By a Fraction of a Degree

A FFVII Fanfiction work by findthetiger129

Rated T for Violence and Language.

I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or any of the characters, trademarks or likenesses from Final Fantasy VII or its spin-offs That honor goes to Square-Enix.

Part II: Reunion

Chapter 37, Happy New Year, Cloud

December 31st [ ν ] – εуλ 0007

Cid took hold of a rope and slid down to land in a crouch in front of them, and Barret and Nanaki landed behind him. Yuffie on the other hand seemed to have gone into a swan dive… "Cloud! You're okay!" and the blonde swordsman barely caught her in time.

"Yuffie?" he held her up like a cat that had just tried to claw his face.

"Is that any way to thank us after we went through all this trouble to help save you?!" She fussed at him.

He gave her a confused look and Zack laughed. "Cid thought if we got his ship back we could get to the North Crater in half the time. If you were still out of it when they got back we could at least get there quicker and get Sephiroth to stop messing with you."

"You were that worried about me?" Cloud asked, looking at Yuffie with raised eyebrows.

She pouted as he put her down. "I was just worried about where your materia would go, you idiot. If you weren't around to give them to me, then there was no way Zack would let me have'em," she grumbled. Zack watched her wander off a little, but as she walked a short distance away he could have sworn he caught the sound of a half concealed sniff.

Zack turned his attention back to the man in front of him. "Cid?"

The pilot lit his cigarette and puffed at it for a second before answering. "You've got yourself a ship. The crew's ready when you are."

"Great," Zack said.

"So how did you make out? Since the other kid's standing here, you must have pulled something off," Cid observed.

"Yeah, we can talk about it on the way there." Zack straightened up as he considered what the next course of action needed to be. After looking around, he realized that everyone who he thought would be going was present. That made it all the easier to issue orders. "Everyone needs to pack for snow. The Northern Crater is almost at the top of the Planet. A couple of us have run missions on the Northern Continent before, and we can tell you, the weather is bitter even if you're SOLDIER. We leave as soon as Cissnei gets here." With that, Zack gestured that everyone else follow him back to the lodge.

The remainder of the day was spent making preparations, since no one wanted to even consider going into a fight against Sephiroth without have done so adequately. However, it was now just after eleven o'clock, and Cissnei was supposed to be here any time.

"Zack!"

He was about to head out the back door with the Buster Sword on his back when he saw Cait Sith hurrying to catch him. 'What's up?"

The little cat reached behind him, revealing a small megaphone with a button on the handle. "It was the doctor's idea. She said that auditory stimulation seemed to have worked pretty well last time, so she asked Cid ta install this buzzer into me megaphone. What d'ya think?"

Zack smiled grimly. "I think it means we're still in the fight. Too bad you don't have one of those cattle prods too, just in case the sound doesn't carry. I know things can get a little heated out there and it might not be loud enough."

The cat laughed somewhat uncomfortably. "We considered that, but we fig'red if worst came ta worst, I could just jump off me mog and climb to yer ear. I don't have anythin' to do for Cloud though, if that doesn' work…"

"I'm hoping he'll be able to hold his own a little better this time," Zack said. "But if things do get bad, Rayleigh's given Tifa her Sleep materia, and made sure none of his equipment gives him immunity to it."

The cat nodded solemnly. "If it's what we have ta do lad." He heard an assenting grunt out of his speaker that indicated Reeve was in full agreement, and the mog waddled off, apparently so that Cait could assist Rayleigh with some of her equipment. She wasn't coming into the crater, but had insisted on being shipboard for the mission, given that if a lot of heavy fighting was involved, a Cure materia might not cut it for all possible injuries.

Zack turned and continued out the back door to find Tifa standing out on the porch by herself. "Where's Cloud?" he asked.

"He went off towards the spring," she answered. "He said he wanted to practice a little more before we left."

"Ah." He stepped off the porch and looked up at the starlit sky for a few moments. That had been an incredible spar this afternoon. If it had told him anything, it had been that Cloud was ready for this. At the end there, he'd almost gained the upper hand, and Zack had really had to work hard to keep meeting his strikes fast enough. If they'd been going at it for real and his sword hadn't snapped, Cloud probably would have won. They were quiet for a little while, and then he continued in the direction of the woods. "I'm gonna go out and get him, I'll be right back."

"Be careful!" Tifa called after him. He waved and then walked into the trees. He didn't need any more than the starlight to see by as he went, simply taking in the evening air. When he got closer to the spring, he could hear the trickle of water, and the sounds of someone moving around. Finally the trees parted, and he caught sight of his friend, continuing to practice, this time holding the Yoshiyuki in his hand.

"You know, if you keep this up, you'll wear yourself out before we even get there," he said.

"What else are we supposed to do?" Cloud asked.

"Well, we could just wait. Cissnei'll be here any minute." Zack watched him, his blue eyes lighting a faint pool of light underneath him as he worked. It was at that point when it finally dawned on him. The way he was practicing right now, it wasn't anticipation, it was nervousness, and if he were to venture a guess, he was pretty sure why. "You won't let him do it," he said at last. "Things are different now. You'll keep him out this time, I know it."

"How?" Cloud paused and looked at him.

Zack held out his sword in front of him. "I just do." He held the flat of the Buster to his forehead for a few moments, thinking about what he was about to say and then thrust the sword into the ground so it stood upright before the two of them. "You remember in Nibelheim when I told you that this sword represented my dreams and honor?"

He nodded.

"Well, that's not the only thing it represents. It was also a gift from the man who taught me everything about what it meant to be a SOLDIER. Angeal always told me 'Embrace your dreams and whatever happens, defend your honor. Never forget the pride of being a SOLDIER."

Cloud looked a little skeptical, not sure of what Zack was getting at.

"Okay, so you never made SOLDIER," he tapped his chest for emphasis, "but it's what's in here that counts." He gestured to the Buster Sword, "This sword was part of the legacy Angeal left me, along with everything he taught me, which I then turned around and taught you, and Cloud," he put a hand on his shoulder, "You're part of that legacy too. Whatever happens up there, I know, we're going to finish this, and we're going to defend our honor, as SOLDIERs."

"Yeah."

Cloud smiled sheepishly and Zack pulled him into a one-armed hug. "We're going to end this, and we're going to win for sure this time…"

"All right you two, you ready to go back or should I tell Aerith she has competition?" The two men backed away from each other awkwardly to see a young ninja leering at them.

"Yuffie? What are you doing out here?" Zack asked.

"Aerith wanted me to come get you." Even in the dark, Zack could tell she was already trying to think how she could turn this into blackmail material. He pretended to ignore it.

"We do need to get back anyway." He started towards Yuffie but suddenly, he heard a rustle in the bushes behind him.

"Leaving so soon?" He heard Cloud draw his sword, and they both took a defensive stance, their muscles tense at the sound of that familiar voice. Zack felt a chill run down his spine when he heard it. No, he couldn't be here. It had to be in his head, but it wasn't. Out of the bushes near the stream, a man strode into the open, silver pauldrons and grey hair nearly glowing under the light of the stars while his luminescent green cat's eyes shone malevolently in the shadow of his face. Zack took in a breath and let it out as he uttered the name of their enemy. "Sephiroth…"

Cloud stood near Zack, the Yoshiyuki held at the ready as his friend spoke both their thoughts for them. "I thought you'd gone to the Northern Crater."

"I told you, I am always by your side. Tonight, I am simply here to show you the truth you refuse to see."

"If you think we're going to fall for your lies, then you're dead wrong. Cloud's Cloud, I'm me, and we're all who we are. If anything, the only one here who isn't who he thinks he is, is you."

Sephiroth chuckled malevolently. "You always did fare better with simple ideas. Perhaps it would be best to speak to your level." For a moment, they were unsure of what the former general would do, but then his eyes began to reshape and change color, slowly going to a deeper shade of red as his body warped itself into the familiar shape of a winged woman formed of a mass of tentacles. Zack immediately cast a barrier over Yuffie and Cloud started to cast Firaga but he had to stop mid-cast to roll out of the way when Jenova beat him to the punch, sending a ball of fire in return. He saw Zack rush forward to land a hit on the thing.

A shuriken flew by overhead, and Cloud raced in, drawing the Butterfly Edge with his off-hand and going for a double-strike at Jenova's trunk. He dodged one of her larger tentacles on the way in before stabbing hard with the shorter blade and leaving a nasty gash with a slice from the katana. This creature was definitely a bit more powerful than the one he'd been conscious for in Junon, but he still felt he could probably hold his own.

Dodging out of the way of another tentacle, he saw Zack leap up into the branches of a nearby tree before propelling himself forward, swinging the Buster Sword to deflect a fireball like it was nothing, and landing a hard blow to one of Jenova's wings. The abomination took advantage of his inability to control himself in midair to whip him backwards. He caught himself on one of the higher branches of a nearby tree and Cloud felt a limit break channel. He raced out of the way of yet another tentacle just in time to see Zack leap in midair, holding his hand above him as waves of fire and lighting landed upon the enemy.

He'd never seen Zack do that one before, but somehow it felt familiar… he couldn't put his finger on it. But now was not the time to be thinking about this. Yuffie attacked again with her shuriken and he ran full tilt towards the center of the beast, before leaping into the air to slice a little higher than he'd gone the first time around. It looked like they had this under control… they were winning… he knew it…

He heard Zack cast Thundara as he landed nearby and leapt back behind him to avoid the blast. Thinking he'd go in again, he readied his blade, but it was at that moment when he suddenly became aware of a familiar throb working its way through his skull, not enough to make him pass out, but combined with the low buzz in his ears, it was enough to make him aware that something wasn't right… A voice echoed through his thoughts. "Did you really think you'd escaped me that easily, 'Cloud?'"

His eyes widened in horror as he realized the hand in which he held the Yoshiyuki was angling it for a deadly strike across his own friend's back…

Shortly after Zack left Tifa on the porch, she was joined by a few of the others while they waited for Cissnei to arrive. Barret was enjoying the last few moment he had with Marlene a few feet away when Aerith walked up to Tifa. She'd just sent Yuffie to collect the guys a minute or two ago, and was beginning to wonder what was taking them. "I would have thought they'd be back by now," she said.

"I don't know," Tifa said. "Do you think we ought to look for them?"

Aerith nodded. "Let's go." She stepped off the porch to walk into the woods when Tifa spotted something. Within the woods to their left, there were two pairs of eyes looking out at them, and they were a strange reptilian green. She lowered into a fighting stance putting herself between them and Marlene.

"Tifa?" Barret had sensed the change in her demeanor immediately, and upon seeing where her gaze was directed, he too stood up and raised his gun arm. "Aerith. Get Marlene inside. Now."

Aerith was confused for a moment, but then she saw it too. "Right." She hurried to where Marlene was sitting and gently took her to the door. At the same moment, the two pairs of eyes came closer and upon reaching the tree line, Tifa found herself faced with two more of the strange cloaked figures. The two Sephiroth clones seemed to be leering at them and she could see the taughtness in their muscles like twisted springs ready for release at the right signal. Their intentions were anything but peaceful.

"What's goin' on out here?" Tifa distantly heard Cait Sith's voice at the door, but Aerith pushed past him. He waddled out on the porch. "Have we got company? Well, I'll be helpin' with that if ye'll have me."

"Please do." Tifa tightened her gloves. She wasn't sure how tough these two would be, but she certainly didn't mind the backup.

She caught sight of something glinting in the hand of one of the clones. A rusty knife, not the best weapon he could have chosen but given the mental integrity these beings possessed, it was probably not surprising. The other one seemed to be unarmed, but she had no intention of being caught unawares. "The calamity will come… hehe… death… destruction… just as he said…" one of the clones wheezed.

"Yeh got one chance to back off! After that, I'm sendin' ya both on a one-way ticket ta Hell!" Barret said, aiming his gunarm in their direction. Without warning, something flew past Tifa's cheek. She looked towards the origin of the projectile and found that the other clone was carrying something in its hand. She couldn't tell what they were, but she raced forward, leaping from side to side to avoid being struck by them before attempting to land a hard punch to his gut. She heard Barret unloading his gunarm at the other clone as it too raced towards him, apparently not even trying to dodge.

She managed to strike home on her own target but even as the second object in the person's hand fell to the ground, he fell back a step before lunging at her, diving for her throat. She knocked him away but felt something sharp across her upper leg. She dived for him to put him in a lock but he wriggled free at the last second. Cait Sith was at her side and sent out a blast with his megaphone that temporarily seemed to have stunned the man, but he recovered quickly, crawling on the ground like a wounded animal ready to strike again. She beat him to it, landing a kick that sent the man flying across the clearing. Part of her felt a bit guilty though. It couldn't be helped but these people had once been normal, before Hojo had entered the picture.

"Ye all righ' lass?" Cait asked, and she spared a glance to see he had noticed the blood trickling down her leg.

"I'm fine, we'll worry about that later," she said, going for Rayleigh's Sleep materia. There were more important things to worry about right now.

Kunsel was checking on some rope and other supplies that were sitting in front of the lodge waiting to be taken to the Highwind when Freya walked out of the house followed by Tanjuu. Both were carrying more boxes bound for the ship. "Do you need a hand with any of those?" he asked.

"It's all right. There's a few ration boxes Elmyra's done with in the kitchen…" she paused, looking outside the dim circle of light from the lamp that glowed over the front door before dropping what she was carrying to reach for her shotgun.

Tanjuu already had his guns pointed at the woods and half a second later, Kunsel's own SOLDIER broadsword was out after seeing why. Two figures were approaching out of the trees, both with reptilian green eyes and both were clearly armed. One was shakily hefting a carving knife while the other was wielding what was unmistakably a harvesting scythe. Old fashioned as it was, it was no less dangerous. "Reunion… will come… death… end… kill…"

That was all the former gangster needed to hear before he unloaded four shots at the advancing clones. They both lunged at the same time and though two of the bullets had definitely struck home the one clone wielding the scythe didn't even flinch but just kept coming like he didn't even feel it. Freya fired a shotgun blast that definitely seemed to slow down the one wielding the knife but it too continued to advance. Kunsel blocked with his sword before punching the scythe's wielder with his off hand but he had to duck when the harvesting tool flew by overhead. Any slower and he might have been decapitated. Instead, he took advantage of his crouch to spring forward and stab his sword into the clone's shoulder.

He dodged back to avoid his opponent's attempt to claw at his face and heard several more shots going off. That was when he heard a lock click behind him and after tossing his own opponent off of him he stole a glance behind him to see Zack's father looking out at them from the window. He nodded to him and turned back to face their opponents. Just what in the hell was going on here?

Nanaki was crouched on the weather deck of the Highwind, when he heard several loud bangs near the lodge. He stood just in time to spot Cid run out followed by Shera and Rayleigh, having apparently also heard the noise. "That sounded like a gun." Rayleigh observed.

Cid nodded and moved towards the ladder. "I'll go check it out. Red, you stay here and keep an eye on things…" He was almost there when he paused. "Doc, you and Shera get back in there and tell the crew not to come out for a while, we've got company!" With that, he grabbed a rope for support and then jumped, clearly aiming his spear at something near the base of the ladder. Nanaki followed after him, leaping over the side, towards a nearby tree to slow his decent. He landed lightly on a branch before jumping the rest of the way to the ground. By then, Cid had reached the base of the ladder to find his attack being blocked by a Sephiroth clone, who had deflected it with a wooden staff.

Nanaki was running to help when he felt something wrap around his right back leg. He tripped and was knocked to the ground, but upon seeing that his attacker was another clone wielding a chain he focused on the materia in his bangle and sent a Demi spell out towards his enemy in a wave of crushing pressure. The chain loosened and he pulled himself free before lunging at this new opponent who dodged out of the way, attempting to swing the chain again.

As he rolled away from the attack, off to his right he heard something flying through the air and saw the other Sephiroth clone come to land in a crouch before running at Cid again. He could smell blood. The pilot had made contact apparently, and the fact he'd felt magic in the area seemed to suggest that he'd used a materia in order to do it… had Cid found a Deathblow materia somehow? Nanaki raced towards his own opponent, dodging and weaving the chain until he was right on top of him and leapt, just missing locking his teeth into his opponent's jaw before the clone held the chain taught to block him off. He was about to try again when he heard the sound of a helicopter.

The chain whipped past him and he jumped at his attacker, biting and clawing before backing away to avoid the clone trying to wrap the weapon around his neck. These beings were deceptively tough, he noted as he prowled around it, alert for the next attack, his tail lighting the clearing with a burning glow. The clone lashed out experimentally, and he leapt away before channeling a limit break and let loose with five powerful attacks. Several gashes opened in the earth as the clone was knocked back.

The helicopter had landed on the other side of the clearing now and he heard the hatch open before seeing a man approach to help Cid at a run while a fast moving and very familiar rekka flew towards his opponent, cutting deeply into them. With a last gasp, the clone with the chain collapsed and he saw a thin katana slice through the other clone's weapon, chopping it in half before Cid dealt the last fatal blow.

"Are you guys all right?" Cissnei asked.

"Don't worry about us. There's something going on at the house." Cid looked over at the newly arrived renegades, already taking charge. "Red? You stay here with the crew; we're going to take a look."

Nanaki growled in answer and took a spot next to the ladder. No one would take the ship if he had anything to say about it. Cid pulled a cigarette from the band holding his aviator goggles on his brow and lit it before running off towards the lodge, the two renegades in hot pursuit.

Professor Hojo had already spent several days locked in this tiny cell. Not many people had particularly cared to see him with the exception of Tseng, and unfortunately when they had come to retrieve him they had divested him of the sample of S-cells he had intended to inject himself with when the time came. Even so, he had been very interested in the reports Tseng had privileged him to read. The two specimens the Turks said had gotten hold of the Black Materia were still failures beyond all doubt, but the fact that Sephiroth had even been able to manipulate them as much as he had was an interesting conundrum. If he could get hold of them again, he would definitely want to run some tests to determine why if he had time. There was still so much else he wanted to do… If he could just get out of here he could make a start on his plans to enable his observance of Sephiroth's victory. After all his hard work, it was only natural that he should want to see the results…

There was a thumping noise outside the door and he looked up from his musings in curiosity and annoyance. What could that be at this hour?

As if in answer to his question he heard what sounded like several shots from an energy rifle and then the sound of a key-card being inserted into the lock. The door whooshed open and when he saw who stood on the other side, a malevolent smile spread across his face. "So they sent you, eh?"

"You are too valuable to be left to rot," the armed man answered, his voice slightly muffled by the uniform he was wearing. It carried an insignia similar to SOLDIER, but was definitely not, and anyone could see the luminescent blue mako streaming through tubes sewn into the fabric. Without them, he would have been unable to function.

"Those cave dwellers never could solve anything on their own," Hojo grumbled, but as he left the cell, he was already chuckling. No one could touch him now, not even Rufus or Tseng. Once he was safely returned to Midgar, all he would have to do was finish his plans, and wait… After all, if there was one thing he knew about progress, it was that it could never be stopped, and even if Sephiroth failed, it was only one more step in the right direction.

He could already feel himself being pulled into that strange half-aware state he'd experienced at the Temple, and yet, somehow this time around, he'd become very aware of his own heartbeat. For every throb, his arm raised higher and higher, getting ready to bring the Yoshiyuki down across Zack's back, and yet time itself seemed to have slowed so each inch his hand lifted took a lifetime. "No…" He wasn't going to let this happen. This was Zack. He knew he wasn't quite over what had happened to him, but he wasn't going to let this stand. He couldn't. As though it could sense he was trying to resist, his arm moved faster until it was almost at the apex of the strike. He could feel it shake as he fought it tooth and nail. "What… are you trying to make me do…?" His hand stopped, shaking in midair and that was when Zack turned around, his eyes widened as they met with his and he turned around fully.

Yuffie saw what was happening and moved to run interference while the dark haired SOLDIER approached him, his face hardened in determination, his expression firm. "That's right, you can do it…" he thrust the Buster Sword into the ground between them, taking Cloud's free hand and directing it to the hilt. "Come on… "

Behind them, Yuffie let out a cry and Zack turned to see what it was, but just as he was about to run to help, a tentacle swiped at him almost from behind, knocking him headfirst into a nearby boulder. It shattered from the impact. "Z-zack?!" He was silently begging his friend to get up even as he wanted to run over to help him, but he was still fighting desperately against the will that had nearly taken him over.

Zack wasn't getting up. He felt his eyes widen. No… no, no, no… He begged his body to move, but as though directed by someone who knew exactly what he was thinking, Jenova reached out and wrapped its tentacle around Zack's body. He watched in horror as his friend's prone form was dragged across the ground, blood trickling down from under his dark hair. He fought desperately against the force within him but somehow the shock of watching what had just happened had left him powerless, his thoughts scattered to a thousand directions. In that moment he felt a familiar presence and he renewed his efforts, his mind filling with rage.

"If he really is so dear to you, come find us at the Northern Crater, and I will tear away every illusion of will either of you possess…"

The laughter echoed in his ears and he saw Zack being coiled securely within Jenova's form. Yuffie was already running for him, trying to free him while dodging the fireballs. The anger was burning him as though it were a physical brand upon his soul now, but it wasn't until he saw Jenova begin to change, her wings growing wider in order to carry her large shape that he felt the hold on him dissipate.

He didn't realize he'd dropped the Yoshiyuki until he felt the weight of the Buster Sword in his hands, and that he was running. He could see Yuffie, still holding on tight to Jenova's form even as it had taken flight, trying vainly to use her Shuriken to cut Zack out of its embrace, but it was almost out over the sea now. The wind blew in his face as he raced after it, down the hill towards the small strip of beach. This could not be happening. No! He wasn't going to let it! Not after everything Zack had done for him!

Deep within him he felt an energy channel he had never felt before and as though he had known how to do it his entire life, he hefted the Buster Sword into the air and began swinging it. A wind picked up around him forming a small tornado which he used to rocket himself into the air. Tears in his eyes, he looked angrily out at the departing abomination and sent his sword into the strongest lunge he could while still in midair. Meteors rained out of the sky from a place that didn't exist and the limit break dispersed its furious energy into the ocean before him, breaking apart the rocks in the sea like they were so much rubble. He landed on the beach in a crouch, the pain and anger still burning within him in a way he hadn't felt since Nibelheim. Finally, unable to take it anymore, he glared at the stars and screamed his frustration at the unforgiving void. He'd failed… again…!

The clone with the scythe fell shortly after the one with the dagger, but by that point, Kunsel had heard the report of Barret's gunarm. Where were Zack and Cloud? Did they know what was going on? He was almost to the side of the house when he heard Freya raise her shotgun behind him and glanced back to see she was aiming at the path towards the helicopter landing. "Cid? That better be you!" She called.

"You just watch where you're pointin' that thing!" The pilot shouted back. Kunsel spotted Mao and Cissnei behind him before he ducked around the side of the lodge, headed towards the origin of the other gunshots.

Freya seemed to have noticed his disappearance because he heard her behind him. "Don't go off alone, what if you need backup?"

Kunsel looked around the next corner to find Barret, Tifa, and Cait Sith standing near another pair of bodies. "I think it's already over," he said. His senses alert for any further attacks, he passed the porch in order to join the three. By the time he had approached them Barret had curiously walked over to one of the bodies, which Kunsel could see was holding a rusty knife in one of its hands.

"Are you guys okay over here?" he asked.

Cait Sith was busy fussing over Tifa's leg. "Don't move it lass, let me cast a Cure first."

Tifa looked up at him and nodded. "Mostly."

That was when they heard Barret swearing as he backed away from the clone. "It was a kid…" Kunsel heard him rasp out.

"Hojo… If I ever find that man…" Tifa started angrily.

Kunsel grunted in agreement, but then something else caught his attention. The smell of something burning was emanating from the woods near the spring, and as he looked up, he thought he could see flames off in the distance. "Something's wrong." He point in the direction of the woods and the others saw the orange light.

"Zack, Cloud and Yuffie are out there!" Tifa said.

Nothing further needed to be said. The five of them raced down the forest path, very afraid of what they would find. They were halfway to the spring when back at the lodge, a clock that stood in the living room struck midnight. The new year had begun.

January 1st [ ν ] – εуλ 0008

Yuffie was really getting cold. For some reason, as soon as Jenova had gotten out over the water, it had stopped trying to pull her off. She had every reason not to try and fight the thing now though. If she cut Zack loose, he might go plummeting to his death in the ocean, and if she didn't hang on, she might do the same.

She was too scared right now to be motion sick, but she did her best to master herself and climbed shakily over to where Zack lay, eyes closed, blood still trickling from his forehead. "Please don't be dead…" she pleaded. It had always felt like an impossibility. He'd played along with her back when she was little and pretended to have been defeated by her, but deep down, part of her had half believed over their adventures together that he was almost invincible. To see him like this was… terrifying. After a moment's hesitation, she reached down to check him for a pulse, and to her immense relief, she found one. She sighed. Good.

She crawled next to him, shivering as she looked out over the endless ocean. She couldn't see land anymore, and the water under the starlight was not much more than a glittering expanse of emptiness, mirroring the sky above it. But at the very least, they had one thing going for them. Zack was alive…

Happy belated Thanksgiving!

A few notes. First off, my sincerest apologies to my readers. Not only was I late, but I had the nerve to leave this chapter on a very evil cliff-hangar (not that I haven't before... but, this one was particularly mean and the next one will most likely be worse, since we're gearing up for the finale of part II pretty soon. ^^;) I make no excuses for the cliff-hangar, but my beta-reader was sick, so I had to wait a bit before I was ready to post. Fortunately he's feeling a lot better today.

Second, special thanks to Irish-Brigid, for her brilliant suggestion about the cattle-prod.

Finally, we have arrived at a critical moment in the main plot. Aerith would have died at the City of the Ancients and Jenova LIFE would have been dispatched there. Of course, LIFE got destroyed at the temple, so I wonder if anyone can guess which one made an appearance here...

Until next week.