To the Morrow, For the Past
Chapter 27 – Their Victory
It was one year to the day since Cloud's death when Sephiroth marched up to floor 70 of the Shinra Tower. He threw the doors open and stomped up to the desk. In a flash, his sword was drawn and it's tip pressed lightly against President Shinra's neck.
The portly man's eyes grew wide and he began to shake, slowly backing up from his desk. "T-To what do I owe this pleasure, Sephiroth..." Shinra's eyes were darting from one side to the other as if expecting rescue.
His rescue should have come. Would have come if Sephiroth hadn't been prepared. The Turks were contained, he'd made sure of that. Shinra was alone.
Sephiroth smirked, "I believe they call this a... 'hostile takeover'."
"A... hostile..." Sweat began to bead on Shinra's face and he went fail. "You want the company?"
"Yes."
"I'm sure we can come to some sort of – eugh!" Sephiroth moved his sword a fraction of an inch, nicking the president's flesh before backing up and returning the sword to its resting place against the man's skin.
"No."
"You want the company...?"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes and sighed, "Yes. And I'm taking it. Stop stalling. The Turk's aren't coming." He threw some papers on the table, watching as Shinra's eyes followed them. "Sign." Sephiroth ordered, pulling his sword back only enough to allow the man to bend over the desk.
Shinra followed the order, scribbling his signature on the bottom of the sheet without reading it. He stood up again, a stony look on his face. "And now what?" He asked.
Sephiroth didn't answer with words. He simply did what he was made to do with a single strike.
He regarded the slumped body in front of him for a moment before retrieving the pages and tucking them carefully into his pocket. He used the crimson fabric of the man's suit to wipe his blade clean, not wanting it to be sullied with the blood of the man that had sanctioned human experimentation. As he strode out of the room, he flipped open his PHS and dialled.
"It's done." He said simply before snapping the phone shut.
Below him, he knew what was happening. The members of their movement were gathering, restraining those that were loyal to Shinra and taking prisoners. Sephiroth had been clear; no unnecessary deaths. Only two were required. President Shinra and Hojo.
Originally, he had wanted to take Hojo, but Zack had made a good point. They needed it to be done quickly, cleanly and they needed it to be done at the same time as the President. If they took out one before the other, there would be time for the survivor to escape. Both were slimy and both were good at escaping. It had to be done right, and Sephiroth couldn't be in two places at once.
Zack had also pointed out that the President was a lot more afraid of Sephiroth than Zack, and a lot more likely to sign the paperwork for Sephiroth. So Sephiroth had taken the president while Zack took out Hojo.
Zeke had been left guarding the Turks. Of the three of them, he was most familiar with their tactics and would know their dirty tricks before they even tried. Sephiroth knew that Zeke had everything in hand.
Kunsel was dealing with the general infantry. Sephiroth had no idea how he was taking care of things, only that he was. Zack trusted Kunsel, and that was enough for Sephiroth.
Even further below them, Aerith had organised their members in the slums to hold up the trains and guarding the rail tunnels, just in case someone felt the need to flee. There were, of course, other ways to get off the plate. Anybody with sufficient enhancements could simply step off the edge and survive the fall.
But their plan was to get things done quickly enough that people didn't know what was happening before it was too late.
Shinra had been taken care of. A moment later, Sephiroth's PHS beeped with a message from Zack. Hojo had been taken care of, and his non sentient experiments destroyed as humanely as possible. Zack reported that it didn't seem that he had any human subjects here. That didn't mean he didn't have others elsewhere, however, and that was one of the tasks that Sephiroth was going to have to organise.
Sephiroth joined Zack in the elevator as they rode down together. "Man, this doesn't feel real." Zack commented, peering out of the glass walls. "He sign the papers?"
"Yes. The company is mine. His son may protest, but I'm sure we can handle him. The Turks could pose a problem."
"Yeah, but we have a few on our side."
Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at this. He had made a point to know as few of their members as possible – if he knew about them, they could have known about him, and he had wanted to keep his involvement unknown.
Zack shrugged, "We have three on our side and another one that I think will join us now that Shinra's gone."
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Sephiroth gave a nod and strode out. They were in the executive offices. As predicted, and hoped, none of them had any idea that anything out of the ordinary was happening. They'd find out soon enough, of course, but for now, their ignorance was a tool.
As one, they marched towards a specific door and let themselves in without knocking.
Reeve Tuesti looked up from his desk in surprise at being interrupted so rudely, his surprise increased when he saw who was standing there. "Hello... How can I help you?" He asked, looking from one to the other, then gesturing at the chairs opposite the desk. Sephiroth appreciated his professionalism. He stepped forward and handed him the papers that Shinra had signed. "I wish for you to run the company." He stated.
Reeve read the pages a few times before looking up at Sephiroth, confusion in his eyes. "You would like for me to run it?" He asked, "Why me?"
"Because your top priority has always been the people." Cloud had told Zack about Reeve, who had in turn told Sephiroth. In Cloud's time, this had been the man to pull civilisation from the ashes of Meteorfall.
"My methods and priorities may not increase profits..." He warned.
Sephiroth shrugged, "I am not interested in profits." He told the man, "This company has run on greed for too long and the people are suffering." The planet was suffering. "I wish for you to use the resources at the company's disposal to make things better for the people." He told him, "Especially those in the slums. Have whomever you wish help you. The military will be run by myself and Zack." He added, "The rest is yours to run."
Reeve was staring at him and Sephiroth hoped that he was simply processing what was happening.
"This," Sephiroth said, "Is not an order. I want you in charge, but if you do not want the position, I will find someone else." He told him, "You will not be penalised for saying no." He added this because of the way Shinra had run things. People were given the illusion of a choice when they had none. He would not allow that to happen again.
Slowly, Reeve nodded, looking down at the pages in his hand again. "Rufus can contest this..." He informed Sephiroth.
"He wont."
Reeve nodded again and handed the sheets back. "I'll draw up a contract." He said, "And we can use that as a basis of negotiations..."
"There is very little to negotiate." Sephiroth finally took the seat in front of Reeve. "Aside from the military, you will have control of the entirety of Shinra. As long as the people are taken care of, and the company retains enough income to continue to operate, you will have the job."
The first part of their mission was to take care of the people of Midgar and the slums. After that, to make reparations to Wutai. Once the people were taken care of, it was time to help the planet. When it came to that, Sephiroth would have to have another conversation with Reeve.
"The company will remain in my name," Sephiroth continued, it had to stay in his name, so that he could enact the final part of their plan – dismantle the company completely and use the money and resources to set up a government to be elected by the people. It was a grandiose plan, and there were a great many things that could go wrong. But the first part was on its way to fruition.
"Of course. However, I will still draw up a contract for us to agree upon before formally taking the position." Reeve told him.
"So you'll do it?" Zack spoke up from beside the door. Sephiroth had brought him along as a show of force, and as back up in case anybody they didn't want involved came inside.
"When do I start?"
"Now." Sephiroth stood. "Your first task will be to fire anybody that you think will be a problem with our new goal." He told him, "I would like a copy of your proposed contract tomorrow."
"Will you be taking the presidential office? Or shall I deliver to your current office?"
"The presidential office is yours." Sephiroth had no interest in that place. He didn't need to lord over the city, but Reeve would be watching over it. It seemed appropriate to him that Reeve be given this.
– – – – – – –
It had all gone to plan. And it had all happened surprisingly easily. Once the word had spread, Sephiroth was astounded by the number of supporters that he'd had. There had been a total of three SOLDIER members that hadn't initially been members of STRIFE, but once they had heard who was leading, they had declared their loyalty in moments. The infantry had been similar. Even a large number of Turks had been on their side once they realised that Sephiroth was now in charge.
The company belonged to Sephiroth.
"You gonna change the company name?" Zack asked him.
Somebody had organised a party in largest cafeteria of the building and Zack had insisted that Sephiroth be there as his first act as owner. Begrudgingly Sephiroth had agreed that it would help cement the changes that had taken place.
Sephiroth shook his head at Zack's question, choosing instead to stare out the window he was stood before. Zack turned his back to the outside and leaned against the glass, watching his friend instead of the scenery. The brightest stars in the sky were getting brighter, heading closer. Not many people had noticed yet, but their group had been on the lookout for them. Jenovians.
"No. Just the public image." Sephiroth replied eventually, sipping at the glass in his hand. "There have already been a great number of changes today. Adding a new one would simply cause more complications."
Zack nodded, eyes scanning the crowd. He had to do a double take as he saw something that couldn't exist. Leaning against a wall beside the entrance was a familiar face. An achingly familiar and impossible face crowned with blonde, spiky hair.
Over the last year, Zack had had a few mini heart attacks when dealing with the infantry. The younger version of Cloud was still around, and it had taken Zack months to get used to randomly seeing him around. It had felt like he was seeing a ghost. But this time... This time it was different.
Strapped to the man's back was a large, wide sword. His clothing was the familiar black get up, with the zip down the front and the butt cape to one side. A pink ribbon was wrapped tightly around his bicep. Blue eyes shone with a mako intensity.
"Holy shit..." Zack couldn't tear his eyes from the vision of the ghost, and wondered if he'd finally snapped and was hallucinating.
"Hmm?" Sephiroth frowned at Zack before turning around, curious as to what had his friend's attention so completely.
Zack could tell the moment that Sephiroth saw what he was seeing. The glass that had been in the SOLDIER's hand shattered on the floor and his friend went still. But Zack couldn't look away from the man across the room, almost afraid that if he did, the man would disappear.
– – – – – – – –
Sephiroth had been disturbed from his quiet contemplation by Zack's quiet outburst of profanity. Out of simple curiosity, and a small mount of worry for whatever had made Zack's voice sound like that, Sephiroth turned to look at his friend.
Zack was staring across the room, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. With a frown, Sephiroth followed the man's gaze, wondering what could cause that sort of reaction from his friend.
And that was when he saw him. His world stopped, everything else fell away. His eyes locked with brilliant blue and he forgot how to breathe. His mind was screaming at him that this was impossible, that Cloud was dead. He'd been dead a year. Sephiroth was finally getting used to the idea that he would never see the man alive again, that he would have to wait until he rejoined the planet to see him.
Yet there he was, casually leaning against a wall as if he was a regular party goer. Just another one of the men. Sephiroth was vaguely aware of a smashing sound by his feet, but it didn't matter. Right now, nothing else mattered but the man across the room. The man who was coming over.
Completely without his permission, his legs moved. One hesitant step, then another because while his mind was screaming at him that this wasn't real, couldn't be real, his heart was soaring with joy. It felt almost as if he was being pulled towards the other man, a force that he couldn't resist. That he didn't want to resist.
They met in the middle of the room, the crowd parting for them. Once they stood together, Sephiroth forced himself to remember how to breathe, how to speak. "You-"
"It's me."
He sounded real. It was Cloud's voice, Cloud's small, reassuring smile. And it was Cloud's hand that took his and held it against his chest.
"I'm sorry it took me so long." His vision was speaking again, looking up at him with an expression of tenderness and apology. "I was lost and I had to find my way."
None of this made sense. Sephiroth's mind was spinning, his head and heart arguing about the man that stood before him.
"Sephiroth?"
How many times had he heard that voice say his name in that tone? The confused, concerned tone that had always brought him back when his thoughts had consumed him? How much had he longed to hear it again.
"How...?" But this wasn't Cloud. It couldn't be Cloud. How could it be? Sephiroth had held Cloud as he died, held his body until he'd returned to the planet.
The illusion smiled again, stepping closer, now fully within Sephiroth's personal space. He could feel the warmth of the man, feel the breath as it left him. Whoever this was, he was real. Alive. And Sephiroth felt the hope grow within him.
"That wasn't my first dip into the lifestream." the man told him quietly, "It just took me a little longer to get out this time. I'll explain everything later..."
"It's really...?" Sephiroth shook his head, "It's impossible... You're... You're dead."
"Not any more." The smile turned amused. "Your body and mind are fighting. You were always too smart for your own good, but this time, it's your soul that knows better." He shook his head lightly, "But... If you need proof..." He thought for a moment, "The first time you kissed me," He said slowly, quietly, "We were discussing your origin."
Sephiroth had never told anybody that. Cloud might have mentioned it to Zack, maybe, but Zack wouldn't use something like that for something like this. There was still the posiblity that this was a prank, a joke somebody was playing. There was an infantryman who looked exactly like Cloud. But... But you couldn't fake the mako eyes. The looks this man was giving him.
His mouth went dry, mind finally convinced that this could be real. He swallowed and opened his mouth.
"First?" He asked, "That was..."
"The only," Cloud nodded, "It's me, Sephiroth." His voice was even quieter now, almost a whisper, "I came home."
And Sephiroth cracked. He pulled his hand out of Cloud's so that he could pull the man into a bone crushing hug. He held him as close as he could, as tight as he could and didn't ever want to let go. This was Cloud. He was here. He was alive.
"Missed you too." Cloud's voice had a pained edge to it, and his arms wrapped around Sephiroth, "But maybe you could ease up just a little?"
It was then that Sephiroth realised just how tightly he was holding on and eased his grip just a little. He felt Cloud's arms around him, felt the warmth of him. He was real. Solid. Alive. Cloud.
"Cloud..." Had he ever held so much emotion in his voice? Had he ever felt this much emotion, all at once? It was like his heart was breaking and being repaired simultaneously, his stomach was unsettled but in what felt like a good way, he couldn't think straight, he couldn't hold everything in. He could barely speak, "Welcome home."
– – – – – – – – –
Cloud had managed to convince Sephiroth to join him away from the crowds. Or rather, Cloud had convinced Sephiroth to let him go long enough to get outside. He wasn't at all surprised that Sephiroth wasn't letting him out of his sight. He knew how it felt to be confronted by a ghost.
"Hey," Once they'd wandered far enough away that Cloud was sure there would be no eavesdroppers, he turned to look at Sephiroth. The man was overwhelmed, that much was obvious, and Cloud wanted to help him understand. "I'm gonna let you get your thoughts in order." he told him, "And let you figure out what you're feeling, but later... Later I'll tell you everything, okay?"
Sephiroth nodded, still giving him a strange look.
"I'm not going anywhere." Cloud promised him. "I'm not going to disappear. I'm back. I'm home."
"You have your sword..." That wasn't what Cloud had expected Sephiroth to say, but it was a start. It was something to focus on that wasn't quite as emotional.
Cloud nodded, "I woke up in the church." He told him, "Aerith and Zeke were there. And my sword." He looked over his shoulder, "It needs a bit of cleaning, but it's still good." He turned his face back to Sephiroth, "And it was a good place to put it."
Sephiroth nodded, still dazed and Cloud took his hand again. This seemed to comfort the man somewhat, and it was actually kind of nice for Cloud too. A physical anchor to join the spiritual one.
"Come on." He gave a small pull on the hand, and led Sephiroth away, heading towards the edge of the plate.
They walked for a long time, hours. Most of the time, it was silent, both having a lot to think about. Sephiroth never once let go of Cloud's hand, even when they found themselves climbing over unfinished scaffolding on the edge of the plate. It made things a little challenging, but Cloud didn't protest.
Once they found themselves at the very edge of the plate, they sat down. Side by side, their shoulders pressed together and their hands clasped as they watched the sun rise in silence.
"I love you."
That was definitely not something Cloud expected to hear from Sephiroth. It had been obvious for months before Cloud left, that it was more than a crush or simple sexual attraction, but he'd never expected to actually hear those words. Especially not with how he'd made himself clear. But here they were, those three small words that had the power to change worlds.
"I... regretted not telling you." Sephiroth continued, "After you died..."
Cloud nodded, he could completely understand what Sephiroth was going through. The very first thing he'd said to Aerith when she'd been given her counterparts memories was something that he'd regretted not saying when she was alive.
"I know." Cloud told him quietly, "And I probably couldn't have come back if you didn't." He admitted. In the end, he'd needed the connection he had to both Zeke and Sephiroth. He'd had to figure out what he hadn't been able to understand in life. He had to follow the pull from both of them.
Sephiroth was looking at Cloud expectantly and he sighed softly before nodding. "Okay," He said, giving the hand in his a small squeeze. "It's a little unbelievable," He warned, only to let out a chuckle at the look Sephiroth gave him. Okay, so a lot of what they'd gone through was unbelievable. "Right. So from what I can understand of things, there's something that can happen to souls. It's very, very rare, but occasionally souls become intertwined," He looked down at their joined hands, looking at how their fingers were laced together. "Strong, shared emotions bond the souls in such a way that the planet itself can't tell them apart.
"In normal humans, it means that their feelings are intensified. Sometimes it's love, sometimes it's hate. It's not always a good thing. After one dies, the other usually follows not soon after. Death from a broken heart, or suicide or just plain bad luck. But with Cetra...
"When a Cetra has this bond, even death can't keep them apart. As long as one survives, the other can come back by following the bond they share. The desire, the need to come back has to be all encompassing, there can't be any doubt about their feelings or their want to come home. And the other person has to feel the same."
"But you're not Cetra..." Sephiroth pointed out quietly and Cloud realised just how strong the grip on his hand was, and how much the man was shaking.
Cloud shook his head, "No. I'm not. I'm touched by the planet, but I'm not Cetra. But unlike anybody else, my Nexis has two souls. I had two ropes to pull me back. And I knew what I was doing. It took me a bit... I had to remember who I was. Why I was fighting. I had to figure out my feelings towards you, and I had to fight my way home."
"You're really here..." Sephiroth sounded so broken. Cloud turned to face him to offer him a smile, but Sephiroth had his face in his hand, his shoulders shaking.
"Sephiroth..." It was then that Cloud realised that Sephiroth was crying, tears flowing down his cheeks. The man was letting out the emotion that was overwhelming him. "Yeah. I'm really here." He tried to get his hand back so he could put his arm around Sephiroth, but the man wouldn't relinquish his grip. Instead, Cloud reached across his own body and placed a hand on Sephiroth's knee. "And now I know my way back." He told him, "I can always come home to you."
They sat like that for a little while, Sephiroth silently letting his tears fall, and Cloud silently comforting him.
"People will come looking for you," Cloud said quietly, "If we don't get you back soon."
Sephiroth just shook his head, wiping his final tears away. "I don't care." He told him.
They stayed like that for a while longer, simply being together. When they eventually stood to leave, Sephiroth pulled Cloud towards him and dipped down, finding Cloud's lips with his own. And this time, Cloud kissed back.
