Chapter 4: Conscious

Cloud returned to the bar Seventh Heaven and met up with Tifa.

"Welcome home Cloud, are things alright?" Tifa asked him.

"…Yeah, everything is fine." He replied with a slight smile. Tifa smiled back and began serving him lunch. Wearily, Cloud sat down heavily on the chair and his head started to nod. Tifa noticed this and stop preparing his lunch.

"Oh Cloud, why do you have to work so hard?" She chuckled and walked towards him. Cloud suddenly shook his head to try to shake off his sleep.

"Uh, I'm sorry Tifa, I…" He started, but Tifa put a finger on his lips.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." She smiled and helped him up slowly. They walked towards a room and Cloud lied on the soft, fluffy bed.

"Well, good night Cloud." Tifa said and closed the door. Slowly Cloud started to drift to sleep, and at the last moment, he thought he saw a woman…who was awfully familiar…

There was a knock at the door.

"Hmm, who could be here at a time like this?" Tifa asked herself. She opened the door, and a light, skinned man with long, raven hair and a dark outfit stood there.

"Vincent! It's been a long time!" Tifa exclaimed and ushered him in.

"I came to see Cloud." He said.

"I'm sorry, but he's sleeping right now, do you mind waiting? Cloud is the kind of person who will sleep for a few minutes and then spring up." Tifa explained. Vincent thought for a while.

"I'll wait then." He said. Vincent lurked around the darkest area of the bar and in a few minutes, he heard rustling from inside Cloud's room.

"Ah, he's awake now. You can talk to him now Vincent." Tifa said. Vincent walked slowly to his room, like a lingering ghost.

"Hmm? Vincent, why are you here?" Cloud asked his friend.

"…I've come to ask you a question. Lately, it seems like there is something going on and I came to ask if you felt it." Vincent explained.

"But why do you ask me? What do I have to do with it?" He asked.

"…Are you that forgetful? You Cloud pretty much attract trouble everywhere you go, need I say more?" Vincent replied exasperated.

"Okay, okay, I see what you mean." Cloud sighed. He began to trace back to his memories of that particular "feeling" that Vincent spoke of. He suddenly remembered and got out of his bed.

"I do remember. Right when I was coming home from work, I felt this…familiar feeling, but also different. I can't really describe it though." Cloud said. Vincent became deep in thought.

"So…you felt the same feeling I felt…That'll do for now, goodbye." Vincent turned around and headed out the door.

"I…hope you'll be okay Vincent." Tifa smiled. He looked at her for a moment and nodded slightly before heading out. Tifa brushed her hair absent-mindedly with her fingers, lost in thought.

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Feeling that she has finally escaped her pursuers, Seraph stopped by a nearby inn.

"I need a room." Seraph said to the male who owned the inn.

"That will be a hundred gil." He replied. Seraph looked down in her pocket and took out the amount the man asked her and walked speedily to her room.

"…Mother…" She whispered while lying on her bed. I…don't want to…be used. There was a knock at the door.

"Excuse me, room service!" A woman's voice called. Slowly, Seraph got out of bed and opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you at a time like this, but there is something that I must do." She smiled, rather wickedly. Suddenly, Seraph felt this burning sensation at her abdomen and was shot back onto the bed.

"What is this!" She gasped. Looking at her attacker's hand, she noticed that the burn that she felt at her abdomen came from her hand…a fire spell. "Come quietly Seraph, or else things will get really rough."

"You animals are persistent. I'm sorry, but I'm not the type of person who will submit to madmen like you." Seraph replied and unsheathed her red katana.

"I will not lose!" The woman shouted and charged at Seraph. Seraph squint her eyes to see small orbs that were in the woman's glove. That must be her source of power. Clutching the blade steadily, Seraph swung it towards the orbs and knocked a red, yellow, and purple orb in the air.

"NO, my materia!" The woman shouted jumping after it, but Seraph was too quick for she swung her katana at the attacker and knocked her into the wall, thus driving her unconscious. The orbs fell into Seraph's hand and she claimed them as her own.

"Materia are they? I feel magical energy pouring from it…" She examined.

"…Fail….no…" The attacker murmured. Hmm, apparently she's alive. Seraph quickly escaped from the inn and continued to run.

"Face them all Seraph…Murder them…" Sephiroth whispered. She stopped abruptly and began to think. After a few minutes she shook her head.

"I'll do things my way. Your life is over; let me go on with my life." She replied.

"Don't be a fool. Are you willing to let yourself be captured? Why not deal with them all and get it over with? You have a mission remember? Think about our mother." Sephiroth spoke again.

"..." She did not reply that time. No…Stop…I don't want to listen anymore…

"You have no choice Seraph. You were created as my counterpart." Sephiroth read her mind.

"…Don't rush things. I want to take things slowly." She told him. "…Alright then, don't kill the scientists. Let me illuminate your path…………Find Cloud Strife…" He told her. Seraph brushed the hair off from her face and closed her eyes.

"Cloud Strife…I will come for you…" She whispered and let Sephiroth guide her.

Seraph is coming for Cloud...how will their encounter work out? Chapter 5: Fateful Encounter