Hope this chapter makes sense…

North

Cid rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease away the growing tension that was now building. His head threatened to explode with a new found headache, making his body hurt in places that he knew shouldn't.

Yuffie rubbed her hands together, hoping to get some type of warmth in them. Her sparkling eyes taking in the remaining members of the group that had fought Jenova and lost.

Both of them kept looking back over to the newest arrival. Cid seemed to be taking everything in his stride, thinking that he must be hallucinating. Yuffie found that while she was angry and hated him, she couldn't find the energy to show it.

"Thanks for uh…" Cid stumbled for the words to say to the silver haired warrior a few feet in front of him, "for uh…"

"Please, no need," was the awkward response, "I'd of done the same for anyone."

The pilot nodded, "Sure."

"Are you insane Cid?" Yuffie complained, "You're actually thanking him for blowing up the Highwind?!"

Cid shoved his hands deeper into the jacket pockets, trying to keep warm. His blue eyes and head lowered as he fought against the falling snow. The white flakes getting caught in his greying blonde hair.

He hadn't of been thrilled to actually follow the idea but if it meant that Jenova was blown sky high…well, sacrifices had to be made. It had given off one hell of a light show, the entire sky lighting up with all sorts of green and red hues as the flames and mako combined.

"Gimme a minute to figure out what the hell is going on okay?" he muttered in his collar.

"What?" Yuffie shook her head, failing to clear it completely of the snow.

Angrily, Cid snapped his head up, "I said give me a minute!"

Sephiroth turned round partly, "Miss Kisaragi?"

Yuffie drew her attention from Cid to the silver haired general. Surprised that he even knew her name. More surprised at the fact that he wasn't going on a killing spree.

"What?" she replied.

"Would you walk with me for a few moments? I need to have a few words with you," Sephiroth's tone was soft, not the cold and insane hiss that he had taken on when he had tried to destroy the planet.

Yuffie looked over to Cid, looking for a sign to go ahead. The pilot ignored her, his face frowning as he tried to work out the problems that were currently plaguing him.

The ninja caught up with Sephiroth, keeping out of arms reach and looking for any signs of his sword. She sniffed and caught a whiff of something. The smell wasn't very pleasant and forced her to wrinkle her nose.

"What is that smell?" her voice not holding back any of the disgust.

Sephiroth stiffened instantly, his green eyes looking ahead of him. He knew that he wasn't exactly an advertisement for the Lynx effect at that moment. He hadn't had a chance to shave or bath for a few days.

"…It could be…" he was less than thrilled to actually be admitting this, "Well, it has been a while since I had a chance to shower. So, I apologize."

The comment made the teen ninja's lip's fight a smile, "…I…wasn't implying you but now that you…"

The rest of the sentence was killed as he gave her daggers, just daring her to continue the rest of the statement that she wanted to say. The ninja frowned as she heard a long breathy sigh emerge from her new travelling companion.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Yuffie tugged on one of her braids, the sigh making her think back to when the rest of AVALANCHE gave her that noise.

The sigh that signalled that the group was getting tired of her constant moans and plans to steal their materia.

"What do you know of this time?" Sephiroth asked.

"This time?" Yuffie shrugged, "We kicked your ass two years back, what more is there to say? Life is good. "

"It's been more than two," Sephiroth corrected, "and I get no joy telling you that it has been over 700 years since my defeat at your hands."

"You're lying," the ninja whispered, "No…you're just making that up."

"He's not," Cid's voiced entered the conversation, "I don't know why but…he isn't lying."

"He's trying to trick us. He's Sephiroth! He'll kill us while we sleep," Yuffie argued, "It can't happen. How the hell can we be 700 years in the future?"

The Shin-ra pilot shrugged, "I don't know. Yuffie…if I knew, I'd be a freaking genuis."

Sephiroth looked at the greying blonde with interest, he had said nothing to him. Apart from the confused thank you, that was the only real thing the blonde had said to him.

"Captain…" Sephiroth felt a cold blast of wind around his knees, rising to his chest.

Cid slowly dragged his eyes to him, "I'm not a captain. Not anymore."

"My memory isn't what it used to be. This may sound cliched but I feel at my most calm here but…I can feel this voice at the back of my mind. I can't hear it but I know it's there, know that it's going to get stronger as time goes on," Sephiroth had to admit, he was surprised at how honest he was being with his killers.

The two AVALANCHE members frowned, Cid smiled and shook his head. the look on his face telling Yuffie that he was finding this highly amusing all of a sudden.

"So…is Jenova alive or is there more to come?" Yuffie hesitantly asked, the same feeling of dread rising up to her throat.

"……" Sephiroth's jaw worked, trying to find an answer they wanted to hear.

"Great! Just great!" he cried out, "So, who else wants to make an appearance in the worst day of my life?"

Two members of the resistance slowly walked over to the trio, their eyes wide and full of awe as they approached.

"Are you really the great ninja Yuffie and the legendary pilot Cid?" the first one spoke up, the pure awe and disbelief in her voice evident.

Yuffie blushed, happy for the small distraction that the two had caused. Cid raised an eyebrow, his eyes searching the two in front of him. Sephiroth allowed a small smile to grace his lips, recalling how people used to look at him with such awe.

"Yup," Yuffie grinned.

"Yeah, sure, ya betcha," Cid mumbled.

"Wow…this is gonna boost our members back in Neo Midgar," the young woman bubbled, "Just think, half of AVALANCHE fighting the Shin-Ra."

"Half?" Cid snapped to attention, "What do you mean half?"

"Well…our leader Nanaki and it's reported that we have Chaos among our ranks," the woman suddenly felt a little uneasy at the sudden attention.

"Things are looking up," Cid offered, "so, they're in…Neo Midgar?"

"Yes…we should get you to the dock as soon as possible," the young woman said.

"How long til we get there?" Yuffie could feel her stomach do cartwheels as she thought about the travelling.

"A few days," came the reply.

Neo Midgar

"You had us worried sick!" Louisa slapped Tseng on the shoulder, her dark eyes filling with tears.

Tseng rubbed his arm and smiled, "My ears are still ringing and my head feels like all the marching bands on the planet are playing in my head right now."

Adrian smiled, "Who the hell cares! We thought ya were dead."

"It takes a lot to kill me," Tseng smiled, "just like my ancestor."

Adrian frowned, "Huh?"

"Sephiroth tried to kill my great, great, great, great, great…" Tseng blushed as he caught the look of boredom, "Anyhow…he tried to kill one of my ancestors and left him for dead. AVALACHE luckily came by and took him to safety. By some miracle, he lived to tell the tale."

Louisa looked over to the sitting form of Chaos, wondering when the infamous Vincent Valentine would make an appearance. Just how long was the man trapped for? Was there anything left to save?

Chaos sat quietly in the corner, not really interested in the conversation. He was trying to figure what exactly had happened in the lab. Everything seemed to be pointing in the wrong direction.

Horton could not possibly be a descendant of the Highwind blood line. Had Shera and Cid had the child they so desperately sought or was this another cruel joke of Horton?

Just when we blow one problem up, we get another one that bites us all in the collective ass, the Hellmasker sighed, I thought being good was supposed to be easy.

Gigas mentally rolled it's blood shot eyes, No, being evil is easy. Being good…is well…much harder but usually more worthwhile.

I think I like being evil, Hellmasker surmised, but…on the odd occasion, I like being a rebel and do something good. Keeps you all guessing.

Chaos said nothing to the two demons, usually he would of gotten involved and told them that as long as they were used for good, then they were good. Vincent Valentine was a good man but, like all men, he had some very twisted bones in his body.

The dark warriors shoulders slumped, a long heavy sigh escaped from his lips. Was this how the master felt after trying to think and solve all the worlds problems? Did he feel this helpless?

Tseng walked over to him, a canteen of water held in his dirty hands. Slowly, he offered the container to Chaos, his dark eyes wide with awe.

"Wow…um, here," he whispered as Chaos reached for the vessel.

Good to see that you're keeping the fort in order, a voice called from the darkness.

Chaos jerked his head up, startling Tseng. That voice…soft yet powerful.

Nice to see you too, it offered again.

Master? Vincent? Chaos closed his eyes, hoping that he could see the master in the place of peace.

He slowed his heartbeat, calming himself. Tuning out the concerned noises and voices from the three humans in the room. Ignoring all the sounds that were coming from the planet. He had to focus on the master, his voice, his form.

"Open your eyes," Vincent ordered.

Chaos did as it was bid. His red orbs gazing upon the slender form in front. Long dark hair, red eyes, golden claw…it was the master. He had returned!

"You are home…" Chaos whispered, a smile tugging on his lips.

Vincent didn't look to convinced at that, his face pulling into a frown. Something it seemed was bothering him.

"…You don't look happy," Hellmasker appeared from the void, dragging one of his feet.

Gigas lumbered in, it's eyes betraying none of it's emotions as it spotted Vincent. For a long moment, he considered the human.

Nothing seemed to be frightfully out of place with him, he didn't look strong enough to house four demons. Gigas frowned, if he ever had the urge, he could have snapped the man in two. However, when Gigas gazed into Vincent's red eyes, they betrayed a true power.

No matter how many times Hojo had broke the young man, he had never completely killed his spirit. That was why Gigas had joined souls with him, the fight for life he had within him.

Chaos had joined for that reason as well. Hojo had thought it was because he had placed them but it was actually because the four demons respected Vincent as a person. He had not allowed himself to become like a broken toy, wallowed in self pity.

Galian emerged, it's tail swinging gently from side to side. It's horned head lowered s it sniffed the air. It was the master…he had came home. Chaos had been right.

"No…I am," Vincent offered the Hellmasker, "Its just that Cid and Yuffie are trapped in the north. I have to tell Shera so she can send out a rescue for them."

Chaos lowered his head, Vincent was not going to enjoy hearing this news just as much as he hated telling him it.

"Shera is dead," he mournfully told him, "Everyone you knew is dead."

Vincent shook his head, "No…Cid and Yuffie are in the north. I have to tell Shera. She can't be dead."

"She is," Hellmasker had sorrow laced through it's normally hissing voice.

"How long was I gone for?" Vincent stared into space, his red eyes threatening to spill tears.

Chaos looked at the gathered demons, all three had gone quiet. It seemed they also felt guilty and missed the dead.

Gigas spoke, saving Chaos the harsh look and words he would no doubt receive.

"Over seven hundred years."

"What has happened? What have we missed?"

Hellmasker shrugged, "Not much. Well…apart from the SHADOW Shin-Ra making more Jenova's and trying to take over the world."

Gigas offered more information, "Also, Sephiroth has returned from the dead. Why?"

The former Turk thoughtfully gazed at the assembled four. They had done well, not tearing his body in four. However, he could see how tired Chaos was, how he longed for sleep.

No words were needed as he looked the winged one in the eyes, a small smile being the only symbol of thanks Vincent got as Chaos disappeared into the place of peace.

"Déjà vu," Vincent muttered as he stepped forward to take his place once again in the fight for the planet.