For Honor or Glory

Of Chains and Chess

Chapter 90 

As soon as all five of them were in the door, they froze. None of them expected to see what was waiting for them. A tank dominated the far side of the room, with many tubes coming from it. A being with tattered wings and discolored flesh floated in the mako within. None of them needed the plaque upon the thing's brow to know they were looking at Jenova.

However, that was not what had them staring in disgust and discomfort. The main tube descended from the bottom of the tank like a pathway. On it sat Alex with one person on each side of her. She was not hurt, which relieved Sephiroth. Still, he felt his disquiet grow as he watched her stroke the hair of the red-headed girl to her left while the boy with raven hair on her right looked up with open adoration.

He was even more disturbed when he caught the eyes of the familiar silver-haired youth standing at the base of the tube. The boy smirked at them all when he said, "Mother said you would come, but I had not believed her."

They all took a step forward at his taunting tone, but they froze when Alex stood. Sephiroth could not force his feet to move when she looked up and smirked at them all. Her slit-eyed gaze flitted across them, and he instinctually realized that was not the Alex he knew. It was only confirmed when she said, "Now, now, I have told you I do not wish for you to fight. They are the only family we have left. We should embrace them."

Instead of looking like he had just been reprimanded, the youth smirked again. He didn't say another word. Not that he needed to. Sephiroth's gaze was drawn to Alex as she stepped back a few feet before she jumped off the giant tube and over the silver-haired boy. She flipped in the air gracefully before landing in front of him.

As soon as Alex was on her feet, the silver-haired Tsviet put an arm around her waist and propped his chin on her shoulder. There was no indication if it bothered her or not. She was too focused on the three Soldiers. "I am glad you came. Now that you are here, our family can be complete."

She then held out one hand as she said, "Come with me. Let us take this planet for ourselves and use it to rule the cosmos."

Sephiroth did not realize that his feet had propelled him forward until Angeal reached out and grabbed his arm to keep him from going further. Both Commanders already had their blades out, but Sephiroth ignored that and instead turned back to Alex and said, "Give her back."

The thing that lurked under Alex's skin smirked wider. The arm around her waist did not let her go far, but the single step put her close enough that she could reach out her hand and touch Sephiroth. He flinched at the cold fingers as they laid on his chest but did not move back as the thing said, "I know you want this body. I can be whatever you need; just come to me. We can rule for eternity together. With you by my side and our family with us, nothing could stand in our way."

Sephiroth nearly snarled as he took a sharp step back. The thing that wore the face of the only woman he had ever cared for was nearly enough to make him shiver in disgust. When he moved, Angeal called out. "Alex, I know you are stronger than this. Fight this. Let us help."

There was laughter from all three of the teens at his cry. The two that had been standing next to Alex when they came in jumped to the top of the tubes next to the tank and stood there smirking. The silver-haired boy pulled Alex back a few steps, but she didn't reprimand him. Instead, she patted his arm on her waist before she opened her mouth to speak again.

However, instead of more taunting, a scream came out. One hand flew to her head, and she might have fallen if Weiss had not been holding her. When she finally looked up again, her eyes were back to their usual blue, and she was grimacing as she gave her brother a desperate look. "Geal, h—help me. You have to—to destroy her."