Through Life

"No fucking way."



Zack ran from the hotel, Cloud at his side. Smoke blinded them, tears welling in their eyes as it burned.



Cloud veered off to his house. He ran forward, crazily calling out "Mum! MUM!"



Zack wanted to follow, wanted to be there.. .to comfort him. No, no, she had to be okay. Zack ran forward to kneeling men.



"What happened?"



"Sephiroth..." one whispered. "How could he do such a thing?"



The other cried out to Zack. "She followed him... Tifa and her father... they followed him to the reactor!"



Zack nodded. "I'll go after them."



"Go now, I fear..." the man coughed and wheezed. "Go!"



Zack ran past Cloud's house as the blond let out a cry. No... she couldn't be dead. But Zack knew she was.



He knew who's fault it was.



"Sephiroth!" Zack screamed in anger.



Three days. Three day he and Cloud had nervously awaited his return. Three days spent bored in an inn, waiting for Sephiroth to come back, to tell them it was time to go, to return to Midgar.



Instead, this happened.



The reactor loomed in front of him. He skidded to a stop in front of it. Oh, god...



"Tifa?"



She didn't turn. She refused to move, to show she knew he was there. Cries racked her body as she held her father. He was cold now, but she tried to keep his dead body warm.



Zack winced and continued. Yet another death by Sephiroth's hands... how could this happen?



"SEPHIROTH!"



There he was. Sephiroth murmured softly, hand against the glass. His voice was gentle and soft.



That scared Zack.



He dashed forward, wielding his sword, half crazed. Cloud's mother was dead by this man's hand. He would avenge her, for her, for Cloud.



Sephiroth turned and smirked. Fucking smirked.



"Traitor. You here for one last time?"



"No." He growled. "Why did you do this to the town?!"



"And there I was thinking it was obvious."



Sephiroth motioned towards the creature housed in glass behind him. "My Mother. This planet was so cruelly stolen from her.. by your ancestors."



"No.. no way..."



Zack tried to lay a hit on Sephiroth. The man was too fast. He slashed out with Masamune, sliding it into Zack's side with little resistance.



The raven haired SOLDIER was not quitting. He pushed himself from Masamune, collapsing to the ground. He looked up as Sephiroth moved towards him.



"Would you like to be beneath my heel the entire time? Waiting for me to remember you, waiting for me to fuck you?"



"Bastard!" Zack cried out.



"Hmm... Perhaps."



Zack shook his head. How.. what had happened?



"You are a traitor, and will suffer like one."



That was a new one, if nothing else. Zack tremblingly stood to face the General.



"No."



"No?"



Another smirk graced Sephiroth's features. He swung Masamune at Zack, who barely dodged it. Were those footsteps? He thought he heard something... another person breathing?



"ZACK!"



Oh, no... Cloud...



Zack blocked an attack as he cried out. "Cloud, no, stay back!"



He couldn't block the next hit. He screamed as Masamune tore through his side. Again.



"ZACK!" Cloud screamed and ran forward.



Sephiroth glanced at the blond. Cloud collapsed to Zack's side. No worries there. Sephiroth turned back to Jenova.



"Zack..."



Cloud gripped Zack's sword. He stood, advancing on Sephiroth.



A crack appeared in the glass. Sephiroth was momentarily stunned. He soon recovered, pushing the sword from his body. Cloud stumbled back. The first class SOLDIER was slow, he was happy to see. he stabbed forward again, but it was blocked. Sephiroth swang at Cloud. The blond gasped as Masamune slid across his chest. Blood adorned his shirt.



Cloud saw Zack laying on the ground just as Sephiroth landed a direct slash. Fresh blood weeped from his side. Cloud, however, was a pissed off lover. He threw himself from the sword, looking at Zack all the while. There was no way in hell he was losing now. He had to help Zack.



So he didn't see as Sephiroth flew from him, into the reactor. He dimly heard a strangled yell, but that was all.



He fell beside Zack. The SOLDIER opened his eyes slightly and smiled.



"You did it, baby." he whispered. "You did it..."



Cloud saw Zack's smile before passing out.



-T.B.C.-



Bye-bye for now, Sephy! There's still torture for you to do later, no worries. *evil grin*