The Other Side of the Mirror

by T'Shael

Chapter 10

Cloud raised his head as Jenova entered the cave with a smug expression on her face. Sephiroth followed dragging someone along behind him. Cloud went rigid as he recognized Aeris. She looked pale except for a red spot on her cheek.

"Sephiroth, you're hurting me!" she cried.

Jenova stood aside as Sephiroth dragged Aeris to the wall where Cloud was chained. Sephiroth shoved Aeris to the floor and leaned down long enough to snap an ankle cuff on one of her legs. He turned to Jenova expectantly.

"Sephiroth, what are you doing?" asked Aeris with a fearful look in her eyes. "You're acting like you don't know who I am."

"He doesn't."

Aeris noticed Cloud for the first time.

"Cloud!" Her face lit up and she tried to scoot toward him but the chain caught her leg up short. "What are you doing here?"

"He's going to help me take control of the Planet," said Jenova, not giving Cloud a chance to answer. "Both of my sons will pave the way."

"Your sons?" Aeris glanced at Sephiroth and Cloud.

Jenova laughed. "Sephiroth is mine again, as Cloud will be shortly. I'm sorry you won't be here to see the end results of my accomplishments."

Aeris looked at Cloud.

"She's going to make Sephiroth kill you," he said grimly.

Aeris looked at Sephiroth. He was watching Jenova.

"Sephiroth!" she cried. "Don't let her control you again."

"You're too late," Jenova moved closer. "You saw what he did in Nibelheim. I was going to let him finish the job, but I'm rather anxious to get you out of the way."

"What happened in Nibelheim?" Cloud pulled at his chains.

"Sephiroth burned down two houses," said Aeris. "I think the families got out okay."

"You bitch!" Cloud snarled at Jenova. "You've burned two families out of their homes. How can you be so callous?"

"They won't be homeless for long," Jenova looked unrepentant. "I'm going to send Sephiroth back to burn them all out into the streets. He'll kill everyone. The blood of the people will paint the streets of Nibelheim red!"

"You're going to exterminate the human race, just like you exterminated the Cetra!" said Aeris. "AVALANCHE will never let you do that."

"AVALANCHE can't stop me," said Jenova "And neither can you. You don't have your white materia now Cetra!"

Aeris turned to Sephiroth. "Sephiroth, please look at me."

"Go ahead Sephiroth," cackled Jenova. "Look at her!"

Sephiroth turned and stared down at Aeris. She stared into his eyes looking for a sign of recognition, anything to prove he wasn't the monster Jenova was trying to make him into. All she saw was cold dark evil. He smiled. Her blood ran cold. This wasn't the Sephiroth she knew.

"I want to watch you die," whispered Jenova. "I want to see your blood on his sword."

"Leave her alone!" shouted Cloud fighting his chains. "I'll kill you if you touch her!"

"You're not in a position to give orders!" snapped Jenova. "I'm going to make your conversion especially painful just to show you who's in charge here."

"Sephiroth won't hurt me," said Aeris with a calmness she didn't feel.

"That red spot on your face tells a different story entirely," grinned Jenova. "I think he'll hurt you a lot worse than that. I'm willing to bet he'll kill you on my command."

"Sephiroth loves me!" said Aeris staring into the cold green eyes above her. "Sephiroth don't you remember our love?"

Sephiroth laughed and the sound brought unpleasant memories to Cloud's mind.

"Leave her alone Sephiroth!" he shouted. "Don't hurt Aeris."

Sephiroth glanced at Cloud then raised his sword above his head. He brought it down hard and fast. Cloud shouted in alarm. Aeris screamed. The blade slammed into the ground next to her leaving a grove in the stone floor. Sephiroth raised the blade and grinned at her.

"What were you saying?" asked Jenova.

"Sephiroth?" Aeris was shivering in fear. "Sephiroth you can't do this."

"He can and he will," said Jenova with a gleam in her eye. "Say goodbye to your spiky haired friend you troublesome pest."

Aeris cowered against the wall. Her hands covered her mouth and her head shook back and forth.

"No, Sephiroth, no," she whispered.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud strained at his chains.

Sephiroth turned his head slowly to regard Cloud.

"The failure clone," he said slowly.

"You love Aeris. You were going to marry her." Cloud forced himself to keep his voice steady. "You can't hurt someone you love."

"What is love?" asked Sephiroth. "Love is a fantasy created by fools."

"Then you were as big a fool as I am," said Cloud. "Because you love Aeris."

"I love no one," answered Sephiroth. "Why would I love a weak creature such as this?"

"We don't have time for this nonsense," snapped Jenova. "Sephiroth! Kill the girl!"

"No! Wait Sephiroth!" cried Cloud as the silver haired man began to raise his sword.

Sephiroth paused and frowned at Cloud. He lowered his sword.

"You love Aeris," said Cloud slowly. "And I can prove it."

"Sephiroth! Kill this bitch!" shouted Jenova. "Don't listen to that fool. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Kill her now!"

Aeris cringed looking up at Sephiroth. Her face was very white.

Sephiroth started to raise his sword again.

"Damn it Sephiroth, let me prove it!" cried Cloud.

"Kill her, Kill her now!" Jenova put her hands over Sephiroth's and raised the blade shoulder high. "Kill her now, I tell you!"

Sephiroth raised the blade over his head. Aeris closed her eyes.

"You coward!" screamed Cloud. "You're afraid to know the truth!"

Sephiroth whirled around and started toward Cloud with his sword. Jenova grabbed him around the waist trying to hold him back. Stronger than a human, she barely managed to restrain him.

"No!" she cried. "Not him! Not him!"

Sephiroth's eyes were mad with fury. He fought to get away from Jenova "Don't call me a coward!"

Cloud's eyes were just as angry as Sephiroth's. "Then look at the proof of your love."

Sephiroth fought to control his breathing. "What proof?"

Jenova let go of Sephiroth and stepped between him and Cloud.

"Ignore him!" she shouted.

Sephiroth pushed her out of his way. "What proof?"

"Take off your right glove," said Cloud.

Sephiroth gave him an evil look and removed his glove.

"So?" his eyes burned holes in Cloud.

"Where is your military ring?" asked Cloud. "I never saw you without it."

Sephiroth's malevolent expression was replaced with confusion as he looked at his bare hand.

Cloud looked at Aeris. "Show him."

Aeris looked at Cloud with a new look of hope on her face. She held out her left hand. Sephiroth's cherished military ring reflected the light from the fourth finger of her left hand. Sephiroth moved closer and looked it. His face went blank.

"How did your ring get on her finger if you didn't put it there?" asked Cloud. "How would she get it?"

Jenova was stunned. She looked from Cloud to Sephiroth and back again. "I don't believe this!"

"You gave her your ring the day you proposed to her," said Cloud, secretly thanking Aeris for telling Tifa about her engagement day. "You told her you loved her."

Sephiroth winced. There were voices in his head battling for possession of his mind.

"This is only a Shinra military ring, but I promise to get you a nicer one before the wedding."

"I love her?" A pain shot through Sephiroth's head and he placed a hand at his temple.

"What are you saying?"

"I love you Sephiroth," said Aeris. "I'll always love you, no matter what."

"Love me?" Another pain went through Sephiroth's head. He closed his eyes and flinched.

"You can love me after all I've done?"

"Always," said Aeris. "I'll always love you."

"I love you Aeris. Let's go home."

Jenova seized Sephiroth and shook him. "Lies, they're feeding you lies. They're trying to stop us from regaining our rightful place as rulers of this planet!"

Sephiroth opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You have to kill her before she hypnotizes you with her lies," said Jenova soothingly running her fingers through his hair. "She's trying to confuse you. Don't let her win this time."

"No!" shouted Cloud. "Jenova is the liar. Don't listen to her!"

"They want to kill me baby," said Jenova in a pitiful voice. "They want to kill me and take me away from you. I'm frightened Sephiroth. Help your mother. Save me. Kill the girl."

Sephiroth looked at Aeris. The pain was fading.

"She's dangerous," whined Jenova. "Kill the girl."

"Kill her." Sephiroth pushed Jenova back. "Kill her."

Sephiroth raised the Masamune above his head. Aeris screamed. Cloud shouted. The long blade hovered. Sephiroth stared at the girl at his feet. He lowered his weapon.

"What's wrong with you? Kill her! Kill her!" screamed Jenova.

Sephiroth stared at Jenova with a dazed look in his eyes. "I love her?"

"No!" she screamed. "You don't love her. Kill her!"

Sephiroth stared at Aeris. He didn't move.

"I want you to be my wife."

Aeris stared back at him. "Sephiroth?"

Jenova screeched in anger and stuck Sephiroth across the face. He fell to his knees. His eyes were still dazed. She snatched up a needle, plunged it into his shoulder and forced out the contents. Sephiroth's eyes closed and he collapsed on the floor.

"Sephiroth!" Aeris' eyes were wide with fright.

Jenova rushed up to Aeris, swung at her head and missed. Determined to hurt her, Jenova seized a handful of brown hair and yanked Aeris' head back. Aeris cried out as Jenova slapped her across her face.

"Leave her alone!" yelled Cloud.

Jenova looked up. "He'll kill her! He will!"

Breathing heavily, she left Aeris to go to Sephiroth. She picked him up as if he were a baby and placed him on the table.

"He just needs a little more work," she muttered. "Just a little more."

Jenova placed her fingers on Sephiroth face. Her fingertip liquefied and slid into his face up to the knuckles again. They bonded with his face.

"What are you doing?" cried Aeris. "Stop that!"

"She's putting her cells into Sephiroth's brain," said Cloud. "She making a tumor in his head so that she can control him."

"No!" Tears poured down Aeris' face. "Don't do that to him!"

Jenova's eyes rolled back in her head. Sephiroth twitched and was still.

"Cloud stop her!" cried Aeris. "Don't let her do this!"

"I'm sorry Aeris," he said sadly. "I can't."

Aeris sobbed as she watched Jenova work on Sephiroth. After a while the dark-haired woman moved away and turned to gloat at them.

"He'll obey me now," she grinned. "He'll kill this Cetra bitch once and for all."

"Leave him alone," begged Aeris. "Don't do this to Sephiroth!"

"Shut up," Jenova looked at Cloud. "It's your turn now."

She moved toward him.

"Don't you touch me," he warned.

"You can't stop me son," Her eyes twinkled. "I'm your mother and I'm only doing what's best for you."

"My mother was human," snarled Cloud. "She wasn't a hideous creature like you."

"She wasn't the woman who raised you either," grinned Jenova. "Didn't you know that? Hojo gave himself injections of my cells. I could communicate with them, but I didn't talk to Hojo like I did with Sephiroth. Hojo was insane and not worth the effort, however, I learned a lot from his mind. I know about your real mother. The mother who died like Lucrecia."

Cloud's face went white. "Liar!"

"I'm not lying." Jenova was so amused she had to wipe a few tears from her eyes. "Your mother was one of Hojo's lab assistants, pregnant by a SOLDIER. He abandoned her. Hojo needed another subject for his experiments. Your mother was just another pregnant woman to him."

"Liar!" Cloud screamed.

Jenova laughed at him again. "Hojo held your mother prisoner for a few weeks. He gave both of you injections of Sephiroth's cells. Eventually, your mother was able to escape, but Hojo found her again. This time he gave both of you injections of MY cells. Your mother died after you were born. Hojo thought you were a weakling, the runt of the litter. He had you left on a doorstep in Nibelheim. The woman who raised you wasn't your mother! You're a part of both Sephiroth and me. He is your brother and you are my son!"

"You're lying!" he shouted. "None of that is true!"

"Didn't you ever wonder why Hojo put you in his lab after you defeated Sephiroth the first time?" asked Jenova. "You talked about what happened with Sephiroth while you were unconscious. Hojo couldn't imagine how a failure like you could defeat the greatest SOLDIER on this planet. Your body absorbed his cells and mine with no problems, even though you were injected with them at a later stage of development. All the others, including Sephiroth were born to mothers injected with my cells before and after conception. As their pregnancies progressed, both mother and embryo received injections."

"Sephiroth's body mutated my cells and used them to his advantage. When Hojo examined you again, he found that your body hadn't mutated my cells, but it had the potential to do so. It's laughable to think you aren't as good as Sephiroth, but you are the clone most like him. Zack, on the other hand was a great SOLDIER, but he was one of those rare individuals who didn't respond at all to injections of Sephiroth's cells or mine."

"Hojo thought if he could take your potential to mutate my cells and make that work in Zack's body, Zack would become more like Sephiroth. He could then enhance the skills the mutated cells gave Zack with more injections from me. If that worked, he could do it to any SOLDIER. He was very angry when both of you escaped. The only thing that saved you from recapture later on was your memory loss. Hojo decided not to take a chance on using cells from your body. He thought any SOLDIER injected with YOUR cells would become brain damaged!"

"I don't believe a word of it!" Cloud's face was red with anger. "You're trying to break me down, but it won't work!"

Jenova looked at Aeris to see how she was taking this. She saw the expression on Aeris' face and her grin grew wider.

"Look at the Cetra Cloud," she crooned. "Look at her face! She knows. The Cetra knows."

Cloud looked at Aeris' ashen face and his heart froze over.

"Aeris," his voice broke. "Is she telling the truth?"

Aeris pressed her fists against her mouth and her eyes widened.

"Aeris," he whispered, "Talk to me. Is Jenova telling the truth?"

Aeris took her hands away from her mouth. "I knew about your mother, but I didn't know the rest."

Cloud stared at her for a moment, then his gaze went to Jenova.

"Welcome to the family, Cloud." Jenova smiled.

"You're not my mother," he said slowly. "No matter what you say, I'll never accept you as my mother."

"Oh yes you will." Jenova stepped up to Cloud and put her hands against his face. Her fingers melted and bonded with his skin. Clouds head arched back and he screamed.

Aeris screamed with him.

Tifa raised her head from Cloud's pillow as she felt someone touch her back. Yuffie sat on the bed next to her.

"Don't cry Tifa," she said softly. "We'll find Cloud. We'll find Aeris and Sephiroth too."

"We don't know where to look," sobbed Tifa. "I'm worried about Cloud. What if Jenova brings them both back here and Cloud is on her side? What if we have to kill him to stop him?"

"Don't think like that." Yuffie shook her head. "You have to believe it's going to be okay. Cloud fought Jenova's will before. He 'll fight her again."

"Cloud fought Jenova because I was there to help him." Tifa sat up and wiped at her eyes. "I'm not with him now."

"Maybe Aeris can help." Yuffie handed Tifa a tissue.

"We don't know if she's still alive." Tifa blew her nose. "Jenova is going send Cloud back to kill me. I don't think I could kill Cloud in self defense."

"Maybe you won't have to try," said Yuffie desperately. "Don't go with the worse case scenario. Have faith in Cloud."

"Shinra couldn't make Cloud into a SOLDIER," said Tifa. "If Jenova can't make him turn like she did with Sephiroth, will she kill him?"

"I don't know Tifa," answered Yuffie. "None of us does."

Tifa put her head down and started crying again.

Jenova stepped back from Cloud. His eyes fluttered. When he opened them completely, he looked confused.

"Hello son," said Jenova.

Cloud didn't respond.

"Wake up Cloud," she urged. "Talk to your mother."

Cloud opened his eyes. He stared at her.

"My son," she cooed.

"Mother," he said.

Jenova smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yes," she cooed. "I'm your mother."

"Cloud, no!" cried Aeris. "Fight her! Fight her!"

"Shut up!" snarled Jenova.

"Cloud fight her!" Aeris strained toward him on the end of her chain. "Don't let her win!"

Angered, Jenova marched over to Aeris and slapped her face again.

Cloud watched Jenova raise her hand twice more and slap the girl on the floor. The girl lay crying. It felt as though something was buzzing in his head. Who was that woman standing over the girl on the floor? Mother? Yes. No. Mother? Was she?

"Stop, please stop!" cried the girl. "Don't do this to Cloud and Sephiroth. Why do you have to hurt people? Why can't you live on this planet in peace?"

The dark-haired woman laughed. She struck the girl again. Cloud felt a moment of rage. It died. Why was he getting angry with his mother? Mother?

The girl screamed.

At the sound of her voice a silver haired man sat up. Jenova stopped and looked at him.

"Mother?" Sephiroth looked around the cave.

"I'm here." Jenova hurried to his side and touched his cheek.

He caught her hand and held it there.

"Mother."

"You want to please your mother don't you?" she asked.

Sephiroth nodded.

Jenova pointed at Aeris. "Kill her."

Sephiroth slid his legs off the table. His eyes were on Aeris. He stood up. Jenova pressed the sword into his hand.

"Kill her," she whispered. "Kill the Cetra. Just like you did the last time. Run her through with your blade."

Cloud watched the man get off the table. This was his brother. Brother? He didn't have a brother. Did he? His mother wanted his brother to do something. What?

"Don't let him fool you Aeris . . . You think he's changed but he could turn on you someday."

"Kill the girl." Jenova kept pointing at Aeris. "Kill her."

"Sephiroth no!" screamed Aeris. "Don't you remember me? We're going to get married."

Jenova pushed Sephiroth toward Aeris. "Kill her!"

Sephiroth moved toward the girl raising his sword.

Cloud blinked. This wasn't right. The girl wasn't an enemy. Was she? A memory passed through his head. He was standing in a small shop surrounded by food He was kissing this girl.

"Dammit Aeris!"

He shook his head to clear it.

Sephiroth stood with the blade above his head looking down at the girl. Jenova was hopping from foot to foot urging him on.

"Kill her son."

The girl raised her frightened face to his brother. Cloud looked at him. His brother's bright green eyes looked glazed. Brother? He looked at the girl again. Was she dangerous? He looked at his mother. Mother? He looked at the girl and flinched as the face a dark-haired girl flashed through his mind. Tiffany? Tif? Tifa!

"I was thinking of asking her to marry me."

"Kill her Sephiroth." Jenova's voice was becoming angry. "You hate her as much as I do."

"I hate her," The muscles in his arm twitched.

". . . I want Aeris to be happy . . . You'd better take good care of her . . . "

Aeris flinched.

Cloud looked at the man standing over Aeris with the sword. He spoke without thinking.

"You love her."

Sephiroth hesitated. His eyes went to Cloud.

Jenova turned to look at him. "Shut up."

Cloud stared in her in confusion. "Mother?"

Her expression changed swiftly. "Son."

"I fought Jenova! . . . Why coudn't he?"

Something inside him recoiled. That wasn't right. The face of a blonde woman smiled inside his head. "I'll always be your mother," the woman said.

"The foundation of your life was much stronger than Sephiroth's. You had a mother who loved you . . . "

Cloud looked at Jenova's dark hair. That wasn't right.

Jenova turned to Sephiroth. He had lowered his sword again. "Kill her now."

Sephiroth's face hardened.

"You can't hurt her," Cloud said. "You love her."

Where had that come from?

" . . . She seeems to think you're special . . . "

Sephiroth's head hurt. "What?"

"Shut up damn you!" screeched Jenova to Cloud. She turned to Sephiroth. "Kill the bitch now!"

Cloud's head was throbbing. He fought to clear his mind. The girl was Aeris. She wasn't the enemy. The enemy was Mother. Mother? He stared at Jenova. This . . . thing wasn't his mother. The pain in his head rose to a pitch. He screamed.

"SHUT UP!" screamed Jenova.

Sephiroth's head was throbbing. He looked down at the girl at his feet. Mother wanted him to kill her. He had to do what Mother wanted. He raised his sword slowly.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jenova smiled. "Do what your mother says. Kill her."

The pain in Cloud's head was gone. He could think clearly again. He saw Sephiroth raising the Masamune over Aeris' head again.

"Don't hurt her!" shouted Cloud. "Don't do the same thing to her you tried to do to Zack."

Sephiroth flinched and reeled back as if he had been struck. He stared wide eyed at Cloud, lowering his sword.

Jenova screeched in anger. "Kill her damn it!"

Sephiroth's face was pale. "Zack?"

How would Aeris feel about him if she knew he'd murdered Zack?

Cloud was astonished by Sephiroth's reaction. He looked at Aeris for an explanation.

"Remember when we met Zack's parents in Gongaga?" she asked.

Cloud nodded.

"I didn't tell you the whole truth," she said. "I was the girl Zack's parents were talking about. Zack was going to marry me after he came back from your mission at the reactor. He was going to surprise me. He never came back. Sephiroth killed him when he went insane."

"Sephiroth?" Cloud stared at Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth didn't know about Zack and me," said Aeris. "He found out accidentally. He feels guilty because he thinks he cheated me out of a normal life and family with Zack."

As Sephiroth listened to Cloud and Aeris talk, he felt a shooting pain in his head. He touched his forehead with a shaky hand. He lowered his blade again.

"What has this got to do with my plans?" Jenova turned to Sephiroth. She reached up and touched his forehead with her fingertips. "Kill the girl. Kill her now."

Sephiroth's pain vanished. He raised his sword again.

"You didn't kill Zack!" shouted Cloud. "You injured him, but he didn't die. After you fell into the river of Mako, I passed out. When I woke up, Zack and I were in Hojo's lab. He used us both for experiments until we escaped. I was sick at the time. Zack did most of the work. He was shot by Shinra troops trying to avoid capture. They didn't shoot me because they thought I was already dying. Remember the sword I used to carry? It belonged to Zack!"

"Zack." Sephiroth lowered his sword. "I didn't kill Zack?"

"You didn't kill Zack," said Cloud urgently. "He would be happy to know you're taking care of Aeris. He talked about her to me too, but I didn't know who he was talking about. He loved her just as much as you do. You love Aeris Sephiroth!"

"Love her?" Sephiroth looked confused.

"This has gone far enough!" Jenova stood in front of Sephiroth and placed all of her fingers on his face. Almost immediately her fingers bonded with his skin. His eyes rolled back and he was unsteady on her feet.

Aeris gasped. Her skin looked ghostly. "She's putting more of her cells into his brain!"

Jenova reclaimed her fingers and stepped away from Sephiroth.

"There's nothing you can say that will stop him now!" she crowed. She pointed at Aeris with a look of pure malice on her face. "I want her dead now!"

Sephiroth gave Aeris an evil smile and raised his sword over his head.

"Die!" he whispered.

Aeris looked as if she was on the verge of fainting but she raised her head and stared him in straight in the eyes.

"Do what you have to do Sephiroth," she said with a tremor in a voice. "But if you kill me, you're going to kill our baby too. I'm pregnant."

There was absolute silence in the cave.