The team had been divided. Blazer, Magdalena and Simon were opposing Storm's decision to at least try to help Sephiroth. Runner and Politesse wisely stayed out of the way, but surprisingly, Erratic seemed to have full confidence that this plan would work.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Erratic??" Blazer exclaimed. "You're a Turk! Your job is to get rid of trash!"

"I may be a Turk, but I don't think anyone's beyond caring for," Erratic retorted. "You wouldn't understand because you grew up without anyone caring about you enough, but even though my dad divorced my mother after two years of hell, my mother still cares about me. Don't you see? No one's beyond redemption!"

"Erratic has a point," Storm said. "Maggie, your father managed to kick his smoking habit."

"He wasn't going to die of lung cancer before he got up into space! That's his motivation!!" Magdalena shouted. "What about him?? What's going to be his motivation?? What's going to be his purpose??"

"We'll tell him the truth about himself, and then he can help us," Storm answered. "After all, didn't you see him fight? Why shouldn't we be able to fight that way? C'mon and give him a chance!"

"Shit, man," Simon swore. He did not want to hate Sephiroth, but the stories that were told about him... It put him into a spot, trying to make a decision between helping a person who was possibly human, and killing a madman who'd once tried to destroy the Planet.

"What about forgiveness?" Lucrecia asked in her soft voice. "Don't you want to move beyond our parents' past together, and try to at least help someone who never had any?"

Magdalena sighed. "It's going to be hard, Lu. Dammit, I never thought thinking was hard!"

Blazer was wincing. "Man, he's mad, or what?"

"He may no longer be mad," Politesse replied, blowing out a thin line of smoke. "If what Simon and Maggie told us about Heartstorm and Soul Completion is true, then we have little to fear from Sephiroth. Are you saying you're scared, Simon Reeve?"

Simon glared at Politesse irritatedly. "Hell, no."

"Then take this as a challenge, to forgive and try to help this old general be... human. He believed he was something else, and we know otherwise.

The opposition front was obviously breaking. "Damn," Blazer said quietly. "They really got a good )*(#ing point."

Simon growled in frustration. "Damn, you're right. Fine, we'll give it a shot... But I just hope your dad doesn't find out."

"I don't care if he does," Storm said quietly. "Move out."
 

The cold white light above, the medicinal smell of the place... he only knew too well what that meant.

He was back in a lab again. It was a strange feeling, since he hadn't been in one since he had turned eighteen, legally independant and already a elite member of SOLDIER. But this place felt different. It wasn't all that foreboding like Hojo's lab, but the feel was like that of a place of healing. He wasn't sure what this place was, but it certainly made him feel less nervous.

Groggily, he turned his head to the sound of arguing. There... the young man who had defeated him. Perhaps not defeated, Sephiroth mused. But... helped. Storm, as he had been called by the others, was certainly good in his swordsmanship, but it was the spell at the end which had truly awed the general that defeated Wutai almost single-handedly. Storm had ripped open a stagnant wound and cleared it out. Sephiroth certainly felt much better.

"Why?? Why didn't you just kill him when you had the chance?? That thing is a monster!!" Sephiroth recognized Cloud Strife. He looked older, and the woman next to him could only be Tifa Lockheart.

"It didn't seem right," Storm said weakly, in front of his parents, his back to Sephiroth.

"Right?? What's right is that lunatic being dead!! Instead, you accidentally resurrect him and bring him here??"

"Cloud, please," Tifa pleaded gently. "Storm was just doing what he thought was right."

"Tifa?" Cloud looked bewildered. "You too? Don't you remember... Sephiroth burned down our hometown!!"

"I know that, Cloud, but... it's in the past." It was evident that she was torn between agreeing with her husband and defending her son.

"You saw yourself what he did," Cloud hissed. He turned and stalked from the room. He stopped at the door to tell Storm coldly, "Until that monster is gone, we'll be at Sector Seven, and don't even think about trying to contact us either." Tifa turned disappointed eyes to her son, then followed.

Storm hung his head. Sephiroth, who had been watching the drama unfolding quietly, saw a young woman, the same girl Storm had been protecting walk across the room to lay a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Was I wrong?" Storm's whisper was loud in the silence of the lab.

"You were asking for a chance to give one to someone that never had any," Lucrecia said, her voice soft and melodic. She put her arms about him. "That's a very noble thing to do."

Storm held Lucrecia in his arms for a while, then listened as she said, "We ddin't see the things Sephiroth did, so we don't have much reason to hate him. If... if we can show your parents that there's no reason to... I'm sure they'd lay the past to peace, too."

Storm sighed and let her go, turning. Seeing Sephiroth awake, he approached. "You are awake," he stated.

Sephiroth sat up. To his surprise, he wasn't on an examination table, but a bed. He took note of the small bandages on his arms then of the stitches on his chest. Storm had held his own very well against him. "Yes."

"My name is Storm Strife."

Sephiroth nodded. "So I gather. You are the son of Cloud?"

"And Tifa Lockheart. It has been thirty years, sir."

The general's eyes narrowed at seeing Lucrecia. She seemed familiar as well. She was the one that had cast the rejoinder spell to Storm's, clearing his mind of much of the chaos in it.

"I'm sorry for what Akiranni did," she apologized. "She's only sixteen and not used to combat."

"Lucrecia is the daughter of Yuffie Kisaragi," Storm explained.

Silver browns furrowed. "The daughter and heir of Godo, ruler of Wutai."

"She is now First Lady."

"Who is her husband, then?"

"My mother didn't marry, since she wanted to keep the throne in the clan. My surname is Kisaragi."

Sure that more details would follow, Sephiroth nodded and looked about. "Where am I?"

"The Research and Medicinal Department of Avalanche Headquarters," Storm replied. "Lucrecia is our new resident professor."

Glowing green eyes narrowed once more; Sephiroth couldn't remember a single pleasant memory of scientists.

"Yo, Storm," came Magdalena's voice over the intercom. "You there?"

"Go ahead, Maggie."

"We've finally found Akiranni. The girl had been unconscious in the Sleeping Forest. Kindly warn Lucrecia her baby sis ain't a pretty sight right now. We'll be back within the hour."

"Understood. Carry on, Magdalena."

"Highwind over and out."

Storm nodded, though there wasn't anyone to nod to. "I'll have to ascertan the landing arrangements," he told Lucrecia. "Will you be all right?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip in worry.

"Akiranni will be fine. Now, tend to our new guest." He kissed her forehead gently and left the room.

Sephiroth was amazed, though he hid it. He wasn't a prisoner, even though images of his past deeds were still fresh in his mind. He had fully expected the hatred of Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart, which they had of course, but he thought they would have passed the prejudice to their son, too. But now, if he heard young Storm right, he was a guest. Not on official matters, either. The couple had blocked his madness away, and from their words promising help. He felt warmed by the gesture, though he felt wary as well.

"How are you feeling?"

He turned to see Professor Lucrecia next to him, her amber eyes filled with concern. "Your name is Lucrecia Kisaragi?"

She nodded.

"What do you know of my past?"

"As much as there is to understand," she replied. "We know of your origins, and parentage. We don't know much of your personal life, though, and we understand you died without knowing who your true parents are."

The harsh expression caused her to back away in fright.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"In the course of looking for you, our parents, the elder generation of Avalanche, found pertinent imformation about you, such as your parents, and how you are connected to Jenova." She paused, wondering if she should begin to tell him without any assistance. He could become violent quickly, she realized, and she didn't know his skill well enough to fight him properly. "Sixty years ago, a trio of scientists found the frozen boy of Jenova in the Northern Continent."

Sephiroth took one look around the lab for his masamune when Lucrecia quite fearlessly stepped closer. He nearly leapt off the bed, her lack of concern that he was larger and stronger than her intimidating.

"You have a choice, General. Either you return to the madness and lies, or learn the truth. Storm said to give you a chance to redeem yourself, and Storm is about the most forgiving man you can find on the Planet. Make your choice." Her voice was even and sincere. "Storm is an excellent judge of character," she continued, her voice becoming more gentle in an effort to soothe the alarmed man.

Green eyes were held by amber ones for long moments. She was right. He could remember with stark clarity the terrible things he had done when insane. To hide in madness would be cowardice, and Sephiroth was never a coward.

"Storm's spell and mine only blocks away insanity. To get rid of it, you have to make your own effort."

He nodded, forcing himself to relax. "Go on."

"Professor Hojo was married to another scientist of great calibre, Lucrecia Heatherly. But he neglected her, so she had an affair with my father. Later, however, Professor Gast came up with the idea of injecting Jenova cells into a human fetus, to see if a superhuman child would result. Hojo convinced Lucrecia to go along, and she left my father for this project. Hojo fathered you, whether you like it or not, and you were born of a human womb. Your mother died at childbirth, but as you can see, you are human, and your only connection to Jenova is that you have some of her blood cells in your body, which allowed her to connect into your mind."

"And I grew up, living a lie," Sephiroth whispered. His head sank into his hands. "Gods..."

"It wasn't your fault," Lucrecia said softly, coming forward a little more and laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Sixty years ago... my mother and your father...?"

"Yes."

"Who is your father?"

"Vincent Valentine. You may have come across him in combat with Avalanche."

No wonder she had that strange aura, he thought, recalling the battles he had with the group. But Vincent's presence was disturbing, and hers was soothing.

"What has happened... since my death?"

She grinned a little. "Certainly much less than the weeks leading to Meteor."

The corner of his mouth twitched at the reply. Then he blinked at remembering Meteor. "How was Meteor stopped? I can recall summoning it." And he could recall seeing it hanging ominously in the sky, a fiery red ball high above.

"The great Aeris Gainsborough summoned Holy to counteract Meteor. We have built a shrine to honour her."

"Aeris..." he thought he knew the name, but couldn't place it. He frowned. "Aeris Gainsborough?"

"You..." Lucrecia bit her lower lip. "She was the one you killed in the City of the Ancients."

Yes... he remembered now... the pretty brown-haired girl he had so mercilessly stabbed. Deep down inside, he knew he was a murderer, because as soon as he saw her, he realized that she was the same girl that his friend Zack had been in love with. Before he could reply, there were shouts from outside.

"Akiranni," Lucrecia gasped, quickly preparing a bed near his. The door opened and in came Simon with the teenager in his arms. "Here," she ordered.

Magdalena and Storm came in, followed by Vincent. Magdalena noticed Sephiroth, and approached. "You're awake! How are you?"

"I am... fine."

Magdalena studied the monitors, then whistled. "That's some damage Storm did, but you're healing just fine. Give or take a week of so. May I?" she asked, referring to his chest wounds.

"Magdalena Highwind, new aviator captain. She's also got a doctorate in Medicine," Storm said. He looked rather shame-faced. "Sorry about those wounds."

"It is all right. You were only defending yourself, though I daresay it isn't often anyone gets to deal such blows to me," Sephiroth answered.

Storm nodded, then turned to Magdalena, who was busy inspecting the stitches. "Well?"

"Seriously? He heals faster than you could try breaking his head. The estimate's down. This will only take a day or two." She stood up. "Although I'm not sure whether I'm good at this judgement or not, considering your reputation, sir."

"DAAAAADD!!!!" Akiranni screamed. Her body spasmed as the Chaos takeover began again.

"Kira!" Vincent said sharply. "Restrain yorself! Try!" he gritted, grabbing her shoulders. "Give her an anaesthetic," he told Lucrecia.

Simon was staring at the top of Akiranni's head. "Are those for real?" he asked in bafflement.

Vincent looked. Akiranni's ears had morphed during her transformation and hadn't changed back. Instead of normal human lobes at the sides of her head, they were positioned much higher and greatly resembled the ears of a kitten. Her earrings were still on, though.

"DADDY!!!" Akiranni wailed. "MOM!!!"

Yuffie burst in at the point. "What happened?" she demanded Vincent.

"Akiranni seems to have inherited Chaos," Vincent explained calmly.

"Don't be so cryptic, Vincent. What the hell does that mean?"

"She transformed, and she hasn't learn how to get back in control yet."

Lucrecia quickly administered an injection, and Akiranni calmed, drifting to sleep. Yuffie frowned. "Whoever gave her that headband?"

Simon cleared his throat uncomfortably. Vincent sighed. "Brace yourself, dear heart, but that's not a headband."

"It's not?!" Yuffie exclaimed. She reached out to touch the furry lobes. "Oh, gods!" She looked at her sleeping daughter. "They do make her look cute, though. When can Lucrecia get them back to normal?"

"She doesn't know. She hasn't figured out how Kira inherited Chaos from me yet, either."

"Now you know Kira's your daughter," Yuffie said smugly, recalling Vincent's jealousy when she told him she had been seeing other men. He had doubled his visits to Wutai after that, purposely staying longer when Akiranni was born. He had been pleased that she was his daughter, not anyone else's, though he still did have had suspicions.

"Not that I doubted it."

"Yes, you did."

"That was before she was born. You had been seeing others, if you'll recall," Vincent murmured.

"Now how could I have done that, when you were being so..."

"Proprietry? It was neccesary." Vincent grinned when Yuffie playfully slapped his arm. Simon was watching them with a quirk of a grin on his face. "Don't try this at home," he told the young man.

"No, sir."

"Has Cloud been told?" Yuffie asked, turning to address the others.

"Yes," Storm replied quietly, trying to focus on a monitor. He looked obviously disappointed at his parents' disapproval, and hurt. Yuffie and Vincent exchanged glances, fully understanding how close Cloud had come to disowning his son because of this. How hard it must be on Storm, who'd grown up with so much love.

Lucrecia laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling a little.

"Well? How's Kira?" Yuffie asked Lucrecia before she witnessed a scene.

"Fine. She'll be back to normal in a few hours. The readings are more or less average now. I can start the blood tests in a few hours."

"Do it," Yuffie said, leaving the room. She didn't want to stay there because Sephiroth's presence made her uneasy. It was much different from last time, she admitted to herself. Before, she could always feel how hell-bent he was on destruction, the insanity almost making her head for a bathroom had there been one close by. This time, she could feel none of the negative impressions he used to leave. It was more than a little consternating to her and she didn't know if it was a good thing.

"So, man, what're we gonna do?" Erratic asked, taking out a cigarette to his mouth. Politesse, surprisingly, was the one who took it away. "Lita!"

"This is a medicinal lab, you ass," she said calmly. "You don't smoke in places like this."

Sephiroth carefully studied them. Vincent had not changed one bit, but Yuffie definitely had grown from the annoying teenager of the group. The two of them had left the room, leaving the entire room filled with the younger generation. The girl which had been called Lita was dressed like a Turk, and her sunglasses reminded him of the Turk Rude. The man she had scolded looked almost exactly like Reno, but without the scars on his cheeks. Magdalena Highwind took after her father in looks, and most likely personality as well.

Storm decided to take into his hands the introductions. "Simon Reeve," he said, indicating the young man at the foot of the bed. "Groomed to be President of Shin-ra."

Sephiroth nodded. He could see how Simon took after his father. Reeve had been a good man, an ideal candidate to take over Shin-ra. But there was a certain bearing about Simon that reminded him faintly of...

"My mother's Scarlet," Simon said, as if reading his thoughts, grinning lop-sidedly. "Sounds like an awful match, doesn't it?"

"Erratic, son of Reno, and Politesse, daughter of Rude. Their mother is Elena. The Turks have only recently been formed again. Blazer and Runner, new members."

"What of your elders?" Sephiroth asked.

"Mostly alive. Uncle Wallace died many years ago, and Red lives in Cosmo Canyon. Cid and my parents live here at Avalanche Headquarters." Storm winced. "Vincent Valentine is leader of the Turks now."

Sephiroth seemed to get up without any difficulty. Politesse actually pulled her sunglasses down in awe at his ease. Seprhiroth noticed the brown eyes that looked remarkably like Elena's.

"Is he allowed to do that?" Simon asked Lucrecia in a side-whisper that wasn't quite a whisper.

"How am I supposed to know?" Lucrecia murmured back, not really taken aback. "How do you put rules on a man that has just been resurrected?"

"You do ask the stupidest questions, Simon," Politesse said as she regained her composure, pushing her sunglasses back onto her nose into their previous position.

"What I would like to know," Sephiroth began slowly. "Is why I was resurrected."

Everyone turned to look at Storm, who had an blank look on his face. "Urm... well... I don't quite know that either. Why's everyone looking at me?"

"More or less likely because you were the one yelling at us not to kill him," Blazer replied. "And by the sound of it, it was like you were gonna scream bloody murder if we did. Then you were yelling-"

"I get the point," Storm said brusquely. "Okay, so I don't know why you were resurrected. It just happened. Will you all please quit looking at me now?" he asked plaintively. "Sephiroth's a guest. Is that okay with you guys?"

"Of course it is," Magdalena said, smiling in an attempt to play the gracious hostess. "We girls will have a room prepared while you guys entertain him."

"Yeah? What with?" Erratic asked.

"Stories of how idiotic you guys can be," Politesse answered as she, Lucrecia and Magdalena walked out of the door.

"Godammit! May I know why she always has the last bloody insult in??" Blazer exclaimed, the hyper-tension on the room gone.

"Because she's polite," Runner said smugly. "You see, manners can get you anywhere."

"Now, what are you doing taking her side? You got a crush on her or something?"

"I'm just an advocate for good manners, and-"

He was cut off by a chorus of "Someone's got a crush on Lita!!" by the other young men.

"So do you!" Runner shot back at Blazer. He turned to Simon. "And you!" And then to Storm. "And you! Before you and Lucrecia got hooked up, that is."

"Children, children," Sephiroth said placatingly. He was faintly amused by them. They were all in their mid-twenties, but acting like a bunch of teenagers. Perhaps, he mused, that was their main charm, and the reason why he hadn't left the room yet. For years he had never had a chance to be a part of the world, and society in particular. The young people in front of him just seemed to accept him easily, what should have been their parents' prejudices and hatred for him sliding off them like water on a duck's back.

"Well, it's true," Runner grumbled.

Storm rolled his eyes. "Are you feeling better?" he inquired Sephiroth. The tall, silver-haired man nodded. "We're having dinner in a few minutes, but if you prefer, you can have it in the privacy of your room... if you feel uncomfortable eating with us."

"Thank you for the choice."

"You're welcome. Yo, guys? You gonna stand around and argue all day about Runner's crush on Politesse?"

"I DO NOT have a crush on Politesse!!" Runner nearly howled, covering his face with his hands.

"Well, then there's no reason to deny it like a schoolgirl," Storm said mildly. He took our a PHS. "Maggie! Lu! Is the room ready yet?"

"Yeap."

"By the way, Runner has a crush on Lita."

"Oh, shit," Runner said disgustedly.

Magdalena only laughed.