AN: Hey, I'm back! I'll leave the rambling to the end end of the chapter. Enjoy!
Because…because in another lifetime that is the place where you killed her. Where you killed Arieth."
Sephiroth starred at the blond. He knew that his shock showed plainly on his face, but at the moment he was powerless to mask it.
Denial, denial, denial…why was that feeling so strong? Yes, Sephiroth was being accused of murder. Yet it was not the accusation which shocked and even frightened him. It was the sudden feeling of guilt.
Sephiroth had killed countless people in his lifetime. He would admit to that. Often he would regret the events that had led to it, but never had he felt guilty.
It was crazy he had just barley met this man and yet his accusation consumed Sephiroth with guilt. Why? Zack's girlfriend was still alive! She had been on that airship and taken by Rain. Sephiroth had not murdered the girl… had he?
It was if a floodgate had been unleashed and Sephiroth was drowning in emotions he could not make sense off. Power, rage a desire to consume, while underneath all that… guilt, such incredible guilt.
Sephiroth closed his eyes overwhelmed. The answers he knew were there, but just out of his reach, in a direction he did not wish to go.
Jenova was unnaturally silent. The creature knew something. It had made that reference to events which had caused the man Cloud to nearly break back on that airship.
Yes, the creature knew what was going on. Sephiroth was still reluctant to open that part of his mind, to feely walk into her realm. Yet, she was not luring him in like she usually did. If anything she seemed to be trying to hide, but that could also be the lure of the trap. Or was there really something vital for Sephiroth to know, that Jenova was trying to hide?
No, Sephiroth was suddenly tired of all the lies, all the secrets. There was only one way to know for sure. Sephiroth moved mentally towards the walls he had built up long ago around the creature, shattering them as if it was glass.
For a moment there was nothing. Then whatever awareness he had of the people around him, of the real world vanished completely as he was pulled in the deepest recesses of his own mind.
A thick grey fog hung around him that was hard to see through. Then as if coming from off in the distance, a familiar voice.
Zack's voice, "Cloud, finish Sephiroth off."
Suddenly Masamune was in his hand and Cloud was gasping on the end. The blade sticking through the man's chest. Sephiroth dropped the blade with a sharp intake of breath and both the blade and Cloud disappeared.
Then through the fog images started to flash. Many appearing so quick and with so many emotions that Sephiroth could hardly make sense of it all.
Masamune was back in his hand, only this time it was Zack's girl on the end. Cloud watched with horrified eyes, his shout echoing in Sephiroth's ears.
"Arieth!"
They both disappeared and again more images appeared.
Sephiroth slowly started to make sense of it. Death, it was everywhere. It was either Sephiroth's own death or him doing the killing, but he was always in the middle of it.
The last thing Sephiroth saw was Cloud starring up at him. The blond seemed to be standing on a roof.
"Stay where you belong, in my memories."
Sephiroth's own words in response were equally disturbing, "I will…never be a memory."
Then darkness, Sephiroth did not know how long he seemed to float in it, but it felt like eternity. Then another voice, this one though was welcomed.
"Sephiroth?"
Angeal's voice, "Are you alright?"
Sephiroth was suddenly back and everyone was staring at him. He noticed Cloud's hand gripping the handle of his blade tightly.
"He speaks the truth." The words were hoarse, even to Sephiroth's own ears.
Genesis snorted, "You of all people believe all this? Why?"
"Because it is true I… I remember." Sephiroth eyes locked on Clouds, "I remember it all."
It all made sense.
Suddenly all of the man's actions and Rain's made sense. His first meeting with Rain, how at first she always seemed not exactly frighten, but wary of him. The hand Rain would sometimes clench at the shirt on her chest, when Sephiroth was around. All that rambling, when she was suffering from Mako poisoning, about saving him.
For the first time since meeting Rain, Sephiroth knew exactly what he was dealing with.
Cloud shook his head.
No, it was impossible! It was one of the few comforts he took from this life. No one remembered. Cloud could tell them everything that had happened, yet no one would remember for themselves his many failures.
Sephiroth could not remember!
It was something that Cloud had been telling himself ever since he woke up in his five year old body. Sephiroth was not the same man he was in that other life. At first deep down Cloud had not been able to believe that, but over the years he had been able to take comfort in the fact that was now the truth.
If Sephiroth truly did remember then…all that was then gone. No, Sephiroth was just using him. Pretending to remember so Cloud would reveal more information; it was another standard trick of interrogation.
However if that was true… did that mean that Sephiroth really believed him? That in itself was almost as frightening as if Sephiroth actually remembered. He did not realize it until now, but Cloud had been counting on Sephiroth not believing him
"What do you mean Sephiroth? What do you remember?"
Angeal was now struggling to stand from where he had been sitting, and even Genesis had taken a step forward. Sephiroth however had his gaze solely on Cloud.
"You do not believe me." It was not a question, simply a statement.
Cloud narrowed his eyes, his hand still on his blade.
Sephiroth tilted his head to one side, "Does the thought of me remembering frighten you that much…puppet?"
Cloud inhaled sharply, and Sephiroth's eyes hardened, "Face it Cloud, all you were was an empty puppet."
With an angry roar Cloud charged. Sparks flew as Sephiroth blocked the attack. They both ignored the shouting that rose up around them.
However instead of pressing forward in an attack of his own, Sephiroth's eyes suddenly soften.
"You were a puppet back then Cloud… as was I."
Cloud took a step back disengaging his weapon in surprise. However his anger had not diminished and he bit back spiteful, "At least this puppet was able to kill you three times."
Sephiroth however gave the smallest hint of a smile, "Yes, and I was glad every time you did."
Cloud lowered his blade, taking in the magnitude of that statement, "Part of you remained."
Sephiroth gave a slow nod, "The creature is a telepathic parasite. In order to connect with her host something of the original must remain."
"So a part of Rain is still in there somewhere?" Cloud asked hopefully.
Again another slow nod, only this time Cloud thought Sephiroth also looked pained.
"Unfortunately yes, but Cloud that does not mean she is able to come back. You know that better than anyone. Did you ever see even a glimpse of the General you once knew during all those times? Even Zack's pleas could not pull me free from her. Once Jenova had taken over, Rain will have no power to fight back."
"That is not completely true," a new voice interrupted.
"Rain is different because she was not even supposed to exist."
Cloud and Sephiroth both turned to where Vincent stood. Only Cloud imminently saw it was not Vincent. The eyes had already turned yellow and there was a red light swirling around his body that usually accompanied a complete transformation.
"Everyone get back!"
Cloud's command caused everyone to retreat. Tifa pulling a reluctant Yuffie as the red light intensified into a blast of light that exploded out around Vincent.
Cloud flung his arm over his eyes. As the blast subsided there was the sound of approaching footsteps as Chaos moved closer, until he stood before Cloud and Sephiroth.
Even though Cloud had seen Chaos's true form before, it still never ceased to give him pause. This being was the closest thing to the planet besides Arieth and yet it looked like a creature from the abyss.
Cloud stepped forward to meet the Weapon. He had always known that Rain and this creature had some sort of a bond. Something neither he nor Vincent was entirely comfortable with, yet powerless to stop.
"What do you mean Chaos?"
"Just as I said human, Rain was never suppose to exist. She was not meant to be anything more than your clone. Better chance of you succeeding if there were two of you. Yet Rain was also the Planet's way of comforting you in this life. Giving you someone who could understand and remember you as you were in your past life."
Cloud was confused and angry, "Rain is no clone! She is my little sister!"
Chaos continued, "However you became attached in a way the planet did not intend. You did not just rely on her for strength. You raised her, and in the process changed her. Admit it Cloud, she is more your daughter than sister. Like any parent you raised her not to become what you are, but become more. You taught her to handle the pain and emotions in ways you yourself should, but were never able too. You made her human."
"Of course Rain is human." Cloud protested.
Chaos grinned making the hairs on Cloud's neck stand on end, "Think Cloud, in what form does the planet give life where none was suppose to exist. The planet must maintain balance. Your mother gave up her life so the planet's child could take her place. What is the form of a child of the planet?"
It was Sephiroth that answered, "A Weapon."
Cloud starred at Sephiroth horrified, "What! No, Rain is…is"
"Rain is a human living inside of a Weapon's body." Chaos finished, "Strange isn't it, considering my opposite existence."
"I have met this weapon." Even Chaos looked at Sephiroth at that admission.
"You went into her mind," was the creature's conclusion.
"You did what!" Cloud's blade was once again in front of him.
"He had too," Angeal limped forward, "Hojo had her, and she had… retreated into herself."
Now it was Sephiroth's turn to look surprised, but he continued anyways.
"There was a child there, it looked like Rain, but…was not her."
Chaos nodded, "Citadel is young, perhaps too young to be a host to a human. They are difficult to manage even for the oldest of us."
"What is Citadel's purpose?" Angeal asked.
Cloud answered, "What is every Weapon's purpose, to protect the planet."
Running a hand over his eyes, Cloud tried to make sense of everything.
"So if Rain is a Weapon that means she has a chance against Jenova, right." Tifa was now walking to stand beside Cloud.
Chaos shook his head, "Rain has no chance against Jenova. Jenova exists within the human part of the Rain. The part she inherited from Cloud and that has already been taken over by Jenova. However Citadel is still there, but Jenova must be weakened enough for Citadel to take control."
"Wouldn't that hurt Rain?" Tifa was worried.
"Nothing we do can hurt her more then she already is." Sephiroth remarked, and Cloud had to agree with him.
The ground beneath their feet suddenly started to shake violently, throwing everyone, even Sephiroth and Cloud to one knee.
"What the H*** was that," Cid shouted.
Chaos however had not even stumbled, "They are awakening."
"What? Who?" Yuffie yelled.
"You did not think I took my true form because I had a desire to speak with you humans," Chaos sneered, "The time has come. We are all awakening."
Cloud swore climbing to his feet, "The planet has awakened the Weapons. This happened before when Jenova obtained the Black Materia."
Cloud looked over at Chaos warily, "Why already? Jenova could not have had time to gain Black Materia and you were never summoned with the other Weapons before."
Chaos grinned, "The planet is taking no chances by letting things get that far. I have been summoned because Omega is also awakening. Before Jenova can enter the Lifestream by summoning Meteor, I will harvest all life and return it to the Lifestream so it can be gathered by Omega."
"So if we fail…"
"Then this planet will cease to exist, before Jenova can use it as her vessel." Chaos finished.
AN: Alright now for the rambling. So I promised last time the wait would not be so long and well that did not happen. So instead I decided to prolong the wait between chapters because I was tired of making promises I could not keep. This story is now officially all written! I have finished it and can now post regular updates like I used to when I first started the story. The updates will be coming every two weeks, because I realize a lot of people have probably given up on the story (not that I blame them) and I want to give people give to re-discovery it again. For those that have stayed thank-you so much for the support and interest and please continue to give feedback. Your reviews are what kept this story going.