the symbols black and scorched. Although the interior of the ship looked normal, Cloud couldn't help but feel that a strange presence had left it…

Leon strode in without another thought. As he probed around the area, he couldn't sense Hojo at all… he felt for sure that they must be at Shinra. Motioning to Cloud, he whispered-

"Sephiroth was here… you know that, right?"

Cloud looked confusedly at Leon, wondering just how much he had absorbed during their conversation in the Seaside Shack. He shrugged, glancing at Leon for any unexpected reaction.

Leon merely nodded, and gestured for Cloud to lead the way to the control room.

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While Yuffie and Tifa gathered up the broken bits of wood, Sora and Riku quietly followed Cloud and Leon into the control room. They looked wonderingly at the ship; Destiny Islands had nothing of the like. The wall was platinum coloured. But they shone with a kind of inner light- their were no lights. There were shiny black buttons in random places on the wall- when Sora accidentally bumped into one, he gasped in surprise and hid behind Riku. A panel hidden in the wall had opened to the entrance of what looked like a bathroom, with a sparkling pool at one side lined with marble laps. It was rather like taking a walk in space- but before Sora had time to 'accidentally' push another button, they had reached the control room.

Cloud and Leon strolled into the control room, while Riku and Sora gaped at the entrance. The room had many different maneuvering devices, with silver screens blinking at them from every wall; but somehow it wasn't overwhelming. It just had that special, high tech atmosphere to it. Leon and Cloud were nearby; they were examining a black scorch mark on the floor.

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Leon looked closely at the mark; while Cloud crouched nervously next to him. Cloud leaned closer to the mark, and as he did, he lost his balance and fell on Leon, putting a hand on the floor for support.

It happened suddenly- Cloud's hand felt a burning sensation as a large mirror- like vacuum appeared in front of him, sucking him in instantly. Riku yelled at Leon, who was looking at the vortex in disbelief, before he, and everyone else in the room, was sucked in.

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Heehehe! Where could they have gone? Pretty predictable, huh? For those of you who don't know… wait for the ever-coming chapter! Please review and tell me what you thought…was it to your tastes?