It's been about a year, he thinks. A year since Sephiroth woke up and remembered. Remembered everything. Everything that was, that could have been, and that had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

He remembered the training accident, the desertion of his best friends, Angeal's death, Genesis's degradation and disappearance. Remembered the mission to Nibelheim that should have been nothing but routine. Remembered Jenova's pull on his already grieving mind. Remembered the research notes that in his shaken state he took for absolute scripture. He knew better now – knew that they were most likely lies that Hojo left behind for him to find. Even with Sephiroth being the strongest being on the planet – Shinra's war hero, the Demon of Wutai – Hojo just couldn't stop himself from screwing with his perfect creation.

He remembered the fire (that he started). Remembered the shiver of flesh yielding to cold steel. Remembered describing the death of Cloud's mother to the man using those exact same words. Remembered killing the flower girl – the Ancient. Remembered summoning Meteor to destroy Midgar, to destroy Shinra. Remembered the Remnants and the fight in the ruins of Midgar. And he remembered his ultimate defeat.

But most of all he remembered Cloud Strife. The once trooper turned failed experiment turned Gaia's champion. The only one who could ever stop him.

One look in his friends' eyes when he saw them next told him that Genesis and Angeal remembered, too. If they noticed the way that his eyes swam with unshed tears at the sight of them, they were kind enough not to mention anything. This would have been quite the accomplishment for Genesis, given that the Red Mage never passed up an opportunity to one-up Sephiroth since declaring their rivalry. Perhaps his friends missed him as much as he did them.

They quickly discovered that they were not the only ones who remembered. Rufus Shinra and at least three of the Turks – Tseng, Reno, and Rude – found themselves in the same situation. Rufus claimed that he wanted to do things right this time, that he owed the planet a debt. Sephiroth certainly agreed with that sentiment. He was at least as culpable, if not more so, for the state the planet ended up in the first time. He definitely owed it to the planet and everybody to set things right.

That was how they decided to cull the ranks. Sephiroth would kill Hojo, Genesis would go for Hollander, and Rufus would take care of his father. With the Turks on their side, they didn't have to worry about any repercussions. Granted, Director Veld of the Turks did not remember, but once he found out about the experiments Hojo performed on his daughter and his former partner, he gladly turned a blind eye. He was a Turk after all – they were good at keeping secrets.

Angeal didn't entirely approve of the plan – SOLDIER honor and all that – but he did agree that those three needed to die. Not that he could have stopped them if he had wanted to. Genesis refused to waste the 'Gift of the Goddess' that they were provided. Apparently, degradation had not dulled his obsession with Loveless.

They agreed not to go after Heidegger or Scarlet. Killing all of the directors would look suspicious. Leaving those two alive, there was at least some plausible deniability. Besides, Sephiroth isn't entirely convinced that Rufus doesn't enjoy making Heidegger suffer.

Sephiroth picked a time when Hojo would be alone in his labs, but when he arrived, he found the scientist already dead. A single bullet through his head, his killer still standing over him. Sephiroth recognized the red cloaked man as one of Cloud's former companions. The gunman had his weapon trained on Sephiroth in the next second, obviously trying to decide whether or not to end him before he became the planet-destroying threat he had once been.

He's not sure whether it was the recognition the gunman saw in his eyes or the fact that Sephiroth made no move to defend himself, Masamune still sheathed at his side, but the man – Vincent Valentine, he said – lowered his weapon and talked. Vincent told him of his mother – his real mother – Lucrecia Crescent. He told him of her love for her son, of her guilt over her actions and what she allowed Hojo to do. But most importantly, he told him of the cave that Lucrecia fled to and still resided in. Sephiroth silently made plans to visit her when he had the chance.

More shocking for him was that Vincent was his real father, not Hojo. Especially since Vincent didn't look that much older than Sephiroth himself. But Vincent told him of the experiments that Hojo had performed on him which stopped him from aging (he realized that this must be the former partner of Veld's that the Turks had mentioned).

Vincent left to find Veld shortly after, swapping in his red cloak for a black suit. Sephiroth returned to his quarters, somewhat disappointed that he didn't get to see the look on Hojo's face when he found out he wasn't actually Sephiroth's father.


Sephiroth knows that Zack did not remember at first. After Angeal remembered, the man started spending more time with his student – probably in an attempt to atone for everything he had put the puppy through the first time. Being forced to cut down his mentor had really dampened Zack's energetic, optimistic personality. Zack, however, took the extra attention in complete stride, as cheerful as ever.

Now, though, he is almost certain that Zack remembers. He's not sure how to explain the teen's recent behavior otherwise. Every time they happen to be within the same vicinity, he looks like he can't decide whether or not he wants to punch Sephiroth. That was part of the reason Sephiroth had decided it was about time he talked with Zack.

A knock on his door pulls him from his thoughts and he beckons the newcomer in. Zack enters and moves to the center of the room, his entire body tense and fists balled at his sides. "General, sir, you called for me?" His voice is stiff, too.

"Good morning, Zack. Please take a seat," Sephiroth gestures to the chair in front of his desk. When Zack makes no move to sit, Sephiroth continues, "I take it you remember."

A look of surprise flashes over the teen's face, but is gone just as quickly. "Remember what, sir?"

"Don't play coy, Zackary. You remember the… destruction I wrought." A look of anger, grief, pain passes over Zack's face, but he does not respond, body as tense as a drawn bow. "If you wish to punch me, go ahead. I owe you that much at the very least."

The sincerity in his tone must convince Zack of something and the tension bleeds from his shoulders, though he still refuses to sit. He gives Sephiroth a long, searching look before responding, "So… on a scale of 1 to burn Nibelheim to the ground, how are you feeling today?"

Sephiroth sighs. "Hilarious, Zackary." That earns him a small chuckle and Zack finally sits down.

"So, you remember and you're good now? No more trying to destroy the planet?" The teen looks uncertain, but there is warmth in his eyes. Leave it to Zack to try and still be friends after everything Sephiroth had done to hurt him, directly or not.

"I wish I could say for certain. Last time, Jenova took advantage of my grief and anger and used that against me to gain control. This time, Genesis, Angeal, and I all remember what could be and we have no intentions of repeating our past mistakes. However, I can't be sure that I will be immune to Jenova's influence."

Zack gives him a calculating look and must see something hidden within his eyes. "You're afraid."

"…I suppose I am." Fear of an extraterrestrial evil that could control his actions through its cells in his body seems justified.

"What do we do then?" Diving right in as usual.

"That is part of the reason I called you here today. I take it you remember your little trooper friend?" His question was more of a formality than anything. He knows there's no chance that Zack remembers Sephiroth and not Cloud. Those two were practically joined at the hip, even if only briefly.

"Spike?"

"I intend to become Cadet Strife's mentor and train him as Angeal did you." Zack definitely does not like that answer, anger flickering over his face again. Before he can say anything, though, Sephiroth continues, "I know I've hurt him enough as is, enough for more than 2 lifetimes, but he was the only one who was ever able to best me. He's the only one capable of stopping me if I – "

"Go batshit crazy again?" Zack finishes for him.

"Yes, that. I have no intention of giving in to Jenova again. But in case I'm not successful, Cloud will need to be on SOLDIER level again. And this time without Hojo's help," Sephiroth says, spitting the last word.

"Was that you, by the way? You know, the one who…" Zack replies, running a finger over his neck.

"It would have been me, but Vincent beat me to it." Part of him was a little bitter that he wasn't the one to end the creep's life. But after everything that Hojo had put Vincent through, the gunman had totally earned the right.

"Vincent?"

"Turk with long black hair and red eyes. And… my father." Sephiroth probably looked about as shocked then as Zack does now. "I know he doesn't look it, but he's probably around Director Veld's age. He no longer ages because of… what Hojo did to him." Sephiroth doesn't need to explain more than that. Zack is intimately familiar with Hojo's hospitality.

Zack worries his bottom lip, deep in thought. "Genesis and Angeal know about Jenova, right? What if I go with them and we torch the sucker?"

Sephiroth shakes his head. "It will not be that easy. Genesis and Angeal were enhanced in a similar manner as I. I am unsure how much sway Jenova will hold over them. Besides, we need to be very careful as to how we dispose of her. If Jenova is absorbed into the Lifestream, the results could be catastrophic. Unfortunately, Cloud Strife is our best bet."

They sit in silence for a few minutes while Zack tries to absorb everything. Then Zack sighs. "Fine. I don't exactly agree with this, but if you think training Spikey is the only way, then I'll trust you." Zack's easy acceptance makes Sephiroth wish he had never failed him in the first place.


"Ah, Cloud. Thank you for coming." Cloud really does try to stop the shiver that goes through him at the way Sephiroth practically caresses his name. He's completely unsuccessful, though. Thankfully he doesn't have to worry about Sephiroth noticing his reaction since the General's attention is on Zack once more.

"Thank you for bringing him, Zack. You are free to go." It's a clear dismissal, but Zack makes no move to leave. Instead, he fidgets a bit in place, looking uncomfortable.

"But, sir. He…" Zack cuts himself off, like he's not entirely sure how to finish his sentence.

Sephiroth does not give him a chance to continue his train of thought. "I will handle the rest, Zack. You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir." And Zack turns to leave, stopping in front of Cloud first. "I'll see you later, ok, Spike?" Zack smiles and ruffles Cloud's hair. The sensation is so familiar that Cloud almost feels like crying again. "Don't worry, he's not that bad." Zack turns his head and gives the General a look. "Well, most of the time, at least." Something like a grimace passes over the General's face. Cloud gets the distinct feeling that he's missing something, though he has no idea what. But Zack's already leaving the room, not that Cloud would have asked anyway.

Sephiroth turns his attention back to Cloud. Luckily, the short respite provided by Zack means he can breathe again. "Please take a seat."

Cloud crosses the room on trembling legs. He might have his breathing back under control, but he's still shaken. He really has no idea what's going on. He tries not to drop too unceremoniously into the chair in front of the General's desk.

Sephiroth is wearing his usual outfit – a SOLDIER harness over his bare chest, a black leather coat fastened only at the waist, showing off said chest, and large silver pauldrons that probably make his shoulders look bigger than they actually are. His long silver hair is smooth and silky – Cloud idly wonders how much shampoo he goes through for it – and his green, slitted eyes are as captivating as ever.

The General gives him a searching look, hands laced in front of him. "I take it you do not remember."

Remember? Not Sephiroth, too. If both Zack and the General were asking if he remembered, what exactly had he done? He really hopes it was nothing bad.

"R-remember, sir? I'm not sure what you're referring to. I hope it was nothing bad, sir." More importantly, he hopes it was nothing that he had done. He really does not want to face the ridicule back in Nibelheim for not only not having made SOLDIER but for being kicked out altogether.

"Relax, Cloud, you are not in trouble." Cloud tries to relax, he really does, but telling him not to be nervous in this instance is like telling a Chocobo not to say 'kweh'. Cloud sighs internally. Great, now he's the one making Chocobo references.

"H-how can I be of assistance then, sir?" Well, at least he can handle formality in his confused state.

"I have been watching you, Cloud. I intend to become your mentor and train you to be better prepared for the SOLDIER exam." Cloud's pretty sure this is how at least half of his fantasies start. He's doesn't think he's dreaming, though. He pinched himself on the way over to make sure.

"May I ask why, sir? I'm nothing special." He really isn't, though he wishes he had the foresight to keep his mouth shut. This is everything he's wanted since leaving Nibelheim.

"On the contrary, Cloud. You are the only one capable of stopping me." Wait, what?

"Uh… stop you from what, sir?" Cloud is so, so confused.

"Stop me from losing myself."

Nope, nothing makes sense today. Cloud's not really sure how he's supposed to stop anybody from losing themselves when he himself is so completely lost.

"Am I dreaming, sir?" Maybe if pinching no longer works and he calls out the dream directly, he'll finally wake up to things making sense again. Softer, he adds to himself, "This certainly sounds like one of my dreams…"

He did not intend for Sephiroth to hear that last part, but going from the smirk on the General's face, Cloud knows he had. He has enhanced hearing, anyway. Cloud wouldn't be entirely surprised to find out that he could hear thoughts, too.

"Do you dream of me often, Cloud?" Shit. That purr was back.

"Stay where you belong. In my memories."

Cloud swallows. "Uh… Of course not, sir." Sephiroth is still smirking, though, so Cloud gets the feeling that he doesn't believe him.

"This is no dream," is Sephiroth's simple response.

"I will never be a memory."

Ignoring the strange voices in his head, Cloud lets Sephiroth dominate the conversation from there on. He's still too confused to be of any help and he has no desire to embarrass himself any more than he already has. This certainly isn't how he pictured first meeting the General, but he'll take what he can get. And if Sephiroth wanted to train him, as illogical as it was, he wasn't going to complain.

"You will still be expected to take part in routine patrols, but from this point on, you will no longer participate in normal training. Instead, I will oversee all of your training personally. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Personal training with the General and less time around Johnson? Cloud is definitely not complaining.

"Good. The rest of the day is yours to do with as you please. We will start tomorrow. Report here at 0800 sharp."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, Cloud. You are free to go." Sephiroth turns back to his paperwork as Cloud stands and makes his way to the door. At least he can't see just how shaky Cloud's legs still are.