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"I've been able to recognize them for years now. Your ability to use water magic without a materia, your experience in the Wutai War and your knowledge of Mod's capabilities is what separated you from the SOLDIER 2nd and 3rd Classes," Sephiroth answered. He looked directly at Bella's face, solemnity in his eyes. "Your determination and power also got you to this point.

"As for Blaze though, when he fought you, he could have become SOLDIER 2nd Class. However, the ability of his limit break to be so easily disrupted was what went against him. His new limit break, however... was another story. It would've been difficult for most to disrupt, even for a SOLDIER 1st Class," he continued. A sigh of exasperation escaped his form as his gaze turned to the unconscious boy. "It may have been a large fire attack, or it could've been something different, something that allowed him to move in the blink of an eye and slash with incredible speed. A personal favorite of mine, considering my Octaslash limit break.

"Anyway, I don't know whether or not he will become SOLDIER 1st Class or not. I already gave my vote for him to become one. It has to be a unanimous decision. You, Zack, Angeal, and yes, even you Genesis, have to vote as well. And Lazard as well," the black-caped man stated. He stood from the couch and turned to face Genesis and Bella, his silver hair billowing with his movement. "What are your votes? You both observed the battle."

"Well, that settles it then... he won't be a SOLDIER 1st Class. As long as there's one vote for him not be promoted, he won't be," Sephiroth answered. He looked at the unconscious form of Blaze, a passive expression on his face. "I guess your dreams will never be coming true." He walked casually to the door of the room, before stepping out. His footsteps could be heard as he walked down the hall.

Unbeknownst to the two SOLDIER 1st Classes, Hojo's experiments endowed Blaze with a second consciousness; one that heard the events, and willed the boy awake after the silver-haired hero left. The boy's gaze turned to the girl, sadness in his eyes. "He's right... they won't be. After all, it is Lazard's rule. We only get one chance to be promoted to the next rank, that's it. When... when the chance to become a SOLDIER 2nd Class slipped past, I lost hope.

"But then, Sephiroth's offer, of going straight to SOLDIER 1st Class, the way you did Bella, gave me hope again. And now..." he continued. He seemed to be on the verge of tears, but he quickly regained his composure, stood up from the couch and walked towards the door of the room. "I'm going to the director's office... to hand in my resignation papers. I'll see you around, I guess." He strolled out the door, his body standing perfectly straight as he attempted to keep calm on his way to Director Lazard's office on the fifty-first floor.

"We are in this together, we are friends the fact is, this... this monster President Shinra and Hojo turned me into, it could harm too many people in this building. It's out of my control. What if I were to go on a rampage after the transformation? Sephiroth's voice, though he didn't say it outright, indicated that I'm a threat. I could very well hurt or kill many in this building, including you, President Shinra and others," Blaze calmly answered. He looked directly at Bella, determination in his eyes. "You're my friend, and I couldn't live with myself if any harm came to you because of me.

"That's why I'm resigning, not because I can never escape being a SOLDIER 3rd Class. On so many missions, my comrades have fallen because I couldn't control the abilities of the Sword of Flames. Instead, it controlled me," he continued. His fists clenched, tension filling him. "The sword is a sentient object, it's capable of controlling its wielder. Now that I'm even more dangerous because of these experiments... to myself and my friends, I'm not going to allow myself to harm anyone."

"What I do with my life is my choice and my choice alone, Bella. We all are to choose our paths in life. At least, that's what I used to think," stated Blaze in a melancholy tone. He cast a fire spell at the ice encasing his legs and looked at Bella, an apathetic glimmer in his eyes. "You and Zack are the lucky ones, your dreams of becoming SOLDIER 1st Class actually came true, but mine was snuffed out like a candle in a gale."

"She hates me? She hates me? That's a laugh," Blaze coldly remarked. Another SOLDIER 3rd Class looked at him, annoyed. "What are you looking at? She knew my dream was to become a SOLDIER 1st Class, and she knew Director Lazard's rules. She tore that dream from my hands. And when I tell her I'm not resigning because of that, which I wasn't, and I was doing so to protect her, to keep her safe, she has a hissy fit and runs away!? I don't know why I ever thought we could be friends!"

Deep within his mind, however, a struggle was going on. The more aggressive personality, the one that had come about due to the experiments, was the one in control of his words, actions and thoughts at this time. The other personality, his more passive one, was desperately trying to gain control, to find Bella and explain. Just as the passive personality was gaining the upper hand, the aggressive version made a last ditch effort to regain control. He triggered the transformation process.

The boy collapsed to his knees, his hands clutching his head as the pupils of his eyes formed slits. The other SOLDIERs in the lounge went to him, concerned. "Get away from me... you'll get hurt if you don't! I'm not... threatening you. I'm... losing control!" A roar of pain escaped his form as his appearance began to change again.

The sound of the roar reached Sephiroth's keen ears, and he whirled about, no longer interested in finding Lazard in his office. He whipped out his cell phone immediately and pressed the speed dial number for Bella's phone. "Bella, this is Sephiroth. Return to Shinra Headquarters A.S.A.P. Hojo's experimentations on Blaze have broken his control again. We need you here to help protect the headquarters. Our goal is to keep the board of directors and President Shinra safe. If there's no other way to resolve the situation... we'll have to kill him."

The silver-haired SOLDIER bolted down the hall, heading towards the lounge, while dialing Angeal's and Zack's numbers. "This is Sephiroth, the experiments Hojo performed on Blaze have slipped past his control, and he's about to go on a rampage. Find Hojo and President Shinra and keep them in your sight.

"Blaze will want to seek revenge on those two first in this state of mind. Try not to kill him if you can, but if you see no other way to resolve the situation, you'll have to finish him. I'll contact Genesis and try to have him up there with you. I'll face Blaze right now, keep him distracted until he's worn out," he continued. He hung up the phone, and ran into the lounge, Masamune in his grip as he stared at the dragon in the room. He dialed Genesis' number on his cell phone. "Genesis, head up to the seventieth floor with Angeal and Zack. You have to protect Hojo and President Shinra. There's no time to explain."

The consciousnesses within the dragon were raging, the passive personality gaining the upper hand once more. "Bel... Bella." One of Sephiroth's eyebrows raised in interest at this.

"I didn't think summons, let alone those who have the energy of a summon within them, could talk in this state," he stated. He placed the blade on his side.

"Bella, Hojo's... Hojo's experiments caused a second personality to develop. A more aggressive one. That personality took over my own, and said and did all of those things back there," the dragon stated. His eyes closed in sadness. "I'm sorry Bella."

"It would seem, though, that you two have something in common. Auros' back data says that he, and you eventually, Blaze, joined after your parents were killed by Wutai rebels. You had nothing left to lose," the silver-haired man stated. He crossed his arms, looking between the two. "The way I figure it though, that transformation should end soon now that you have control again."

The dragon's form receded, the scarlet-tressed boy standing in its place. "Bella, wait!" He ran in front of her. "I do trust you. Becoming a SOLDIER 1st Class was important to me, but not as important as my friends."

Sephiroth's arms relaxed at his sides. "Well, I was going to talk to Lazard about the rules. They don't seem fair in retrospect, if someone never gives up on trying and constantly improves, but never gets the opportunity to try again. Maybe in months, you'll become a SOLDIER 2nd Class, if I can convince Lazard. And Blaze, I'm sorry to tell you this... but your brother doesn't have long to live. He's been infected with a deadly heart disease... and there's no cure. The Wutai rebels have been using biological warfare, and your brother is one of their victims"

He took his cell phone out and dialed the number of Angeal again. "The situation has resolved. Bella neutralized Blaze, without any fatalities."

The boy sank to his knees at the bombshell that Sephiroth dropped. "Au-Auros is... dying? When... when was he infected?"

The SOLDIER 1st Class sighed and hung up the cell phone. "He was infected a couple of months ago. He's been fighting it for a while but... he only has another day or two. Haven't you noticed how his walk was slower, less lively today, than it used to be? I'm sure you noticed, Bella."

The midnight blue-haired man collapsed to the ground, his right hand over his heart as he suffered an attack. "Not... not again."