Cloud raised his sword, preparing to make an Omnislash attack upon Sephiroth.

"STOP!"

Sephiroth and Cloud turned.

A beautiful woman, floated in the air before them, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Mom?!" Cloud asked, weakly. It had been years since her death. And even now, the memory of her hurt.

"My sons." the apparition whispered, "Please do not fight anymore. It pains me to see you hating each other this way. Put aside your quarrel and, Sephiroth, put aside your evil ways, or you both will have to face the consequences."

"Sons?" Cloud asked. "Then it's true. I'm his clone."

"No." Lucrecia shook her head. "You were twins. "

"Same difference." Sephiroth shrugged. "So, looks like we are related after all, baby brother."

"Sephi-chan," Lucrecia smiled, "I hate to burst your bubble, but Cloud was born first."

"But I'm stronger, and..."

"Only because of the Jenova injections." Lucrecia told him. "And there's something you should know. If it hadn't been for Cloud's birth, you never would've survived the experiments your father Hojo did on you while you slept within my womb."

"What are you talking about?" Sephiroth whispered. He wanted to strike this woman down, to declare her a liar. Especially about that rat-bastard Hojo. But his heart told him that she was telling the truth and he couldn't help but be curious about it.

"You were stillborn." Lucrecia replied. "Your blood had altered by the Jenova injections and was too thin to pass through your veins properly. The strain of childbirth caused your heart to stop and by the time you were delivered, you were dead. My own cells were not compatible enough to give you a transfusion from me, and your father, who had compatible cells, refused. He said we should throw you out and see what we could do with your older brother."

Sephiroth was aghast! They'd almost thrown him away as if he were mere garbage. The idea struck him with the force of a tremendous punch to the gut and he dropped to his knees.

"I think I'm going to be sick." he groaned. He closed his eyes, his anger growing within him. It was Cloud's fault. If Cloud hadn't been there, they never would've thought of discarding him. He raised his sword and charged at Cloud.

Cloud raised his own sword.

"I guess I'm just going to have to teach you both a lesson." Lucrecia decided. She closed her eyes and cast one spell.

Cloud cried out in alarm as he suddenly found himself empty handed.

Sephiroth was too busy crying out, himself, however, to notice this.

"Mother!" he said, in a voice that was and wasn't his own, "Give me back my..." he came to a dead halt.

Cloud wasn't able to stop in time, and collided with Sephiroth. The two of them tumbled down a slope and came to rest, both staring at each other in amazement.

"What have you done?!" Sephiroth squeaked in protest.

"I decided that since you both want to act like children, that is precisely what you are going to be."

"You can't do this!" Sephiroth shouted. "Change me back this instant!"

"Oh stuff it, Sephiroth." Cloud complained. "This is all your fault."

"When I find a way to change back..." Sephiroth began.

"By tomorrow morning, neither of you will remember anything about your adult lives." Lucrecia told him. "Don't worry, my beloved Vincent will take care of you both. "

=30=