Here's the promised second chapter...this one's a little short to but oh well. Enjoy.

Chapter 35: Final battle?

Kira glanced over at Vincent as he walked over to the airship before running up to the man with a grin. He blinked down at her confused noticing a change that had come over his friend as she asked "Shall we?" He nodded and followed her onto the airship heading towards the bridge. As they walked Vincent observed his young friend noting that her eyes no longer held a hidden sorrow and even her walk seemed lighter than it had before.

He shook his head asking "What did you figure out?"

Kira glanced back at him confused for a second before saying "I just…got rid of some baggage that I had been carrying around for far too long."

He nodded and as they walked onto the bridge both of them blinked in surprise as Cloud exclaimed "Vincent! Kira!"

Kira smirked placing a hand on her hip asking "What? You think I was going to let you have all the fun?"

She glanced over at Vincent as he turned around, everyone staring at him perplexed, asking "Why such a puzzled look? You don't want me to come?"

Cloud slumped explaining quietly "No, it's just that you're always so cold. I thought you didn't care what was happening."

Vincent turned around asking "Cool? Hmm…I guess that's just how I am, sorry."

Kira bit back a laugh as she leaned around Vincent saying "Besides it's those quiet ones that you have to look out for. They'll always be the ones to surprise you."

The others stared at her with equally perplexed expressions and she tilted her head curiously asking "What?"

Barret shook his head asking "Are you high on Mako or something? You never act like this."

Kira blinked and looked at him before giving a small smile as she said "No, I'm not high on anything. I…haven't felt this light in almost a year. Let's just say I got rid of some baggage that was weighing me down."

Kira watched as Vincent jumped back to his usual spot as an alarm went off and Barret announced "Well lookey-here. The Shinra Manager's come back."

Kira grinned as the mechanical cat shuddered back to life and he bounced forward, stopping in front of Cloud slumping "Uh, excuse me but…I wanted to come with the main group, but I couldn't get away…so some people in Midgar took me in. I know I have a stuffed animal body, but I'll work really hard!" Kira reached over and patted the cat's head causing it to look back at her as she grinned the cat perking up as she smiled welcomingly at it.

Cait moved over to one of the stations and Barret said "I guess that's everyone."

Kira and Red shook their heads Red saying "No, Yuffie's missing."

Kira adding on "Don't forget our ninja."

Barret waved the two of them off saying "She ain't gonna show up. Least this time she didn't steal our materia. Guess we gotta be thankful for that."

Kira rolled her eyes as Yuffie dropped from the ceiling and threw 'punches' at various people in the group before exclaiming "How could you say that?! I came all the way here after being seasick as a dog! I didn't go through all that just to have you guys have the best parts all to yourselves!"

Cloud rolled his eyes and turned around to face the ninja saying "Welcome back, Yuffie."

Yuffie nodded stunned as she said "Gee, Cloud…that's so nice of you to say that. …You sick? Well, whatever. I'm gonna be in my reserved seat in the hall….waiting…upp!...Urk!"

The ninja vanished running out off the bridge as Cloud moved to the front bowing as he said "Thanks everyone."

Kira grinned as Barret turned to the blond exclaiming "We didn't come back for your spiky headed ass!"

Kira calling over to the larger man "Thanks for taking the words right out of my mouth."

Barret flashed her a grin before continuing "We came back for Marlene. Guess it's jes' my….whatcha call, feelings or somethin'. I, uh I ain't got no words now…"

Kira rolled her eyes, ignoring the double negative once again before looking down at Red as he said "Although she's not here, she left us a window of opportunity…"

Cid nodded as he said "We can't let it go like this."

Cloud turned around to stare out the window muttering "…Aerith. She was smiling to the end. We have to do something, or that smile will just freeze like that. Let's all go together. Memories of Aerith…Although she should've returned to the planet by now, something stopped her and now she's stuck…We've got to let go of Aerith's memory."

Cid looked between everyone that was gathered on the bridge and asked "Has anyone here changed their mind?"

Kira grinned as she said "I'll change my mind when you kill me and toss me off this ship, no guarantees I won't haunt your asses and follow you anyways."

They chuckled before Cloud turned to Cid saying "I'm counting on you, Cid."

The pilot thumbed his nose sarcastically saying "Yeah, yeah… There are 2 levers here that've been buggin' me for a while now… Let me try them out."

Kira blinked as the pilot ran over to the driver's station and she muttered "Oh, Goddess he's going to kill all of us." Red glanced up at the girl noting the smirk on her face and chuckled.

Everyone directed their attention to Cloud as he announced "Our target is the North Cave. The enemy is… Sephiroth! So let's move out!" Cid pulled the levers and Kira grabbed onto the railing so she didn't lose her balance as they suddenly picked up an enormous amount of speed. They had only been going for about 15 minutes when Cloud announced "We're almost to the North Cave! We're on our way, Sephiroth!" Kira smirked before looking up as alarms went off and Cloud asked "What is it, Cid?"

As the pilot struggled with the wheel he grunted managing to say "Some incredible force! Losing…control…!" Kira blinked as crew members suddenly rushed onto the bridge and grabbed the wheel as Cid yelled at them "Get the hell outta here, flunkies! Didn't I tell you all to go home?!"

The response that he got was an unexpected one because it caused Cid to gawp at them as the crew member answered "Yes, sir. This is our home!!"

Shaking off his surprise Cid growled at them "Oh ma--…stop trying to act so cool. All right, you jokers! Hold me down with everything you got!! Geronimo!!"

Kira grunted as they basically crash landed into the side of the crater and watched as Cloud ran off the bridge only to return a few minutes later and talk to the pilot. Kira pushed herself away from the railing as Cloud turned to everyone and they followed him onto the deck and off of the ship heading into the pit where the Lifestream was gathered. As they headed down everyone stopped as they came across an intersection. Kira glanced back at Cloud as he said "The road splits into two. We'll split into two groups." Kira, Vincent, Yuffie, Cait Sith, and Red moved to stand in front of the left path, the others going to the right. Before either groups headed down their path Cloud turned back to everyone saying "Now don't any of you die on me. Gotta get through to Sephiroth!"

Kira looked up at Vincent as he growled quietly "It's all over now. With the…"

Kira rolled her eyes and followed after her friend as he ran down the path calling over her shoulder "Catch you guys later!" Kira glanced back to see Yuffie, Red, and Cait Sith running after the two faster members of the group each having said their bit to the ones that were headed down the other path. Kira growled as they came up against another fork in the road and glancing over her shoulder yelled "Red! You, Yuffie, and Cait go down that path! Me and Vincent will go down this one! Be careful!!" She and Vincent headed towards the path that sloped down, the others going up. Jumping over a boulder Kira sped up until she was running next to Vincent. Her eyes narrowed as they met an unusually light resistance as they ran over the broken path often time leaping over small canyons. The two of them paused as they came up to a glowing pit, skirting it they moved to where they could head down. Sighing they paused as the others joined them at the center, Kira grunting as Yuffie jumped on the former SOLDIERs back, the ninja almost hurting herself on Kira's sword.

Moving to a lower ledge Kira looked up at Cloud as he asked "This is the center of the Planet…?" Kira sighed and shook the ninja off her back so she could lean against a rock. Yuffie sighed as Cloud walked up to her and reluctantly handed over a materia that she had found. Kira glanced at Cloud, smirked and winked at the blond as he passed. He paused at the edge of the rock stairs and turned back to everyone saying "All right, everyone, let's mosey."

Kira's eye twitched and Cid threw up his hands in frustration yelling "Damn! Again! Stop sayin' it like a wimp! Can't you say 'Move out!' or somethin'?"

Cloud scratched the back of his head before ordering "Move out!!" Kira chuckled and nodded before her eyes narrowed as she felt the tremors in the ground and she stopped and turned around. She sighed and jumped up onto the higher ledge as she watched the stream of monsters that were headed their way.

Glancing over at the blond Kira smirked saying "Get a move on Cloud. We'll handle this."

Cloud shook his head yelling back at her "I'm fighting here too."

Kira growled as she pulled her sword off her back as she responded "No way in hell are you staying here! It won't do anyone any good if we're all here and then exhausted when we go to fight Sephiroth. Cloud…go. Finish what you came here to do."

The blond stared up at her for a moment before he quietly said "Kira…" He knew that she had just as much of a reason to fight Sephiroth but…she was willing to stay behind.

Kira smirked focusing on the creatures in front of her saying "We'll catch up later."

He nodded after a moment Tifa and Barret joining him as he said to the others "All of you! Later!"

Kira's mouth twitched into a small smile as she nodded Cid saying "Yup! Later!"

Kira glanced at the others as Cid held up his weapon muttering "Well, I guess it's time to make one last stand."

Kira grinned as she moved to stand next to the pilot saying "This is the second last stand that I've had to make. Let's hope my luck with last stands holds out and we make it through this one." Cid nodded with a chuckle before they jumped forward with a yell into the sea of monsters that were headed their way.

Kira groaned as she sat up and ran a hand over her face. Looking around in confusion she spotted the others getting up as well, this wasn't where she had been a few seconds ago. She had been about to kill a Guard Armor and there was no Guard Armor in sight just a bright light incased in a red, living, stone like structure. She gasped as a shockwave blasted out of the light and everyone found themselves floating. Kira blinked and looked back down at the ground muttering "Well this is disconcerting."

Her eyes widened as Sephiroth appeared before them in front of the light orb and she leveled a glare at her "brother" as Cloud exclaimed "Sephiroth!!"

Another shockwave blasted them further from the orb and Barret grunted asking in alarm "Is this…the true power of Sephiroth?" Kira sighed and crossed her arms sitting Indian style in mid-air focused on the man before her instead of the panic that her companions were working through.

She glanced at them as they charged forward only to be knocked back by another shockwave causing Kira to sigh and straighten up, her hands shoved into her pockets as she called over to the man "Sephy, Sephy, Sephy. This isn't the greatest way to find a challenge." She watched as a smirk flashed across his face and his eyes shifted to hers while she looked down at him a smirk of her own on her face.

He focused on her for a moment before saying "It's a shame your despair has left. Perhaps I should give it back to you."

Kira shrugged shaking her head as she said "Sorry I have a no return policy." Her hands came out of her pockets and she charged forward dodging the shockwave that knocked the others, except for Cloud, Tifa, and Barret, aside. Renshu and Masamune clashed together sparks emitting from the two blades. Kira's eyes narrowed as Sephiroth pushed forward and she didn't have anything to brace herself on. Sweeping his blade forward he knocked Kira back, the woman flying straight towards a floating boulder. Flipping she landed on her feet and watched as the others took the opportunity to attack the silver haired man before launching herself forward for another attack that Sephiroth blocked. They all jumped back as Sephiroth contorted and changed into a monster. Kira didn't even blink having seen this happen before but the others all stepped back in surprise before attacking it again. Kira sat back for a brief moment and watched as they attacked the creature analyzing it carefully, only stepping in when they seemed to actually need help attacking one part of it simultaneously. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that some portions would revive themselves and heaved a sigh of frustration as she began to actively take part in the battle without the information that she had been trying to get.

The group of four watched as the creature began to fall to the side before vanishing. Their victory was short lived as a part monster part human Sephiroth descended on them, Kira jumping in front of the others as he casted Pale Horse and she repelled it with a barrier. As Sephiroth rose further into the air she threw a hand in front of her sending a barrage of fire his way. He put up his own barrier blocking the fire. Kira's eyes widened in shock as he cast Super Nova and she put her hands in front of her concentrating as much power as she could into the barrier, glancing at the others for a moment ordering "Get behind me." The three of them complied as her barrier flared with power as it connected with Sephiroth's attack. The defensive and offensive magic strained against each other and Kira watched as cracks formed on her shield. Growling in frustration, Kira forced more power into the shield and it flared before shattering as the attack died. Kira dropped to one knee gasping for breath and while Cloud and Barret rushed forward to attack Sephiroth, Tifa knelt next to the woman casting cure and handing her a Mega-elixir. Kira nodded and gulped the thing down quickly before forcing herself back up, stumbling slightly as she stood before regaining her balance in time to dodge an attack. She had barely landed when she had to dodge again wincing when Sephiroth suddenly started to flare with light and dissipate. Kira raised a hand as grey feathers floated down and she caught one of them and twirled it thoughtfully in between her fingers before pocketing it and following the others back up to the entrance of the pit.

Kira sat down with a sigh her back leaning against a rock, Red laying next to her his head on her lap, as Cloud looked down at the pit muttering "This is all we can do." The former SOLDIER glanced at her companions as most of them sat around the pit exhausted, more some than others.

Kira closed her eyes as she listened to Barret exclaim "Wait! What about Holy? What's gonna happen to the Planet?"

She opened one eye and watched as Cloud remained silent for a moment before turning around, shaking his head, and saying "That…I don't know. Isn't the rest up to the Planet?"

Kira shrugged when he glanced over at her questioningly before looking towards Tifa as she murmured "…You're right. We've done all we could do."

Kira scratched Red behind the ears lightly causing the feline to glance up at her for a moment before settling down tiredly while Cloud looked between everyone saying "All right, everyone. It's no use thinking about it. We'll leave all out worries here. Let's go home proud." Everyone nodded silently before pushing themselves up and heading out of the cavern.

Kira paused for a moment before placing a hand on Tifa's shoulder saying "Stay with Cloud." The girl looked up at the former SOLDIER and nodded as Kira walked out, glancing back at the two before heading into the dark cave tunnel thinking This fight isn't over for him. Sephy would never give up that easily, not like that. The man is too damn stubborn to go out like that. I just hope Cloud will be able to handle the fight to come. Cloud…may you win…so you can keep yourself. The others glanced back at her for a moment as she heaved a worried sigh before shrugging at each other and moving on. Cid was the first to notice that Cloud and Tifa weren't following the group and he turned back stopping when Kira placed a hand on his shoulder saying "Give them time." The man huffed worriedly and crossed his arms before walking back to the front, lighting a cig as he walked.

Vincent glanced back at Kira noting the worry in her eyes and frowned slightly asking her quietly "What's wrong?"

Kira glanced up at him for a moment before sighing as she replied "There are some fights that no one can help you with." His eyes narrowed in confusion as they walked on the worry never leaving her eyes.