Cloud tried desperately to shove his attacker off. It didn't help that the man was a lot taller and heavier. When Cloud couldn't shake him off he tried to reach for a smaller blade.
The pressure increased tenfold. And he grew dizzy. His left hand felt like it was actually burning as he reached out for Sephiroth.
"Oi! Get your filthy hands off my son!" Cid's voice surprised both of them.
Then without another warning a giant hammer was swung. Cloud heard the weapon cracking the skull of the man who tried to kill him. Soon as he was free Cloud pulled away as he gasped for air.
"Caught sight of ya leaving. Then noticed someone shadowing you. Grabbed my hammer and followed." Cid explained.
It took a moment for Cloud to gather his wits. When he was mostly calmed he turned to get a good look at his now very dead attacker.
"He one of your men, isn't he?" Cid identified the armor.
"Yeah. I don't remember his name." Cloud nodded.
"Did he say anything?" The older blacksmith wondered.
Suddenly there was a rush of people approaching. The front of them was Sephiroth and the majority of their own men. Rufus seemed out of place but Cloud wasn't going to question it.
"What happened?" The prince demanded.
"He tried to choke me." Cloud pointed at the body. "If it weren't for Cid I might be dead by now."
"And you didn't even bother to keep him alive for questioning?" Sephiroth glared.
"Hey, be grateful I saw them leave at all! I don't ask questions when my adopted son is in danger." Cid wasn't bothered by the prince.
Sephiroth looked ready to fight him. So Cloud spoke up. He wished for no more unnecessary bloodshed this night.
"He said the queen sends her regards." Cloud winced at his own admission.
It felt like the winds of a wintery blizzard came through. Cloud hated this. He never expected the queen to go this far.
"Prince Sephiroth. If it is true that your mother set up to have Cloud killed on my shores, she aims to start a war. But, I believe we are both sensible men. I do not wish for a war. However, this incident cannot be ignored for it happened at my home. How will you answer your mother's madness?" Rufus questioned.
Sephiroth turned, studying the king.
"Midgar is yours. She's gone too far. And I don't want her seat. My brothers have joined her in her madness. Even if you don't aid us when we deal with her, Midgar and all our territories are yours."
Everyone stared. Cid actually started laughing. Cloud rolled his eyes at his old mentors reaction. He moved closer to Sephiroth and reached for his hand. The grip was tight and squeezing.
"Come, let's discuss this matter privately." Rufus insisted.
"Understand he's not ever leaving my sight." Sephiroth didn't have to elaborate who he was talking about.
"I understand. If I were in your place I wouldn't let Tseng step more then ten footsteps away." The king had his own lover it seemed.
It came down to just the king and prince. Cloud stayed out of the plotting, still a little shaken up. Tseng did reveal himself by bringing refreshments.
"You should eat. You look like you're still in shock." Tseng insisted.
"It's all...sudden. That she would do that. I thought I was safe from her because of the visions I had of Sephiroth." Cloud absent mindedly ate the offered food.
"Everyone is an enemy when a curse of the mind is inflicted. When the rumors began of her acting strange started we grew cautious. Perhaps she sees you unfit for her son."
"I don't think she ever liked me." Cloud sighed.
"So let's go over our options. We can either follow you home, then demand she face her crimes. Or, we can play it like nothing happened and you can make an underhanded method of removing her as queen." Rufus listed.
"She might give the order for us to fight. But I'm not sure how to plot against her. In her mind state she will be suspicious that Cloud is alive and one man is missing among my longship." Sephiroth sighed.
"Then he stays here. We make it look like they both perished." The king suggested.
"And risk his safety here? What if one of my men talks?"
"His old mentor protected him just fine. If it helps ease your anxieties, Tseng can go with you to Midgar." An open display of trust. Exchanging their lovers that can double as hostages.
"You trust me that much?" Sephiroth was shocked.
"I have faith in you. She made an attempt on someone who has your heart. I cannot imagine what else she is capable of the longer she is alive."
Cloud felt it coming. It had been years since he had a vision. But he never forgot the feeling of everything slowing down. Then he was pulled into the vision.
He stood in Midgar. It was absolute chaos. People were screaming, running around. He turned as someone came running at him with weapon drawn.
Cloud held out his hands. He was confused to see that they weren't his hands. The fingers were more delicate and small compared to his own.
Zack rushed in and with a mighty swing of his sword he sent the attacker flying. He didn't bother to check if the man will get up or not. Zack rushed to Cloud.
Together they ran for safety. They caught up to Biggs and Wedge taking a stand with Barret, protecting a path for innocents to find shelter.
"Hey! Think you can help us fend these bastards off?" Barret saw Zack.
"I think so. We need to gather more to organize and turn the tide." Zack let go of the thin arm.
"No! Stay with me!" Was that Aerith's voice? Cloud was the one who spoke. It was strange that a female voice came from his mouth.
"I can't. I'll come back for you. I promise. Just help the other survivors." Zack leaned to kiss Cloud's forehead.
"Wedge, go with her." Barret urged.
"But I want to fight!" The baker argued.
"And we need that spirit with the people who can't fight! If we fall then it's up to you to gather everyone to push back." Barret had a point.
Cloud looked out at Midgar. It didn't make sense. There were no raids. No foreign longships at the shores. Everyone was fighting amongst themselves. Fires burned some of the houses, lighting up the night sky.
"Go! Take her to safety!" Biggs turned on Wedge.
"Come on." The baker gave in and together they ran into the forest.
Cloud came out of the vision. Sephiroth was at his side. Tseng was disturbed and Rufus was curious.
"Describe the vision." Sephiroth's voice was soft.
"I was - I was Aerith. I think. The people were fighting. It was like an invasion, only there weren't any foreign longships. Zack rushed me towards the the forest. We came across some people protecting the path for survivors to get away. Zack stayed to organize others to turn the tide."
"No longships in the bay?" Sephiroth frowned.
"None that weren't ours." Cloud confirmed.
"How accurate are Cloud's visions?" Rufus asked.
"All of them have come true." Sephiroth answered.
Well, not the first set of visions. But Cloud wasn't going to speak up.
"Then we need to make swift sails to Midgar. If the Mad Queen has resorted to genocide then we need to act fast." The king insisted.
"Even if we ride the wind it will take us four days to reach home." Sephiroth hated this.
"If we had a means to travel faster I would present it. You know it, my friend."
"Then gather your best. My brothers are prodigies. They will be the biggest threat if I make everyone else stand down." Sephiroth knew how defiant they had become as of late.
"Then it shall be done." Rufus agreed.
When morning finally came, the whole of Junon was busy for the last minute send off. Sephiroth had the rest of his men questioned at Rufus' suggestion to ensure no more surprises. They all complied and gave no hints of a betrayal.
Reluctantly Sephiroth allowed his men to remain on his longship. However with an open seat he agreed for one to take up the spot. To Cloud's surprise it was Cid.
"My longship, my rules. That means you do exactly as I say. Do I make myself clear?" Sephiroth glared at the older blacksmith.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm only here cause I got the balls to step onto your damn ship." Cid wasn't bothered by him.
"Cid, you're pushing your luck." Cloud sighed.
"And he needs to be reminded I helped raise you." The blacksmith countered.
"That doesn't mean being an ass. I can't even stop him if he decides to toss you overboard. But I will make him turn around to grab you." Cloud snickered at the mental image.
It was clear who these two stood in his life. That they were both viewed as important. The message was loud and clear for both of them.
"Fine! I'll cut the shit." Cid gave in.
As everyone began preparations, Sephiroth and Cloud had a moment to watch. They were silent observers. Until Sephiroth spoke up.
"Rufus asked about everything leading up to her current state. I mentioned Angeal's death and Genesis disappearing suddenly. He theorized she may have been behind both if not one of them."
Cloud turned to study him. Sephiroth remained focused in front of them. It was a huge display of the man who always met his eyes no matter what the situation.
"That means she's been trying to isolate you for years." Cloud concluded. "To have you turn to her and only her."
He can't imagine how that feels. Betrayal hurts. But betrayal from blood for selfish intentions would cut deeper. Cloud reached up to gently turn Sephiroth's face to him.
"If you can't raise your hand against her, allow me to be your sword."
"How strange that it would come to this. That we end up killing each others mothers and still yearn for each others touch." Sephiroth saw the irony.
"I wanted to the first time I heard her yelling at you. But I was scared you would toss me aside." Cloud admitted.
"Not with how close our hearts have become. I would have been very angry at you forcing me to become king. But eventually I would come around to you."
"Hmm. I don't think I would have minded the punishments from a king." Cloud grew playful and it started a fire in Sephiroth's eyes.
"Careful now. I might regret handing Midgar over on a silver platter to another king."
"If the vision is true Midgar wouldn't be a silver platter anymore." And the mood was ruined.
"Sephiroth, we're almost ready to depart." Rufus approached. "If we hadn't a celebration last night then we wouldn't have been so sluggish to set sail in the middle of the day."
"At least your men managed to get us ready so fast." Sephiroth complimented.
"This is an urgent matter at hand. Lives are at stake. And even if the vision didn't come true, she will see that my forces is not one to be reckoned with." The confidence really shines bright with this man.
They all climbed onto their respective longships. Sephiroth's longship took the lead. Soon as the sail was up Cloud stared in surprise. Painted over the meteor was the red square with a weird star that looked more like a square at a different angle inside.
"An open display that I am no longer aligned with whatever my mother has planned." Sephiroth explained.
"I think the message will be clear as day when we finally reach Midgar." Cloud knew it would.