The remnants of the Highwind came crashing down onto the desolate land around the North Crater. Included in the wreckage were two known survivors. Cloud dragged himself onto his feet and looked around. Only smoke and bits of debris surrounded him; there was no sign of his companions. He bent down and lifted his Buster Sword. Cloud gasped and dropped the sword; his shoulder had been impaled by a small cylindrical piece of debris. Cloud reached over and ripped it loose with a sickly sucking sound. Cloud shouted Tifa's name but there was no reply only the howl of wind. Cloud heard someone groan to his left. Cloud whirled around and quickly figured out that the noise had come from beneath a chunk of debris. Cloud ran over and threw off the debris with one hand.

"Wow!" said Cloud and dived for his sword. Sephiroth was laid upon the floor; semi-conscious. Cloud held the Buster Sword in his only decent hand and prodded Sephiroth lightly. He was unarmed but Cloud knew that Sephiroth always had a trick up his sleeve.

"You awake?" asked Cloud letting a hint of emotion slip into his voice. Sephiroth groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What?" he said looking at the dark sky.

"I guess you are" said Cloud darkly and stood up straight and pointed the tip of his sword at Sephiroth's throat. Sephiroth suddenly noticed the sword and scrabbled backwards.

"Please" he said "Don't"

"After what you did" said Cloud "you deserve worse than this"

"What?" said Sephiroth

"You know exactly what I mean" said Cloud.

"Who?" asked Sephiroth

"You" said Cloud

"Me?"

"Yes, you"

"Who're you?" asked Sephiroth who was propped on his elbows in the dirt.

"I'm not interested in a game of silly-beggars" said Cloud.

"What?" asked Sephiroth.

"Are you messing me around, Sephiroth?" Cloud asked angrily as he stepped forwards brandishing the sword.

"Who?" Sephiroth asked his brow creasing

"You?"

"You who?" Sephiroth asked.

"Bloody hell" said Cloud "You Sephiroth! Just because you're being an idiot doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you"

"Sethiroph?" said Sephiroth

"You okay?" asked Cloud lowering his sword absent minded.

"I guess" said Sephiroth. He ran his fingers through his hair then looked at his bloody hand.

"You're injured" said Cloud dropping his sword and walking over to Sephiroth.

"So are you" said Sephiroth pointing to blood dripping off Cloud's elbow.

"I'll live" said Cloud

"Could you help me up, whoever you are" asked Sephiroth. Suddenly Cloud noticed that he had dropped his sword. When he looked at Sephiroth he saw no bloodlust, anger only confusion in the young man's eyes.

"Do you know where you are?" asked Cloud. Sephiroth looked around

"Hell?" he guessed.

"What's the last thing you remember?" asked Cloud. Sephiroth's brow creased as he dove into his memories. Suddenly Cloud saw tears gather in the eyes of Sephiroth.

"Nothing" said Sephiroth choked. Sephiroth hung his head and wiped away his tears "Everything is a blur"

"Come on" said Cloud helping Sephiroth to his feet.

"Where are going?" asked Sephiroth.

"Shin-Ra Mansion, it's one of the only places where you'll get some peace" said Cloud. As the two of them walked whilst trying to hold the other up Cloud's thoughts began to wander. The main thing that Cloud was wondering was if he would be able to make Sephiroth a different person; a person who wouldn't go insane and try and destroy the planet.

They managed to bargain their way onto a ship which was going to the continent where Nibelheim was situated. On the ship Cloud was teaching Sephiroth how to say his own name.

"Sephiroth" said Sephiroth.

"There we go" said Cloud "That's you name"

"What does it mean?" asked Sephiroth who was sat on an upturned crate. Cloud shrugged

"I never asked you" said Cloud. Cloud picked up his buster sword and examined the blade.

"What happened to that?" Sephiroth asked Cloud. Cloud was now caught; he couldn't tell Sephiroth that the massive indents in his sword were from duelling with Sephiroth.

"I had a battle with someone" said Cloud "Which is why the Northern Crater was so destroyed"

"Northern Crater?" Sephiroth asked.

"Oh" said Cloud "The area we walked away from"

"Oh okay" said Sephiroth "What was I doing there?"

"You were helping me" said Cloud quickly

"Okay" said Sephiroth "Glad to see we were on the same side"

The ship continued on its course until they landed for an hour near the Nibelheim area.

"Put this on" said Cloud passing a grey-box cover to Sephiroth.

"Why?" asked Sephiroth who used it as a robe and covered his head.

"I can't explain it at the moment" said Cloud "But it will be safer for us"

"Alright then" said Sephiroth "You know best"

The two of them disembarked at the coast and made their way across the grassland until they reached Nibelheim. By now darkness had completely fallen and the town was eerily quiet. Cloud went ahead and made sure that there was no-one was watching.

"Come on" he said and Sephiroth came shuffling across the square until he reached the gates to the Mansion.

"Come on in" said Cloud pushing the door open.