Arxen sighed deeply as he leaned against the railing of the airship, at dawn. He was on the top deck, watching the skies as he contemplated life. Why he was with Avalanche in the first place. It was all because of Hiro, he knew that. He was curious why Hiro wanted him to come in the first place, he ran away from home. To escape a boring life, a life of adventure. Sadly, he didn't expect life to be like this. Not at all.

"I hate my life..." Arxen muttered, as he closed his eyes and took a breath, but was shocked to hear a voice.

"Then why don't you just quit then?"

The voice, it sounded familiar. Arxen decided not to open his eyes, but just to listen to the voice as it spoke. "I can't quit...despite how much I want to. I hate how I get looked down on, and everyone focuses on something else. I work hard, I am strong, I just don't understand why I don't get any respect."

"People usually ignore the important ones until the time is right. You know? I think you are a important person." The voice started to get closer, and Arxen smirked.

"Yea, but Avalanche doesn't think that. I joined just cause of some idiot I know." Arxen said, and the voice chuckled a warm hearted chuckle.

"I understand that, not many people get respect from them. You have to really earn it." The voice was right beside him, and Arxen laughed.

"Then I must of earned it a hundred times over, because I've done alot for them already. Saved their asses in battle, don't you think?" Arxen said, his eyes still closed, the voice entering his ears again.

"I do, but they just don't know yet, you know what I mean?" The voice said, and Arxen nodded. There was a tense silence for a moment, then Arxen spoke up.

"You know I'm jealous. I never get the same amount attention, respect, or strength, to them, I'm just a weakling. I'm not like you. You're strong, you're a amazing leader, you have something about you alot of people don't have. I'm seriously jealous of you. How do you do it," Arxen opened his eyes and looked over.

"Hiro?"

Like he thought, the blond haired young man stood right beside him, his arms on the rail. His hair was a tad shorter, and his outfit has changed. He wore a shirt with a red transmutation circle on the back, with dark blue saggy jeans, chains coming from his pockets, a black belt with a shurkien belt buckle. He wore black boots and there was no sword carrier attached to his side, losing the sword with his previous encounter with the One Winged Angel.

"I'm just myself." Hiro said, smiling. "I don't know, I know they'll respect you."

Arxen smiled as he looked out at the stars with Hiro. He wasn't surprise to see him, he felt as though he would see him again.

"So where have you been? What happened exactly?" Arxen asked, and Hiro smiled, looking down at a small village below them.

"After the battle with Sephiroth, which I shockingly almost won, I drifted from Nibelheim to various towns, in search of you all. A nice family took me in, and gave me clothes to wear. I then came to Middel, where I stayed in hopes you all would appear. When I heard about the Northern Continent, I quickly jumped aboard the next airship and when we crossed you all about...a hour ago I jumped on board here." Hiro explained, smiling.

"We all missed you, some thought you were dead." Arxen explained, and Hiro nodded.

"I thought I would of been...but that power..." Hiro looked down at his right hand, open as he studied it. "That power was so strong, even Sephiroth feared it...that is, the clone of Sephiroth."

"Yea, we figured it was a clone as well. Did you defeat him?" Arxen asked, and Hiro shook his head.

"No, I was going to but he disappeared, calling me a monster. I collasped after that." Hiro explained, and then Arxen had to ask.

"What was that anyway?" Arxen asked, causing a pain of silence between the two. Hiro sat there, looking at his hands as his eyes almost became totally focused on them, but he spoke.

"I don't know...but watching Aeris die, just triggered anger...I needed to fight him, I needed power, something, just something to kill Sephiroth with. I heard this voice, I've never heard it before, offering me power, and I accepted, I needed to kill him. I needed to get revenge for Aeris."

"You scared us, when leaving, that is." Arxen explained, as he looked down. Hiro nodded, his hands running through his hair.

"I'm tired Arxen. I haven't slept for several days now...I'm staying in Middel. Cloud, is there, by the way. I saw the doctors in that village find him." Hiro explained, yawning deeply as Arxen's eyes widened in shock.

"Why didn't you bring him up here with you?" Arxen asked, and Hiro sighed.

"I can't get close to him at this time. He's acting, very strangely. All I heard from him is 'What number am I', saying strange things like that, over and over. " Hiro muttered, as he yawned again.

"Yea, I heard he acted very, very strangely before he disappeared...." Arxen muttered, as he looked down at the ground below. All of a sudden, he felt a serious aura from Hiro, who looked down below him.

"Middel is going to be in trouble soon. I can feel a disturbance...I don't know how, it's just coming to me." Hiro explained, as he came off the railing, his arms crossing.

"Then what are we gonna do?" Arxen asked, as Hiro put his hand on his forehead, sighing.

"I'll hide up on the deck, I want you to convince the others to land in Middel. I'll appear to you all at the right time." Hiro explained, as he looked out on the deck. The sun was beginning to rise as Hiro looked at the door.

"I suggest you go, I'll stay. Don't worry, I won't leave again." Hiro said, smiling, as Arxen smiled back. He patted Hiro's shoulders, then walked to the door. He opened it, and stood in the doorway, He didn't turn to look at Hiro.

"Don't leave us. Please." He said, closing the door, and Hiro sighed deeply. He looked at his hands, contemplating.

"I just hope I don't release it again. I don't want to hurt any of you guys..."


"So why are we at Middel?" Yuffie asked Arxen, as she, Arxen, and Tifa walked into the village. Arxen sighed.

"Someone told me to come here. Tifa, why don't you go to the doctor? I think there is something there you want to see." Arxen explained, as Tifa looked at him strangely.

"Arxen...why are you acting so strangely here?" Tifa asked, and Arxen shook his head.

"Just go, we don't have much time."

Tifa, not asking many questions, left, while Yuffie stood behind with the blue haired warrior. Arxen sighed, studying the area. Though he was skeptical, he decided to go with Hiro's thought and think that Middel was in danger.

"Arxen, you're really starting to freak me out." Yuffie said, as her eyebrow rose. The villagers were acting normally, while Arxen was annoyed, he sighed from the annoyance.

What threat were you talking about, idiot? I don't see anything. You're making me look like a idiot.

All of a sudden, the ground shook, making the villagers to gasp and the two Avalanche members gasp. It stopped, and everyone stood there for a moment.

"It was just a tremor..." Everyone heard a woman say, and everyone sighed in relief. Yuffie laughed a bit, putting her hand on her forehead, laughing towards the sky.

"Is that all? A tremor? Arxen you can be serious about freaking out about that." She said, and Arxen sighed deeply in disappointment.

So he was wrong. Good going Hiro. Arxen thought, but then a crack appeared on the ground, and it deepened. Arxen saw something. It was a green, light flow. He gasped loudly.

"Oh shit...the Lifestream..."

All of a sudden, the earth shook again, and everyone started to really freak out as it went longer. Yuffie looked at Arxen, a shocked look on her face. "What the hell is going on?!"

"I don't know!" Arxen yelled out, but all of a sudden, a couple of cloaked men appeared out of nowhere, surronding them. Arxen growled as he removed his double blades, Yuffie grabbed her small shurkiens.

"What the hell are these guys doing here?!" Arxen yelled out, preparing to strike. Yuffie was as well, but all of a sudden, a screech was heard from above. Arxen stood there in shock, a chill going up his spine. He looked up.

A strange, dragon like creature was flying through the skies, and it was looking down at them. It sweeped down, landing infront of the Remnants, roaring, swiping it's claws. It hit some of the Remnants, making them disappear in a instant, their cloaks falling to the ground. Arxen swung his weapon.

"Yuffie, you help the people get out of here! I'll take this thing on!" Arxen yelled over the earthquake, while Yuffie shook her head.

"No! I'm not going to let you die!" Yuffie said, as she prepared to fight, but a Remnant appared near her. Yuffie gasped in shock as it made a nasually noise, about to attack her. She freaked, almost preparing for a impact. She closed her eyes, time getting slower. Arxen looked at the scene. She was about to scream, but the impact never came. Instead, she heard the sound of a disappearing figure, and landing. She opened her eyes.

Infront of her was Hiro Aoyama, who had his right leg up in the air.

"Don't mess with my girl, creepy asshole." Hiro said, putting his leg down on the ground. Yuffie's face quickly lit up.

"Hiro!?" She yelled out, and Hiro smiled at her.

"I suggest you take Arxen's advice, get the survivors out of here. This place is about to fall apart." Hiro explained loudly, as he looked into her eyes. She was so surprised to see him, she jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He stood there in surprise, but smiled a bit. She whispered something, only something he could hear, oddly over the loudness of the earthquake.

"I missed you."

A lovely scene was interuppted by Arxen yelling.

"I need HELP!!" Arxen said, swinging the weapon at the beast. Hiro nodded, and put his hands on Yuffie's waist.

"You have to go, get the people out of here! Arxen and I will handle this!" Hiro said, she nodded, running off. Hiro turned around and looked at his foe.

Let's get at it..

Hiro looked at his arm, two orbs, one yellow, and the other red glowing inside. He grunted as he clenched his fist, the two orbs mixing together quickly. He smiled, and looked up at the dragon. "Check this shit out..." he snapped his fingers, causing a reaction to making a explosion in whatever area he snapped at, at this case, at the dragon.

The explosion hit the dragon, making Arxen jump back, landing beside the blonde warrior. "The hell was that?" Arxen asked, while Hiro smiled.

"When you have no sword, you have to improvise." Hiro explained, smiling as he stared at the dragon. "Now....let's see how he can handle a bunch of these at once.." Hiro then began to snap his fingers like crazy, making various explosions hit the dragon, while Arxen watched.

The dragon was covered in smoke as Hiro was done, smoke coming from his fingers. He blew on them, and smiled.

"Bang."

However, when the smoke cleared, it showed that the dragon was unaffected. Hiro was pretty shocked. As was Arxen.

"What the hell is that thing?" Arxen asked, and then Hiro looked over to see a child, looking down on his two parents. Hiro's eyes widened.

"Mommy...daddy....please...no....MOMMY!" The young child hang on to his bloody mother, and Hiro saw the dragon look over at him.

"No...NO!" Hiro ran forward, but the dragon hit him with his tail, sending Hiro into a hut, smashing it. The dragon swept down, grabbing the crying child. It stared at him as he screamed, and Hiro looked out. Arxen growled as he ran and jumped in the air, only to get knocked down by the tail.

"NO!" Hiro screamed, and then all of a sudden, the dragon roared as he clenched his hand, the child disappearing, and a pool of blood appearing out of his hand. Arxen sat there in shock, and Hiro did too. The dragon roared again. Hiro looked at the dragon in anger, then all of a sudden, a pain came from his heart.

Kill.....

Hiro gritted his teeth, growling.

Kill.....

He growled louder, his hands tensing, his hair covering his eyes. A aura began to amit from him, a dark one, and he began to show his teeth, which were slowly becoming fangs.

Kill that pathetic excuse for a creature...

Hiro grabbed his head, his nails growing slowly as he began to shake, and finally he roared.

"GAHHHHHH!"

Arxen looked at Hiro, his form changed back into the demonic appearence from before. Arxen gasped, and yelled out.

"Hiro! No!" He yelled, but was shocked when Hiro appeared beside him, growling, but standing up straight.

"Get....out....of...here...get...people...out..of here.." Hiro muttered as he tried to retain his sanity, and Arxen nodded. He quickly ran off as Hiro growled at the dragon, who looked at him.

"Kill a innocent child.....you will pay for what you've done!!" Hiro roared as he lunged at the dragon. The dragon roared as it threw it's claw at Hiro, whom just easily blocked the claw by swiping his hand, then he kicked the dragon's helm, sending it to the ground.

Hiro got down on the ground, and grinned maniaclly as he clawed at the dragon, making a large bloody cut appear on it's left eye. Hiro laughed, stangely, as though he was enjoying the rush of killing this monster. At first, it was purely for revenge for killing the young boy, but then his heart began to beat faster, it was like a total adrenaline rush.

"Come on!!!!! Is that all you got?" Hiro yelled as he kicked the dragon, sending it a few feet away. Hiro grinned as he grabbed the dragon's tail, spinning him around, then throwing him up in the air. He never felt this rush, never, it was like a drug. Hiro looked up at the dragon in the air, his red eyes showing a sign that he was slowly losing his sanity.

"Here I come!!" Hiro yelled, jumping up in the air, swinging his claws at the monster, making the monster roar in pain. Hiro took the chance and kicked it to the ground, making the hole even bigger than before, causing the Lifestream to almost be exposed. Hiro dove down towards it, grinning.

"It ends....NOW!" But all of a sudden, the dragon disappeared, shocking the now demonized Hiro, who landed on the ground. He looked around, and growled. "Come out..."

All of a sudden, he heard a roar, and he looked up, the dragon was flying away. Hiro growled deeply as he looked down. "Damn..." Hiro muttered, his anger and power began to disappear slowly as he looked up.

Arxen was standing there, his arms crossed, and Hiro looked away. A pity look came from Arxen, who shook his head. "Come on, we need to get out of here....Yuffie got all the survivors out...the rest were killed by Remnants." Arxen said, and Hiro nodded. They quickly ran away as the earthquake got worse, causing Middel to disappear...


Hiro sighed deeply as he leaned on the wall, after telling the crew the story between him and Sephiroth. Arxen kept the battle between Hiro and the monster a secret, not wanting to reveal the horrible image and Hiro's sudden transformation.

"So what now...?" Cid asked, smoking a cigarette as the group looked at each other. Hiro shrugged, as everyone did. Yuffie was laying against the wall beside Hiro, whle Cid was near the door of the conference room. Barret, Nanaki, and Cait were with Arxen, who was sitting down. Vincent was leaning against the opposite wall.

"I don't know. I know Tifa and Cloud are alive. We'll just see if they appear..." Hiro muttered, running a hand through his hair. Everyone looked at him.

"I suggest we get some sleep..." Vincent muttered, making everyone look at him. Yuffie nodded in agreement.

"It's actually been a long day...we gained one, but lost two more.." Yuffie said, looking down. Everyone then slowly began leaving the room, except Hiro, Yuffie, and Vincent. Hiro smiled at his girlfriend.

"Go get some sleep, I'll still be here tomorrow, I promise." Yuffie smiled, and they hugged each other tightly. She then walked out of the room, and it was just Vincent.

Vincent then looked at Hiro, who was beginning to leave the room.

"Hiro..."

Hiro looked at the mysterious gunslinger, and Vincent looked at him dead in the eye.

"What are you?" He asked suddenly, and then he noticed Hiro's eyes go down, and he shook his head.

"I don't know Vincent...I really don't know.." He muttered, as he looked down. Vincent actually felt pity for him, but he didn't take his eye off the young boy.

"...Learn how to control yourself...I could sense your form a mile away." Hiro gasped, and looked at Vincent, who sighed. "Do not worry, I will not tell a soul...just be careful what you do, and learn to supress your anger..." He said, walking out of the room. Hiro sighed, and looked down.

"Yea...."

He then turned off the light, and looked back, sighing.

If only you were here....