I still didn’t totally understand what was going on, but I didn’t want to let on too much. I hitched a look of controlled horror onto my face, and joined in gazing around for Blank. “I suggest we split into pairs and search for him. And someone needs to go back to get Misa, too,” commanded Gildas. Everyone nodded. Zexion took Gildas’s arm. “I’ll go with you, we can go get Misa. Then do you two mind looking for Blank?” he asked us. Riku shook his head, and we broke into twos and walked off in different directions.
Riku strode ahead of me, pulling me along by my okay wrist, a look of fierce concentration fixed on his usually calm face. We weaved through side streets and alleyways at random, calling Blank’s name every so often. When we turned into one wide street, we were bathed in blue light. I walked until I was next to Riku, and stared ahead. Blank was floating, several feet off the ground with his eyes closed and a tired but empty expression. Riku jogged forward and reached up to pull him down, but an invisible barrier knocked him back and he landed on the floor at my feet.
I crouched down to check he was okay, but he jumped right up again. “Sephiroth!” he shouted. And sure enough, when I looked forward, I saw Sephiroth standing next to Blank and smirking, as usual. “Yes?” he asked innocently, mocking Riku. I made to move towards him, fire forming in my fists, but Riku grabbed my arm to hold me back. “Smart move,” laughed Sephiroth. I looked around for an escape route, but I knew we couldn’t outrun him. Besides, we needed to fight. We were all involved now.
Zexion and I reached Misa’s house. We knocked, and entered (her door was always unlocked). We called her name, and when we got no answer, walked upstairs. We entered her room, and I was taken aback. I knew she was into Gothic Lolita, but her room was COVERED in Gothic paraphernalia. Skary Dolls, each wall was a combination of Red and Black stripes and swirls, and around her mirror (flashing with dark red lights) were several pictures of a boy neither of us recognized. I looked at the mahogany table in front of the mirror, and found a note upon it. “Dear Gildas…” I began but Zexion pulled me away. Pointing out the window, he said one word: Sephiroth. A bright blue light filled the room, and we ran out of Misa’s house. Seconds later, it exploded, leaving passers-by staring at us in fear.
We ran to the source of the blue light. And saw Haru and Riku, and Sephiroth, and there, at the centre of the blue light, was Misa. “Misa!” I shouted, and Haru looked at me confusedly. “Misa’s not here…” Riku began, and Sephiroth began laughing in the background. “What do you mean, not here? She’s there, in the middle of the blue light!” Haru was determined to remain silent. “That’s Blank, what’s wrong with you?” Riku began, and Sephiroth continued to laugh. I’d had enough. I threw my hand up, but Sephiroth was too quick. Almost in tandem, we blinked, and beams of ice shot from our hands. Sephiroth was aiming for a mirror trick. He’d fool my friends into thinking I was him. This was NOT going to happen. With my newest skill, I could call an Aeon to my side without the need for a dance. (Ultima, I need you!) A bright light shone from above my head, and then from above Sephiroth’s. In an instant, Ultima was beside me, and I looked over at Sephiroth triumphantly. Then I stopped. Ultima was beside him, too.
“Guys, I’m the real me! Don’t forget that!” I said loudly, to gain everyone’s attention. Sephiroth mimicked my voice perfectly. “Don’t be silly, that’s Sephiroth! He’s going to hurt you!” Sephiroth ran over to Zexion, pulling him into a hug. “You believe me, don’t you?” Zexion returned the hug. “Of course I do, my love. I’ll not let him hurt you.” I gasped. “Zexion, how could you! It’s me, Gildas! I’m the one who loves you!” Sephiroth jumped in front of Zexion. “Don’t come near him! If you lay one fingertip on my Zexion, I’ll blast you to smithereens!” There was nothing for it. This was all an illusion Sephiroth had conjured up. “Ultima, destroy that illusion!” I shouted, and Ultima leapt at Sephiroth’s cloned Ultima. In an instant, the clone changed shape, reverting back to a small, white creature. “Whyt!” Sephiroth called out. “How could you!” Zexion leapt back, tears in his eyes. “Gildas, I, I’m sorry…” I said nothing. I ran to Haru. “Look into my eyes, Haru. I need your help in this.”
I looked at Gildas. I was so confused already, and now he says he needs my help. He wanted me to look into his eyes? Okay. I did it, dazed, and then looked over at Riku, who looked almost as confused as I felt. “What is going on?” he asked me. I shrugged; how was I supposed to know? Gildas swallowed, and closed his eyes. “Don’t you get it? Sephiroth and Gildas look exactly the same, but for their eyes, and Sephiroth is utilizing that to confuse us all,” Zexion’s voice rang out. “Well, it’s working!” cried Riku angrily. “I’m confused already!”
Zexion sighed and rolled his eyes. “Look, we are trying to get rid of Sephiroth. He knows that. Therefore, he’s using the fact that he and Gildas are identical to make us attack Gildas instead of him. That means that we need to pay attention to the colour of Gildas’s eyes – as that’s the only difference – if we are going to defeat-” Riku cut in. “We don’t need to do anything!” How did he know exactly how to put my thoughts into words when I couldn’t? Zexion was getting angry too, now. “Look, you, don’t you get it?” Riku shook his head. “No I don’t! So help me to!” Zexion gestured wildly. “I am trying to!”
Riku took two steps towards Zexion, and put his blade to his throat. Gildas’s eyes were still closed, and he looked drained and pale. Meanwhile, Sephiroth was stood by the blue light still, chuckling to himself. He swept his sleeves back, and I knew he was up to something. I sprinted over to Riku and Zexion, grabbed their collars and dived to the floor, pulling them along with me. As the white light burst out from Sephiroth’s fingers, I looked up at Gildas helplessly, wanting to do something but knowing I couldn’t.
I closed my eyes, waiting for it all to stop. Once the light receded, I opened them again, and jumped up, running over to Gildas. He seemed unaffected by the blast, with the same blank look on his face as before. I shook his arm, but he didn’t respond. “Sephiroth’s gone!” I heard Riku bellow, and looked round. He was right; Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen. Zexion had gotten up, too now, and was standing by Gildas, shaking his shoulders wildly. “Open your eyes, come one, we’re here! Just wake up!” he wailed loudly. Just then, Gildas’s eyes shot open, and he collapsed onto Zexion, who – caught unawares by the sudden weight of another person – fell to the floor.
