Onee: -sigh- this story isn't doing as well as I'd hoped. Oh well. for all of those who are reviewing.. here's another chapter. After this, 2 more.

Chapter Eleven

Kadaj woke with a start.

"Kadaj? What's wrong?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know.." Kadaj shook his head. "No. It's nothing."

"It's okay.." Cloud wrapped his arms around Kadaj. "Whatever happens... I'll be there for you." Cloud wasn't one for mushy, cliched talk but what else could he say?

"Thanks.." Kadaj laid back down. Cloud fell back asleep but Kadaj stared at the wall.

'Someone..Yazoo?' he asked the night.

– –

Sephiroth left the room, sheathing his sword. He smoothed out his outfit and closed the door behind him.

"Lord Sephiroth!"

"Hm?" Sephiroth looked down the hall.

"The troops are ready, sir."

"Good. Then let us go."

"Sir. What about your so.. I mean, Only Loz is in his battalion.. Sir.." The man was sweating in nervousness. He'd almost said 'your sons'.

"It doesn't matter. I will lead you all." Sephiroth, at this point, could only hope that Kadaj stayed off the battle field.

– – –

"Cloud? What are you doing?" Tifa scolded.

"What does it look like!" Cloud asked. Kadaj and Cloud was sword fighting. Cloud had healed beautifully. At least he moved and acted normally. He would want to avoid any shots to his abdomen since he'd probably still feel pain from a direct hit, his insides probably still healing. But Cloud refused to sit back while a war was going on and he wasn't going to feel useless and sit in that room by himself.

Kadaj and Cloud jumped back, flipped, and sheathed their swords simultaneously.

"Cloud.. Why do you want to fight so badly?" Tifa asked.

"Revenge I guess." Cloud shrugged. He cut Tifa off before she could speak. "I'm going no matter what you say. I'm a soldier, right?"

Tifa frowned but agreed. Sometimes there was no arguing with him..

– –

It was midday and both armies had troops positioned between Midgar and Mako Base.

At the front of Midgar stood Tifa with Cid and Vincent on either side. The front lines consisted of Yuffie, the ninja, Aerith and Barrett, the gun man. A large red beast, Red XIII, stood with them, accompanied by his entire family and a small creature named Cait Sith.

At the front of Mako stood a tall man with long silver hair. His eyes gleamed in a smirk when he noted his son was not among the Midgar ranks. Neither was Cloud. His only remaining son, Loz, stood looking slightly weary with neither of his brothers there to give him support.

Tifa looked along the lines of Sephiroth's army and wondered slightly where Yazoo could be. Surely Sephiroth would want his top gunner at the front. Of course, Midgar wanted Cloud leading them, but the blonde was still at the bar. Tifa hadn't informed him of where they were going.

Sephiroth prepared for battle and Tifa held out her arms, ready to give her orders. Sephiroth smirked and both armies launched into battle.

Loz jumped high in the air and hit the ground, lines of men flying in different directions. He smirked but he couldn't help feeling somewhat unsure of this strange feeling stirring inside of him.

– – – –

Kadaj's eyes flashed.

"Cloud!" Kadaj still had trouble not calling him Nii-san.

"Eh?" said blonde was sitting at a table, drinking what appeared to be coffee instead of his usual alcohol. Perhaps Kadaj had mentioned it and he'd changed his drinks.

"Grab your sword... I think Tifa went to fight." Kadaj grabbed his gloves and sword from the wall, shortly followed by Cloud.

Cloud almost asked 'but wouldn't she tell us?' but he knew Tifa was the kind of person who would lie to him to keep him safe. He hopped on Fenrir and Kadaj climbed on back.

"It'll be easier to take one bike." Kadaj noted. In truth, he wanted to make sure Cloud didn't loose control, being injured, and he didn't mind having to put his arms around Cloud. (-wink- -wink-)

They sped off out of town, past civilians and buildings until dirt was their only company.

– –

Blood trailed from Sephiroth's council room and down the hall. It was smudged up to the door into the room where Jenova lay. The door was left open but it was beginning to swing back closed. Slowly and lazily, like it had all the time in the world.

The thick red liquid led up the small steps to Jenova's coffin where a silver haired man was. He leaned heavily on the coffin, looking into the wooden contraption. He'd opened it to stare into his mother's face, but he should have known what this would be.

The woman he'd known as his mother lay inside. She was covered in a soft lace that spread from his head to her feet. She was beautiful with her long blonde hair and fair skin. But this woman was frowning.

What had he thought would be in here? An old woman, as most coffins held? The picture of hatred, like his father? He knew his mother had been so beautiful.. And so kind.. And so innocent.. Just like.. Kadaj..

Yazoo fell to his knees. He couldn't support his own weight. He traced his mother's face with one finger, blood tainting the once pure skin. He sat with his back to the coffin and a smile graced his lips.

"Mother.. I've been wrong.." he whispered. "I'm sorry.."

The room was silent in return. The smell of death radiating off of Yazoo's blood.

"I tried.. to repent for what I did.. Mother... Did I do the right thing?" he asked, eyes beginning to close. A lone tear fell from one eye and trailed down his cheek. He had no strength to open his eyes but he felt someone wipe the tear away.

"Mother?"

– – –

Cloud stopped his bike at the edge of the cliff and they gazed at the battle below. Men and women fighting for their lives.

"Nii-san.." Kadaj breathed. Cloud didn't care that Kadaj had called him such. It wasn't a literal term. It was his.. Nick-name. Special made by Kadaj. Cloud turned Kadaj's face and gave him a kiss.

"Don't worry." he said.

They got off the bike and stood at the edge. Both grabbed their sword hilts and they leapt off the cliff. Both unsheathed their swords. There. In the middle of it all, walking toward Tifa, was Sephiroth. Tifa fought off another man and Sephiroth smirked, Tifa not noticing his presence.

People from both sides stopped fighting, looking to the sky. Tifa stopped too and looked up. Vincent watched as two soldiers leapt off the cliff.

Cloud jumped behind him as Kadajlanded before Sephiroth. Sephiroth seemed surprised. The man looked between the two men. (Kadaj is in front of Sephiroth and Cloud is behind him)He smiled and laughed. All who had not stopped fighting were stilled by it. It rang through and ceased all battle.

"Kadaj. How nice to see you're still alive." Sephiroth said when he regained himself.

"Don't speak to me so formally." Kadaj tightened his grip on his hilt. Cloud had his back to Sephiroth, keeping others from trying to stop this. It was Kadaj's battle.

"And Strife.. You're up and alive, I see." Sephiroth drew his sword. Disappointment colored his features.

Cloud cast the silver haired man a glare over his shoulder. Sephiroth mentally noted to himself. It had only been about three days.. Maybe four, he couldn't remember all the wounds he'd caused lately. Cloud would still be tender around his wounds.

"You're not going to win this battle, Sephiroth." Kadaj stated. Despite being ready to kill, he stood rather slack in his stance. "You wont kill anyone else."

"Yes, I suppose killing my own son would be a stopping point." Sephiroth shrugged.

Killing his own son? Kadaj looked about and spotted Loz in the crowd. He seemed surprised at their father's words as well. Kadaj kept searching the crowd but he couldn't see Yazoo anywhere. He returned his gaze to Sephiroth.

"Where is Yazoo?" he asked, his voice threatening to show his fear. Cloud paused in his search for Yazoo as well, preparing for the answer. Sephiroth smirked and tilted his head to the side.

"Where all traitors go." he answered. Both sets of eyes flashed and twos blurs sped at Sephiroth.

Which was which would bea good question. Two silver blurs and a blonde blur streaked up into the sky. Cloud and Kadaj attacked Sephiroth relentlessly. Sephiroth spun two swords from nowhere, Cloud slashed, and Kadaj blocked a rain of strikes aimed at him.

Kadaj was thrown into Cloud and both went flying into the ground. They both jumped up again, without missing a beat. This was a war between the three of them. For Mako, for Midgar, but mostly.. For Yazoo.

Onee: sorry for an OCCness on Cloud or Kadaj. I'm trying to make them romantic, slightly, without loosing character. second, Jenova isn't mean, ugly, and the source of evil in this story. thought u should know that before they find Yazoo..-shifty eyes-