Zack had piled the story on Cloud, as he carried/dragged the boy through the mountains. He left nothing out. Well… Nothing but the book and the piece about Hojo. That he kept to himself. It wouldn't do for Cloud to know this piece about Sephiroth. If he could talk the general out of this mad rage, he didn't want to sink him right back into it by Cloud's slipping up and saying something. That wouldn't help Zack's health any, either.
So its best to keep it to yourself, he had thought.
They had left the burning town immediately. Zangan had said that the general had called for Shinra help days ago, after the group returned from the reactor visit. They should have been arriving soon enough to get the fires under control. Why not follow Zack's plan and go after Sephiroth? Actually, thinking back on it, Zack remembered seeing headlights in the distance as they disappeared down the mountain pass.
The moon was low in the sky, and light was starting to creep into the blue. Zack swore. Had they taken to long to get through the mountains? No. No, that couldn't have been it.
"Less then an hour." Cloud told the black haired man, reading his thoughts like any telepath could.
Zack blinked, turning from the reactor to fix his gaze on the little blond. He looked exhausted, worried, and in pain. His blue suit had seen better days, though under the grim, scorch marks, blood stains, and whatever else clung to the fabric, Zack couldn't make out when. His eyes went to Cloud's upper arm, which the boy clutched with his left hand. Though it was still very dark, the flickering light from the reactor gave off enough light for Zack to make out the crimson liquid seeping through Clouds grasp.
Zack swore and started to climb down towards him, but the boy shook his head, holding out his hand and taking a step back. Zack could now make out the large wound that was under Clouds pale hands.
"Cloud, why didn't you-" The man started, but again Cloud shook his head.
"Because we had to hurry. Zack, Tifa is in there, and-"
Zack swore again and raced up the stairs. Tifa! How the hell could he have forgotten about her!
"Zack!" He stopped dead in his tracks, skidding across the medal just a little, before his hand hit the door. "Zack…don't let her get hurt, please?"
Zack turned his head to look over at his friend. He nodded. "I wont. Just stay out here and let me take care of this."
The blond nodded, his hair long sense fallen out of their spikes. With a sigh of slight relief, and feeling very alone suddenly, Zack forced a smile and pushed open the door.
The stench of mako, faintly like chlorine, washed over him. He tried hard not to gag. The scent could be so overpowering. Slowly he closed the door, getting a soft click to confirm it was closed. Slowly he walked along the metal platform, hand not daring to touch the rusted and slightly green railing on both sides. He made his way to the end, squinting in the darkness, getting only a little light from yet another flickering lamp on the ceiling, and the red and blue lights fixed above levers and valves.
The inside of the reactor was never made for visitors, only the Shinra employed. He hated getting around in this mess. Pipes, ladders, chains, and boards were about the only way to get down to the pods. He glanced over the edge of a old, slippery, pipe line, down into the depths of the reactor. A faint green glow came from the bottom.
But his eyes did not stay on the mako for long. He heard faint sobbing from somewhere. It clawed at his mind, screaming something at him. He didn't know what. Green eyes darting about quickly, and it didn't take him to long to find the source of the sobs.
Bathed in a faint orange glow, coming from deeper inside this devils contraption, was Tifa, he slim body trembling.
And next to her…A body?
He stepped no closer to the edge, fearing to fall, but he couldn't see the person well enough to tell who it was, if he had even met them at all.
He didn't have to, actually, for his answer came soon enough.
"papa…" Came her faint whisper, her voice dripping with pain and sorrow. A mumble, almost escaping Zack's ears, came after.
"Sephiroth!?" It wasn't the same soft, sad, whisper that Tifa had let escape her lips seconds before. This was a screech, one that startled Zack. It sent the boy stepping back a few inches, eyes wide. Oh no…Not this. Sephiroth…
"Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he!?" Tifa's voice raged on. Zack swallowed, finding himself rooted to where he stood. His mind wanted to go to her, to comport her, but his body refused to budge. "Sephiroth... SOLDIER... Mako Reactors... Shinra... Everything! I hate them all!"
"No…" He whispered, finding no voice, only a croak, as Tifa plucked up the masamune and raced into the orange light, and towards Jenova's cell.
"No!" He yelled, snapping back to himself. He let out a stream of curses, racing now along the pipe and towards the chains that hung down to the lower level. His hands gripped them before the rest of him got there, and he climbed and fell down them, only to land with a slight crash onto the metal platform. His feet pounded against the metal. He could hardly hear the door swing open behind him, but it never even occurred to him that maybe the door was being opened by something from the outside.
Sephiroth is in there! I promised Cloud that I wouldn't let her get hurt!
He almost jumped into the next section of the reactor, his eyes watching Tifa as she raced up the stairs towards Sephiroth. The mans back was turned to her, and he was so focused on what he was doing he never noticed.
"Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door." He said, voice sounding soft and soothing, coaxing whatever it was on the other side of the door to do as he wished.
Tifa let out a frustrated cry.
"How could you do that to papa and all the townspeople?!" She screamed, raising the masumane.
"Tifa! No!" Zack yelled, running towards the steps.
It didn't matter now. He couldn't reach her in time to protect her. Sephiroth laughed, eyes no longer sane as they glistened with hate and amusement. The blade was ripped from Tifa's grasp, and with a scream the young girl was flying backwards through the air. Zack's eyes widened. Sephiroth grinned, turning from the girls body as she slammed off the floor, the tip of his blade bathed in blood.
Hate flared up in Zack, and the pain of breaking a promise. But he'd get even, if only for Cloud and Tifa's sake.
He raced to the girls body, taking her in his hands as a parent may take a newborn child, lifting her slowly from the ground. She didn't move, her chest hardly rose with each struggled breath. Blood spilled from her body, staining her white shirt crimson.
Out cold… Zack though, as he placed her against one of the pods, brushing long locks of bring hair from her face. Please don't make it permanent.
He bit his bottom lip uncertainly, pained by the fact that he could do nothing to help her. Not right now. With a growl of frustration he shoved himself back to his feet, drawing the Buster Sword and racing up the stairs.
