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Final Fantasy VII: Angelic Threnody	By : DarkSeraphim1 Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1315 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core, Before Crisis, or Dirge of Cerberus. I do not profit from the writing and/or posting of this fic. I am just a humble fan paying tribute to another's wonderful creations.

Chapter List
- 31
- 32
- 33
Chapter 32
            ‘My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow’ -Loveless, ACT III
            Vincent Valentine stood at the top of the Shinra facility that housed the Junon Canon, carefully ensconced in the shadows he had spent the majority of his life in. A short, harried phone call from Cloud had sent both he and his demons into a panicked frenzy, and Chaos’ response had been to take him over completely. Vincent had had only enough control to keep the ancient demon from killing Nanaki, who had begun growling at his first appearance, before the winged devil had grabbed he and Aerith both and taken to the sky.
            He had given up the struggle for control some time during their third hour of flight, after Chaos had finally convinced him that the Gi would be safe without him. Chaos had only wanted to get to ‘their’ pretty one, and he’d do whatever it took to get them both to Yazoo safely, even if that meant putting up with Nanaki’s hostility and Aerith’s constant chattering.
            ‘Which it does,’ the demon’s voice now growled in his head. ‘You’d do well to let me kill the little Gi, if nothing else. I tire of his constant posturing, host.’
            ‘He is young,’ Vincent reminded the creature, whose answering snort rang through his mind and threatened to leave him with a headache. ‘He’ll be gone soon. Let it be.’
            ‘For now, my host,’ came the less than comforting response.
            The distinctive sound of helicopter blades sounded in the distance, and Vincent straightened his posture instinctively. Surely, Sephiroth wasn’t bold enough to land here, atop Shinra’s second capital, when he had no idea of what awaited him?
            The helicopter came into sight and proceeded to touch down brazenly on the airstrip. He had been wrong. His son was bold enough. Vincent watched from the shadows as the large cargo door slid opened, and a tall silver-haired man emerged from the vehicle.
            Sephiroth, he thought with a swift intake of breath.
            He could see Lucrecia in the tilt of the man’s silver-green eyes, as well as in the formation of his near-perfect features. While the unique hair color might have come from the Ancient—from Jenova—the way that hair arched and flowed around him could come from no other person but beautiful Lucrecia. He was every inch his mother’s son.
            Unfortunately, Vincent could see very little—if anything—of himself in the tall, graceful warrior. He was a bit disappointed, but not really surprised. While it would have been nice to see something of himself in his only son, he truly hadn’t expected to. After the way he’d failed Sephiroth’s mother so completely, he knew that he didn’t deserve to. Still, that Sephiroth was willing to even speak to him after what he had done was enough to ease the nervousness of this first meeting.
            Somewhat, he added mentally as the man in question turned his way. Vincent had to resist an almost overpowering urge to slink further into the shadows as those bright green eyes narrowed in his direction. Sephiroth didn’t call out, or do anything to else to indicate that he’d seen him, but Vincent didn’t doubt that his presence had been detected, not even when another man joined Sephiroth and distracted him by grabbing his arm.
            Vincent continued to watch as his son gave his full attention to the handsome red-haired man, those hauntingly familiar features softening in a telling fashion. His son was in love with another man, he thought, surprised by the realization. He shifted slightly, resisting the urge to lean forward for a closer look, as he studied the other man. A little over six feet in height, a slender yet muscular build, aristocratic features, pale blue eyes that glowed as they gazed up at his son.
            A SOLDIER, then, Vincent mused thoughtfully. Two more men joined them, both black-haired and blue-eyed, both undeniably SOLDIER. A slight, rather short young man with spiked blond hair hopped down to the tarmac behind them, lifting his black-gloved hands to help another man to the ground. This one had red hair darker than the SOLDIER’s and was extremely thin, which was accentuated by the black suit that marked him as a Turk.
            A second Turk climbed out of the helicopter, this one undeniably female, and Vincent felt his hackles rise in accompaniment to Chaos’ displeased growl. What was his son doing with two Turks? Didn’t Sephiroth know how untrustworthy they were? They were liars and thieves, agents trained in the arts of espionage and death. They were killers, and his son had allied with them?!
            His own eyes narrowed as the blond man steadied the male Turk and turned around. He knew that face, knew it well. He had seen it in his dreams for as long as he’d seen the pretty one. It was Cloud, the man who had convinced him to take care of the young Ancient, and to wait until his arrival to go to Yazoo. He was also the man who held the key to the mystery of Vincent’s memories.
            And he was through hiding.
            Vincent strode out of the shadows even as he thought it, his scarlet cloak billowing out behind him like a living thing. Sephiroth stiffened and whirled around, the immense sword that suddenly appeared in hands held out warningly before him. Vincent slowed his steps, one hand dropping to the handgun strapped to his right hip, as he came to a halt just beyond the sword’s ridiculously long seven-foot range. The silver-haired warrior slowly lowered the oversized odachi, his pale eyes widening slightly, even as his head tilted to one side in an undisguised gesture of curiosity.
            The one he’d recognized as Cloud approached towards him with slow, steady steps, his glowing gaze locking onto Vincent’s own. He came to a halt a few feet before him, one gloved hand extended entreatingly. “Vincent,” he greeted simply.

            Crimson eyes flickered as Vincent fought the urge to look beyond him. “Cloud,” he stated in a flat voice.
            The young warrior nodded, causing his blond spikes to sway with the motion, and Vincent had to fight a very strong urge to smile. “We are. . .friends?” he questioned with less assurance.
            “Yes,” the young warrior said firmly, “we’re friends, Vincent.”
            As much as Vincent wanted his memories restored to him, the lure of Lucrecia’s son proved too strong for him to ignore. Those blood-red eyes flicked passed him, locking on Sephiroth with unsettling intensity. “That is my son?” he asked, his voice lowering until it was nearly inaudible.
            Cloud smiled slightly as he dropped his hand, realizing that this first meeting was for Sephiroth alone. “Yes, that’s Sephiroth,” he confirmed softly. “Would you like to meet him?”
            Vincent could only nod, suddenly unable to speak, as he gazed at the child—the man—that he and Lucrecia had created together. Cloud turned and made a beckoning gesture, and the silver-haired warrior slowly came towards them. There was absolutely no expression on Sephiroth’s face, nor was there any discernable emotion in his green eyes, and Vincent was suddenly certain that Aerith had been as wrong as she had been right. Sephiroth might not hate him, but he didn’t appear eager to meet him either.
            Sephiroth came to a halt before the man who had fathered him, suddenly uncertain of the reception he would receive. He wished that Genesis were still beside him; the other man always knew what to do in situations such as these. Instead, he was facing the man he had spent a lifetime wondering about, and he couldn’t force himself to open his mouth and speak as he knew he should.
            He had never been this close to Vincent Valentine, he thought absently. As he gazed at the man who had suffered so much for love of his mother, he realized that this man knew the truth of him: Valentine had not only fathered him, he had been present when Professor Hojo had injected Lucrecia Crescent with Jenova’s tainted cells. He realized that this man had died in a genuine, if belated, attempt to protect his mother, and Sephiroth was left to wonder if the man didn’t somehow blame him for that.
            Genesis, who had been watching in eager silence, threw his hands up in disgust. “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” he exclaimed, striding forward until Masamune blocked his path. “Sephiroth, please put Masamune away? I’d like to keep both of my legs, if you don’t mind?”
            Sephiroth glanced down at the sword, which was now pressed against his lover’s legs, and flushed embarrassedly. In his flustered state, he did as he was bidden and put Masamune away, and the great katana simply disappeared from sight.
            Genesis’ azure eyes widened slightly, then narrowed as they met his. “We’ll talk about that later, too,” he said in clipped tones, ignoring the alarm that flashed across his lover’s handsome face. He turned back to Sephiroth’s father, who was watching him with wary red eyes, and extended his hand. “Genesis Rhapsodos, SOLDIER 1^st Class.”
            “. . .” Vincent looked down at the proffered hand, clad in a tight red leather glove, and forced himself to reach out and take it. “Vincent Valentine,” he said at last. “Formerly of The Turks.”
            “Excellent,” Genesis said with satisfaction. “Now, we’re making progress.”
            He turned back to his lover, who was watching him with something akin to gratitude, and sent him a smile. “Sephiroth, don’t you have anything to say to your father?”
            Sephiroth stiffened visibly and shot him a dark look. “Genesis, I do not know what to say!” he hissed, his too-deep voice nearly inaudible.
            “Well, I think that’s obvious,” Genesis returned with exasperation. He reached out, took his lover’s hand, and tugged. Sephiroth only resisted for a moment before he allowed himself to be drawn forward, only to find himself inches away from the father he’d never known. He very nearly panicked.
            Genesis watched the pulse in Sephiroth’s pale throat beat with alarming speed and tightened his hold. Sephiroth nearly crushed his hand as he responded, and Genesis hid a wince as he turned back to Vincent. “Vincent Valentine, this is General Sephiroth,” he said, his voice softening as he added, “Your son.”
            Vincent was shocked as he realized that Sephiroth was nervous, maybe even more so than he. There was genuine distress in those familiar green eyes, and he knew that it was up to him to banish it. “Sephiroth,” he said, lifting his hand until he could touch the young man’s face. Those eyes widened again, surprise flashing through their pale depths, and he attempted a reassuring smile. “You have the look of your mother about you.”
            “I. . .” Sephiroth fought the urge to move away from the unfamiliar touch, and was perversely filled with disappointment when his father’s hand withdrew. “Thank you. . . Vincent.”
           The other man only nodded, his expression all too solemn, and took a step back. “Cloud?”
            Cloud stepped forward, drawing a deep breath to dissipate the heavy feeling in his chest. “Yes, Vincent?”
            “Aerith and Nanaki are waiting at the inn. We should go.”
            Vincent turned on heel and walked away and Cloud only grinned after him. Typical, he thought as he moved to follow. “Come on,” he threw over his shoulder, the grin dying as he realized that he would being seeing Aerith for the first time since her death so long ago, “we’re almost there.”
            Sephiroth inhaled sharply and forced himself to release Genesis’ hand. “Thank you,” he murmured before moving to follow.
            Genesis laughed softly as he turned to the four who had been forgotten. “So, what do you think of Sephiroth’s father?”
            Reno only snorted and limped his way passed him, biting back a less than complimentary comment. He’d known Valentine for a long time, and not as a Turk or a friend. “At least, he didn’t pull that huge fuckin’ gun on us,” he grumbled under his breath.
            Cissnei tucked a lock of dark cinnamon hair behind one ear. “I thought he was quite handsome, in a dark sort of way.”
            “Yeah, he was!” Zack looked excited as he grabbed Angeal’s hand and began to drag him across the tarmac. “I knew he’d be hot!” the young First exclaimed. “I can totally see where Sephiroth gets it. Couldn’t you, Angeal?”
            Angeal only sighed as he allowed himself to be pulled along in his young lover’s wake. “Yes, I could see a great deal of Sephiroth in him, Zack.”

            “So could I,” Genesis said as he ambled along beside them. “They both suck with people. Maybe, it’s genetic, and not all Hojo’s fault, after all.”
            “A sobering thought,” Angeal commented wryly.
            “Very.” Genesis smirked suddenly. “But you’re right, Zack. He is hot.”
            Zack looked delighted as he realized that Genesis was agreeing with him, instead of arguing with him, as he usually did. “He’s a little shorter than I was expecting, but maybe Seph’s mother was tall,” he mused aloud.
            “She was.” Genesis’ smile took on a smug cast. “I’ve seen a picture.”
            “No way!” Zack’s sky-blue eyes, only shades darker than Genesis’ own, widened dramatically. “Did she have the hair?”
            Genesis laughed, the sound reaching his lover as he waited impatiently at the roof access door with Cloud and Vincent. He smiled faintly at the musical sound, his irritation melting away as though it had never been. He instantly forgave Genesis for taking part in Zack’s juvenile gossip session, knowing it had only been his lover’s way of soothing their friends, who may have been hurt by being left out of the emotion-filled reunion.
            “How long have you been together?”
            Sephiroth looked at his father, who was wearing an uncomfortable expression, and kept the smile firmly in place. “Six years,” he answered, one hand creeping up to touch the necklace he was never without.
            Ruby eyes followed the gesture and then flew to the approaching men. Rhapsodos wore a similar earring in his right ear, and Vincent knew exactly where the pendant had come from, and precisely what it meant. “That’s a long time,” he commented neutrally. “You must care for him a great deal.”
            “Yes,” Sephiroth said simply, releasing the pendant as Reno joined them.
            “I hate that thing,” the not-so-young Turk groused. “It killed all of my dreams, yo.”
            Sephiroth cocked one silver brow at him. “I let you touch my hair,” he pointed out mildly. “Was that not enough?”
            Reno stared at him for a long moment before chuckling. “That was nice, yo.”
            “And a one-time thing,” Genesis reminded him as he sidled up to Sephiroth’s side, “so don’t get any ideas, street-rat.”
            Aquamarine eyes rolled at that. “Bite me, yo.”
            “Reno, give it a rest,” Cissnei said with fond exasperation.
            Reno merely grinned, and she returned the gesture as she shook her head.
            Cloud glanced at Zack, who was wearing his own grin, and the smile grew. “Are you two ready for this?”
            Zack immediately nodded, sending his sable spikes into a comical wave. “I can’t wait to meet your boyfriend, Spike. “
            Angeal echoed the nod, albeit more soberly, but it was enough. “Let’s get Sephiroth’s. . .boys away from Shinra.”
            Sephiroth closed his eyes briefly as relief flowed through him. “Thank you, Angeal.”
            The other man merely reached around Genesis and set a hand on his metal-paldroned shoulders. “We’re friends, Seph, whether I agree with everything you do or not. Remember that,” he added with mock sternness.
            Sephiroth smiled with sudden warmth. “I will, my friend.”
            Angeal nodded again and withdrew, smiling as Genesis beamed at him. “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at us forever,” he stated smugly.
            The other man continued to return it even as he said, “Shut up, Genesis.”
            Vincent, who had been watching in characteristic silence, hid his own smile behind the cowl of his cape. “Follow me,” he said, turning towards the electronic door. It slid open and he walked through, his cloak flaring dramatically around him, before settling around him once more.
            Cloud chuckled to himself as he followed, not surprised to see several Shinra 3^rd Class SOLDIERs sitting against the walls on either side of the passage. All had been tied up with rope, and each had one precisely placed bullet-wound in their unarmored legs. “You did a good job securing the place, Vincent.”
            The dark gunman slanted a brief glance at the injured soldiers. “They’ll live,” was all he said in response.
            Sephiroth cast a glance at the men who had once been his to command, taking note of their wide, fearful eyes with consternation. He kept his silence, making his loyalties clear as he followed the man who had overpowered them all, and regretted that it had come to this. Most of these young men had joined Shinra because of him, drawn into the SOLDIER program because of their desire to be heroes like the great General Sephiroth. He could only imagine the sense of betrayal that they now felt, to know that their hero had abandoned them so completely.
            He sighed silently as they made their way to the elevator, feeling the condemnation of those anonymous eyes follow him every step of the way. He had thought himself passed this, he thought with annoyance. He had made the decision to abandon Shinra with little thought as to how this would affect the troops, his only worry being those he thought of as his family. He did not like feeling as though he had failed his men, and yet, that is exactly what he had done.
            “I can hear you thinking,” Genesis murmured at his side. “Knock it off.”
            Sephiroth lowered his head, hiding his sudden smile behind his hair, and let it go. He was no longer affiliated with Shinra, and Lazard would take excellent care of the army in his absence. He was worrying needlessly, and he knew better. There was only so much he could do. Despite both Hojo and Jenova’s machinations, he was not a god, and he never would be.
            It seemed an eternity, the time it took them to ride the elevator to the ground level, and make their way through the small, industrialized fishing town. Cloud seemed especially nervous as they approached the large house on the east side of town that apparently doubled as the inn, and Sephiroth could only conclude it was because of The Ancient. This would be his first contact with her since her death three years before, and Sephiroth knew without a doubt that the boy had loved her. It was part of the reason Jenova had taken such delight in killing her, Holy and Meteor aside.
            While Sephiroth didn’t know what the Cetra woman in the Nibelheim reactor had been like before her infection, he knew exactly what she was like now. She enjoyed tormenting others, took true pleasure in their pain, and in being the cause of it. Jenova was a sadist in the truest sense of the word, and he looked forward to returning the pain she had inflicted on them all tenfold.
            Vincent was the first to reach the inn. He pushed the door open and strode inside, immediately positioning himself to one side so that he could observe the situation as it developed. The Ancient—Aerith—rose from the sofa she’d been sitting on, her green eyes shining with anticipation, as she watched the undeniably unusual party enter the room. She folded her hands before her, her excitement a palpable thing, even as Nanaki positioned himself protectively beside her.
            Cloud, whom had come in first, stopped dead in his tracks, his vivid blue eyes wide as he stared at her. The others flowed around him, some making jokes, most just casting him concerned glances. Aerith smiled at him with surprising gentleness, a soft look shaping her classic features as she lifted her arms towards him, and Vincent realized that they had once been much more than mere friends.
           “Hello, Cloud.”
            The young warrior’s breath caught on a sob, and then he was striding towards her, tears streaming down his youthful face. Aerith merely pulled him to her, holding him as he clutched at her with desperate hands. “Gods, Aer,” he whispered threadily, “you’re alive. You’re alive.”
            “I know, Cloud.” She ran her hands over his golden spikes and hugged him tightly. “I’m here, Cloud. I’m here.”
            He sobbed again, the sound cut off abruptly as he tried and failed to pull himself together. He could only cling to her, the girl he had failed so long ago, and cry as she herself had taught him to. He could feel her hands moving over his hair, could hear her voice as she whispered soothing nonsense, and something broken inside of him finally began to heal.
            He drew a broken breath and forced himself to release her, knowing that he had to have hurt her with the force of his hold. She drew back just enough to peek up at him, her green eyes full of both empathy and mischief, and then stood on her toes to press her lips to his forehead. She stroked his damp cheeks with her thumbs, smiled with all the innocent perfection he remembered, and he found himself smiling back.
           “Gods, but it’s good to see you, Aer!” he whispered fervently. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you!”
            “Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea,” Aerith joked, patting his cheek and taking a step back. “I’ve missed you too, Cloud, but not as much as Kadaj has, I think.”
            He blushed hard, deep, rich color flooding his face, and she laughed happily. “Now, say hello to Nanaki and introduce me to everyone,” she ordered, and he found himself laughing with her.
            “Yes, ma’am.” Cloud looked down at Nanaki and dropped to one knee, burying a hand in his friend’s soft red mane. “Thank you, my friend. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
            Nanaki’s muzzle drew back in what passed for his smile. “It’s enough to see you smile again, Cloud.”
            Cloud only nodded and stood, wiping surreptitiously at his cheeks. “If you want to go home, I won’t think any less of you,” he told the Gi solemnly.
            The young creature hesitated and then nodded his great head. “I can’t be a part of this any longer,” he said with obvious regret. “I hope you can understand that.”
            “I can,” he returned with a sigh, “but I’ll miss you, Nanaki.”
            “I’ll miss you, as well, Cloud.” He hesitated, hoping that this wouldn’t be the last time he saw his former leader. “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Cosmo Canyon always has room for those who serve The Planet.”
            Cloud’s lips thinned even as he nodded shortly. “Goodbye, Nanaki.”
            “Goodbye, Cloud.” He looked over his shoulder, to where Aerith stood, and smiled once again. “Good luck,” he said sincerely. “You’re going to need it.”
            The teenage Gi padded softly to the door, rose up on his hind legs, and twisted the knob between his paws. It swung open, and he paused long enough to look up at Vincent. “Goodbye, Vincent. Good luck with your ‘pretty one’.”
            “Thank you.” Vincent tilted his head to one side as he watched the enigmatic young Gi stroll into the night with no hesitation. He reached out and closed the door behind him, a faint frown pulling his ebony brows together. “Why do I feel as though we should have asked him to stay?”
            “That’s a long story, Vincent,” Aerith said sadly. “One best left for another time.”
            The gunman only nodded and resumed his silent vigil and she released a relieved breath. “It had to be done,” she murmured. “He did not understand why I did this.”
            “I know,” Cloud assured, setting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s for the best, Aer. We’ll see him, again. I’m sure of it.”
            She only nodded and patted his hand with hers. “Now, introduce me to the others, so that we can be on our way.”
            Cloud smiled faintly and turned to the others. “This is Aerith,” he said, his voice husky as he added, “She’s the Cetra we told you about.”
            Zack, with typical boldness, came forward and shook her hand enthusiastically. “Hey, Aerith, I’m Zack,” he said brightly. “Good to meet you.”
            Aerith’s smile never faltered as she gazed at the boy who had been her first love. “It’s good to meet you, too, Zack,” she returned a bit breathlessly.
            “So, you’re an Ancient, huh?” She giggled and nodded, and he smiled winsomely. “Too cool.”
            He pointed at the black-suited girl who was sitting beside Reno on the tacky flowered sofa. “That’s Cissnei,” he said with a grin. “She’s one of the hotter Turks.”
            Cissnei raised both eyebrows before very calming extending her middle finger. “It’s nice to meet you, Aerith,” she said calmly, thinking that it was odd to meet the girl she had spent the last two years guarding from a distance.
            Aerith was delighted to have another girl her age there. “You too, Cissnei.”
            Sephiroth gazed at the young Cetra, whose death he remembered so vividly, and inclined his head. “It is. . . good to see you again, Miss—“ he broke off, unsure which surname he should use. “Would you prefer Faremis, or Gainsborough?”
            Genesis gasped behind him, and Sephiroth knew that he’d made the connection between the Dr. Gast of Sephiroth’s past, and this slip of a girl. Aerith only smiled beatifically and said, “Gainsborough is fine, although I’d really like it if you called me Aerith.”
             He smiled faintly. “Aerith, then.” He turned, gesturing towards the only two men he trusted enough to show his back to. “This is General Genesis Rhapsodos, my second-in-command.”
            Genesis straightened, totally in his element, as he took the girl’s hand and brought it to his lips. “A pleasure, Miss Gainsborough.”
            “Oh my, how gallant.” Aerith giggled again as he lowered her hand. “Has anyone ever told you that have very pretty eyes, General?”
            “Genesis, please.” Genesis smiled charmingly at the beautiful young girl. “And yes, they have. But thank you for the compliment, my dear.”
            She sent a mischievous glance Sephiroth’s way. “He’s very charming,” she told him, thoroughly impressed. “I can see why you’re so taken with him, Sephiroth.”
            Sephiroth felt his face heat up and quickly ducked his head, mortified to the very marrow of his bones. Genesis merely laughed and ran a gloved hand over his gilded hair. “I’m afraid that you’ve embarrassed him, Miss Gainsborough.”
            “So I see,” she said ruefully. “And please, call me Aerith.”
            Genesis set a comforting hand on the small of Sephiroth’s back. “Only if you’ll call me Genesis, Aerith.”
            “Genesis, then.” Aerith’s sage-green gaze moved to the man she had such high hopes for, and she smiled just a bit cautiously. “And who might you be?” she asked brightly.
            Angeal gazed at the slender, cheerful girl with veiled curiosity. “Angeal Hewley,” he answered quietly. “SOLDIER 1^st Class.”
            Aerith resisted the urge to roll her eyes at that. Did SOLDIERs never think of themselves as regular men? “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Angeal Hewley SOLDIER 1^st Class,” she teased mildly.
            He flushed a bit and said, “It’s just Angeal,” in a gruff voice.
            “Angeal,” she repeated, momentarily serious. “You have a beautiful name.”
            “Thank you,” he said with obvious surprise.
            Well, that’s enough of that, Aerith told herself, relieved to have the awkward introductions over with. She turned back to Sephiroth, who was smiling as his handsome lover whispered something quite dirty into his ear, and hid a grin. Oh, she liked Genesis Rhapsodos already!
            “So,” she included everyone in the room in her glance, “are we ready to rescue our little angels?”
            “Hmph. Not quite yet,” Genesis declared with a toss of his head. “Sephiroth and I have a few things to talk about first.”
            Sephiroth cringed inwardly at the determined light in the other man’s pale blue eyes. “Gen—“
            He was saved by a strong flash of red-tinged light. It dissipated, and Sephiroth was surprised, but not shocked, to see Chaos in all his demonic glory. “Demon,” he greeted tonelessly.
            “Human,” the demon returned with a sneer. “Our pretty one fights for his life below, while you play childish games above. Pathetic.”
            “What the fuck is that?!” Genesis exclaimed, Rapier drawn and pointed at the blue-skinned, scarlet-winged monster.
            “An ancient, blood-sucking demon.” Reno made a disgusted sound from his place on the sofa, but made no move to draw his own weapon. “Fuckin’ Chaos.”
            “Shit!” Cloud exclaimed with feeling, First Tsurugi drawn and held out before him in seconds. “Why are you here, Chaos? Where is Vincent?”
            “We grow impatient, Storm-Cloud.” Golden eyes glowed with ancient power as they met his own. “We want our pretty one, and we want him now.”
            Cloud blinked, surprised that Chaos would use Vincent’s pet name for him in front of complete strangers, and even more shocked that he had remembered it. “Uh, sure thing,” he said quickly, realizing that Vincent must have given control of his body over to his most hated demon. “Just remember that the facility is domed, and that if the dome is destroyed, your, uh, ‘pretty one’ might not survive.”

            “We are aware,” Chaos growled as though insulted. “Do you accompany us, Storm-Cloud?”
            “Yeah,” Cloud answered, drawing a deep breath as he prayed that Vincent could control his strongest demon. “Chaos, I need to speak with Vincent before we can go after Yazoo.”
            The demon snorted but acquiesced, disappearing in another flash of crimson light. Vincent crossed his arms over his chest, not looking the least bit sorry that he had unleashed a powerful demon in their midst, and Cloud scowled darkly. “That wasn’t necessary, Vincent.”
            “I disagree.” The gunman dropped a hand to the butt of Cerberus to emphasize his point. “I can control Chaos, but only to a certain point. If we don’t leave soon, he may very well overpower me. If that happens. . .”
            “We spend the rest of the night fighting a horny, angry demon.” Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off a sudden headache. “I remember.”
            Reno’s jaw dropped in amazement. “You and Chaos, yo?!”
            “No!” Cloud snapped, shaking his head hastily. “Just trust me when I say that dealing with Chaos is not something we want to do anytime soon.”
            “Agreed.” Sephiroth approached the man—if that was the right term—who was his father with understandable caution. “You say that you can control your demon?”
            Vincent nodded slowly, his silky black hair slithering over his shoulders with the movement. “Chaos lacks patience,” he explained flatly, not mentioning the other three entities he shared his body with. “So long as we do not delay rescuing Yazoo, he will not fight me for control. But we must leave as soon as possible.”
            “Then, we shall do so.” Sephiroth unsheathed Masamune and opened the door, pausing as he glanced over his shoulder. “We stay together until I order otherwise. Agreed?”
            Genesis tossed his fiery head and raised one eyebrow arrogantly. “I’d like to see you try to get rid of me,” he retorted.
            Sephiroth’s lips curved into a slight smile as he turned away and led them into the night.
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Final Fantasy VII: Angelic Threnody