Taming the Fates Amidst Chaos

'Internal thought'

'CHAOS SPEAKING'

~ (Time and/or story focus shift)

Chapter 44

Sparks flew as bullets and blade collided, Yazoo narrowly dodging Masamune several times, often with assistance from Sin's claw acting as a deflector. The two of them worked well together, dodging and twisting as they both attacked the General. Yazoo took aim at Sephiroth’s chest, firing when the man turned to block Sin’s claws. Unfortunately, he moved just as the trigger was pulled, leaving the winged slave to twist off to the side to miss the bullet as Masamune’s blade flew at Yazoo. The Remnant blocked with the gun's barrel, feet slowly sliding back across the ground as Sephiroth pushed him back, smirk spreading across pale skin, ”Pathetic fool. Your strength is nothing compared to mine.”

Yazoo gained his footing for the barest of seconds to swing his leg up towards the former General’s chest, pushing the man enough to duck out from under his blade and off to the side. His eyes narrowed as he leapt out of the swordsman's wide range. "Like I would want to be like you anyway, you sick bastard!" He shouted and fired again as Sin managed to knock Sephiroth's feet from under him with a powerful swing of his tail.

Barely avoiding the bullets, Sephiroth's eyes widened for a mere second before narrowing as his hand shot out to stop from hitting the ground, flipping himself to land on one knee a short distance away. He frowned as he stood, Masamune scraping against the ground when he brought it to rest at his side. "Do you honestly believe that you are any different then I? We were born of the same being. You were even created from my very cells. The only difference is that you are weak where as I am strong."

Yazoo scoffed, "Your strength is borrowed from a manipulative parasite. At least what I have is my own! I stopped being like you when I was named a failure. And you know what?" Moving with a speed he did not realize he possessed, he appeared behind the swordsman, Death Penalty pointed at the man's head, "I am proud of that!"

The silver-haired General chuckled, ignoring the pressure of the gun that pressed into his skull. "I see you have learned some new tricks my dear puppet, but they aren't good enough." Sephiroth spun on his foot and grabbed the barrel, yanking it from the younger man's hands to throw it to the side. "No toy will help you in this battle." Masamune lifted off the ground, coming to rest across a pale neck, "Anything you wish to say?"

"You have one weakness."

There was a dark chuckle in response, "Oh really? Do tell."

A faint smirk played over Yazoo's face as blue-green eyes closed, "You severely underestimate your opponents."

The Remnant was pulled from the deadly blade as Sin dove swiftly from above, grabbing hold of his leather coat. The winged slave quickly set him down, spinning to block a flame-covered fist and hissing as the heat scorched his arm, "We will kill you, half-breed."

Vincent called out urgently to the slave. 'Sin! Remember what Chaos said. Tell Yazoo to call him! He is our only hope of surviving.'

'We will protect Master ourselves!'

Sephiroth scoffed, hand opening to grab a hold of sizzling flesh as the flame grew. He watched the collared man flinch with a satisfied sneer, gripping tighter to the appendage before jerking his hand back and throwing Sin into the ground. “You, slave, will have to be punished most severely for defying your master.” Before the winged figure could move, Masamune tore into his shoulder and through his wing with a crunch. The collared man cried out, making Sephiroth smile. “What a weak creature you've become without Valentine and that insolent demon. Pitiful really."

Vincent tried again, his worry growing with each passing moment. 'Stop this idiocy. You will only end up with your Master killed. Tell him!'

As the blade was pulled from Sin's body, Yazoo wondered momentarily why he was not healing himself. It was then that the Remnant noticed how pained and sluggish the winged man's movements were becoming, a light sheen of sweat covering his scarred flesh. 'He does not have the energy to both fight and heal himself. This doesn't look good.' As a calculating jade gaze focused on him, Yazoo quickly pulled himself together and dashed for Death Penalty. The swordsman may have called it a toy but it was the Remnant's only true means of defense at the moment.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Sephiroth turned his head away from the slave and sneered when he saw the gun in the remnant’s hands once again. Opening his mouth to speak, the General was cut off as a bullet slammed into his stomach and forced him to step back. Eyes shifted down to the bleeding wound, fingers dipping into the hole without flinching to draw out a chunk of the shattered casing. Smirking jade orbs then fixed onto the Remnant's narrowed eyes, “You will run out of bullets eventually puppet. It is but a waste.”

Anger flared in the slender man but he knew the truth of Sephiroth's words. He was carefully timing his shots, making sure to waste as few as possible, hoping for the opening that would save them. His hope was rapidly fading.

There was a growl behind the swordsman before a foot crashed into the back of his knee, followed with a strike to the jaw by Sin’s metal claw. ”We will never submit to one such as you.”

Sephiroth spit the blood from his mouth as he rose to full height. A strange glow entered his Mako eyes, mirroring the insanity that flowed through his veins. Eerie flames started to lick at the general’s arms, the right glowing brighter then the other as they traveled up over his shoulder, ”I grow tired of this.”

Vincent felt his heart drop as he watched helplessly, locked within the dark void in his mind. 'Please Sin. Your Master is dead if you don't tell him.'

There was a sudden rip as the flames shot out of the man’s back, forming to cover half of his form from sight. Peeling away, the flames started to darken to black, shaping themselves into feathers and creating the signature that gave meaning Sephiroth’s name. The midnight black wing lifted to snap out to the side, his head lifting to glare at the Remnant. ”Now perish.”

In the blink of an eye, the crazed man disappeared before reappearing behind Yazoo, blade poised to strike through his heart.

"Master!" Sin cried out as Masamune was thrust towards the Remnant's open back.

Yazoo's head whirled around and his eyes went wide, he was certain his death was only seconds away. Then he felt a forceful shove and went to the ground as a pained cry came from the winged slave. Silver hair did little to shield blue-green eyes from the sight of Sin impaled on Masamune, tail coiled tightly around the hilt and black-gloved hand, holding Sephiroth and the blade to him. "Sin!"

"M...master," The slave replied weakly, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. 'You were right, human. We should have listened. It is our fault Master nearly died. The demon will have to protect him. Make sure the false Master dies painfully.' Dark crimson and black eyes flickered to the Remnant's chest, to the mark that was only visible to him and Yazoo, "You must call to him. He...he cannot wake on his own. He will protect you...as we could not. We are s..sorry Master."

Sephiroth gave a low growl as he wrenched his hand and sword from the tight, furred grasp. Watching with obvious satisfaction as Sin fell to his knees, the former General turned to the wide-eyed Remnant, sadistic cruely in his smile, "This is finished puppet."

Masamune glinted ominously in the green Mako glow and Yazoo squeezed his eyes shut, making a desperate cry, "CHAOS!"

~

Golden eyes flashed wide in the dark void he had fallen unconscious in. Something was calling to him, pulling him from his slumber. It was someone important, but he couldn't remember, all he knew was hunger and weakness. Then he saw it, through a strange blurred view that was rapidly fading. It was his personal mark. He let out a low growl, something he had claimed was being threatened! There was stored energy in that symbol and the creature that bore it had called out his name, meaning it was offering that energy to him! Quickly he rushed to escape this void and claim that power, ignorant of the scarlet eyes watching him with a strange sense of relief and fearful hope.

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A/N: I want to know what YOU guys want.

Poll Question: Do you want Sin to live or die?

Now on to the Reviews!

SapphireDoG
Love. complete and utter love :)

You go Yazzie! Show Sephy who's boss! :D

Lovely chap to come home to :D whee.
Frizz: Glad to have been able to get it done before you got home! I was hoping I could

Anonymous Sister of the Author
go yazoo!!! you did it! you did it! you did it! woo!!!

here ya go, frizz!! *hands you the lease for your fiance* use it wisely! *tilts head*

ASOTA
Frizz: *cackles evily* Oh Hooooonnnneeey!

viva_rose
there was a water canteen in chapter 10? *ponders....* ITS STILL LSD WATER! CCCRRRAAAACCCCKKKKK! Makes you feeling mother fucking empowered kids! Now go forth and frolic *small children on teh lsd/crack water storm the room*
Frizz: LOL ok, that was...different. But thank you hun, that was hilarious.

fyrbyrd
See I keep my promises. I have been meaning to do this anyway, being a writer myself I know how important it is to let the author know that their work is appreciated, and I have to say this is. From the beginning I been enthralled and boy do you know how to keep the tension up! Sometimes I've been left wondering if Yazoo was going to even make it this far. Now I want desperately for him to get Vincent free as well as himself. Thank you so much for this wonderful story, keep up the good work.
Frizz: Thank you so much for posting on both stories hun. I am glad that you decided to check me out and hope you continue to read this till the end!

Kuragari
you are by far the RULER of the evil cliffies!!! Hope you're updating soon...... not sure how much waiting I can take!!!
Frizz: Mwahaha! All bow before me! (Was this soon enough for ya?)