I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(

Chapter Twelve

Surprise, Surprise

The room glowed in a bright blue from the Mako resources around them as they moved closer to the large structure in the center.

"Vincent!" Claire cried out from the man's feet. Her eyes then landed on the other woman. "Jeanne?

"This is Weiss?" Vincent asked.

Jeanne placed a hand on her hip as she stared at the white-haired man that had Claire chained to his chair like a dog. "Not what I had been expecting." His body was limp as he just lay there, unmoving. "Is he dead?"

"Not for long." Both turned to see that Nero had joined them again.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"A new life breaths inside him, just as one does in you, Valentine."

"Oh," Jeanne shook her head.

Vincent caught on to it as well. "Huh. That's what you're doing."

"Soon, my dear brother will awaken," Nero looked at the white-haired man. "It seems like an eternity since I was granted the knowledge of rebirth."

"Granted?" Vincent asked him.

"By who?" Jeanne demanded. The room began to shake as the Mako began to grow brighter, making its move. Claire gave out a whimper and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to protect herself from whatever it could be.

"Claire!" She went to run forward by Nero stepped into her path.

"Stay away from my brother!" He cried, shooting a huge shot of dark energy at them.

"How many times do we have to show you that your energy isn't going to work on us?" Jeanne growled, stomping out of the vortex.

Nero spoke, ignoring her. "Oblivion, perhaps. My darkness. It can absorb as well as extract almost anything. However, some things remain. Things as black as the heart of a demon. Ah, the essence of death. It's moderations are like a lullaby."

"All right," Jeanne pulled out Genesis' sword. "Let's play!"2

"No one will take my brother away from me again!" Nero cried as the dark spread along the floor.

Jeanne didn't know where he took them to fight but she could honestly say that she did not like it. It was similar to where they fought Sephiroth and Sienna three years ago but at the same time completely different. The battle was separated into three different parts but the Jeanne and Vincent working together he failed all three times.

"He died, waiting for her to return!" Nero growled, pushing himself up from the floor as the Mako began to grow. "And so she will be the first thing he sees when he reawakens!"

"Claire!" Jeanne cried as the Mako burst out of the room. She hurried back in, Vincent right behind her.

Weiss was now standing, in front of his chair as Claire still sat at his feet, staring ahead of him. Nero stood across the way, relief sounding through his voice as he called his brother's name.

"Weiss…my beloved brother…it is time." Weiss took deep breath before a strange laugh flooded from his mouth. "Together," Nero reached forward as he moved closer. "Weiss, I won't leave you again. Never, Weiss." The older brother blinked once before ramming his hand through his brother's stomach. Claire held back a cry of shock as Jeanne' mouth dropped open. "Weiss," He gasped.

"I'm finished with you," Weiss growled before tossing him towards Vincent. Jeanne moved quickly and caught Nero before he could hit the floor, causing the man any more damage.

Claire watched as Weiss looked over his body and began to laugh again. He jumped across the room. Vincent began to fire at him but the bullets bounced right back off. "Your weapons are useless! My body is one with Omega just as yours is with Chaos. The difference being Chaos is nothing more than a pawn. Whereas Omega is the Ultimate Weapon that will lead this planet's soul to the stars. There is nothing that can destroy me!" He chuckled. "Nothing!" He placed a hand on his hip. "Vincent Valentine. Jeanne Rush. And so we meet again."

"You!" Claire growled. "You're not Weiss! You're not him!"

Her answer was another chuckle. "Still in the dark. Three years ago while out on the search for Sephiroth and Sienna I distributed my data, my mind, my knowledge, my inner being across the world-wide network." With that, Jeanne's eyes narrowed. She knew who this was. It was unbelievable, but here was the proof. "And even though my body had died and the world had been left in ruin I survived in a virtual reality. When the network was restored the scattered data was regrouped and I was reborn. A neo-reunion, you could say."

"You," It seemed that Vincent had caught on as well. "You…"

"What's the matter, Hojo?" Jeanne scowled. "Can't you just accept that fact that you've lost and leave us in peace?"

"Ho-Hojo?" Claire asked in shock.

Weiss let out another laugh but this time it wasn't in that deep voice. This time it was that annoying, high-pitched monstrosity. "That's right! It's me! Hojo! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Let us do this right. Hello Vincent. Hello Jeanne. How long has it been? Three years? You know, when I first read it, I thought that woman's thesis was total nonsense," He referred to Lucretia's report. I couldn't believe some fabled beast from legend past had anything to do with your survival. However, three years ago when you transformed into Chaos right before my eyes, I must say I was shocked."

The trio closed their eyes for a moment, relieving the fight that Hojo was talking about. Jeanne hated it; hated not making sure that the bastard was truly dead.

"Cloud, Claire," Jena called to the twins. "Cut off its top arm. Jeanne, Vincent, try to take care of its head. Zeke, Tifa, attack it straight on. Keep him busy while I pull out my summon."

"Got it!" Claire grinned.

Claire turned back to face the creature just to get slashed across the chest by its tail. The tail was sharp like blades, slicing into her chest. She was thrown back, her brother catching her. Things seemed to go slowly for a moment as Cloud screamed his sister's name until a large burst of energy made everything fall back into place. It was only seconds later that a large form with wings zoomed past her, heading for Hojo. She lifted her head, watching Vincent in his transformed body as he beat the hell out of Hojo's new form. Tifa winced as blood splattered all over the floor and a roar sounded from Hojo as he dispersed back to his human form, panting and groaning as he dragged himself away from man in red.

"Look!" Vincent growled, stomping after him as he struggled to keep control over his form. "Look at what you've done to me! Look!"

"You are a fool," Hojo laughed at him as blood spilled over his lips. "You think you are the only creation I made with Protomateria inside of you? Gast created Sienna while I created Sephiroth but while Sephiroth moved and learned, Sienna was stuck inside her tube. It wasn't until I placed the Protomateria inside of her that she came to life. She had your blood inside of her, Vincent, so it took to her as kindly as it did to you! Lucretia thought that I didn't know, but I know everything!"

"You don't know anything!" Jeanne's voice was cold as she glared at the crazy scientist. "If you had known something then you wouldn't be this crazed demon, you bastard! Genesis…Angeal…Sienna…Sephiroth…Zack! You destroy everything that you touch!" Vincent glanced at her for a moment.

Hojo stared up at her in silence and watched as she left, leaving Vincent, still in his winged form, to take her place. He laughed. "You will never…be able…to control…Chaos," He gasped. "Not without…me…and nor…without…Sienna."

Vincent glared down at him for a moment before giving out a large and long shout. Claire sat up, watching with all the others are the man in red returned to his regular for. He hunched over, breathing hard as he shoved himself to his full height. "My daughter," He growled. "And I have had enough of you!"

"You're daughter?" Hojo sounded insane as he laughed some more. "You don't know anything. She is not your daughter! She was a wretched baby that Gast found in the alleys of Junon!" Jena and Jeanne's heads both popped up before they gazed at the other. "She is a-"

A gunshot fired and it went through the doctor's forehead. He slumped forward on the Control Panel, his blood seeping out over the controls. "My blood…my daughter," the man in red growled. "Even if I haven't met her." He then sighed, cooling his anger. "Hojo," Vincent closed his eyes and holstered his gun. "Rest in peace…"

"Who'd have thought her theory was actually valid?" Hojo asked. "And o I began thinking. It Chaos exists, then so too must Omega. And if you could become one then I could become the other." Jeanne shook her head as Hojo continued. This man was just as crazy as ever. Damn. She had been praying that she'd never have to deal with this foolish bastard again but it seemed that he kept coming back to her.

"But there was a problem. Only a strong shell could hold back Omega's might. And it could not be just anyone. You see, the reason you were able to play such a perfect host to Chaos was because of my experiments have endowed you with a nearly indestructible body. Thanks to me you are standing here today." He gave another laugh and then sighed. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, I attempted to perfect my body for Omega by injecting myself with Jenova's cells. However, that didn't go as I had planned. I failed to consider the fact that the cells might try to eat my mind and take over my soul. And so, as a safety measure, I came up with a brilliant plan." Jeanne listened as the crazy man explained how he had begun to use Deepground and how he tricked Nero into working for him. "And thus with my new body I began my final experiment. If the Chaos within you was born of a tainted Lifestream then the almighty Omega will be born of a pure one."

"You can't do anything with Omega!" Claire cried. "Only Sienna can control them! Without her, you can't do anything! You're not…not pure, you fool!" She told him. He turned to look at her. "The moment you try to do anything with that creature you will burn in the fires of hell for the rest of eternity you bastard!"

"Only a scientist of my caliber can become one with Omega and leave with planet for the stars!"

"You just don't get it at all." Jeanne shook her head. "You're just so stupid, you crazy old loon! I've heard enough of all of this! We're going to stop you here once and for all and this time you're not coming back!"

Vincent began to fire but Weiss/Hojo blocked everything, knocking Vincent to the ground. Jeanne went to help but Nero's grip on her arm was still there.

"Don't move," He whispered to her. "Not yet."

"You're getting old, Vincent Valentine." He laughed. "You just can't leave me alone, can you? Now sit right there. I want you to see this." He moved closer to where Claire sat, his voice returning to Weiss'. "And once I have absorbed the Lifestream," He held his hand out, summoning the Mako to him.

"This isn't over." Vincent growled, standing back up.

"So you're here to die, are we?" He asked. "Very well. But here, let's make it more interesting." Dropping his hand, he moved towards Claire and ripped her chain out of the chair. The woman fought to get away but she couldn't even make him move. Her punches and kicks made him stumble but that was about it.

"Leave her alone!" Vincent went to shoot again but Claire was used as a shield. He growled, lowering Cerberus. "Let her go, Hojo!"

"I have a question for you, Vincent." The man began. "I've been watching you this entire time. You still long after Lucretia while this poor girl here is offering to give you everything. Her heart. Her soul. Her body. And still you refuse it for the memory of a woman that ignored you for me. ME! How much of a fool are you, Valentine?" Hojo/Weiss shook his head. "Now we're going to see just how far you're going to go." He grabbed the back of Claire's neck. "Remember that chip I had Rosso place in her? I had to think of a way to insert it into her without the fear of you all removing it again. It seems so that the serum that I concocted worked." Vincent searched his thoughts. ~It must have happened while we were in Nibelheim. After I was knocked out.~

"Why?" Claire growled at Hojo/Weiss. She tried to remove his grip but he was too strong. "Why did you choose me and not Jeanne? Jeanne's strength is closer to Sienna and Sephiroth's. She would have been the better choice."

"It is because of her strength that I couldn't choose her." He answered her like it was a simple answer. "Jeanne would be too powerful. Rosso would have been killed by that other woman while she nearly killed you twice."

"You're just as sick and twisted as ever." Jeanne growled. Nero's grip was still on her, whispering for her to wait.

"True, true," Hojo/Weiss laughed. "Just wait until you see this." Claire gave a grunt as He shot Mako into her. Vincent cried her name as she was dropped to her knees and went to run forward but froze as she pushed herself back to her feet.

"Claire, are you…" Vincent's voice caught as she lifted her head. Her face was blank but her eyes…they were no longer those gray ones that Vincent knew her by. They were the bright blue of the Mako as barcodes danced across them over and over again. "What are you doing to her, Hojo?"

"As I said, I'm making this all a little funner. Let's just see how far you will go to keep me from finishing my plan, Valentine."

Vincent stared at Claire in horror as he pulled out her sword against him, Hojo's cackling laugh echoing around the room.

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