Disclaimer: I don't own...don't sue.
Author Notes: After some difficulties, I managed to squeeze this chapter out. I like it, personally: Those of you who have been waiting patiently to find out WTF the deal is, here's your answer, in this chapter! Comments and critiques are, as always, welcome. Flames will be reflected and sent back to the sender.
Chapter Ten
Sephiroth held his Masamune blade high in a counteroffensive posture, his eyes flicking back and forth, trying to find his target through the smoke. A vague thought passed through his mind that it might not have been necessary to utilize his most powerful Fire spell, but the distraction gave him time to get his bearings.
Stepping forward slowly, he whispered, "Where is he?" in an angry tone. Truth be told, he was, for the first time he could remember, pissed beyond belief. Coming face to face with the person who very nearly killed his beloved Hotaru was one thing, but finding out that it was someone impersonating him? That left nothing but pure, undiluted rage.
Still, he managed to keep his head straight...he had the advantage, Seph could tell, in swordsmanship, but his clone obviously had superior magic. One particular spell blew a hole through three separate walls earlier in a blinding blast of green energy...the swordsman shuddered now to think of what would have happened had it connected with him.
A stone crunched off to his right, and Sephiroth instantly reacted, his sword lashing out in an arc, cutting cleanly through the smoke. Even as his follow through finished, he leaned to the left, reeling in his weapon as another sword slashed the space his head had previously occupied. Gritting his teeth, the swordsman managed to keep his balance as he spun and poured his energy into another strike, which connected...albeit with the copy's sword. Both men stood there for a long while, their swords locked, neither giving an inch. It was a moment before the clone spoke.
"Why do you fight against yourself, Sephiroth? Why do you ignore who you are? Have you forgotten what these...traitors did to your mother?" he asked in a sinisterly calm tone.
Sephiroth growled in reply. "I don't know who the hell you think you are...but this...Jenova, is NOT my mother! And if being the ruler of this planet means I have to kill my friends, along with the woman I love, then I gladly relinquish it...I will NOT BETRAY MY FRIENDS!" he finally shouted in defiance.
"Ah, but Jenova IS your mother...or do you honestly believe that Lucrecia is? Do you truly think that one so weak as she could be your mother?"
Sephiroth growled. "You're the one who doesn't know anything...Jenova is nothing but an alien parasite. It didn't give birth to me...it didn't raise me. Lucrecia was my real mother...and as much as it pains me to admit it...Hojo was my father.
This time, it was the double's turn to look shocked. "W, what?"
Sephiroth, seeing an opportunity, continued. "Heh...that obviously proves you don't know jack about me, pal...Hojo was my father, much as I'd rather puke than mention it."
Much as he loathed this guy, the swordsman had to admit that his clone recovered quickly. With a revived smirk, the man countered, "Well, that would explain a few things...it's a pity I won't get a chance to thank him...oh well. I have other things to do now, anyway...first, there's getting you out of my way..."
And with that, the doppelganger fired another magical blast that connected this time, sending Sephiroth crashing into a pillar. Desperately, he tried to force himself to stay awake, to prevent this intruder from accomplishing whatever he planned to do, but that blast had taken a lot out of him...and thus, he finally succumbed to the darkness pulling him down.
Staggering silghtly as Sephiroth crashed into the pillar, the clone grunted in pain, holding his head. Shaking it slightly, he managed to stay upright, and after a moment, the pain and haze cleared. 'Damn...gotta be careful...that could have knocked me out, too...' he thought to himself.
With an arrogant 'hmph', the intruder turned and headed in the direction that he could feel a powerful magical source. It wasn't long before he arrived at the doors obviously housing the source in question...he hadn't come to such heavily reinforced doors in a long time, and he could feel the many wards and spells keeping this chamber safe. Chuckling in amusement, the stranger gave a slight flex of his fingers, forcing the doors to fly outward, almost off of their hinges.
Striding arrogantly into the room, his gaze was occupied not by the magnificent architecture of the room, or the crystalline layer that covered every inch of the floor, walls, and ceiling...but rather by the single silver crystal that lay suspended over a simple pedestal in the middle of the room.
Smiling wickedly, he approached the pedestal, and reached for the crystal...
And with a searing rush of wind, a bolt of fire flew past his head, singing his ear and hair. His head jerked up as he glanced back out of the corner of his eyes, knowing before he turned what he'd see.
Sure enough, there they were: each of the senshi that were still in fighting condition stood there, each of them with a prepped attack, and with one target. Mars, naturally, was the most visibly furious: although the other senshi and their companions didn't seem to be too far off in terms of anger.
The fire senshi was the first to speak: "Drop your sword NOW! And do it slow, or the next fire arrow's going to be in a spot that will end your woman problems for good!" she snarled.
Smiling mockingly, Sephiroth raised his hands in surrender, sword still in his left, up to about shoulder height, the blade dangling downward as the hilt was suspended in his fingers. After a long, pregnant pause, he let it fall, the blade hitting the floor with a loud 'CLANG!'
Some of the senshi visibly relaxed at his disarming, which caused Sephiroth to chuckle.
"What the hell are you laughing at?!?" Endymion demanded, tensing.
His eyes roaming over the group, the swordsman answered, "You poor fools...what is there NOT to laugh at? You stand ready to kill one you call a friend, even as you mark your enemy at the same time...it's just so amusing! And the best part is, you don't even know you're doing that!"
Confusion instantly appeared on everyone's faces at that statement, and each senshi looked at the others...providing him with the opportunity he needed.
A snap of his fingers, and the entire room was filled with bolts of lightning, striking everywhere, gouging holes into the ground or searing flesh. With the distraction provided, Sephiroth quickly grabbed his sword, and then turned, snatching the crystal from its pedestal. Laughing maniacally, he looked back at his weakened opponents, and said, "Well...I suppose I should thank you for this...it will allow me to complete the task I was unable to last time. As a token of my gratitude, I'll make sure that I kill all of you quickly...unfortunately, you'll have to satisfy yourselves with my pet. For now, I must depart and prepare. Don't get too frightened...it will all be over soon...and you will be a part of the Planet!"
And with another laugh, the swordsman vanished in a flash of light, to be replaced by something far worse...
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'Sephiroth...'
Blackness...that was all he could see. But he could still feel, so that was a good sign that he wasn't dead. "That would have really sucked," he muttered, surprised to hear that he could talk yet, too. Checking his eyes by opening and closing them a few times, he came to the conclusion that his eyes were open, but he couldn't see because the darkness around him was so complete.
'Sephiroth...'
Startled, the swordsman looked anxiously about him until he recognized the voice. "A, Aeris?!" he called.
In the span of an eyeblink, she appeared in front of him, the ever- familiar smile on her face. Nodding her head, she spoke: "I'm glad to see you made it in time, Sephiroth...Hotaru is lucky to have such a devoted fiance."
Anger consumed the man as he accusingly pointed a finger at Aeris. "You knew..." he hissed. "You knew all about this, didn't you? That this...imposter was responsible...!"
A shake of the head accompanied her answer. "You are right and wrong. I knew, yes...but he is not an imposter." A slow intake of breath, and then she added, "He...is you."
It was a long time before he could respond, but when he finally did, he shook his head. "That's...not possible! How can...we're so different..." Even as he spoke, however...he could feel the truth in his guide's words. This whole time, there had been a connection, and everything...everything seemed so familiar, so right...
"I understand how hard it is for you to believe...but it is true, and I will explain why." Taking his hand, she led him forward along an invisible path, the area around them suddenly coalescing into a new location.
Around them, three groups of people(two groups of three, and one of two) stood on various rock outcroppings, fighting a huge monster...one that bore an uncanny resemblance to...
As if sensing his thoughts, Aeris nodded. "Yes...that's you, Sephiroth. Back home, you...were provoked into trying to control the Planet's powers...in essence, you attempted to become a god. But there was a small group who sought to oppose you, and prevent the destruction you promised to bring forth."
Sephiroth blinked and looked over at Aeris. "...You were one of them."
Sadly, she nodded and smiled. "I was...but the path that Cloud took was separate from mine...my sacrifice was necessary to make sure that their victory wasn't meaningless." At that, her gaze lingered on the blond- haired young man that he'd seen earlier.
"...I'm sorry," Sephiroth whispered.
Smiling, she closed her eyes tightly, trying to squeeze away the tears that threatened to come. "Don't be...I loved him, yes...but we wouldn't have worked. He's...he's happy now...and that's all I ever wanted." Shaking her head, she chuckled, a half-sob mixed in. "We're drifting from the point, anyway...what happened here, was the battle to end all battles. Cloud and the others who sought to oppose you knew that unless you were defeated, Meteor, which was summoned by you, would crash into the planet, destroying everyone on it."
"And so they fought me...and I lost," he finished bluntly.
Aeris touched his arm gently. "...Yes. But what happened was something that no one could have predicted." The scene around them shifted, to a standoff between himself, and the young man...Cloud, his name was Cloud...squaring off against each other. Aeris continued, "Cloud used his most powerful attack, called Omnislash, to defeat you at long last. But when he used it, there was a consequence."
Cloud rushed forward and began striking his past self furiously, with impossible-to-follow blows that caused Sephiroth to wince periodically. Finally, he leapt into the air, gathering energy into his sword...
"When the Planet's energies combined in such an explosive burst this deep in its core, a dimensional rip occurred, flinging you into the farthest reaches of what some call 'D-space'. In addition, the Planet's energy succeeded in tearing your very essence apart...normal people would have died, but you...you simply divided into two identical people...but with different memories," the woman continued.
To emphasize her point, Cloud finally dropped down, his sword crashing with a tremendous blast of energy into his opponent's body. As the explosion grew, the scene faded, leaving Aeris and Sephiroth alone once more. Finally, he turned to face his guide, and asked, "So...that's why he believes that Jenova, and not Lucrecia, is our mother?"
Nodding, she clarified, "Among other things. He is, for lack of a better term, all the darkness that you once carried. You represent the light that had remained dormant inside of him since that battle long ago."
Holding his head with one hand, the warrior shook his head. "Wait, wait...why are you telling me all of this? This information...it doesn't seem to make any sense, or impart any knowledge as to how I can beat my...other half..."
Aeris smiled at that, and answered, "You can't beat him...not in the normal sense. Because he is you, and you are him, any injuries inflicted on one will cause both to suffer. But...there is a way...and it's only a possibility because you've grown so much. If you were as weak as you were back then, there would be no chance." Grinning happily since the first time he saw her, she continued, "But you have people you fight to defend...ones who you can call friends...and a woman who loves you more than anything."
Looking off to the side, Sephiroth nodded slowly. "Yeah...yeah, I suppose I do. But...how can I win?"
"From the inside...fight from the heart," she answered, placing her own small hand over his heart. "Just remember everyone you're fighting for...and all will be well."
With little pause, the swordsman disappeared from this dark realm, leaving the young Cetra flower girl behind. Her hand dropped to her side as the other clenched into a fist at her own chest, her face creased in concern despite her confident words.
"Worried?"
Aeris gasped as she turned, but relaxed when she saw who stood there. "Pluto! You scared me!"
A small smile appeared on the senshi of time's face as she shrugged apologetically. "Everyone else complains about that, too...I suppose it's a habit I should try to kick."
A giggle came from Aeris at that before she returned to her original concern. "...Yes. I am concerned. I know that your daughter loves him, and that the others care for him...but I wonder if that will be enough strength for him to win."
"Time will tell," Pluto answered with a nonchalant air.
The flower girl turned and shot a playful glare at her companion. "No wonder you're so solitary...no one can ever get a straight answer out of you."
"It's not wise to know too much about one's own destiny...would you have gone through with your prayers if you had known Sephiroth would kill you there?" Pluto countered.
"Yes," Aeris answered without hesitation. After a long gaze from Pluto, she sighed. "Maybe...oh, I don't know...I might have taken someone with me..."
"And that would have screwed everything up...had you taken someone with you, chances are good that Sephiroth would have killed both of you, and that would have put your friends in even more danger..." The senshi sighed, then. "But anyway...we're rambling on and on about nothing...are you ready to go back?"
Aeris glanced at the spot Sephiroth had once occupied, and then slowly nodded.
Smiling softly, Pluto then raised her Time Staff, summoning a massive doorway before her companion. As Aeris turned to the door, it creaked open to allow her entry. Before taking the final few steps, she turned back, whispering, "Thank you...for allowing me to help him."
Pluto smiled softly and nodded, and Aeris stepped back through into her own world...
Author Notes: After some difficulties, I managed to squeeze this chapter out. I like it, personally: Those of you who have been waiting patiently to find out WTF the deal is, here's your answer, in this chapter! Comments and critiques are, as always, welcome. Flames will be reflected and sent back to the sender.
Chapter Ten
Sephiroth held his Masamune blade high in a counteroffensive posture, his eyes flicking back and forth, trying to find his target through the smoke. A vague thought passed through his mind that it might not have been necessary to utilize his most powerful Fire spell, but the distraction gave him time to get his bearings.
Stepping forward slowly, he whispered, "Where is he?" in an angry tone. Truth be told, he was, for the first time he could remember, pissed beyond belief. Coming face to face with the person who very nearly killed his beloved Hotaru was one thing, but finding out that it was someone impersonating him? That left nothing but pure, undiluted rage.
Still, he managed to keep his head straight...he had the advantage, Seph could tell, in swordsmanship, but his clone obviously had superior magic. One particular spell blew a hole through three separate walls earlier in a blinding blast of green energy...the swordsman shuddered now to think of what would have happened had it connected with him.
A stone crunched off to his right, and Sephiroth instantly reacted, his sword lashing out in an arc, cutting cleanly through the smoke. Even as his follow through finished, he leaned to the left, reeling in his weapon as another sword slashed the space his head had previously occupied. Gritting his teeth, the swordsman managed to keep his balance as he spun and poured his energy into another strike, which connected...albeit with the copy's sword. Both men stood there for a long while, their swords locked, neither giving an inch. It was a moment before the clone spoke.
"Why do you fight against yourself, Sephiroth? Why do you ignore who you are? Have you forgotten what these...traitors did to your mother?" he asked in a sinisterly calm tone.
Sephiroth growled in reply. "I don't know who the hell you think you are...but this...Jenova, is NOT my mother! And if being the ruler of this planet means I have to kill my friends, along with the woman I love, then I gladly relinquish it...I will NOT BETRAY MY FRIENDS!" he finally shouted in defiance.
"Ah, but Jenova IS your mother...or do you honestly believe that Lucrecia is? Do you truly think that one so weak as she could be your mother?"
Sephiroth growled. "You're the one who doesn't know anything...Jenova is nothing but an alien parasite. It didn't give birth to me...it didn't raise me. Lucrecia was my real mother...and as much as it pains me to admit it...Hojo was my father.
This time, it was the double's turn to look shocked. "W, what?"
Sephiroth, seeing an opportunity, continued. "Heh...that obviously proves you don't know jack about me, pal...Hojo was my father, much as I'd rather puke than mention it."
Much as he loathed this guy, the swordsman had to admit that his clone recovered quickly. With a revived smirk, the man countered, "Well, that would explain a few things...it's a pity I won't get a chance to thank him...oh well. I have other things to do now, anyway...first, there's getting you out of my way..."
And with that, the doppelganger fired another magical blast that connected this time, sending Sephiroth crashing into a pillar. Desperately, he tried to force himself to stay awake, to prevent this intruder from accomplishing whatever he planned to do, but that blast had taken a lot out of him...and thus, he finally succumbed to the darkness pulling him down.
Staggering silghtly as Sephiroth crashed into the pillar, the clone grunted in pain, holding his head. Shaking it slightly, he managed to stay upright, and after a moment, the pain and haze cleared. 'Damn...gotta be careful...that could have knocked me out, too...' he thought to himself.
With an arrogant 'hmph', the intruder turned and headed in the direction that he could feel a powerful magical source. It wasn't long before he arrived at the doors obviously housing the source in question...he hadn't come to such heavily reinforced doors in a long time, and he could feel the many wards and spells keeping this chamber safe. Chuckling in amusement, the stranger gave a slight flex of his fingers, forcing the doors to fly outward, almost off of their hinges.
Striding arrogantly into the room, his gaze was occupied not by the magnificent architecture of the room, or the crystalline layer that covered every inch of the floor, walls, and ceiling...but rather by the single silver crystal that lay suspended over a simple pedestal in the middle of the room.
Smiling wickedly, he approached the pedestal, and reached for the crystal...
And with a searing rush of wind, a bolt of fire flew past his head, singing his ear and hair. His head jerked up as he glanced back out of the corner of his eyes, knowing before he turned what he'd see.
Sure enough, there they were: each of the senshi that were still in fighting condition stood there, each of them with a prepped attack, and with one target. Mars, naturally, was the most visibly furious: although the other senshi and their companions didn't seem to be too far off in terms of anger.
The fire senshi was the first to speak: "Drop your sword NOW! And do it slow, or the next fire arrow's going to be in a spot that will end your woman problems for good!" she snarled.
Smiling mockingly, Sephiroth raised his hands in surrender, sword still in his left, up to about shoulder height, the blade dangling downward as the hilt was suspended in his fingers. After a long, pregnant pause, he let it fall, the blade hitting the floor with a loud 'CLANG!'
Some of the senshi visibly relaxed at his disarming, which caused Sephiroth to chuckle.
"What the hell are you laughing at?!?" Endymion demanded, tensing.
His eyes roaming over the group, the swordsman answered, "You poor fools...what is there NOT to laugh at? You stand ready to kill one you call a friend, even as you mark your enemy at the same time...it's just so amusing! And the best part is, you don't even know you're doing that!"
Confusion instantly appeared on everyone's faces at that statement, and each senshi looked at the others...providing him with the opportunity he needed.
A snap of his fingers, and the entire room was filled with bolts of lightning, striking everywhere, gouging holes into the ground or searing flesh. With the distraction provided, Sephiroth quickly grabbed his sword, and then turned, snatching the crystal from its pedestal. Laughing maniacally, he looked back at his weakened opponents, and said, "Well...I suppose I should thank you for this...it will allow me to complete the task I was unable to last time. As a token of my gratitude, I'll make sure that I kill all of you quickly...unfortunately, you'll have to satisfy yourselves with my pet. For now, I must depart and prepare. Don't get too frightened...it will all be over soon...and you will be a part of the Planet!"
And with another laugh, the swordsman vanished in a flash of light, to be replaced by something far worse...
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'Sephiroth...'
Blackness...that was all he could see. But he could still feel, so that was a good sign that he wasn't dead. "That would have really sucked," he muttered, surprised to hear that he could talk yet, too. Checking his eyes by opening and closing them a few times, he came to the conclusion that his eyes were open, but he couldn't see because the darkness around him was so complete.
'Sephiroth...'
Startled, the swordsman looked anxiously about him until he recognized the voice. "A, Aeris?!" he called.
In the span of an eyeblink, she appeared in front of him, the ever- familiar smile on her face. Nodding her head, she spoke: "I'm glad to see you made it in time, Sephiroth...Hotaru is lucky to have such a devoted fiance."
Anger consumed the man as he accusingly pointed a finger at Aeris. "You knew..." he hissed. "You knew all about this, didn't you? That this...imposter was responsible...!"
A shake of the head accompanied her answer. "You are right and wrong. I knew, yes...but he is not an imposter." A slow intake of breath, and then she added, "He...is you."
It was a long time before he could respond, but when he finally did, he shook his head. "That's...not possible! How can...we're so different..." Even as he spoke, however...he could feel the truth in his guide's words. This whole time, there had been a connection, and everything...everything seemed so familiar, so right...
"I understand how hard it is for you to believe...but it is true, and I will explain why." Taking his hand, she led him forward along an invisible path, the area around them suddenly coalescing into a new location.
Around them, three groups of people(two groups of three, and one of two) stood on various rock outcroppings, fighting a huge monster...one that bore an uncanny resemblance to...
As if sensing his thoughts, Aeris nodded. "Yes...that's you, Sephiroth. Back home, you...were provoked into trying to control the Planet's powers...in essence, you attempted to become a god. But there was a small group who sought to oppose you, and prevent the destruction you promised to bring forth."
Sephiroth blinked and looked over at Aeris. "...You were one of them."
Sadly, she nodded and smiled. "I was...but the path that Cloud took was separate from mine...my sacrifice was necessary to make sure that their victory wasn't meaningless." At that, her gaze lingered on the blond- haired young man that he'd seen earlier.
"...I'm sorry," Sephiroth whispered.
Smiling, she closed her eyes tightly, trying to squeeze away the tears that threatened to come. "Don't be...I loved him, yes...but we wouldn't have worked. He's...he's happy now...and that's all I ever wanted." Shaking her head, she chuckled, a half-sob mixed in. "We're drifting from the point, anyway...what happened here, was the battle to end all battles. Cloud and the others who sought to oppose you knew that unless you were defeated, Meteor, which was summoned by you, would crash into the planet, destroying everyone on it."
"And so they fought me...and I lost," he finished bluntly.
Aeris touched his arm gently. "...Yes. But what happened was something that no one could have predicted." The scene around them shifted, to a standoff between himself, and the young man...Cloud, his name was Cloud...squaring off against each other. Aeris continued, "Cloud used his most powerful attack, called Omnislash, to defeat you at long last. But when he used it, there was a consequence."
Cloud rushed forward and began striking his past self furiously, with impossible-to-follow blows that caused Sephiroth to wince periodically. Finally, he leapt into the air, gathering energy into his sword...
"When the Planet's energies combined in such an explosive burst this deep in its core, a dimensional rip occurred, flinging you into the farthest reaches of what some call 'D-space'. In addition, the Planet's energy succeeded in tearing your very essence apart...normal people would have died, but you...you simply divided into two identical people...but with different memories," the woman continued.
To emphasize her point, Cloud finally dropped down, his sword crashing with a tremendous blast of energy into his opponent's body. As the explosion grew, the scene faded, leaving Aeris and Sephiroth alone once more. Finally, he turned to face his guide, and asked, "So...that's why he believes that Jenova, and not Lucrecia, is our mother?"
Nodding, she clarified, "Among other things. He is, for lack of a better term, all the darkness that you once carried. You represent the light that had remained dormant inside of him since that battle long ago."
Holding his head with one hand, the warrior shook his head. "Wait, wait...why are you telling me all of this? This information...it doesn't seem to make any sense, or impart any knowledge as to how I can beat my...other half..."
Aeris smiled at that, and answered, "You can't beat him...not in the normal sense. Because he is you, and you are him, any injuries inflicted on one will cause both to suffer. But...there is a way...and it's only a possibility because you've grown so much. If you were as weak as you were back then, there would be no chance." Grinning happily since the first time he saw her, she continued, "But you have people you fight to defend...ones who you can call friends...and a woman who loves you more than anything."
Looking off to the side, Sephiroth nodded slowly. "Yeah...yeah, I suppose I do. But...how can I win?"
"From the inside...fight from the heart," she answered, placing her own small hand over his heart. "Just remember everyone you're fighting for...and all will be well."
With little pause, the swordsman disappeared from this dark realm, leaving the young Cetra flower girl behind. Her hand dropped to her side as the other clenched into a fist at her own chest, her face creased in concern despite her confident words.
"Worried?"
Aeris gasped as she turned, but relaxed when she saw who stood there. "Pluto! You scared me!"
A small smile appeared on the senshi of time's face as she shrugged apologetically. "Everyone else complains about that, too...I suppose it's a habit I should try to kick."
A giggle came from Aeris at that before she returned to her original concern. "...Yes. I am concerned. I know that your daughter loves him, and that the others care for him...but I wonder if that will be enough strength for him to win."
"Time will tell," Pluto answered with a nonchalant air.
The flower girl turned and shot a playful glare at her companion. "No wonder you're so solitary...no one can ever get a straight answer out of you."
"It's not wise to know too much about one's own destiny...would you have gone through with your prayers if you had known Sephiroth would kill you there?" Pluto countered.
"Yes," Aeris answered without hesitation. After a long gaze from Pluto, she sighed. "Maybe...oh, I don't know...I might have taken someone with me..."
"And that would have screwed everything up...had you taken someone with you, chances are good that Sephiroth would have killed both of you, and that would have put your friends in even more danger..." The senshi sighed, then. "But anyway...we're rambling on and on about nothing...are you ready to go back?"
Aeris glanced at the spot Sephiroth had once occupied, and then slowly nodded.
Smiling softly, Pluto then raised her Time Staff, summoning a massive doorway before her companion. As Aeris turned to the door, it creaked open to allow her entry. Before taking the final few steps, she turned back, whispering, "Thank you...for allowing me to help him."
Pluto smiled softly and nodded, and Aeris stepped back through into her own world...