Note: Yup. Sort of spoiled the story by putting this note in it. But this one is well needed. You people reading have no clue how much this chapter relied upon the help of Riene-Strife so do me a favor: Please, please, please go read his stories. They are wonderful and if you like or don't like mine, you'll love his. Thanks.

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"Ouch! Dammit Seph! I didn't mean to do it! Aye!"

Zack leapt back just in time, narrowly avoiding the tip of Sephiroth's masumane as the sword swung hatefully at his chest. The black haired man fell backwards into the tiled street with a thud. Rain water poured down in buckets, causing the purple SOLDIER uniform to plaster itself to his skin.

"Ouch. Dammit Seph! Come on man! Yikes!" He rolled to his left as steel swung down at him, eyes wide.

"S-Sephiroth!" Cloud shirked in fear. The General stopped and turned to glare at Cloud from over his shoulder.

"Keep your spiked head out of this, Strife." He snapped venomously. Clouds eyes widened in fear and his moth clamped shut. The few guards left near the boy snatched him up and dragged him to a different part of the building.

The general Sephiroth looked back at Zack. "What did I tell you Flame?!"

"I didn't mean to do it Seph! It was an accident man! Were buds! I wouldn't do that to ya! Oh put the sword down man…"

Sephiroth spun his wrist sending the huge sword down towards the stuttering boy, and Zack just managed to rolled again as it came down, with a hairsbreadth of spare space. Breathing heavy, the man forced himself to his feet, running as quickly as he could as far as he could. Not bothering to look over his shoulder, he went for the first place possible to escape.

Cloud struggled against his captors. "He's going to kill him!"

"Aye, kid! Flames going to become a shishcobob on his own! We cant lose to many men here!"

Cloud flung himself forward, but was quickly flung back.

"Come onaren't you going to do something?!" the boy cried.

"Yeah, We'll do something," one of the men in blue said, setting down his pool stick and marching over to where Cloud was flinging himself in an attempt to break free. Cloud stopped momentarily to watch the man, before pulling himself against the men's hands again.

"this." The man grabbed Cloud by the collar of his shirt, and flung him back into the bathroom.

The boy let out a gasp as he was slammed into the tub, feeling a sharp pain in his back. Losing his balance, Cloud fell back heavily into the tub. His head bashed itself off from the wall. The room spun and lost focus quickly. Pain seared that part of his body for a moment. He heard the door slammed shut, and he heard a chair scrape across the floor.

"…great…"

Rubbing the sore place on his back, he pushed himself all the way into the tub, hugging his knees as he looked around.

'The generals going to kill him…But he didn't mean to do that… Zack's probably as blond as my hair. Little common sense when it comes to showing off. He doesn't know when to sto-..op…'

His eyes had been roaming the bathroom, but suddenly stopped their search for nothing when they came to a window. It was small, hardly large enough for his head to fit through, and to high up for his 5 feet or more of height to get to.

He shoved himself up and climbed out of the tub, looking for a box.

"Gah!" Zack cried in annoyance, leaning back to avoid the cross slash of masamune as it sliced trough an umbrella that lay between them. Ocean water crashed onto the beach shore, drenching Zack up to his knees. He took this moment, as he stumbled back, to draw the Buster sword. He had had little time to snatch it up from the ground before he ran to the beach, but he had managed it.

His hands gripped the hilt instinctively well and his blade was at ready just in time to meet the blow Sephiroth sent at him.

Not ready for it, Zack stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. A wave crashed upon the shore, sending green slime and sea life to cover him. Snatching up the fallen blade, he dodged a downward blow, rolling to safety.

Pushing himself up to his feet Zack raised his blade in an attempt to uppercut Sephiroth. Of course he knew this would never hit the General, but it would postpone his attacks. And for that he was thankful. Zack, now preparing to face Sephiroth finding that running was useless, broadened his stance and raised his sword.

"Hm. You have some sense after all Flame!" the general mocked in his monotone voice. Sephiroth stopped walking and took a stance side on to Zack with his left side closest to his opponent. His arms where up in front of his body slightly crossed ,left hand gripping the hilt facing inward right hand outward, the huge blade running parallel to his body and out towards Zack.

Zack Gulped.

Every time he saw Sephiroth take stance, people tend to drop, or monsters meet their fate. Fear welling up in Zack, he tried one last plea.

"c-come don't be like that….I didn't mean it Seph, you know that….don't you." His muttering did him no good. Sephiroth took a step forward and stabbed straightforward arms out stretched fully, though the blow never landed. That was through no skill of Zack's, just because he jumped back out of the way at the sight of Sephiroth move.

Sephiroth knowing this left him vulnerable, immediately returned his sword back to the ready position. As he did Zack, over coming his fear, ran straight towards Sephiroth hoping to surprise him. After a few steps he launched himself up in the air, pulling the Buster Sword behind his head. This did indeed catch Sephiroth of guard. But he was no legend for nothing.

As Zack brought the Buster Sword down with all his strength, and weight as well, Sephiroth pivoted to the side with un-natural speed. Zack's Braver technique accomplished nothing more than lodging his sword deep in the sand.

Sephiroth brought his sword down upon Zack, who flung his arms off his sword and leaned back to avoid loosing them completely. Masamune slashed the sand but did not stick. Zack kicked the blade away from his body in an attempt to distance himself from death.

Sephiroth spun with the sword and kicked Zack in the side sending him on to his back.

Cloud hopped up and down, trying to see what was going on outside. The few times he managed to get his eyes to the window, he had merely seen a flash of silver. Hair or sword he didn't know.

Cursing under his breath Cloud's eyes again darted about the room. "Box, box, box. Where's a box?" He asked himself, feeling rage at his fellow guards. The jerks. They wouldn't help Zack, but to lock him up so he couldn't try was just as bad.

'No box. What kind of bathroom is this…Trash can, has to be a trash can!' Nothing. 'Okay…Okay…Think Strife. Think…'

His eyes darted about madly, but suddenly fell upon a small cupboard. Sturdy, made out of what appeared to be oak. It would hold his weight. He knew it would.

He raced over to the item, quickly grabbing it and pulling it from its place against the wall. It moved with a loud creek, bottles rolling and thrashing about inside it. Toilet paper burst open the doors as they fell from their once neat piles. Towels slipped from their folded positions, pill bottles and different decorative glasses shattered. He ignored it, running to the other side of the cabinet and shoving it over.

It was a perfect fit, leaving just a few inches of space from the top of the cabinet and the window itself. 'Now to get on top of it…' He swore as he realized he still needed the box.

"Why…Why is it every time I try to help him I cant!" He cried, shaking his head and turning back to the door. His eyes caught his reflection in the mirror to his right. Sighing, he turned to it and stared. "Weak little Cloud. Not good enough to be in SOLDIER, not good enough to fight," He placed his hand on the hilt of Ivy's blade, which he carried everywhere with him now. He had to remember to go back somehow.

"Tiny little Cloud. Not good enough to play with Tifa. Not good enough to be her friend. Never good enough to be Zack's little brother. Never…" He stopped his pity trip suddenly, looking down at the sink counter. Eyes widened he smacked his forehead, climbing up onto it.

"Stupid, stupid Strife." He hissed, smiling just a little. Finding his box, he placed his feet on the small, white tiled countertop. With a leap, his spikes grazing the ceiling, he flung himself at the top of the cupboard. His hands grasped its top, and he scrambled to pull himself up it.

The wooden storage unit teetered, and began a forward plunge. Clouds hands had snapped open the lock and shoved the window open just as he began to feel himself fall back. With a gasped, he threw himself forward once again, gripping tightly to the windowsill. Throwing himself through it, he heard the cabinet crash, pieces shatter.

He wriggled himself through the window, his arms scraping on the sharp metal edges. Getting his hands and head and a good part of his upper body free, he placed his gloved hands on the side of the building, shoving back with all his might. Soon the rest of him pulled free of the cramped window, and he was toppling towards the ground.

He hit the ground rather painlessly, and sat up in time to see Sephiroth tower over his friend. "Never good enough to be his little brother…I'll fix that." It seemed his rage at his ex-captured and his love of Zack overrode his fear. He stood up drawing Ivy's sword and running his gloved hand down the blade.

"If I am going to take on the general, I'm glad it's your sword I use, Ivy." The boys hands shook as they gripped the hilt.

Sephiroth appeared to be saying something to Zack. Cloud gritted his teeth and ran for the two men. He was in range to hear what they where saying now.

"Flame, you have done it this time…I think you deserve this punishment. If you live someday you may thank me for it." The general uttered. He lifted the masamune above his head, and smiled. Clouds heart leapt…he quickened his pace and saw the masamune fall towards his friend.

He launched Ivy's Kitana straight out over Zack's body and under the generals sword. Rooting his feet firmly in the ground in time to brace for the impact. The masamune met the kitana with incredible force. The blade almost came out Clouds hands, but by sheer will power he kept the blow from his friend.

Sephiroth turned his head to Cloud.

His eyes were glowing brightly and he had a look or shock on his face. Zack took this chance to roll back wards from under the swords and run as fast as he could towards the nearest hiding place…a short wall.

Cloud could feel the fear rushing threw him. Zack was out of danger so him motivation upped it and left, just as quick as Zack.

"Strife! I told you to stay out of this! That is the first time, and the last, you will ever interfere or stop me again." The general seemed to grow in size just through the aggression in his voice.

Cloud scared out of his wits, replied.

"I…If you try to h…harm Zack again, I will interfere. again…I promise." Scared for himself he was stuttering. But in hid defense of Zack he remained steady. The Generals temper flared and he brought the masamune up and then thundering back down with lightening speed, the blow shatter Ivy's sword and left the pieces on the floor.

"Give up Strife! He deserves it and you are weaponless." Sephiroth mused.

Cloud looked around frantic; again his eyes darted for a solution. His eyes after time fell on the buster sword. Cloud faked a dash to the left sending Sephiroth of guard and rolled to the right, grasping the hilt of the buster sword as he stood up, he yanked it hard and brought it in front of his body in defense.

"Ha Boy. You have left me closer to Zack than you are, some body guard." Sephiroth laughed playfully.

The water splashed around their feet as they stood. Filled with a sudden pride and smugness Cloud spoke.

"But General, you can't reach Zack with out turning your back on me. And that would not be good strategy…sir!" He emphasized the sir with a smile.

Sephiroth suddenly stopped. In realizing his mistake. That little boy had actually tricked him. Zack looked on from the safety of his wall, no idea what was happening.

"You aren't going to back down are you Strife, and to get to him I would have to go through you…and I can't afford to lose to men. Infernal little boy. You had better be careful" With that Sephiroth walked to the side and up the beach towards his room.

Cloud slumped down to the ground, tired, scared, and a nervous wreck With Zack running to his side.