Sixth chapter of O.L.S. Thanks to midnight, Neko, Kyuuka, Myra, Velvet, final, Blitz and many others for sticking with this fic. Now we're gonna see what good ole Cloudo and gang are up to. Many flashbacks occur plus the villain, and let me tell you in advance… Lenux is one CRAZY and sick and twisted S.O.B. you'll see why in this VERY long chapter.

Disclaimer: Hmm… right.

"Lenux/…"- represents what Lenux has taken the form of.

Enter Bolero

Midgar.

The city that bore witness to many battles… and deaths. Well not many deaths but enough destruction that pales in comparison to Meteor. Even though two weeks has passed since the incident regarding three silver haired men and a summon that nearly destroyed the city, there are still those who are a bit edgy. But for those who are not, they've never been happier. The Star Scar Syndrome otherwise known as Geostigma; has been cured thanks to the healing waters in the church of a very special person.

The children that were once suffering are now active and happily playing in the streets as if the incident two weeks ago never happened.

The 7th Heaven is the hot spot for these children.

"You're it!"

"I'm gonna get ya!"

"No running in the house you guys!"

"All right Tifa!" the children chorused.

Tifa Lockheart, owner of 7th Heaven and accomplished martial artist. In the two years that she and Cloud Strife have watched over the many-orphaned children, never before has she seen them smile or be so active since Geostigma has been wearing them down.

Even after the incident two weeks ago, they still kept their smiles on.

"Sigh… Cloud, if only you can see the smiles on their faces." She whispered to herself behind the bar.

The day that they won the battle and cured Geostigma; the bar had been packed, everyone celebrating their newfound victory. All of their friends were present. Barret Wallace, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind, Red XIII, and Vincent Valentine. Even Reeve himself showed up along with Reno and Rude, thought, only for the beer. And many others.

Plus their new friends they met two years ago before the defeat of Sephiroth.

That included Ace December Serenade, Page Requiem and Rue Andante, the fiery and layed back archer. But a few were not present.

Cloud obviously, Delta Sharp as expected but Emilaine Nocturne… was unexpected.

'Where did she go? The last time I saw her was when…'

A scene flashed in her mind.

Emilaine, where are you going?

I have to get there before he does.

Who?

You don't want to know. He already got Laleyena; I won't let him get Kadaj too.

Emilaine, wait!

If you do get to Kadaj first… what will you do?

Emilaine, answer me!

I have to protect the Little One.

The cloaked figure took off running.

Wait!

Let her go.

Tifa looked towards Vincent.

Only she can get through to the Little One if Jenova is weakened now.

But…

Trust me. Nocturne is very sure of herself that she can make the Little One turn.

I guess.

Yuffie looked at the caped immortal questioningly.

Say, why do you keep on calling Kadaj 'Little One'?

Truthfully, I don't know. Nocturne has been calling him that and I guess I have gotten used to calling him that as well.

Oh, okay… hey wait, you got used to calling him that? Just how long have you've been hanging around with Nocturne?

Yuffie!

What? I'm just curious.

Long enough to know that she can make a good mother.

Everyone is silent.

And silent.

Still silent.

SAY WHAAAT!

Yuffie!

Tifa smiled to herself thinking about that event. Now it was quiet and back to usual way of life. Everyone had gone off to their separate ways. The only ones who stayed and was helping with the children was December and Rue but December had gone off somewhere up north and Rue was visiting Yuffie in Wutai.

Tifa guessed that Rue has a small crush on her but guessed again, thinking back on the many times Rue had been flirting with other girls even herself but he thought twice when Tifa raised a fist at him menacingly.

"He'll never change."

Outside the 7th Heaven, Denzel and the rest of the children were sitting down in a circle while Marlene was walking by each of them, patting their head.

"Duck… duck… duck… duck…"

She slowed down near Denzel and patted him on head as she cried.

"Goose!"

Marlene took off running as Denzel got up and ran after her. The other kids were cheering and laughing as the two ran around the circle but Marlene stopped dead in her tracks, making Denzel bump into her.

"I got ya! Hey, Marlene? What's wrong?"

Denzel saw what Marlene was looking at. A hooded cloaked figure stood there. The cloak reaching down to thigh length, showing off slender legs and a long black skirt identical to Tifa's and black socks and black and violet shoes. The figure was carrying a large white bundle under one black-gloved arm.

"Who is that?" one of the children asked.

"I dunno." Answered another.

There was silence amongst the children until Marlene beamed happily and ran towards the Figure, Denzel did so as well.

"Oneesan!" cried Marlene

"Emichan!" cried Denzel.

The female-cloaked figure knelt down, placing the bundle on the ground next to her and hugged the two children.

"It's good to see you two again. Denzel, you're looking better."

"I know! My Geostigma is gone, just like the others."

She nodded.

"That's good to hear. Marlene, you've grown an inch or two."

Marlene smiled and began introducing the other children. As first glance, the children thought the figure was dangerous but seeing as how Marlene and Denzel reacted towards it, they saw that she was no threat. When the introductions were done, the figure stood up, picking up the bundle and looked at the bar.

"Tifa's still here?"

"Yeah, come on. I bet she'd be really happy to see you."

'Or super pissed.' She thought.

The two children lead the figure into the bar.

"Tifa! Emichan is here!"

Tifa looked up from the glass she was cleaning and nearly dropped it upon seeing the figure. The figure removed her hood to reveal the face of a young woman. She had long shoulder-length black hair with a tint of violet in it and one red eye and one green eye. She also wore a violet headband to keep her hair of her eyes.

"Emilaine."

"Lockheart."

Tifa's gaze at Emilaine never left her.

"Marlene, Denzel. Go outside and play. We need to have a girl/adult talk."

Marlene pouted but soon smiled and grabbed Denzel's hand.

"Let's go. You're still it."

"I caught you! So you're still it."

"No, that's because Oneesan appeared."

As soon as they left, Emilaine walked up to the bar and took a seat in one of the stools. She set the bundle on the stool next to her, the bundle making a clanging sort of clattering sound. Tifa leaned on the counter.

"What'll it be?"

"Tequila shot."

"Chaser or no chaser?"

"Chaser."

Tifa walked to the other end of the counter and began cutting a lime.

"You know… you've been missing for two weeks."

"I'm aware of that."

Tifa gripped the handle of the knife tighter.

"Marlene and Denzel missed you. So did Rue."

Emilaine smiled.

"Of course he would."

"…Also… Vincent stopped by one night. He made me almost drop a rack full of shot glasses in surprise."

"Yes, Valentine is surprising sometimes."

"…He said he wanted to talk to you about something."

Emilaine looked at the bundle next to her.

"Does it concern Strife, Laleyena and the brothers?"

Tifa stabbed the knife into the cutting board, making Emilaine look up.

"He didn't say."

"I see."

She looked down at the counter until a shot glass of amber liquid met her vision, along with a saltshaker and a lime. Tifa stood in front of Emilaine, arms crossed and neutral expression.

"Where were you? No one could get a hold of you; even someone as scarce on their whereabouts like Vincent didn't know where you disappeared."

Emilaine looked back at the bundle. There was silence until Tifa slammed her hands down on the counter.

"Why won't you answer me? Did something happen when you got to Kadaj? What happened to Cloud. Why won't he wake up! So many unanswered questions Emilaine! I need to know…"

Emilaine looked back at Tifa who had her head down, buried in her arms on the counter. She was sobbing.

"I need to know what happened."

"…Strife still hasn't woken up?"

Tifa looked up at Emilaine who had a very serious expression on her face. She nodded, wiping at her eyes. She shouldn't be crying now. She's a fighter dammit! Fighters are strong, in or out of battle.

"I want to see him."

She was surprised at the tone of voice Emilaine used. It was almost… motherly. And then she thought back on what Vincent said again as she lead her upstairs.

Long enough to know that she can make a good mother.

They now stood at the doorway of the room where Cloud has been for the past two weeks. Tifa always frowned whenever she came up here to check on him. He was still in coma ever since they found him floating in the pool of healing water of Aeris's church. No one knew how he got there or what caused him to be in such a condition.

He wasn't severely injured or anything but he just didn't wake up.

"It's going on two weeks now."

"Has his condition changed since then?"

"No… Emilaine, tell me. What happened to you and Cloud?"

Emilaine stared at Cloud's sleeping form for a long while before she spoke again.

"It'd be best if Cloud told you himself. Right now, I wish to be alone with him."

Tifa looked skeptical at first but nodded and left the two alone. As she walked down the stairs, Tifa looked back and sighed.

'I hope you're going to apologize to him. Since I have a feeling that you didn't… it's not like he'll hear you anyway.'

Emilaine walked over to Cloud and pulled up a chair next to him as she sat down to his left, watching the rise and fall of his chest. He was breathing, that's a good sign. She moved to touch his left arm but winced when she felt a stinging pain on her side. She placed her left hand over it to ease the pain until it subsided.

'It seems my wounds have yet to fully heal.'

She smiled as she touched the pink ribbon on his arm.

'You're healed of Geostigma as well. I see she's been watching over you... all of you.'

She then placed her hand on his forehead, brushing back some of his spikes.

'You must be exhausted from that battle. I can't blame you. You gave it everything you had to stop him… and I know… they did too.'

She closed her eyes as she thinks back on what happened to her once she caught up with Kadaj two weeks ago.

---FLASHBACK---

The motorbike screeched to a halt in the patch of flowers in Aeris's church. Kadaj looks down at the black box in his hands, an expression of joy on his face. He finally has Mother.

"Kaasan!"

Though his expression changed to one of sadness when he looked into the hole that was made by Rufus's gunfire. His Mother… was just a…

"Kaasan…" he choked out, then yelled.

"KAASAN!"

He hugged the box to his chest tightly, not wanting to see or let go of his Mother. He tried not to let the tears fall to the truth so he took a deep breath and let it all out in a scream that echoed off the church walls. He sobbed quietly, still holding onto the box, unaware of the cloaked figure's presence.

"Now what?"

Kadaj looked up to find a cloaked figure standing on the altar right next to him. He quickly unsheathed his sword to strike but the figure kicked Souba out of his hand then kicked him off the motorbike. He fell back into the flowers, scooting away from the cloaked figure as it leapt off the altar and proceeded to follow him.

"Who are you? What do you want!"

"I'm the one who asked first. So I'll ask again… Now what?"

Kadaj moved his eyes to look at his sword but the figure saw this and pointed her finger at it. A chain appeared from her cloak and snatched up the weapon she then commanded the chain to throw it away. It impaled into one of the church's pillars. The cloaked figure walked up to Kadaj and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket with a black-gloved hand, pulling him up to meet different colored eyes from under the figure's hood.

"What are you doing! Release me!"

The figure grabbed his wrist roughly, he still has a hold of the box in his other hand and he tried to lash out at the figure with his free one.

"You have no one left. Your brothers are gone and so is your Mother. Your Reunion is unattainable now… So… now what?"

He looked down at the flowers that surround him and the figure. He was feeling very tired all of a sudden but he will not fall to this enemy.

"Why… why are you asking me that?"

Kadaj was still sobbing over his loss. The figure let go of his wrist and collar as he stumbled back. He didn't try to fight back anymore and was staring back at the figure menacingly, waiting for an answer. The figure slowly took off its hood to reveal her face.

"Because I want to know… what you will do."

Kadaj fell silent, unsure of what to do or say. The way this woman was looking at him. There was concern on her face as well as determination and a little bit a fear. Was she worried about him? Was she scared for him? Or OF him? No. There's no way. The only ones who cared about him were his brothers and Mother. But they're gone. He's all alone.

"Why should you care." He said quietly as he hugged the box closer to him again.

Emilaine frowned at seeing this movement and thought to herself.

'It's just a matter of time before Jenova starts talking to him again. I need to get that box away from him.'

"There are many reasons why I care. I don't want to stand by and watch another child lose to this game of life."

"I'm not a child." He sneered, taking a step back.

"You are right… but you have the heart of one… just like Laleyena."

"The girl with the pink ribbons?"

"Yes… did you know… she's only three years old?"

"What! But… she's looks—"

"Older? Yes. But she is special. I'm sure you are special like her."

Kadaj looked down again.

"I'm not special… Not without Kaasan."

"Don't be silly. Every child is special. Even if they are without a mother. They still have the strength to keep on going in life. Being denied the right to exist is such a cruel fate to befall on any child or adult. So they keep on fighting and keep on living with whatever strength they have. That's what truly make us feel alive and special."

Kadaj looked up at Emilaine then stared down at the box in his hands.

"Kaasan said that only I was special and that the humans are evil creatures."

"But your mother is gone now. You have no pillar to follow or look up to. And it takes us back to my question. Now what?"

He stared at the box in his hands for a long while, waiting to hear his Mother's voice. Nothing came. He closed his eyes tightly to hold back the tears that threaten to fall again.

"I… I don't know."

Emilaine took a step forward, holding out her hand to him.

"Give me the box."

Kadaj shook his head as he hugged it closer to him once more. Emilaine took another step.

"You have nothing left. There's no reason for you to hold on to something that is causing you sorrow."

Kadaj stepped back but Emilaine strode forward quickly and placed her hands on his arms. Kadaj stopped moving backwards and froze in place at the sudden movement. He opened his eyes to look at her but they only widened when she moved closer to him and whispered in his ear.

"Don't do this… let it go. It's over."

He blinked for a few moments then noticed something behind Emilaine. In the bench, near the patch of flowers sat a young man that looked to be the same age as Cloud. He had short light brown hair that spiked off on the left side of his face, with black highlights here and there and sky blue eyes. He was wearing an outfit almost identical to Cloud's except, it was white and had blue trim and a little black.

The man smiled at him and waved.

"Listen to your mother." The man said in a playful, fatherly caring tone.

Kadaj didn't know why but he nodded and slowly pushed the box into Emilaine's arms. She was quite surprised by this action but took the box from him slowly. Once she had it in her hands she smiled at Kadaj.

"Good boy."

Kadaj looked down at the flowers, he was feeling very tired again. But the voice of the man made him fully awake again.

"Say kiddo, why don't ya give your mom a big hug, huh?"

He looked at the man strangely.

"I know Nocturne isn't the best person to be around with but… I know for a fact that she's a good lady and you can trust her. Unlike that box which the contents of it will remain nameless. Go ahead kiddo, she won't mind."

Emilaine turned from Kadaj and walked up to the altar. She carefully placed the box on the altar and stepped back away from it, back into the center of the circle of flowers.

'Good. It's away from him at least.'

"Miss…"

Emilaine turned around and was taken by surprise as Kadaj lunged at her and hugged her around the waist while burying his head in her chest. She blinked in confusion, her mind trying to register this new happening.

"…?"

Kadaj was suddenly limp on her and she hugged him back as she slowly knelt down in the flowers. She could hear Kadaj's muffled sobbing and she patted his head. He looked up at her, eyes full of tears.

"What will you do now?" she asked.

"I-I don't… know."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know… I'm all alone."

He choked out those last few words before crying into her chest again. Emilaine sighed and stroked his hair, while rocking back and forth, trying to comfort him.

"Shh… it's all right. I've got you Little One. It's okay."

"Ashikarazu, Kaasan."

"It's okay… don't cry anymore."

"Ashikarazu…"

Emilaine rested her chin on his head. He shouldn't be apologizing. That damned Calamity-in-a-box should be sorry. She glared at the black box sitting on the altar, as if it was mocking her. But Kadaj's soft cries tore her away from the box and back down onto his silvery little head.

"Kaasan… Kaasan… don't leave me…"

She frowned and hugged him tighter.

'I won't leave you."

"Kaasan…"

She closed her eyes; she was now on the verge of tears.

'I'm… I'm not your mother… stop saying that. Please stop saying that.'

"Really now. You should be happy to be yearned for Nocturne."

Emilaine looked behind her and saw a familiar person grinning widely at her.

"…I guess so."

The man smiled at her but his smile is replaced by a look of sheer terror. Emilaine saw this but refused to look the other way as she kept her eyes on the man. She held Kadaj tighter then whispered in his ear.

"Little One… no matter what happens… do not let go."

Kadaj looked up at her questioningly before she leapt away from the circle of flowers, taking Kadaj with her to avoid an energy blast. She barely landed on the ground when another energy blast flew at them. Luckily she commanded her chains to hook around a nearby pillar and pull them away from danger.

"Not now. Please, not now." She whispered to herself or more precisely to their attacker.

Emilaine looked back as she kneeled against the pillar, her chains supporting her as she held onto Kadaj. Her eyes narrowed when she sees an all too familiar enemy.

"…Bolero…"

The big man himself.

Lenux Bolero, lo and behold. And in all his glory of pure evilness.

He stood where the circle of flowers used to be. Long silver hair that reached down to his waist with a fringe covering the right side of his face. A piercing emerald eye and ruby eye that indeed, seem jewel-like in appearance. A height and physique almost similar to Sephiroth's. A long black trench coat that wafted softly in the breeze that picked up in the quiet church. Black pants and black combat boots. On his bare chest, since he wore no shirt underneath the trench coat, a tattoo of snake, devouring its own tail. With small wings above it.

Kadaj stared at the man in disbelief.

"He… he looks so much like Aniki."

Lenux grinned at the two.

"Nocturne. Been a while. And I see you got your kid with you. He does have her features you know."

She remained silent.

"I know everything about the boys… all of them. Including Valentine."

Emilaine flinched when he mentioned Vincent. Lenux smirked when he had achieved a desired reaction from her as he slowly walked towards them but stopped near the altar. He glanced at the black box.

"So… that's the crazy, psycho bitch-in-a-box. I've heard she was bigger and… ugly as sin. Well, I wasn't there when you and Strife fought her. But if I'm not mistaken, this is her head, right?"

He walked over to the altar and picked up the box. He tossed it in the air playfully and caught it. He continued to do this as he stared back at the Emilaine and Kadaj.

"Listen kid, you should drop the hole thing and come be a family."

"F-family?"

"Yes."

Lenux held out a hand to him and his voice changed as he continued to walk towards him. And just for a second, Loz was in his place before flashing back to himself.

"Come be with us."

"Loz?"

Another flash, this time, it was Yazoo.

"Let's be together once more… like the old days."

"Y-Yazoo? But… the explosion."

Emilaine held on to Kadaj tighter.

"They're not your brothers… He must have absorbed them when they were weakened… just like…"

One more flash, except, Laleyena stayed in his place.

"…Laleyena."

Laleyena smiled. Only this time, it wasn't so innocent looking but a malicious one, wanting to shed blood and create chaos.

"…Shi-ne… Kadakun… Emichan."

She held up her hands and two swords materialized in her hands from black mist. They were in the shape of devil wings and were literally completely black with a red aura surrounding the blades. Laleyena- oh sorry, Lenux flew at them. Emilaine leapt off the pillar to avoid a slash to the head. Lenux kicked off the pillar after her as soon as he and his blade made contact with the pillar.

Kadaj looked behind Emilaine to see Lenux/Laleyena flash into Loz, rearing his left arm back, Dual Hound ready to strike.

"Look out!"

Emilaine sensed him coming from behind so she summoned her chains again. They shot up from the ground under Lenux/Loz, tangling him in the mess of chains.

"Just give me the boy and maybe I'll let you live Nocturne!"

"N-nani?"

She jumped off the bench she was perched on and proceeded to run out of the church with Kadaj, hand and hand.

"He wants to absorb you to get stronger. He already absorbed your brothers and Laleyena."

Kadaj looked back and saw the browned haired man stand up from his seat when Lenux/Loz flashed into Yazoo, using the blade of Velvet Nightmare to cut through the chains. He landed in the aisle and took aim as his gun blade glowed with a bright blue light.

"Get down!"

Kadaj pushed Emilaine down to the ground as an energy blast was fired from Lenux/Yazoo. It flies over the two, blowing up the church's main doors. Around this time, Cloud had arrived but when he saw the energy blast fly out of the church, he leaned to his left with Fenrir, sliding under the blast.

"Whoa, too close."

That's when he noticed Emilaine and Kadaj on the ground.

"Emilaine!"

Emilaine looked up at hearing her name. She saw Cloud outside the church and smiled. Her friend's voice rang throughout the church but only she could hear him.

"Don't get soft now Nocturne! Lenux is right behind you, get the kid out of there! RUN!"

Emilaine nodded and got up from the ground, pulling up Kadaj as they began running again. They ran past Cloud and leapt onto a building. Cloud looked back at them.

"Wait!"


Emilaine didn't look back, fearing she might come face to face with Lenux but instead, kept on running.

'I have to get him somewhere safe then I'll kill that bastard for good.'

"Miss."

"Yes Little One?" she asked, without looking back at Kadaj.

"Niisan was back there."

She stopped running, almost making Kadaj bump into her. She looked back for once, seemingly terrified.

"Oh no… what if… Lenux got him."

The rumbling sound of a motorbike in the distance made her sigh in relief. She look down and saw Cloud speeding up to them. She couldn't see clearly because he was still so far away but it looked liked he was pointing his sword at something. She looked in the direction he was pointing to and saw Lenux/Yazoo flash back into his original form as he lunged at Kadaj, devil wing swords in hand.

"No."

She whirled Kadaj around and threw him off of the building to the oncoming Cloud. As he was falling, Kadaj saw Lenux swipe one of his swords at her midsection while holding back the other, which was glowing with a sickening green light.

"Bio 3."

He slashed at Emilaine in the same spot where he cut her the first time. When his sword connected, the green light slowly oozed from his sword and into the wound. Emilaine fell back, holding her side. Blood was flowing out of her wound with slight tints of green in it. She had been poisoned.

"Such a shame Nocturne. I would love nothing better then to watch your life slowly drain away but I am in a hurry to get that child. So I'll give you the liberty of dying a quick and painless death."

He raised his swords over his head. Emilaine was too weak to summon her chains, she could barely keep her eyes open. Lenux brought the swords down but with a loud clang, a giant buster sword and a double-bladed sword met his Devil Blades.

"What the hell?"

Cloud and Kadaj stood in front of Emilaine, both using their weapons to push back Lenux.

"Thank you for bringing me my weapon, Niisan."

"Don't think this is over yet. I need to have a talk with you."

Lenux smiled wickedly.

"You feeling light-headed yet Strife?"

"What are you talking— ugh!"

Cloud lowered his sword; Geostigma was taking its toll on him again. Lenux took this time to push Cloud back. He fell back, next to Emilaine, clutching his left arm.

"Niisan—urk!"

Lenux snatched Kadaj by the neck and held him up off the ground.

"You…" he tightened his grip around his neck.

One hand was around Lenux's wrist, the other, raising Souba to strike. Kadaj was struggling to breathe but Lenux was cutting off his airway.

"You caused me a lot of trouble you brat. But in the end, it was all worth it."

Lenux yanked him towards him, Kadaj dropping his sword in the process. Then the craziest thing happened… Lenux was sniffing Kadaj. Cloud's jaw was dropped and Emilaine's eyes were wide open. He proceeded to sniff the boy around his neck, face and hair.

"Ah, I can almost feel him. His aura is resonating off of you like wildfire boy."

He then opened his mouth and extended his tongue, drawing it up the side of his face slowly. Kadaj closed his eyes in pure and utter disgust.

"Let go of me, you sick bastard."

"Oh come now Little One… Don't be that way. Soon you shall be reunited with your brothers and that girl with the pigtails and pink ribbons. Heh, to tell you the truth."

The next thing he said was but a whisper in his ear.

"…I rather be holding that girl in my hand right now… in the same position you are in… taking in her scent and flavor of a powerful being… now that would be wonderful, don't you think?"

He didn't even know where this newfound strength came from but he did it anyway. Kadaj swung at Lenux, getting him right in the face with his fist. His head snapped back with a cry and he dropped Kadaj on the ground.

"…"

Lenux just stood there.

Slowly…

He looked down at Kadaj, eyes glowing with rage as a small trickle of blood left his lip. He breathed heavily.

"You…"

"Little…"

"Son of a…"

"…BITCH!"

He swung his sword down at him, intent on cutting him in half but a faint sound of thunder was heard in the distance. Cloud looked over in the direction of the church only to see swirling streams of water floating towards them.

"What now?" Lenux bellowed.

The streams of crystal clear water gathered over the four and swirled there for a moment before it fused together and it began raining over them. Lenux dropped his sword and staggered back as if in pain. Emilaine looked down and saw that the green hue of the poison on her wound was disappearing and the bleeding had stopped.

"What is this? I'm cured of the poison… Little One."

Emilaine saw that the rain was somehow hurting Kadaj. So she hastily took off her cloak, revealing what she was wearing underneath. She wore a short-sleeved black dress with violet trim and a slit on the left side. Two belts over the front on her chest and long, black gloves. The front end of the dress reaches mid-thigh length while the back end was long and reached down to her ankles.

She also had a black leather cuff around her right wrist with a chain attached to it that trails up and attached to a black leather choker around her neck. Thought, midway on the chain was an Evenstar charm.

She threw the cloak over Kadaj and pulled the hood over his head.

"You're safe now, Little One."

Kadaj nodded and looked over at Cloud, who was looking down at his left arm. Emilaine looked at him also to see that the black markings of Geostigma that run down along his arm were disappearing in a hue of green light as the rain poured down on him.

'How is that possible?'

"Damn it! I need to get to the circle!"

Emilaine looked back at Lenux to see him charging at her. She got up fast to attack but that was a big mistake. Her wound was barely healed up completely by the rain but with that sudden movement, it sent a sort of a shock throughout her body and she collapsed on the ground.

'No… get up… come on. I have to protect him!'

She was screaming that to herself in her mind but watched helplessly as Lenux picked up Kadaj by the back of his neck and kicked her in the stomach.

"Heh… that was easier than expected…"

"Niisan!"

Cloud sees this and picks up his sword, ready to attack but Lenux turns to him and presses the blade of his sword to Kadaj's neck.

"Now, I suggest you two don't try anything… or this Little One will have to die."

Cloud stopped and stood his ground. Emilaine was barely standing up now.

"Hmph. Either way, I'll still be able to gain his power dead or alive but…"

He yanked Kadaj closer to him again, his cheek against his.

"I like my prey live…"

A red aura surrounds his entire form as he begins to float in the air.

"Now then, time to get out of this rain. It's highly irritating. We'll be seeing you."

In a flash of red light, Lenux disappeared. Taking Kadaj with him. Emilaine fell to her knees and closed her eyes.

"No… no… no… This can't be happening! He has him! Oh god, he has him!"

She pounded on the ground with her fist, the chain on her rattling with a loud chime. She had failed to protect him. Lenux won. it's over.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, expecting it to be Cloud but was met with sky blue eyes.

"Na, Don't beat yourself down about it. You still have time to stop the fusion. We're watching you so get your ass up woman!"

Emilaine smiled and got up, being mindful of her wound and turned to Cloud. He was looking at his arm as he touched the pink ribbon around it. He then looked up at the swirl of water that was raining down on them. It slowly disappeared but they both heard a loud raindrop and a voice.

Let's go… Cloud... Emilaine…

They look at each other and nod.

Cloud jumped down from the building, along with Emilaine. He got on Fenrir and Emilaine got on behind him.

"Lenux won't get away with this."

"I know that Strife… but… Strife…"

Cloud looked back at her as he started up the engine.

"…Never mind. Let's just hurry before he completes the transmutation."

"Transmutation?"

"I'll explain on the way."

Cloud nodded and they rode off towards the old ruins of Midgar.

(-----------------)

The flashback still continues in the next chapter. Boy, have we learned a lot with this boys and girls? Yeah, and Lenux must be one of my most evilest OCs yet. And that part with him and Kadaj… man, my cousin was going crazy as I was typing that. Yes, she's a fan of yaoi and NO this will not turn into a yaoi fic. Sorry yaoi fans.

It's just I really wanted to write in a character that is just plain sadistic and cruel. And Lenux is just perfect.

…To me that is.

Review and for those of you that are fans of Red Dream and Reluctant Heroes, check out my new fic The Five Saints. I'll be posting up the third chapter to that soon.

Translations

Oneesan- sister

Niisan- brother

Kaasan- mother

Ashikarazu- I'm sorry

Shine- die

Nani- what?

Fred from Scooby Doo on that one episode of Family Guy- "We're dealing with one sick son of a bitch."