Disclaimer: Cloud, Sephiroth, & co. are copyright SquareEnix Co. Reilena is copyright Vinja Ryou.
"So…" Aerith trailed off, keeping up the steady pace alongside Reilena and Red XIII, "where did you get your new pendant there?"
"Huh?" Reilena glanced down, fingering the necklace. "Oh, this? I uh…found it…in the cell."
"Utter nonsense," Red whuffed, stopping to scratch his shoulder; all the while, he kept a close eye on Reilena. "I've lived in those laboratories for several years, and they keep the prisons immaculate." Sitting tall on his haunches, Red eyed both girls; Aerith also watched her sister. "So why don't you tell us where you really got the pendant?"
"Yes, please," Aerith pleaded. "Since Cloud isn't around, it might be easier for you to talk to us freely." She laid a gentle hand on Reilena's shoulder, arching an eyebrow at her sister's trembling. "Rei…"
"I got it from the same person who gave me the silver Materia." Aerith gaped at Reilena while Red stared at both women in confusion; Reilena laughed under her breath. "Cloud was partly right in his accusations…but I honestly don't know what happened after he left, I swear," she finished, looking up at her older sister guiltily. "I really don't."
"You mean to tell me that he came into our cell, spoke to you, gave you the pendant, and left you with the keys!?" Aerith cried, having finally found her voice. Reilena nodded, causing Aerith to throw her arms up in the air. Between them, Red cleared his throat, catching the Gainsboroughs' attention. Once both women looked down at him, he shook his mane while uttering what almost sounded like a sarcastic laugh.
"So Reilena," he began, looking up at the younger of the two girls, "what you're telling us is that you know our common enemy…"
"More than that, and please don't call him our enemy." Reilena's shoulders fell with her heavy sigh. "Look, it's a long story…"
"Which you can share with everyone else when we meet up with them in Kalm," Aerith finished, pushing on. Woman and beast looked over at Aerith, startled; she pointed ahead. "The town is just over the hill; if we hurry, we can make it there before nightfall." She walked on ahead, leaving Red and Reilena to shrug and follow, albeit in silence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"There they are!" Tifa called, beckoning Barret over to the town entrance. He strode over, raising an eyebrow at Aerith, Red, and Reilena. The girls waved, while Red shook his mane out in greeting, and Barret folded his arms, nodding toward the building just inside the town entrance.
"Cloud's got the rooms reserved already," Barret said simply, looking over at Tifa as he turned and headed inside. Tifa glanced over at the Gainsboroughs and Red with a nervous shrug, standing aside so that they could walk by.
"You guys are late. C'mon…Cloud's been grumbling about it ever since we got here," Tifa explained, grabbing Reilena's hand as she led the trio into the inn. Reilena shot a look over her shoulder at Aerith; her sister followed along, a worried sheen in her eyes, whilst Red kept at their heels, trotting up the stairs ahead of them as the women shuffled into the inn, up the stairs, and into the lone open room. Cloud stood, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, and looked up at Reilena with a solemn gaze, nodding to Tifa, Aerith, and Red as they sat down on the beds.
"You're late." It was aimed at Reilena, and she shrugged helplessly; Cloud motioned for her to join the others seated on the bed, and Tifa coughed.
"Well uh…everyone's here now, right?" she asked, laughing nervously. Barret nodded and stood, eyeing Cloud calmly.
"So let's hear your story," he said; when Cloud glanced at him strangely, Barret shrugged once. "You know, the one about Sephiroth and the crisis facing the planet…let's hear it all."
"…" Cloud sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair as he walked over to the lone window in the room. After looking out for a moment, he clasped his hands behind his back, ready to begin. "I used to want to be like Sephiroth, so I joined SOLDIER. After working with him on several missions, we became friends."
"You call that a friend?" Barret snorted. Cloud glanced over, shrugging a shoulder.
"Yeah, well uh…he's older than me, and didn't really talk much about himself…" Tifa sat in silence, watching her friend, and Cloud rubbed his neck. "So I guess…I guess you could call him a war buddy, if anything else. I mean, we trusted each other…at least until one day."
"One day?" Aerith asked, curious. Cloud nodded.
"After the war, it was the SOLDIERS' duty to put down any resistance against Shinra," he explained. "That itself was five years ago," he stopped when he saw an air of recognition across the Gainsborough sisters' faces, "when I was sixteen years old…"
- - - - - -
… "It's sure raining hard," Cloud murmured, the twinge of excitement still evident in his voice. Looking over to his left, he saw a companion SOLDIER. "Hey, how are you doing?"
"Me? I'm alright," the SOLDIER replied, a small bucket clenched firmly in his left hand. Cloud glanced down at the bucket and shrugged.
"You sure? I mean, I've never had motion sickness, ever." Cloud turned to another SOLDIER, this one watching the rain fall on the large window in the rear of their car. "Hey, how are you doing? Everything okay?"
"Hey." Startled, Cloud turned to the source of the voice; the man flicked a strand of his long, silver hair away from his eyes and motioned toward a crate nearby. "Settle down." Cloud's eyes widened, and he walked over to the box, but didn't sit down.
"I'm sorry…but they gave me some new Materia back at headquarters, and I can't wait to use it," he said excitedly. The older man shook his head.
"…just like a little kid," he muttered under his breath. Ignoring him, Cloud turned to the leader, eyes wide.
"So, are you going to brief us on the mission?" The man shrugged.
"This isn't a typical mission." Glancing up, he saw Cloud grinning widely, and arched an eyebrow. "Why are you so happy about that?" Realizing that he'd been seen, Cloud looked over at the man and shrugged, albeit shyly.
"Huh? Oh! Well uh…because I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you!" Just as he leapt up though, Cloud's shoulders sagged. "But by the time I reached the First Class, the war was already over, and my hopes of becoming a hero like you ended with the fighting. That's why I always sign up when there's a big mission," he continued, the excited tone creeping back into his voice. "Kind of a way to prove myself, I guess you could say…by the way, how do you feel, Mister Sephiroth?"
Sephiroth shook his head. "…I thought you wanted a briefing?" he asked in return; Cloud nodded quickly and stood at attention, ready to listen to his commander. Straightening up, Sephiroth ran a hand through his hair. "Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. Monsters have been sighted nearby, and the recent rumours have stated that the reactor's malfunctioning is to blame. We hunt down the creatures, then find the problem and neutralize it, so as to prevent anything else from happening."
"Monsters…creatures…" Cloud mused. "Where is this at?"
"The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim," Sephiroth replied; a gleam of recognition shot across Cloud's face.
"Nibelheim!?" Sephiroth nodded. "That's where I'm from!" Cloud finished. He looked down to see a quiet look overcome Sephiroth's face as the older man gazed toward the window.
"Hmmm…hometown…" he muttered to himself. Curious, Cloud was about to ask his commander exactly what was on his mind when their car was jolted almost out of its tracks. Cloud stumbled, trying to keep his footing along with his comrades, and Sephiroth stood up calmly, standing tall amidst the chaos. Over a small radio system, a scared voice crackled.
"S - Sir! Something's just crashed into our truck!" Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, his right hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. Nearby, the three young SOLDIERs prepared to take out their own weapons, all the while watching Sephiroth closely.
"There's our Monster," he said in a low voice…
- - - - - -
"Sephiroth killed the creature in a single slash, while I practically stood in shock," Cloud said, massaging his forehead. "His strength is unreal…after seeing him in combat myself, I can honestly say that Sephiroth is far stronger in reality than in any stories you may have heard about him."
"So where did you come in?" Aerith asked, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. She looked up at Cloud, listening closely to his every word. Cloud shook his head, looking over the rest of the group; Barret stood in silence as Tifa, Aerith, and Reilena sat side by side, with Red lying at their feet.
"Me?" Cloud laughed under his breath. "I was mesmerized by the way Sephiroth fought." Tifa stayed quiet, and Cloud continued. "And then we finally made it into Nibelheim…"
- - - - - -
"So how does it feel?" Sephiroth asked, peering over his shoulder at Cloud; the younger man's eyes were wide as he looked around his hometown, and Sephiroth shook his head with a low chuckle. "It's your first time back in your real hometown right, so how does it feel?" His voice dropped as he turned to Cloud, a saddened visage on his face for a fleeting second. "I wouldn't know, since I have no hometown of my own…"
"But what about your parents?" Cloud asked. Sephiroth shook his head.
"My mother is Jenova…but she died after she gave birth to me. My father…" he flicked his hair from his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "What does it matter, anyhow?" Sephiroth turned to the rest of the SOLDIERs and waved toward the town's entrance. "All right, let's go…"
- - - - - -
"Yo, wait a damned minute there!" Barret suddenly shouted, knocking Cloud of his memories. Once he was sure he had Cloud's attention, he continued. "Isn't that uh…the name of Sephiroth's mother…" he snapped his fingers as he thought. "I remember that! It's the name of that damn headless spook livin' in the Shinra building."
"That's right," Cloud answered. Before Barret could speak, Tifa rolled her eyes, turning to her comrade.
"Barret, would you please let us hear what Cloud has to say?" she asked in a clipped tone. "You can ask questions later." Barret held his hands up defensively, having seen the irate sheen in Tifa's eyes.
"Tifa, I was only…" He stopped when Tifa cracked a knuckle unconsciously; satisfied, she turned back to Cloud with a forced smile.
"Okay Cloud, go on." Suddenly Aerith grinned, looking between Tifa and Cloud as the realization sank in.
"It's a reunion of pals!" she cried; beside her, Reilena nodded.
"Weren't you and Cloud discussing this at the Seventh Heaven?" Agitated, Tifa glared over at Cloud; he cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention, and continued.
"I was really surprised with Tifa…"
- - - - - -
"Wow…the town's really quiet," Cloud pondered, looking out across Nibelheim. Besides himself, Sephiroth, and the SOLDIERs, the only living creature in the town square was an old dog lying in the shade of the fountain. Concerned, he looked up at Sephiroth. "Everyone must be staying inside because of the monsters…or are they afraid of us…?"
"We leave for the reactor at dawn," Sephiroth ordered, ignoring the younger man's words as he turned toward the inn, waving a hand out nonchalantly. "We only need one lookout, so the rest of you turn in early to get some rest. Oh and one more thing," he continued, stopping at the door to the inn. "You may go visit family and friends if you'd like." With that said, Sephiroth strode into the inn, leaving the SOLDIERs outside. Most of the others walked off toward townhouses, eager to see their family; Cloud opted to follow Sephiroth into the inn.
The lobby was empty, save for the manager at the front desk. Cloud walked over to the desk, ringing the small handbell to get the manager's attention. "Excuse me, but did you see…"
"He just walked upstairs," the man replied.
"Thank you." Cloud walked up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and stopped at the top. Sephiroth stood at a window, gazing out silently. His hands were clasped loosely behind his back, and Cloud could've sworn there was a faraway look in the older man's eyes. Careful not to disturb him, Cloud walked up beside Sephiroth, trying to see what he saw. "Uh…what're you lookin' at out there?"
"The scenery," Sephiroth murmured. "I feel almost as if I know this place…from somewhere…" He sighed, shaking his head, and turned to Cloud. "We have an early start tomorrow. You should turn in for the night if you're not going to visit anyone." Without waiting for an answer, Sephiroth strode into the room, still talking. "I've hired a guide to the Mako Reactor. She's young…but I hope we can rely on her…"
- - - - - -
"And you'll never guess who that guide was," Tifa interjected, rolling her eyes dramatically. Beside her, Reilena laughed, leaning her head on her friend's shoulder. Once the two girls were quiet, Cloud continued.
- - - - - -
"Once the guide gets here, we're heading out," Sephiroth ordered; he folded his arms, waiting silently outside the Shinra Inc Mansion. Nearby, a mustachioed man continued speaking in a timid tone, wringing a hat in his hands.
"Now please listen to me Sephiroth," he said. "If anything should happen up there…" Sephiroth held a hand up, his eyes closed.
"Trust me." Footsteps behind the man; a young girl in a red beret and jumper with a white t-shirt underneath, ran up to the group, rolling her eyes at the man.
"Da-ad! I'll be fine!" she replied. "Look, I have two men from SOLDIER accompanying me. Nothing will happen!" With that, she turned to Sephiroth and stuck out her hand. "Hi there. I'm Tifa," she said cheerfully; Sephiroth looked down at her hand, nodding instead, and turned on his heel, allowing Cloud to finally catch sight of the young girl. Shocked, he ran up to Tifa.
"Tifa!? You're the guide?" he asked. Tifa nodded, giggling.
"Yup! I'm the number one guide 'round here, remember?" she teased. Cloud shook his head, glancing up at Mr. Lockehart.
"It's too dangerous…I can't involve you in something like this!" Cloud insisted.
"Then there's no problem if you protect her," Sephiroth interrupted; Cloud and Tifa both turned to the stoic man; he merely walked on beyond the mansion. "Let's go." Glancing between each other, Cloud finally sighed, following his leader, and Tifa jogged beside him.
- - - - - -
"Tifa brought us up Mount Nibel," Cloud said, sitting down on a small stool in the center of the inn room. "While Tifa was trying to explain something to us though, the old rope bridge connecting the mountains snapped, and we fell down to the entrance of the caves of Mt. Nibel."
"There was a man missing…Sephiroth said to just leave him behind, that there was no time to search for him," Tifa added in a quiet voice. "Inside the cave, Cloud commented on the cave's interior…all the colours…Sephiroth explained how it was the Mako energy, how that was the reason why the reactor was built in the mountains."
"And then we found the Mako fountain," Cloud mused…
- - - - - -
"It's a miracle of nature," Sephiroth said in a quiet voice, gazing at the Mako. Across from him, Cloud and Tifa watched the colourful spouts as well, transfixed.
"It's so beautiful," Tifa whispered. "But if the Mako Reactor continues to suck up the energy here, then this fountain will dry up…"
"Materia." Sephiroth plucked a green-coloured stone out of his pocket and tossed it up in the air nonchalantly. "When you condense Mako energy, Materia is produced. You two should consider yourselves lucky, as it is very rare to see Materia in its natural state."
"By the way," Cloud said, breaking the silence he'd had, "why is it when you use Materia, you can use magic as well?" Sephiroth caught the Materia stone and placed it back in his pocket, all the while keeping an astonished look on Cloud, one eyebrow raised.
"You were in SOLDIER and didn't even know that?" he asked; Cloud nodded feebly, and Sephiroth laughed under his breath. "Guess I should explain it to you…the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held within the Materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the Planet," he explained; Cloud nodded, mystified. "That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the Planet calling up magic…or so they say…" Sephiroth trailed off, eyeing Cloud silently; the younger boy still had a wondrous sheen in his eyes, while Tifa gazed at the Materia fountain still.
"Magic…what a mysterious power," Cloud whispered. To his amazement, Sephiroth laughed. "What…did I say something funny?" Sephiroth shook his head, silencing his laughter.
"A man once told me never to use such an unscientific term as 'mysterious power,'" Sephiroth said. "It shouldn't even be called 'magic.' I still remember how angry he was." Catching the confused glance from Cloud, Sephiroth shrugged. "Hojo of Shinra, Inc. An inexperienced man given the assignment of taking over the work of a great scientist. He's nothing more than a walking mass of complexes. Let's continue on," Sephiroth finished, motioning for Cloud to get Tifa's attention. The young girl blinked, nodding once, and led the men out of the cave, still murmuring to herself.
"A Mako fountain…so that's…"
- - - - - -
"…where the knowledge of the Ancients is," Tifa finished, glancing over at Aerith and Reilena just as Cloud did the same. "I remember saying those exact words. Of course, when we reached the Mako Reactor, I was kept outside with a lowly Shinra guard. Couldn't even go inside the reactor…claimed 'Shinra's industrial secrets were inside,'" she mocked. "Like anyone's going to believe what a fifteen-year-old girl has to say."
- - - - - -
Reluctant, Cloud approached his leader quietly; Sephiroth stood in front of the huge door, solemn. He peered closely at a valve near the doors, and Cloud decided to speak up. "This…this is Jenova, right?" he asked meekly. Sephiroth ignored him. "The lock won't open, though."
"This is the reason for the malfunction," Sephiroth muttered, turning to Cloud as he jabbed a finger at the area around the door. "This part is broken. Cloud, right?" Cloud nodded. "Close the valve."
"Y-yes sir." The young recruit scurried over to the Jenova door, fastening the valve tightly. Sephiroth's brow furrowed, and he folded his arms, thinking aloud.
"Why did it break…oh, now I see, Hojo." Raising an eyebrow, Cloud turned to see Sephiroth talking to himself in a clear yet frustrated voice. The older man shook his head, tucking a piece of hair behind an ear with a low laugh. "But even doing this will not put you on the same level as Professor Gast." Turning toward the stairs, Sephiroth noticed the confused look in Cloud's eyes, and nodded toward the other containers in the room as he led Cloud down the stairs. Each capsule-like container had a port window in the door, and was locked tightly, with a low blue light illuminating the interior. "This is a system that takes Mako energy, freezes, and then condenses it…when it wants to work, that is. Now, do you remember what condensed Mako energy becomes?" He stopped on the level before the ground floor and strode over to a capsule, waiting for Cloud's reply.
"Uh, ummmm…" The youth ran a nervous hand through his spiked hair, snapping his fingers when it came to him. "Oh yeah! Condensed Mako energy becomes a Materia!" Sephiroth bowed his head.
"Correct…under normal circumstances." He gestured toward the mechanical capsule they stood before, and Cloud glanced at it with awe. "But Hojo's put something else in there…go on, take a look. Through the window," he added, pointing to the port window. Cloud nodded shakily and stood on his toes, peering into the capsule.
A deteriorating head stared back at him, its eyeless sockets forever gaping. Cloud gasped, dropping back on his feet, and glanced over at Sephiroth; the SOLDIER General merely watched the thing inside the machine, emotionless. "What…what is that?"
"Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Therefore making you different from other people, but yet still human. But what are they?" Sephiroth motioned toward the creature, peering down at Cloud with a questioning air. "They've been exposed to a much higher degree of Mako than yourself."
"Is this some kind of monster?" Sephiroth nodded.
"Exactly. These monsters were created by Hojo of Shinra." He paused, walking down the corridor, his eyes narrowed even more as he thought to himself. "Mutated living organisms produced by Mako energy…that's what these monsters really are…" Sephiroth paused, turning to stare into another mechanical capsule. Cloud stayed by the one he'd peered into; he sensed a tense aura around Sephiroth, and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw his leader's hands curl into shaking fists.
"Normal members of SOLDIER…does this mean you're different?" Cloud mused. His eyes widened, he glanced up, curious. "H-hey Sephiroth…!" He silenced himself upon catching sight of Sephiroth; the General seemed to be going mad, and he crept down the stairs to the main floor as silent as he could.
It's…it's impossible…it can't be…could it? Sephiroth stared at the eyeless, seemingly soulless creature floating in the Mako energy capsule, trembling with fury. "N-no…was I!?" he whispered, asked the thing inside the machine. "Was I!?!" Without warning, he quickly unsheathed the Masamune and slashed down at the container before him, slashed at the thing's protective case. Glaring up with narrowed emerald eyes, he slashed at the machine again, gritting his teeth to keep himself from screaming. "Was I created, too?!" Sephiroth gripped Masamune with both hands and charged down the aisle, slicing at the machine Cloud had just been standing by. He stared into the port window, his breathing laboured, and held the blade up to the window as he snarled at the thing inside. "Am I the same as these monsters!?"
I have to do something. Cloud reached a hand out to the infuriated man, speaking in a quiet voice. "Sephiroth…"
"You saw it," Sephiroth muttered, his shoulders heaving. He turned slowly on his heel, gripping Masamune in his right hand, and gestured at the capsule with his left. "All of them…were once humans…"
"What!? Humans?" Cloud gasped. "No way!" Sephiroth laughed - a laugh that sounded almost as if it came from a wolf - and Cloud shuddered, afraid of his superior. Ignoring the SOLDIER, Sephiroth strode down the stairs, still speaking in a frighteningly calm voice.
"…I've always felt that since I was a child…that I was different from the others. Special, even….I've only ever told one person this, about this difference," he whispered, slowly sheathing Masamune. A rattle slipped out from the silence, and Sephiroth shook his head. "But…but not like this!" he shouted, throwing his arm toward the source of the noise. A mechanical capsule in the fourth aisle suddenly burst open, the creature inside slinking out like a snake. Cloud's eyes widened in horror, and Sephiroth shook his head, slowly at first. "Not…like…this…" he murmured, watching the creature trying to breathe. It clawed at the air helplessly, its hands gripping nothing, and finally fell to the grated metal floor, letting out a tiny mewl; Cloud held a trembling hand to his mouth, terrified.
A rustle; Cloud looked over his shoulder hesitantly just in time to see Sephiroth's silhouette in the doorway, striding angrily out of the chamber of horrors.
- - - - - -
"Damn!" Barret punched his fist into the wall, gnashing his teeth. "The more I hear about the Shinra, the more I hate their stinkin' guts!"
"…who'd have ever thought that the Mako Reactor held a secret like that," Tifa whispered, shaking her head. "I mean, it's almost…Rei?" Beside her, Reilena stared at Cloud wide-eyed, tears marring her cheeks, her shoulders shaking even with Aerith's arm across them. "Rei, what's the matter?"
So she does know something, Red XIII thought, lifting his muzzle so as to see what was going on above him. Sneezing quietly, the scarlet beast instead glanced up at the infuriated Barret. "This would seem to explain the staggering increase in the monsters in this area," he said calmly. "I do believe we should listen carefully to Cloud…don't you agree, Barret?"
"What're you talking to me for?" Barret asked; turning his eyes to Cloud, he nodded. "Keep on talkin'."
"No wonder she was acting so strangely," Aerith murmured to herself, rocking her sister gently. Reilena stayed silent, keeping her gaze on Cloud, and Aerith sighed; Reilena wasn't going to talk anytime soon. "So Tifa…you were still waiting outside, I take it?" Tifa nodded silently as she patted Reilena's knee.
"…Yes. Yes, I was."
"We returned to Nibelheim not long after," Cloud continued, breaking the silence in the room. "Sephiroth just confined himself at the inn, didn't talk to me, didn't even try to."
"Then all of a sudden he just disappeared, right?" Tifa asked; to her surprise both Cloud and Reilena nodded. Cloud raised an eyebrow at the younger Gainsborough's reaction, but kept his thoughts to himself.
"We found him inside the biggest building in Nibelheim…you remember it Tifa, we all used to call it Shinra Mansion 'cause a long time ago, people from the Shinra used to live there…."
- - - - - -
"This can't be true…" Sephiroth murmured to himself, walking into the expansive library of the Shinra Mansion. He strode down to the end of the room and ripped a book down from the shelf, flipping through the pages and scanning the passages.
An organism that was apparently dead has been found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast has named this organism 'Jenova…' The passage delved into a diary-like account of the day's findings, and Sephiroth growled, throwing the book over his shoulder as he tore down another.
X day, X month, X year: the scientific findings of Professor Gast have drawn the conclusion that Jenova is indeed an Ancient. His eyes widened, and Sephiroth flipped several pages ahead. A sting; he glanced down at a finger and noticed a swath of blood beginning to trail down his hand. Ignoring the injury, he continued reading. X day, X month, X year: the Jenova Project has been approved by the superiors. Mako Reactor One has also been approved for use, and will begin functioning shortly…Sephiroth shook his head, dropping the book, and stared at the cut on his hand, the blood on his fingers.
"My mother's name is Jenova," he whispered. "The name of the experiment was the Jenova Project…" Sephiroth dropped to his knees, staring at the open book before him, and leaned an arm across the bookshelf, letting his blood drip onto the pages. His eyes grew damp, but Sephiroth paid them no mind, instead opting to let his tears fall onto the book as well. "Is this just a coincidence?" he murmured, voice shaking. "Professor Gast…why couldn't you have told me? Why did you have to die, to leave this all behind?"
A door closed; Sephiroth glanced over, noting that Cloud must have left the library, and sighed, bowing his head so as to allow himself to cry freely. "All these questions…and no one, not one damned person can answer them. Not Professor Gast, not Hojo…" Sephiroth stopped, another thought crossing his mind. "How can I even go on without knowing my own past? I can't pass this on to anyone…I can't explain it to anyone, no one would be able to understand, to comprehend or be able to take this…to burden anyone with this, especially her…my God…Reilena…who the hell am I!? What the hell am I!?"
Sephiroth bit down on his lip, bit until he tasted blood, and pounded his fist on the bookshelf, taking slow breaths so as to try and control his near-hysteria. Eventually, he was able to stand; he wiped his eyes with his clean hand, leaving the bloodied one alone, and grabbed as many books as he could carry off the shelves. Once loaded, Sephiroth walked down the aisle, to the study at the end of the room. He intended to learn as much as he could, to find out as much about himself - and Jenova - as he could.
Meanwhile...
"Ugh…huh?" Cloud sat up from the bed, stretching his arms out above his head; a small cracking emanated from his shoulder blades, and he yawned. "Damn…must've fallen asleep up here," he muttered, swinging his legs over the bed. A glance out the window told him that it was nearing twilight, and he slapped his forehead. "I have to get back to the inn," he grumbled. "Might as well see if Sephiroth's still around - if he's back at the inn with the others, I'm in deep trouble for sure." Cloud blinked his eyes a few times to readjust to the dusk lighting, and jogged down the spiraling stairway into the basement.
The light was still on in the library; Cloud's brow furrowed as he pushed the wooden door open, peering about. "Sephiroth…?" Laughter emanated from the back of the library, startling Cloud for a moment. He walked into the library, closing the door behind him, and made his way down the aisle to the study; a bright light was on inside, and Cloud could hear the laughter still. Was it coming from inside? "Sephiroth?"
"Who is it?" Cloud jumped at the sound of Sephiroth's voice, and crept into the study timidly. Sephiroth sat behind a desk full of books; most were spread across the floor, opened to various passages, though a few opened and unopened volumes sat atop the desk. The chandelier above was lit entirely, and Sephiroth's eyes seemed to shine in the light. He rolled his eyes at Cloud, waving a hand in the air. "Hmph…you traitor," he muttered. Cloud raised an eyebrow. What was going on?
"Traitor?" Sephiroth laughed, confusing Cloud further.
"You ignorant traitor," he reiterated, strolling around the desk with an eerie calm. "I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race; they would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on," Sephiroth explained, gesturing about the study with his right hand; Cloud's brow furrowed when he saw blood on Sephiroth's hand, but remained silent. "At the end of their long, harsh journey, they would find the Promised Land, and supreme happiness. But," he stopped, holding a single finger in the air, "those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life." Sephiroth clenched a fist, his voice taking on a tense air. "They took that which the Cetra and planet had created, without giving one whit back in return! Those are your ancestors," he finished, pointing a finger at Cloud, eyes narrowed. Confused, Cloud shook his head, hands in the air defensively even as he took a step toward the irate man.
"Sephiroth…"
"Long ago, disaster struck this planet," Sephiroth continued, ignoring the youth behind him, and threw his arms in the air. "Your ancestors escaped…and survived, because they hid. The planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra," he emphasized, shaking his head with a low chuckle. "And after that? Your ancestors continued to increase, to procreate and fill this planet…and of the Cetra? Heh…all that's left is in these reports, these papers." Sephiroth cast a hand across the desk, shoving the books and papers at Cloud angrily. The youth leapt back in shock and peered up at Sephiroth, still confused.
"What does this have to do with you?"
"What does this have to do with me!?" Sephiroth raked a hand through his bangs, laughing out loud. "Don't you get it!? An Ancient named Jenova was found dead in the geological stratum of two millennia ago. And then…the Jenova Project. The Jenova Project aspired to produce people with the power of the Ancients…no, the Cetra!" Sephiroth stopped in the middle of the room, behind the desk, and turned to face Cloud, a chilling smile gracing his lips as he raised his hands in the air slowly. "I am the one that was produced."
"P…produced?" Cloud squeaked. Sephiroth nodded, the smile never wavering.
"Yes. Professor Gast - head of the Jenova Project and genius scientist - produced me." Suddenly, Sephiroth slapped a hand to his forehead, his brow furrowed as he uttered a low growl. Cloud shook his head, trying to shake off his fear, and ran over to Sephiroth's side, standing beside his leader.
"How…how did he…Se…Sephiroth?" Cloud asked, his voice wavering between fear and curiosity. Sephiroth shook his head, ignoring the childish boy beside him; seconds later, he stood tall, shoving Cloud aside.
"Out of my way," he ordered. "I'm going to see my mother."
- - - - - -
"I stood in that study for what felt like hours," Cloud murmured, holding his head in his hands. "When I finally came to my senses and left the mansion, the town was a complete inferno. Flames everywhere…the streets littered with wreckage, along with the bodies of the villagers. I remember helping out Zangan with one person who was clinging to life…checking inside houses to see if there was anyone, human or animal, alive in there, and finding no one…when I heard a scream…."
- - - - - -
"…why…" Sephiroth shook his head, emotionless, and lowered the Masamune, allowing the impaled man to slide off the blade and to the ground, dead. These people had known. They had known what he was, who he was, and had kept it from him, destroyed the world that should have rightfully been his. Glaring up across the town, he sheathed Masamune and turned on his heel, walking amidst the flames he'd set, heading for the Mako Reactor. He needed to see Jenova, needed to free her, help her retake their world.
Cloud gasped, having seen Sephiroth's merciless slaughter, and ran past Zangan; Sephiroth had first gone mad at the Mako Reactor in Mount Nibel. If he did this…if he destroyed the entire town…there's no telling what he'll do next!
"Cloud! Where're you going!" Zangan shouted.
"I'm going to find Sephiroth! There's got to be a reason behind this!" he yelled back. Cloud reached over his shoulder, assuring himself that he did indeed have a weapon on himself should Sephiroth attack, and kept up his pace as he made his way through the exact pathways that Tifa had shown them just the previous day. What felt like hours later but were most likely mere minutes, Cloud came up to the Mako Reactor. The door was wide open; his worst fears were confirmed. "Sephiroth…" he whispered, walking carefully up the grate stairs, into the reactor.
"Dad!" Tifa's scream; what was she doing here!? Cloud leapt down the ladder to the bowels of the Reactor and froze upon the scene. Mr. Lockehart lay in a pool of his own blood, his throat and abdomen slashed. Tifa knelt at her father's head, cradling him in her arms; her shoulders heaved from her sobs, and beside her was the Masamune itself. Cloud shook his head, a hand on his forehead as he realized that Sephiroth had killed Tifa's father. Soundless, Cloud walked up to Tifa, listening to her as she whispered to her father. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he Daddy?" she murmured, rocking herself. "Sephiroth…the SOLDIERs…the Mako Reactor…Shinra…I hate them! I hate them all!" Tifa threw her head back and screamed, oblivious to Cloud standing just a few feet away, and then bowed her head just as quickly, taking the Masamune into her hand with quiet fury. "I'll get you for this…" she whispered. "I'll get Sephiroth for you, Daddy. You don't need to worry anymore." Tifa leaned down and kissed her dead father's forehead, and then stood up, gripping the longsword tightly as she ran into the reactor.
"Tifa…" Cloud reached out with a hand, as if trying to hold his friend back; she didn't see him, and Cloud instead walked over to Mr. Lockehart's fallen form, kneeling beside the corpse. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," Cloud whispered, bowing his head; a moment later, he closed the dead man's eyes, rose to his feet, and walked into the reactor.
Sephiroth stood at the head of the reactor, in front of the door marked 'Jenova.' He reached a hand toward the door, oblivious to Tifa and Cloud's presence. "Mother…I'm here. Please, open the door."
"How could you!?" Tifa screamed; Sephiroth turned calmly, looking down at the young girl; she ran up the stairs, holding Masamune before her, still screaming. "How could you do that to Papa and the townspeople? What did we ever do to you!?"
"What didn't you do," Sephiroth muttered, standing tall as Tifa ran for him. Just before she could attempt to slash at him, Sephiroth reached for the blade. In one smooth motion he retook Masamune, flipped it in his hand, and slashed crosswise at Tifa, knocking her off balance. Tifa's eyes widened as she felt blood run down her torso, and fell backwards, crashing down the stairs.
"Tifa!" Cloud ran up the stairs, catching Tifa in his arms. Her face was pale, her normally white shirt stained red, and Cloud blinked quickly, carrying her down the rest of the stairs. He set her down carefully at the base, and she opened her eyes, glancing up at him with a weak smile.
"Cloud…you promised…promised that you would come when I was in trouble," Tifa whispered. Cloud nodded, shushing her gently, and stood. At the head of the stairs, Sephiroth had opened the door to Jenova and walked inside; Cloud took the stairs two at a time and followed the silver-haired man inside, remaining silent as he looked around the expansive specimen chamber. A huge tube across from the door held what looked to almost be a femalish thing inside, floating amidst wires and IVs. A metal plate on the glass read 'JENOVA;' it was this container that Sephiroth walked toward, his voice taking on a quiet, eerie innocence.
"Mother." He reached up, touched the metal plating, and gazed at the thing's mask. "Let's take the planet back together…I've already come up with a plan. We'll head to the Promised Land," he whispered, glancing about the container for a way to open it.
"Sephiroth…" Raising an eyebrow, Sephiroth turned, looking at the young Cloud with a curious air. Cloud clenched his teeth and fists, walking slowly but surely toward his former leader. "My family…my hometown…my friends…how could you do this?" Sephiroth closed his eyes, laughing under his breath as he turned back to the canister.
"They've come again, mother." Laying a hand on the glass protectively, Sephiroth eyed Cloud. "With her superior power, knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become ruler of the planet. Something you and your ancestors could never comprehend." Waving his free hand in the air, Sephiroth turned back to the glass canister, peering closely at it, his hands on the tube. "But they…those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother," he whispered. "I'm here now though, so you don't need to worry." Curling a fist, Sephiroth punched through the glass and reached up, taking Jenova from the container that had been its home. He gazed down at the metallic mask, and ran a finger down it gently.
"What about MY sadness?" Cloud shouted; Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder at the nearly hysterical SOLDIER, blank. Cloud threw a hand in the air, gesturing behind him, toward the reactor. "What about my family…friends…the sadness of having my hometown taken away from me!? It's the same as your sadness!"
"My sadness?" Sephiroth chuckled, setting Jenova down so that he could face Cloud. "What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet, and I have orders to take back the Planet from you stupid people for the Cetra." Sephiroth brushed his bangs from his eyes, a cool smirk on his face. "What do I have to be sad about?"
Cloud shook his head, gripping his forehead with a hand as he gritted his teeth in fury. "Sephiroth…to think that I trusted you…no!" Cloud tore his hand off of his forehead and reached behind himself, drawing his sword. "No! You're not the Sephiroth I used to know!" He held his sword before himself, eyes narrowed. Sephiroth shook his head, unsheathing Masamune, and stood his ground, watching Cloud with an almost curious gaze.
- - - - - -
"And that's it. That's my story," Cloud finished, glancing back at the group from the window he stood at, and put his hands in his pockets. Red, Tifa, Aerith, Reilena, and Barret stared at him, shock across their faces.
"Wait just a goddamned minute! Ain't there more to it?" Barret finally asked. Cloud shook his head, blowing out a long sigh, and dropped his eyes to the ground.
"I…I don't remember."
"What happened to Sephiroth?" Aerith asked; both Cloud and Reilena shook their heads, and Aerith regarded her sister curiously, as did Cloud. "Rei…"
"He left. I remember that…I saw him once after the events at Nibelheim reached Midgar," Reilena whispered. "He didn't tell me what happened, what he had done…he only told me that he would see me again soon, and left."
"Well, in terms of skill, there was no way I could have killed him anyhow," Cloud added. Tifa shrugged, glancing between her friends.
"Official records state that Sephiroth is dead. I read that in the newspaper a couple days later," she said. Reilena laughed contemptuously.
"You can't trust what they write," she scoffed, wiping at her eyes.
"She's right…Shinra owns the newspaper companies," Aerith replied. Tifa nodded, albeit hesitantly, and glanced over at Cloud; the young man raked a hand through his blonde hair, leaning up against the wall.
"I want to know the truth though," he muttered aloud. "I want to know what happened…why Sephiroth didn't kill me when I challenged him…and the deal with you and your knowledge of him as well," Cloud added, gazing up at Reilena solemnly. "Just how much do you know about him? How well do you think you know him?"
"I'm alive, too," Tifa said, folding her arms as she looked between Cloud and Reilena. Finally, Aerith broke their silence, speaking pointedly to Cloud while she held her sister close.
"Look, the only thing we do know is that this all doesn't make a lot of sense," she said; when Cloud gestured toward Reilena, Aerith shook her head harshly. "Right now, leave my sister out of this. Besides, what about Jenova? It was in the Shinra building, right?" she asked, changing the subject slightly.
"Shinra had it shipped from Nibelheim to Midgar after the incident," he replied in a clipped tone.
"What about what just happened? It was gone when we left the building…did someone carry it out then?" she shot back. Tifa brushed her brunette hair from her eyes in thought.
"Sephiroth…?" she asked, glancing up at Cloud. He shrugged; nearby, Barret kicked the ground irritably.
"Damn! Ain't none of this makes sense anymore!" he ranted. "I'm going, going, going, gone! Hell with this, I'm leavin' the thinkin' to you, Cloud," Barret added, waving his hand in Cloud's direction. "We'll stay here for a night, rest up, and then let's get a move on, a'ight!?" Without waiting for a reply from anyone, Barret stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. A moment of silence; finally, Cloud nodded.
"Barret's right. We'll rest here, and then leave in the morning," he said, glancing across Aerith, Reilena, Red, and Tifa solemnly. Aerith, Red, and Tifa nodded in agreement, and Tifa glanced up at Cloud with a meek sheen in her eyes.
"Cloud, can I ask you something?" He nodded, and Tifa sighed. "How…how bad was I when Sephiroth cut me?"
"Pretty bad." Cloud shut his eyes, thinking back to the day. "I…I thought you were a goner for a while." Tifa nodded, and stood up with a low sigh.
"Thank you." Tifa laid a hand on Cloud's shoulder lightly, and then headed for the door. "I'm going to get some supplies from the merchant in town, and then I'll meet you girls back here. We'll stay together in this room, and the men can stay in the one next door."
"Sounds good," Cloud agreed. Tifa nodded, and left the room; Cloud turned his gaze back to the Gainsborough sisters. Both girls still sat in place, though Reilena's tears had dried, and he knelt before them. Aerith leaned her head on her sister's shoulder, hugging her tightly even as she whispered to Cloud.
"Reilena and I…the Ancients…Cetra…Jenova…Sephiroth…and ourselves," she murmured, gazing quietly at Cloud. Not knowing what to say, Cloud merely laid a hand on Aerith's shoulder as he stood back up, and left the room. At the girls' feet, Red finally rose, scratching his shoulder.
"What a fascinating story," he mused, and then glanced up at the sisters. "And I sincerely hope to hear yours as well, Rei." With that, he plodded out of the room, nudging the door closed behind him with his nose. Aerith and Reilena watched Red amble out, and then Aerith glanced over at Reilena. Immediately her sister hid her face in her hands, biting at her lip to keep quiet, and Aerith sighed.
"Rei…c'mon, look up," she said quietly. Reilena shook her head in refusal, and Aerith smiled gently, rising from the foot of the bed, and knelt before her sister, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Look. If it makes you feel any better, I don't blame you for anything, and I'm sure our mother wouldn't either."
"Which one, Aerith?" Reilena muttered. "Elmyra, or our real mother?" Picking her head up, she gazed down at her older sister, her eyes turned red from crying, and sighed. "It's bad enough that I saw Hojo all of forty-eight hours ago and flipped out over that; then Tseng went and kidnapped you, we were thrown into Hojo's experimental container with Red, and now all this about Sephiroth…I feel like I'm the damned enemy here," she finished, wiping at her eyes. "It's obvious that Cloud doesn't trust me, I don't know about Red, and Tifa…I should just leave the group right now, before we get anywhere."
"No! Don't say that!" Aerith chastised, setting both hands on Reilena's shoulders; when Reilena glanced down at her, Aerith shook her head, a determined sheen in her eyes. "We're in this together, just like everything else we've ever gotten into. If one Gainsborough is involved, then both are. And Reilena…" she paused, running a hand through her sister's bangs, "even if it gets to the point where Cloud blatantly tells you to leave us, then I will come with you." Shocked, Reilena stared at her sister, and Aerith nodded. "I promise."
A knock; both Aerith and Reilena looked over to see Tifa standing in the doorway, a small paper bag in her arms. "Hey Rei, Aerith…I'm not interrupting anything here, am I?" she asked, kicking the door shut behind her. Aerith shook her head as Reilena tucked her hair behind an ear. Noticing her friend's silence, Tifa set the bag down on a nearby table and walked over quickly, concerned. "Rei, what's the matter?"
"She'll be okay," Aerith replied. Tifa gazed up at the older Gainsborough; Aerith's hands were folded, and she nodded. "She and I talked it out. She seems to think that Cloud has it in for her since she knows about Sephiroth, but I explained it to her…"
"Well," Tifa said, shaking her head. "I wish I could tell you it'll all be okay, but I don't know." She pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair, shaking it loose, and sat down on a stool in front of the Gainsborough sisters. "I've known Cloud for a long time - he's way too serious for his own good at times - and once he sets his mind on something, it takes a lot to change it. Rei," she continued, turning to her friend, "from what I can see, Cloud suspects that you know a lot more about Sephiroth than you're telling us, and since you're being so quiet about it and he doesn't know you all that well, he's pretty much considering you to be allied with Sephiroth." Reilena sighed heavily, shoving Aerith's hand away from her, and raked a hand through her hair.
"So I might as well leave then," she muttered. "I knew it; I'm the enemy. Fine then, I'll just head back to Midgar…"
"Reilena, just what the hell are you saying!?" Tifa said, clamping her hands down on her friend's shoulders. Reilena shot Tifa a sullen gaze, and Tifa raised an eyebrow, sighing. "Look…Cloud may suspect you of something, but no one else here does. Hell, Barret and I were talking about how he was treating you back at the Shinra building…and Red most likely has no intentions of making you leave, so the only one you have to worry about is Cloud…"
"Who just happens to be the leader of this entire shebang," Reilena shot back; Tifa opened her mouth to argue, and instead dropped her gaze to the floor, resigned. Aerith walked up beside Tifa, shocked, and Reilena nodded. "Look, just let me make my own decision on this, alright? I don't want any tension here - hell, there's enough as it is without Cloud's sudden hatred of me…"
"Reilena, he doesn't hate you…" Tifa began; Reilena shook her head violently.
"He might as well with the way he's been acting as of late," she snapped. Finally Tifa sighed, turning her gaze to the ceiling.
"Okay then Rei. I won't argue with you," she muttered in a dimissive tone. "If you want to think Cloud hates you, then so be it. I'm going to sleep." Turning to Aerith, she continued. "I spoke with Barret when I came back in from the shop; we're all to meet in the lobby in the morning, and we'll set up groups then." Aerith nodded, and saw Tifa turn to Reilena again; the younger Gainsborough was standing at the window, her hands clasped lightly behind her back. Tifa shook her head, concerned. "You think she'll leave, Aerith?"
"She'll do what she thinks is best," Aerith replied, laying a hand on Tifa's shoulder. "Don't worry yourself over it. I'll talk with her a bit." Tifa raised an eyebrow; Aerith bowed her head, and Tifa finally blew out a long-held breath.
"You're right. 'Night Aerith." Aerith echoed the sentiment, and in moments Tifa was in her bedclothes and underneath the covers of her own bed. Shaking her head, Aerith turned to her sister with an inquiring look; Reilena stood in silence, unmoved, and she walked up to Reilena's side.
"Reilena, are you sure this is the right thing to do?" she asked quietly. Reilena sighed even as she shrugged, glancing toward the window as she thought to herself. What she had said to Tifa was true - Cloud was giving Reilena the feeling that he hated her, considered her an enemy still, but there had to be a way for her to stay with the party and avoid turning herself in to the Shinra. On the other hand though…Reilena had to admit that even with everything she'd heard, the shocking tale Cloud had told, she still felt something for Sephiroth.
Damn decisions. "We said we had things to learn about ourselves…our family…and the Ancients, right?" she began, glancing sideways at her older sister. Aerith bowed her head as she listened to Reilena. "Besides…there's a few things I want to find out for myself. Like about those visions with the ex-Turk…and Sephiroth," she finished. Aerith exhaled silently, brushing her light brown hair from her eyes. Reilena glanced beside herself at Aerith, and gave her a slight shrug. Aerith smiled as she patted her sister's cheek gently.
"Good night, Reilena," she whispered. Reilena nodded.
"'Night, Aerith." Waiting until she was sure both women were asleep, Reilena pulled a chair up beside the window and sat down, wiping at her eyes as she continued to watch the moon.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Argh." Cloud tossed the covers off of himself, resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get any sleep. Numerous thoughts kept running through his head, refusing to stop even as he shut off the light and tried to sleep. In the bed beside his, Barret snored loudly, his back to Cloud; at the foot of their beds lay Red XIII, curled up in a doglike manner as he slept. Cloud swung his legs over his bed and ran a hand through his disheveled blonde hair, heading toward the door; since it was so late, there probably wouldn't be anyone sitting downstairs in the lobby at this time. It'd be better off for him to sit down there and think anyhow, since his damn mind wouldn't shut down.
Pulling the door shut silently behind him, Cloud made his way to the staircase and walked down, shielding his eyes for a moment at the surprisingly bright lights. Once his pupils were adjusted, he made his way down the remainder of the steps and strode outside, folding his hands behind his back as he looked up at the sky with a sigh.
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" His brow furrowed, Cloud peered over his shoulder; Reilena sat on a bench nearby, her arms folded loosely. He dropped his eyes to the ground and turned on his heel.
"I didn't know there was someone else out here," he muttered. "I'll let you be…"
"Nuh-uh." Reilena stood up and strode in front of Cloud, blocking his way back to the inn. "I need to talk to you. Right now." Cloud rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his bare chest as he stared down at Reilena. She remained in place, returning his gaze; finally he exhaled heavily, dropping his arms.
"Go on then." Reilena bowed slightly, returning to her seat on the bench; Cloud opted to stand, and watched her closely, leaning on the bannister of the inn's porch.
"Okay then…how do I start," she muttered, running a hand through her hair nervously. A glance up at Cloud told her that he was already losing his patience with her, and she nodded. "Alright. I understand that you think that I have some sort of…partnership, for lack of a better word, with Sephiroth…"
"You do seem to know quite a bit about him," Cloud interjected. "Not to mention the fact that you had the keys to our cell in the Shinra building, you knew the Masamune, and you go quiet everytime someone mentions him."
"I know, I know." Reilena sat back on the bench, biting at her lip in thought. "Look…the reason why I know him as well as I do…oh sheez," she rattled, raking both hands through her hair as she looked up at Cloud. "About five years ago, there was a formal held by Shinra to celebrate the new class of SOLDIERs graduating from the program. I was dragged there by Aerith 'cause her boyfriend at the time was in the program, and she thought it would be good for me to go there. But, I ended up leaving the main room 'cause I was…I admit it, I was getting jealous of Aerith, and I walked out to be by myself." A pause; Reilena let out a shaky breath, even as she laughed quietly.
"Wait…you were there?" Cloud asked. Reilena's gaze shot upward, and she watched Cloud; he nodded, snapping his fingers as he pushed himself off the bannister. "I knew it…I knew I recognized you and your sister from somewhere." Pausing for a moment, Cloud walked over to the bench and sat down near Reilena, still keeping a bit of distance from her. "You were the one that Sephiroth was talking about then…" Reilena's eyes widened, and she clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
"What?" Cloud nodded, leaning back on the bench.
"Yeah. He didn't say much about you, but I do remember him mentioning someone he'd met at that formal…how he'd 'felt some sort of connection' with her…now it's starting to come back to me," Cloud mused, glancing out toward the sky. "But if you were that girl…then what about now?" He turned back to Reilena, stoic again; she shook her head with a sigh, looking down at her hands.
"I…I don't know," she whispered. "I mean, I can't lie and say that I still don't feel something for him. I do…it's just that with you being so aloof about this, and giving me this aura of hatred, I didn't think that I could speak to you one-on-one and get you to understand that I want to remain here, with the party." Glancing up, she tucked her hair behind an ear, blinking quickly. "I don't want to leave Aerith, and there's still too much I want to find out about ourselves, about Sephiroth, and about my visions." Reilena turned to Cloud with a pleading glance. "I swear to you, I had no idea that Sephiroth had anything to do with the destruction of your hometown, of everything that just happened at the Shinra building…when we were imprisoned in the building, that was the first time I'd seen him in five years, you have to believe me."
Cloud took a deep breath as he sat back on the bench and looked out at the night sky. She sounded honest enough - and he had to admit, it was quite strange finding out that he had known the Gainsboroughs before, not to mention the girl that Sephiroth had spoken so fondly of before. There was that nagging voice in his mind though that told him she wasn't to be trusted, that if they ever did meet up with Sephiroth again she'd leave them in an instant. Cloud brushed his hair away from his eyes as he let out his breath and stood, turning to face Reilena. She stared back up at him, hopeful; finally, he nodded.
"I believe you," Cloud said. "You can stay with us." Immediately Reilena leapt up, hugging Cloud; he stood in place, slightly confused, and Reilena stood back just as quickly, laughing.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that…I mean, thank you! Thank you so much," she said, shaking his hand instead. "You have no idea what this means to me."
"You're welcome." Cloud gestured toward the inn. "Might as well get some sleep now - we're leaving at daybreak."
"Of course." Reilena bowed slightly, the excited smile still on her face. "Thank you again Cloud…good night!" He nodded in return, watching to make sure she made it back upstairs, and turned to the sky with a low sigh. He was still a bit uncertain as to whether she could be trusted, but her emotions were genuine; it would have been dishonourable for him to just leave her in the dust as such.
And she just might be of use when we finally do catch up to Sephiroth.