Hello all! Hope you enjoy the last few chapters and these to come! I know I like them more, maybe because im more motivated and theres more action going on again! Please leave me reviews and let me know what you think so I can improve and continue to satisfy your tastes! –Annubis
The Decision Between Life or Death:
A Second Chance
Chapter 30
Zack winced as he rubbed his wrists together for the thousandth time, trying to get a release on the tie binding him. He was sure he was bleeding now, the sores and cuts proved the tiny pink ribbon to be a strong adversary. He grunted, leaning forward, digging his nails into the cloth.
"Damn it, Sephiroth! Leave her alone!" he ground out.
There was silence. Sephiroth had no interest in the man on the floor, and neither did Aeris. She was too busy chanting in the Ancient language, murmuring about the coming of holy and the sacrifice that will save the planet. A loud exasperated sigh sounded from the man's throat. He was too tired to take care of a pink ribbon!
'I'm so weak…why?' the man looked down at himself. He frowned. His clothing was soaked with his blood. He was too preoccupied with Aeris that he didn't notice the severe wounds caused by the wandering clones. They certainly had sharp claws. Zack shook his head, his vision blurring.
'This isn't right…Even if I lost this much, I should still be able to get rid of this RIBBON!' the man nodded off a moment. He jolted, frightened. 'There's something else going on!' he twisted his head to get a look at the clones staring down at him.
Their claws were stained red. Zack squint his eyes. A clear liquid seemed to drip from the pointed tips.
'Damn…' he shuddered. 'Poison…'
Zack struggled to straighten himself up, to watch Aeris before he blacked out. The young woman's pink lips moved slowly. But it was an unnatural speed. Sephiroth rested his chin on the girl's shoulder. His hands traced lines up and down her arms at a time creeping pace. Everything was moving extremely slow. Zack wobbled unknowingly. He couldn't brace himself any longer. 'Why would they poison me?' He bit his lip, trying to focus.
Sephiroth straightened his back. A large smile was pasted on his face. Things couldn't get any better. His green eyes gazed at Zack to gloat. Sephiroth then frowned.
'What's wrong with him?' the silver haired man glowered. Zack was paling more and more each second. He was wobbling like the slum drunk. His forehead glistened with sweat.
"Stay here my darling. I'll only be a moment." Sephiroth whispered to the woman's ear. Aeris didn't reply. She continued on as strong as ever.
The man rose to his feet, stretching slightly, listening to the loud cracking of his spine. He strode over to where Zack was. In a hurry the clones surrounded the man taking a defensive. Sephiroth halted.
"What's this?" he asked with genuine curiosity. The clones only stared. Sephiroth quickly dismissed their odd behavior. "Get out of the way." But the clones didn't budge.
"Did you not hear me?" he folded his arms. "I told you to get out of my way!" Sephiroth lunged forward. His gloved hands wrapped around one of the clones neck. In an instant the furious onslaught was on! Claws dove forward, but none of them were even successful in scathing the man. Sephiroth sprang backward, his hands around the clone's throat still. He dragged the beast through the air, not caring about the fact he broke its neck.
"How dare you defy me!" the man growled. He flung the clone into the far corner, it cracking against the wall like a porcelain doll. "I've ordered you to move away from the man and you shall do as I say!" out came the massive Masamune. It sliced forward, missing the group. Their speed was phenomenal. The group had disappeared.
'When did they get this fast!?' he was awed.
The next move was unexpected. He felt a sharp sting in his back. Sephiroth hitched. One of the clones had gotten him with its claws. Sephiroth easily swung the sword over his head, jabbing it downward to stab the creature in its collar bone. The beast dropped to the floor.
"Why are you doing this?" the man growled. "I should have power over you!" He lifted his yellow orb and froze. There was no way he could focus on something else! He needed to control Aeris. The man looked back at the woman. Her pace had slowed and it seemed she was having a harder time concentrating. "Damn!"
The clones drifted back to where Zack was, now only three. They covered him like a dome. Sephiroth watched the young man's face. It was incomprehensive, his skin whiter than the clones. Sephiroth felt a chill run down his spine. Why would the clones deceive him? Why would Mother betray him?
"Mother!" Sephiroth called out in a panic. "W, why!?" he held onto the sides of his head. He could feel the dumbfounded gaze of Zack's blue eyes on him. The glow was dulling. "Nothing…nothing is working like it should!" he watched the black haired man.
"You! I wanted to kill you! Not these…worthless excuses for monsters! Not these…these failed experiments!" Sephiroth took on his father's characteristic, babbling and spitting. "How am I supposed
to do all of this by myself!? Why!? Why can't I have an ally!?" he dropped to his knees, his sanity breaking.
'Join me…Zack…' Sephiroth repeated the words in his head. He tried to get Zack to join his side in the past but it was to no avail. "You all will DIE!!" the man got to his feet, sword in hand. "Holy will take you all out!!" he raised his weapon, ready to strike.
A rock skipped across the floor from behind the man, hitting his leather boot. It came from where Aeris was kneeling. Shocked, the man twisted. He half expected to see the woman on her feet, her hands on her tiny waist, glaring. Instead he found Aeris was where she should be, her lips still moving. There were two dark, cloaked figures beside her, watching with the outmost curiosity.
"What?" Sephiroth fumbled with his grip on his suddenly very heavy weapon.
A white, shaking finger threatened to poke the woman. "Don't touch her!" Sephiroth stumbled, twisting like a cat and scuttling across the distance between him and the praying woman. The two figures lifted their heads to look at the interference. They were clones. Two of Hojo's first prototype clones. The biggest failures Sephiroth had ever seen, just looking at the shaking and weak siblings made his blood boil.
"Mother?" one clone muttered. It looked back down at Aeris innocently, a finger pointing.
"Mother?" Sephiroth repeated the word. Now he was thoroughly confused.
"Mother!" the other clone pointed, matching his brother's actions.
"Not mother!" the silver haired man cursed. "Aeris!" His interest in the wandering clones were now gone. "What the hells' going on!?"
The first clone leaned forward, ready to poke.
"Don't touch her!" Sephiroth shoved the thing out of the way. "Your hands will never be allowed to touch her! You filthy things!"
The two clones looked up at the man. Their eyes held a sad emotion, like one of a child who was slapped. How much they reminded him of the weak and trembling Cloud Sephiroth once knew. They looked familiar.
"It can't be…" Sephiroth murmured. "How did you two get back here?" the man grit his teeth.
"Mother!" they hopped. Sephiroth groaned. They may have been revived, but the two were just as stupid as ever. He wondered how any of the clones managed to gain any intelligence over time.
"Mother? Why would she send you?" Sephiroth asked sternly.
"Reunion! Reunion!" the hobbled together, smiles on their faces. Sephiroth squeezed the bridge of his nose.
"And how are you supposed to be of any use to me?" he grabbed the hilt of his sword. Sephiroth figured he should just kill them now and spare himself a very large headache.
"You?" they stopped. They looked at him like he was crazy.
"Yeah! ME!" Sephiroth barked. "I have no use for you. Just go sit in the corner and…play." He waved a hand at them dismissively.
"Play…no time to play."
"Well then think of a plan to get rid of those guys!" the ex-general pointed at the mass of wandering clones around Zack. "They are in the way."
"…" the two clones tilted to the side to look around the towering man. They watched a moment, as if trying to sink in the sight. "There!" one pointed cheerfully. He looked at the other.
"There!" his sibling replied. Together they joined the party of clones.
"Idiots…" Sephiroth grumbled.
"Hmm…" a soft moan sounded from the woman on the floor.
"Aeris!" Sephiroth looked down at the girl. She was waking up, her materia's light fading. "Not done yet!" he slumped to the floor. He grabbed his yellow orb, preparing to set her mind into confusion once again. The woman toppled over into his chest.
"Seph…Sephiorth?" her heavy lidded eyes opened to reveal shining jade eyes. She looked up at him. His breath was caught. She was no longer focusing on her magic! Her hand wrapped around his middle as she snuggled in closer to absorb his body heat.
"N, no…not yet, Aeris. We need to finish this." The man straightened her out once again. She moaned in protest.
'DAMN IT!! Straight to hell!' Sephiroth felt the veins in his head pounding. Aeris wobbled, she stared at her hand. 'This isn't right. The clones are screwing everything up! Zack ruined everything! And…Aeris! Aeris is so disobedient!' the man sighed heavily.
"S, Sephiroth…you're bleeding…" the woman whispered.
'She's so…bleeding?' the man looked down at her. "Um…yes. I had a bit of an accident."
"You don't look so well." The woman tilted her head.
Sephiroth groaned. He supposed now that Aeris summoning Holy was out of the question. She was awake, the materia in her fingers forgotten.
"I'm fine." The man frowned.
"You're shaking." She pointed at the man's fingers. She spoke lightly, as if she had just been awakened from a very deep sleep. She currently wasn't aware of her situation.
Sephiroth looked down at himself. He noticed that he was indeed shaking. And boy, did his head hurt.
"What…" the woman rubbed her eyes as she took in her surroundings. They were on a rounding pathway surrounding a large drop off bottomed with the green ooze of the Lifestream. In the center of the gap was a single pillar only a few feet wide. She noticed the gathering of bodies across from them. Zack was huddled against the wall, his body limp, his head hanging. "What's going on!?" she screamed.
"Nothing of your concern." Sephiroth struggled to his feet.
"Nothing of my concern!? What happened to Zack!?" she joined his side.
"Hell if I know…" Sephiroth shrugged carelessly. "Ask them."
"Sephiroth, help him!" She turned to the man. "Is…he okay?"
"Why would I help him?"
"Because you're a kind man!" Aeris stomped her foot.
"Kind!?" he scoffed. "What man has been feeding you that bullshit?"
"I know you are! Please!" she grabbed the man's shoulders.
"Never." Sephiroth spat. "He's my enemy."
"But why? Why is he your enemy!?"
"Because he's human!" he let the word slip.
"What?"
"You heard me, Aeris." Sephiroth gave in. He no longer cared. Everything else had failed; why not just tell her the truth for once?
"Why-?" a sound emitted from the tunnel beside them, interrupting Aeris' banter.
"Oh…please…tell me it's more intruders." Sephiroth muttered sarcastically. He was getting tired of this whole charade. He lifted his sword, ignoring the pain it caused him just to move. "More people to kill."
"This isn't the crater." Elmyra huffed.
"I know." Reeve replied nonchalantly.
"But my daughter! I need to see her!" the woman followed the man up to a small cottage.
"In good time, Mrs. Gainsborough." Reeve nodded. "For now, it's far too dangerous."
"Dangerous!? If my daughter's in danger, I need to be there to take care of her!" the woman placed her hands on her hips.
"We will see them soon enough. For now do not worry about a thing. My friends are more than capable of taking care of her. You must have faith in them."
"You mean the same friends who let her die in the first place!?" the woman grumped.
"…Precisely." Reeve sighed.
"Where are we?"
"I have some people I'd like you to meet. I think that they may be able to help you in this time of distress."
"How can these people know what I'm feeling?"
"Oh, they know." Reeve smirked. His hand rapped gently at the front door of the cottage.
They waited silently on the front step. It took a minute and the door slowly swung open. A middle aged woman only a few years younger than Elmyra stood in the doorway.
"Mrs. Gainsborough, I'd like for you to meet Mrs. Fair." Reeve introduced the women.
"Almost there!" Cloud called over his shoulder.
The group hastened their pace.
"What if we're too late?" Yuffie called out.
"We won't be!" Tifa called back.
"We can't afford to think that way, Yuffie." Vincent said in a warning tone. He stared at Cloud's back. He could almost see the urgent feelings boiling inside the man.
"Everyone prepare yourself!" The spiky haired man ordered. The group neared the end of the tunnel, light exploding into their vision.
Loud boots echoed in the corridor. Cloud took a deep breath as they reached the clearing, feeling the open air of the large room inside the crater. He shrugged away the thoughts of his nightmare that he seemed to have only moments ago.
The group entered the clearing, Cloud's head looking every direction. His mind took a second to comprehend everything. Aeris stood in the wide open, there was a group of clones surrounding something, and there was no Sephiroth.
"GAH!" a noise emitted from the man.
It was too fast. Cloud was slammed into, something caught his throat and he was lifted into the air and pressed against the nearby wall.
"CLOUD!" Tifa slowed to a halt, the others doing the same.
"Why won't you leave me alone?" Sephiroth's voice was airy. He glared at the young man with hateful eyes. Cloud struggled, his legs kicking.
Aeris watched in horror, not sure what to do herself.
"ACK!" he managed to get out a horrible sound.
"I love that sound." Sephiroth mused. "It's perfect coming from your lips."
"I…hate…you…" Cloud gasped for air.
"Sephiroth! Leave him alone!" Tifa screamed.
'No more! No more of this!' the woman clenched her fists.
"Ah, the weak one." Sephiroth looked over his shoulder at the angry woman.
Tifa faltered a moment. He had called her weak. The thought plagued her mind. Was she really a weak person? Was she too soft? Was she not strong enough to protect Cloud?
"I'm gonna kick your ass!" the girl growled. She took off, her boots digging into the rocky surface.
"Try." Sephiroth removed one hand from the sheath of his sword which was being used to hold Cloud up under his jaw.
"Tifa!" Barret called out to the woman. It was too late. "Come on!" the large man called out to the others.
Tifa screamed as she kicked upward at the silver haired man. His hand effortlessly caught her foot, holding her leg in the air. She gasped. The man lifted, pulling her supporting leg out from under her. She dangled in the air.
"Impressive…" the evil man muttered dryly.
"Tifa!" Cloud coughed.
"Cloud!" the woman called out to the man. She looked at the group of clones by the far wall. In between the gaps she noticed Zack on the floor. "Help him!"
Cloud's eyes darted to where Tifa's were only a second ago. Tifa lifted her dangling leg; she kicked upward again, catching Sephiroth under the chin. It wasn't enough power to knock the man down, but it did distract him. Cloud lifted his own feet, shoving against the man's chest. As he did so, Tifa wrapped her leg around his arm and swung her full body weight around, tugging the man downward and around. She threw his body over hers, her grip around his arm never faltering. Sephiroth smacked the ground hard, landing head over heels on his shoulder. Cloud dropped to the floor. He didn't hesitate a moment. He sprinted for the group of clones, pulling out Zack's Buster sword.
"You're not going anywhere." Tifa struggled with the man on the floor. She kept her legs wrapped tightly around his arm, pressing her feet against his chest and her arms squeezing his hand and forearm to give her leverage.
"Nice…counter…" Sephiroth growled through clenched teeth. "But it does have a weakness." He raised his free hand. It glowed with magic. Tifa gasped as the spell was directed toward her head. It whizzed by her and flowed at an intense speed behind her. The woman turned her head to see a large barrier form around her approaching friends. They all slammed against an invisible wall, dropping to the floor. Sephiroth's chest vibrated with laughter.
"Now the fun begins." A sadistic smirk formed over the man's face.
Sephiroth rolled to his side toward Tifa. His free hand gripped her jacket at her chest. He pulled on her, lifting her off the ground again. This gave his trapped arm more freedom to move. The man rolled to his feet, carrying the woman with him.
"Tifa!" Aeris covered her mouth. 'Why am I just standing here!?' her gaze fell on Zack. She hoped the man was still alive. Urgently she fumbled with the orb in her hand.
Tifa's legs dropped. She hung in the air, her hands around Sephiroth's wrists. She shivered at the smile he gave her, the same one he had given her when he cut her and threw her down the stairs in the Mt. Nibel reactor. She struggled a moment, but to no avail.
"Join your friends." The man threw the woman carelessly into the barrier her friends were in. She sank through its wall and hit the ground on her side, rolling across the ground and into the far rock wall by the tunnel.
"Tifa!" Barret hollered.
Cloud was almost there. 'Only a few more feet'. He stumbled after hearing Tifa's cries of pain. He looked over his shoulder momentarily. Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen.
"Zack!" Cloud called out, facing back around. He skidded and collided with Sephiroth's fist. Cloud crumbled backward onto the ground, the sword that was once in his hands flying in the air and scraping across the floor toward the group of clones.
'Hate it when he does that…' Cloud braced himself for the fall.
"Poor Tifa…" Sephiroth shook his head. Cloud struggled to straighten himself up. He looked back again at the mention of the woman. "I certainly hope I didn't break anything."
"Tifa." Cloud sputtered. The woman was lying on the floor. Her back was facing him. Barret was down beside her, calling out to her. "B, bastard!" Cloud growled as Sephiroth drug the man by his throat once again.
"I'm getting sick of all this." The silver haired man hissed. "This used to be a lot of fun, but I'm through with playing these games!"
Sephiroth shoved Cloud onto the ground. As the man collided with the rock Sephiroth reached for his sword. He frowned. It wasn't strapped to him any longer. Green eyes searched the area where he and Tifa had been only seconds before. Sure enough, there on the ground, was his Masamune.
"Fine!" the man ground out. "There's more than one way to skin a cat."
Cloud jumped up to his feet, pulling out his second sword.
"And what's that going to do?" the general mused.
"Take you out all over again." Cloud clenched his jaw.
"Eh…" he shrugged. "I don't think so."
Sephiroth closed his eyes, focusing his energy. The force exploded into Cloud, sending him back fifteen or more feet. He tumbled helplessly. Before Cloud could even skid to a halt, Sephiroth had teleported behind the young man. He caught Cloud around his shoulders and spun around, throwing the man backward toward the barrier where his friends waited. The blonde groaned in pain. He sat up, trying to get his bearings straight. Sephiroth, however, didn't let up. He raised a fist, preparing a spell. The ground before Cloud began shaking. He jumped to his feet, watching as the rock cracked and crumbled. He stumbled back, lifting his sword trying his best to prepare his own spell. But it was too late. The quake spell was only a diversion. Behind the exploding ground was a crackling lightning spell. Cloud was shot rearward into the barrier. He pushed through one side and crashed into the other, dropping to the floor.
"tsk- tsk." Sephiroth waved a finger at Cloud. "You were never one to concentrate during battle. That's what makes you weak, Cloud. You care too much about your surroundings."
"At…least I have…feelings." The said man leaned against the barrier, catching his breath. "You're one to never understand them."
"And I am to care?" Sephiroth chuckled. He bent down to lift his sword.
"It's what makes us human." Barret frowned.
"You're forgetting something." Sephiroth raised his hands. "I'm not human."
"You're human enough to bleed." Vincent Valentine glared. The two experimental men shared a gaze.
"Everything bleeds, regardless of race, species, or life form." Sephiroth turned away. His hands secured the weapon back around his waist. "Now…I'm tired."
"You heard him." Cid drawled. "Anything can bleed. Ya know what that means?"
"Anything can die." Red XIII growled.
"What's going on over there?" Kadaj watched the group of clones.
"Zack's over there." Shelke narrowed her gaze.
"The clones are guarding him." Cloud said. He stared at the dropped sword only feet away from Zack.
"Why?" Yuffie asked.
"To keep him from fighting, most likely!" Cait Sith mewed.
"No." Kadaj leaned against the invisible wall, trying to get a better look.
"What do you mean?" Shelke asked.
"Something's wrong. Something's not right." The clone shook his head. "Look."
"What is it?" the young looking girl asked.
"Those clones." He pointed. "The ones with the black cloaks. They look familiar?"
"The one's from the lab!" She gasped.
"What? What are you talking about?" Barret inquired.
"Those two clones! They were in the lab! Damn it!" Shelke cursed. "They stole the last two test tubes of Jenova's blood!"
"Why would they need those!?" Yuffie yelled.
"Who knows?" Shelke shrugged. "But…like Kadaj, I have a bad feeling about all of this."
'Zack… get out of there.' Cloud thought silently.
"Cloud…" a moan sounded from the floor.
"Tifa!" He dropped next to the woman. A hand went to her hair, pushing it out of her face.
"I'm okay." She spoke in almost a whisper.
"Now!" Sephiroth's voice rang out, gathering everyone's attention. "You shall all watch my victory!" He turned to face Aeris. He noticed a faint glow to her materia.
"What'd you do?" the man grabbed her wrist staring at the orb.
"N, nothing." The woman stuttered.
Sephiroth's glare left the woman and traveled across the crater to where Zack lay. The man was awake now, struggling with the tie on his wrist once again. He looked much more colorful.
"Aeris…" Sephiroth dragged out the woman's name.
"Y, yes?" She batted her lashes innocently.
"Amazing…how quickly Zack got to feeling better." Sephiroth noticed that most of the man's bleeding had been stopped. "Jenova's cells certainly work fast, don't they?"
"Um…yeah." The woman nodded. Sephiroth rolled his eyes.
"You're coming with me!" he snatched up her arm and tugged her against him. He stared at those in the barrier. He smiled at their snarls. Sephiroth's hand rested on Aeris' hip. The woman bit her lip, unsure of what to do. They stood a moment, silence overtaking them. The woman fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Aiee!" She shrieked as she suddenly floated off the ground. Her head looked all around. Everyone's stares raised with her, following her every move. Then she noticed that Sephiroth's feet too were off the ground.
"Easy, Aeris." The man said calmly.
The two levitated toward the center of the gap above the Lifestream. Slowly they settled on the small rock pillar. Aeris stood close to the man, thinking this pillar looked very much unstable.
"Seph…iroth!" an angry chant sounded from where the clones were.
"Ah." Sephiroth redirected his attention to Zack, who was now standing, the clones around him watching stupidly. Zack pulled his hands apart and effortlessly snapped the ribbon around his wrists in half. "I see you've gotten lose." The general pointed out amused.
"Hand her over." The dark haired man ordered. The look in his eyes sure was frightening. Sephiroth, however, was unfazed.
"I don't think that is going to happen. You see…" he pulled Aeris closer to himself. "She and I are having so much fun. I think we're going to stay here for a while." Sephiroth began to feel his headache resurfacing, having momentarily forgotten about the wound in his back. "Those claws certainly are
amazing." Sephiroth pointed out. "I wonder…what type of poison they use?" he stuck a hand on his back, feeling the sticky blood.
"I'm going to kill you." Zack shook his head, ignoring the other man's statement. The words were icy and cold.
Aeris watched the two men. The clash between their stares was almost more violent than the physical attacks Sephiroth did to Cloud and Tifa.
"Really?" the man chuckled. The laugh sent chills through the woman. "This will be amusing."
"Don't think lightly of me, Sephiroth. I know you're poisoned. You can't hold out much longer."
"Well, you see, that's the great thing about Jenova's cells. They can regenerate so quickly. But, I did see how weak you had gotten. And that would cause some problems." Sephiroth looked down at Aeris and shrugged a shoulder. "It's alright. I have a backup." He squeezed the young woman, giving her a small reassuring hug. He enjoyed the look on Zack's face.
"Back, backup?" the woman bit her lip.
"You and that beautiful materia of yours." Sephiroth smiled, not looking at her. "Do me a favor and give me a little boost."
"Um…I can't." the woman shuddered. "I used all of my strength."
"Lies…" Sephiroth frowned. He rolled his gaze downward at her. It was a threatening glare, one that reminded her of her mother's glare when she didn't do all her housework, or when she came home late. "Just do it."
"O, okay." The woman gulped.
"Aeris! Don't!" Zack clenched his fists. The man watched her, a worried expression on his face.
"I…I…" she looked up at Sephiroth.
"Okay, do as Zack says." The man pulled out his sharp blade. "You just won't get to keep those pretty little hands of yours." Zack froze at this statement.
"You're cheap!" the ex-SOLDIER cursed.
"Anything to win a battle, right?" Sephiroth chortled.
"…" Zack was defeated yet again. There was a long silence. "Do it, Aeris… It's okay."
"But…" She looked upward at Sephiroth. The man was showing his true colors now, and they indeed were black.
"I thought you cared about me. Was I mistaken?" He was taunting her now.
"…" Aeris lifted her orb, concentrating. A small spell erupted from the piece and flowed toward the man's injury. Sephiroth gave a small sigh of relief. He almost forgot what it felt like before he had that treacherous headache.
"You're too kind." He murmured mockingly.
"Am I done?" the woman looked away, feeling ashamed of herself.
"Yes, but you must remain at my side." Sephiroth reached into his pocket, fingering the yellow orb. "I'm going to put on a show for you."
Zack glared, unsure as to what it was Sephiroth was doing. The man looked about himself, trying to think of a plan to get to his sword, defeat the clones, and make his way to the pillar to stab Sephiroth. His eyes met the other man's once again. He made sure his gaze never left Sephiroth's.
'By the time I moved, he would already be on the defensive. He's waiting for me to strike, waiting for me to do something stupid…' Zack closed his eyes. He felt dizzy. He shook the feeling away, dismissing it as a side effect from the poison that was in his body. He looked down at the ground and frowned, his sword was gone.
'What!?' the man froze. Tiny blades of grass spurted from the rocky ground. A rumbled sounded from above. Zack lifted his head, watching the cloudy sky that suddenly appeared overhead.
Plop
A droplet of water dripped on the man's cheek. Zack took in his surroundings. The clones were gone. He could no longer see Sephiroth and Aeris, none of his friends and no longer was he in the crater. Everything was replaced by green grass, a gentle breeze, and a silhouette of what seemed to be a city in the distance. Zack looked behind him, his heart skipping a beat.
'What's going on!?' the man gasped.
He felt the familiar weight on his shoulders and back. He stared at the armor he wore, the familiar uniform from SOLDIER.
'Not happening…' the man blinked. There was silence all around. Then…
CLICK…
He heard the familiar sound of a guns cocking.
"What's wrong with him?" Aeris whispered.
"Just watch. You'll see." Sephiroth mused.
Zack seemed to be frozen, a look of fear on his face. He looked about himself, clueless.
"What's happening to him?" Yuffie asked.
"I'm not sure." Cloud watched cautiously.
After a few minutes Zack twitched. He was staring at the ground, talking to no one in particular. His hand went over his shoulder in a familiar way. It was as if he was unsheathing his weapon. But his weapon was next to him on the floor.
"He's crazy!" Cid gawked.
"No." Cloud placed a hand on his forehead.
Zack frowned. The look on his face was covered in dread. He held his arms out in front of him, pulling his imaginary sword in front of his body. It was a noble stance, but one that looked ridiculous in reality without knowing what he was actually doing.
"What is he doing?" Tifa scratched her head.
"I tell you, he's goin crazy!" Cid drawled.
"I agree." Barret nodded.
"NO." Cloud muttered more sternly.
"What is it?" Tifa asked.
"Sephiroth's in his mind…" Cloud lowered his head. "And it isn't good." He had a depressing look on his face.
"What?" Yuffie urged him to continue.
"He's making Zack remember the events that took place outside Nibelheim… I remember that stance…" Cloud looked at the others. "Zack thinks he's defending himself from the Shinra troops."
Okay. Ending it here for tonight. Something to look forward to next week: Zack reliving the wonderful events before he was shot down outside Nibelheim. More action and suspense coming up! Thanks for reading and reviewing!-Annubis