Sephiroth assumed everything was fine. That with Kunsel's backing, and Zack willing to stand by their side of the story, then nothing can go wrong.

He learned very quickly that he underestimated the president. Soon as they landed, they were swarmed by Public Security and a few Soldiers. Sephiroth frowned, but otherwise made no move to fight.

"What is the meaning of this?" He asked calmly. Yet there was a tone to his voice that spoke of pain for those who dared to attack.

"Sir! The president has ordered that Soldier Cloud Strife be arrested!" Someone spoke up.

Beside him the blond tensed. Sephiroth raised his hand and Cloud stilled. He didn't have to turn around to know those blues were glaring heatedly at him.

"On what grounds?" Sephiroth didn't like this.

"For treason and murdering his own squad."

"I can assure you none of that has happened - "

"I am deeply sorry, sir. But Mr. President ordered that he be taken with or without your consent."

So then they would be forced to fight. Sephiroth studied them all. They numbered in twenty. More if they gave the call that they were fighting. Which meant the entire company will be raining down on them.

And suddenly he understood. This was their punishment for defying orders to come home. The president knew better than to have Sephiroth arrested. Not with his status as a war hero. But Cloud was considered expendable.

It tore up the general inside. He knew he could take them. But the cost was massive. And it would take a miracle to escape the city undetected. This was a battle they cannot win against the company.

"Take him." Sephiroth looked away as Cloud began to panic.

"You promised!" The blond tried to struggle, but there was no fight in him after hearing those words.

He couldn't bear to watch. So he didn't look up. Still hearing the heartbreak in Cloud's voice nearly undid him. Sephiroth felt the bond tugging insistently, as if Cloud was pulling at it tightly.

"What's going on? Where are they taking him?" Zack climbed out with the other men who came home with them.

"They're punishing Cloud for my refusal to listen." Sephiroth answered, his voice noticeably defeated.

"What! They can't do that!" Zack panicked. He tried to run after the crowd. The general held him back.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You can't let him take the fall!" Zack glared.

"I can't fight the whole company." Sephiroth hissed in a low tone that only the Second could hear.

"You know he will be given to Hojo! He won't hand Cloud back!" Zack yelled.

Sephiroth couldn't speak any further. In that moment Cloud had tugged so hard that it hurt. Sephiroth had enough and finally reached out. He turned so their eyes met.

Wait for me. I will come for you.

And like that Cloud crumbled. He was crying as he was dragged away. The sight tore at Sephiroth again. And when Cloud was finally gone, the general felt the fury burn with intensity.

"General?" Zack sensed it. He warily stepped back when he realized Sephiroth was shaking.

"They will pay. They will all pay." Sephiroth wasn't aware he said these words out loud.

Zack stayed very still. His instincts told him to run. But he learned from Cloud that will only attract attention. So instead he kept his body very still as he watched the madness beginning to take shape in Sephiroth.

It was a frightening sight to behold with the way his eyes burned with hatred and unbridled fury. The mako green color intensified from the emotions. And the most terrifying of all Sephiroth was smiling.

Finally he seemed to control the fire that had burned, for Sephiroth turned his gaze towards the tower. Zack silently gulped as he resisted the urge to book it. It took everything in him not to.

After a long moment Sephiroth began to walk. His movements were silent, like a man on a mission. A very dark and silent path of destruction kind of mission.

When he was at a safe enough distance Zack finally moved. He forced his legs to keep a brisk walk. When Sephiroth chose a door and disappeared behind it, Zack bolted for a different door.

He ran until he reached Director Lazard's office. The director glanced up at the sudden entrance. He sighed upon realizing who it was.

"I couldn't convince them otherwise for taking him away." Lazard spoke with sorrow in his voice.

"Yeah, and that may have made an enemy out of Sephiroth!" Zack was panicking. His mind was racing as he began to process what he had just witnessed.

"What do you mean?" Lazard was alert and concerned.

"I don't know! I saw him going insane! He looked ready to make this whole building burn! It took everything in me not to run when I saw the madness in his eyes. He was shaking, Director. Shaking!"

"Did he say anything?" Lazard began to search the cameras for any sign of the general.

"Yeah. He said that they will pay. They will all pay. He said that before he started to calmly walk away." Zack nodded.

"It looks like he's just going to his office." Lazard frowned. "However, that's also the same vicinity as the meeting board room."

"Are they in a meeting right now?"

"They excluded myself and Director Reeve for this one." Lazard mentioned. "We were the only ones against the arrest of Cloud. So now we're the outcasts. Even if I inform them of the situation they won't believe me."

"They'll believe the Turks then!" Zack had a brilliant idea.

Lazard picked up his phone to dial for Tseng. He then handed the phone over to Zack.

"Explain what you've just explained to me." The director insisted.

"Director?" Tseng's voice was a little too calm for the situation at hand and it blew Zack into full panic mode.

"The general has gone insane! He looked ready to burn this whole building down after he said that they will all pay!"

"Slow down. Can you explain a little more of his current state of mind?"

"Um - he was shaking. And his eyes were burning with madness and so much hatred I was scared. It took everything in me not to run. He left and Director Lazard is watching him on the cameras."

"Where is he going?"

"Towards his office, looks like."

"Odd. He always reports in before he heads for his office after returning home." Tseng didn't like this change.

"See I'm not just crazy!" Zack was relieved that Lazard and Tseng believed him.

This all seemed too crazy to even process. But then again, one had to think for a moment. Sephiroth's only two friends up and leave. Then one joins Weiss and his group. Cloud was kidnapped, and only to come home and be taken away again.

Anyone would be messed up mentally after all of that. But Sephiroth was supposed to be the best. Zack wondered what would have happened if he had fought the entire company head on for Cloud.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It looks like he really did turn into his office to begin his usual duties. I will be keeping a close eye on General Sephiroth." Tseng's voice cut through the mental images of Sephiroth slaughtering men after waves of men.

"What?" Zack glanced at the cameras.

Indeed, Sephiroth was sitting at his desk. And calmly doing his paperwork. However something was off with him movements. They were too forced. Too calm. As if biding his time for the right opportune moment.

"I encourage you to act normal like you didn't just witness him during that intense moment. You are the only one who can approach him."

"Why me? Why can't you or the director talk to him?"

"He may respect us, but he doesn't hold us close. He allowed you to be close on a personal level. And I'm afraid you're the only one left who has the right to do so." Tseng had valid points.

"Oh yeah, nothing like giving me all the pressure and responsibility! I'm not cut out to fight him if worse comes to worse!" Zack felt it in his heart. He was too scared of crossing swords with the general.

"If you don't, then who will?" Tseng inquired, and that made Zack stop.

It made him really think. Genesis and Angeal were gone. The only two rivals who stood a chance. Cloud is being handed over to Science and Research. And no one else has even trained with Sephiroth.

Zack trained with them. He had learned how to better read the general's movements over time. He learned how to fight him. He wouldn't consider himself the best to challenge the man, but he had an advantage.

"...Guess I got some training to do." Zack gave in. "Just so you know, I don't like this."

"I don't think any of us do." Tseng agreed on his sentiments.

"Good to know I'm not the only one. I'll keep you guys posted on whatever I learn." Zack hung up.

It took him a few days to gather up the courage to finally approach Sephiroth. It started with casual talk. Everything seemed to be going well, until Sephiroth dropped the mask.

"I know what your intentions are. I suggest you keep your distance from me. I wish you not to be harmed. You're one of the last few I can call a friend."

Zack stared for a moment. He didn't expect this at all. He quickly forced to jump start his brain in order to respond.

"...While I am moved that you call me a friend. Can I help you with whatever it is you're planning? You're not the only one who cares about Cloud." For his part he didn't come off frightened like a rabbit.

"No. I cannot risk you. If they ever found out, you will be considered expendable. Therefore I must do this alone." Sephiroth wasn't going to budge.

Zack looked away biting his lip. While a part of him was scared, he had also learned that some part of him shared some of Sephiroth's sentiments. Although he had a feeling what it would be that the general was planning, he knew it was better off cutting the heads of the company rather than destroy the whole body.

Even though some part of him still felt some sort of guilt for even thinking like this. Zack was at war with himself. On the one hand, it meant a lot of good can be reborn and change can finally begin. But at what cost?

"Pretend this conversation never happened." Sephiroth stated before taking his leave.

It was a warning. One Zack never brought up to either the director or Tseng. He hated himself for being quiet on this matter.

Then one evening, nearly three months after Cloud was arrested, the alarms were blaring. Zack raced to the source, expecting it to be Sephiroth finally making his move. Only to stop at the sight of Genesis clones and hacked robots.

"Sephiroth should be on his way to you!" Lazard informed.

"Okay. He better if I end up facing the real Genesis." Zack hung up.

After several minutes of fighting clones and robots, Zack was beginning to feel a little winded. He was beginning to wonder why these Soldiers who were dying, they still had the strength of a First.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the Goddess descends from the sky." A familiar voice quoted.

Zack whirled to see Genesis. A dark portal opened to reveal Nero, Weiss and Shelke. The young Soldier paled at the sight of all of them.

"Where is Sephiroth?" Weiss frowned.

"Uh...if he's not on his way, then he's taking advantage of your distraction." Zack connected the dots.

"What do you mean distraction? We're not here to be his distraction!" Genesis scowled.

"Something happened to his pet." Weiss concluded. He smiled as Zack's expression confirmed his theory.

"Shelke, you take care of this boy. He shouldn't be too much for you to handle." Weiss ordered, and the girl lunged at Zack.

"Wait! Where are the rest of you going!?" Zack demanded as he sent Shelke back. It took a great amount of strength to do so.

"You don't need to know anything, puppy." Genesis smirked as he took flight. The brothers disappeared into a dark portal.

Zack grit his teeth as he began his fight with Shelke.