Paradigm Shift

Sephiroth was neither nervous nor tense. He really wasn't. True, it had been Cloud's birthday yesterday -his mother had let Genesis set up a small party and there was a chocolate cake sent to the blond by the Valentine housekeeper- and his aide was even now working his way through the SOLDIER exam since he was fourteen and Lazard had agreed to let the teen do it early, but that didn't mean that the Silver General was worried. Cloud would pass the tests easily, even the Mako tollerance ones; those had been a source of mild concern but Chaos had assured the extended Valentine family that 'the little chocobo' would not have any adverse reactions whatsoever to being injected with Lifestream. Sephiroth chose to believe him -Chaos actually liked the blond after all- and was not at all nervous.

Genesis' constant teasing was however starting to become irritating.

How about we spar?" Sephiroth interrupted his redheaded fellow General's needling to suggest. "We never did get that rematch after Cloud stopped us."

Angeal looked slightly concerned but Genesis looked delighted. "Of course! In here?"

Sephiroth glanced around the interior of the Simulation room. "No; last time we damaged it before we could really test our limits. Sector Five has plenty of open areas and abandoned factories the main army uses for exercises. We could commandeer a section for the afternoon."

"True, especially since the cadets aren't in training yet," the Crimson General agreed. "Come on Angeal: don't you want to see if either of us can beat Sephiroth now?" Now we've been cured was not spoken aloud, but all three SOLDIERs heard it nonetheless.

The Dark General sighed, shaking his head. "Well, since you're going to do it anyway I may as well come along to make sure you don't actually manage to kill each-other."

"Wonderful," Genesis said enthusiastically, charging out of the simulation room and forcing the other two Generals to move more quickly in order to keep up, "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess. Blondie's been really good for you, hasn't he? You'd never have suggested this six months ago."

Sephiroth really wished Genesis would stop referring to Cloud as 'Blondie'.


Forty minutes later the three Generals were standing in a very large open area used by cadets during training. As the second batch of this year's recruits would not be permitted to enlist until the first of September, the field was empty and in reasonably good condition. Even better, it was far enough away from the regular barracks that no-one would be stumbling across the fight by accident.

And, best of all to Sephiroth's mind, Genesis still hadn't found out about his increased resistance to fire and most status ailments. A slightly evil smirk twitching in the corner of his mouth, the Silver General drew Masamune and prepared himself to fight.

"How about we make this more interesting?"

Sephiroth felt his brow furrow fractionally. What was Genesis playing at? "Your suggestion?"

The Crimson General grinned. "Just a little wager. I win, I get to take Cloud on as my student. Nothing but the best for Blondie, right?"

"And when you lose?" Sephiroth inquired levelly. Genesis would never get Cloud.

The redhead's eyes hooded slightly. "I'll share a little something Chaos told me. Very interesting and highly confidential information that involves us all indirectly."

Sephiroth considered the odds and inclined his head in agreement, new purpose suffusing his limbs. Up until now this had all been in fun, indulging Genesis' rivalry to pass the time and distracting the redhead from needling him. Now however the games were over; Cloud was the perfect student and Sephiroth refused to let go of him. He would have to strike fast and hard to take Genesis out without lasting harm; the Crimson General had massive stamina and was a versatile magic user while Sephiroth himself relied on speed and technical brilliance. They were evenly matched for sheer strength, so the sooner the Silver General had his opponent at a disadvantage the better.


Fourteen minutes into the fight Sephiroth had experienced enough near misses with Firaga spells to have determined that they did not sear his skin as they passed him by. The promised 'massive affinity for fire' had indeed granted him total immunity to that particular element, so Sephiroth had no qualms in charging right through the next blast. This totally unexpected manoeuvre forced Genesis to retreat, wrong-footed, in an attempt to win himself a bit of breathing room. The Silver General did not play along, not even slowing as he wielded Masamune with intent to severely maim and denying his opponent of the chance to even try to think. The sooner the fight was over the sooner he could push through the paperwork that would confirm Cloud Strife's position as Sephiroth's protégé.

Genesis parried desperately, danced sideways and cast a Flare at close range. The Silver General ignored the spell completely as it washed over him without even singeing his coat and continued to press his advantage. The Crimson General staggered slightly, recovered while parrying another blow and feverishly cast something new, his presence fading from the battlefield to be replaced by another, different one.

Sephiroth's eyebrow shot up as his pupils constricted from almost circular to fine slits. Genesis had summoned Bahamut. The draconic summon uncoiled itself in the air above the damaged field and roared a challenge.

Somewhere in Sephiroth's hindbrain something bloomed, hot, angry and inhuman.

He refused to be defeated by a dragon.

Disregarding Angeal's gasp of surprise as his wings exploded into being the Silver General took to the air. On rising to the same level as Bahamut Sephiroth instinctively tapped into the Limit Break urging him forward and roared.

The world went white as the blast utterly obliterated the summon. Genesis fell out of the air as the reverberations faded, twisting desperately in an attempt not to break anything on landing. Sephiroth followed him down, wings furled as he prepared himself to strike. As the Crimson General stared wide-eyed up at the winged warrior plunging towards him obsidian wings ripped through the shoulders of his red coat, slowing his fall enough for the redhead to land safely.

Above his opponent Sephiroth adjusted his grip on Masamune and let gravity grant strength to his next and hopefully final blow. Genesis stared resolutely up at him, face tense and wings mantled, his Rapier glowing red as it came up to counter the strike.

Then Angeal was there between them, Buster sword rising to fend off Sephiroth's seven-foot katana as his standard blade crashed into Genesis' rune-reinforced weapon. The Silver General pulled his blow at the last minute and backpedalled, wings flapping, as he shook of the slight dizziness that came from having broken his Limit.

"Enough," Angeal said sharply. "I very much doubt either Cloud or Valentine would appreciate it if the two of you killed each-other. Genesis, summoning was going too far and Sephiroth, what possessed you to use a Limit Break in a spar?"

Behind the Dark General Genesis swayed, his Rapier dropping away from the shattered remains of Angeal's SOLDIER sword. Sephiroth's eyes widened as he realised what he had almost done, then looked away. "Genesis, I apologise," he said shortly. "Chaos mentioned that I had acquired some draconic traits during treatment. It appears that the inability to back down from a challenge from another dragon is one of them."

"You pulled a Limit Break... out of nowhere... to face off against Bahamut?" Genesis gasped as his knees gave way. "Damn... what was that you blasted me with?"

"It looked like Ultima," Angeal said grimly as he lowered his swords. "Quite possibly threaded through with Laser as well."

"An Ultima-based Limit Break?" The Crimson General sighed. "You win." He collapsed sideways on the scorched ground, black wings slack and ungainly, a fragment of Angeal's shattered SOLDIER blade embedded in one shoulder. Sephiroth swiftly put away Masamune and hurried forwards to check his friend for damage, his own wings snapping neatly out of existence. He may have won the fight and accompanying bet, but if Genesis was badly hurt by the Silver General's stubborn foolishness then it would be a very hollow victory indeed.


The big fight that set off everything in Crisis Core goes a little differently. Genesis getting badly hurt does not. That dragon thing is going to get Seph into trouble; even I didn't see it coming.