Chapter 9

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The team paced around the top of the cliff, shivering from the cold. Yuffie stomped her foot and tilted her head back, letting out an agitated sigh.

"What the hell is happening?" She cried out, annoyed that Cloud had gone weird and left them to fight Sephiroth on his own. Nobody answered her, a grim expression on their faces. The young ninja didn't seem to notice as she continued to moan.

"I mean, it's not enough that Nanaki and I fight with him is it? Nooo! He just has to go off and do it himself."

"It was what he wanted from the beginning." Tifa sighed, having had enough of the girl's whining. Yuffie turned to her.

"What? Are you saying Cloud wanted to kill himself from the beginning? That doesn't surprise me with all his angst radiating off him!" She replied.

"He wants to face Sephiroth on his own, to pay him back for what he did to Nibelheim." Tifa countered, her anger starting to show through her calm exterior. Yuffie folded her arms.

"It's not about Nibelheim anymore and you know it." She muttered. Everyone heard her though and, whether they liked to think it or not, they knew the truth was that it was more for Aeris now than anything else. Nibelheim didn't seem to matter to Cloud as much as what the silver-haired man had done to Aeris. The silence was painful as it lingered in the air. Cid lit a cigarette and took out his pHs, dialling his home number. He waited but it went through to the answer machine again.

"Shera, why aren't you picking up? You haven't spoken in the whole six weeks we've been gone." Yuffie raised an eyebrow as she listened to Cid. She was surprised there was not a curse word in there. He sounded like he was actually worried about her instead of annoyed at her. The pilot hung up after the message and replaced it in his pocket.

"Don't worry Cid." Nanaki spoke suddenly. "She'll be busy outside and not hearing the phone going."

"Or she'll be in the toilet sometimes when you call. That happens to me." Cait Sith assured him.

"Yeah or you'll be phoning when she's out getting supplies or something." Tifa added. Cid smiled gently at their reassuring but he couldn't help but have a bad feeling in his gut.

"Cloud should be here by now." Yuffie said suddenly as she stared at the entrance to the crater. Tifa seemed to agree this time.

"Let's go and find him." She ordered. In single file, the group made their way back down to the centre of the cave. Tifa stormed ahead to the edge of the cliff and watched. Suddenly, she heard rumbling and the ground beneath her started to shake. She saw it crack and without thinking, she leapt to the other side. She looked back in time to see the rest jump back as rocks fell from the ceiling.

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Cloud lifted his sword and started coldly at Sephiroth. The silver-haired warrior said nothing, just stared with a smirking gleam in his eyes. As Cloud watched him, he felt all the anger build up inside him. He thought of Nibelheim and how his hero had destroyed it. He thought of Zack and how, if Sephiroth hadn't destroyed Nibelheim, Zack and Cloud would probably have never been caught and used as experiments.

But most of all, he thought of Aeris and his unborn child. How Sephiroth had killed two lives important to him in just a single stab. The anger became uncontrollable and before he knew it, he was charging towards his ex-hero, sword raised and a fire of hate burning in his eyes. He saw a slight flicker of surprise pass through the emerald orbs before him before he slashed Sephiroth. Again and again he lifted his sword and cut across the silver-haired man's body. The older male was so surprised, he couldn't block most of them, resulting in massive injury.

Cloud continued, with every slash a memory of Aeris' smile, her laugh, her touch, her eyes flashed before his eyes. They all echoed in his mind as he attacked.

After what seemed like forever, Sephiroth's weapon crashed to the ground. Cloud stopped as he watched Sephiroth fall back, almost in slow motion. Lights surrounded the older man until he disappeared into the lifestream.

Cloud sheathed his sword and panted to get his breath back, He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks. Even after he had avenged her, he didn't feel any better about what had happened to her, didn't feel as if he could accept it any easier. Behind his closed lids, e could detect small particles of green light slowing surrounding them. He slowly opened his eyes and stared as the small orbs became big strands circling his body.

"Lifestream?" He muttered watching as the light travelled upwards. His eyes followed, widening as they saw a hand; Aeris hand, breaking through the large white circle of light. Without a second thought, he reached up to her, thinking that if he could just grab that hand, maybe just maybe it would somehow bring her back. Maybe somehow, he could restore her to the living world.

He suddenly blinked and the light was gone, instead it was Tifa reaching for him, calling his name. Cloud looked down as the ground shook beneath him and suddenly he realised what Aeris was trying to do. He raced towards Tifa as the ledge beneath her started to break. He grabbed her with one hand, the edge of another ridge with another.

"I think I understand now." He whispered. Tifa looked up at him. "A message from the promised land. I think I can meet her there." Her eyes saddened slightly but she gave the barest of nods.

"Yeah," She replied. "Let's go and meet her." Cloud rolled onto the ledge, helping her up after himself. Across on the other side, he could see the rest of the gang. Tifa waved to them, smiling.

"Thank God they're alright."

"Holy is moving." Nanaki warned. "We don't want to be here." Cid, his cigarette still between his teeth as usual, looked to the entrance to the cave.

"Lady Luck, won't you do me one last favour?" He pleaded. Almost as if they had heard, the crew of the Highwind crashed the large plane through the entrance, making it level for the group to jump on. As soon as everyone was aboard, Cid took over, steering it out of the way just as Holy burst through and speeded for Midgar. Everyone held their breathes as they watched the blue light travel towards the large, red meteor hovering above the Mako city. Nanaki stepped forward, having better vision than the rest to see what was going on.

"Holy is doing more harm than good." He muttered as they watched the higher plate of Midgar get caught in a wind or red dust. Tifa closed her eyes mournfully as Barret punched the railing.

"What about Midgar? What about the people there?" He cried.

"I had everyone take shelter in the slums." Cait Sith explained solemnly. "But I don't think it will do any good."

"Forget Midgar." Nanaki growled. "We're looking at the end of the Planet!" Tifa opened her eyes from shock of the statement. It was then that a beam of light caught her eye as it broke through the Planet's crust.

"Look!" She called, pointing to it. Everyone raced to the edge to get a better look.

"Lifestream." Cloud whispered just enough for everyone to hear. They watched as dozens of similar beams broke through and raced towards the huge rock towering over the Planet. It joined forces with Holy, forcing Meteor back and as it went further back, the smaller the large rock would become. The light was blinding now and they all had to shield their eyes and turn their heads away. But just before Cloud did, he saw an image of Aeris in the sky. Her face was surrounded with small orbs of dancing lights and she smiled in that one second. Then she was gone.

"Aeris." He breathed, not sure, if it was real or not.

"Let's get going then." Cid broke the silence. "We'll head over to mine and have a cup of tea before I drop you guys off." Everyone seemed happy enough with the idea and went to occupy the short time it would take to the destination.

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The house was deathly silent until a faint rattling of keys were heard being put into the locks. It was so quiet you could hear every creak of the door as it opened.

"What the fuck? Shera why have you got the lights off?" Cid cried, reaching up and switching it on. Tifa and Yuffie's scream when the room was illuminated caused him to look in their direction. The girls were hugging each other, looking away from the bloody body before them. The guys all had looks of disgust at the sight on their faces. Cid felt a lump in his throat as he took a step forward.

"Shera?" He questioned, hardly recognising her. Cloud turned his head away, his eyes widening as they fell upon the opposite wall.

"See you soon." Was written all across it with a signature underneath.

"Sephiroth." Cloud stated. Everyone looked at him in shock. Tifa shook her head.

"No. I know Sephiroth is crazy but what reason did he have to kill Shera?"

"I don't know. But how many people do you know called Sephiroth?" Cloud replied. Tifa had to admit he was right, it only led to Sephiroth.

"I don't know why he would kill Shera though." She repeated, still shaking her head. The rest of the team stayed in silence knowing that this scene would never leave their memories.

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A.N: That's the end of the Final Fantasy game part of the story(plus the makey up part of Shera dying). The next chapter is set 4 years later. I wasn't originally going to have the AC movie in this as it wasn't out over here but then it came out half way through. However, I feel I have already done this on the basis that Advent Children didn't happen and it would be easier to stick to that. So four years it is. Might have some 4 year old Sora in there too.