Summary: Like a ghost, she hovered in the corner of his eye. If he looked for too long, he'd start to think she was really there again. Her eyes, that dazzling blue, brought back so many memories. Her voice, a haunting echo of past days, burns. Cloud couldn't tell if it was a blessing or a curse anymore.

Pairing: Sephiroth x Kagome. [+lots of pining/one-sided love for Kagome from other characters.]

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Note:
Non-canon, and slight AU.
Kagome's already dead. Sorta, but not really.
Kagome's also Aerith's older sister.
Flashbacks are written in bulk Italics.
This will also have many flashbacks/hints to Crisis Core.

Chapter Two

Two swords resting against the pale gray wall of her room leaned against one another, almost as if they were supporting each other. She was exhausted, and she felt like she'd collapse any minute now, but rest was still far from her grasp. In the corner, curled up in a soft, green cat bed, was a twin-tailed cat with cream fur. Unlike the human, she was sleeping her exhaustion away.

Dark brown eyes that faded into an unnatural blue glow around the pupils were focused on the desk she sat at, but no work rested in front of her. Her fingers were buried in long, brown hair as she sat, her thoughts bounding through her pounding skull. The door to the dark office was opened, a low creak echoing through the silence and a thin stream of pale, yellow light invaded the darkness.

"He told me you were in here, Sango," a calm, deep voice finally stirred her attention, and the woman looked up at last. Though small, a smile lifted on her face at the presence of the Turk.

While Turks and SOLDIER didn't have the best history in getting along with one another, there were one or two, maybe even three, that she was just a little bit fond of. Sango slowly rose from her chair, heavy boots clunking to the floor as she walked around the desk. "So you were looking for me, Tseng? To what do I own this occasion?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a pointed glare.

Tseng eyed the woman for a moment before swiftly shutting the door behind him and fixing the lock in place. When he turned back to her, stepping more into her office, Sango rolled her eyes.

"You recently went to check on them, didn't you?" Tseng asked through the silence they stood in. Sango looked up and nodded slowly.

"Of course. Did Miroku fill you in?" Sango asked in response. He nodded, short and curt, and she sighed. "They're doing great, if you wanted to know," she said then. "They're looking more and more like Kagome every time I see them. They even act just like her. It's… kinda nice, y'know?" she added on, not caring if she rambled any. "Oh!" Sango exclaimed and turned back to her desk, digging around inside the drawers until she found what she looked for. "I took a photo this time," she said, offering it for him to take. "They're growing like weeds!"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Tseng took the offered photo from the woman. It had been taken in front of a familiar place. The house in the background was the same as it had been when he'd gone to get Kagome. Large patches of flowers of all colores covered the ground, and in the walkway of a yellow and white patch were three girls. Two nearly identical to one another, both with long black hair and radiant blue eyes, even dressed in matching dresses of different colors. One green, and one blue. In between them, holding onto each of their hands with one of her own, was Aerith.

True to Sango's word, both of the girls bore a striking resemblance to their mother. The only thing that ever gave any indication of their father was the slit-pupils of their eyes, it seemed.

Tseng held the photo out for Sango to take, looking away as she took it. She went back around the desk to hide the photo back under all the things she had lurking in the drawers. Tseng's attention fell to rest on the two swords supported on the wall beside him. One belonged to the brunette with him, but the other did not. The pink hilt was engraved with thin, silver, intricate lines and curls. The materia slots were empty, carved into the material of the sword, but never once used by the previous wielder.

"I see you still have it," he said, and Sango looked up in curiosity as his statement. Her eyes went to where he was looking, and for a moment she felt her voice running away from her.

"... Yeah," she forced out as she cleared her throat. "It's nice to keep it around," she said then. "Someone needs to take care of it, anyway. Don't want it to get into bad shape, after all."

She rounded her desk again, making her way back over to where Tseng was when the sound of an explosion in the distance thundered outside. Along with it came the furious shaking of the plate the building was built upon. The cat in the corner bolted up with the noise, hissing and growling at the volume. Before she could fall, she felt Tseng grip her arm tight, helping keep both of their weight supported. The building around them shook, several items falling from the shelves of her bookcase.

"The hell was that?" Sango asked once the shaking came to a halt, carefully heading to the window. She could see nothing from where she was, however. She could get a small view of the outside world, and she was only able to see the people outside running around. She shook her head, already knowing what the sound was, having heard noises similar to it many times in the past.

There had been an explosion.

Sango snatched her arm from Tseng's grip and yanked her sword up, running from her office without waiting for any sort of response. Right on her heels was the cat.

"Kirara, let's go!"

Fire, smoke, and wreckage greeted them when they made it to the street. The bomb Jessie had made seemed to have been stronger than anticipated. "There's no way," she shook her head, brown ponytail swaying behind her. "The bomb shouldn't have been this strong."

"All of this, it couldn't have been us," Biggs said, eyes traveling over the small scope of damage visible to where they had just come out of. "It's not possible, right?"

Wedge frowned, wringing his hands together nervously. "What else could it have been?"

"Doesn't matter," Cloud said, folding his arms. "Can't change it. What's done is done."

"Merc's right," Barret stated. "This is only the beginning. It ain't pretty, but there's no way we can stop. Not now," he said, turning to the others. "This one was only the first reactor. The planet won't be safe 'til we knock out the rest of 'em."

Cloud looked at Barret for a second, only to freeze when a familiar girl stood overshadowed by his stature. Kagome stood, seeming nearly solid under the dark shadows around her. She looked troubled, and a second later, she was gone again. Cloud turned his attention away, half-heartedly listening to Barret.

"Look at the bigger picture. There ain't a single thing in this world worth fighting for that wasn't won without some sacrifice. Y'all might not be crying out, I know you're in pain- so is the planet, and that's okay," Barret said. "I'm here to help take that load from your shoulders. All your burdens, worries, and fears… any and all of it, don't worry. I've got you."

They split up to make it back to the station. Not long after he'd gone his path, Kagome's familiar figure reappeared alongside him. She walked silently alongside him. After a moment, she looked up at him.

"You know, he's got a point," she finally said something, and he knew right away who she was talking about.

"About what?"

Kagome frowned and looked away. "The planet. It's crying out in agony, pleading for help. It's in pain."

Cloud looked at her, her dejected and pained tone calling his instant attention. She avoided meeting his stare as they walked.

"In order to strive for what you believe in, you must be willing to make sacrifices," she said then. "You're bound to sacrifice a few things for anything worth so much you'd fight for it. That's how life is. You can't take without giving a little in return, no matter what you have to give in return."

He looked away from her as she fell silent. "This place is still intact," he said, about to head through it to get to the station when he was stopped by Kagome.

"Cloud, don't!" she shouted at him, and he turned to look at her. A second later, a small bit of rubble fell from above, and the entire thing collapsed right after. As the smoke and ash slowly lifted, Cloud felt a sharp pain entering his head.

The burning embers called his attention, and his breath caught in his throat as the scenery around him began to change. All of a sudden he was there again. The next thing he knew, it was gone. All remnants of that place were gone and replaced with the reality of the ruins surrounding him. Cloud let go of the breath he'd been holding and turned. "Different route it is, then," he muttered. He turned to leave, only to stutter in his steps when he ended up facing a different person who shouldn't have been there, or even alive. Cloud froze as he looked up, eyes meeting glowing teal ones with slit-pupils. Out of reflex, he grabbed his sword and jumped back so there was more space between them.

Kagome stood at his side still, a sad gleam in her eyes as she reached an arm out across him as if to shield him from the silver-haired man.

Nothing ever came through. A large chunk of concrete and metal fell to the ground beside them, the wind blowing embers and flames over to them. After the orange glow faded, Cloud found himself standing alone. Sephiroth had turned and started walking away. Kagome was no longer present.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at Sephiroth's back as he got further and further away. It wasn't possible… was it? Cloud shook his head and took off after the silver-haired man. As he got closer and closer, the harder it was to keep going, rising smoke getting the better of him. That same pain from before built back up, but he refused to quit.

They finally came to a halt in an alleyway. Sephiroth watched him, a bemused smirk on his face as Cloud silently hoped this was only a smoke-induced hallucination.

"You… You're not real," he said, mostly to himself. "This isn't real. You're dead, gone."

Sephiroth chuckled in response, dry and humorless. The low hum of it was intimidating. "I am?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "I killed you myself-"

"You need not remind me. I remember very clearly," he said. "How could I not? It was the crowning moment of our short time together." Teal eyes focused on him for a moment before he looked away, seemingly searching for something not visible. He shook his head a moment later, giving up on his search. "That was then, and this is now. I have a favor to ask of you. She won't show to me now, but she'll hear my words through you just as clear. So listen well, Cloud."

Cloud watched him, confused and smoke continuing to burn his lungs.

"This planet of hers is dying. You may not feel it, but it's suffering. Painfully, slowly, agonizingly, it's suffering and crying for help. Can you truly stand and bear to see the planet suffer so much, Cloud?"

His words were reminiscent of Kagome's, but when they came from him they sounded no good. There was no comparing the two.

"If this planet were to die, to fade into bare nothingness, so much would be lost. She pleaded with me to spare you all with her dying breath. And for her and her alone, I did just that…" Sephiroth shook his head. "If her planet were to die, then so would what binds me to her still. I would be loath to go on living an existence without being connected to her. So, I have but one favor to ask of you, Cloud. Run. Run away and live. You must survive, Cloud."

As Sephiroth fell silent, Cloud felt anger bubbling up inside him. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, narrowing his eyes and the silver-haired man across from him. His anger fizzed over, and he staggered towards him as fast as he could. "Bastard!"

Right as he brought the blade of his sword down at where Sephiroth was standing, he suddenly disappeared from the area, leaving him alone in the abandoned alleyway. Cloud froze for a moment, trying to take in more oxygen than smoke as he tried to reel himself back to calm.

He tried to tell himself Sephiroth had been some sort of hallucination, and he shook his head as he made his way out of the alleyway.

Kagome had yet to reappear, and he silently wondered why she hadn't. It wasn't much longer until she showed up again, much to his surprise.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Fine," he said in response, walking ahead so she'd fall into pace alongside him. "You get his message?" he asked, voice still tense at the recollection of a few minutes ago.

Kagome froze and looked away, but she didn't answer him. Even though she didn't give a vocal response, he took her silence for a resounding yes, and he kept walking. She eventually fell into pace with him again.

It wasn't much longer when they came to a halt, people murmuring quietly around them about a girl a few feet away. She was swatting at the air as if she was trying to push things away from her.

The girl was having a fit, seeming to fight against something unseen by him. Kagome tensed up next to him. The next second, she had run over to her, much to his surprise. He saw her reach for her wrists, taking them in a gentle hold. Whether she could feel Kagome's touch or not, he didn't know, but her actions slowly came to a halt. She looked forward, almost as if she could see Kagome.

The next moment, however, Kagome seemed to vanish from that spot and reappeared next to him. Cloud looked back to where she had had been, but the only thing he saw was Sephiroth returning once more. He placed his hand on the flower seller's shoulder, and time around them froze. That same pain invaded his skull, and Cloud clutched his head, backing away as Sephiroth came closer to him. Kagome threw a protective arm out, as if to shield him from the tall man approaching them.

"You're too weak to save anyone," Sephiroth chuckled with a low murmur. "You can't even save yourself."

Kagome glared at him. "Don't do this."

Sephiroth chuckled and looked down at her. "No matter how I must do so, seeing you again is such a sweet, sweet pleasure." He reached for her, gloved hand resting on her cheek. The next moment, he was gone. Cloud was still fighting off the pain in his head when things went back to normal, but when it did, Kagome was still there, looking at him in worry.

"Hey…" The flower seller crouched in front of him, a worried look reflecting in deep green eyes. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice slowly chasing the fading pain. Cloud reeled his breathing back under control and stood back up to his full height.

"Just fine," he said, brushing past her and intending to leave. He didn't make it far before she darted back in front of him, holding a hand out to stop him. "What?" Cloud asked, most likely coming off as meaner than intended to her.

"Wait," she said and she removed a flower from the basket draped over her arm. "Here, this is for you," she said then. "A thanks for scaring those things away."

Cloud looked at her, not even sure what she meant. It dawned on him then that whatever she was talking about had to do with her actions moments ago of fighting with the air. He still had no idea what they were, and figured that it might've been something Kagome did, whether this girl knew that or not. "What things?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said. "Here, take it," she chirped, holding the flower out further for him to take.

Cloud looked between her and the flower extended for him to take. He sighed and set a hand on his hip. "How much?"

She smiled and shrugged, "well… that all depends on the customer." She closed her eyes and hummed to herself as if taking a lot of care in thinking it over. "For you? It's free," she finally said. "So here."

"Oh, just bite your tongue and accept it. You don't have a reason not to."

That familiar voice returned, and Cloud had to fight to keep from glaring at the small girl at his side once again. As if hearing her words, the flower seller stepped forward and fixed it on his person, smiling gleefully up at him as she stepped back to survey her handiwork.

"I'm not really a flower person," Cloud tried to say, only to fall silent when it was already done and over with.

"Nonsense," she said with a chuckle. She looked at the flower and held another similar one up from her basket, looking at it thoughtfully. "In the old days, people would give this flower when they were reunited with loved ones," she said then.

Cloud shook his head and tried to go around her yet again, only to be stopped once more. He sighed and looked at her. "Look- you shouldn't get close to me," he said. "I'm involved in dangerous things. You could get hurt if you're seen around me."

She hummed quietly. "Oh, I'm sure you are," she said. "Isn't that what they all say?"

He heard Kagome laugh from behind him, and at the same time, the flower seller joined in. "You should get going," he told her. "A Mako reactor just blew up. It's not safe to be selling flowers here."

"I'll be fine," she said. Before he could respond, she came to a stiff halt, looking up at the sky around her. Her flower basket fell to the ground beside her as she lifted her hands to fend off whatever it was. She looked at him, reaching for his wrist and grabbing it tight. "Help me!"

As soon as she grabbed his wrist, whatever it was bothering her became visible to him. Ghostly figures of black and gray floated around them, swirling around them. He drew his sword, prepared to strike if it came down to it. "What are these things?"

Aerith looked at him with the same confused expression. "No idea…"

As they were still being surrounded by the floating figures, Cloud noticed the impending mass of Shinra SOLDIERs. He frowned and tightened his grip on his sword. "Just great…"

"Lower your weapon!"

Cloud looked at them. "What's wrong with you? Can't you see them?" he asked, his attention following the creatures, even as they swirled around the newcomers.

"I should go…" Aerith finally said, stepping back even as a few of those things followed her. She paused just before turning the corner, waving to Cloud. "Nice to meet you!" she cried before running off down the alley.

"Cloud… Don't worry about these things," Kagome said softly. "The bigger threat is them," she said, nodding towards the men with drawn guns. "This should be easy for you to handle."

He nodded. "Right. Leave it to me."

C.R: A new update for this one.

That's it for now. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

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Bye for now~