On the blackened screen, a strange, high-pitched noise that rapidly dropped in frequency began to sound, repeating over the course of about ten or so seconds per cycle.

"So… those Weapons…" Angeal started slowly as they continued to watch the blank screen. "A 'weapon made from the planet's own will', except there's more than one, and they're all enormous. I may not be as attuned to stories as Genesis, but this is screaming 'mass destruction', and a lot of it."

"Yes," Genesis agreed with a small huff, though he still looked mildly troubled, "and our intrepid heroes are rather… lucky they didn't get completely destroyed."

"Game insanity aside," the dark-haired man cut in, exasperated, "the Weapons are created by the planet to take care of threats, correct?" The other two nodded curtly. "What, exactly, constitutes a threat?"

"Jenova, obviously," Genesis said, frowning at such a blatant question.

"Yes," Angeal said worriedly, "but what else? The Weapons were made in the age of the Cetra, and while we've learned that the Cetra look human now… could the Weapons tell the difference? Are humans a threat?"

"Wait, how did you get from 'what's a threat' and 'Cetra look like humans' to 'humans might be a threat'?" Genesis asked, baffled.

A tired, "ShinRa," was all the answer provided, and on further consideration, all the answer needed.

Genesis still looked confused, though, so Angeal elaborated. "I think it's safe to say that humans were different somehow, back when the Weapons were made, and that the Cetra are different on a mystical level, implying that they likely feel different to the Planet and thus the Weapons. Even if humans could mistake a Cetra for another human, Weapons may not make that mistake, but would likely be unable to tell the difference between one human and another. And if ShinRa is one of the problems…" Angeal paused, but he was clearly not finished speaking. That raised Sephiroth's concern as that explanation seemed adequate. Based on Genesis's thoughtful look, he agreed. So what else could Angeal want to elaborate on?

"And what about us, as SOLDIER?" he finally continued, and Sephiroth felt yet another chill run down his spine. Genesis also stiffened but neither of them stopped Angeal from speaking. "The way Zack was talking earlier, I doubt we're the only ones who have been… tampered with. Could the Weapons differentiate between Jenova and us? And, for the sake of a thorough argument, could they tell the difference between Jenova and the three of us specifically?" A pause before he continued, voice quiet. "Should they? We're…" he faded off. Sephiroth wanted to reassure him that of course it should be able to tell a difference, but…

That was… both a chilling and a rather sobering thought.

Before any of them could begin to try and answer, though, the small form of Cloud sitting limply, as if against a wall while surrounded by nothing but black, faded into view on the screen.

The sound stopped and Tifa spoke, words appearing directly on the screen and not in the usual blue box, calling out for him. Instead of answering, he simply stood and walked away, sword in hand. Tifa ran onto the screen, obviously trying to go after him, but he faded from view and she fell to her knees, and then all fours before the screen completely faded back to black.

More words from Tifa, saying she didn't know what to do and had always been like that.

"She didn't seem indecisive to me," Genesis muttered.

"Not knowing what to say is different than not knowing what to do. If this is from Tifa's perspective, it's possible this is a…" Angeal paused, clearly searching for a term. Then he addressed Genesis. "You told me about them before, where a character's actions, words, and personality all support each other, to help establish who the character is."

"Ah." Genesis nodded, face clearing with understanding. "The word is 'continuity' or 'character consistency.' And you are correct in how that makes sense. Stating she does not know what to do, when she meant she didn't know what to say, would indeed be in-character."

The screen faded into the Sector 7 slums train station, although the color seemed off. More brown? Was this another memory? It had to be as it showed Cloud slumped in a corner against the stairs while the train conductor stood over him and a dog barked at him. Then Tifa wandered in on the side and asked if that was Cloud.

Ah, this must be what Cloud was referring to, when he'd said Tifa greeted him by name. A memory, then. Tifa's memory?

It took him far too long to actually acknowledge that yes, he was Cloud.

Not a good sign. The screen blinking white every couple of seconds and Cloud grabbing his head or shaking it hard didn't help the situation. (While waving the sword around, but there'd been worse Game Insanity before this.)

Had Tifa brought him back from the brink of forgetting? Or had she just put in the thoughts and memories by accident? But then again, why her? Why not the train conductor if Game Sephiroth was right? No, he still thought that Game Cloud had once been the child Cloud – Cadet Strife.

Cloud said it had been five years since they'd seen each other, presumably in Nibelheim. But then the colors turned darker, more bluish and the scene froze as words rushed across it.

'Actually, it had been seven years.'

Sephiroth frowned. Did that make sense? After a few moments of contemplation, he concluded that they didn't know enough to actually check a timeline. They'd come to the conclusion that the events of the game happened seven to eight years in their current future (if the game were to be believed), so it couldn't have been seven years… could it? Then again, they'd been basing that off of what Cloud had said, hadn't they?

"Why is this game so confusing?" Genesis asked dramatically, apparently thinking along the same lines.

"I'm positive we'll get our answer for this by the end of it," Angeal placated with a firm nod. Sephiroth wasn't so sure, but could see the benefit of not questioning it until the end of the game.

"If we don't, I swear by the goddess I really will throw it off the tower," Genesis grumbled.

On screen, the words continued, speaking of how it had been seven years since he'd left Nibelheim for SOLDIER… but that he hadn't ever come back, not even for what Tifa called it the 'Sephiroth Incident' (and, really, Sephiroth couldn't fault her for it).

Ah, yes, if the illusion that Game Sephiroth had shown them was even bordering on truth. That made sense… even if it wasn't desirable.

"So Tifa never saw him…" Genesis muttered. "She's saying that it was the puppy back then… Not Cloud."

Angeal shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. "There has to be an explanation."

Tifa continued, saying she spoke to Cloud, asking him about his life, but how something always felt wrong. Things he shouldn't know that he did, things he should know that he didn't...

"Why did she just go along with his story, if their memories were not congruent?" Sephiroth asked. That sounded extremely counterproductive. "Being 'not good with words' is no excuse for this… whatever this is." If anyone in his ranks had neglected to correct false information, just because they couldn't articulate, well, they probably wouldn't be in his troops in the first place.

"Hmm," was all Angeal said.

"I have no idea," Genesis almost shouted, sounding exasperated.

Apparently, she told Cloud about AVALANCHE and the job (probably blowing up that first reactor, if Sephiroth had his timing correct) to keep him there so she could watch him. That didn't sound… healthy. But she also seemed to trust him.

Was she supposed to be this confusing? A glance at his friends showed they both had thoughtful looks on their faces. Did they understand something he didn't? He was about to ask, but the screen faded into white and the siren noises from before came back at different pitches, although still going from higher frequencies to lower ones.

Then, after several seconds, the screen faded into what looked like a room… an apartment? A cell? It certainly didn't look like the cells in ShinRa Tower. A hospital room? A lab?

Barrett was in the room as well, further away from the players, likely waiting for Tifa to wake up. She was laying on a raised pallet without a blanket or pillow, so Sephiroth was leaning towards 'cell' or prison room of some kind.

Then again, that could be game insanity popping up again.

The scene didn't fade in from white completely, leaving a strangely surreal feeling to it. Tifa and Barrett began to speak, but not in the blue boxes, but the text simply appearing on the screen, which, with the creepy music, only added to the strange effect.

The large man explained that Tifa had been asleep for 'a long time', which gave them no actual new information. Tifa said she was hungry.

Barrett asked why she didn't ask about 'him', likely meaning Cloud.

At that point, the text returned to normal, the white faded completely and Tifa sat up, saying she was afraid.

Judging by the following conversation, Barrett didn't know much either.

Wonderful.

"They didn't get Cloud onto the ship, did they," Angeal said. It wasn't a question.

"No," Genesis confirmed.

"So, is he in the Northern Crater? Or…" the larger SOLDIER faded off.

Dead.

"I doubt serious harm has come to him," Genesis said. "If it has, then I will take back all I have said about the writing with the sheer gall they would have to have to kill off their main character after putting so much into him. They've already been audacious enough with Aeris."

Sephiroth's breath caught in his throat for a moment and he turned a glare on his red-headed friend.

"Those are not simply characters from a story. I've met Cloud, Angeal has met Aerith. They are living humans." Genesis didn't visibly react, so Sephiroth emphasized his point, "We've all met, seen, or encountered in passing, Reeve, Tseng, Reno, Rude, even the more… distasteful persons we'd all prefer to not meet… every person who's name we've recognized is or has existed in real life."

Genesis' brow furrowed a little as he returned the glare. "Whether the events this tells in the future come to pass or not, whether the core elements are true or not, they have still, very obviously, taken liberties with the narrative and the story telling."

"Aeris aside," Sephiroth returned, "you are speaking of the boy dying. That is very likely to be a 'core element'.".

Silence fell over the three of them as Sephiroth held his friend's gaze.

Finally, Genesis gave a slow, begrudging nod. "True. You have my… apologies."

Sephiroth felt his facial muscles relax and he nodded back.

Angeal chose that moment to cut in, looking amused. "Sephiroth, have you adopted the little Cadet into the exclusive group of persons you seem so determined to protect?"

Sephiroth's gaze switched to his other friend, only able to blink at him and realize that his cheeks had warmed a little. He hated it when anyone acknowledged he had such a weakness in the first place… but 'adopting' Cadet Strife into that group based on two interactions and a game…

"Well, well, well," Genesis' expression had turned amused (and smug, of course, because it was Genesis), "what do you know? He has."

Sephiroth didn't really know what to say to that (...had he? He wasn't entirely sure…), so he simply refocused on the game.

"Are we to continue?"

The other two snickered at him. He felt his cheeks warm more. What was this response? This… embarrassment? Yes, that seemed about right. If this were anyone but his friends, this weakness being known would be terrifying, but they would keep his confidence, and that made this… puzzlingly awkward.

Fortunately, the other two felt they'd pushed far enough or they were more interested in the game as well because they turned their attention back to the screen where Barrett was saying no one knew what had happened to Cloud or if he was, indeed, alive.

Then Tifa asked how long she'd been asleep again.

Barrett said '7 days'.

"Are you joking?" Genesis asked.

"How did she get that hurt?" Sephiroth asked.

"And why didn't they heal her?" Angeal followed up.

"How is she even still alive if an injury kept her unconscious and supposedly unresponsive for seven days?!" Genesis yelled, gesturing at the television with his hand, the other still holding the controller. "I don't see an IV for intravenous fluids!"

They all looked at each other expectantly. Genesis eventually deflated and sat back.

"Game insanity."

The other two nodded.

Then Tifa asked about Game Sephiroth.

Barrett explained that a barrier of some kind had been erected around the Northern Crater, and that's where Game Sephiroth still was. Also, apparently, they couldn't do anything about it, or about 'Weapon' (singular? Referring to a specific one?) rampaging. Tifa asked if Weapon was protecting Sephiroth. Barrett didn't know.

"It makes no sense for the Weapons to protect Game Sephiroth," Genesis complained.

Sephiroth nodded in agreement. "If it is – or all of them are – rampaging, then, according to the game, I think it's safe to assume you were correct: there's no distinction between various 'threats', human or Jenova."

Genesis glanced over at Sephiroth with a strange expression on his face. Then he seemed to accept something and simply turned back to the game. He'd call it strange, but it was Genesis and Sephiroth knew how much he loved his dramatics.

In the game, Barrett said that Rufus was fighting the Weapon, and admitted he had guts. That was, honestly, more credit than he'd expect Barrett to give.

Then Tifa asked about Meteor. Barrett gestured towards the window, pressing a button that raised the blinds. Outside, the sky burned red and orange and a massive, spherical object surrounded by red energy took up a far too large portion of the view. The camera switched to the outside (likely to give perspective) and showed the Junon cannon. He'd been expecting Midgar, but Junon was a ShinRa stronghold as well.

It also showed the moon… at a fraction of the size. So either the Meteor was closer than the moon, or much, much larger.

Then it went back to the room where Barrett and Tifa were staying. After a couple of seconds, Genesis moved the controller and huffed a surprised sound. They seemed to be playing as Tifa, now, instead of Cloud.

Interesting.

They had Tifa speak to Barrett, but before he could get much out, the door opened and Rufus strode in, saying both he and Hojo (why had he rehired the man? Or was there something else going on there?) were disappointed that Cloud hadn't shown up to save them.

The two AVALANCHE members asked what Rufus wanted with Cloud. He didn't give an answer, at least initially, instead saying that now that Meteor had been summoned, 'it' was 'all but over'. They were no longer of any use.

Then Heidegger walked in, saying that the public execution had been prepared.

"And isn't that so like ShinRa," Genesis asked dryly, and checked his jammer. "The world is ending, but they still have to assert their dominance and cling to any control they possibly can."

"Punishing them for starting everything," Angeal said, his voice quiet but disgusted. "Simply because they happened to be in the way." He closed his eyes, looking pained. Sephiroth supposed it couldn't be morally easy to work for a company like ShinRa for someone like Angeal.

At that point, Barrett took back any praise he'd had. Sephiroth couldn't blame him, even if he really just made the whole situation worse by getting so upset.

Heidegger said he'd tie their arms.

"He was left alone in a room with a man with a gun arm… and they didn't even try to escape?" Genesis asked as the scene switched to a large, industrial room full of computers.

Instead of controlling Tifa, they now controlled Barrett. Unfortunately, running around didn't seem to do any good. Going into the menu, though, allowed them to realize that they could still access their materia.

"Is Heidegger really that incompetent, or is this more game insanity?" Sephiroth asked dryly.

"Perhaps they just don't care since Meteor is coming?" Angeal postulated a bit weakly.

Genesis scoffed. "That is sloppy at best, negligent at worst. I don't know whether I am more disappointed in ShinRa for not doing their job, or AVALANCHE for not taking advantage of it." Because they weren't. After a save point and being led down several flights of stairs and hallways, they ended up in a room with several rows of folding chairs illuminated by blue lights. Scarlet stood at the front of the room asking if everyone who had 'brought this madness into the world' was there.

At which point Barrett asked who 'these people' were.

"Isn't that Cait Sith?" Angeal asked, an incredulous expression on his face as he pointed out the very large, headless body on the front row.

"I would assume so," Genesis said, but he didn't sound entirely sure. Neither was Sephiroth. Why would Cait Sith be there instead of Reeve himself?

"And why isn't the rest of Avalanche there?" Sephiroth asked, figuring there wouldn't be any harm to voicing his own question.

"Well, they can't execute the Princess of Wutai without starting another war," Angeal pointed out.

"True," Genesis agreed. "And while Wutai would likely lose that war just as badly as they supposedly lost this one, they know how to make victory painful." All three of them winced a little, knowing that fact all too well. "ShinRa probably doesn't want to spend it's final few days fighting and dodging even more assassins."

"Nanaki makes for a better specimen," Sephiroth said, perhaps a little too bitterly. "If Hojo's back…" he left that thought hanging, knowing further explanation would be a waste of time, useless and unpleasant.

"Then likely Vincent as well," Genesis said with another grimace. Angeal didn't say anything to that, his lips thinning and jaw clenched.

"If Cid played his cards right, he may just be court-martialed or fired," the red-head continued. "And without Cloud or Aeris…" he paused for a moment and Sephiroth made a point to not look away from the screen. He had nothing to feel guilty about. Nothing.

"That's everyone," Angeal finished.

Well, that made sense, Sephiroth supposed. The true members of AVALANCHE were originally Barrett and Tifa, so it would be logical that they take most of the blame. He could also see Barrett claiming they coerced the other members just to take the guilt from them. He may be a loud, annoying man, but he had a true, loyal heart underneath all of that.

On the screen, Scarlet informed them that their 'miserable deaths' would be broadcast on live national television. Sephiroth couldn't recall a live execution ever being broadcast before, not even when Wutai spies were caught. It didn't strike him as a good idea and would likely cause more outrage than anything. Was this because Rufus wanted to rule through fear?

Cait Sith (maybe?) turned and asked why a public execution in 'this day and age'. Valid question. Scarlet explained that those in the room would basically be scapegoats.

"Is… she currently being filmed?" Angeal asked, again incredulous. "That can't be live. Maybe it's a staged lie?"

Whether she was being filmed or not, she claimed that 'everyone loves this stuff'.

"Is she not simply projecting herself onto the entire population?" Genesis asked dryly. "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, and yet the beasts will still howl in rage and defiance."

Sephiroth voiced his agreement with a dry, "Hmm.' Angeal just looked on, expression still dark.

Scarlet said they'd start with Tifa. Barrett protested, naturally, saying to take him first. Scarlet said to film their 'tearful goodbye'.

"This woman's sadism knows no end," Genesis muttered.

The screen faded out and back into a much smaller, industrial room with pipes and metal covering everything, including the chair. An infantry man stood by said chair as the metal door on the right opened and Tifa walked in, followed by Scarlet, who just pushed Tifa.

"Somehow, I doubt she's actually that strong," Angeal said, voice wry.

Tifa asked what Scarlet was doing, at which point Scarlet explained her 'special' gas chamber for 'slow and painful' deaths. The grunt— no, the unknown infantryman, undid Tifa's arms.

"Punch her!" Angeal exclaimed. Sephiroth agreed. Tifa should be able to fight Scarlet easily.

Instead, Scarlet pushed her again, back into the chair where the infantry man began tying down her wrists. Then she slapped Tifa across the face.

"Oh, for—" Genesis thrust the controller at Sephiroth. "You take it. The heavy-handed writing in this… just…" he stood. "I will return."

With that, he stalked off down the hall towards the bathroom. Sephiroth and Angeal stared after him for several seconds before turning back to blink at each other.

"I… am not sure what to feel," Sephiroth started, "about the fact that revelations drive me to… that, whereas the poor writing drives him."

Angeal's expression went from blank to incredulous again as he stared at his silver-haired friend. Then he burst into quiet laughter.

The green-eyed man felt his eyes widen. He hadn't been expecting that. How was what he said funny? He went over the words again in his mind, but it didn't seem funny to him.

The larger man just waved his hand. "Never mind. Sorry. Keep playing."

Sephiroth eyed him for a couple more seconds before reluctantly turning back to the game. On the screen, Scarlet had left the 'execution room' and stood in the room full of chairs, informing those in the room that the 'show's about to begin'.

Then, because of course it would, the game insanity reappeared, and everything managed to go from very bad to very much worse.

Perhaps Genesis stepping away had been for the best.

xXx

AN: This... was not an easy chapter for me to write. The next one was even harder. The coming up scene... It's honestly the peak of game insanity ridiculousness. LMHO

If this is any good, it is all in thanks to Imagination7413! Thank you so much for your help and beta reading.