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Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
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Chapter 39: The March North: A False Memory?
Cloud cautiously walked over to the Black Materia and picked it up. It felt cold, as cold as a dead body. Cloud would have rather not handled it, but he knew that it was better him than Sephiroth.
"The Black Materia is back in our hands," he announced triumphantly. "Now all we have to do is defeat Sephiroth and that'll be the end of it."
After a mutual nod, the group continued north. Yards and miles fell off the counter as everyone kept their eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. Of course, nobody had been known to have been here before, so anything could be expected. There could be creatures nobody could even imagine. There would be weather that would dwarf the most extreme known to man. Perhaps even God Himself lived up here.
Cloud was dead silent as he continued north along the barren path, even as lightning struck the ground. He had a lot on his mind. He was waiting to face Sephiroth. He wanted him dead. He wanted to deal with the Shinra as well. And he wanted to know where the hell those premonitions were coming from.
And there was another elephant in the room. And it involved Tifa.
In a twist of irony, she was the one who noticed his silence.
"Hey," she began. "You're awfully quiet."
"I know," Cloud replied.
"Something on your mind?"
"A lot of things," Cloud replied.
"Anything I can do?" she offered.
Cloud sighed. He realized he had better just ask and get it over with.
"What were you trying to tell me on the gondola?"
"Excuse me?" asked Tifa. She had heard him perfectly well, but had not expected the question. Of all things, he had that on his mind. Tifa didn't know what to think.
"The gondola," repeated Cloud. "Before Cait Sith stole the Keystone."
"You're asking me this now?" the surprised Tifa replied. "It's kind of an odd time to do that. What sparked that question?"
"It's been on my mind," Cloud replied. "Not to mention, I don't know what's going to happen here. I don't want to go to my grave not knowing."
"You're right," Tifa said. "Well, I suppose I should tell you, but..."
Cloud could see she was beginning to get nervous.
"It's that we've known...each other for so long and...sometimes then that happens..." She stopped. She was breathing heavily. Her eyes were closed. This is it, she thought.
"It's okay," Cloud said, stopping her. "You're right. This is not the time or place."
He gave her a smile and then faced north again.
Unknown to Cloud, Tifa mouthed three words in his direction.
And then, everything suddenly went white.
"What is this?!" exclaimed Tifa, immediately forgetting what had just happened. "What happened?"
"Calm down, Tifa," ordered Cloud. "Sephiroth is near. Anything could happen."
And then, the white faded. And they were somewhere slightly more familiar.
"Nibelheim," Tifa whispered.
"But, why!?" asked Red XIII. "A dream? An illusion?"
"This is freaky. Really freaky!" Yuffie added.
"No shit!" Cid said.
"This is an illusion Sephiroth made up," Cloud said. "He's trying to confuse us. It'll be all right. As long as we know it's an illusion, there's nothing to be afraid of. Come on, let's keep going."
"Yeah, you're right," Tifa agreed.
And then she saw it. Sephiroth arrived, and turned around, seemingly without noticing anybody.
"All right, let's go," he ordered.
"It's a flashback of some sort," Cloud said. "When I was sixteen. Here I come."
He was followed by two soldiers and Cloud.
Only it was not Cloud. There was a man with black hair where Cloud should have been.
"That ain't Cloud," Barret said. "The hell is he?"
Tifa, meanwhile, sighed. "Stop, Sephiroth."
"This is so stupid," muttered Cloud.
"I don't want to be in an illusion," said Yuffie. "Let's get back to the real world!"
"Cloud," began Tifa, "It's just an illusion. Don't worry about it."
Cloud scratched his head. She was not telling him anything he did not already know.
And then, the town burst into flames.
"Stop it already!" demanded Tifa.
"This is bad," said Barret. "Just like Corel."
"This is what actually happened five years ago," Cloud explained. He then directed his attention to the largest residence in the burning village. "But it's probably not me that's going to come out of the Shinra mansion. He's going to try and show us another stupid illusion."
A moment later, someone ran out of the mansion. But it wasn't Cloud. It was the same black-haired man that they had seen before.
"See, didn't I tell you?" said Cloud.
"I don't want to watch this," Tifa protested. "Cloud, don't watch."
"What's wrong, Tifa?" asked Cloud. "I told you before, right? As long as we know that it's just an illusion, there's no need to be scared."
But Tifa remained silent with an obviously concerned look on her face.
Finally, Cloud raised his voice. "Sephiroth!" he shouted. "I know you're listening! I know what you want to say! That I wasn't in Nibelheim five years ago. That's it, isn't it?"
And then, Sephiroth suddenly appeared, right on cue.
"I see you finally understand," he announced.
"What you are trying to say is that you want to confuse me, right?" demanded Cloud. "But even making me see those things won't affect me. I remember it all. The heat of the fire, the pain in my body, and in my heart!"
"Oh, is that so?" taunted Sephiroth. "You are just a puppet. You have no heart and cannot feel any pain. How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember is the illusion."
Cloud glared skeptically at Sephiroth and began to draw his sword again.
"Do you understand?" asked Sephiroth.
"I don't want to understand," Cloud dismissed. "But I want to ask you one thing. Why are you doing this?"
"I want to take you back to your real self," Sephiroth cackled. "The one who gave me the Black Materia that day. Who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so useful Hojo would die if he knew."
"Hojo!?" exclaimed Cloud. "What does he have to do with me?"
And then, Sephiroth closed his eyes and began. "Five years ago, you were constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt. A puppet made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her knowledge, and the power of Mako. An incomplete Sephiroth clone. Not even given a number. That is your reality."
"Cloud!" begged Tifa. "Don't listen to him! Close your ears! Close your eyes!"
"What's wrong, Tifa?" asked X1. "I'm not affected by it. I wasn't paying attention to him."
"All that talk of Hojo constructing you is a lie!" Tifa cried. "Don't we have our memories together? Being kids together? Starlit nights?"
"Why are you so worried and scared by those words?" Sephiroth cackled. "Shall I show everyone here what's in your heart?"
Tifa then turned her back toward both of them.
"You look like you're not feeling well," Sephiroth pointed out.
Now Cloud began to grow concerned. Tifa seemed extremely nervous.
"Tifa?" he asked. "Is Sephiroth right?"
"Cloud," she began, but she couldn't finish. The words seemed stuck in her heart.
"Why are you so scared?" Cloud asked. "Don't worry about me. I'm all right. No matter how confused I am, I'll never believe a word that Sephiroth says. It's true that sometimes I can't figure out who I am. There's a lot of things muddled up in my memories. But, Tifa, you said 'long time no see, Cloud' right?"
He could see her nod from behind.
"Those words will always support me," he continued. "I am the one you grew up with. I'm Cloud of Nibelheim. No matter how much I lose faith in myself, that is the truth. That's why you shouldn't be so scared. No matter what anyone else says to me, it's your attitude that counts."
"No, that's not true, Cloud," X2 replied.
"What's not?" asked Cloud. This did not sound right at all. "Aren't I the same Cloud you grew up with?"
"That's not what I mean," Tifa clarified. "I don't know how to say it. Cloud, I need some time. Just give me a little time."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Cloud demanded. And then he almost gasped. He had never raised his voice to Tifa in his life.
"Cloud, don't blame Tifa," ordered Sephiroth. "The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words is the power of Jenova. Inside of you, Jenova has merged with Tifa's memories, creating you. Out of Tifa's memory, a boy named Cloud might've just been a part of them."
"Cloud, please," said Tifa. "Don't think right now."
"Think, Cloud!" demanded Sephiroth. "Oh, excuse me. You never had a name."
"Shut up, Sephiroth," ordered Cloud.
"You still don't understand?" Sephiroth continued. "Then do you remember the picture that we took before we headed for Mt. Nibel?" He turned to his best friend. "Tifa, you remember, right? But there is no way he would know. Now, what happened to that picture?"
Sephiroth then spotted the dead photographer and walked over to him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a picture, took a brief look at it, and tossed it to the ground.
"Do you want to see it?" Sephiroth offered. "It turned out pretty good."
"Cloud, don't," pleaded Tifa.
But Cloud was already reaching for the photograph. "I should be in the picture," he said. "Even if I'm not in there, no worry. This is just an illusory world Sephiroth made up."
He only needed to take a quick glimpse of the picture. Sure enough, the black-haired man was where Cloud should be.
"Just as I thought," muttered Cloud confidently. "This picture's a fake. The truth is in my memory. Five years ago, I came back to Nibelheim to inspect the reactor. I was sixteen. The town hadn't changed at all. What did I do? Oh yeah. I saw my mom. I saw the people in town. Yeah, I went to Tifa's room. I played the piano! I looked in the drawers! I read the letter addressed to Tifa! I spent the night and went to the reactor in Mt. Nibel. I was excited about it because that was my first mission after becoming First Class in SOLDIER."
He then paused. Suddenly, he felt his confidence dissipate.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tifa saw a grin appear on Sephiroth's face.
"SOLDIER, First Class?" Cloud asked himself as he shook his head. "SOLDIER? When did I enter SOLDIER?"
Sephiroth's grin widened.
Cloud dropped to his knees and clutched his head. "How did I join SOLDIER?" he cried. "Why can't I remember?"
Tifa ran to Cloud's side.
"That's right," said Cloud as he rose to his feet. "I didn't have to worry about it, because I was..."
"What?" asked Tifa.
Cloud turned his head to see that Sephiroth was gone.
Nibelheim was gone, too. They were back on the desolate path.
"Cloud?" asked Tifa nervously.
"Let's go, Tifa," Cloud assured her. "I'm all right."
Of course, Tifa knew better. She knew he was shaken. She might have been the second youngest in the group, but she was anything but stupid.
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Premonitions: Uncut