Cloud felt completely cold as he watched them get to their feet. Sephiroth had no idea what to say and Tifa felt extraordinarily guilty. Cloud's fists were clenched so tightly he was drawing blood as his nails dug into his palms. The four of them stood there facing each other in complete silence.
"Tifa" said Cloud but that was all he could manage as he was so furious. Sephiroth was looking at the floor; he could not bring himself to look into the eyes of the man who had taken him under his wing, the man who had helped him with everything.
"How could you?" Yuffie asked Sephiroth. Sephiroth looked up and saw tears in Yuffie's eyes. Suddenly it clicked that Yuffie had a soft spot for Sephiroth also. Sephiroth opened his mouth to speak and that was when Cloud punched him. Sephiroth hit the ground hard. Cloud was stood over him but he did not hit him again. Cloud turned on his heel and stormed away. Sephiroth ran his hand down the side of his face; it hurt dreadfully. But it was nothing like what he felt inside, he had stabbed Cloud in the back without a single thought about saying no to Tifa. Yuffie turned and went after Cloud while Tifa stood there, frozen to the spot by guilt.
Slowly Sephiroth got to his feet and Tifa ran off after Cloud. Sephiroth was unsure of what to do with himself and so he walked away, back to where his weapon and coat were. Something whooshed above him and Sephiroth looked up to see Vincent dropping through the trees. Vincent landed with a quiet thud ahead of Sephiroth.
"It looks like you have got yourself into quite a quandary" Vincent pointed out. Sephiroth nodded as he picked up his items. He slid his coat on then put the sword on over his coat.
"Do you know what you are going to do next?" Vincent enquired as the two of them walked slowly through the trees, back towards the Chocobo's.
"I don't know" admitted Sephiroth "Like you said; I've got myself into a difficult position"
"You could always try apologising" Vincent tried "But you could sound insincere, so it isn't really the best idea"
"I honestly do not know what's going to happen now" said Sephiroth "I can't stay in the mansion because Cloud will be there and I can't stay in Tifa's home because that will just make things look worse" Vincent rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. He gradually removed his hand from beneath his dark hair.
"I believe, Sephiroth that you should go and see your mother" said Vincent, his crimson eyes locking onto Sephiroth's.
"Where is she?" Sephiroth enquired
"In a cavern not too far from here, if we get your chocobo then we should be there in two hours or so" Vincent deducted as he counted the figures in his head.
"It will be quite a hike though and we may have to use your magic to get across the peak" Vincent informed his son.
"Okay then" said Sephiroth and the two of them took off at a run towards the Chocobo's.
When they arrived Cloud was sat on his bike waiting for Yuffie who was talking to Tifa who was sat against a tree; head in her hands. Sephiroth meaningfully ignored Cloud; he did not feel like being hit again. Sephiroth jumped and pulled himself onto the Chocobo's back followed by Vincent.
"We need to go south" Vincent informed Sephiroth who nodded and pulled away. Tifa looked up at Sephiroth but Sephiroth did not look back as the chocobo took off at a sprint through the trees.
Cloud ignited the engine of his bike with a bellowing roar.
"Are you coming?" He asked Yuffie who had got to her feet
"Okay" said Yuffie who walked over and climbed onto the back of the motorbike. Cloud skidded a hundred and eighty degrees before speeding away without a look back at Tifa who had not moved from her place by the tree.
Cloud remained silent as he tore across the open plains back towards Nibelheim.
"Cloud?" Yuffie whispered in his ear as if she had merely spoken he would not have heard her "What happens now?" Cloud shrugged as they crashed through a stream and came out the other side.
"I don't know" Cloud revealed "I had doubts about Sephiroth's dependability, but I never truly believed he would do that" Yuffie put her hand on his shoulder.
"We will find a way" Yuffie declared. Cloud silently agreed but was unsure of what he would do when he saw Tifa next.
At the bottom of the mountain Vincent and Sephiroth were stood looking up at its peak.
"How do we get up there?" Sephiroth enquired.
"Climb up to the top, then down the other side, across the grassy bank and into the cave" Vincent explained. Sephiroth nodded and the two of them began to climb.