A/N- Edited. Enjoy

Ch 30: Destroy she said.

Cloud watched as his worst enemy was reduced to painful tears. He hid his curiosity well through an unblinking stare.

"What's wrong Sephiroth? Something the matter?" he growled, pressing the abnormally large sword into Sephiroth's neck.

The silver haired man didn't respond; he tilted his head away to keep the blade from puncturing the skin.

Tears still fell down his think cheek as he looked away defeated. Cloud smirked sadistically and tilted Sephiroth's chin towards him. The two locked eyes for a moment before he spoke once more.

"I just wanted to see the beautifully pained look in your eyes before you die. Take a look around you! Everything you love and care for is gone… now you know how it feels." He laughed evilly, raising the sword from the angel's throat.

Sephiroth's chin sank into his chest as he awaited the end. He watched Cloud's shadow dance in the firelight as the blonde raised his sword.

Just as Cloud started making a downward cut at Seph, another shadow appeared…two shadows.

Sephiroth snapped his head up to see Cloud fly across the room.

"…A-alathia? W-what, you two…"

"Shhh." Alathia hissed, blood dribbling down her chin.

Alexia stood at her side, holding a rather large gash in her stomach.

The two looked about ready to pass out or die…whichever came first. They snapped around quickly, and stared at the heaping figure of Cloud. It was almost as if all three weren't aware of their pain.

The women stood firm and emotionless, back to Sephiroth, awaiting Cloud's recovery.

Cloud did eventually pull himself out of the pile of splintered furniture and petrified wood.

In fact, when he stood, the women backed off slightly at his hideous figure. A piece of rock solid wood had managed to lodge itself into Cloud's thigh and bicep. Almost robotically, the blond yanked the splintered rock wood from his body and tossed it aside.

"Humph." he grunted just before rushing at the women.

It was all in slow motion. Just before the angry warrior had reached them, they'd fallen on their knees, screaming. Every muscle in their body tensed as the transformation began to take place.

Sephiroth watched as bright light surrounded the two frail forms. The light engulfed the whole room, and Cloud faltered.

When the brilliant light had vanished, fires were extinguished, Loz had regained consciousness, and Cloud was poised for battle…. with a frightened look on his face.

The women…weren't women.

Alathia stood ten foot tall, with light green skin, dark green hair that passed her knees, and her leather combat outfit was torn to shreds by her gigantic form.

The creature he saw seemed harmless…except when you looked in her eyes.

Black slashes and markings ran along her long cheekbones and the creature's eyes glowed dangerously in the darkness. Nothing could describe how fierce the look on her face was. That was what scared Cloud the most.

Green blood still dripped from her smaller wounds, as well as black Geostigma from the diseased areas. Alexia stood eight foot tall with glowing blood red skin, and bright fiery hair.

These two creatures were gorgeous from a distance, with their bright colors, and glowing aura. But once up close, they were frightening. The hair was immovable, their skin looked almost ready to tear off the bone, and their eyes told the viewer how cruel these beasts could be. One look into their eyes would make anyone either sick to their stomach with fear, or send chills through their whole body.

Ignoring the mixture of blood and Geostigma, the two rushed at the surprised Cloud. In one swift movement, Cloud's sword had been crumpled into a small metal ball, and he was thrown clear out of the house (taking out a wall on his way out).

As if triggered by Cloud's sudden defeat, Geostigma began pouring out of every opening in their body. Their screams were muffled by the black goo oozing from their noses, mouths, and punctures to the skin. The two figures crumpled to the ground and writhed in pain until they changed back to human form.

"Ung…how come I remember that…" Alathia grumbled, spitting the foul tasting diseased liquid out of her mouth.

"This stuff tastes like sh… hey :coughs: w-why's the notebook down here?" Alexia asked, swallowing hard so she didn't upchuck.

No, she wasn't hallucinating… The notebook, Red Dream (as it so curiously named itself), was fluttering in the wind… even if there wasn't any. The pages flapped and fluttered angrily as the two girls stared at it. Just when they were about to go take a peak at the thing.

…

…

SEPHIROTH RUSHED OVER AND TORE IT TO SHREDS!

" What the fuck! I was gonna keep that!" Alexia retorted angrily, watching him start to chew on some of the paper.

"Help me destroy it! Hurry!" he screamed, ignoring how angry the two were.

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"Cloud's motorbike…is that smoke!" Yuffie screeched as she and the rest of Avalanche were calmly walking down the trail to the house.

Seeing his motorbike in the forest… and smoke coming from the house at the same time, they put two and two together and took off running.

Yuffie's heart pounded against her sternum as she took off sprinting for the smoking house. She broke into a cold sweat and felt a chill run down her spine. Yuffie was ahead of them all… even Tifa.

"Loz! Loz please be ok…" she screamed, rushing into the house and ignoring the pile of rubble with some legs sticking out of it.

As soon as she was in the door, Yuffie saw Loz sitting up, rubbing his head. She squealed with joy and ran over to squeeze him… ignoring the three crazies in the background tearing the notebook to shreds.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Are you ok! Are you hurt! What happened!" she screeched, rubbing his face, grabbing his limbs, checking his eyes, etc.

"I-I'm fine. Cloud's here." Was all he said.

First of all… she'd gathered from her close examination he was ok. Second, she already knew Cloud was there! Before she had the chance to yell out anything, a flash of silver caught the young girl's eyes, and she looked over to the three crazies.

Sephiroth's hair was everywhere… along with chewed up paper.

"What are you doing?" she asked, giving them all a confused look.

Why were they chewing up paper and trashing a notebook instead of fighting Cloud? And why were the women half naked?

"Its Jenova! She's the one that made this notebook! Kill it! Kill it!" Seph roared before taking a mouthful of paper.

Things were finally beginning to register in the general's mind.

Yuffie was the only exception to the barrier's protection… because she wasn't an enemy.

Everything else was blocked out until they started getting closer to the women while spying on them (which was only after Alexia had found the spar notebook)…

After getting close only once, an enemy had chased Kadaj up a tree.

An enemy with Mako eyes… one of the clones. After the girls had come, hauling the demon book with them, the barrier began to disappear… and more enemies were able to get in.

The notebook was the one that knew Kadaj was going to get cut… and sent Alathia there to perish instead… she was the more valuable one, not her own son. The notebook wasn't supposed to know that… It was only supposed to know what the girls were doing.

That little, tiny, insignificant, paper notebook was the one thing that broke the barrier and ruined everything.

It still hadn't dawned on the women, even after Seph had said it was Jenova…but they weren't about to disobey him while he was acting THAT frantic.

Yuffie watched a bit more, stroking Loz's hair, and waiting for the others to join… they never even came in.

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The petrified wood rolled to the ground as the final bits finally settled in. Cloud was still underneath all the rubble (legs sticking out).

The rest of Avalanche was about to rush in and catch up with Yuffie, when Red XIII spotted something.

"I think I see feet there." He growled.

The others stared on, waiting for the dust from the rubble to finally settle. When it did, low and behold, a pair of combat boots protruded from the stony wood.

His comrades rushed up only for Cloud to pull himself out.

"Oh Cloud, are you alright!" Tifa gasped, seeing how bloodied and battered her friend (maybe more, we'll see) was.

"I'm fine… S-stay away… Don't touch me. I don't want to see you right now." He grumbled in response.

… That was it. They'd had enough.

"Foo! Who da hell you think you are… tellin' us to stay away… Nigga you hurt!" Barret blurted out, not trying in the slightest to hide his anger.

The rest joined in with, "Yeah!" and "Right!" and "What's gotten into you!"

They glared, insulted, yelled, and vented their frustration with him.

He heard none of it. Cloud was in a world of pain, and was focusing most of his/Jenova's energy on standing up. He gripped his side, where a puncture had caused a mixture of Geostigma and warm blood to spill out.

Jenova tried to make Cloud walk past them, tried to ignore them, tried everything to stop Cloud from feeling emotions towards them… and trying her best to keep him from falling out of her control.

It was too hard; Cloud was so weak. As soon as Tifa reached out and grabbed the young man's hand, Jenova made him scream with her own frustration.

She'd just lost her last human puppet.

Violet light surrounded Cloud's battered form, and a silver haired figure emerged, like a ghost, from his body. Avalanche watched as Jenova disappeared, leaving the injured Cloud to fight for himself.

Yuffie and the others watched as Cloud's crumpled sword shattered into a billion pieces, and black liquid seeped into the ground.

…

Being normal human beings (or whatever), no one was sure if they were all out of danger until Cloud asked the typical "Where am I?"

Tifa and the others helped Cloud stand on his feet, and tried their best to heal him with potions and healing materia. It worked quite a bit, but not fully because of the Geostigma.

"Do you remember anything?" Vincent asked curiously, examining Cloud's eyes.

"I remember… walking down a trail. Mmmm, I remember fighting… the lilyous… Blood… MARLENE! Is Marlene OK!" Cloud gasped, jumping up as best he could.

"Yeah, she's with the orphans. Shera's babysitting right now. Is something supposed to be wrong with her? I mean I know Shera's not the best of sitters, but she can make sure they don't kill themselves!" Cid responded, stuffing a cig into his mouth.

Cloud shook his head wearily. Deep down he knew Marlene was never in danger. Unsteadily, the man stood once more and smiled at his friends.

"I'm sorry for everything. I was so caught up in my own sickness and sorrow for our fallen friends that Jenova easily overtook me." Cloud said through gritting teeth.

He hated being so emotastic.

Cloud wobbled forward, as if leading a charge, and simply said, "We have to find all of them and make sure they're still alive. I… remember a lot of blood, so that can't be too good."

They walked behind cautiously; more worried about him than the condition of the others, and scanned the front yard for anyone.

When no bloodied or battered body appeared, or made itself known, the group wandered inside the smashed entrance.

Rubble from the fights, smoking furniture, and writing paper littered the floor as Avalanche made their way into the front door. For a moment, Sephiroth and Cloud glared at each other, neither wanting to speak.

"It's been two years since I last saw you." Cloud finally sighed, trying to slightly ease the tension.

"You just tried to slice me to bits a few minutes ago… :sighs heavily:. Other than that… I don't really know what you're talking about. I don't remember much past Nibelheim…" Seph answered back, picking pieces of paper from his hair.

"Really… so you don't know why I hate your guts?"

"Well, I know a lot from what Yuffie told me, and from what my brothers had informed me of. And like your memory, mine only remembers small fractions. In fact, the last memory I have of you is you Omnislashing me. That's about it."

"Well, heh, that's a wonderful memory to leave off at," Cloud murmured, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

After an awkward moment between the two, Cloud decided to go grab the other two silver haireds and ride the airship… and to talk about everything.

When the door creaked open, Cloud watched the two forms huddle together under the covers. Slowly, he walked over and removed the covers from the two frightened men. They clenched their teeth and eyes shut, and huddled closer together as if to protect one another.

"I-its ok. I'm normal now… I think." Cloud tried his best to comfort them.

He wasn't very good at it.

Kadaj braved a peak at Cloud and shuddered at the sight of him. He pulled Yazoo's pale frame closer into him and growled, "stay away from my brother. You've caused him enough damage."

Cloud rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I'm not here to fight! I'm here to get your asses outta bed and out of here! Get up!"

"No!"

"Why!"

"Because you're crazy! There ain't no way we're chillin' with you!"

"Mmm what if I told you you'd be the only two." Cloud reasoned lazily.

"K-Kadaj let's just go…" Yazoo whimpered.

His wounds hadn't healed all that much.

Kadaj grumbled but obeyed. Gently, he wrapped his brother in a blanket and followed Cloud out to the others. Reluctantly, Kadaj released his brother into Sephiroth's arms, and slunk over to Alathia.

Alathia looked him over and smiled weakly. Geostigma was making her insides churn and made her feel slightly ill. As soon as Kadaj opened his mouth to ask if she was ok… he got an answer.

Alathia slumped over on him and groaned an, "I think I'm going to throw up…" Kadaj's eyes widened, and he rushed her out of the house.

"Please don't throw up on me, please don't throw up on me, please don't throw up on me." He whispered, carrying her over to some trees. As gently as possible, Kadaj set her down and leaned her over… waiting for the sound of splashing liquid to hit the ground.

He only waited a short moment before Alathia started gagging, and vomit splattered on the bare dirt. Kadaj rubbed her back comfortingly and urged his companion to keep going until there was nothing left.

"C'mon Alathia, keep goin'. You'll feel better when it's all gone… Keep going hon."

"Hugurg, but I don't wanna throw up! It hurts!" she whimpered, holding it back.

"I know, I know, but get it all out of you…can't have Alathia upchucking all over Sephiroth or the great Kadaj now can we… And you're throwing up some of the disease… Please keep going."

Alathia looked up at him with sad green eyes just before she threw up the last little bit…

This wasn't his place… The great warrior and brother of Sephiroth shouldn't be trying to comfort some girl he barely could hold a conversation with. The great Kadaj shouldn't be lovingly coaxing someone to throw up… She didn't belong in his arms… She didn't belong with him, and made a promise to herself that she'd be gone… as soon as their problems were solved.

Alexia was throwing up too, alone, in a toilet. She felt the same way.

Alexia felt she didn't belong there anymore, and wanted to return to her loved ones.
She'd serve her purpose there… and then return home when it was all finished.

"I want to go home." She whispered to herself, crying and trying her best NOT to upchuck.

Everyone regrouped moments later and marched down the path towards the airship.

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The cool night air whipped hair around their faces as they sat on the balcony of the airship. Dried tears cooled the girls' cheeks as they sat there staring out into the blackness of the night sky.

"So, you do think its right for us to go…home?" Alexia asked, holding back more tears.

Neither liked the idea of leaving the men behind, but they felt they had to.

Alathia didn't respond for a moment. Her eyes were glazed over with pain from the sickness.

"We don't belong." She murmured, after thinking it over.

The two didn't say another word for a long while, but silently decided that the balcony was a good place to sleep.

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"Why does she want you dead?" Cloud asked with a sigh.

After not being able to find the girls, Avalanche gave up and decided to carry out the meeting without them. Avalanche and Cloud sat on one side of the meeting room, and the silver haired warriors sat on the other.

Sephiroth sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. Talking a lot wasn't something he enjoyed.

"We defied Jenova, and used her own plans against her. My brothers were well hidden from you during our fight two years ago. If I failed to defeat you, she had a back up plan. While I was so close to destroying the entire world, she'd have them find the only two Lilyous and get them on our side. They found them… only problem was that the girls were on the mainland.

My brothers prayed that I'd finish… that I'd actually bring Meteor to earth. We all hoped that when Meteor came we'd be able to go to the promise land… just as she promised…

When they found out about my defeat, they were devastated. Jenova eventually came to them… in visions, dreams, and finally as a head. She grumbled things about how SHE was going and her worthless children would never see the promise land… that she was only using us all to get there herself so she could destroy this miserable planet.

As angry as they were, these boys kept their cool and asked if there was any way to bring me back.

She answered… They asked if she could show them if those two girls were the Lilyous… she provided the notebook… after all was done, they destroyed the head, and we came up with the plan to use the Lilyous against her… just as she used our own bodies against our will. Being a puppet and being destroyed for something that she made me do isn't exactly a wonderful gift to give your child… and I was angry about it. We dared to defy her and try to keep the planet safe from her and her evil ways… Unfortunately… she wasn't quite dead yet." He mumbled and tapped his diseased hands… referring to the Geostigma.

"Why'd she choose a notebook?" Yuffie asked, wiping a tear from her eyes.

Loz was now stricken with the disease. No one dared look her in the eye as she sat rigid in her seat.

Not even Loz could comfort her now.

Kadaj answered.

"Those two love to write. Writing takes them out of reality and into their own little dream world… Why not give them a gift of a magical notebook. A notebook that not only writes the story for them, but takes them to that dream world… Had we let the notebook use its full power, those two men would have come to our world through that notebook… and have been forced to do everything she wanted them to."

"The world would have been hers for the taking." Sephiroth added.

Yazoo was fast asleep in his arms. His soft hair covered his face as he peacefully slumbered against his older brother's chest.

Kadaj was scowling at Cloud hardcore. Cloud noticed and decided to confront the young man.

"What's your problem!"

"You! You did this to us… Had you left us alone or at least listened to our side of the story, things wouldn't be this complicated! Now, not only did she manage to disease us and is now slowly killing us and our only two hopes of living a normal life free from being puppets, but now our only real home is trashed, and she's got a freakin army of Sephiroths! All cause you couldn't leave us be and let us live above ground and fight her off!" Kadaj snapped back, rising to his feet in anger.

"You're dangerous! Even with a clear mind I didn't want you around people! Who knew if you'd go crazy again, especially with Sephiroth around!" Cloud shot back in defense, raising himself from his seat, only to be yanked back down by Tifa.

She shot Kadaj a warning look, and slowly rose to her own feet.

"I think we're all tired… C'mon… Let's all get some rest, we'll finish this another time."

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Alathia and Alexia watched through the darkened window as the argument broke out.

"Hm… Can't say I'll be glad to leave this all behind… I'll miss all the funny things they do" Alathia murmured, on the verge of tears again.

"Alathia, think about the others. Think of how they'd act if they were in our position. They'd be doing everything and anything they could to get home to us… and here we are, falling in love with strangers!" Alexia growled, pulling her hair in a bun.

"I don't really think its them we've fallen in love with… I think it's the adventures that come with them. In our world we had no control. There was nothing interesting. When we were brought here, anything was possible. We could do what we wanted, and have what we wanted." Alathia sighed back, slumping down.

She and Alexia wrapped themselves in blankets and slept under the stars.