Zeo opened the door of his bedroom and peered down the hall. Everyone was asleep–Barret was snoring loudly somewhere to his right.
"I have to get out of here," he said, staring down the corridor.

Cloud's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
"You had this huge green and gold sword in your hand," Tifa avoided his gaze, "and you were wearing gold armor. And your eyes...were green."

Zeo crept up the hall, looking at the last door of the walkway which stood slightly ajar. He faintly heard Tifa's voice, then a low male's:
"Tifa..."

"Tifa..." Cloud's blue eyes flickered. He bowed his head: "It was my clone."
They lay in silence for a few moments, then Tifa spoke up again.
"Aeris did say one thing before she died."
"What?"
"...'Ultimate Sacrifice'."

Zeo shook his head, passing the doorway and creeping down the stairs.
"I shouldn't have stayed here for so long...I've put her in danger." He crossed the dark lobby, heedless of the single yellow eye that watched him from the lounge area. "Goodbye, Tifa."

Cloud looked away from Tifa.
"What was that?"
"What was what?" she blinked.
"I heard a door close," he got up, moving to the room door and peering out into the hallway. Tifa joined him. Red XIII climbed up the stairs, looking over his shoulder at the first floor landing.
"That was strange..." he grumbled.
"What was?" Cloud asked.
"Ahh!" Nanaki jumped and looked up at them.

"What's wrong, Nanaki?" Tifa whispered.
"That kid–Zeo–I just saw him go out the front door."
Cloud and Tifa glanced at one another.
"Did he say anything?" Cloud asked the creature.
Red nodded: "He said something about putting someone in danger, and then he said goodbye to Tifa just as he walked out."
"He's going back to fight the clones," Tifa lowered her eyes to the floor.
"Idiot," Cloud shook his head.

Zeo looked back at the receding Inn once before running up the mountain trail. Sudden footsteps on the path told him something was now in pursuit. He pulled out his bow staff and stopped quickly, almost making the figure slam into him. It leapt over his head, unsheathing a long, gold and blue lance.
"Marione..." he murmured.
"Pleased to see you remember who I am," Cid's clone hissed, his green mako eyes flashing. Zeo twirled the bow staff and charged the clone. Marione charged too, knocking the staff away and slicing at him with the gold blade. Zeo winced, rasing his hands up and calling upon the great six-winged BahamutZERO. The power beam struck Marione and made the ground around them quake. Zeo shielded his eyes from the harsh glare. There was a pause and all of a sudden Cid's figure leapt toward him, drawing back a powered-up fist.
"I am not as easy as Ryan!"
"Zeo!" Tifa shouted, knocking him out of the way. Marione stumbled and turned to see what had happened when Cloud's huge Ultima Sword found its way deep into his chest. He blinked, looking up at the blond.
"Surprise," Cloud snarled, twisting the blade inward. A line of blood seeped out from the corner of Marione's mouth and he pulled away, the thick blade sliding out of him with a sickening noise. He stumbled back, leaning against his own Venus Gospel and looked again to Tifa and Zeo who were both getting to their feet.
"Kenya, you just gonna stand there and watch!" he growled. Cloud, Tifa, and Zeo turned to look at the dark red animal which padded up from behind the wounded clone and glared.
"You seemed to be handling the situation quite well."
"Get the girl! I'll hold them off!"
With a snarl, Red XIII's clone sprang onto Tifa and Zeo, knocking the boy aside. Tifa yelped as Kenya grabbed her wrist in his teeth and threw her to te ground. He stood over her growling loudly and baring his fangs.
"Tifa!" Cloud ran to help her, but Marione knocked him aside. The mercenary scrambled back just as the clone dove at him, spear extended. Zeo swung around and knocked Kenya on the back of the head. The creature threw its head up and roared–more in anger than pain. Tifa slid out from under the enraged animal, cradling her wounded wrist in her other hand. Zeo picked her up and nudged her toward the trail.
"Run and get help!"
She hesitated, looking at Cloud and Marione. "But I can–"
"Tifa!" Red XIII howled. She looked back to see Nanaki dart past her and slam his duplicate to the ground. Almost at once, they got back up and lunged at each other.
"Tifa, go back!" Cloud grunted, throwing Marione away. Cid's clone stumbled, then abandoned his fight and instead dove for the girl.
"She's coming with us!"
Cait Sith came from their left and smashed a fist into the clone's face. Marione fell aside, groaning in pain. Red XIII and Kenya stood as still as statues, glaring heatedly at one another.
"Cait Sith!" Tifa blinked as the stuffed mog stood protectively before her.
"What? I'm a cat–I have excellent hearing," he smiled, then focused his attention on Marione. The clone got to his feet, coughing up a few spatters of blood.
"You will so pay for that," he spat.
"You leave her alone!" Cait Sith meowed wildly, swelling in size. A bright flash of light surrounded the pinkish animal and he curled his fists up, getting ready to throw...dice.
"Huh?" Tifa blinked. "This is new!"

Cait Sith threw the white cubes high into the air, making everyone look up. He created a spell in his paws and held it until it began to hum. The dice fell back to the ground, landing on the numbers four and six. He hissed and threw the ball of energy up into the air next. It glinted, bore down on Cid's clone, and exploded upon impact. The spirit of the Grim Reaper rose from the light, his scythe slung over one bony shoulder, his toothy grin flickering eerily. With a powerful swing, Marione fell dead and the attack vanished. Everyone turned to look at Cait Sith, who blushed and danced around a bit.
"Roulette–like it?"
"That'll come in handy," Cloud blinked.
"Hey, wait! Come back here!" Nanaki howled. The others turned to see the imposter creature rush up the mountain trail. Tifa clenched the fist of her wounded arm and ran after him.
"Tifa!" Zeo cried.
"I've got him!" she hollered back, rushing up after the red animal.
They all watched as she disappeared around a bend after Kenya and shook their heads. Cloud groaned and sat on the cold rock beside the still figure of Marione. He lay his sword to the side and looked at the body.
"Well, that's–"
He cut himself off. Red noticed the abrupt silence, and turned to Cloud.
"What?"
Cait Sith looked down to where he was and made a face: "Eww!"
"Is that blood!" Nanaki sniffed at the corpse delicately. Cloud got down on one knee beside Marione's corpse and put a hand in the dark liquid staining the mountain trail. Zeo looked from over his shoulder as well.
"Zeo," Cloud turned to him, "how real are these clones?"
"Real enough," Cait Sith retorted.
"Almost exactly the same," Zeo answered.
"Why, 'almost'?" Cloud asked.
"Because they've been genetically programmed to thrive off mako energy," the white-haired boy replied.
"Just like SOLDIERs..." Cloud mumbled.
"Think you understand it, Cloud?" Nanaki nudged his leg.
"Yeah," the blond responded, standing up. "They need mako energy to survive. Take away the mako...and they die."

"Why are you chasing me!" Kenya growled.
"Because you have the answers I need!" Tifa gasped back. With a snarl, he broke from the path and leapt into the heart of the mountain range. She stopped and watched his ascent for a few seconds, then ran around to the caves and the bridge which led up to the old Mako Reactor.
Kenya dodged past a few shadows on his right and looked back to see if the girl was still chasing him. He couldn't see her, but he could smell the sweat and blood on her skin. His one green eye darted around quickly, searching for her. She leapt from one of the forgotten paths on his left and tackled him. They tumbled through the dirt and rocks, Tifa landing sprawled atop him. Kenya growled, panting for breath as she held herself up with her arms, gasping.
"I don't want to hurt you..."
He snarled and twisted out from beneath her, crouching to attack. She held up her hands defenselessly, never taking her eyes from his face. Kenya pounced on her, making her head slam into the hard-packed dirt. She cried out but didn't move to retaliate. The creature sniffed her for a few more seconds, then moved off of her and turned away.
"Hojo sent us to bring you back."
"Back where?" she groaned, sitting up and rubbing her head.
"Where the last Ancient sacrificed themselves to Meteor."
"Aeris?"
"The city where the Cetra dwelt–the key to the Promise Land."
"The City of Ancients was home to the Cetra," Tifa thought aloud. "But why would Hojo be there?"
"I can tell you no more. I must return before I die here."
"Are you wounded?"
Kenya looked back at her, his one good eye roving over her figure to her face. It showed genuine concern. He grinned half-heartedly.
"We are one in the same. Those which fight for good, become evil. But those who were neutral, remain so."
"'One in the same'? I still don't get that," she blinked.

"You no longer have to worry about me," Kenya assured. "However, there are some who still hunt you. Return to the City of the Ancients, and there you shall find all your answers."
With a final glance at Tifa, Kenya nodded and bounded up the mountain pass. She watched him go.
"Tifa!" Cloud hollered. She got up and turned to see him and Zeo running up the trail to reach her. She smiled, walking back down to meet them.
"Where did it go! Are you hurt!" Zeo yelped.
"Are you alright?" Cloud panted.
Tifa shook her head, looking up to where the creature had disappeared into the night.
"Cloud, Zeo...we need to have a talk."