AUTHOR'S NOTE (to the two of you out there who are reading this =)) Normally coming from a hiatus like this one, I'd like to have something truly epic to present to you. But alas, life doesn't alway give you what you want. For a while I thought my computer would never even work again - and I can only upload at the library so... Anyway, the reason I'm not happy with this chapter is because it has the major plot thread of the first game with almost none of my new ideas. I hope you enjoy revisiting it anyway. And would like to point out that in the next three or four chapters the story will change drastically in ways you couldn't imagine but I think you'll enjoy.

As Cloud approached the alter he began to get the sickening feeling that something was wrong. Something within himself, something to do with Sephiroth. 'Whatever happens next' he thought, 'it's not going to end well.'

"Aeris..." A beautiful bright light shone down on her like an angel. Her hands cusped together, as if in prayer. Cloud jumped to the first platform. Barret was anxious to follow, but Cloud put up his hand. He had seen Sephiroth in his visions as well, so it might be dangerous, and he wasn't about to risk anyone else getting hurt.

"Let me go with you." Tifa insisted. She wanted to make sure there were as many people around as possible, in case something went wrong. To protect him... from himself.

"I'm gonna check it out, just wait here." he told them.

As Cloud got closer to Aeris, the sickening feeling got worse. He shook his head in frustration. This has to be Sephiroth.

RED

All at once a stream of hatred poured through his body. He couldn't control himself. And all he could think about was violence. He drew his sword.

NO

Violence wasn't all he could think about - there was something else, something stronger - peaceful; Aeris. He struggled against it when his arms lifted the blade above his head. 'No, stop it.' He thought. But he couldn't struggle when the sharp edge of the blade came down at her head. As quick as he could swing it.

"Cloud!" "Stop!"

Barret and Tifa yelled from across the room.

Somehow, by some miracle, their words made him snap out of it.

"Ugh...what are you making me do." He dropped the sword at his side. How could he...

Tifa moved toward the platform, but Barret grabbed her by the arm, shaking his head. There was no way she wasn't going up there now, she knew this would happen. She had to look out for them.

"I have to go up there. Aeris isn't safe."

"Careful..." Barret told her, putting his arms up.

She gave a nod, "I'll be alright." reassuring him, she jumped the platforms until she was on the other side... "Cloud?"

He was staring at Aeris, a guilty look on his face. Then as the light grew brighter; Aeris looked up at him with glowing eyes, and smiled.

The dark figure of Sephiroth descended from the heavens, both hands clasped around his Masumane pointed straight down, headed for Aeris.

There was no time to think "AERIS!" Tifa pushed Aeris forward; she landed with her right arm wrapped around the outer edge of the alter. Tifa tumbled to her knees. Their eyes had just enough time to meet, and Sephiroth's sword plunged into Tifa's heart.

As he withdrew the blade, the sandy sound of her glove scratched across the smooth surface of the floor, her not yet lifeless body leaned forward, Cloud was able to catch her before she landed. Cradling her head in his arms, she died there looking up at him. It can't be!

"...Tifa"

"Oh my god." Aeris said from behind Sephiroth, who had his arms outstretched like wings.

"This can't be real!" Cloud's eyes filled with tears.

"Do not worry." Sephiroth told him, "Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the snowy fields. There I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl..."

"...Shut up." Cloud said in hatred, under his breath. "The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing. Tifa is gone. Tifa will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry......or get angry......" his head drifted back toward her, he looked into her soft, motionless, face, and it made him feel weak. "What about us..... What are WE supposed to do?" his head dropped, "What about my pain." He let go of her, gently. "My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!" He shook uncontrollably.

"What are you saying?" Sephiroth asked him "Are you trying to tell me you have feelings too?"

He stood up instantly, angrily, - confronting Sephiroth. "Of course! Who do you think I am!?"

A great laughter grew bellowing through the hollow room. "Ha,ha,ha....... Stop acting as if you were sad. There's no need to act as though you're angry either.

Because," he raises his arms once again, floating through the air, "Cloud. You are..."

He tossed a piece of Jenova, flying away. The relatively small fragment grew into a massive beast. Flesh of purple and pink, with vampiric teeth, and glowing red eyes. It's back littered with wing and tentacle like appendages.

Cloud lifted his sword. Holding it out with one arm. His eyes pierced the hollow reds of Jenova's 'face' and before he knew it, so did his sword. He slashed and jabbed repeatedly with nothing but the sound of tearing flesh and crackling bone filling his senses, blinded by blood and rage. He tore the monster to pieces. Until the only thing left was smoldering aggregation of indistinct pulp. He dropped his sword, and kneeled over Tifa once again.

"Because," Cloud heared an intersex voice say - 'Jenova' he thought to himself, "you are...... a puppet."

"I'm...... a puppet?" He looked at his hands in silent acknowledgement. They're covered in Jenova's stagnant ooze like blood. He quickly removed his gloves. Bunching them up and tossing them to the ground. Then he lifted Tifa up propping her into a seated position, so that everyone could say their good-byes.

The original separated members of the group all come to the alter, one by one.

Cait Sith is first. Not knowing what else to do - or hoping something can lighten the mood. He does a prayer dance in the hopes Tifa will return safely to the planet. Then he moped away. Unsure if he helped anything.

Vincent looked at Cloud, then at Tifa. He couldn't possibly shoulder any more pain. He felt nothing, on the surface at least.

Cid looked curiously at her, himself finding little room for pain, but it's there. He looked above him, into the light. 'You're going were I always wanted to live my life.' He thought. 'To the skies for you. Maybe this is better than a %&#*% world of pain.'

Red XIII moved slowly to her, he was the only one of them already at eye level. It put him in an awkward position. He could see the stillness. It reminded him of his father Seto, the pain welled up inside him and he let out a mighty howl. His walk away from the alter is made difficult by numbness in his legs. Overpowered by emotions, it almost causes him to collapse.

Yuffie regrets looking at her, this was her friend and now she was gone. It settled in. She couldn't retain the bawling, the tears flowed down her face, mucus from her nostrils. Embarrassed and afraid, feeling weak and now, lonely, she tried to wipe them away. Tried to 'be strong'. Like Tifa would tell her. But she couldn't. Cloud placed a hand on her shoulder. The recognition of her pain caused fear to burst from the seems - or maybe just more pain. - Fear of more pain. She couldn't take the onslaught of uncertainty, she fled from the room.

Barret kneeled down to look her in the face. He moved the hair from her eye. 'So much for so little.' He thought. 'Biggs, Wedge, Jessie... Tifa' He couldn't retain the thought, it was as if the idea of it was impossible. 'Wake up...' he thought to himself. 'Wake up!' Why couldn't she - why wouldn't she? She was stronger than this! 'WAKE UP!' He stood and fired his gun into the air, a barrage of bullets tore through the wooden pieces of the alter falling on top of him. He didn't care. He breathed heavily, thinking about how unfair all this shit was. Cloud placed a hand on his back as well. Barret shrugged it off. Almost out of anger. Then he was whisked away by it.

Aeris removed the white materia from her hair, placing it in the front pocket of her bolero. She then untied her ribbon, letting her hair flow out. She watched the ribbon, as if it were going to do something. It had been with her nearly as long as she could remember. She knelt down over Tifa tying that pink ribbon in a bow around her neck. Then she let her head cuddle up to hers. Stroking her hair gently. 'Goodbye' She thought. But unlike the others she did not feel empty. She knew that Tifa would live on. Her sadness came because she would miss her friend, but not because she was gone.

Outside the city, Cloud held Tifa in his arms over the lake. Just in front of him is an underwater Canyon. Wrapped in one of their blankets, Tifa looked even more like she was sleeping. Cloud looked into her closed eyes one final time, before allowing her to drift to the bottom of the lake. Her ponytail slipped away from it's bind, and her hair flowed out like an angel. It was the last image he saw of his childhood friend. His love.

Tifa