Cloud quickly glanced over his shoulder then continued running down the path, trying to escape what was chasing him. He knew this was all a dream, he just found it difficult to wake himself up from it. He didn't understand what all of this meant. Why was he having such a terrible dream? As he continued down the path, he heard bitter, hate-filled laughter fill the air, surrounding him. He had heard that laughter once before, long ago, but the one who was doing the laughing should be dead. Again he looked over his shoulder and this time saw that a shadow-clad figure was giving chase, holding an eight-foot katana at its side. Cloud released a loud cry as he tried to pick up his pace, but nothing he did seemed to matter. Soon the figure was running beside him, glaring at him bitterly with its glowing green mako filled eyes. Cloud stared back then felt a powerful force press down upon him, forcing him to halt his running. He silently cried out as he tried to move, to do anything, but it felt as if something was holding him in place. Ahead of him the figure stopped then slowly face him, stepping into the light as he did. "S-Sephiroth!?" he cried, staring at him with a mixture of fear and confusion passing over his facial features.
"Thought I was dead, did you? You should know by now that I can never truly die. You should have learned that when you first started your battle against me," he bitterly replied, slowly advancing towards him. Cloud growled softly, remembering how he had killed him at the reactor, only to find out that he had come back to life five years later. Why hadn't he remembered this at the time of their final battle? Why hadn't it occurred to him then? If it had then maybe he'd be better prepared for this kind of thing.
"What do you want Sephiroth!?" he growled, glaring at the other man, attempting to hide his fear behind what little courage he had at the moment, although he knew it was too late, and Sephiroth had seen this fear.
"What do I want?" he taunted as he walked up to him, gazing into his Mako filled eyes. "It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. I want revenge, and I'll get it any way possible. You can't escape me forever, and until we meet again, I shall forever haunt your dreams, turning them into nightmares. Soon you will feel my wraith, and you will regret the day you ever decided to stand up against me."
"I have no regrets for what I did, Sephiroth! You deserved what you had coming to you, and I'll be damned if I'm just going to stand around and let you threaten me!"
"Who said anything about threatening? I will have my revenge, and I will make you regret what you have done to me in the past. You cannot escape this time, Cloud. I will find you, and I will make you pay. It's only a matter of time," he replied as he began to circle around Cloud, smiling bitterly as he did. Cloud watched him out of the corner of his eye, waiting for anything to happen. Deep within his soul, he knew that at this point, Sephiroth was capable of doing anything, even killing him. He could sense that his powers were once again restored to him, but at a higher level than what they had been in the past. Again Sephiroth circled around him then stopped before him gazing into his eyes once more. "From this moment on, your life shall become a living hell, both in the real world, and in the dream world as well. My powers are beyond what they had been in the past, and I can hold you prisoner in your dreams until our next confrontation. Enjoy your freedom in the real world, Cloud, for now your life in this one has just gone to hell," he growled as he raised the Masamune then plunged it into his shoulder until the blade protruded out of his back.
Cloud released a loud cry as he tightly closed his eyes, unable to do anything else, only stand there, silently writhing in pain. He opened his eyes halfway, glaring at Sephiroth as best he could, despite the pain he was in. As he did, Sephiroth began to force Cloud down onto his knees, causing the blade to sink further into his shoulder, making him once again cry out in pain. Sephiroth smiled pleasantly each time he heard Cloud cry out. It was like music to his ears. How he had longed to hear him cry out like this. Bittersweet revenge for all the pain he had caused him in the past. Again he smiled then slowly began to pull his blade free, knowing that all that Cloud was capable of doing was crying out and glaring at him. Cloud again cried out in pain, tightly closing his eyes. This was pure agony, and he knew that Sephiroth knew this...that was why he was doing it. Of course once he woke up, no traces of the wound would be present...this was all just a dream, a hellish dream that Sephiroth now had full control of. How could he possibly escape this without denying himself the sleep that he needed? Was there no way for him to escape this hell? As the blade slowly left his shoulder, he felt himself slowly begin to slip into unconsciousness. He weakly opened his eyes, gazing up at his enemy with a burning passion. As he watched, Sephiroth raised his sword above his head then let it fall, aiming for Cloud's head...
Cloud released a loud cry as he fell out of his bed, finding himself tangled in his sheets. He remained on the floor for a moment then sat up, running a shaking hand through his hair, which was wet with sweat. He tightly closed his eyes as he covered them with his hands, leaning his elbows on his bent knees...Sephiroth's words echoed through the back of his mind over and over like a broken record, serving to remind him about what awaited him, should he return to his dreams. There had to be a way to escape that sort of hell without losing the hours of sleep that he needed. The answer was probably sitting right in front of him, but with his mind in the condition it was in at the moment, he could find it. Nothing registered in his mind, except the hell that was awaiting him and the words...those bitter, hate-filled words that continued to echo in the back of his mind. How could he stand up to something like this? He had barely been able to fight back when Sephiroth had manipulated him, and now this? All for revenge?
He released a long, shaky breath as he stood up, tossing his sheets back onto his bed. No point in going back to sleep, Sephiroth would only be waiting for him. He slowly scanned the room for a moment then got dressed. He knew it was too late for anything to be open, but something told him to get out of the house and get his mind onto something, anything that would push this hell into the back of his mind for the time being. As he walked out of the room, a thought dawned on him. Tifa's bar would be open. It was always open, now matter what time it was. He smiled slightly as he walked towards his front door, running his hand through his hair once more. At least that would offer him some comfort until the next time he went to sleep, and returned to that hellish prison with Sephiroth. As he rested his hand on the doorknob, preparing to shut it, he froze, frowning slightly. "Maybe it would be best not to tell the others about this," he softly stated out loud then closed the door, heading towards Sector Seven.
Cid slowly lowered himself onto the stool, staring at Barret as he slowly picked Marlene up, carrying her towards the stairs. Tifa stood behind the bar, smiling slightly as she watched him. She was glad that this was no longer the hideout of Avalanche. Instead she had built a house that joined with the bar, allowing her to find some comfort and peace when she wasn't running the bar. Barret glanced at her for a moment then walked up the stair, vanishing on the second floor. A few moments later, the door to the bar opened and Cloud walked in, staring at the floor for a moment.
"Well look who it is! If it isn't our fearless, spiky headed leader. Tell me oh great one, what brings you to our neck of the woods?" Cid teased as he stood up, staring at Cloud. For a moment cloud remained as he was, then gazed at Cid darkly. It was then that Tifa saw the tired look glowing in his pale mako filled eyes. She had never seen Cloud like this before...he looked as though he hadn't gotten the right amount of sleep for several nights. She frowned slightly as she walked over to him, resting her hand gently on his shoulder.
"Cloud? Are you all right? You look pale..." she began, staring at him worriedly. He continued to stare at Cid for a minute then looked at her, smiling one of his familiar smiles.
"I'm fine Tifa, I just haven't gotten a lot of sleep tonight, that's all. It's nothing to concern yourself with, really. I'll be fine," he reassured as he ran his finger down her cheek then walked away from her, towards Cid. "And you. Don't ever call me that again, all right? I'm getting just a little tired of your spike jokes and nicknames."
"Aw...lighten up a little, Cloud. You're still too serious. Have you forgotten hat Sephiroth is gone? Lighten up and learn how to live," he replied. Cloud cringed slightly when he mentioned that name. If only they knew...Sephiroth wasn't gone...that much he knew, and it was only a matter of time before he revealed himself to everyone, but he only seemed to be interested in Cloud, and Cloud alone, no one else. Maybe that was for the best. At least that way the others wouldn't be harmed. He shook his head slightly, realizing that Barret had now joined them and was asking him something. He broke away from his thoughts staring at both Barret and Cid as they continued to talk, attempting to comprehend just what this conversation was about.
Tifa stood off to the side, staring at Cloud. Concern could clearly be seen on her face. She didn't like the way Cloud was acting...it almost reminded her of all that had happened to him when Sephiroth had begun to manipulate him. If that were the case then why was he denying that something was wrong? She frowned slightly as she stared at him for a moment longer then went back behind the bar. Why couldn't Cloud understand that she could read him like an open book? She knew he was hiding something from the others. It was in his eyes. His eyes always betrayed him. Again she frowned then listened to what he, Cid and Barret were talking about, watching Cloud carefully. He was acting like himself, but there were the small, minor details that only she could see...those also betrayed him. Why was he refusing to tell her what was going on? She just didn't understand him sometimes, but she knew that if the need should arise, he would eventually tell them what was troubling him, and that to push him to tell them now would result in nothing. She only had to give it time that was all.
From the shadows, a pair of glowing green mako filled eyes stared intently at the bar. Sephiroth growled softly as a smile slowly played across his face. It would only be a matter of time before he revealed himself to Cloud for their next confrontation, and to do so now would be too soon. Not that it mattered or anything. His plan was slowly falling into place. Cloud was attempting to figure out a way to avoid the hellish prison Sephiroth had created in his dreams, but at the same time, was refusing the help of those who cared about him. This was all going to be so amusing once everything began. All he had to do was wait and plan...plan the best way to torture Cloud as he had done to him, not once, but twice. "Soon, Cloud...you will feel my wraith and hatred towards you, then your life will come to an end. You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment. It's only a matter of time, and this time, you can't escape, not even from your dreams," he thought as his bitter smile grew. "Not one person has ever been able to escape their dreams, and now yours will become a nightmare. Enjoy your freedom while you have it, for your judgment is just around the corner, and I am the judge, as well as the executioner. Until we meet again, my little puppet," he continued as his form began to waver then he vanished, leaving no trace behind that he had ever been there in the first place.