Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. I depend on my daughter, Angeal Valentine, and on Bjanik for all my information on the subject.
A/N—I wanted to include a note about the "eye carnage" as Bjanik put it in her review. After I wrote the earlier Argento chapters, Angeal Valentine showed me a second picture of Argento (remember she's canon!). The new picture actually showed her with a patch over her right eye! Turns out the first picture AV showed me was a profile of Argento's left side! Suddenly I had to destroy her eye! Yikes! I guess that makes me "the-blind-leading-the-blind!"
We're still "real time" in New Banora—and will be for a few chapters yet.
"Come out here, Genesis! I know you saw that!" Sephiroth shouted, the dead dragon disappearing at his feet.
"Bra-vo, Sephiroth!" Rhapsodos swaggered from the trees, seemingly fully recovered, his hands clapping lightly together. "I would not have expected any less from the one hailed as the greatest warrior in the world."
"How did you recover so quickly?" Sephiroth snarled. Not even a Cure3 could restore energy to a person; it could only heal physical wounds.
"Ah, I suppose I should thank you for that. Without your clone's generous tissue donations, I wouldn't have found such a succulent snack." Rhapsodos smirked and pulled several silver hairs from his pocket. He took one hair, curled it, tilted his head back, and dropped it, glinting, into his mouth.
Sephiroth pointed Masamune at Rhapsodos. "What is that?! Explain yourself. Now!"
"Oh my! And spoil the surprise? I think not. Though I doubt you'll ever find out. Pity. You'd want to kill it yourself." Rhapsodos laughed lightly. "I have to save it somehow."
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"Wait! What did he say?! He's eating tissue from a clone? A clone of Sephiroth?!" The usual whirring in Tessa's brain was starting again. "There's a Sephiroth clone here?!"
"Gaia! What's happened to her?" Verdot sat back on his heels, stunned, indeed deflated. He pulled out his PHS and hit a speed-dial code. The call immediately went to voice mail. "Kamui, call me instantly when you get this! Please!" He slowly lowered the phone from his ear and stared at it for a second. There really was nothing else to say…
Vincent leaned toward his friend. "That was it, wasn't it? That look you gave her when 'Jenova' came up on the way here!" Vincent, too, looked thunderstruck. "Kamui is a Sephiroth clone, isn't she?"
"Kamui? Who's that?" Tessa looked between the two men. "What's going on?" Something strange certainly. Her whirring brain was processing both their conversation and Sephiroth's and Genesis' across the field.
"My daughter." Verdot shook his head. "My adopted daughter, that is… I found Kamui wandering the slums of Midgar shortly before I retired. Indeed, I retired primarily to get her out of Midgar and brought her here to Mideel." He sighed. "I checked the area where I found her. A Tuesti building project had collapsed an old underground laboratory of Hojo's. There were dozens of smashed tubes filled with the bodies of Sephiroth clones—all were dead—with notes about conditions and growth accelerant everywhere. Hojo probably set them up before Sephiroth left for the war in Wutai. There was one tube at the end of one row in a corner that had been broken open by a fallen beam that was empty. It must have been hers…" He came up on one knee preparing to leave. "I have to find her…"
Vincent put his hand on Verdot's shoulder and pushed him back down. "You can't go now. I'll help you look shortly."
"You don't understand, Vince." Verdot looked at his friend, a sad expression on his face. "I lost my wife and Elfé in that fiasco—that massacre!—in Kalm." He shook his head. "You may not even know about it, but I couldn't stand to lose anyone else close to me."
"Verdot, my friend." Vincent's hand bunched in the fabric of Verdot's black night suit, his head close to Verdot's. "I do understand… At this point in my life, I couldn't bear to lose anyone in my family, either." Vincent then extended his hand in the blood-line handshake configuration for a secret. Verdot paused, then grasped that hand for the second time that night. Vincent leaned closer to Verdot and whispered. "Don't you remember? I told you my daughter-in-law banged on my box to get me to help her? That woman is Dr. Romera, and my son is Sephiroth. I am your daughter's biological father." Vincent paused at Verdot's startled expression. "In a very strange way, you and I are family. We'll look for Kamui, for our daughter, shortly." Vincent turned his mind to try to touch the girl's. If he had a mental connection with Sephiroth, then it was conceivable he might be able to touch Kamui's mind as well.
"A little while ago, I saw her headed this way with the president," Tseng offered.
Verdot leaned back and looked at his successor. "I'm sorry, Tseng, but that's not much comfort. Kamui has an absolutely horrendous sense of direction… I once sent her on an errand to Mideel. It was two weeks before she showed up again, and she had completely missed the city—she'd been at some swordsmith's and wandering around eating Banora white apples." Verdot suddenly looked old. "She literally could be anywhere."
Tessa shook her head. "How's Sephiroth going to take this? That he has a clone? A sentient female clone at that..." She looked at Vincent and decided to take a cue from him. "Maybe Sephiroth has a sister?" She nodded and smiled at Vincent slightly, and he nodded back. That Genesis-person could be right—Sephiroth could well want to kill a clone. Vincent would protect his old friend and their daughter. Tessa's smile faded. "Strange. Sephiroth has a fabulous sense of direction. How could there be such variation?"
"Happens all the time." Tessa's head snapped at Vanessa-7's words; she'd forgotten the woman was there, hearing so many of their secrets. "While we all look alike, we're often very different—mainly our abilities. My sisters and I talk about how different we are all the time." She shrugged. "What, you think we'd discuss how alike we are? That's dull, believe me."
"Oh-h… The seventh Vanessa." Tessa smiled slightly. "You're a clone." Tessa realized she was just a bit slow after her long sleep. She hugged Vanessa-7. "Thank you for helping me." Vanessa-7 smiled back. Tessa's mind continued to churn right along with her stomach, however, and her smile faded. How did eating clone tissue help Genesis? Oh. Cloned Jenova tissue. Who was Genesis anyway? A First Class who had betrayed Soldier in Wutai. Zack had told her that much and that there had originally been two other super-Soldiers besides Sephiroth. Neither of the others had been Hojo projects. I can figure this out…
"What's Jenova?" Dr. Caperton, still trying to examine Tessa in the midst of the chaos, looked at her, but didn't wait for an answer. "I need this blanket." He looked at Vanessa-7. "Help me, please." She nodded her head vigorously.
Tessa laughed slightly. "Dear Dr. Caperton. Thank you for coming." She put her hand on his cheek for a moment before unwinding the soggy blanket from around her. "Believe me—you don't want the answer to that question."
"Hmph… Well, just wait till you get my bill—there'll be something you really don't want." The tension partially broke with general laughter. Dr. Caperton glanced again at Vanessa-7. "Help me put this thing under her, then raise a tent." He returned his attention to Tessa. "Lie back and lift your knees. I need to examine you."
Across the joined heads, Reno and Rude looked at each other. Reno smiled, and his fingers itched (along with various other portions of his anatomy)—a female Sephiroth, who had no preconceived notions about him. The idea had such interesting possibilities…
Rude delivered an elbow to Reno's ribs. "Don't get any ideas… the General's sister, man!"
"A little late for that, yo," Reno smirked.
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"Quit babbling and make sense this instant!" the General barked.
The ex-Soldier sighed. "Temper, temper. I believe it was our teacher who said, 'fight like fire, think like ice.'?"
Sephiroth closed his eyes. Damn it. For once Genesis was right—he needed to calm down if he wanted to win. He took a deep breath, felt his shoulders relax, and opened his eyes again. "I believe she also said that you were the biggest loudmouth on Gaia?"
"Hah!" Rhapsodos laughed a moment. "While I find reminiscing about the past amusing, I'd prefer to do it with Angy." Suddenly a long, black wing erupted from Rhapsodos' shoulder, and he launched himself with a speed faster than Sephiroth had ever seen him use. Sephiroth blocked a slash to his clavicle, left hand grasping the handle of his Masamune, the right palm supporting the blade. He braced his feet against Rhapsodos' forward motion. "You know how this will end."
"Ordinarily, I would overpower you, but this time… We'll be in a thousand-day showdown," Sephiroth muttered, teeth gritted.
"Wrong. This time, I will be the hero!" Rhapsodos shouted as he overpowered Sephiroth's guard.
Rhapsodos' rapier grazed Sephiroth's cheek and sliced through the tip of his ear. The Soldier General ducked and dove out of the way as Rhapsodos' attack veered for his head. Sephiroth pivoted on a hand and landed on his feet facing the traitor. Rhapsodos smirked and raised his rapier. "What's wrong? Weren't you expecting that?"
"Shut up," Sephiroth spat as he wiped the blood from his cheek and ear.
Rhapsodos placed two fingers along his sword and ran them along its length. The rapier lit with magical energy. He swung for Sephiroth's ribs. The Masamune met Rhapsodos' rapier in another clash, and sparks flew from the two enhanced blades. Sephiroth took a half-step forward attempting to gain ground, but Rhapsodos had other ideas. He summoned fire to his left hand and shoved the ball into Sephiroth's body. Sephiroth shook his head slightly—why hadn't he seen that move? Genesis had attempted the same fireball earlier when Sephiroth had crushed that hand—it should have been still too tender for such a maneuver! Sephiroth staggered and barely blocked an upwards slash from the ex-Soldier.
"Getting a little slow, are we?" Rhapsodos taunted.
"Maybe you're getting a little over-confident," Sephiroth replied as the air throbbed with the build-up of electrical charge, but the General sent an only partially formed wave of electricity at his former friend.
The traitor dodged out of the way with a flap of his wing. He sped towards Sephiroth and slashed again for his old friend's ribs. The General passed the strike then twisted his wrist for a slice to the ex-Soldier's temple. Rhapsodos leaned out of the way then brought his sword hurling to Sephiroth's head. Sephiroth blocked the strike with his free right arm, but the force sent him toward the ground, his arm bleeding. Rhapsodos fired Homing Fire3 after him, and Sephiroth slammed into the ground on his back, a magical fireball. Masamune tumbled from his fingers.
"You should listen to me," Rhapsodos raised an eyebrow, shook his head, then raised his hand above his head—palm up, claw-like fingers splayed--and disbursed spirit energy. "FORSAKE, BENEVOLENCE OF THE GODDESS!" A large white circle, similar to a summoning portal, webbed out from underneath Sephiroth's burning body. "Farewell, my friend," he muttered as a massive white light erupted upwards from the circle and replaced the flames.
Rhapsodos stood near the light column and studied the Soldier through the shimmering curtain. Stepping into the circle, he placed one gloved hand on his former friend's neck. There was no pulse, no sign of breathing.
Three friends go into battle
One is captured,
One flies away,
The one that is left becomes a hero.
Loveless, Act IV
"Finally, I am the hero." Rhapsodos picked up the Masamune and laid it on Sephiroth's body with the guard at Sephiroth's chest. He placed each of Sephiroth's hands on the hilt and recited:
My soul, corrupted by vengeance
Hath endured torment,
To find the end of the journey
In my own salvation
And your eternal slumber.
Loveless, Act IV
"A true adversary to the end. You deserve a proper burial." Rhapsodos muttered and closed the jade green, cat-slit, lifeless eyes. From across the field of battle, he heard the screams of Sephiroth's wife, "NNNNNNOOOOOOO!" He imagined the collective gasp running through Soldier, indeed all of Shinra. He smiled. Nothing—no one—could stop him now.
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NO! This can't be happening! Tessa's mind screamed in denial. She twisted on the ground and pulled away from Vanessa-7 and Dr. Caperton, unaware that the screams in her mind were very real. Get to him! Now!! MOVE!! She grabbed Reno's EMR, managed to stand, and took two steps before her unused legs crumbled her to her knees. "Sephiroth! Sephiroth!! SEPHIROTH!! NNNNNNOOOOOOO!!"
Suddenly Vincent's face filled her vision. His red eyes swirled with the dangerous yellow that indicated that Chaos was about to emerge. He grabbed her wrists in his hand and claws. "…Stop… You have to stay here… for the baby…"
Tessa jerked and pulled her arms in his grip, but nothing could move Vincent. "LET ME GO TO HIM!" At Vincent's glare, Tessa wanted to howl in pain, but instead she took several deep breaths. "If I can get there… I can save him."
"Tessa… He is already gone…He is no longer in my mind…"
"NO!" Tessa shook her head in denial, but she could read the certainty in Vincent's swirling eyes. She felt her strength drain away, and she slumped further onto the ground. "No…"
Dr. Caperton leaned over Tessa. He didn't like her condition at all. "Dr. Romera, you are in labor. Extremely premature labor." He turned to Tseng. "Commander, her water has broken. We have to get her to a hospital, now!"
At Sephiroth's death, every watching Turk had gasped, Tseng included. The Turks, like all of Soldier, had believed the Soldier General to be unbeatable, perhaps even immortal… Vincent knew the truth of that. Now he had to keep his promise to his son: protect his daughter-in-law and grandchild. Genesis Rhapsodos was coming for them next. Coming now…
Tseng shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. There was only one person who might be available to help—assuming they survived the next few minutes. He tapped his communicator three times. "Mr. President. Are you there?"
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Genesis Rhapsodos was enjoying every step—indeed every second—of his triumphant progress across the battlefield. This time he was the hero. The world was his for the taking: no more Sephiroth, much less Londo Shinra, to stand in his way. Everywhere around him, the fighting continued. With Sephiroth gone, however, none of that mattered. Rhapsodos was about to gain the prize: the pregnant woman surrounded by Turks and her invaluable, living Jenova tissue. Hollander had been going to take the tissue by C-section tomorrow. Well, that would have to be put that off for a day—Rhapsodos wanted the tissue source alive—but more GA#20 would solve that. Then he could have the tissue—and Sephiroth's mako-enhanced woman as well. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his last few Jenova-laden, clone hairs, wound them, then dropped them glittering into his mouth. That was a treat he would have to get more of, soon.
Genesis didn't know what had become of Argento, but if she had captured the Sephiroth clone, that would complete his triumph. Moreover, if he understood Argento's cycles correctly, there was likely more than one pregnant woman in New Banora. He would need Jenova tissue to stabilize his new offspring. Argento wouldn't like it, but she and Sephiroth's woman, even possibly the Sephiroth clone (wouldn't that be an interesting combination?!), not to mention any number of the female clones—possibly even some of the female Turks (hm?)—could be mako-enhanced, could bear his new armies, all side by side by side, in tubes. That was the one thing that Hollander's and Hojo's experiments had proven. Physically stable super-Soldiers had to be begun the old-fashioned way, via intercourse, and brought to term in their mothers' bodies, in order to be stable. Genesis was looking forward to every second of his part in that process as well. What a fool Sephiroth had been! Londo Shinra had offered him armies made up of his own offspring from mako-enhanced mothers. Genesis Rhapsodos would now do exactly that...