I don't own FF7 Square-Enix does
Marlene quietly ran down the smooth, gray cement sidewalk. She did a quick three hundred and sixty degree scan. There was no one on the street. No one even seemed to be looking out their windows. She was too little to think twice of this and continued on down the street, just happy enough to find no one following her.
Her tiny leather belt clicked every time it hit her. She found it irritating and too loud on the quiet street. She closed her tiny fist around it and held it firm as she walked.
She came towards the entrance to the tunnels. Rocks laid strewn all around and a little bit of dust had mangled in the air. It was so thick that you could see it. She covered her little mouth and many tiny coughs.
She passed through, unknowingly putting herself in danger. She didn't know what really lied behind the entrance.
-----
Lucrecia gave a cry of relief as her son stood up. All of the weight of pain gently eased itself off. It wasn't such a burden to her fragile heart. Even though she hadn't seen her son more than a few times… he was still her biological son and her heart still ached for him.
I had thought marrying Hojo was a big mistake… but I realized I was wrong when Sephiroth was born… she thought, wiping away her tears.
She stared at a droplet in her palm. She had cried so much when Hojo had rejected her. She had been a fool when he gave her the hint to marry him. For nine months, she had been blind… and then she knew as soon as she went into labor that Hojo did not love her or their newborn son and only thought of them… mere things… to help him make a successful experiment.
-----
"Ahh… you… boy…" Jenova laughed softly, her tentacles slowly closing around Cloud's neck. Then another tickled his carotid artery, as if playing with it. "Now… why should I… not end his pitiful life? I know you wish it…"
Sephiroth smiled coldly. "Well… it's quite simple. If you thought it over, you would know that he is on the same side. And by the way… the name is Sephiroth… and don't you forget it."
"I saw you die!" Cid shouted, his eyes wide.
The silver-haired man smirked, his cloak wrapped around his entire body, including the black leather trench coat underneath.
"Your… head was smashed… I swear… I slashed down…" Cloud stammered. "I saw you go down…"
"Strife… you know just as well as I do that I don't go down easily," he said, grinning.
Cloud stared at Sephiroth's feet, which were standing in the silver-haired man's blood. "So much of your blood on the ground… how could you… bleed…?" he muttered.
Sephiroth brushed his cloak back, to reveal his black… bloodstained trench coat. Aeris' hands went straight to her mouth and she gave a small gasp. "I don't want to go into the details…" he said quietly.
"That doesn't matter," Jenova sneered, bending down so that her tongue gently ran over Cloud's ear, who shuddered again.
Sephiroth snorted and shook his head. "That's despicable, you know… sexually harassing someone not even of your own race. Are you so desperate that you must stoop so low? Revolting… I tell you… seeing you licking Strife. Won't you leave that poor man alone?"
The monster smiled. "And if I snapped his neck?"
He shrugged. "I doesn't matter much to me… but I tell you… these people behind me won't be happy… and the outcome won't look so bright for you—"
"WOULDJA QUIT STALLING!" Barret screamed at the top of his lungs, he crouched into a fighting position. "DAMN IT MAN! I JUS' CAN'T STAND WATCHING HIM GETTING LICKED BY A F---IN' ALIEN! IF YA AREN'T GONNA FIGHT HER… I AM!"
The large man got ready to use Catastrophe, but Sephiroth held up a hand. "That's not necessary," he paused. "Masamune, come."
Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the man's palm. Then it elongated into a long sword. Then it solidified into the Masamune.
"Oh s---" Cloud muttered, remembering the last time that Sephiroth had drawn it.
Jenova laughed at threw Cloud aside. The blonde man gave a choked cry as he soared through the air and smashed into the wall. Tifa screamed and Cloud spat up blood, feeling that he had cracked (or broken) a rib. The wall had a dent in where Cloud collided with it.
The blonde man made to get up again, but Sephiroth looked at him. "Don't get up, I'll handle this one, Cloud." He actually had a genuine look of concern upon his face, which baffled everyone.
Jenova rose to her full height. She stared down at Sephiroth. "To bad AVALANCHE got to you first last time… because I never got to tear you apart!" She gave a loud croaky laugh and she cast Bio.
It came straight at the man, who stood his ground. The spell hit him hard, but it seemed to melt into him. His left hand crunched into a fist, his knuckles cracking as he did so, and it began to glow a light shade of translucent green. He thrust his arm outward, as if to punch something, but his hand opened and from his palm came a spell that no one had ever seen before.
The alien quickly cast Reflect, grinning. She was going to turn this smart-ass's spell right back at him.
Sephiroth smiled. He couldn't believe that Jenova actually fell for it. His grin grew even wider as he saw Jenova's eyes nearly pop out of her head when it went through her (it?) barrier and rushed toward her.
She screamed as it connected with her and she was sent flying backwards. She smashed into a wall, but it didn't hurt her much. She came floating right back, her eyes bloodshot and glowing with anger. "Very tricky spell."
"I'm glad you liked it," he jeered.
She suddenly cast Blue Light. Immediately, Sephiroth and everyone around him felt the effects of the magic. He felt a little weak, but hurriedly cast an All-Cure3 spell.
He wondered what magic to use, but decided against it. Magic was going to be almost useless to her since she was immune to all of them. Not even Gravity would work.
With the Masamune at the ready, he sped forward. She gave a grin. He knew he was going to have to make this quick. He risked himself a lot being near her, she could easily snatch him and break his neck.
He unleashed two quick slashes, in which she was hit, but it didn't affect her much, for she quickly threw up a barrier spell each time he struck. He was powerful enough to shatter the barrier spell with each blow… but she was powerful enough to set another back up each time.
A tentacle lunged for his neck, he jumped back and slashed at it. It fell aside, limp, purplish blood gushing from it as it landed on the floor. He looked at it with disdain and hurriedly cast a Fire spell on it, just so that Jenova couldn't some how replace the tentacle by reattaching it.
-----
Zack watched his ex-general fight in amazement. He had seen him fight many times, but no matter how many times he watched, he was always amazed at how fast Sephiroth unleashed his moves and how the man thought before using something.
Come…
He looked around. Who the hell had hissed that? Maybe he had just imagined it… or he was just going plain crazy, lying on the ground all day. He shrugged it off and looked back toward the fight.
Come…
There it was again! He groaned and put his head into the dirt. What the hell was wrong with him! Why did he keep on hearing this… this… voice!
COME SON…
It was so beckoning. He groaned again, his head began to hurt. "No…" he whispered to himself. "I can't… I won't…"
Yes you can… son… protect me…
Damn it! His mind screamed as he lost total control of his body. How can Jenova control me!
-----
Jenova cast a Bolt3 spell. It snaked across the sky at lightning speed towards the silver-haired man, who quickly dive rolled and it missed.
He jumped in for another physical blow towards her. He didn't know how the hell he was going to win this, but it was going to be worth a try. He leaped again and lightly landed on the ground. He quickly put his energy into his Fire materia. He cast a Fire3 spell and included a slash along with it.
Jenova didn't even move to block them. Suddenly, a black streak appeared out of nowhere and deflected them straight back at him.
There were vibrations running into his arm. He gritted his teeth, and drew his sword back. Suddenly, he saw the Fire3 spell flying toward him. He back flipped at he felt it narrowly whiz by him. He breathed a sigh of relief and made a quick prayer to those supernatural forces that controlled all.
He looked back at Jenova, expecting Cloud to be standing there, in a trance again. But he was caught off guard when he saw Zack. The man's dark brown eyes were dull.
"Jenova… this is getting old," he said, forcefully, angered to see his ex-second-in-command standing there, under mind control.
He clenched his right hand tight onto the Masamune's handle. He couldn't stand that the person who was almost his best friend was… being used just as a puppet.
He moved strike at Jenova, but found Zack already blocking him with his Buster Blade.
"Damn it Zack! Snap out of it!" Sephiroth yelled, and struck again.
Zack blacked it quickly and he looked at him through hollow eyes. He seemed to see right through Sephiroth with his dead eyes. "Snap out of what?" he asked, monotone.
"NO!" Cloud screamed still leaning against the wall. His sea blue eyes were glowing with anger and pain. "ZACK! What the hell is wrong with you!"
Jenova laughed. She loved to see both Sephiroth and Cloud angered over the same thing.
-----
Aeris felt tears welling up in her eyes. Sephiroth was almost killed, Cloud was extremely hurt… and now Zack was under mind control. It was too much for her to bear in her heart. She didn't where she got her voice, but she screamed.
-----
Sephiroth looked back alarmed. He heard Aeris scream, and that gave him quite a scare. He almost thought for a moment that Aeris… was… was…
He breathed a sigh of relief to find her perfectly well and turned back… to find the Buster Blade nearly in his face. He quickly blocked upwards and the blade went wide over his head.
That was a close one… he thought, sighing.
-----
Cloud watched as Sephiroth and Zack's blades clashed. The two were moving so fast that he could barely catch what they were doing. He was amazed at how graceful Sephiroth seemed, even though his attacks were extremely quick and aggressive. Zack was also using a style that was offense though he used defense just as well as offense.
He thought it was quite ironic that he was actually rooting for his worst enemy when his best friend was fighting him. He clenched his fists. He knew that if he were to fight, he'd serious hurt himself. He wouldn't stand a chance against Zack. He just hoped that Sephiroth wouldn't kill the black haired man.
The blonde man remembered the look of concern on the silver-haired man's face. It was absolutely strange. Sephiroth seemed extremely angered that Jenova had possessed Zack…
Zack's such a good guy that he made friends with Sephiroth. He realized, smiling.
The possessed Zack threw a blow with extreme power in it. Sephiroth gracefully deflected it and returned it with a quick slash.
The black haired man screamed as a deep, thin cut went across his chest. Sephiroth swung his fist around and punched the man while he was open. "Wake up already!" he yelled.
Zack wiped away some of the blood that came onto his hands. He laughed maniacally. "Kill me, brother,"
-----
"Why do you push such things onto me!" Sephiroth shouted, his fists clenching until his knuckles turned white.
The black haired man didn't answer. He continued to laugh. "Coward!" he screamed as he laughed. "Come now! Strike me down! I'm wide open!" He opened his arms.
Sephiroth was tempted to swing his blade around and decapitate the thing that was using Zack's body… but he knew that he was going to be killing Zack too. "No," he whispered, and dropped the Masamune.
The sword seemed to fall from Sephiroth's hand in slow motion. It clattered loudly on the ground. He looked back at Zack. "No," he said in a stronger voice. "I would willingly kill the thing that is currently possessing his body… but I then I would be killing the man who was like a best friend to me."
"Then you are a fool!" the possessed Zack yelled and charged forward, Buster Blade in hand.
"Well then kill me, why don't you?" Sephiroth asked, his arms opening.
Zack rushed forward, but the blade stopped right at the silver haired man's heart.
Damn it! Why can't I move past this! Zack thought. Why am I restraining myself! I would make Mother proud by killing him!
…."Well this one's special. Her name's Aeris. She's real sweet. She's sure got a green thumb. She sells flowers down there."…
Aeris?…
"Maybe I can just wake from this dream…" the girl said dreamily, her head on his shoulder.
He felt so happy that moment. Such warmth in his body…
"I thought you were going to kill me?" Sephiroth said in an almost amused voice.
He snarled and kicked the silver haired man hard in the chest, causing him to fly backwards into the ground.
-----
No! Why do all these puppets keep failing! Last time Sephiroth managed to do his job… why can't the others be the same! Jenova thought angrily.
"Hmmph… weak…" she muttered, throwing Zack aside with a tentacle. "I'll just have to handle this myself."
-----
Marlene ran into the tunnels, but stopped right when she got to the entrance. The silver haired man who was called both Nefilim and Sephiroth stood, facing a frightening looking monster. The one called Zack was on the floor groaning, and for some reasons, Uncle Cid and Vincent were on the ground, not moving. The flower girl, Aeris was looking towards the battle with fear. Her own daddy was watching the fight and shaking his head. Toward the wall, there was Cloud, who was holding onto his side and also watching the fight. Then there was Lucrecia, Mr. Gast and Ifalna. After that came Yuffie and Tifa.
"I'll just have to handle this myself." The monster said.
"Finally, you have stopped hiding behind those who are weaker than you," Sephiroth said, his sword lying next to him.
Her daddy clicked his gun and looked towards the monster with determination in his eyes. "Ya know what, Sephiroth? I'm righ' behind yo' back this time!"
"Same here!" Yuffie called out, jumping next to the silver haired man.
"Yeah… I would too… if I could get off the floor…" Cid grumbled. "Can anybody get a cigarette out of my pocket and light it for me?"
Suddenly, the blonde pilot realized that he could move. He jumped up and began doing a little dance. Then got out a cigarette and lit it. Then puffed on it.
Marlene suppressed a giggle. Uncle Cid was always like this in times of danger. And he would be with his cigarettes until he died.
The man with the red eyes (whom Marlene thought was a little scary) stood up and twirled his gun. "I will kill you for what you have done, Jenova." He said in his deep scary voice.
Tifa opened her mouth to speak, but Sephiroth stopped her. "Tifa… I know you are wanting to help, Cloud. Go ahead and do so."
"I'm fine back here!" Cloud yelled, standing up, still holding onto his ribs. "I think I'll join in this fight too."
Tifa got into a fighting stance. "If that's the case… I won't be left out of this one!"
The flower girl stood up. Marlene covered her mouth when she realized that the red stuff on her pink denim dress was blood. "I'll fight until I die," she said bravely."
Some of the other people that Marlene didn't recognize stepped in also. Others remained behind.
Wimps! Marlene thought, silently fuming. I'll help too!
Finally! It's so close to the ending I can almost taste it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed this chappie! I luv you all! Plz...I want to try to hit fourty reviews before this story's done! If possible... fifty!