Cloud quickly gathered the group in front of the home, each one of them anxious.

"What's the plan, Spikey?" Barret asked, fiddling with his camera.

"No one goes alone. Stick together. When it starts picking up, Red will expel him, got it?"

"What if that doesn't work?" Tifa whispered in his ear, glancing up at him worriedly.

"We'll make it work. We're not leaving until that thing is gone." And with that, he opened the door and headed into the belly of the beast. Barret scrambled after him, Nanaki and Tifa following reluctantly.

"Please, Goddess, protect your children from the dark as your light fades into this twilight..."

Cloud gently pulled Tifa aside, letting the other two head deeper into the home. "Are you okay with go-"

"No. That's his room. If anyone goes in there, he'll do the same thing. Cloud, that is his territory. He has the advantage. I say we make come to us. Then, no one else will get hurt," she muttered quickly, pulling him toward the kitchen. "Please, Cloud. Let's join the others and start."

"Okay," he nodded, allowing her to take him toward the rest of the company. However, he carefully snuck a glance up the stairs. 'Get ready, you bastard. Here we come."


Tifa sighed, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Tifa?" Nanaki whispered, walking over to the woman and kneeling beside her chair. "What's wrong?"

"It's Cloud. He wanted to go into his room, despite everything that's happened..."

He nodded, putting a hand over hers. "Tifa, he is very protective of all of us, especially you. It will be alright."

"I know..."

"Hey Red, where'd Cloud go?" Barret asked, glancing around.

Tifa glanced over his shoulder, spotting a familiar aura of darkness. The demon grinned wickedly at her as he faded, his energy moving toward the ceiling. She dashed out of her seat, quickly bounding up the stairs. She went to opoen the door, but it swung in as she arrived.

Cloud blinked, closing the door behind him. "What?"

"Are you-"

"I'm fine," he muttered, brushing past her as he started down the staircase.

She stood rooted to her spot as she watched him descend. She nearly gasped aloud when the blonde turned and leered at her, his eyes flashing menacingly. He smirked, continuing on his way toward the rest of the crew.

'No...'


Nanaki shiverd as he halted his exploration of the room.

"What's up, Red?"

"Something is not as it should be," he answered softly, pulling out a small charm. He chanted under his breath, closing his eyes. He could see the energies of the world beneath his eyelids, the soft, bright glows of the plants and even brighter colors of his companions. He turned his head as the other two members rejoined them. Tifa's aura was darker than usual. She was frightened, but that wasn't difficult to understand after everything they'd been through that day alone. Cloud's was his normal shade of blues, but he detected the faint glimmer of something else, something darker. A thin, almost inperceptible black ribbon had wound itself around him. He opened his eyes once more, his sight resting on their leader. He found that Cloud was openly staring at him as well, his azure eyes simmering.

"Let's get started," Cloud mumbled, flipping on his camera as he walked.

Nanaki strode silently over to Tifa, whispering, "I see it."

She nodded slightly, sighing. "You do know how to-"

"Yes."

"Then we need to-"

"I'm heading down to the basement," Cloud announced as he started down the dark stairwell with Barret at his side.

Red gently pulled Tifa toward the door. "We have to do it now before the demon harms him."

"Too late." They looked toward the basement, watching the door slam shut. "He's mine."

Tifa bolted to the door, trying the handle. She pressed her ear to the door, listening for anything that could be heard. It was silent. She glanced back at Nanaki, her jaw clenched. He nodded, and she stepped back. She kicked it swiftly, then again until the wood around the lock splintered. She and Red quickly descended the steps, Nanaki clutching his charm tightly and chanting his native tongue. Tifa nearly tripped over Barret, who was lying at the base and rubbing his head.

The man pointed towards the other end of the room, muttering, "Careful, yo. He's not himself. He just turned, and his eyes glew green for a sec. It was freaky. Then, he swung 'round and knocked me in the head." He stood up, collecting himself and his fallen flashlight off the ground. They proceeded silently, Barret turning the light off and leaving them in darkness.

Something ran into Barret, tackling him to the ground. The flashlight clattered to the floor, flickering to life. Cloud had Barret down by the throat, a sadistic grin spread across his face. Tifa ran over, yanking him off the large man and holding his arms behind his back. Nanaki began murmuring even louder, walking toward the pair.

Tifa slowly transfered some of her energy to her friend, spreading her postive to surround the dark within him. "Cloud-"

"Is not here," the blonde bit out, shaking softly.

"Cloud, listen to me. you're not dark like he is."

"Are you sure about that? Do you know what he thinks? He-"

"It doesn't matter. He is good. I know he is."

Red approached them, eyes half-open as he chanted faster. Cloud tried to wretch himself from the woman's grasp, hissing and yelling at the man. "Wait until I control him completely, then I'm going to enjoy your death. I'll watch the light drain from your eyes as your blood stills..."

Tifa latched her soul onto that of Sephiroth, her head pounding against her skull. "Nanaki, I can't-"

"Then do it."

She tugged herself from his body, yanking the demon from her companion. Her friend fell silent, collapsing against her.

The air grew dank and oppressive as the demon manifested into his form, anger etched in his figure strode toward them, growing clearer and more solid with each step. He hit Nanaki across the chest, sending him into the far wall. He reached toward the blonde again, but Tifa shoved him behind her. He smirked, his acidic gaze boring into hers. "Now, you die."

"No. It's time for you to move on."

"Naive woman, I will not leave-"

"Then let us help you," she interupted, pointing to Nanaki.

Sephiroth turned, eyes narrowed. "That's not-"

Nanaki flung some of the holy water at him, charm clenched tightly in his fist. Bright light surrounded the demon, energy radiating from its being. The room became filled with purity as Nanaki muttered, "It is quite possible." He recited the lasts line of the ancient prayer, ducking aside as the demon lashed out with his dwindling energy reserve. Tifa quickly covered her friend, turning her back upon the demon and taking the brunt of his energy whirlwind. Sephiroth shrieked, the room continually growing darker. The light died, the heaviness in the air vanishing.

"T-Tifa?"

Nanaki turned on his own flashlight, sweeping the beam across the room.

Tifa sighed, falling to her knes. "He's gone..."

Cloud kneeled beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"No..."

Tifa glanced over at Nanaki, confused. "Amnesia typically occurs if one is possessed," he replied to her look, striding over to the other member of their party.

"Yo..." Barret grumbled, sitting up."

"You okay?" Tifa asked.

He grunted softly, gingerly prodding his head. "That's how many times I've been hit in the head now?"

Nanaki chuckled softly, handing him a sprig of an herb from the pouch at his waist. "Place it under your tongue and suck on it. It will help with the headache."

"How did you- never mind. I don't wanna know."

Tifa smiled softly at the banter, standing up.

"Tifa, what happened?"

"He knocked Barret over twice. Red hit him with the water and expelled him with his chants."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Nanaki glanced up at her knowingly, whispering to Barret. The man nodded, standing up and cracking his neck. "Let's get out of here, yo. I think they'll want their house back."

Cloud nodded, leading them back to the main level. They emerged in the kitchen as pink shadows slid across the walls. Tifa sighed softly, looking around. "It's so-"

"Peaceful."