CHAPTER 29:

THE DESTROYERS

Harry ran from cover to cover, trying to avoid Scarlet's attacks. Thankfully, playing Dudley's ethically dubious game of Harry Hunting had given him the ability to sprint quite fast. Not that there was much cover in the square outside the Shinra Hedquarters, but every bit counted. Aerith had told him to keep to cover and try and stay out of the battle. He had protested, but now he could see why. The Proud-Clad was giving everyone a hard time. Its ability to nullify the effects of magic using a specialised Reflect spell made things even harder.

At one point, Barrett used the Ultima Materia he'd obtained in Corel, as he was the only one not affected by the Proud-Clad's Reflect. Harry watched on in awe as the Proud-Clad was enveloped in a massive, green explosion that seemed to scream with the fury of the Planet. The massive robot-like thing was knocked down, smoke pouring from its joints.

Something rolled over to nudge against his foot with a musical tinkle. He looked down, and knelt down to grab what looked like the Knights of the Round Materia.

In the cockpit, Scarlet groaned. The Proud-Clad was taking a pounding, thanks to the tenacity of these pests. This mecha was designed to fight Weapons, how come it was being damaged by a dozen or so cockroaches?

And to make matters worse, a communications came in on her priority channel. It was an automatic system to warn of any possible adversaries advancing on Midgar. And two were nearby. Weapons.

No. Not now. She wouldn't let them destroy everything she held dear.

With a grunt, she willed the Proud-Clad to get to its feet. As she did so, she saw the Potter boy nearby, picking up a very familiar red Materia.

Lightning-fast, she lunged over and grabbed the boy. As he squirmed in her grasp, she turned to the others and activated the external speakers again. She snarled, "I have to go and destroy the Weapons. Follow me, and the boy dies!" And then, she activated the flight systems, sending the Proud-Clad soaring into the sky.

She saw the draconic form of Ultima Weapon first, soaring towards the city. But when it spotted her, it changed course to follow, roaring.

Good. You recognise me as a threat. Well, smile, you son of a bitch.

The cannon on the back of the Proud Clad rotated to face the pursuing Ultima Weapon, and then fired. The creature dodged the first two shots, but the third smashed into it, causing it to fall back with an enraged bellow, smoke billowing from its body.

As Scarlet soared above the plains, she spotted her other target. It was hard not to. It was massive, standing at least fifty feet high, and yet, it seemed almost squat. Its shoulders were wide, almost wing-like. It was a grey colour, with a red core mounted within its chest. Massive, clawed hands and feet were on the end of thick limbs. The face was strange, almost like a bear, if warped and changed.

Scarlet decided she needed an edge. It was the reason she abducted Harry, after all. Using him as a hostage was a side benefit. She landed the Proud-Clad on a hill not far away from the Weapon, albeit behind a rock so that she was out of sight and hopefully, out of the line of fire. Then, she prepared to disembark, if only temporarily. What she intended to do would ensure that she alone was triumphant…

Harry was a bit woozy. Scarlet suddenly snatching him in one of the Proud-Clad's hands had shocked him, and the sudden, speedy flight, combined with Scarlet attacking the pursuing Ultima Weapon, had overwhelmed him. He was amazed his glasses had stayed on this whole time. If he ever got out of this alive, he would either ask for contact lenses, or see if there was any magical means of healing his eyes.

He was also amazed he managed to cling on to the Materia for the Knights of the Round summon. The Materia was warm in his hand, reassuring him. He still couldn't get over the fact that, within this red crystal the size and shape of a golf ball, lay the spirits of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. How was that possible?

They had stopped moving, and suddenly, Harry found himself sprawling on rocky ground, as the hand of the Proud-Clad released him.

The robot kneeled, and the cockpit opened up. Scarlet, now dressed in a figure-hugging coverall, clambered out. She then strode over to Harry. "The Materia, now!"

Harry shook his head. "Go to hell, bitch," he snapped. It was probably the very first time he had sworn at someone, or the first time he remembered. And he meant every word. Had Aerith heard, she would have been torn between moritification, and satisfaction at Harry's venomous defiance.

Scarlet strode over to him and kicked him in the face, hard, sending his glasses flying. As he cried in pain, she grabbed his hand, curled tightly over the Materia, and snarled, "It wasn't a request, you little piece of shit. It was an order." She plucked the Materia from his hand, and stood.

Harry, though he didn't have his glasses, glared up at Scarlet. "You're just a bully! A stupid, bullying woman! And you're ugly!"

Scarlet's eyes widened, before she kicked him, again, in the stomach. "Learn your place, you little piece of shit! Everyone must learn their place! And that is below me! Me, the ruler of all the world!"

She then clambered along the rocks, until she saw Diamond Weapon lumbering along, approaching this hill. She sneered. I'll show them! I'll show them all! She channelled her power into the Materia, and called out "Final End!"

Ultima Weapon was furious. He had been shot in the face by that construct of the humans. And what was more, it had hurt! The damned thing had actually hurt badly. And Ultima Weapon didn't take being hurt lying down. If he knew of the Latin phrase Nemo me impune lacessit(1), then he would've adopted it as a motto.

He saw the construct and its pilot on a cliff near his fool of a brother. Ultima wouldn't mind seeing Diamond Weapon being hurt, but he cared more about the injury done to him. The fact that there was the Cetra boy nearby meant little. He had been contaminated by the Calamity. He needed to be destroyed. It was the reason why Ultima Weapon had pursued the contruct in the first place.

But even as Ultima sped for them, something hit it, knocking it off course. It halted in mid-air, and spun around, snarling. And there it was, the Calamity itself, still wearing its parody of a human form, but with two wings, black as night, spread from its back.

"'Sup?(2)" Jenova asked.

Nothing happened. Scarlet stared at the Materia in sheer disbelief. Disbelief gave way to fury, and she turned on Harry. "What the hell did you do to this?" she screamed.

"Nothing," Harry moaned, clutching the bruises where Scarlet had kicked him.

"LIAR!" Scarlet screamed, running over to him, and kicking him again. "DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME, YOU CETRA FREAK!"

Harry felt rage surge up inside him. "I'M NOT A FREAK!"

Scarlet sneered, hauling Harry up by the neck with both hands, dropping the Materia in her anger. "Oh, yes you are! A dirty, little, worthless FREAK! Just like everyone else in my way! Me, the Empress of this Planet!"

Once more, Scarlet made the mistake of pissing off Harry while at close range. He didn't use a Limit Break though. He didn't have to. As hard as he could, he kicked Scarlet in the stomach. Her eyes bulged, and she gagged, her diaphragm spasming as she tried to take a breath.

Harry, released, fell to the ground, hard. But he had enough presence of mind to get the Materia. He sneered at Scarlet, with an expression of such venom and hatred and contempt, no child should have it on his face. He seemed about to say something, before he shook his head. He eventually said, "You're not an Empress. You're just a bully. Just because you're grown up means nothing. I thought I had never met a worse bully than my aunt or my uncle, or Dudley. You're like my aunt, you know that? Thinks she's the queen of her little world. You're worse even than Voldemort or Sephiroth, because once you don't have your toys…you're nothing." He looked down at her. "You can't even beat a ten-year old."

Well said, came a voice into his mind, as deep as an oceanic abyss, and as dark as the event horizon of a black hole. And as he turned to face the source, the colour drained out of the world, and with it, time. Everything froze just as Harry came face to face with the Weapon, which had managed to climb the hill as he and Scarlet had fought. But words will avail you naught, young Cetra. I am sorry.

And Harry knew now that he was in even greater trouble than he was before…

Jenova smiled as Ultima Weapon glared at her. The very monster created to defeat her was dumbstruck. Not a state of affairs that would last for long, of course.

"I'm sorry, did one of your own Silence spells backfire? Do you even use Silence? I recommend an Echo Screen."

SILENCE! the creature bellowed into her mind. The Weapons could speak to all Cetra, and Jenova, even before she took some of Harry's cells, had infected many Cetra during her initial advent.

"Not very creative, you know. Yelling 'silence!', I mean. But then, you wouldn't know about creation, would you? With you, it's just destruction. That is your purpose. I admit, I was guilty of the same thing. Destroying what I couldn't absorb. We're both Destroyers, you and I. But I have realised that. What's the point of dominion over the living, when I all do is kill or consume?" She glanced at the gigantic wings protruding from her back, easily the wingspan of an airplane. Her body was no longer covered by the suit not unlike Rufus', but an elegant variation of the armour that covered her battle-form, showing off the curves of her body, while covering everything bar her head. If Minerva could appear in armour, then so could she. "Look at these wings."

Ultima merely roared and surged forward, only for Jenova to vanish, and appear behind him. "You're not looking," she sighed. "Originally, in my battle-form, it had wings, ugly things of flesh. But I didn't need wings like that. It took me a long time to realise, once I was beautiful, not a grotesque parody of beauty. I was like the Goddess who birthed you, the intelligence of an entire world."

That is blasphemy! Ultima roared, firing a beam at her, which she dodged effortlessly.

As Ultima Weapon's attacks continued, Jenova said, "It's the truth, a truth I found hard to believe, one that I forgot so long ago. Once, I had pets like you to do my bidding. Once, I summoned my Omega and my Chaos to save the Lifestream of my world. I came here to save my Planet!"

LIES! Ultima said, sending Jenova flying with a Shadow Flare, the air around her body briefly strobing from positive to negative. She crashed into the side of a mountain with a cry of pain, embedded in a hole. YOU ARE THE CALAMITY! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME ON THIS PLANET! I WILL PURGE YOU FROM EXISTENCE LIKE THE BLIGHT YOU ARE!

Jenova looked up at Ultima Weapon, and grinned, painfully. "It's like I told you before, Ultima Weapon. I am evolution embodied. Whereas you have remained stagnant. Unchanging. My body remembers things. In fact, I believe in many ways, I am not unlike a living Enemy Skills Materia. And that Shadow Flare really hit the spot. I wonder…you can dish it out. But can you take it BACK?!"

She held out her hand in a halting gesture. Suddenly, Ultima Weapon's body flared from positive to negative. He roared in pain, flailing and spasming as the magic ate into his body. As he weakened, Jenova pulled herself from the hole she had been embedded in on the side of the mountain. Her wings spread out, and her eyes glowed with a new light. The light of a Limit Break.

She flew into the sky, energy gathering around her outstretched fist as she flew at speeds no human could endure. "FIST OF THE CALAMITY!" she screamed triumphantly.

Ultima Weapon brought his hands in front of his body, crossed in front of each other, trying to shield himself from the attack. But Jenova was stronger, and she blasted through the body of the Weapon like a bullet through jelly(3).

Ultima, as he fell, whimpered, No…I have failed the Planet….the Calamity…it was too strong for me…impossible…impossible…

Then, the Weapon fell from the sky. When it hit the ground, a massive explosion rocked the area, and a crater was eaten into the very earth.

When the dust cleared, only Jenova was left, looking down at the crater not in triumph or with any satisfaction. But perhaps relief.

Harry stared into the eyes of the Weapon. And it stared back. Harry knew nothing of either Nietzsche or staring into abysses that stare back. But he would have understood that then and there.

The Weapon eventually spoke again. So, you are the Cetra child that Ultima was so furious about. Strange, how such a small child could prove to be bothersome. But the blood of the Ancients flow through your veins. You are one of the rightful heirs to the Planet(4).

Harry stared up at the Weapon. He couldn't move his mouth, but his thoughts echoed all the same. What are you doing? Why are the Weapons attacking us?

The Weapon all but blinked, insomuch as it could with time standing still. Because it is necessary, child. Do you not know the heritage of your own people?

No. I come from another world. And Aerith and I…we're the only Cetra left on the Planet. Well, Sirius too, I guess.

Ah. One of the exiles, who fled the Planet during the original Calamity. Or rather, a descendant of the exiles. It saddens me to know that the Cetra are almost no more.

How can you be saddened? You're trying to kill people!

Yes. But for the Greater Good, I must. I am Diamond Weapon, the harvester of life. Do you not know about the Lifestream, child? For every human, every animal and plant that dies, energy returns to the Lifestream. With the threat of Meteor about to come down, the Planet needs every scrap of energy that it can to survive.

Harry's eyes would have widened if he could move. But that's what Sephiroth wants! That's why he summoned Meteor. They told me he intended to absorb all the Lifestream that would be gathered at the wound Meteor creates! He wants to become a God!

Diamond Weapon considered this. Eventually, he said, An insane scheme. I know of the one of whom you speak, the one who sits behind a fortress of energy within the Great Northern Crater. But even to one as powerful as he, he cannot hope to absorb so much Lifestream without destroying himself. It may be possible that he does manage it. But it is more likely that he will merely destroy himself, and take perhaps the whole Planet with him. Either way, the Planet will suffer, and perhaps die.

For a time, there was a pause. Eventually, Harry said, What will you do?

I will do what is my purpose, child. I shall return you and the woman to the Lifestream. And then, all those in the human dwellings. Only then does the Planet have a chance at survival.

No! We can beat Sephiroth! We want to fight him, to stop him! Aerith has summoned Holy!

And it is being blocked by Sephiroth. I know this. And even if you do the unthinkable, and free Holy from its chains, what then? It may destroy Meteor, but it subjects the entire Planet and all who dwell on it to Judgement. Humans may very well be erased from existence along with Meteor. You have been absorbing the Lifestream for your own, petty ends. Colour bled back into the world, and the Weapon raised a massive paw, to send it crashing down on Harry. I am sorry, child. I will make your death quick.

Harry dodged as Diamond Weapon sent the Proud-Clad hurtling off the cliff, and thrust out the Summon Materia. "I'm sorry too. But I won't let you kill anyone any more." As the Summon Materia glowed, and tears ran from his eyes, he called out, "Final End!"

Diamond Weapon's eyes widened as knight after knight attacked it. Then, at the end of the interminable onslaught, Arthur materialised once more. "For Merlin, for Godric, for Rowena, for Helga, and for Salazar…I will slay you!" With that final attack, Diamond Weapon was cleaved in two.

As the bottom half of the creature fell away, down the cliff it had climbed up, the eyes, the ancient, knowing eyes of Diamond Weapon focused on Harry. No hatred in them, just sorrow. Eventually, Diamond Weapon said, I sleep now, until all heroes die, and our services are truly needed, may that day never come again. Go, Cetra child, and do not fail the Planet. And then, it let go, falling silently.

For a moment, Harry stood there silently, even as the ground rocked and shuddered from Diamond Weapon's body hitting the ground. Then, an arm snaked around his neck from behind.

"Now I get it…" Scarlet hissed, plucking the Materia from his grasp. "I ran out of magical energy, or enough to use this Materia. Should've drank an Ether. But we don't have any, which is a shame. Now, come with me, you little shit. You're my hostage…"

CHAPTER 29 ANNOTATIONS:

Well, Ultima and Diamond Weapons have been defeated. The Proud-Clad has been destroyed. But Scarlet isn't out for the count yet. Jenova kicks Ultima Weapon's arse (partly because she's more confident now, and partly because she's grown more powerful after consuming Hojo). And Harry gets what is easily his most badass moments so far: verbally smacking down Scarlet, staring down Diamond Weapon, and killing him with Knights of the Round. And Diamond Weapon faces his death with considerably more dignity than his brother.

Harry also swears for the first time, or at least pretty strong stuff. Partly AVALANCHE's influence (one reviewer noted that Cid and Barrett are major potty-mouths), and partly because, well, this is Scarlet we're talking about here.

BTW, sorry if Jenova basically being an Enemy Skills Materia seems like an asspull. I thought maybe she might have that ability, given that she's a being that assimilates memory and biological strength. Plus, I thought it appropriate for Ultima Weapon to have Shadow Flare turned against him.

By the way, noticed Diamond Weapon using the phrase 'for the Greater Good'? Yep, that was deliberate…

1. I mentioned this famous Latin phrase in my Borderlands 2 fanfic, Hooked on a Feeling. Nemo me impune lacessit means 'Nobody attacks me with impunity'. Or, 'nobody attacks me and gets away with it'.

2. I thought of Lilith's cool debut in Borderlands 2, and her rather casual words to the player, so I pinched it for Jenova. I very nearly wrote a character splash, but I had to forcibly remind myself (with a rolled up newspaper) that this isn't a Borderlands crossover.

3. Here, Jenova is channelling what Goku did to King Piccolo in the original Dragonball. Only Jenova, while injured, is nowhere near as bad a state as Goku was at the end of that battle…

4. I deliberately echoed Sephiroth's similar line when he goes insane in Nibelheim.

CHAPTER 29 SOUNDTRACK:

Scarlet's Fury, Harry's Abduction, and Ultima's Pursuit: Battle Against the Four Fiends (Black Mages version), from Final Fantasy IV, originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu, performed by the Black Mages.

The Calamity versus the Weapon: KURAYAMINOKUMO (aka, This is the Last Battle, Black Mages version), from Final Fantasy III, originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu, performed by the Black Mages.

Diamonds Aren't Forever, or, The Cetra Boy and the Ancient Weapon: The Kingdom of Burmecia, from Final Fantasy IX, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.