Mad Hatter

I Don't Believe In Destiny

A while later...Edge of Creation Sephiroth POV

Cloud lands on the ground in a crouch and quickly puts a hand on his head that appears to be aching. I reach out gently and grab it before saying, "Careful now. That which lies ahead, does not yet exist."

He looks up at me before pulling his hand away as he stands up. "Where are we?" He asks me in confusion.

"The Edge of Creation." I explain to him simply while maintaining eye contact.

He looks to be comtemplating something before he speaks again. "Earlier, how you were with Genesis. You were so caring, tending to his wounds. I never thought that you would be like that." He admits to me with a confused expression.

I smile softly at that. "He's still a comrade...to me at least. And so much more. I love him and would do anything for him." I explain to Cloud.

"So is he the reason why you're evil?" He asks me and I frown when he calls me that.

"Do you mean why I'm trying to defy Destiny? If I don't, I will lose him. The time I've spent trying to find a way to save him..." I say to him as I trail off at the end.

"We can defy Destiny together Cloud. If the Planet has its way, some of the people you care about the most will die. Even if you can't properly remember them. You recall those problems with your memories? I know what's wrong with them, and I'm sure I can help fix at least part of it. After all, one of the people I'm fighting Destiny to save...He's important to you as well. I don't expect you to trust me after what I did, but I don't want the 'Destiny' that's been chosen for the two of us, and for the people we care about." I say to him while holding my hand out towards him, willing Masamune away as a gesture of good will.

"Why send your weapon away?" He asks me in surprise.

"You have a weapon and I don't now. You now have a clear advantage." I point out to him and his eyes widen.

"Who is it that we'd both want to save?" He asks me warily.

"Ex-SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair, your best friend, and one of the only friends I've ever had. Someone who I also promised to protect, a promise I already broke once and don't intend to break again." I tell him and am pleasantly surprised when he doesn't get a headache at the mention of Zack as he previously had.

"I feel like I should know him, but I don't remember. But something tells me that you're not lying. What destiny is exactly intended for us?" He says to me before asking that question in a hesitant tone and I frown not at him, but at what the Planet desires for us to do to each other.

"A cycle of us fighting that ends in my death, often with people who we care about ending up dying or suffering in the process, and with me losing myself more and more each time." I tell him with pain in my voice as the memory of the Genesis from a doomed timeline sacrificing himself to send me back to fix our mistakes.

"I...I'm not sure how to answer you. I'll help you save Zack, but beyond that, I'm just not yet sure." He answers me, looking torn.

"I understand entirely, but now...there's seven seconds til the end. Time enough for you perhaps. But what will you do with it? Let's see." I say to him before teleporting away, leaving a feather behind as he looks around for me before he's sent back to his friends.

I send them a vision of Zack helping Cloud towards Midgar in order to help Cloud begin to remember. He looks surprised as recognition slowly crosses his face at the sight of the puppy.

I return to making my way back to Genesis and the others to find my koneko worriedly talking to Cissnei in front of the helicopter that the others are already in. "Moonbeam! Thank goodness! You had me worried!" Genesis sobs in relief while throwing himself into my arms as happiness from hearing his preferred nickname for me fills me.

"I apologize for worrying you, my Koneko. On the bright side, Cloud should dial down his animosity towards me. Now let's get into the helicopter." I say to him as I pick him up in my arms before aiming a grateful smile at Cissnei. She returns it and gets into the pilot's seat of the helicopter as I also climb into the helicopter with my beautiful Genesis.

"Seph, is it alright if I go to sleep against you? I'm really sleepy right now." Genesis asks me in embarrassment after we strap ourselves in.

"I don't mind at all, Gen." I assure him before he cuddles up against me and quickly falls asleep against me, clearly exhausted by recent events.

"There's reports of not only Zack nearby, but there was also an Angeal sighting not long after." Cissnei tells me and my eyes widen at the news as she starts up the helicopter.

"Angeal..." I say in surprise and happiness at the thought of seeing the best friend who I had believed dead for the first time in at least four years.

"And so, the three friends may soon be reunited once more." I say more to myself than anyone else as I notice a tear running down my face.

"So first we rescue Zack, and then we find Angeal?" Cissnei asks me and I nod in determination.

"Alright." She says as determination fills her own eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued...