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Chapter 7 - It's not retreating, it's regrouping; far away from the enemy
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Sephiroth paid for Zack's train ticket and his own "What about me?" Melissa asked
"What about you?" asked Sephiroth "You've got nothing to do with this, you're not under attack from Shin-Ra soldiers or being hunted by a company that you once worked for, piss off" snapped Sephiroth turning and walking away "Zack" she pleaded holding his arm. Zack pulled the carrying strap for his buster sword higher up his shoulder "Sorry love, if the prematurely grey, psychotic, mass murdering, control freak says no, then that's what it is" said Zack kissing her "I wish you could come but this time it's too dangerous"
"You've said that to girls in the past haven't you?" she asked hands on her hips
"Yeah" admitted Zack "Did it sound too rehearsed?"
"Very" she said turning and walking away. Zack shrugged and almost dropped his sword, with a quick swipe he managed to catch it. Zack then turned and climbed aboard the train headed for Nibelheim. Sephiroth had got them first class tickets, of course he had where else would Sephiroth had sat? Zack slumped into the chair next to Sephiroth and put his head against his shoulder. "Hey" said Sephiroth slapping Zack "Bitch" muttered Zack sitting up straight. Slowly the train dragged away from the station and gathered speed until it reached the city limits then opened its engine wide and they set off at a phenomenal speed across the plains towards Nibelheim. Zack looked out of the window at the world as it sped by "Why Nibelheim, Sephiroth?" asked Zack
"It is out of the way, Shin-Ra has no business there apart from the mansion and so it is unlikely there will be any Shin-Ra personnel there at all" said Sephiroth
"And if there is?" asked Zack knowing the answer. Sephiroth indicated to the two substantial swords into the baggage holding area "We must do what we need to survive" said Sephiroth. They sped towards Junon and then into the tunnel which went below the ocean until they reached Costa del Sol "Can we get off?" asked Zack looking at all the women in bikinis. Sephiroth's answer was slamming his head against the window. They sped through Coral until they came to Nibelheim. It was now the middle of the day when they finally arrived at the town of Nibelheim. "It's just as I remember it" said Zack
"Nothing much changes out here" said an old man who was leaning against the fence "No reason, everything is as it should be, peaceful" he said. Sephiroth nodded in agreement and they set off into the centre of the town. People looked out of their windows at Sephiroth and the newcomer. "Sephiroth" said a voice. Sephiroth turned and was face to face with Cloud, well almost face to face. Sephiroth was half expecting to get a hug of Cloud but all Cloud did was hold out his hand. Writers note In this Cloud had become Soldier 1st class but then noticed that he had thrown away the most precious thing in his life, Tifa, and so had quit soldier and returned to Nibelheim
Sephiroth shook Clouds hand "It has been a long time" said Sephiroth. Cloud nodded
"What brings you here?" asked Cloud walking side by side with Sephiroth, completely ignoring Zack.
"Trouble in Midgar and so I have come to get away from it all" said Sephiroth "And yourself?"
"Love" replied Cloud looking and the floor and smiling "True love" he whispered. Sephiroth put his arm around Cloud, a rare gesture of emotion but Sephiroth thought of Cloud as a son almost as Cloud had always looked up to Sephiroth. "Good for you" said Sephiroth "Finally taking an interest in life and not just sitting back and watching the world go by"
"Where will you be staying tonight?" asked Cloud
"Why?" piped up Zack from behind them "You offering?"
"Oh yes, Cloud, Zack, Zack Cloud" said Sephiroth flatly remembering that Zack had come too.
"Nice to meet you" said Cloud
"You too" said Zack shaking his hand
"Yes I am offering" said Cloud "But you two would have to share a room"
"I'm getting the bed" said Zack before Sephiroth could. Sephiroth threw his case hitting Zack in the chest
"You're here with me" said Sephiroth "I get the bed"
"Wrestle you for it" said Zack throwing the case back to Sephiroth
"No" said Sephiroth "Lead on Cloud"
Cloud and Tifa had moved into Tifa's old home. When Sephiroth stepped in Tifa gasped and got to her feet "Mr. Sephiroth!" she said in surprise
"Mr Sephiroth?" said Sephiroth and Zack together
"That sounds wrong" said Zack looking up at Sephiroth
"That's because it is" said Sephiroth "It's just Sephiroth"
"Would you like something to eat or drink?" asked Tifa
"No, thank you" said Sephiroth
"So what brings you to Nibelheim?" asked Tifa "If you don't mind me asking of course" Tifa indicated to a chair and all four of them sat down. "Just needed to get away from the city" said Sephiroth "Since my firing from Soldier things have gone a little hectic"
"You got fired?" said Cloud gasping
"Yes" replied Sephiroth gritting his teeth "But now we are here for peace and quiet"
"Well you've come to the right place" said Tifa
"Well I've come here for peace and quiet" said Sephiroth "Zack has come because he's too scared to be left alone" Zack slapped him
"I have come because it's your fault that I'm being attacked by Special Forces" said Zack.
"True" replied Sephiroth
"Do you think they'll come here looking for you?" asked Tifa
"They probably don't even know that we've left Midgar" laughed Zack.
Back In Midgar.
"Have you located them?" asked the president to Hojo
"Yes" replied the scientist, head bobbing furiously "They are in Nibelheim"
"Nibelheim" repeated the president "Who do we have there?"
"No-one" replied Hojo
"What have you got that we can send there then?" asked the president
"The only things we have are the Turks and the Jenova version 1.1 clone, which is no where near battle worthy" said Hojo
"It's going to have to do" said the president "Have it sent there as soon as possible, I want Sephiroth dead"
"I don't think" started Hojo
"I don't care if you think or not, I want him dead!" shouted the president getting to his feet
"As you wish" replied Hojo walking away.
Back in Nibelheim
Zack and Cloud were out in the square training with each other. Naturally Zack was better but Sephiroth couldn't help noticing that Cloud was pretty good himself with a sword. Sephiroth and Tifa were sat near Tifa's home watching them "Is it true what Zack said?" asked Tifa "That Shin-Ra probably doesn't know that you've left?"
"I bet they know exactly where we are" said Sephiroth holding up his credit card "Why do you think I used this to pay for our tickets?"
"You're planning on them showing up!" said Tifa sitting up. Sephiroth nodded
"They can't bring their entire army out here, once they're weakened I'm going back to Midgar and cutting down the Shin-Ra family tree, they've had control long enough" said Sephiroth.
"Who's going to be in control then?" asked Tifa
"Whoever steps up" said Sephiroth. Cloud managed to knock Zack over and put his sword against Zack's throat "My game" said Cloud helping Zack to his feet. Zack threw his Buster Sword to Cloud
"How does that feel?" asked Zack. Cloud twirled it
"It's a little heavy" said Cloud throwing it up into the air then catching it again "But heavy can be good"
"Sephy-boy, fancy showing us some of your moves?" asked Zack caching the sword as Cloud tossed it back. Sephiroth got to his feet and picked up the Masamune and walked towards them. Cloud and Zack went into their fighting stances facing the oncoming Sephiroth "Do you think you're fast enough?" asked Sephiroth
"Together I think we can defeat you, or at least put up a fight" said Zack. Sephiroth nodded and then he had vanished. As Sephiroth vanished Cloud and Zack were knocked off their feet and slammed against the water tower. Sephiroth was stood a few feet to their left sword drawn. "I thought you were fast enough" said Sephiroth sheathing it. "What was that?" asked Zack sitting up
"Zack look" said Cloud pointing to the Buster Sword. There was a thin dent in the sword where Sephiroth's had connected with it. "Again" said Zack dragging himself to his feet and picking up the sword. Sephiroth took a few steps forwards and slice upwards diagonally. Zack blocked it but the force sent him crashing into the water tower again. Cloud got to his feet and attacked Sephiroth. Sephiroth blocked the sword attack and pushed him hard in the chest. Cloud crashed again into the water tower gasping "You two honestly can't beat me" said Sephiroth shaking his head. Flames rippled around Cloud and he grabbed the Buster Sword and sprinted forwards. White hot flames now rippled around his frame and he jumped slicing vertically up Sephiroth. Tifa and Zack gasped as Cloud twirled through the air and landed upon the water tower. Sephiroth shook his head "you try too hard" said Sephiroth. Sephiroth was a blur as he shot around the water tower. Sephiroth pirouetted and sheathed the Masamune. The tower creaked "Oh shit" said Zack running as the water tower collapsed sending Cloud crashing into Zack and they both slid along the floor. Sephiroth smiled watching them get back to their feet "What was that?" asked Cloud
"Just me taking down the tower" said Sephiroth
"No before that" said Zack "What he did" added Zack pointing to Cloud
"Limit Break" said Sephiroth "The ultimate attack by a person"
"What's yours?" asked Zack
"I don't have one" said Sephiroth "I just have the final attack when I'm near defeated"
"When was the last time you used it?" asked Zack
"A few days after never" said Sephiroth with a wry smile. Sephiroth lifted up the water tower and held it in place as people from Nibelheim used timbres to fix it back in place. "Work well done" said Sephiroth. High above them a plane passed over and something dropped from above. A seven foot capsule fell from the sky and crushed the water tower making Zack and Cloud dive forwards while Sephiroth merely looked back. The capsule split down both sides and fell into two. A pale skinned woman of unknown age straightened up. The woman had very pale skin and very long fingers and she wore a long white nightdress. "Who's that?" asked Zack "I have no idea" said Sephiroth. The Jenova clone examined its fingers before quickly drawing its arm back and flicking it forwards. Flames rippled forwards from her fingertips. Sephiroth drenched the flames with water turning them to steam. "You need to try harder" said Sephiroth. Sephiroth shot forwards and cut a large indent into Jenova's waist spilling the ground with blood. Sephiroth wiped the blood off his sword and shook his head "Too easy" said Sephiroth
"You might want to re-phrase that" said Zack raising his Buster Sword as Jenova healed. Jenova shot forwards towards Zack and Cloud. Zack and Cloud attacked together cutting two deep indents in Jenova, Jenova whirled around and grabbed Zack by the back of the neck and threw him through the window into Tifa and Cloud's home. Cloud rolled to avoid a fist before slicing off Jenova's hand. Within seconds it had re-grown. "It's not that powerful" said Sephiroth "Or fast, just re-generating so stay out of reach" he warned. "So what do we do?" asked Cloud
"You'll need the Buster Sword to do more damage to it" said Sephiroth "Then we just slice and dice it until there's nothing left of it"
"How am I supposed to get the sword?" asked Cloud noticing that it was near his home
"I'll distract her" said Sephiroth. Tifa stepped forwards and hit Jenova with a quick combo before getting struck. Tifa crashed through the upstairs window "I thought you said it wasn't strong!" gasped Cloud wanting to run forwards to save Tifa but Sephiroth had his hand on his shoulder. "I guess I was mistaken" said Sephiroth holding his sword aloft "But now it is up to us" said Sephiroth "I'll attack while you get the weapon and attack it with me"
"What about Zack?" asked Cloud
"He's out of the picture" said Sephiroth and attacked. Cloud barely noticed that Sephiroth had gone, he had moved so fast. Jenova tried attacking back but Sephiroth danced, jumped and pirouetted cutting fatal wounds into Jenova but she would not die. Jenova used magic to knock Cloud away from the Buster Sword. Sephiroth tripped up Jenova and stabbed her through the chest nailing her to the ground. Sephiroth put his weight onto the sword keeping her impaled "Grab the sword!" shouted Sephiroth at Cloud. Cloud groaned getting back to his feet slowly "Hurry up!" shouted Sephiroth. Jenova put her hands on the blade of the sword and threw it hard causing the handle to his Sephiroth in the chin and knocking him back. Jenova flipped to her feet and punched Sephiroth in the chest causing him to crash into the next house. Cloud ran forwards and picked up the sword. Jenova looked around and spotted Cloud. The clone grabbed Cloud by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Cloud gasped and stabbed the carbon copy but it made no difference. "Help him!" shouted Tifa from upstairs where she had regained consciousness
"Do it Cloud" said Sephiroth sheathing his sword "Use that power you used on me" Cloud tried but it wasn't working "I can't" he gasped
"Try!" shouted Sephiroth letting go of the sword and folding his arms "You are having no help from me" Cloud continued to try but he could not get it to work. "Please!" shouted Tifa
"No" replied Sephiroth arms still crossed. Cloud was almost about to pass out when he felt the burst of energy flow through him. A quick twirl of the sword and Jenova's arm came away from the body. Flames rippled around him and Cloud did one of the quickest combinations that Zack had ever seen apart from Sephiroth. Jenova stood there watching Cloud, everyone held their breath watching. "I don't think it's dying" said Cloud stepping backwards then Jenova fell into infinitesimal pieces. Cloud lowered his sword and laughed "Congratulations" said Sephiroth "You killed your first regenerate" Sephiroth walked forwards and leaned through the window "You awake?" asked Sephiroth prodding Zack
"Nah" groaned Zack sitting up
"Damn" said Sephiroth "Here I thought you might have died and left me, finally"
"I thought you liked me" said Zack getting to his feet
"You're a good comrade" said Sephiroth "but a bitch to boot" Zack laughed as he jumped back through the window into the square. Cloud handed the sword back to Zack who looked down the blade and saw the blood "Good kill" said Zack
"Thanks" said Cloud
"Any ideas on where it came from?" asked Zack looking up at Sephiroth who was examining the capsule
"Shin-Ra" said Sephiroth straightening up
"They know we're here!" said Zack
"Of course" said Sephiroth "I was hoping they would send something a little more important than an experiment"
"Like what?" asked Cloud
"The Turks maybe" said Sephiroth "But the president probably isn't willing to let us take out his bodyguards"
"They're his bodyguards?" asked Zack surprised
"Among other things" said Sephiroth "They do everything for him, kidnapping etc"
"So what do we do now?" asked Cloud
"We?" asked Zack
"Yeah we" said Cloud "They came to my town, they have to pay"
"Glad to hear it" said Sephiroth "We have to go back to Midgar, see if we can shake the foundations"
"Shake the foundations?" asked Zack following Sephiroth who was walking towards the outskirts of the town "I'm coming" said Tifa catching up with them
"ok then" said Sephiroth "You seem strong"
"So how are we getting back to Midgar?" asked Tifa "Like you said; if you use your credit card we are fully traceable"
"I have more than one" said Sephiroth showing them the card. Again Sephiroth brought train tickets and they caught the train back to the Mega-City and Shin-Ra.