Chapter Twelve

Tifa covered her mouth as she watched the battle rage above her head. Vincent lowered his head. Loz lowered his gaze to those he was fighting. They all seemed worried. Kadaj was hit and Tifa flinched.

'They're worried about Kadaj..' Loz wondered. 'Do they forgive him? They remember how we used to be?' Perhaps this was an epiphany of sorts. Midgar and Mako were fighting for no reason. What had the reason been?

They hadn't been fighting for land or resources. They hadn't fought because someone of great importance had been slaughtered. They fought because Sephiroth had told them too. Sephiroth claimed of a great wrong that Midgar had committed but he'd never explained what they'd done.

They'd fought a war for nothing. Countless people were killed by his own hand for his father's taste of grief. He knew his father loved grief and sadness, but he didn't know it stretched to start wars.

Loz returned to watching his brother fight. Kadaj and Cloud locked blades with Sephiroth and a great deal of energy was cast aside.

"Where is Yazoo?" Kadaj asked again. Sephiroth knocked them both off and they dashed back in, Sephiroth spun to blocked them both. He locked eyes with Kadaj and smiled.

"Heh."

Cloud tweaked his sword's angle and his sword slipped past Sephiroth. The man ducked and Cloud cut mere strands of hair.

"Your own son?" Cloud growled.

"Traitors are no sons of mine." Sephiroth answered as he began to fall toward the earth.

"You have no sons at all." Kadaj corrected when they sent sparks with their swords.

Kadaj glared and bounced back off of Sephiroth. He looked up to Cloud. They locked eyes and both pulled their arms in closer, brandishing their swords and nodding to one another. They dove, faster and faster. Sephiroth landed on the ground and looked up. Kadaj hit his sword first. Sephiroth blocked and stared straight into his son's eyes and saw the smirk that rose in them.

Sephiroth's eyes widened when pain entered his body from his back. Cloud's sword came out Sephiroth's stomach and it was Sephiroth's turn to stare at the blood coming from his own body. Cloud closed his eyes and ripped his sword out. Sephiroth's mouth open but no sound of pain came out. He merely looked upon his own blood. He dropped one of his swords, which had blocked Kadaj. Kadaj sighed and dropped to his feet. (he was in the air, member?) Sephiroth spun and caught Kadaj with the back of his sword. Kadaj gasped and the air left his body.

Sephiroth even spun around to try and hit Cloud where he'd been wounded. However, Cloud's sword cut Sephiroth faster, clean through his side, and Cloud caught Kadaj in his arms.

"Kadaj?" Cloud whispered. The silence around them was being filled with murmurs. Sephiroth was dead.

Loz looked at Kadaj, clinging to Cloud and catching his breath. He looked to his side and saw Tifa. He hurried over to her and began to whisper to her.

Kadaj nodded.

"I'm okay.." he breathed, not yet full of air.

"Everyone!" Tifa yelled, standing on a large rock. "Why are we fighting?"

Everyone looked at her. She told everyone of Sephiroth's deceit and of the mindless killing they'd all done. Kadaj looked at Cloud. His blue eyes were watching Tifa but he wasn't listening to her.

He looked down at Kadaj and they both nodded. They took off toward Cloud's bike. Loz ran with them and only a few people spared them glances as they listened to Tifa.

– – –

"Yazoo!" Kadaj called as he pushed open the door to Jenova's room. His eyes widened as he spotted his brother leaning on their mother. "Yazoo!" he ran over, Cloud at his side.

Yazoo didn't respond. As Kadaj tried to wake him, Cloud cast a glance into the casket. Jenova. Her original name had been Jean. Cloud remembered her from when he was younger. She had always smiled at them. She had always been kind and welcoming.

This woman had always reminded him of his own mother. All this and yet nothing surprised Cloud as what he saw inside. Nothing.

There was nothing inside the casket.

"Yazoo..." Kadaj leaned his head on his brother's shoulder. "Don't die, Yazoo. I'm sorry for bringing you into my problems..." he cried.

"Kadaj.." Cloud lay a hand on his shoulder. He was kneeling on the other side of Yazoo.

"Mrr.." the pur like noise originated from Yazoo.

"Yazoo?" Kadaj gasped, lifting his head. Cloud caught his attention by wiping off the blood Kadaj had collected on his forehead.

Cloud nodded over his shoulder and Kadaj looked back down at Yazoo.

"I'll take care of him.." Cloud eased his fears and indicated behind him again. Kadaj looked over Cloud's shoulder and saw a woman leaning on the wall in the corner of the room.

Kadaj slowly stood and walked as if under a spell. He came upon the woman and he reached out a hand to touch her face.

"K...Kaa-san?" he asked. She nodded and smiled. That smile she always used to smile.

"You've become such a good boy, Kadaj." Kadaj embraced her and remembered the feeling from his childhood. He did not cry this time. He would not cry as much, he promised himself.

"Kadaj?" a tired voice called. Kadaj broke away from his mother and looked over at the two figures by the open casket. His hair flipped into his eyes but he could still see Yazoo, eyes open.

"Yazoo. Don't talk." Cloud ordered calmly. Kadaj came to his side.

"We're going to get you some help. Don't worry." he promised, holding his brother's hand.

"I've repented. Mother told me. She's alive.." Yazoo spoke. "She said the war would be over. She told me you and Strife would end it.."

"Stop talking, Yazoo.." Cloud ordered, harsher.

"I can't see... Kadaj." Yazoo closed his eyes and a long breath escaped his lips. He stopped talking and Kadaj looked over at his mother and then to Cloud.

Cloud's eyes seemed to ease him into a calmer state than Jenova's. Those deep mako blue eyes that had begun the rebirth of his memories. Cloud was telling him it would be alright. He'd been trying to tell him that ever since they'd met. Kadaj had just never taken the time to listen.

Loz stood by his mother and they looked at each other. The reign of Sephiroth was over.

– –

Jenova, or Jean, explained to Loz about what had happened to her. Sephiroth, when he planned to erased Kadaj's memories, had told her of his plans. She refused to be a part of it and swore that she would not allow him to take away her son.

When he caught her again, she promised that no matter what, she would protect her sons. Sephiroth had put her into a slumber he never planned to release her from. Even in her slumber, she heard all words spoken around or to her. She knew of the prayers Kadaj sent her and the secrets he told her.

When Kadaj came to her, he secretly told her of his meeting with Cloud and she relived moments with him, over and over, and Kadaj began to remember each one. Yazoo sat by her and she whispered that everything would be alright. She hoped her son would know what to do.

When Loz never visited her, she was not surprised. He probably feared her room. Loz had never been the bravest of them all, despite being the oldest and most manly in looks. She forgave him for never visiting.

She liked to believe she'd helped out the whole scenario till this point. Why? Because it was more fun to think that way.

"I'm just glad I've gotten to see my sons grow up." she smiled.

In the end, Yazoo had awoken her. He opened the casket and allowed air to reach her.. And he'd placed the blood on her cheek. That little bit of warmth had sunken into her and reminded her heart to beat.

"Kadaj. Yazoo. Loz." Jenova prayed every night for her sons. And now the war was over and a new age of peace was restored. She wondered what this meant for her family, including Cloud.

– – –

Onee: next chp is the last chp. What do u all think of Jenova.. i mean Jean? I gave her my mother's name. lol. I'm realizing this. lol. anyway, If anything about her confuses you, ask me and I'll explain it. please and thank you.