A long, waterfront pier of several docks, jutting out into the ocean.

At this time the ocean is extremely dark and stormy, given the severity of the

thunderstorm. Lightning flashes are constant in the sky, with the downpour of

rain heavy into the night.
 

>Cloud drives up in the motorcycle, skidding to a not quite so smooth

halt due to the extreme conditions. Noting Hiroshi's presense, he quietly

steps off the motorcycle as he disembarks it, the engine quietly idling out.

>Hiroshi stands on the pier. His hair is matted down from the rain,

and his trenchcoat is completely soaked. "You're late, Strife."

>Cloud pulls a cloak he had been wearing to protect from the rain off

of his shoulders, shrugging it off as he lays it across the motorcycle.

Turning to face Hiroshi, he replies quietly, "....The storm."

>Hiroshi smirks. "I always loved weather like this. Everything always

seems to get so quiet... all you can hear is the downpour." He removes his

coat and throws it aside, revealing his sword sheathed at his waist.

>Cloud steps closer to you, finally stopping in his strides perhaps 15

feet away, facing you completely. Reaching up, he loosens his sword within

the sheath on his back, "....Yeah... quiet. No one to interfere this time." .

o O ( No one else for him to kill... they're safe.... no matter what.. )

>Hiroshi looks directly at Cloud. He draws his sword, slowly, the

occasional flash of lightning glinting off of the steel. "Shinra is not the

villain you seem to want to make it out to be. Sure, the exceutives are

exploitive bastards, but the rank and file, the employees, and the guards, and

the technicians, they're all just normal folks trying to make a living."

>Hiroshi smiles. "If you actually succeed in destroying Shinra, what

happens to THEM?"

>Cloud draws his sword off of his back with a faint, steely rasp

barely heard over the thunder, bringing it down to both hands. He shakes his

head quietly, his expression surprisingly calm. "....I don't know. But...

what I do know is that Shinra's ambitions... their reactors... are going to

destroy this world. If they're not stopped, there won't *be* anything left

for them to worry about."

>Hiroshi throws his head back and laughs. "As if I care! So what? It's

not like this planet has done ME any favors!"

>Cloud clenches his fists on the hilt of the sword, his expression

grim, ".....So you have no problem with seeing all of the people here...

just.. die? Just like that?"

>Hiroshi levels his sword at Cloud. "What does it matter? I'M already

dead."

>Hiroshi grins and narrows his eyes. "There is one reason, and one

reason only, why I'm still moving. And that is because you are a threat to the

company."

>Cloud asks, ".........So.. they brought you back for the sole reason

to kill me?"

>Hiroshi says, "Ironic, isn't it? They want me to kill you, even after

you killed me. Seems like a remarkably stupid tactic."

>Hiroshi doesn't give Cloud the chance to respond... he simply swings

his sword in a hirizontal arc, causing an arc of force to sail at the spiky-

haired ex-SOLDIER

>Cloud's eyes don't even widen, just as he was waiting for Hiroshi to

make the first move. He dives to his right, smoothly somersaulting across the

rain-wet ground and coming back up to his knees. As he does so, a yellow

Materia on his sword immediately begins to glow as he quickly invokes Big

Guard. o O ( That was faster than I'd even thought he could... damn... what

did they DO to him...? )

>Hiroshi laughs, and swings again. "I've seen what you're capable of.

The company doesn't stand a chance. Especially with the great Sephiroth still

alive..."

>Hiroshi smirks the smirk of a madman. "The things you overhear in

Hojo's laboratory..."

>l me

Hiroshi

The young man before you is about 6' tall, with unkempt cropped blond

hair, luminous yellow eyes, and faintly handsome features. He seems to be in

excellent shape, though his skin is pale, and dark circles lie under his eyes.

Those who've known him for a long time will realize that the prominent scars

he previously sported are no longer present... He currently wears black

sweatpants and a black T-shirt, although both of which look like they've seen

better days, as well as a pair of fingerless leather gloves. The T-shirt

features the Shinra logo prominently on the front. He watches the events

around him with a cold disinterest.

Carrying: (Currency: 1 credits)

Chain with crystal, and Broadsword
 

>l cloud

Cloud

Your gaze meets that of the cool, piercing blue eyes of a young man.

Cloud Strife, perhaps 21 years of age, simply meets your own eyes

unblinkingly. In the depths of his eyes you can see a determination and a

slight, nearly unnoticeable sense of... regret? Confusion? His outfit, arrayed

in somber colors, seems partly that of a uniform and yet partly his own

individual, serviceable armor. A pair of loose-fitting deep blue, almost

violet slacks tucked into a pair of brown leather military boots just below

the ankle. A color-matching sleeveless tunic meets the slacks at the waist

with a reinforced steel belt, simply engraved. Two black leather straps sling

over his shoulders to attach to the belt in the front and back, as

reinforcement. A heavy steel pauldron is attached to his left shoulder as

armor. A simple black glove is worn about his right hand, while a heavy-

looking gauntlet, almost a bracer, adorns his left hand. Another immediately

noticeable feature is his hair; very spikely, blond hair cut in a rather

rougish manner frames his deep blue eyes.

Over his right shoulder you also notice the long handle to his

sword, a beautifully crafted if incredibly huge piece of work strapped to his

back yet ready to be removed at a moments notice. Taking all this in, you

suddenly realize the cool, quiet gaze meeting your own and cannot help but

feel a little hesitation. The final thing you notice before turning away are

the insets, rather jewel-like, in both his sword and his gauntlet.
 

>Cloud's eyes widen at that. He quickly scrambles to his feet,

attempting to dodge the second blow, but his steps betray him against the

slippery wet wood of the dock. The force arc slashes his right arm, missing

just enough to avoid a serious injury yet bleeding nonetheless. Recovering,

he launches himself at Hiroshi, sword held outward. "What.... why? Why do they

think *I'm* so dangerous?"

>Cloud . o O ( Hojo..... )

>Hiroshi doesn't respond to Cloud's question. He simpy charges the

hero with inhuman speed, continuing his distance assault...

>Cloud skids to a fast halt, bringing the sword up to block your own

slash, shocked for a brief moment at the sheer speed of the assault. Another

force arc impacts against him, this one dissipating mostly into the shield

itself.

>Cloud . o O ( Too.... fast... )

>Hiroshi doesn't give Cloud a chance to maintain his balance. Once he

closes in he keeps pressing the attack, slash after slash after slash. The

attacks are crude, and easy to block, but they just keep coming

>Cloud continuously blocks each slash with practiced skill, the

lightning and thunder echoing the sharp clash of steel upon steel. After

several long minutes of this, his eyes narrow, sweat pouring down his face

despite the rain and coolness. o O ( He's incredible... he's.. going to wear

me down. He can keep this up far longer than I can, whatever Hojo did to

him... I've got to stop this... ). At the next high slash , he brings his

sword up from underneath to block it, then attempts to bring the hilt at

Hiroshi's face in a crude jab.

>Hiroshi takes the hilt directly in the face. This seems to have

stopped his attack, at least for the moment; he's sent reeling. Then you

realize he didn't even attempt to block the jab. The impact didn't FEEL right.

Hiroshi coughs. "Not bad."

>Cloud steps backwards a few quick strides... his eyes wide with

shock.. the tip of his sword scrapes the ground a brief second, igniting a few

sparks. o O ( That was.. like... a metal wall of some kind! He didn't even TRY

to block that!! ) he quickly finds his voice, however, "....What *ARE* you?"

>Hiroshi breathes slowly, and carefully. "Sephiroth is a dire threat

to the company. They wanted to field test a few of their new countermeasures."

>Cloud whispers, his face paling, ".......Countermeasures?"

>Hiroshi smiles in that oh-so-annoying and slightly deranged way

again. He draws his sword back... and then swings. The arc is wide, and the

moment slow... the sword won't come anywhere near you. But then you notice...

the shockwave? The pier is torn to splinters as a massive robbon of compressed

air sails towards Cloud...

>Cloud BLINKS, not realizing the danger in time and the gesture for

what it really is. The shockwave takes him clear in the chest, sending him

backwards a good 15 feet into a jutting pole from the pier. The shield

absorbs most of the damage, yet it immediately flickers out from the power.

Gritting his teeth in pain, he manages to stand back up, with a bit of

difficulty. o O ( He's a monster... )

>Hiroshi grins, widely. His eyes glow, much brighter then Mako-glow...

"There wasn't much left to work with. You... saw to that. So the good Doctor

took some liberties when he put me back together."

>Cloud replies, standing up with sword outheld in a defensive stance,

watching you carefully. "....What did he do?"

>Hiroshi doesn't reply. He points his sword at Cloud. And charges.

>Cloud doesn't move.. his eyes locked onto you, he waits...

unmoving... silent. Just before he would seem to be impaled upon the sword,

he attempts to sidestep the thrust, bringing his own sword over in a

horizontal slash parallel to the ground..

>Hiroshi finally made a mistake. Considering his speed, and the

momentum, he doesn't have a chance to react in time.

>Sephiroth has arrived.

> Hiroshi's blade narrowly misses Cloud. Cloud's sword,

however, doesn't miss Hiroshi. It connects solidly with Hiroshi's shoulder,

sending him crashing to the ground, and skidding several feet along the dock

>Cloud recovers from the swordblow, allowing himself to follow through

a step forward so as not to lose his balance completely. Turning his head, he

looks at Hiroshi's form, the rain falling all about them. His hair is now

completely down from the normal spikes due to the rain, "........"

>Hiroshi struggles to his feet, clutching his right shoulder. He drops

his sword, and blood runs down it. "... Heh. You really are inhuman."

>Cloud watches you quietly, his voice tinged with perhaps just an edge

of sadness as he speaks, "...............I know."

>Hiroshi smirks, and steps towards Cloud, slowly. "As I mentioned

before, the company is quite concerned by the fact that Sephiroth is still

alive. For some reason, they're quite concerned with YOU as well..."

>Cloud's eyes, in the dark rain, seem to glow a bit more than normal

as well. It could just be the lightning playing in the sky... or something

more. He replies, "........Why?" . o O ( Hojo considered me a failed

experiment... )

>Hiroshi straightens himself up, still clutching his shoulder.

"Everything they've thrown at you has failed. Miserably. Look at me, I was a

SOLDIER first class and you cut me down like some rank novice."

>Cloud says, "....................."

>Cloud . o O ( Sephiroth.... )

>Cloud . o O ( Am I *really* a clone of Sephiroth... and nothing

more.... )

>Hiroshi smiles, and releases his shoulder. "Shinra is unwilling to

take risks here. We have far, far more to lose." As you look closer, you see

that beneath the wound is not muscle, bone, or any sort of flesh. It is metal.

>Permeating all, there is a sudden flash of lightning; The puncturing

of purest white, as if God or Satan himself had set a finger on this place. It

is not seen with the eyes, this light, a coldness, a brillience seen of the

psychic heart, brighter than even the sun. As the light sustains, then fades,

in answer, he comes. Sephiroth stands, viridian eyes half-closed, their quiet

glow catching the storm, or are they of storm themselves? He lowers his head

in thought a moment, hand at his chin. The wind lists at his bangs. His small

mouth betrays nothing of him as he raises his head and makes piercing contact

with Cloud.

>Hiroshi smiles a half-smile. He continues to stare - directly, and

intently - at Cloud. How could he not have noticed Sephiroth, of all people,

of all times? He takes one step, then another, and Strife...

>Cloud begins to open his mouth to respond to Hiroshi when the flash

is seen.. or perhaps felt is more accurately. With only the skill of years of

practice he holds onto the hilt of his sword, taking a step backwards,

stumbling. Blinking quickly, shaking the rain out of his eyes, he makes eye

contact with Sephiroth. His sapphire eyes widen, whispering something under

his breath. Unfortunately... so stunned is he, he doesn't see Hiroshi's

advancement or the immediate danger.

>Hiroshi's smile turns into a sneer as he eventually steps right in

front of Cloud. "Pay attention, Cloud Strife. I'm not finished with you yet."

He reaches back, and backhands the ex-SOLDIER with a massive blow.

>Cloud is far too stunned at Sephiroth's sheer presence to realize

Hiroshi's danger before it's too late. He takes the blow completely, falling

several feet to the side and hitting the ground hard. His sword clatters atop

the wet wood, falling beside him. Spitting out a tooth, he slowly looks back

up faintly dazed from the force of the blow, blood falling to the wood in the

steady rain.

>Cloud . o O ( He didn't see Sephiroth? )

>Hiroshi attempts to kick Cloud while he's down. Rather fitting.

Cloud takes one of the kicks square in the ribs, doubling over even

as he attempts to roll away. Finally dodging, he comes up to his one knee

quickly, one hand clutching his midsection even as he looks at Hiroshi with

blazing blue eyes.

>Hiroshi simply catches Cloud's knee in his left hand. He gives it a

good PUSH. "What happened to you!? You've lost your focus!"

>Sephiroth nods to Cloud, a smooth motion, such is his manner. The

affirmation of some thing shared. Only now does the ex-general smile, so

slight, that deadly portent of secrets known. "..Are you going to stand for

that, Cloud?" he asks, mockery, condescencion colors the tone of his quiet,

though intense voice. Viridian meets sapphire eyes, glowing akin, holding

that gaze. He speaks clearly, two very simple words, "Wake up!"

>Hiroshi laughs. "You seemed quite eager to kill me last time!" He

attempts to kick Cloud again. Perhaps to break a few ribs. Prolong his agony.

Hiroshi hears the voice, but his mind is a bit... far gone. He pays

them no heed.

>Cloud doesn't even blink as the crunch of bone, of his ribs breaking

under the inhuman strength of Hiroshi's attack is heard audibly. He doesn't

even flinch... his eyes, previously focused upon Sephiroth's presense far to

the back of Hiroshi, slowly turn towards him now. The amber light within them

glows intently as might two suns kept within a careful imprisonment...

however, the blueness within them quickly fades away to an emerald green, a

cold, harsh glow... these eyes brook no compassion, no quarter, no mercy...

these eyes are not those of Cloud Strife. As Hiroshi goes for another kick,

his left hand immediately comes up with no hesitation to grasp his foot, his

right elbow coming up and over in a powerful blow.

>Hiroshi's grin changes to an expression of shock as Cloud's whole...

demeanor... changes. Cloud easily grasps Hiroshi's foot, and his elbow

connects solidly with his shin, sending him sprawling...

>Hiroshi staggers. "... That's more like it!" . o o ( That

actually... HURT! )

>Cloud stands up coldly, stepping over to his sword as he picks it up,

uncaring of his wounds... even.. unnoticing in his movements. Turning towards

Hiroshi, he doesn't speak a word.. his only indication, at all, is a cold,

cruel smile that abruptly plays upon his lips, not quite reaching his eyes.

Hiroshi laughs, and leaps low at Cloud, attempting a crude blow at

the midsection

>Cloud doesn't flinch away, nor does he make any attempt to step away

or dodge it in any way. His eyes, their glowing depths a deep emerald green

yet, continue to meet Hiroshi's eyes steadily without hesitation. Just as

Hiroshi's blow would connect, he simply leans a bit away. The blade cuts into

his side, although not deeply as his left hand suddenly reaches out to grab

the sword by the blade in a repeat of a prior battle, seemingly in a prior

life. Blood immediately wells from his hand, dripping to the wet solid wood

as it's neatly cut to the bone. His eyes even so continue to meet Hiroshi's

as he speaks audibly, his voice having a haunting, almost musical quality to

it. ".....Estuans Interius, ira vehementi.. in amaritudine, loquor mee menti..

factus de materia. Cinis elementi, similis sum folio, de quo ludunt venti..."

his voice trails off at the end.

>Cloud's right hand suddenly reverses it's hold upon his sword hilt as

he brings the sword up and under Hiroshi's own sword, directly at his

midsection, stepping forward and just to the side with -considerably- more

speed than he'd previously shown.

>Hiroshi doesn't have a chance... Cloud's strike connects quite

solidly, tearing away flesh and rending tendons and soft tissue. Hiroshi is

carried along by Cloud's blade, dragged along by the almost demonic power

welling withing the ex-SOLDIER. He sprawls back, falling prone, coughing up

blood.

>Sephiroth stands at a distance behind Hiroshi, watching patiently.

His hair whisps preternatureally in the storm, his cold eyes alight. A

thunderous rumbling, the gods parlay amongst themselves, a fork of lighting

sunders the sky behind Sephiroth, the shade of his brilliant hair, casting

this angel unto darkness but a moment, but for his eyes, the only remembrance

of that brief silohette, shining darkly. Rain, perhaps tears, cascades down

upon him, and Sephiroth looks to the heavens and laughs.

>Cloud simply stands there a moment, watching Hiroshi as his eyes

flame, seemingly alive in and of themselves. Silently, his sword held before

him, he advances with a slow, measured pace towards Hiroshi now. The only

expression upon his face is, as before, the same twisted smile upon his

otherwise icily-calm features.

>Hiroshi shifts, slightly. The blood continues to well from his

horrendous wounds in an unending stream, as he slowly... struggles to his

feet? How is that possible!? He was practically torn in two... Hiroshi's body

begins to pulsate, as tendrils of metals tear from his flesh. "...I'm... not

dead yet..."

>l me

Hiroshi

Any humanity Hiroshi had left has long since fled. He bares only the

palest of reflections towards his once-human life. His skin is bloody and

torn, revealing the pulsing mechanical tendrils that make up his muscles. His

torso is twisted and swollen by the artifical tissues within. His left arm has

been reforged into a nest of mechanical tentacles, each ending in a vicious

claw. Blades and barbs sprout from various parts of his anatomy. His head is

the only clue that Hiroshi was once a human being, although a long gash mars

the left side of his face, revealing a cold, glowing mechanical eye

underneath...

Carrying: (Currency: 1 credits)

Chain with crystal, and Broadsword
 

>Cloud doesn't seem surprised, somehow... he lowers himself a bit in a

defensive stance, waiting for the next move by Hiroshi, the lightning

crackling and hurling itself through the heavens above as though in anger. He

simply speaks, seemingly partly to himself as well, "....Sors immanis, et

inanis..."

>Hiroshi cackles to himself as his body begins to deform even

further... his left arm tears apart... his trunk rends itself... Hiroshi bears

little relation to human. He speaks, a raspy, mechanical cough. "I said was

designed to kill Sephiroth. I am going to practice on you."

>He stands there alone in his laughter, the twisted music of its

cadence further carried by the storm. His shoulders tremble, the metal

pauldrons and black leather buffeted by the rain. But he seems unware,

uncaring, one with that laughter, one with all fate. The ghost behind Cloud's

eyes...

>Cloud suddenly begins to chuckle, his shoulders trembling with

exultation... as though amused by Hiroshi's words. "....Practice on me?

Practice?" shaking his head ruefully, although with little amusement shown in

his eyes, he suddenly looks up. His crystalline-green eyes meet Hiroshi's,

almost painful in a single brilliant moment as he whispers, "......I *am*

Sephiroth."

>Hiroshi grins with what's left of his lips. The numerous barbed

tendrils that were once his left arm lash out towards Cloud, almost faster

then a human eye can follow. "Then... that will... make my job... easier."

Cloud's eyes quickly move, trying to follow and gauge the sheer speed

of the attack... not in time. Attempting to spin sideways to dodge, the blow

still takes him in the left shoulder, ripping the flesh like a hot knife

through butter. Blood immediately begins to spill, staining his arm and torn

clothing crimson. Using the momentum of the spin as additional force, he

completes it afterwards to bring his sword up with his right hand only in a

thrust at the shoulder of the offending arm.

>Hiroshi tracks Cloud's every movement... follows every pore on his

skin with his inhuman gaze. Cloud's reaction time was unexpected, but

Hiroshi's new, calculating intellect follows his movement. He simply opens his

mouth as Cloud moves to strike. The flash from the blast is quite bright...

>Cloud was certainly not expecting a counterattack of that kind.

Before the sword meets with the metal and remaining flesh of Hiroshi's

shoulder, the energy blast takes him completely by surprise in the chest,

knocking him a good 2-3 yards backwards. He maintains his grip upon the

sword, even through the force of the blow. He grits his teeth in agony as his

chest smoulders, where the cloth of his uniform once was only charred skin

shows now. Slamming the tip of his sword into the ground for leverage, his

eyes quickly narrow in focused concentration as a green Materia flares to

life. "Ice!" he simply speaks. The crystalline structure of an Ice 3 spell

immediately surrounds Hiroshi, the rain as well as the surrounding air

redirected into shards of magical ice.

>Hiroshi didn't seem to be expecting that. No matter. The frigid blast

slams against his... skin? No, shell is a better term. The frigid blast slams

against his shell, freeing the very air. He skids backwards a few inches.

Cracks appear in the metal that is his body. He howls. He levels his sword at

Cloud, his right arm still relatively normal. "... If... you're going... to...

play... THAT game... THUNDAGA!"

>Cloud, at the motion by Hiroshi, immediately rolls to his left in a

vain attempt to dodge the oncoming barrage. On a perfectly normal day, this

*may* be possible given his current state, but within this storm... the spell

is only amplified. Lightning cascades from the very heavens in a seemingly

endless torrent of thunder and electricity, impacting Cloud's body with the

force of a hurricane. With a scream, Cloud falls. Rolling upon the ground

several times, smoke and steam arises from his entire body, burned

considerably worse than before, the stench of charred flesh and muscle filling

the air. With great effort, he slowly brings his head up to stare at Hiroshi

once again, his expression one of shock, pain... and rage.

>Hiroshi steps towards Cloud, each footfall cracking the planks that

make up the dock. "... Professor Hojo... is... VERY thourough." His left arm

tendrils snake towards Cloud, attempting to simply tearm him limb from limb.

"Prepare to... DIE... Strife."

>"What is with this guilty until proven innocent thing you have, anyway?

His laughter abates into a silent chuckle, this child of Jenova.

Every cell, every thought, the very thrum of his heart, echoed within the

other. Sephiroth levels his glowing gaze upon Hiroshi, the slender threads

along his brow arching in thought. A coolly serene countenence, "...Destroy

this infidel.." he almost whispers.

>Cloud's eyes, unfocused, don't seem to meet Hiroshi's... he simply

lies there, until he hears, even feels, a simple whisper within him. A simple

statement, cutting through the very fiber of his being like the final slash of

the sword. His eyes coming up, seem more alert, more intent than ever before

as, grasping his sword, he vaults backwards in a somersault to land on his

feet steadily. A red aura immediately surrounds him, his cold, emerald eyes

unmoved as he stares upon Hiroshi's metallic form. Raising his sword above

his head once, the tattered remains of his armor sway within the winds as they

rise about him in a gesture of almost unholy vengenance, swirling about him...

the storm, in the background, seems to pale in comparison. Bringing his sword

down in a straightforward vertical slash, the unleashed Finishing Touch

maneuver immediately flies at Hiroshi's form before him... Lightning from the

heavens converges upon the horrific tornado, igniting it with a fury all of

its own.

>Hiroshi is SURE that the infamous ex-SOLDIER is doomed, finally...

his half-human brain doesn't even comprehend the fact that the man before him

is more then he appears. Hiroshi's gold gold eyes barely have time to register

Clou'd movements before Cloud simply, and cleanly, removes his right arm in an

inhumanly fast and precise slash. Hiroshi's sword - followed by the hand that

held it - clatter to the ground as Hiroshi himself staggers back in shock. His

barbed tendrils again lash at Cloud, but it's clear the battle has turned...

>Cloud is just recovering from the completed Limit Break, misjudging

the power and stamina of Hiroshi such as he is now. He attempts to bring his

sword back up to block the impending attack, unable to do so as fast as

Hiroshi's lashed out. The tendrils catch him in his side, stabbing deep and

tearing against muscle and the bone of his ribs even as it does so. With a

sharp intake of breath, Cloud manages to keep control of himself even through

such agony, in no small part to the power Sephiroth has brought forth within

him. With his left hand he grips the tendrils, simply ripping them out of his

side without another thought to it; sword aloft, he immediately hurles himself

at Hiroshi once again, bringing the sword forward in another clean arc in an

immediate counterattack.

>( Hojo left a fatal flaw in the reconstruction of Hiroshi. The

lashing tendrils are fast, and powerful, but all their strength is focused on

attacks... they are utterly useless on defense. When Cloud pulls Hiroshi's

tendrils from his flesh, Hiroshi finally begins to realize he has lost. He

futilely opens his mouth to blast Cloud point-blank, but even if the attack

hits, Cloud will still strike, powerfully and accurately... )

>Cloud, having realized finally the power and magnitude of the

creation before him, is fully expecting the attempted attack by Hiroshi.

However, there is no way to dodge such an attack without breaking off his

own... something that, despite the danger, he does not allow himself to do.

As he hurls forward with his own assault, the blast by Hiroshi takes him in

the shoulder this time... completely searing the flesh there, cauterizing the

previous horrific wounds with even more horrendous burns, the shoulder flaring

to fire for a brief second before the rain puts it out. Even through the

pain, even through the control Sephiroth exerts on him, as he attacks he finds

himself seeing his friends within his minds eye... the danger Hiroshi would

pose to them, how unwarranted their deaths would be when he could prevent

that, no matter the cost... all of this flashes through his mind in the blink

of an eye. Despite the damage done to him and the sheer agony beyond any

agony, he continues through with this attack, throwing all of his strength,

power and desperation into this one horizontal slash, taking Hiroshi clear in

the chest with his sword and enough raw force to slice through even the most

nightmarish of creations.

>Hiroshi doesn't have time to think, time to react, time to even feel

pain. Cloud's strike is swift, accurate, and above all, lethal. Time seems to

stop for a moment as the final blow lands, and Hiroshi is split in two across

the navel... but it quickly starts again. Hiroshi's top lands with a

resounding, pier-cracking thud, while his bottom simply slumps prone. After

the strike, only the sound of the rain itself can be heard... but... the

tendrils twitch... it's not dead...?

>Hiroshi laughs, a sound rather like sandpaper run against slate. He

speaks, slowly, quietly, but clearly. "Beautiful... simply beautiful... you

really are a... monster... Cloud..."

>Cloud stands completely still, sword held in the final attack

position for a quiet moment as Hiroshi falls. Slowly, he turns around to face

Hiroshi's remains, growing cold at his words. Even as he slumps to his knees,

driven by the pain and exhaustion, he drops his sword, turning to watch

Hiroshi quietly, in silence. His eyes have returned to their original

sapphire gaze... only the determination previously seen in them remains, their

cold harsh light extinguished with the final attack... for now...

>Cloud simply responds after a moment, seemingly in revelation, "....A

monster."

>Hiroshi pauses, a moment, then continues. "You said... last night...

you joined Shinra to be... like Sephiroth. Perhaps... you should be... careful

what you wish for..." Hiroshi cackles once more, then falls silent. The

fragments of his body fizzle and decay; Hojo builds clean monstrosities. Only

Hiroshi's sword remains.

>Sephiroth raises his arms, those slender arms, above him.

The leather shifting, water beading and dripping. The immenence(sp) of Cloud's

triumph his own. Jagged fingers of lightning flash above him, reflected across

the deep, black pupils of his eyes, lighting his smooth, delicate features,

"..." echoes the silence, echoes the rain...

>Cloud, seemingly in slow motion, slowly picks up Hiroshi's

sword. he looks upon it as the last remaining remnant of a hollow victory.

He simply stares at the gleaming blade for a time before he forces himself to

his feet... sheathing Hiroshi's blade with his own on his back, his body

wounded well past the death point for an ordinary man... o O ( I have.....

to... get back...... )

>Cloud, in rising to his feet, makes eye contact once again

with Sephiroth, this time of his own will... even so, the shock is visible to

him, even as he trembles to keep his footing. ".......Sephiroth......." he

speaks quietly.

>Sephiroth meets Cloud's gaze, the terrible smile upon his

lips echoed in the backlit glow of his green eyes, "...We are of one body and

one blood," he replies, the words fall like faint mist from his lips,

"...Never forget that.."

>Cloud simply stares at Sephiroth, his expression that of a

man who is walking near the line of death itself... a tinge of sadness is seen

within his eyes even as he nods to Sephiroth quietly.

The psychic flash of brilliant white announces his

departure, as sudden as his arrival, seems to flow from him, around him,

through the very essence of his soul.

>Cloud says, ".............."