A/N: This is a one shot that I created quite some time ago. Me submitting this now, I'm giving this as a gift to all of my readers who have been waiting for me to continue The 'Gift' of a Second Chance. I am sorry as I am unsure when that story will continue so this is my thanks for those of you still with me.

I hope you will see it in you to forgive me.

Thank you.

I hope you enjoy.

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Forgiveness

I want to be forgiven, more than anything. I was a Soldier and I wanted to be forgiven…for killing that man, for killing my hero, for killing… I wanted to be forgiven…but now it's too late. I'm dying with all of my sins weighed against me, without forgiveness. I'm dying alone.

Are sins ever forgiven?

He stared up into the dark night sky with eyes filled with remorse at what he'd done, the life he'd lived, and how he had done things in his past. It was true that he had saved countless lives and lived as a hero, but for what cost? It had cost him his own life and his soul. Even his emotions were muddled in the never-ending array of neutrality. He could no longer distinguish between his sorrow or his impassiveness, his happiness or his dispassion. He sighed and closed his eyes to those stars that twinkled high in the heavens before him. They reminded him of a life he never had, a clean life full of simplicity and shining happiness, a life full of peace. How had things come to be this way and when would it all be over?

He pondered his thoughts alone through the night, until his eyes finally closed for the final time, taking him into a deep slumber he would never wake from. Perhaps, this time, he would find his peace in his lonely death.

Sephiroth sat up panting and gripped his head in agony. It was still dark out and the cool satin sheets caressed his bare flesh as he leaned back into them. It had been a nightmare, nothing more, but the fear and desolation he felt had been nothing like a dream. And that face, where had he seen that face before? It was so familiar and dancing in front of his vision, yet he couldn't seem to get a hold of it. He couldn't remember.

He grimaced and shot out of his bed, heading straight for his kitchen in the near darkness of the night. No lights were necessary, the corridors and turns were long familiar enough that he could move around without any difficulty. Not even when reaching for a cup of water did he pause to think that he might need reminders on where they were set and how. He simply drank a cup, drained the rest, and replaced it back on its counter.

There was no point in going back to bed, sleep would not come to him, so he simply sat in his living room and contemplated why he had dreamed of a man he couldn't fully recognize. It just didn't make any sense, usually dreams were fleeting, or they were blurry at best, but this one had been so vivid it had nearly choked him in his sleep. He was a Soldier, a warrior, a nightmare shouldn't be able to shake him this badly, but it had, and its aftereffects continued to shudder through him with an intensity he never thought he could feel.

He was snapped out of his reverie when there were harsh pounds on his door. "Sephiroth! You awake?" It was Angeal's voice that filtered through and hit him with a detached air. He stood from his seat and made his way to the door, still lost in thought.

He opened the door and nodded in acknowledgement to Angeal's presence, unwanted or otherwise. "Angeal."

Angeal stepped through the doorframe and made his way inside, looking around like he expected to see something out of place or missing. He didn't. "You look tired. What happened?"

Sephiroth made his way back to his couch and sunk in gracefully, though he had intended to flop down on it. "What makes you suspect something happened?"

Angeal cocked a brow at him and looked him once-over with a frown. "If there wasn't something wrong, you would have at least thrown a shirt on before you greeted a guest."

Sephiroth looked down at himself and found only his black silk pajama pants hanging loosely off his hips. He hadn't even noticed the cold chill of the night air nor the frosty bite of his hard floors on his bare feet. It was obvious something was bothering him. He feigned indifference. "You woke me."

Angeal briefly glanced at the clock hanging by the far wall of the room and shrugged. "It's only four; you wake up earlier than that sometimes."

"Why are you here, Angeal?" He didn't quite manage to reign in the touch of annoyance in his voice.

Angeal sighed, indicating that he'd noticed Sephiroth's irritation, and shook his head. "Lazard wants to brief us up on the details of our mission. Genesis is already there, much to my surprise, and even the puppy's hyperactive this early in the morning. Get ready in five; I'll meet you down there."

Sephiroth nodded and watched as Angeal headed out the door and closed it behind him, but not before adding, "And try not to kill anyone once you're there."

The eyes of a body going lifeless before him was the last thing he wanted to see right now. That nightmare had already soaked and chilled him to the bone. Or would death really be a greater salvation to the man in his dreams rather than sparing his life? He chuckled darkly at the thought. Perhaps, if the man were still alive, he might have just gone out of his way to put him out of his misery. Maybe.

-.-.-.-.-.-

He entered the room and was greeted by four pairs of eyes. "Sorry for waking you so early, Sephiroth," Lazard greeted, "but the mission cannot wait another day."

Sephiroth walked in and dropped into the farthest chair from the others. He started tapping the hilt of his sword as he crossed his arms and listened to what Lazard had to say. "Where are we headed?" he asked.

"To a remote town south of Nibelheim, Cosmo Canyon. The people there have recently reported troubles concerning a breakout of griffins." He tossed him a manila folder containing several reports and pictures. "Recently, their usual…guardian has been incapacitated, therefore leaving them to attack." His brows furrowed at this and he sighed. "I suspect the Turks had a hand in this, and professor Hojo."

Sephiroth's brow twitched but said nothing.

"Hey, maybe I'll get to prove myself on the field." Zack piped up, pumping his fist up into the air. "I can't wait!"

"Calm down, Zack. You still have a long way to go before you make 1st." Angeal smiled.

"Are we finished here?" Genesis growled. "We should head out at a more reasonable hour."

Lazard nodded and Genesis stood to go. "Oh, and one more thing. There is a Soldier 3rd class that will be coming along with all of you. He has recently proven skillful in many areas, including incredible knowledge in geography." Lazard slid a profile to the center of the table, "He will be with you to guide you around the terrain. His name is Cloud Strife."

"Cloud?" Zack burst. "Hey, cool! I didn't know Cloud was going to be coming along!"

"Someone you know?" Genesis grouched.

"Yeah, though he's been acting strangely these last few days. He didn't even seem happy when he got promoted into Soldier." Zack scratched his head.

Sephiroth stared at the picture. It was vague but there was no mistaking that the face was familiar, with its blond spiked hair and blue eyes. He rubbed his head trying to remember but he just couldn't seem to place where he had seen it. Why couldn't he remember?

Lazard shuffled all the extra paperwork. "I expect the reports to be clean. Dismissed."

-.-.-.-.-.-

He was forming a migraine trying to remember, and he had been staring at the boy—and he was a boy—the entire length of the way to the village in Cosmo Canyon. But he just couldn't remember and it was infuriating. Even more so because of that giant talking feline Strife had decided to bring along with him. Where had he found such a beast in any case? He had never before heard of any talking beast with a fiery tail before.

"So you've been to Cosmo Canyon before?" Zack asked excitedly.

"Yeah, a long time ago…"

"When?"

"A long time ago, Zack…I can't remember exactly when." Strife's voice was disinterested as he said and Sephiroth couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

"I must thank you, Cloud." The giant cat spoke calmly, "Though I never knew you had visited our village before."

At this, Strife grimaced, a pain-filled expression that Sephiroth found strange. "I only stopped for a short time; we might have missed each other, Nanaki."

The cat, or Nanaki, it seemed, remained oddly silent for awhile. "The Planet speaks of you strangely," he said, "and they tell me you are a…familiar friend." He cocked his head at this, "I have never had a close friend before."

Strife turned away so that Sephiroth couldn't make out his expression. "A friend…," when Strife turned back, a hollow smile was visible on his face. "I could be a friend, if you want."

Nanaki blinked. "I usually don't like two-legged things except grandpa…but for you, I can make an exception." He bobbed his great head up and down slowly and satisfied with his decision.

Cloud gave a weak smile when Genesis suddenly asked. "What exactly are you?"

Nanaki stared at him for a bit and sneezed, though it sounded oddly similar to a snort. "An informed question, but difficult to answer. I am what you see."

Genesis crossed his arms and cocked a brow. "Vague and not without mysteries, but true."

Nanaki looked back up at Cloud. "But I am curious about how you knew my name. I never mentioned it and the professor had me branded a number."

Cloud didn't answer, only stared forward as the village came within view. "We're here." He said quietly and Nanaki all but forgot about what he was curious about.

"Don't you think the kid is strange, Sephiroth?" Angeal asked quietly.

He frowned.

"His responses aren't normal, and I haven't seen eyes like that in a long time. Who is he?"

Sephiroth watched as Zack and Nanaki sped into the village while Strife just trailed slowly behind them. Even Genesis seemed more energetic than the boy this early in the morning. "I don't know." He answered simply.

"I am home! It is I, Nanaki!" Nanaki bounded in through the front gates and was greeted by the two warriors guarding it.

"Hey, Nanaki, you're safe! You should go and tell Bugenhagen!" One man said, the other greeted the rest of them with the tip of his spear.

"Who are you?"

"Ah, they helped me return. Please let them in." Nanaki explained and the spear point disappeared.

Cloud seemed unfazed and continued through while Zack followed reluctantly behind. Genesis just shrugged and followed but Angeal held Sephiroth back before the gate and whispered, "He had no reaction, Sephiroth, none at all." He frowned. "Zack had mentioned earlier that his friend had been acting unlike himself, this must be what he meant."

"What do you propose we do, Angeal? Question him on his behavior?"

"It's not normal." He hissed.

Sephiroth shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "More importantly, why don't you think about why Lazard sent three generals to a simple hunting mission, and a Soldier 2nd? Right now, the abnormal behavior of a Soldier 3rd is the least of our worries."

Angeal crossed his arms across his chest, "After the incident with the Wutai war, things have settled down a bit. I'm sure they only want to keep us in good shape."

"Not everybody is honorable, Angeal, and justice lies with how Shinra wants to interpret it." He sighed. "We'll finish the job quickly and return to Shinra. A few griffins should give Zack the workout he desires." He headed through the gates and left Angeal where he stood.

"Sephiroth!" The steel shadow of a sword came towards his view and he dove off to the side, barely missing the sharp swing for his head.

"The last thoughts of Geostigma are dead. Those remnants will join the Lifestream and girdle the planet," Another swing of the sword, "choking it," a dodge, "corroding it…"A dark laugh. "What I want…"

Never a memory…

"Sephiroth!" Sephiroth drew Masamune faster than the blink of an eye and held the sword's end to his enemy with dark eyes. His breath was coming in gasps and his hands were trembling, even the sword rattled in his grip and he could barely focus on the man before him who swallowed thickly in the darkness. "Calm yourself, my friend." Sephiroth reluctantly withdrew his sword, slowly, carefully, and rubbed his eyes after he realized that it was Genesis standing before him.

"Genesis…"

"Having a dream?"

"Nightmare."

Genesis sighed and put his hands down. The sudden movement had surprised him and he hadn't had enough time to react. If Sephiroth hadn't stopped himself right before his throat, he would have been a dead man. Next time, he would send Angeal to wake Sephiroth. "I don't suppose you wish to talk about it." He said blandly, "So, I'll skip that part."

"Why are you here, Genesis?" he glanced around and found the moon still high above them from the room they had been granted for the night. A hole through the rock face served as a window to the outer world, illuminating the wasteland even in this dark hour. He grimaced as he recalled the dream. Someone had shouted his name, but he couldn't remember who or what he had been fighting.

"I'm here to find the puppy's lost puppy. Cloud Strife has gone missing."

"What?"

"I'm surprised you didn't hear him move past you. I don't think anyone's been able to sneak past you in your sleep except me and Angeal." He crossed his arms. "So, what now? Do we search for him or leave him be to the dogs?"

He stifled a sigh and stood from his seated position. He may not have cared about one Soldier's life but it was his responsibility to bring back as many as he could alive. And if, by some chance, the boy had died, he would have to know how and why. "Let's go."

"Cloud~!" Zack yelled as he ran by the both of them. "Cloud! Where are you?"

Sephiroth didn't quite manage to cringe but he would have to teach Zack a lesson in staying quite this late at night, or was it early morning.

"Angeal hasn't been able to reign him in quite well enough. The puppy's been anxious ever since he found the bed beside him empty."

Angeal took this time to huff and puff his way towards them, bracing a hand on the rock wall. "Sorry, but Zack's got energy to spare. I couldn't quite manage to stop him."

"You should follow him before he hurts himself," Genesis hissed, "Or before I get my hands on him."

The three of them head outside until they reached the front gates. They were greeted by Nanaki, who stood staring out into the wasteland curiously. His ears twitched at their approach and he turned towards them, cocking his great head in question. "He's rather strong. You need not worry about assisting him."

"And to whom are you referring?" Genesis's brow rose in question.

Nanaki sat back on his haunches and stared up at them confused. "You did not send him out alone?"

"Alone?" Genesis looked towards Angeal.

"Zack?" Angeal tried to see through the gate and see what Nanaki had seen, but he couldn't make out anything in the dark and vast.

Nanaki snorted. "If that is the name of your noisy, black-haired, friend, then he went to bother grandpa." He looked to the direction of the highest room in the cliff. He stood and circled around again to face the gate. "I am speaking of…my friend, Cloud."

"So, he's out there." Angeal hefted and shifted his sword on his back. "I'll go out and get him. It shouldn't take long."

Nanaki stopped him from heading out the door. "No need. He is steadily returning as we speak."

The three of them looked at Nanaki disbelievingly until a small silhouette of a figure came steadily towards them from across the distance. "It's Strife." Sephiroth said.

"Cloud!" The three of them turned to see Zack leaning out of a hole and staring across the distance. Then he jumped through it and to the ground with a large thump. He jogged up to them happily and peered through the gate, excited. "Cloud!" he waved his arms around, calling him, "Where have you been? I was worried!"

Strife noticed Zack's frantic hand movements and looked up at him. He didn't answer until he was right by the gate on the other side, regarding them all uncertainly with head bowed. "Sorry, Zack. I just went out for a walk."

"A walk? This is what you worry us for?" Genesis scoffed and marched back towards the village.

"I find that hard to believe." Angeal stated, looking down at Strife to try and use his size as an intimidation. It didn't seem to be working.

Sephiroth spotted little drops of blood coating Strife's uniform in various places and frowned. Angeal was right to be suspicious. No Soldier would just wander off in the middle of the night without a word to his superiors and claim that he had been taking a walk.

"You could have been killed out there." Angeal continued, "Without informing any of us…"

"Hey, Angeal, take it easy." Zack pleaded with a nervous smile, "I'm sure he didn't mean to worry us like this. Right, Cloud?"

He didn't look at any of them. "I apologize, General, sir. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Angeal sighed.

"Yes, sir." He said and walked back towards the village without another word. Zack followed him and left Sephiroth and Angeal alone.

"Did you see the blood?" he asked Angeal.

He nodded. "There's something about that kid that worries me." He shook his head. "Let's go and get some rest. We'll finish the job in the morning and be one our way."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Hey, where's Cloud?"

"Oh, don't tell me he's gone out for another walk." Genesis groaned.

"He said he wouldn't do that again." Angeal strained. "I expected him to keep his word and honor."

Sephiroth said nothing but leaned against the gate and saw Nanaki running towards them with a sprint in his steps. "Wait, please wait." He panted. "Are you returning to Shinra?"

Zack looked at him funny. "What are you talking about? We haven't even seen those griffins yet."

Nanaki cocked his head and frowned. "I assumed you knew. Cloud has already spared us the problem."

"What?" Genesis yelled.

"And he has informed me to tell you that he has already packed and returned to Shinra. I wished to thank him but he left without another word."

"So he kept his word." Sephiroth told Angeal.

"Apparently." He strained.

"You've got to be kidding me." Zack's jaw dropped. "How'd he get back? We took a chopper here most of the way and it's going to be waiting at the designated time."

"This is ridiculous." Genesis whirled on his feet and exited. "I'm heading back."

"If you see Cloud, please tell him he may visit any time he wishes." Nanaki said to Zack before running off again.

"I can't believe this."

Sephiroth tapped the hilt of his sword in thought. It wasn't against regulation, what Strife had been doing, but the fact that he would so easily elude them was perplexing. It wasn't every day that Sephiroth saw a new recruit acting as calmly and well-trained in battle. Strife was becoming a new mystery to solve. But what had happened to make him this way? And why was he even curious?

He sighed, pushed himself off the gate and followed in Genesis' wake.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Hojo's dead!" the sirens blared throughout the building, red lights flashing and people panicking everywhere. Sephiroth stood from his office and made his way downstairs towards the briefing room where he was bound to find Lazard and the others. He hadn't been expecting such a sudden outcome immediately after they had arrived. It shocked him to his core. At the very least, he had thought he would have been the one to murder that man. He hadn't thought about the possibility of Hojo dying by anyone else's hand at all. What was happening?

He burst into the briefing room and found Lazard, Genesis, and Angeal there just as he had expected. "Sephiroth!" Lazard was bent over the table and scanning the computers for the cameras that had been located in the science division of the building.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We don't know." Angeal said. "They say the rest of the scientists just found him sprawled out and dead on the floor with a gash in his throat. Nobody knows how it happened."

"How could this have happened right after our return?" Genesis' hand slammed down onto the table in agitation. He pointed at Lazard. "Gather all the scientists. I may not have liked that fool but I don't like being left in the dark, and the rest of them are the most suspected."

"Did you get the feed?" Angeal asked Lazard.

He nodded. "Yes, just now. I've hacked into the main program and found where Hojo had been in the last couple of days."

"Show the first." Sephiroth flicked to the wall in back and Lazard nodded, typing in a couple of keys before the wall filled with the video's images. There, is showed Hojo muttering to himself and walking back and forth with his nose stuck in a clipboard.

"I'll increase volume." The static filtered through but Hojo's nasal voice came through as clear as day.

"Specimen Red XIII holds incredible longevity, intelligence, strength, speed…" there was a mutter under his breath as he looked to the ceiling in thought, tapping his pen on his chin. He resumed looking to the clipboard after flipping a page. "In tune with the planet like the Cetra. Further investigations required."

"That's the end of the first. I'll play the second."

There was a flicker as the next feed came into play. "An extinct species." A cackling laughter. "Perhaps I will try to save the two species from extinction." There was a roar from the background and Hojo's bored look faced towards where it was coming from. Only the corner of the glass tube was visible from the camera's angle. "Young. Perfect for further experimentation."

There was a crash from the other corner of the room and a shout from the other scientists. Then there was yelling, the groaning of metal, and solid footsteps falling into an echo in the room as the other scientists were hushed.

"I could have gotten the feed from the other camera but…someone seems to have erased it." Lazard pushed his glasses back up his nose.

The video continued with Hojo's hysterically high pitched voice. "Who are you? What are you doing in here? This is restricted area. Answer me!"

There was no other sound but the cracking and crashing of glass to the floor. Then a flurry of red charged towards Hojo and pinned him to the ground with a growl of madness and a feral look in its eye.

"Sephiroth!" Angeal looked at him surprised, "Isn't that…"

Sephiroth looked on grimly and indicated that they should watch the rest first before asking questions.

Hojo wrestled with the beast when a black gloved hand suddenly brushed up against its shoulder. The beast, or Nanaki, as they had known to call it, turned its head towards the intruder and growled. Something low and incomprehensible was whispered, too low for the camera to pick up, but Nanaki answered loud and clear, "I cannot spare his life!" There was another hushed whisper, and this time Nanaki's hackles lowered, his head bowed. "I understand." He looked up, "And I'll trust you to keep your word, stranger." The hand pulled back and a metal pipe swung into view to hit Hojo on the head, unconscious. Then, with one last growl down at the professor, they were gone.

Lazard sighed, "This is the last one, the one from today, right after you returned." He flicked the switch.

Hojo was holding an icepack to his head, readjusting his broken glasses and looking up as the door to the room opened. "And who is it this time?" he asked. A sudden look of horror crossed his face as the glint of steel came into view. "What are you attempting? If you kill me, Shinra will become your enemy!" his voice became confident, sure that the strange newcomer would not go through with it. The stranger whispered something low and undertone so that his voice wasn't heard. Hojo's face grew pale with sweat. "Impossible! How did you— Argh!" The sword swung down and Hojo gripped at his bleeding neck, falling to the floor and twisting in agony. He looked up at the intruder with unfathomable eyes and there was one last whisper before Hojo's face fell slack and his eyes went blank. The figure dropped the sword beside the body and left the room without another word.

Lazard stopped the feed and looked to the three of them, all of whom happened to be bearing shocked expressions, except Sephiroth. "So, any idea on whom that was? Hojo was our best scientist regarding Soldiers; his death will not be easily overlooked."

"Should we question him now?" Angeal asked Sephiroth with a knowing look. "I think this counts as abnormal behavior."

He shook his head. "There is no proof…"

"That he's the one that did it?" Genesis snorted. "True but he's the only suspect." He shrugged. "Why else would a strange overgrown cat be thanking him? It doesn't make sense otherwise."

"To whom are you referring?" Lazard asked curiously.

"We know the specimen's location." Sephiroth stated. "His home is Cosmo Canyon."

"He followed us there with Soldier Cloud Strife." Angeal added. "I thought it was strange that Strife would know about a large talking cat and remain unfazed.

"Or he could be in league with someone else and not exactly be the murderer." Genesis chuckled.

Lazard nodded, a crease marring between his brows. "We should bring Strife in for questioning. But tomorrow. I'm sure we could use this day to rest a little before things become hectic."

There was blood, everywhere. And not all of it was his. He looked in shock and terror at the great gash that his opponent was bearing upon his chest, the horror of what he had done finally dawned on him and he nearly rushed forward to aid his enemy. But, he didn't.

His face is obscured, he can't make out who his enemy is, but he knows with absolute certainty that he didn't really mean for this man to die by his hand. But he hadn't had a choice. There had been no choice! He'd had to kill him! To save—!

He looks down at his hands and they fall heavy, the blood already drying and crusting in his hands, forever staining him with the sin he had committed. He clenches them in the dirt and sticks his sword into the ground, anger; grief, loss, and overwhelming confusion threaten to flood him. Then a hand on his shoulder, and he has to look up with a fake smile to fool her, to fool them all into happiness.

"…I think I'm beginning to understand." No, he wasn't. He hadn't won, he had lost, everything. There was nothing more after this, nothing left to do. He was done…

Sephiroth shot awake and clenched his jaw as he stifled a groan at what he had just experienced. Another dream, another nightmare. How many more of those would he have to live through? How many more times could he take this and keep his sanity? And what did they mean?

He couldn't remember ever fighting anyone in scenery like that or feel horror like he had just experienced. The dreams were still foggy, vague, and he couldn't make out most of the details, but that didn't mean he could simply ignore them. Rather, each time he slept, the dreams got clearer and clearer.

He clenched his hand around his blanket and flung it off, striding into the bathroom. There, he washed up and dressed, heading out the door in quick strides and grabbing his sword along the way. There was no point in going back to sleep if he was just going to startle awake from a new nightmare. He might as well get some work done for the day before he was called in to question Strife about Hojo's murder. But, one thing was for certain, he didn't know whether to thank Strife or to detest him because of his lost chance.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"You look like hell." Genesis stated, amused. "Another nightmare, I presume?"

Sephiroth swept into the room and sat in the nearest chair to the room. There were three chairs and a table, Angeal wasn't going to be able to make it and neither was Zack. They had gone for a training mission, much to Zack's dismay, so it was only to be Genesis, he, and Strife. It was to Sephiroth's dismay as well, especially when the two most socially inept people of their squad were put for questioning a newly recruited Soldier.

Genesis plopped down into the chair next to him and put his feet up on the table, leaning his chair back on two legs and crossing his hands behind his head as he took in the ceiling. "Do you think he's guilty?"

"I don't know."

"What will you do if he is?"

He glared at Genesis' endless curiosity. "He will be charged with treason."

"And killed."

"And executed." He agreed.

The door behind them opened and a Soldier 2nd pushed Strife inside with the butt of his sword, urging him to get a move on. His hands were bound and he was sporting bruises here and there but the bored, disinterested, look on his face gave nothing away. Sephiroth frowned at the bruises. He hadn't thought that they'd force him to talk until after they had proven him guilty.

Strife was pushed into the seat across from them and the 2nd left with a salute. Genesis didn't wait for the door to close fully before speaking. "Did you do it?"

Strife didn't answer, staring at him with blank eyes.

Genesis' feet dropped to the floor and the chair followed with a clack. He glared at Strife. "Did you kill Hojo and rescue the specimen?"

He still didn't answer.

"Strife." Sephiroth said, and immediately, Strife's eyes took on a fierce glow and turned to him. It dulled as soon as some realization crossed his face and he quickly covered his surprise by looking away. Curious. "Answer the question."

He watched as the color shifted within Cloud's eyes, making them…oddly entrancing. He brushed the thought away and waited patiently for an answer. "Who is Hojo?" he asked finally.

"Shinra's head scientist."

He frowned, slightly, "What would a scientist mean to me?"

True. Originally, besides the mako enhancements, Strife wouldn't have even had the time to meet Hojo, especially since the man had been fond of cooping up inside his labs for days on end. He nodded and pushed a couple of papers towards him. "Yesterday, Hojo was found murdered in the science department. We have reason to suspect you because of your acquaintance with the released specimen."

"You mean Red."

"Red?"

He shrugged. "Nanaki's his real name. Red XIII is the name he was branded on his shoulder… I don't know what it means."

Genesis flung his hands into the air and stood, pacing back and forth behind Sephiroth. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. He's obviously lying." He turned to Strife. "Then where did you meet him?"

"I found him running around the halls," he supplied readily and without hesitation, "He was muttering to himself so I asked him if he was lost. Since we were heading to Cosmo Canyon anyway, I just brought him along."

Genesis lit up. "Ah, that reminds me. The creature mentioned he never told you his name. How did you know it?" he smirked. "Wings stripped away, the end is nigh."

Cloud remained silent for a while, apparently unsure as to how to answer. But he finally said, "I visited Cosmo Canyon a long time ago. Red is 48 years old, I've heard people mention his name before." He looked up. "And since it seems that scientist, Hojo, had him branded a number, he hadn't even bothered to ask Red his name."

"…So you've proved yourself innocent." Sephiroth said, "Unless what you stated was a lie."

"…"

"So we're just going to let him go free until we can prove otherwise." Genesis said, unsatisfied. "Fine but if this backfires and he runs off, it will not be my head they seek." He turned on his heel and rushed out the door with a slam, leaving Sephiroth a bigger headache than before.

He rubbed his temples and looked at Strife. "You're dismissed."

"Yes, sir." He stood from his seat and exited through the door. It was then Sephiroth noticed the rope left on the table, neat and unknotted like it had never been used before. He whipped his head back to the door but Strife was gone. Quite a mystery, indeed.

A meteor, giant, enormous, and the end of all as he knew. There was only one way to stop its fall, one way to save this land, his home, his planet, but one way he would always regret if he succeeded. The sorrow burned through his lungs, into his chest, and he breathed it out in short spiked gasps. Why him? Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't this have been someone else's responsibility? Why?

Too many questions, but useless to voice. The road was inevitable, there was no fighting it, and his destiny had already been written. What he decided would be the fate of the planet, there was no denying it. But that festering will inside of him called him, beckoned to him to come, and if only he could succumb…

Were sins ever forgiven?

Would he ever be forgiven?

"President Shinra is dead!" Angeal pounded on his doorway and Sephiroth rose from his couch to answer the door. He stood tense in the doorframe, looking around with tired eyes. "Someone's murdered the President." He said and stepped inside.

Sephiroth went to his couch and shrugged his coat on, pulling his gloves on in deliberate slowness. Ever since those nightmares started, things had been happening that he couldn't explain. But, why? Why was all of this happening? "Explain?" he demanded.

Angeal put a hand to his forehead. "I don't know, Sephiroth. The man's throat was cut out and he was left lying on the floor in his office with the blood pooling around him. Nobody's been in or out since yesterday."

"It's too early in the morning."

"And the murderer knows how to elude all of the camera's in this building. This is Shinra, Sephiroth, no one can simply slide in and out of this company without someone noticing, not even the architect."

"Does Genesis know?"

He nodded. "And he's sleeping it off. Rufus is now President. Genesis thinks he's an 'incompetent oaf who will get us into more trouble than if he planned the end of the planet as we know it'."

Sephiroth paused. "The end of the planet…" he muttered.

"Something wrong? You look like you haven't slept a day in an entire week."

Not entirely untrue. It had been a little more than a week and his energy was draining from him more and more each day. "What about Lazard?"

He shrugged. "He's heading up there now."

"Then we will head there too."

"Puppet…"

A black orb in his hands. It shined forebodingly and deceivingly, holding an unspeakable power that should not be his to control. He gripped it tightly, resisting the urge to dispose of it, and crushed it against his chest. There was a strong will twisting in him that was not his own and his weaknesses allowed that will to fester bleak suggestions. But he couldn't allow it to control him, not now, not ever. It was one thing that he couldn't let go of, his sense of self. He didn't want to be someone he wasn't. He wanted to be who he was, no matter how much pain and suffering he found along the way.

"You are just a puppet… You have no heart…and cannot feel any pain."

That wasn't true. He could feel pain, happiness, and sadness. He wasn't a puppet. Didn't he know how much it hurt…? He shook his head and cried out his pain, nails digging into his palms and the black orb clutched to his chest. He fell to the ground on his knees and cried aloud, bearing his pain to any witness and the skies.

How could he know…?

"These nightmares are becoming more frequent for you, Sephiroth." Genesis drawled, meeting them halfway up to the President's room in the elevator. His face was set in a tight frown, obviously disliking the situation.

Sephiroth rubbed his face and sighed.

"What will happen to Shinra when it is in the hands of Shinra's most foolish? I may have not liked the President but he was much better off than his son." He scoffed. "There is no honor, no justice remains."

Sephiroth raised a brow at the substitution that Genesis had put in for that line of Loveless but he didn't say anything and let it go.

The elevator stopped with a ping and the three of them got off, heading straight for the set of doors on the far end. There was a woman who was currently arguing with Lazard right before them. "What's the problem?" Angeal asked them.

"Oh, Angeal, thank goodness. It seems something has happened to Rufus."

"Is he dead too?" Genesis smirked. "Wouldn't that be amusing." He turned to Sephiroth, "Who do you think would be next in line for the throne? That fool, Heidegger?"

"Be serious about this, Genesis." Angeal scolded. He turned back to Lazard and asked, "What happened?"

"Rufus looks to have seen a ghost. He's started taking responsibility and is now handling the company's matters more carefully than our late President. He has also launched an investigation into another power source besides mako, saying that it would kill the planet; that he would die, if he did not try." Lazard looked startled. "He's become mature in a matter of minutes."

"The President's death may have caused him to reconsider his position." Sephiroth said.

Lazard shook his head. "I know Rufus too well. He would never allow such a thing to change his attitude. Rather, I think he would have done it himself sooner or later. This is just too strange and sudden for him. Something else must have happened."

"Maybe he spoke with the murderer." Angeal supplied. "Does he remember what he looked like?"

He shook his head again. "Rufus won't say. Only that it was a devil in the guise of an angel."

Genesis turned to Sephiroth. "Where is Strife now?"

Lazard was the one to answer him. "He has gone on leave for two days, back to his home, Nibelheim. He should be back tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Apparently, he's visiting an old friend that he hasn't seen in years. He wouldn't state any other reason why."

"Don't you find that strange, Sephiroth? To see that he is gone on the day our President dies."

"We'll question him when he gets back. Until then, have them remove the President's body and announce Rufus' ascension." Sephiroth grimaced. That migraine was coming back again.

"Of course."

Are sins ever forgiven?

…Never tried.

Strife did come back the next morning, a hollow look on his face. But, then again, when wasn't there a hollow look on his face? When Sephiroth thought about it, he had never seen the boy make another expression, not even one. He didn't smile, laugh, cry, or become angered; he didn't even look satisfied or disappointed. It was strange, but he had never seen another person who didn't have so many emotions in his life. It made him curious what Strife had gone through, but that was a question for another day.

Strife noticed him waiting in front of the building and nodded his acknowledgment as he came closer, shifting the weight of his bag so that it wouldn't get in the way of his arms. "General, sir."

"Strife." He addressed. "Lazard tells me you went home for two days."

"Yes, sir."

"Then the news of the President's death would be new to you."

Strife paused in his step and blinked slowly up at him. "President Shinra is dead?"

He nodded slowly, watching for any and every facial twitch Strife would make if he made any at all, and watched for what would give him away to being guilty. "Yesterday, murdered at his own desk."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He continued his steps up the stairs and towards the doors to the building. "I'm sorry, sir, but I've traveled a long way. Excuse me." He pushed inside and the doors slipped close behind him.

There had been nothing. Nothing! Strife hadn't even had a twitch in the face indicating surprise, displeasure, or otherwise. There was nobody who could hide their emotions so well, not even he was that adept at purging his thoughts from showing on his face. Who was he to command such mental strength? Maybe Genesis had been right and Strife had lied all along. He certainly would make a brilliant liar if anything.

She was dead, not by his hand, but it had been close enough. And what did it matter anyway? She had still died without him doing anything to prevent it. How could he have let that happen? How could he have failed? He had failed. The pain blossomed in his chest, as though he had been the one to be struck by the sword, and the hot tears started streaming down his face, beyond his ability to control. He just couldn't stop them. Her lifeless body in his arms and the white orb she had left behind. He had nothing, nothing left, and nothing to fight for. But that wasn't true. His life was no longer his alone. There were countless others that pleaded his help, unknowing or otherwise. He…couldn't give up…couldn't but he wanted to… How badly he just wanted to stop, to give up. He was so tired, and tired beyond all reason. Why?

Her death was his fault, everything was his fault. He hadn't been able to save him, now her. He couldn't save anyone. He was so weak… Why?

"…She smiled…till the end."

Why?

The dreams were backwards, he noticed, always backwards, and they were telling of a story of another person's life in sequence. Why else would they feel like memories that weren't his own? But the question was why he was seeing them, and why in his dreams. What did this man's life have anything to do with him? He just didn't understand.

But, he was getting used to having these dreams now. He wasn't startled awake anymore and he knew what to expect if he did. Of course, there was another matter about these dreams that disturbed him. Why they seemed so familiar. But he just didn't understand.

He got up and prepared for the day. Lazard had a mission prepared for him and two other people. He had a sinking feeling that one of them might be Zack.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ow!" Genesis rubbed the side of his arm with frustration curling from him in waves. Sephiroth had walked into Lazard's office and found both Genesis and Angeal rubbing the side of their arms with grim look on their faces.

"Care to explain?" he asked, taking a seat and staring at them indifferently.

"What fool would dare to attack both of us at once?" Genesis growled.

"But he got away with it." Angeal muttered.

Sephiroth blinked. Had he heard correctly? "Someone attacked both of you?"

"Laugh if you will, Sephiroth." Genesis snapped at him and his eyes narrowed. "But know that it will be your last."

"Calm down, Genesis. I'm sure there was a good reason for this." He turned to Sephiroth. "We were heading here through a corridor when a small blur rushed past right past us. He injected the both of us with something quick enough that we hadn't noticed long after he was gone. He was fast, Sephiroth, fast enough to even match your speed."

"We couldn't catch him." Genesis's jaw snapped in anger. "And he got away with injuring two Generals."

"He could also have been behind the murders." Angeal suggested, "Since Lazard couldn't find the camera feed for the hall we were in."

"What did he inject you with?" Sephiroth couldn't help but be uneasy about all of this?

"We don't know," Angeal rolled his shoulders and stretched a little, "but I feel much better than I've ever felt before." He tested the grip strength in his hands and flexed each finger. "Whatever he did, it wasn't to harm us."

A loud clacking noise brought their attention to Lazard. He was gripping the phone handle with such a force; it might have broken if it had not been made to withstand the strength of Soldiers. "I have just received word," he started, grim, "that the Shinra manor and the reactor in Nibelheim has been burned to the ground and that Hollander has been killed."

"What?" Genesis burst, "If anything, I should have been the one to put that second-rate scientist out of his misery. Who else would hold a grudge against him?"

"Maybe all of these problems are connected." Angeal said bleakly. "It seems that whoever's doing this isn't doing this alone."

"Have you talked with Strife, Sephiroth, and told him of our President's death?" Lazard asked.

"Yes, but he did not seem…surprised."

"Not surprising." Stated Genesis, "I haven't seen the kid crack a smile at all. He's even worse than you are, Sephiroth."

Lazard nodded, "In any case, he may be the one behind these murders and happenings. I want him watched; the Turks cannot be trusted with this matter. They would dispose of anyone who presented a threat and would not hesitate to dispatch Strife as well."

"Then I suppose we should take turns looking after him." Angeal said. "Since Zack is good friends with him, I'll use that as an excuse to bring him under my custody for the time being. He'll train with me and Zack for awhile."

"Good, then I'll be expecting a report by the end of each term." Lazard seemed satisfied. "Oh, and Sephiroth, about your mission. You are needed to head out to Nibelheim to see if any clues were left behind by the one responsible. Take Strife with you on this mission when the time comes, you'll be able to keep an eye on him then as well as have him show you around. It is his hometown after all."

Sephiroth nodded grimly and sighed.

A temple, but why?

Riddles, countless riddles.

Inscriptions.

Carvings.

The temple, the black orb, death of one, death of all…

The man is mortally wounded and he simply decides to lie in front of the temple gates. His name is…Tseng. His regret filters through and he rushes inside with his companions. Their faces are all a blur and he can't make them out or remember them. But he knows the threat, knows he has to stop it. So he rushes inside and sees that man, the one who he has to stop, and feel remorse at what he has planned to do. But the temple requires a sacrifice and one of his companions choose to be it freely, despite their arguments. He is crushed within the temple, sparing all of them in turn, and the black orb rolls to their feet, ominous and dark in energy.

Then there is that strong will again and it churns in his head, twisting his mind and body until he can take it no longer. It burns, his eyes tear, and his heart breaks. His will is being stripped away from him, no longer his own but…

There is a sting on his cheek the next he reawakens and one of his companions slapped him again for good measure. His jaw hurts, but his heart hurts worse. The black orb is no longer within his hands, no longer his to safeguard. He has taken it, unwillingly, unremorsefully. The pain suffuses him again of his failure. He was only a puppet after all.

What was his name?

Nibelheim was as he expected for a town just south of an unknown reactor and sequestered between mountains on either side. But, at the present moment, that wasn't what concerned him. More so was the fact that Strife seemed unperturbed about the desolate remains of a manor that should have been there during his visit a while ago. He gave no expression away, merely blinking in the surrounding area with disinterest. However, he'd had to take Zack along with them as well but, he supposed, if anything, he might have a better chance at nudging out who Strife really was than if he tried himself.

"Hey, Cloud, this is where you were born, right?" Zack asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah…" was the bleak answer.

"Cool, then maybe you can show me around!"

Strife turned to him. "There's nothing to do here, Zack. Everything's all gone." He said and walked towards the inn without a second thought. Sephiroth watched him go.

Zack rubbed the back of his head and looked around confused. "Sorry, General, he's usually not like this. Or he wasn't before." He looked up at him a little unsure. "I don't know what's happened to him. He's just been acting strange all of a sudden, like he'd seen the end of the planet and back." He shrugged before shaking his head and heading inside as well.

Sephiroth whirled on his feet and started walking in the direction the manor had lay. He didn't want to think about the implications, at least not yet. There were too many things going on and most of them seemed to circle around Strife's abrupt change in behavior, though some of those things couldn't be proved if Strife had been the cause or not. But, how could one lone Soldier know all of these things, these people, when not even some of the higher authorities in Shinra even knew they existed? Could it be possible…?

He continued on his way and ended up at where the front gates should have been if it were still standing. As it was, even the gates had been brought down into smolders, their remains twisted and gnarled into unrecognizable shapes and sizes. He crossed over and stepped into the soot, dust, and debris that awaited him.

The first thing he noticed, as soon as he stepped foot, were that there were no footprints, not around the house, nor anywhere around in the snow. For days now, it seemed, no one had come near this sight, nor had they been around the manor even when it was still standing. But, without getting close enough to set the fire, and to make sure all evidences were destroyed, could they accomplish burning it to the ground so perfectly? Not even using a fire materia could accomplish that from a distance. So then, how?

He continued deeper into the remains of charred wood and ash and noticed something strange sticking out of the ground just beyond a well of stone. There, a hidden pathway led down underground and the entrance remained untouched by the fire. He shifted the remaining wood pieces out of the way and head down.

It was dark, nothing he couldn't see through, but it was also old. The walls were covered in grime and the surviving wood around the area were growing mold. He quickly ignored these and head deeper into the tunnel. There was a wooden door somewhere down along the line and he pushed it open. The creaked open without difficulty and he stepped inside. The room was littered with coffins, all old and disused, all except one. One of them had a clean inside, unlike the others, like something had been taken out of it recently. Sephiroth crouched beside it and ran a gloved finger inside it. It came out clean, confirming his suspicions that whatever had been in here had been moved recently, probably right when the fire started.

He left the room when he found nothing else and continued forward. He soon came to a large room at the end and pushed inside when a large Nibel wolf launched at him from the inside. He took a step back, drew his sword, and swung down to fell the beast. It gave one whine before falling to the floor with a hard thump and sliding to the other side, hitting the wall and falling limp onto the floor.

Sephiroth re-sheathed his sword and glanced around the room, or study, it seemed it had been at one point or another. It was all empty now; only the white outlines of books and papers lay around where there were material commodities just moments before, like the contents of that coffin. The containment units were also shattered to the floor and the glass crunched under his boots while stray rats squealed and scuttled here and there, out of his way. He sighed at what he saw; there was nothing to give anything away except the missing contents. Not even the faintest outline of shoes littered the floor for anyone to examine. He only hoped that the reactor would yield more results.

"So you've killed him."

Sephiroth whirled on the voice, his blade already drawn and glowering menacingly at the new intruder. The man glanced at him amused before bringing his eyes back to the downed wolf, an unreadable expression on his face. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man turned his back on him and shook his head, glancing around at the ceiling, then at the walls. His red cloak billowed like it had a life of its own and his crimson eyes took in every bit of movement within the room. Sephiroth couldn't hear his footsteps and every step the man took, there was nothing left behind. "He was fond of that creature."

"State your name and business." Sephiroth tried again. Perhaps this man was the cause of all of this. But for what purpose?

The man turned, a crimson wave billowed by the stark black of his hair. His crimson eyes stood in stark contrast to that dark hair as he took in Sephiroth. "I am Vincent." He simply stated.

"What is your purpose here?"

"Purpose?" he chuckled, a dark low sound from deep within his throat. "I wonder…"

"Did you empty this place out of its contents?"

"No."

The man didn't seem to be telling a lie, for now. "Who were you mentioning before?"

Vincent cocked a brow and walked towards the wolf lying unconscious on its side, bleeding profusely. He crouched down beside it and put a golden clawed, Sephiroth noticed; hand down on the creature's pelt, stroking it softly. "Not dead, then." He lifted the head and stroked its snout, looking at how deep the gash would be. He nodded, satisfied, when he figured the wolf wouldn't die. The wolf took that time to open its eyes, sneeze, and bring itself up. It stood and shook itself before bearing its fangs at Sephiroth and growling at him, low and dangerous, with its head bowed and eyes glowing amber. Its red mottled fur rose in expectation.

Sephiroth was surprised. Usually, beasts would flee from him when wounded, not stand back up and try to fight. But the wolf was larger than usual, easily topping Vincent's waist, and bore scars of battle. One scratch was nothing new to him, it seemed. "I didn't know you could train monsters."

He gave a small twitch of a smile. "You can't. He didn't train him. The wolf merely followed him along."

Sephiroth had already asked him, twice, who he had been talking about. He doubted the third time would make any difference, even though the second time had been indirectly. He lowered his sword, this man, Vincent, didn't seem to be a threat to him for the moment, and if he wasn't going to reveal anything to him, there was no longer any point in staying here longer.

Vincent observed him for a moment. "If you wish to find him, he is closer than you believe. But he is not a soul you might wish to confront. It will shatter in your hands." A red swirl overtook him and he disappeared in a wave of crimson shadows. The wolf looked up at his departure and sniffed.

Sephiroth thought about what had been said for a moment. Someone close? He was infamous for keeping people away, there was no one particularly close to him besides Angeal and Genesis, though Zack was quickly intruding into his circle, but he doubted any of them would be responsible for this. Genesis, maybe, but not without good reason, and Genesis seemed content to stay exactly where he was. Then, who else was there? Strife? If anything, Strife didn't look to him like he might shatter at any second. Rather, the boy was an enigma, always taking things in stride and without emotion like Zack always was. He shook his head; he would have to find out later, after he had checked on the reactor.

There was fire…everywhere. The twisted heat grazed against his arms, his cheek, his body. It hurt his eyes. It burned.

There were screams from all around him, yells and cries of agony, and he looked around in horror, but all he could feel was the taint in the air and the burns marring his skin. His home…it was burning.

He shifted from the floor and rose slowly to his feet. Fire raged from all buildings and people cried screaming, black marked tears streaming down their faces. Mother…he couldn't see her moving form amidst the chaos…mother…

He willed his feet to move, towards that house, but it was too late. It crashed and burned, falling to the floor and scattering ashes everywhere. No… No!

Why?

The reactor, he had to get to the reactor. The only one left, she had gone in after him. He had to stop her. He couldn't let her die too. He ran.

She was there, her unmoving form lying on those cold steps, and the mako in the tanks bubbling up all around her. He knelt beside her and thanked the planet that she was still alive, still breathing. Her cough resounded in his ears and the tears fell hot and heavy onto his arms from her face. He had no words to offer her, she had lost her father, her family, as he had lost his, and their entire town. They had lost everything…

She looks up at him then and whispered in choked harsh sounds, "You promised…," she says, "you promised that you'd come…when I was in trouble…"

He picks her up as gently as he could manage and carefully braces her against one of those tanks, taking the time to brush a stray lock from her face. He then takes off his helmet and places it on the ground next to her, his face contorted in agony. He whispers, "I know…"

He stands, and fights…

Sephiroth stirred and rose from the bed of the inn. The flames were dancing before his eyes, taunting him of nightmares and of dreams that weren't dreams. His head throbbed and he distinctly noticed something strange, he was aware of some strange awareness. He realized, with slight horror, that he was aware of most of Strife's movements at the back of his mind. And he immediately knew that the boy wasn't in the room or in the inn at all. He shot out of bed and rushed out, bursting out the front door and looking out into the dark and quiet night of Nibelheim.

He gripped his head in one hand while he clutched the sword in the other, observing the surrounding area for a moving body. His gaze was tugged towards the burned manor and he felt, more than he saw, that Strife was in the room where he had gone just the other day. He rushed there with hurried footsteps, not knowing exactly why he was anxious and in a hurry, and approached the manor.

He clutched his head as it throbbed, flashes of memories that weren't his own pounding their way into his skull. He pressed inside and rushed into the lab from before, slamming the door open and searching frantically. There, Strife was on the floor, sitting next to that great wolf, and whispering things to the beast. He looked up at Sephiroth as he had burst in, the wolf automatically bearing its fangs and taking up a fighting stance. Strife didn't seem surprised to see him.

"General," Strife tipped his head. "How did you find me?"

How could Sephiroth answer? Say that he had followed his head? It was ridiculous and one that Strife would not readily believe. Instead, he said, "Why are you here, Strife?"

Strife cocked his head to the side and regarded him curiously, then there was a small tug of the lips and, for the first time, Sephiroth saw Strife smile. It looked crooked and without any heart, like a cold amused doll that looked on with blank eyes. Sephiroth barely suppressed the shiver that ran through his spine but Strife only tapped his head. "So, you've noticed."

"Noticed?" He stood straighter and clutched harder at the sword at his side. Strife's eyes immediately flicked to it and the smirk vanished.

"Tell me, General," he said softly, looking into his eyes, "do you remember me?"

"Remember, Strife?"

Strife's hand reached over to the wolf's mane, which was wrapped in bandages, and soothed the fur down. He looked disappointed, if Sephiroth was getting adept at reading Strife's expression. "So you don't." The wolf calmed down and turned away from him, though those amber eyes never left his face. It settled back against Strife's side.

"Then the one who that man, Vincent, mentioned…"

"Vincent…" he chuckled dryly. Sephiroth was now counting it a bad thing whenever Strife showed any emotion or expression. It certainly didn't reassure him of a good life. "He didn't remember either, and neither did Red…"

Sephiroth suddenly remembered something a little more important that he should be addressing and wouldn't waste the opportunity to get information out of Strife if he was giving it so freely. "Did you kill Hojo and the President?" he asked, he would ask about this manor, the reactor, and Hollander after.

Strife stood and dusted himself down before he glanced around a little wistfully. "I can't believe it's been that long…" he sighed and pocketed his hands. Then, he shook his head and started walking to the door Sephiroth was standing next to. The wolf simply trailed along.

"Answer me, Strife."

Strife paused at the door; one hand braced against the frame and looked up at him with sincere eyes this time. "When you ask me that again, I'll tell you everything." He pushed outside and was gone." It took a moment for Sephiroth to snap out of his thoughts, twirl on his feet and open the door, running down the hall to try and catch Strife. But, when he emerged into the darkness of the night, he was already gone. He couldn't even feel where he was, the brief mental connection that he'd had was blocked and he could no longer track Strife's movements. Strangely enough, that fact disturbed him more than first finding out about it.

…

"Sephiroth! Wake up! Cloud's gone!" Sephiroth blinked into awareness and refused to groan and roll over when the first thing he saw was Zack's face dancing in his vision. He sat up and rubbed his face, watching from the corner of his eye as Zack paced and fidgeted back and forth.

"What is it, Zack?"

"He's gone! Cloud's gone missing again and I can't find him anywhere!"

"What?" Comprehension dawned on Sephiroth and several things crashed into him at once. First, he had thought Strife would return by morning. That, apparently, was not the case. Second, he suddenly realized that this had been the first night he had slept soundly and without any dreams and it disturbed him. Why just suddenly, after long sleepless nights for weeks, had they just suddenly stopped? He also noticed that the strange awareness of Strife in the back of his mind was throbbing with resistance, like a sight that went blind. He felt blind.

He shot up and out the door with Zack trailing behind him frantically. "None of the townspeople have seen him. They didn't even know it was Cloud that had come. Not even his mother!"

How could Strife have simply disappeared from his sight? He was a General; he wasn't supposed to have people fall out of his sight. "Where was he last seen?"

"That's just it." He stopped and turned to face Zack when he felt he had stopped moving. "Nobody's seen him or heard him come in. The last anyone had seen of Cloud was before he left to join Soldier." Zack shook his head, desperation coating his features. "I know he came here for his leave but it's like he just vanished under the radar for a moment. I don't know what to do. Cloud's been a close friend but now…"

There was a vibrating in his pocket and he nearly cursed pulling it out and flipping it open to his ear. "Sephiroth?" It was Lazard. "Come back to the company quickly. There's been urgent business."

"What happened?"

There was hesitation on the other line before he answered, "Heidegger and Scarlet have been murdered…and there's been an enormous catastrophe at a place called the Temple of the Ancients." Lazard sighed on the other line. "There's been chaos everywhere, Sephiroth, and we don't have a single clue as to who's responsible. Something must be done. Return to headquarters immediately."

Sephiroth snapped the phone shut and dropped his arm. A temple? There was only one temple he knew of but…that had only been in a dream… He gripped the phone and started marching. "We're leaving, Zack."

"But, what about Cloud?"

"We'll have to come back for him later. There's been an emergency."

Zack cursed. "Why?"

Why? That word had echoed in Sephiroth's head continuously. Why? But he didn't have an answer, he didn't know. His head throbbed as memory upon memory welled up inside of him. He was confused and conflicted and he didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to think of Cloud.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"So," Genesis said, leaning against the wall of the corridor and in front of the window. "What now?"

"With Heidegger and Scarlet gone, Shinra will either experience a better change or fall because of its broken structure." Angeal put in.

Genesis looked at Sephiroth who had leaned against the wall in contemplation. "So I hear you've lost our little charge."

"Enough, Genesis. You know Sephiroth wouldn't have lost him if Strife hadn't been guilty."

Guilty of what, exactly? Sephiroth wasn't sure anymore of who was in the wrong and who wasn't. What was Strife's purpose, his motivation for doing these things? Most of the people and places didn't even concern him.

"Who is he?" Genesis ran a hand through his hair.

"Is what I would like to know." A deep voice reverberated from behind them. The three of them whirled on the intruder and came face to face with a man draped in crimson.

"How did you get up here?" Angeal demanded, looking out and down the window. They were nearly on the highest floor of the building. He couldn't have just jumped or climbed.

"And who are you?" Genesis snapped.

The man dropped from the window and landed in the corridor, at the center of them, and observed each of them in turn. "Vincent Valentine." He stated. "I'm here to know about Cloud Strife."

Genesis scoffed. "Aren't we all…"

Sephiroth put his sword down. "Why are you here?" he asked, turning away.

Vincent looked at him from hooded eyes, an unreadable emotion crossing its depths. "He told me I could find you here, son of Lucrecia."

"Lucrecia?"

"I did not know before." He chuckled darkly. "But it's true. He didn't lie."

"You mean Strife."

Vincent nodded, looking down the hall and taking in all there was to take in. "He knows things he shouldn't. I wanted to know who he is."

Sephiroth sheathed his sword and resumed leaning against the wall. "What did he tell you?"

Vincent leaned up on the window sill and crossed his arms. "He woke me from my sleep. For years no one knew my resting place, but he easily distinguished between the coffins."

Coffin? So, it had been a man that had been sleeping in that coffin? Impossible.

"I was experimented on, frozen in time." He looked at Sephiroth. "I knew your mother long before you were conceived…and your father." He looked away and cocked his head to the side. "It was with this story that Cloud Strife approached me, telling me things I had never mentioned to another. He said he woke me in hopes that I would remember where a beast named Red had failed. I did not and he simply told me to evacuate the building so he could burn it down and all its contents."

"So Strife is guilty." Genesis stated, "But what are you saying, that he's…from the future?"

"That's impossible, Genesis." Angeal stated.

"What else could he mean when he asked him if he could remember?"

"He asked me the same question." Sephiroth said quietly. "I didn't know what he meant by it."

"In any case, we need to find Strife and put him in custody. If he's guilty, he'll be charged with treason."

Sephiroth rubbed his forehead, something was wrong.

Angeal picked up his phone and put it to his ear. His eyes widened a fraction before he snapped it close, looking at them in shock. "They've found him."

"What?" Genesis snapped.

"I've just been told that they found Strife walking in through the front door. Lazard knew what was going on so they've arrested him on the spot. They're taking him to a holding cell as we speak." He shook his head. "We can't talk to him without being monitored. We'll have to get permission."

"Leave that to me." Vincent started walking off in one direction.

"What do you intend to do?"

"I'm an ex-Turk. This building, it hasn't changed from before." And then he was gone.

"Great, now I'm even more curious as to whom Strife is." Genesis huffed. "There are no such things as ex-Turks unless they're dead. He managed to find one that's stayed alive for years."

"Let's go." Sephiroth said.

-.-.-.-.-.-

As promised, Vincent had stopped the cameras from working as they made their way to where Strife was being held. But, the closer he got, the more of a headache he developed, and it was worrisome. The four of them pushed inside and was met with Strife sitting on the floor in a containment unit, behind bars. It was small, if one were to reach an arm in; they would be able to touch Strife sitting at the center. He looked up at their approach and gave a small smile. "Vincent." He said, "I didn't expect you to come here."

"Neither did I." he said. "Will you explain?"

"About?"

"How you know what you do."

"…Only if…Sephiroth asks." Cloud's smile fell and he looked at Sephiroth with serious eyes.

It was only an instance, he didn't know how it happened, but as soon as Strife, no, Cloud, had said his name, a whole life's existence flashed in his head, and he had drawn his sword against Cloud's throat, the tip grazing the flesh. Cloud didn't move, staring at him with a small laugh.

Genesis and Angeal held Sephiroth back on either side. "What are you doing, Sephiroth?" Genesis yelled, pulling him back with effort.

"Have you gone mad?" Angeal pulled on his shoulder.

"Not yet, I think…" Cloud sighed, looking away.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth whispered, looking down at his hands in shock. The grip he had on Masamune wouldn't lesson, aching and inching the blade towards Cloud like it had been forged to kill him. And his head throbbed. What was happening to him? Who was he?

"So…you remember…" his eyes gained an old understanding and a hollow bitterness threatened to swallow that shimmering blue surface whole. He shook his head slowly; his face blank and impassive as if there was no life in them. "I didn't know what to think when I first woke up here…" he gave a bitter chuckle and glanced around his surroundings a little wistfully. "Maybe I really am just a puppet whose strings are played by someone else." He grimaced and looked down to the floor. "How could she be so cruel?" A desperate desolation showed through his face. The feeling was nearly tangible that Sephiroth felt choked by it.

"Then…those dreams…"

Cloud gave a pained smile and tapped his finger to his head. Sephiroth noticed his hands were bound again, but this time in steel. "You looked through my eyes and into my memories. You couldn't see your own because you were insane at the time. I could feel it, you know, when you relived all of my nightmares, I saw them again too." He laughed, "To think, I was brought back here, to the beginning, and not granted the death I wished for." He looked at his audience with amusement shining through.

"Then you really are…" Genesis trailed off.

"From the future? Yeah." He nodded, looking back at Sephiroth with heart-wrenching emptiness. "And I loved you, Sephiroth." His gaze dropped back to the ground. "You can't admire a person you don't love in some way…I was stupid, a fool for hoping. I did everything I could; now I'm asking you to kill me, like you've always wanted to." His smile was soft and sad. Sephiroth could almost see the man he had been before reflected on his face. "I just hope I don't have to start all over again. I'm so tired…"

He didn't know what to think. He remembered everything. How twisted and mad he had become, how he had hurt Cloud and his companions and everything Cloud had gone through just to stop him. He heard more than felt his sword clatter to the floor as he took an involuntary step back.

Angeal gripped one of the bars of the cage. "But all those people you murdered!"

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "That sword… So, you're Zack's mentor." He smiled and shook his head. "I should have known, even when I researched your documents to find a cure. But I didn't care, at the time. I killed all those responsible for the death of the future, that's all. I just didn't want anybody else to live like I had."

"A cure? Then you're the one who injected us with something!" Genesis rattled the cage next to Angeal.

Cloud frowned. "It was healing water from the Lifestream to stop your degradation. A gift…from an old friend."

"We weren't…"

"Believe what you will, but I know what Zack saw and experienced. I know what I saw."

"But this isn't the same future anymore…"

Cloud nodded and agreed. He looked at Sephiroth. "It's true…you're not the Sephiroth I used to know. Ironic that I used those exact words a long time ago but for another reason." He sighed. "I've asked for forgiveness so many times but are sins ever forgiven…"

"Cloud…" Sephiroth took a step forward.

He nodded. "This is the end, Sephiroth. I've nothing more to tell you." He pleaded. "You thought once, that if you could, you would put me out of my misery. It was the first and last brief thought I caught from you but now I'm asking you to fulfill it. Kill me, Sephiroth, and live your future."

How could he ask him that? After everything he had confessed… He couldn't…

He moved faster than he realized he was doing and knocked the gun away as the bullet shot out of the barrel. He didn't even remember picking his sword up from the ground, let alone retaliating against Vincent. But he wouldn't stop now. He stood between Vincent and Cloud, the cage at his back. He chanced a glance back and found a hole the size of a large bullet cracking into the wall beside Cloud's head and sighed in relief. Then he turned back to Vincent with a glare.

"You would stop him from dying." Vincent said, lifting the gunpoint into the air and looking at him curiously.

"Move out of the way, Sephiroth. If you won't do it, I've always trusted Vincent to do what's necessary, even if he doesn't remember."

Sephiroth didn't answer, his sword hovering before him and protecting Cloud from certain death. Now that he remembered…he couldn't just let it go. "Lower your weapon."

Vincent holstered his gun without a second thought and turned away to leave. "His life was originally yours." He said and vanished.

"What are you attempting, Sephiroth?" Genesis asked, cautiously. "You heard his story and from what I believe, you two weren't the best of friends."

"Don't be brash, Sephiroth." Angeal argued. "His life might be valuable to us. He has information we could use and," he crossed his arms and looked enlightened, "I'm curious about the rest of his story. I wouldn't mind hearing the whole account." He turned to Genesis. "I think it would be better than Loveless, at least."

"Hm, I'm almost inclined to agree with you…almost."

Sephiroth gripped his sword and clenched his jaw, turning back to Cloud and looking down at him with unfathomable eyes. He raised his arm and brought it down in a quick stroke. The steel bars sliced and clattered onto the floor. A red blaring alarm went off around the area and in the building. He ignored it and stepped through, into the cage.

"W-What are you doing, Sephiroth?"

He didn't waste any time, using the hilt of his blade, he knocked Cloud unconscious. He took the time to sheath his sword before lifting Cloud into his arms and exiting the room with Genesis and Angeal following.

"This is not a good idea." Angeal mumbled.

"It certainly is more fun than watching an old man's burial." Genesis laughed. "Who knew theft and kidnapping could be so much fun."

"Oh no, don't even think about it."

Cloud…he was warm on his hands, alive, well, and with him. He looked down onto the sleeping form with wonder. How could he have forgotten?

-.-.-.-.-.-

Cloud woke up with a groan and a throbbing at the back of his skull. Then, in an instant, everything that had happened crashed into him with a start. He jerked up and awake, shooting up and out from the bed and hitting his back against the nearest wall, where he slid down to the floor and took his surroundings in. He was in…a room. It was all shades of black and silver, neat and crisp, and he had a sinking feeling that this room belonged to…

The door creaked open and in came the devil himself. "Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth looked up at him and a light smirk played on his lips. "You're awake."

Cloud stood on shaky legs and braced his hands on his knees, glaring at the man. Then, he charged, diving straight for Sephiroth, but his wrists were caught and he was twirled and pinned to the wall next to the door. Cloud struggled in the grip, glaring daggers, and gave an irritated sigh. "Why didn't you just kill me?"

Sephiroth looked down at him, but he couldn't find the right words to express his emotions.

He looked away with a face full of distaste. "I thought you, of all people, wouldn't hesitate."

"…Why?"

"Because I'm going insane, Sephiroth! Don't you remember how that feels?" Cloud looked into his eyes searchingly and desperate. "I'm going insane," he bit out.

Sephiroth released his grip on Cloud and stared down at him incomprehensibly. He took a step back. He refused to believe it. How could he, after all this time of hoping and finally receiving? Cloud couldn't be going insane, that had never been his to obtain. No, he couldn't, wouldn't, allow it. He would never accept Cloud to be lost to him forever ever again.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, unwilling to let Cloud go yet unsure as to how to proceed. "I've convinced Rufus to allow you your freedom, limited though it may be." He looked at him. "You'll be staying with me, here in Shinra."

Cloud surged in anger. "What don't you understand, Sephiroth? I don't want to live here, or anywhere, for that matter! Why won't you just kill me?" His hands balled into tight fists and the heat of his anger exuded dangerously from his stance. "Everyone I've ever known is dead and they're not coming back, ever! Why can't you just understand that I don't want to live this over again? I was the last to die with the Planet when it fell!" he looked down at his hands in horror and fear clouded his vision. "The Planet died in darkness. There was nothing but the black earth and sky. I couldn't stop anyone from dying, their lives just slipped through my fingertips. And no one came back," he shot an accusing glare at Sephiroth that was tinted with a line of madness, "not even you!"

Sephiroth was speechless. How could he have known? His memories stopped after a certain period of time and he couldn't remember what Cloud obviously remembered. He was frozen in his steps, unable to approach Cloud yet unable to take a step back. What had happened?

Cloud took one calming breath and lowered his arms. "Fine. Maybe you really are the same Sephiroth. Always tormenting me until the end." He gave a bitter laugh. "If you won't help me, I'll go alone." Cloud stormed out the door before Sephiroth could stop him, and by the time he regained his state of mind to go after Cloud, he was gone.

Panic filled him with an urgency and he flipped open his phone. It picked up on the third ring. "Angeal here."

"Angeal, is Genesis and Zack with you?"

There was a pause before he answered, "Yeah. Did something happen, Sephiroth?"

"It's Cloud." And there was that slight strain he couldn't keep out of his voice, "He's gone."

"What?" Zack's voice filtered through as a sharp yell. A second later, the sound of a door slamming shut rang in Sephiroth's ears as Angeal sighed deeply.

"Care to explain?" Angeal asked.

"Find Cloud. We'll meet in my office after."

"Alright, but, Sephiroth, be careful. He doesn't seem like he can handle anymore breakdowns."

"I know…" he snapped the phone shut and head out the door.

-.-.-.-.-.-

He cursed his weakness in not being able to react in time to stop Cloud from disappearing from his sight and searched his memory for a place he might have disappeared off to. But, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to know where Cloud would go in times like these. Times like these…the thought was hardly fitting. But he felt panic blossoming within his chest at where his thoughts had taken him. What if Cloud committed suicide?

He hurried in his steps even though he didn't really know where he was going. He just simply followed his intuition and hoped it'd lead him straight to Cloud before it was too late.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Why?

Sephiroth rushed to the outskirts of Midgar.

Why?

He felt lost, uncertain.

Why?

What was he searching for? For what purpose?

Why?

His footsteps froze, the dirt gusting up from beneath his shoes as he searched the sky for answers. Only the fading light of the sun greeted him. It felt like a warning, like a pit of fire waiting to swallow him whole.

Why?

Why? Why did this have to happen? What was he trying to accomplish? Where were his feet taking him? Why did any of this have to weigh against him as a heavy burden on his shoulders?

Why Cloud?

WHY?

"Cloud!" Sephiroth searched the barren wasteland across from him, at the form crouching on the dirt as if he were a silent sentinel, waiting, watching, and whispering in his mind. Cloud.

Cloud rose slowly, hand braced against a sword that Sephiroth was sure he had not seen before. It was large, broad enough to nearly obscure Cloud's form from his sight, but the presence of the blade didn't deter him from his sight.

"Sephiroth," said Cloud, like a whisper in the wind, nearly forgotten as it was passed by.

"Cloud…"

"Draw your sword, Sephiroth," he said, eyes solemn and calm. "We'll end it here and now. Kill me or we'll both die together."

Sephiroth's hands clenched into fists, black gloves groaning from the strain. "Cloud," he said. "Come back with me, you've worried Zack and the others…" His heart clenched even as the words were bit out. He was frustrated there was nothing more he could say, nothing more he could do to convince Cloud to listen.

Cloud shook his head, a slow movement from side to side. "No," he said softly. "No… I can't go back, not now…not ever." He readied his sword, holding up the large blade before him with both hands. He was in the stance of a warrior. "Ready yourself, General. This will be our last battle once and for all."

His hand reached for the hilt of his sword, grim sorrow etched into his features. "Cloud…"

Cloud smiled sadly and this time, it reached his eyes. "Goodbye, Sephiroth…" he charged.

Sephiroth saw the blade coming, faster than he had ever before experienced…but he knew that he could have stopped it, stopped it from coming, stopped Cloud.

He didn't.

The point of Cloud's blade bit deeply into his side, warm blood trickling down in an instant. He didn't allow the sudden wash of pain to distract him from Cloud's face, marked with horror and surprise, hands shaking terribly as he watched the blood flow freely. He stood there, pained and full of a greater sorrow than Sephiroth knew he could comprehend.

"Why?" Cloud's voice cracked. His eyes shot up to Sephiroth's, wide and uncertain. "Why didn't you stop it!"

Sephiroth acted before he realized he was moving and wove his arms around Cloud in an embrace. Cloud's grip on his sword loosened and the heavy blade fell to the floor with a loud thump. Then, with a sudden weakness, Cloud slid to the floor, forcing Sephiroth to steady him down onto his knees. He held him gently, never letting him go.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to Cloud, full of regret and remorse. "I'm sorry," he repeated, watching as Cloud's body wracked with trembles and his eyes filled with hot tears, streaming down his cheeks in wet trails.

Are sins ever forgiven?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Author: Honestly? I don't know.