I had a feeling the time skips would be a bit confusing, sorry about that. They should be better as the story progresses. I wanted to thank some wonderful reviewers who gave me some wonderful tips and advice. I won't babble on, but I hope you enjoy what I have in store for this. These chapters will eventually get longer, but for now they'll stay kinda short.
enjoy!
Chapter Four
The next morning Tifa had woken Sephiroth before she got the kids up. It was still dark out, the sun's rays just starting to make the horizon glow with predawn light. "Is there something I can do for you?" he asked, sitting up.
"Yeah, sit outside in the back for a while. I don't want you around them."
Sephiroth had no idea who she was talking about, but decided not to argue. As he complied with her request he sat out in the back thinking about different things. If this truly was the future then he had a lot of figuring out to do. The first was obvious. He had to find out exactly what had happened. Cloud and Tifa had told him some of the events between Nibelheim and now, but they had also left a lot out. As Shinra's best interrogator, he could tell it was hard for both to say as much as they had. Something horrible must have happened to affect a strong warrior like Cloud and as for Tifa…he couldn't put his finger on it, but she seemed familiar. He didn't know her, but he was certain he had seen her before. He rubbed his face with his hand.
The entire ordeal was taking its toll on him. Normally he could solve any puzzle, but this one was proving to be far more taxing than anything he had ever tackled before. He had to go back and figure out the last things he remembered before falling into the mako. He remembered losing his friends Genesis and Angeal when they deserted the company. Remembering the realization that they were gone sent a sharp pain through him, which he fought to ignore. It wasn't physical pain so he had to ignore it. It was a useless emotion that would only get in the way of his goal, at least, that's what Hojo would always preach. Sephiroth knew he shouldn't consider any advice from him however. Hojo lacked any sort of moral and Sephiroth had to wonder if he ever had any to begin with.
It was taxing to run the entire branch of SOLDIER on his own. That's why he was relieved when Zack had been promoted to First. It made running things easier. It was strange that both he and Zack had been called to a simple mission in a small town. Nibelheim - The same village that Tifa said she was from. What was so important there that had shaped the entire future of the planet? Were the answers he was seeking there waiting for him? Should he just gather his things and leave now? Or would those two stop him? They claimed it was he who had threatened the world. How could such a thing happen? Sephiroth never had any desires for world domination, nor did he wish to bring about its destruction. So then why?
The back door opened and Tifa stepped out. Sephiroth looked up at her as she glared down at him. "Come with me," she told him.
"What about Cloud," he asked as she started heading off down the street.
"He's busy taking care of something else," she replied and kept walking. Sephiroth had no choice but to follow.
They kept to the back alleys. Tifa wanted to avoid setting everyone in a panic and trying not to draw attention. Sephiroth followed in silence, waiting to see where she was taking him and what she had to say. The glares she kept shooting over her shoulder told him she wanted to say something. He just didn't know what. As they made their way to an enclosed alley Sephiroth was surprised to find a dead end. That's when he sensed someone watching him. Tifa realized the jig was up and snapped her fingers. Giving the signal.
Sephiroth instinctively reached for Masamune, but remembered too late that he had surrendered it to Cloud. Several assailants appeared out of nowhere. A large red cat with a flaming tail, a black-haired man sporting a large, ragged red cloak, a man with short blonde hair who wielded a spear, a large, heavily muscled black man who sported a gun arm, a small robotic cat with a cape and crown and a young girl who resembled a ninja. Sephiroth was surrounded and he knew he was in trouble as he saw the hatred in the eyes of each one of them as they formed a circle around him.
"I can't believe the son of a bitch is back," stated the blonde man as he bit into his cigarette.
"Don't know how he came back this time, but we'll make sure he stays dead," added the black man.
Sephiroth looked around at all of them, wondering who would strike first when another of the group spoke up.
"Why didn't Cloud do it this time?" asked the cloak-wearing gunman.
"I don't know," Tifa replied. "I thought maybe he had him under his control again. He seemed dead set on killing Sephiroth when he left, but when he came back Sephirtoh was right behind. He believes that this Sephiroth is a time traveler and he woke up here from his mission in Nibelheim."
"Ain't that your hometown?" asked the blonde man.
"It was," Tifa replied. "Back when my father was Mayor he asked me to help a squad of SOLDIERs on their mission. I should have refused."
Sephiroth's eyes widened as he remembered. "You were our guide."
Tifa nodded. "Yes, I was. Do you remember now? I know you've gone mad from all the power you've consumed. Are you just now starting to realize the horrors you've committed?"
Sephiroth looked at each one of them before looking straight at her. "I remember you now, but that still doesn't change the truth. I never attacked your village and I never went insane."
"So you did it all on purpose?" asked the other girl.
"Something's not adding up here," replied the gunman.
"Yeah, we ain't finishing him off," replied the man who sported the gun arm.
"No, Vincent's right. In every encounter he's never acted this way before," added the lion. Sephiroth was surprised that he could speak.
"Maybe he's waiting for Cloud to appear," added the robotic cat.
Everyone looked around then except for the lion who kept his senses alert and the gunman who never took his eyes off the silverette.
"You got ten seconds to release your control on Spiky before I start shootin'."
"Daddy!"
The group turned their attention to the alley's exit where a little girl with braided hair ran up to him.
"Marlene? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you all the same thing."
Cloud approached the scene and glared at each one of his friends. He quickly put two and two together and looked over at Tifa.
"Why did you set this up?" he asked.
"Because I was afraid he had taken control of you again and I wanted to finish him off before anything horrible could happen."
"Tifa, noting bad will happen. Haven't I proven that I can handle him?" asked Cloud.
But Tifa only shook her head. "I can't stand to lose anyone else Cloud! First it was our home, then it was Aerith and last time I almost lost you. What's at stake this time?"
Cloud approached and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm done running."
Tifa was about to say that wasn't what she meant, but he didn't give her a chance to reply as he stood in the middle of the group. He saw the looks they were giving him and turned to the one person who understood him better than the rest.
"Vincent. Do you honestly believe I'm being controlled?"
The ex-Turk approached him and studied him closely before closing his eyes with a smirk. "Not with that attitude."
He put his weapon away and the others lowered their weapons. Cloud appreciated that they were trying to help, but it wasn't the way to handle it this time. He then looked over to Sephiroth who had remained still and calm throughout the whole ordeal.
"I think it's time you heard the whole story."
