Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 and 'Ninja' belongs to Metal Gear Solid, which I also don't own!
Aeris sat on the alter. Her eyes closed she looked so sweet. Much the way she was. The dark figure appeared overhead, a looming figure of death. It was too late for anyone to try to warn her, but Tifa shot out of the protection of the rest of the group. At the last minute she shoved Aeris foreward and took the full blunt of Sephiroth's attack! "Tifa!" Cloud shouted. Aeris turned to see the sword emerge from the back of Tifa's body. "No!" she called. The look on Sephiroth's face said that he was abhorred by the result as well. He pulled his sword out, and threw it into the water. "That b what did Jenova make me do!" he cried, "Tifa!" This reaction surprised AVALANCHE. "I could not stop myself, I deserve much worse than death!" he continued, "Cloud, make sure you kill me when we meet again!" Sephiroth picked up Tifa's body and vanished with it. "Teef," Barret cried under his breath.
"It's all my fault…" Aeris cried. "Aeris, Tifa chose this… I know there's not much I can say, but… Forget it, I can't make up any stupid speech right now… I just need some time to think!" Cloud huffed. "Thanks for trying, Cloud…" Aeris replied. "It surprised me what Sephiroth did…" Vincent replied calmly, "He seemed like he was just as upset about what happened as any of us were…" "How can you be so calm after what just happened here!" Yuffie yelled. "Calm down and use your head for a moment… It's likely Sephiroth will come back to finish the job he started, in which case it's not the best idea to stay here!"
In the meantime Sephiroth was still carrying Tifa's body he had stopped just before the rebuilt Nibelhiem. He set down Tifa's body. "I could not stop myself, even though I was about to kill the woman I love I could not stop myself," he wept. He then remembered that METEOR wasn't the only power that the Black Materia had. He reached into his cape and pulled out the smooth black orb. He placed it against her body, right in the spot where his sword had pierced through her, as he focused his mana the orb melted into her. He put his hand up to her nose and mouth to see if she was breathing. Faint at first, then ragged, then snoring. "She's asleep?" he thought. Then he caught sight of something attached to her belt. "It's a PHS?" he thought, "I wonder if it connects to Cloud?" He grabbed it, but when he tried to pull it away Tifa's hand grabbed his arm. He wondered for a moment if she was still asleep. "Snoring? She's still asleep! It's a reflex!" he thought to himself. He pulled it away and went off a distance to where he could still keep an eye on her, but where even shouting through the cell-phone wouldn't disturb her.
Back to Cloud's group, as they traveled north towards Icicle Inn. Suddenly Cloud's PHS began to ring. He answered it without even looking at the number. The voice on the other end surprised him. "Cloud," the voice answered as he had said hello. "Sephiroth?" Cloud responded. "Listen, I know you may not trust me, but right now I'm in my right mind. I don't know how long I'll be like this, I can't go near Jenova, so I need you to destroy it! Tifa's safe and she's with me…" Cloud interrupted right then, "You killed her how can she be safe?" "I used the Black Materia, ask your Cetra friend if you doubt me, HOLY's been activated and the Black Materia is no longer in Jenova's possession, she will surely come after me and Tifa. I need your help to destroy Jenova!" Sephiroth explained. "And why should I help you?" Cloud asked. "Because it's really Jenova you seek revenge on. Had I had a choice 5 years ago, I would've just left Nibelhiem… It's Jenova that controls my mind and yours…" Sephiroth continued, "I hope to find some information as to why Jenova can control us… I'm approaching Nibelhiem, records of Hojo's research is stored there, when and if I find some information concerning our lack of control I'll contact you. Until then do not approach the Crater, for the sake of yourself and your team!" Sephiroth informed him, "If you help me to defeat Jenova, I will help you to defeat Shin-ra, then you may kill me…"
The conversation puzzled Cloud, but he decided to go along with Sephiroth for the time being. When he explained the situation to his comrades they were even more shocked and puzzled. "'Ey, wait a sec, is what you said 'dat Sephiroth said, is 'dat really possible?" Barret asked. "Aeris? Do you know?" Cloud asked. "It should be, but why would Sephiroth help Tifa?" Aeris wondered. "Mebbe' he ain't as bad as we all thoughts he was, y'know?" Barret pondered. "Whether or not that is the case, if we are going to go along with his plan we should at least head towards Icicle Inn. We don't want to be frozen stiff by the time he finds out something about Jenova…" Vincent informed them. "I-I-I a-a-a-agree with Vincent, It's freezing out here! Let's go somewhere warm!" Yuffie agreed.