Fire Cave

Sephiroth slowly stepped outside the safety of the fire cave, wondering when and where his former enemies would show their faces. His long silver hair brushed softly agaisnt his shoulders and cheeks as he gazed upon the almost deathly silent night air of Balamb island.

The island had a strange peaceful quality to it and he found himself almost wishing that he had been born into this time frame and not to the one he had been forced into. Perhaps he might have been some respected ambassador or hell, even a farmer of some sorts but not a puppet to some deluded alien, hell bent on world domination.

Would Barret and Red XIII find him first or would he have the honor himself? Would he show just how strong he had became or would he once again be defeated at the hands of his foes?

I can't allow that...he thought with a grim look at his charges, I can't fail them this time. They are far to young to witness the horror that we have seen over the past few decades.

He gripped his sword, hoping that he wouldn't have to use it. Skilled as he was, he wasn't as fast as a speeding bullet. Were the rest of his charges able bodied warriors or just barely out of training? Had any of them spilled blood in actual battle or were they just waiting for the big test that would prove they were SeeDs?

It had been a surprise to all concerned when Squall and his friends had actaully managed to defeat the sorceress from the future. The planet had actually given them a very small chance of survival, almost sending out it's own small team of elite warriors to help aid them in the task.

He had been less than impressed to learn that Irvine Kinneas, sniper of the six young heroes, had hidden in a closet while his allies had fallen all around him. Wishing that the normally stoic and calm Squall would lead them all to safety.

Squall would be the one to lead them but to victory? Sephiroth was not so sure. Fate seemed to have other plans and designs for the strong gunblader. Did the planet feel that he could actually take Cloud on in a battle? Did it think that his friends could defeat the threat that AVALANCHE presented?

If he was honest with himself and to those he was now travelling with, he was doubtful. Cloud had learned new moves and tactics over the past few centuries and Sephiroth could only speculate as to how powerful he had became. Did he now rival his own skills or was he still in with a chance if the pair came head to head?

He kicked our arse when we last fought him, a voice stated from within, what makes you so damn confident that he wouldn't do it again?

I'm not...but I did teach him...or rather I taught Zack everything I knew. Cloud knows everything he did so, hopefully, I might be able to stand my own agaisnt him. If it boils down to that but I feel that young Squall will want the pleasure of culling Cloud, he returned his gaze back to the group hundled closely together.

Sephiroth had spoken to Aeris at length about the young teens and about Cloud. Had he actually hoped that the extremly intelligent young woman would have an answer to the problems or had he been wishing against a falling star?

Aeris had came up with nothing, telling him only of what he should be doing. Telling him that he was only to deliver a message and then get out again. He was to do nothing that would change the events that were going to unfold. So far, he had managed to keep up one part of the order.

He had delivered the message to Cid but he had seen how distraught Zell had been when his home had been destroyed by Cloud and the possible threat to his home town...he wasn't a monster. If it boiled down to it, then he would gladly take up his sword and battle Cloud and the remaining members of AVALANCHE one on one.

"Why the hell should we trust that guy? I mean, how do we know that he isn't working for them?" Irvine whispered softly to Rinoa, "We don't even know his freaking name!"

Rinoa chewed her bottom lip, he was right, they didn't know who they were travelling with and he seemed to hold all the cards on survival at the moment. Not something she was too keen on.

What does it matter if it's a complete stranger or Squall leading the group to safety? As long as they are safe, that's all that matters right? the voice of resaon piped up, if he can help us, that's all that matters.

The young sorceress stopped, "Excuse me? Sir...?"

She would get a straight answer from this guy, she was sick and tired of staring at him. Sick of the familiar feeling that she kept getting when she gazed into the man's glowing emerald eyes. Did she know this guy or was her mind playing tricks on her?

The silver haired man in front turned round, "Yes?"

He gave her a glance that chilled her to her core...or was it just his eyes that Rinoa found so startling, making her avert her gaze. The look he gave her was one of mild amusement but his eyes told her that he wasn't happy for the intrusion on his thoughts.

Great, scare her into silence, his mind laughed at him, try and be a little bit more child friendl. They're scared.

Sephiroth softened his tone, "What's the matter?"

"What's your name?" Rinoa ignored the stones that were pressing against her barefeet.

"Huh? Oh...um...Sephiroth," the silver haired man stuttered, hadn't he given them that snippet of information?

The young woman took in the information quickly and held out her hand, "I'm Rinoa, pleased to meet you Sephiroth."

Something about the name bothered her as it sounded so familiar. Everything about this man seemed odd. Why was his coat so cool and why did his eyes glow?

Sephiroth smiled at the sorceress as he took her hand, this child had no fear of him. Granted she knew nothing about him but she had been more accepting of him and more trusting than that of Irvine.

Grudgingly, Irvine held out his hand, his eyes narrowing as he took in Sephiroth's lean frame. No man could have that colour of eyes and he was obviously very secure about who's team he batted for with his long hair.

"Irvine," the sharpshooter watched with mild interest as Sephiroth slowly took the hand, "Thanks for helping us."

The sniper was given a rather off smile as Sephiroth shook his hand. His green eyes looking off to the distance as he spotted something. Irvine turned round, had he spotted one of the Garden's attackers?

"You lot stay here," Sephiroth ordered as he let go of Irvine's hand, "I have to go and see someone for a second."

He ignored all the forms of complaints and scared whispers as he strode confidently over to the small forest. Did the planet not think he was capable of delivering a message or were they afraid that he would go AWOL?

"You should have left by now," the woman called from behind a tree, "Do you know how much trouble you're causing?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, allowing the young woman to have the annoyance in her voice. His mind telling him that she had every right to be. He should have returned to the planet and accepted his new mission but he had stayed. Honour and his word was something he still held onto with a fierce passion.

He crossed his arms, "Not enough if the powers that be only sent you."

The young woman came out from her hiding place, her normally tied back hair hanging loose around her shoulders. Her face slightly flushed as she walked over to him.

"Come back and we'll forget about this," the messenger asked, "and it is not open for discussion."

The former Shinra employee shook his head, he would not leave. Not after he had just witnessed the death of Reeve, he had made a promise that he would keep the survivors safe from harm.

The messenger rubbed her nose, knowing how stubborn this man could be. She wasn't sure if it was because Sephiroth was wanting a grudge match against Cloud or if it was because he had a hidden agenda. Whatever the reason, she could not allow him to stay here.

"Sephiroth," she took a deep breath, even if he was own the side of the planet, the man in front of her still scared her.

No matter how many times she spoke with him, all she could see was the sneer he had given Cloud and the flash of pain that had cut through her chest as his sword tore through. He was pleasant enough to talk to when he had been cleansed of the alien cells in his body but she could feel how uncomfortable he was around her, he still had the memories of all the deaths he had caused. A rather painful reminder of his past life.

A silence fell around them, the messenger looked at the young teens that Sephiroth had taken charge of. They looked so innocent and so frail. The strength to fight this battle didn't seem to be in them. A girl with blonde streaks in her fringe locked eyes with her, so that was the Jenova decendant...or at least one of those who had aquired her powers over the many passing centuries.

Did Sephiroth know that or was he running with only what little he had been told? She knew that the warrior would cause no end of trouble if he actually discovered that he wasn't informed of everything. He had been trying so hard over the past few years to prove that he could behave and that he was truly a good person.

Could telling him that he was protecting someone who had Jenova skills tip him over the edge that he had walked away from? Would he do anything for that girl if she actually decided to bend his will for her own gain? In time the girl would figure out what she was truly capable of and the messanger was scared that it would be soon, far to soon for the sorceress and Sephiroth to cope with.

The messenger stepped back out of instinct when Sephiroth moved towards her and she caught the look of hurt in his eyes for a brief second. Even knowing he was on her side caused a small part of her to scream everytime he was near her, because of what he was, of what he had done to her and the planet.

It wasn't his fault...he was innocent. He wasn't incontrol of his actions, she told herself firmly but found she wouldn't go any nearer than arm's length.

"You still don't trust me..." Sephiroth whispered in a voice much softer than anyone had heard before, he lowered his eyes.

It's still to soon, the young woman thought as she slowly extended a hand, I just need a little more time to get used to who you really are.

"No...it's just....," she sighed, how could she answer that? She couldn't, at least not yet.

Sephiroth stepped back, "I can't leave, Aeris. Not yet."

"That's not a decision you or I can make," Aeris whispered, "You have to come with me."

The silver haired warrior was walking away when she had said that, his head lowered. Was this something he would have done if he had been fully human and alive? Ignoring the needs of the one for the needs of the many?

Aeris smiled sadly as she watched him walk, "Sephiroth...you walk away and I might not be able to help you. The trouble you would be in isn't worth it."

Sephiroth turned partly, "Saving the lives of children, keeping my word and getting to kick Cloud's arse...I think it is."

The last Cetra shook her head, "The planet will stop you, you know that. No matter how great you think the cause is, you cannot interfere."

Do I let Cloud and the others continue with this warfare or do I help Cid and the others end this nightmare once and for all? Is there really any question in what I should do? Sephiroth mulled over the options he had been presented with, save lives and be damned for eternity or live with the knowledge that he had the power to do something and did nothing?

"Let me ask you this," Sephiroth called back to Aeris, "Once Cloud realises that killing them won't bring you back, who do you think is next on his list? He's going to go straight to the source and kill those who are on the Council until one of them says yes. God knows who else he's gonna kill while he's down there."

"They'll send someone out to get you back home," Aeris responded, knowing she was in a losing battle. She had never seen him so filled with passion about something.

"I already have to avoid Barret and Red on the island," a flame of anger had been sparked in Sephiroth, "Avoiding the morons that the Council call their elite, won't be to hard."

"Sephiroth...they will stop you," Aeris took a step to follow him, he didn't realise just how serious the situation had became.

"They'll have a helluva fight on their hands," Sephiroth looked at her with a new passion burning in his green eyes.

Aeris bowed her head, she didn't need Sephiroth to tell her that fact. She knew he would fight til the death to stay on this planet but was his renewed passion his own or had the young sorceress's own feelings began to filter through to him?

That was worrying...the man had barely begun to get used to his own emotions after having them locked away from him for so long because of Hojo and the Jenova cells in his form but to experience the emotions of a young scared girl as well?

"This is going to be interesting," she muttered softly as she headed away from the forest.

Esthar...

Selphie watched the setting sun with a large smile on her face. She loved the sunsets in this city, especially from the place where she had been sitting. It was so peaceful, so tranquil, it was easy to forget that the world existed.

It had been Squall who had introduced her to this small hiding spot, not by choice though. Selphie had followed the young SeeD leader on one of his many disappearing acts while in the city. When she had found him, he had been gazing at the horizon, a sad smile etched on his face.

He never told her why he had one, not that she truly expected him to but he hadn't chased her away. He even allowed her to sit with him, not one of them said anything to the other. They sat for a long time, Selphie actually enjoying the silence or did she just enjoy the fact that Squall had allowed her to sit with him?

She rarely sat with the quiet boy, wondering if it was because they were so differently matched in personalities or was it because he really didn't know what to say to her? He always managed to avoid all the conversations regarding the Garden Festival and anything connected to it.

Was that how he saw her? Just as the bubbly festival girl and not someone he could have serious talks with?

A dark cloud moved along the ground in the distance and Selphie stood up, breaking her out of her thoughts. Clouds didn't travel that slowly along the ground and they sure as hell didn't move on the ground. Whatever it was, it was huge and it was making it's way to the city.

That's interesting, the bubbly teen thought, what's going on?

She went on her tip toes, "Just what is that?"

If she was a pessimistic person, she would assumed the worst. Luckily for her, she wasn't and she always knew that Squall would be the voice of reason but something niggled at her. Something told her that she should assume the worst this time. The exact reason seemed to elude her though.

She turned round, wondering if the Esthar soldiers had spotted the moving darkness heading for the city. Surely if she had, they would have too. The usual hustle and bustle of the city greeted her ears as she listened for the wail of the siren, not hearing it made her stomach tie itself in knots.

That should make me feel better...not hearing the siren but it's making me feel even more nervous, Selphie gave the ever nearing dark cloud one final glance before making her way to the palace.

20 minutes later...outside Esthar...

The landscape surrounding Esthar had proved to be nothing more than a barren wasteland, bones of monsters and long dead warriors littered the way.

Twenty years ago, Yuffie had long forgotten the way to where the shield had failed and started to flicker. It had taken Squall a few hours to do something that all the long dead fighters a lifetime ago had searched for days for.

She and the army that followed her wouldn't have that problem. The shield had been left down, allowing all who travelled a chance to see the splendor and magnificence of it. It gave off the impression that the ruler was egotistical and vain while the opposite was true.

The man was...one of a kind. He had faith and trust in everyone he knew and all those he never. Always ready to help without thinking about the consequences until after he had performed the actions. He had changed the planet by overthrowing Adel and had came with the plan that had saved the planet from the future.

Someone should have told him that his efforts would have been in vain. The city was about to be destroyed by the hell born army and none of it's patrons would be left alive.

She wondered where Tifa had gotten to, the older woman stating that she had need time to think and had returned to the place where they learned if their attempts at resurrection had been successful. Tifa looked like she was losing her stomach for this eternal fight to bring back Aeris.

Would Tifa even welcome the flower girl back into the group? Aeris had always had Cloud's affection in a way that she could never have and would that cause friction between them?

Is that why you're having seconds thoughts Tifa? Do you not want to bring her back? Yuffie paused for a few minutes, trying to catch her breath. She really did miss her old life, picking on stupid tourists that foolishly crossed her path.

"We're now at the city," a soldier informed her, "When do we attack?"

Yuffie chewed on her lip, Cloud had ordered as soon as they had reached the city, they were to attack. Here she was, she had the chance to allow the Esthar soldiers a chance to give some form of resistence agaisnt the army that was poised to destroy the city.

"Ma'am?" the soldier pressed.

"Now."