A/N: For some reason I never received an email for Chapter 23 and 24...which means you may not have either! Please go back and read them if you have not done so! This Chapter WILL BE EXTREMELE SHORT, as there are only two chapters remaining—the next chapter and the epilogue! The next Chapter, the showdown, will be obscenely long because I don't want to split it up. Sorry if this pesters you!

Khrystal: Ya know what they say, from the ashes and all that. :) Looking to wrap this up soon, though!

Fooler: Er...not...sure what to say...

Guest: Ah. Eh heh. I'm not really any good at writing those scenes—at least not to me! I guess I just feel like I'm pretty corny with em, haha.

Shionlover: Haha, yeah, Aerith got herself into a bit of a predicament! Fear not, though, for here is another Chapter!

Zexydemyx66: And here is more!

Hfd: You're the second...maybe third person to ask for lemon scenes. -_-; I have tried to type them, I just feel...clutzy, doing so? I dunno, lol. Don't wanna publish anything too cheesy!

HazzaTL3: I am back! And yes, he did, which is why he didn't make a fuss about it. Of course, Aerith had no idea of what he was planning.

Recommended Listened: Your Preference

Final Fantasy VII

Shadow: Chapter 25

"Well now lad, ye look right distressed," came the gruff voice that Zack had come to actually enjoy. The voice meant Orin, which he felt meant hope. He opened his eyes to see Orin sitting at the familiar table. He need only gesture and an ale appeared, which he grabbed heartily.

"I've been wracking my brain trying to find a way to use Holy to stop Meteor, if beating Sephiroth doesn't do it. Or even, use Holy to get both of em in one swoop. I just...I don't want anyone to die for it," Zack said as he collapsed into the chair across from Orin.

Orin had turned, facing his chair outwards, but had his body turned to Zack and the arm which held the ale was draped across the table. "Aye, bein' a hero is never easy. But sometimes, lad, it isn't about savin' everyone. Sometimes, bein' the hero means bein' able to do what needs to be done...even if it costs lives."

"I'm not sacrificing Aerith just so she can summon Holy," Zack seethed back and Orin merely closed his eyes and nodded.

"Either way, lad, Holy costs a life. It's not because it's cruel, but because it's a sacrifice, and th' ultimate one. It's th' greatest gift someone can give, to save someone else—or in this case, th' planet. Holy, like all materia, is born o' the planet. It costs so much energy to use, that one person cannot simply store enough...and so it takes the energy the planet gave you," Orin said.

Zack looked up from the spot he was glaring at on the table. "And then we...return to the Lifestream." Orin nodded.

"Wait...return. That means all of our energy is born from the Lifestream. It's...it's a circle right? The Lifestreams sustains the planet, gives us grass, trees, water, animals...and we consume half those, hense how we get energy from the Lifestream, right," Zack rushed and Orin blinked.

"Aye...but-"

"Then it doesn't necessarily NEED a life, right? I mean, all we need is some place with enough energy from the planet already and Holy can siphon that," Zack burst out, standing. "And Sephiroth is entrenched in the biggest wound the planet has!"

Orin was silent for a moment, causing Zack to fidget before he finally spoke. "I canno' say if that's true, lad. I don' wan' ta get yer hopes up...far as I know, Holy costs th' life o' an Ancient. Period."

Zack collapsed back into his chair. "I don't want to...Aerith," Zack mumbled and Orin nodded.

"Sometimes, lad...heroes have to make the hard choice. Their life...or someone elses."

Zack awoke when it was still dark, Orin's words still ringing in his head.

It's not easy being the good guy...

He looked over and saw Aerith curled towards him. With her bow out of her hair, her chestnut locks were splayed across her pillow. Her features were peaceful and her pink lips were slightly parted as she slept soundly. Zack stared for a long moment, taking in each feature. The shape of her lips, the curve of her small nose, the way she smelled, her expression...everything he could.

How could he let someone so beautiful, so elegant, someone who represented everything that was still good in the world, sacrifice herself so that they could live in peace? No. He'd killed hundreds—hell, thousands more likely—because he was told to. He had taken fathers from families, sons from mothers...deep down, he wasn't really any better than Sephiroth, he supposed. There wasn't anything innocent about him.

If Holy truly needed a life...if it really required that someone pay the ultimate price so that the world could live in peace, it'd be his repentance for all the lives he had taken. He leaned over slightly and placed a small, light kiss on her lips before he gracefully left the bed.

He wouldn't wake the others. There was no need. When this was all said and done, when they finally woke up, the world would already be saved.

He dressed with a practiced quiet and ease in the dark before leaving quickly. The hum of the airship masked his quiet steps as he approached the armory and plucked the Buster Sword from it's resting place.

"I figured you'd try something like this," came a smooth baritone and Zack nearly leapt out of his skin before turning to see Cloud leaning against the door frame. "I'm not letting you face Sephiroth alone, Zack."

"Cloud..," Zack began but Cloud stood from the door frame and cut him off.

"He killed my mother, almost everyone from my childhood, burned my home town to the ground, and almost killed Tifa, and is now trying to destroy the Planet. You're my best friend and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. None of us would. Allow me to return the favor."

Zack looked at Cloud in silence for a long moment, his own face a mask of seriousness that it rarely took. "So it's about revenge?"

"He needs to be stopped, Zack, or he'll kill everyone and everything we know." Cloud gave a small smirk. "Revenge is...a bonus."

Zack let out a small chuckle. "...how can I say no to that? No heroics though. If things look hairy, I want you to bail."

"Same goes to you. After all...you have a wedding to attend, right?"

Zack blinked, jaw dropping open. "How...?"

"Aerith told Tifa about it. I have to say, Zack, I'm surprised. You said you'd propose to her, but your quiet little flower girl beat you to it."

Zack let out a small groan before Cloud gave him a small smile and stuck out his hand. "Congratulations. Well deserved."

Zack looked from the hand to Cloud before taking it. "Never thought I'd see the day when 'Cloud the Stern' was trying to make light with me."

Cloud shrugged. "I've spent too long regretting the past. I have to focus on the future, now, that's clear to me."

"Yeah, but to do that we have to get rid of a silver haired psychopath hell bent on hitting the Planet with a rock o' doom," Zack said as they secured their parachutes.

Cloud gave a small snort. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it."

The two swordsman stepped out onto the catwalk of the ship in silence, looking down into the dark chasm they were getting ready to descend to.

"I'll make you a bet" Zack yelled over the whipping wind, "last one there's gotta pay for drinks at my wedding!" And with that he leaped off, causing Cloud to smirk again before following suit.

A/N: Next Chapter, the final show down! R&R please!