I do not own FFVII characters – though I wish I did. lol
I do own my own character – Jalyne and other originals.
Chapter 52 – The Choice
He landed in front of Cloud's group, stripping off his helmet and shaking out his red spiky hair. Aerith moved to pick up Jalyne's forgotton staff. The choppers descended and Rufus looked out from the door of one them, Rude behind him, pushing the rope ladder for Reno to climb.
"That went well, yo." Reno commented to no one in particular. He moved to head towards the ladder when Aerith stopped him.
"You'll go after her?" she asked quietly.
"Not sure how, yo." He replied looking up at the sky only to have the view blocked by the flaming bird.
"Now there's something you don't quite see everyday." Zack stated coming to stand next to the Ancient.
"Yeah, well," Reno turned to grab the ladder, "Fate and all, yo." He joked.
Aerith extended the staff to him. "Take this."
Reno glanced at the Ancient noticing how the runes flickered light across her. "I doubt she'll want my gift, yo."
The Ancient cast her eyes to the sky watching the pinpoint flicker of darkness pulse. "She will need it." Aerith insisted.
"We don't even know where she is, yo."
Aerith's eyes stayed trained on the sky. "Yes you do." And put the staff in his hands forcibly.
Barret raised his arm to the choppers and Cloud shot him a look to not attack. He lowered it with a grunt but otherwise complied.
"We're not here to fight, yo." Reno commented noticing Barret's action. The red head turned towards the ladder only to be stopped by the flurry of magic from the flaming bird, who settled behind him and blocked the escape route.
"We stay." Faterian ascerted assuming his human form. "The time rapidly approaches." The god of Fate walked over to the Ancient and bowed lightly to her. "I am Faterian."
Aerith's eyes widened and then she nodded her head in acceptance. "Pleased to meet you."
Rufus descended the ladder, impatient of his Turk and commanded all but one chopper to return home. Tseng and Elena followed coming to stand in front of the group. Rude hovered the chopper near the horizon of the cave, ready for any attack from Cloud's group.
Zack stood with Aerith drawing his sword at his former employer and the Turks. Cloud stepped forward as Rufus appraised the group but remained stoic.
"What's next?" Cloud asked.
Faterian looked skyward toward the twinkle of darkness in the night sky and sighed. "We must hold patience and try to get her back." He turned towards Reno.
"How?" Rufus interjected.
"Call her." The god of Fate nodded at Reno.
Reno glanced upward and back at the deity. "I'm pretty sure cell reception won't reach that far, yo." Faterian leveled a steady gaze at him. Reno chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck to hide embarrassment. "Would she even hear me, yo?"
Faterian nodded and gazed back skyward.
She seethed and anger barely touched the surface of her feelings. Jalyne broke through the atmosphere and came to hover miles above Gaia, her abilities keeping her alive in the dark and cold Heavens. She glanced at the orange and red outline of Meteor in the distance and clenched her fists.
She screamed again and again unleashing wave upon wave of dark energy outward. Jalyne wanted to destroy all there was or all there is. She looked down upon the blue world she came to call home and closed her eyes, letting the power swirl around her.
Jalyne thought of all of the experiences she had endured, from her training until her exile. It was brutal and in need of change, but as she looked back upon those times – she was the outsider. She thought of her father – the one who pushed her the greatest to be the strongest in all things, and wondered if there wasn't an underlying reason for his actions.
Her mind drifted to Reno. He was the one person that didn't care who or what she was and stayed with her regardless of situations and events. She killed him. Jalyne let out a heart wrenching scream throwing her arms outward in anger and grief. The pain was too great. It was driving her mad.
Jalyne opened her eyes feeling a presence in front of her. An indigo haired woman dressed in a leather corset with a white top stared intently at her. She reached out a dark blue gloved hand to the princess. Jalyne flickered her eyes sideways taking in the black and white energy making its' way to them.
"Do you regret the past?" the lady questioned.
Jalyne remained silent and ignored the outstretched hand before her. She studied the woman intently with black auraed eyes calculating the outcomes quickly. The lady's teal eyes studied her back and she slowly dropped her arm to her side not wanting to make any quick outward motions. She dipped her head towards Meteor.
"You wish to consume it?" she questioned looking at Jalyne.
The princess raised a hand towards the spell then dropped it, gazing at the world below. "It is my conjuring. I did this." And bowed her head.
"And what of that?" she asked indicating the energy moving towards them.
"I do not know what that is." Jalyne answered truthfully.
"I think you do." The woman paused. "It moves forward and backwards; ever changing and ever in motion." Jalyne snapped her eyes to her. "Do you regret the actions? Do you wish to change them?"
Jalyne thought hard on those words and paused before she replied. "To have regret is to have guilt. It is natural to want to change the outcomes to prevent it."
"And should it be?" the woman pushed. "Should one tamper with what is foredained or what is supposed to occur? Would you go back to change what was supposed to happen? Would you change Fate?"
"Was I supposed to kill Reno?" Jalyne lashed out angrily raising her hands with her dark power. "Was that supposed to happen – Tiemera?"
"Is he really dead?" the deity asked calmly. "Or did Faterian step in?"
"I can no longer feel him. He died."
"Was that his choice or yours? Are you certain of that outcome?" Tiemera stared intently at the princess. "Would you change that outcome if you were able, Jalynemidenovia?"
Jalyne ground her teeth in frustration. She reached out slowly towards the world below searching. She could hear them – all of the people of Gaia. They were scared and frightened. She searched through the Lifestream for her love – and couldn't find him. She raised her eyes to the goddess of Time in question.
Tiemera reached out and grazed her mark, taking Jalyne off balance in the heavens. The flash brought forth her memory of ascending to the heavens. She passed the soldier that took her off guard and threw her into the cavern below. Her eyes widened.
"Sephiroth is changing Fate." Jalyne countered. "He changed it when he forced me to call Meteor."
"He changed a circumstance, an action. Not the event. Is he doing this because of his own desire or of someone else?" Tiemera commented. "Again I ask, would you reverse time to achieve your directive?"
Jalyne thought a moment at the goddess' words and after a long pause raised her eyes to her. "The question is not would I, but should I or even could I."
"And would you give up all of it? Your power. Your Empire. To be with the Eternal Flame?"
Taken aback by her choice of words, Jalyne hesitated but remained calm, hovering within the heavens. Finally she stared at the goddess and answered. "No."
Tiemera smiled at her. "Why?"
"Because it is who I am and there are many that need me." She glanced below at Gaia hearing the echoes of the Whispers within her and beginning to understand her Fate. "If Reno was destined to die by my hand – come what may and it was destined to happen. It is my guilt, anger and remorse that I must endure and it is on my conscience to live with." Jalyne paused again before her eyes flickered to the energy and widened at the emotion she felt.
"I knew your mother." Tiemera continued ignoring Jalyne's questioning look.
"I am NOT my mother." Jalyne snapped angrily at her.
"You are much, much more, Jalynemidenovia e T'Karvriandria."
Jalyne looked again at the rapidly approaching swirling energy.
Tiemera followed her gaze once again. "You wish to know what it is?" Jalyne nodded in response. "You will find out…in Time."
She heard it then – a voice the princess never thought to hear again and she closed her eyes to concentrate. She tried to filter out the background noise and felt Tiemera's presence leave.
He stared to the night sky and if you knew him, only his turquoise eyes betrayed the fear and sorrow that he was feeling. Reno turned his head to the god standing next to him, ignoring the wild looks of Avalanche that were directed to him.
"She's too far." He lamented. "I can't reach her, yo."
The burgundy haired deity reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder in comfort. Reno immediately felt the god's power around him. "Try again. She heard you from across the heavens before."
Aerith pushed away from the group and spontaneously grabbed the Turks hand. He looked down at her surprised that she would assist.
"I will help." The Ancient said quietly.
"Why, yo?" Reno asked, confused at the action. True, the Turks kept an eye on Aerith for years but that was for the former President's desire and it wasn't personnal.
"Because she will make it right." Aerith answered mysteriously. Faterian smiled at her and nodded, placing his other arm around her. The Ancient could see and feel things astutely also. No wonder Jalyne took to her – their personalities were similar.
Reno cast his eyes around the rag-tag group of people. Zack stayed near Aerith who had his hand and closed her eyes to begin praying with the Lifestream so near to them. Cloud and Tifa stood gazing at the stars within the night sky, expressions apprehensive on what the outcome would be. Vincent and Yuffie did the same though you couldn't detect any emotion within the former Turk. Barret and Cid looked warily at the President and the Director, ready for any hidden attack to come.
His eyes drifted once more to the sky trying to find the dark pulses his love was emitting. Reno concentrated and closed his eyes to envision Jalyne and what he remembered her to look and be like.
Rufus barely showed the surprised look at watching his Turk begin to glow lightly with the Lifestreams power. His eyes lifted skyward searching for his dearest in the heavens.
"Call her." Faterian whispered to Reno.
"I can't feel her yet, yo." Reno answered acutely aware of the missing feelings he had of her presence when they were together. The light around him strengthened and Faterian and Aerith let go of him allowing him to move as needed. He opened his eyes to the heavens and waited.
"She will hear you."
Jalynemidenovia e T'Karvriandria.
Her eyes snapped open and she gasped as she looked at the Eternal Flame in front of her. Jalyne instinctively reached out then pulled her hand back. "Impossible." She muttered.
"What is, yo?"
Jalyne raised her eyes to her love though her expression remained impassive. "That you would haunt me even in your death."
"Who said anything about my death. I'm alive and kickin', yo." Reno smirked lightly at her. "Missed you earlier, yo."
Her eyes widened at him, speechless as the pieces fell together in her mind. Jalyne glanced behind him at Meteor, bowing her head and shaking it lightly.
Reno turned to look at the Calamity in the heavens, in awe of the way it looked to him. He turned his turquoise eyes to the world below them. How small it looked and yet so meaningful to him and he felt the pull of protection within. This was his world and one he would fight for. Reno glanced at Jalyne and spoke quietly.
"Is it always like this for you, yo?" he inquired.
An eyebrow lifted as she wondered what he meant. "In a way." She paused. "I… see things a bit differently." She stated solemnly.
"You're worried about it, yo." Reno stated with a nod to Meteor.
"And you aren't?" Jalyne snapped back then shook her head. "It's my fault. I couldn't control mother's power." She confessed. "I am weak. I cannot contain the pandemonium." She raised her hand to show the darkness.
The red head chuckled lightly bringing her out of her reverie. "Tsk. You aren't weak." Jalyne stared at him. "You are anything but, yo."
"I cannot be forgiven for this." Jalyne shook her head.
"Everyone can be forgiven, Jalyne, if they want it." Reno continued. "So you flew off the rocker, yo. Big deal."
"I summoned the destruction of a planet, Reno. I think that's quite a big deal."
"You were forced to, yo. A circumstance and choice that was out of your control." Reno moved towards her hand out stretched and she listed backwards, afraid of contact. Reno sighed and lowered his arm. "Jalyne, we all have darkness within us."
"Not like this."
"How is it any different, yo?" he continued eyes softening a bit. "Take a look inside my head. You will see more than enough maliciousness there, yo."
Jalyne took his offer, lightly grazing his mind with hers and her eyes widened in shock and a tear trailed unwittingly down her cheek. The pain she gathered from him was astounding, unbearable even and the princess had trouble understanding what he had been through and how he even dealt with it.
"More than enough right, yo?" Reno smirked knowingly. "But hey, even I can be redeemed."
"H-How?" she questioned sincerely. "How do you cope with it? All that you have been through."
He shrugged his shoulders but his eyes betrayed him. "I learned a long time ago when Tseng recruited me that even a wretch like me could have hope and I believed I could do better. I learned that everyone needs a second chance, yo."
They all watched Reno, animated within the Lifestream and heard the conversation taking place. Faterian glanced at the Ancient who kept looking at the early morning night sky with hope. Aerith caught his gaze and nodded.
"She will make it right." She asserted.
"The Choice comes." He stated quietly. "But his comes first."
Zack looked at the conversation taking place and raised a hand in question at the deity. "The Turk has a role to play?" he questioned concerned. "We're all doomed then."
Rufus edged around to stand in between Faterian and Reno, looking towards the rush of energy that seemed to be approaching closer and closer.
"What is that?" the President asked shrewdly.
"An event that needs to occur."
"I can't see her Light." Rufus pushed. "We rest our hopes on one we barely know."
"It is there." Fate paused. "But she must act and soon." The phoenix god turned to him and narrowed his eyes. "Did she not change your heart, Rufus Shinra? Did she not change even one aspect of your mind or actions? Do you wish to not ever have met her?"
Taken aback by the bombardment of questions from the god Rufus paused in his response, maintaining a stoic expression that hardened. "Of course she did." He said quietly.
"Then hold the hope that she is saved by the one that protects you." Faterian responded nodding at Reno.
"What of Sephiroth?" Cloud asked.
"What of him?" the god answered lightly turning his attention to the sky. "His time and demise is coming. And it will not be by Jalyne's hand. He unknowingly provoked this event, though it would have occurred irregardless of the summoning of Meteor."
"We do nothing?" Barret questioned getting agitated.
Faterian leveled a gaze at the group but continued. "You get stronger."
"Perhaps it comes down to accepting what has occurred and the person that one is, yo." Reno continued with his eyes flickering to the mass of energy, Meteor fogotten. "Take one step at a time, yo."
"Acceptance?" Jalyne responded with eyes downcast.
"We all have a little of Light and Dark within. No one is born evil, Jalyne." He outstretched his hand to her.
"Can you forgive me?" she questioned girlishly, hesitant to take his hand.
"For what, yo?" he returned. "You haven't done anything, yo?"
"I caused you pain." Jalyne stated saddened and looked past him at the orange and red glow.
"You have to stop it, Jalyne." Reno commented seeing the flicker. "This isn't you, yo."
"But what if it is? I am afraid of it."
Again he extended his hand to her. "Then we fight the darkness together, yo." She stared at him in concentration and when she didn't reply, Reno continued. "Did you mean what you said, yo?"
"Which part?"
"One, that your greatest wish was to be free."
Jalyne raised her hand witnessing the dark power of destruction engulfing her fingers and travelling up her arm. She glanced at him and her heart ached. This wasn't her, but… "No. The price of freedom is steep." She paused. "and the other?"
Reno smirked lightly at her. "Two – what you told Faterian?"
Jalyne's eyes widened for she didn't realize that he heard that conversation. "Which part?"
"That you love me, yo?" Reno stated seriously and holding her gaze for a second. He was scared and nervous of the answer.
Jalyne dipped her head but not before glancing at the black and white swirl heading towards them. "More than you will ever know, Reno Sinclair, and more than I ever thought possible. I will always love you, in this world and the next." She whispered and when she raised her face to him, Reno saw the pain that she held and realized she was just as scared as he.
Behind those green orbs, Reno saw her true soul and the Light and healing that she brought into the Heavens. He was taken slightly aback and hoped he hid it. His eyes flickered to the energy that seemed so close. "What is it, yo?" he nodded toward the mass.
"A crossroads." She whispered and started to break the connection. "I must leave now."
"Come back to me, yo." It wasn't a question and Reno reached out and grabbed her hand. Jalyne gasped at the sudden contact, feeling the physicality of it. She broke the connection and closed her eyes, feeling his presence slip away.
The green light of the Lifestream faded and Reno raised his eyes towards the heavens. So much to endure yet so much she had taught him. Faterian once asked him if he was willing to fight for her and all that she would become. The future was haunting and unknown but the Turk knew, deep down, that he'd fallen for her.
Reno looked around at the group that was gathered with him, spying the chopper in the air that his partner kept at a hover. Even Rufus looked skyward in anticipation. Cloud had moved away with Tifa and watched intently the events in the sky. Cid, Vincent, Barret and Yuffie were even further back and talking quietly amongst themselves. Zack had an arm around Aerith, who still had her eyes closed and praying softly.
The red-headed Turk rested his eyes upon his Director who inadvertently slid his hand in Elena's and waited, ever patient. Rufus remained stoic but near the god of Fate who met his gaze steadily. Deep down, everyone seemed to hold their breathing and wanted nothing more than their Light to return to them.
"What is it, yo?" Reno asked quietly referring to the comet of energy that began to light up the night sky.
"It is what Jalyne would make of it." The phoenix replied.
"You know, yo," Reno continued, "I can see what Jalyne meant. You like to speak in riddles, yo."
Faterian met his eyes with a glint of humor. "We like a good puzzle to figure out." Faterian looked skyward. "Besides, if you knew what would happen, where would the joy of existence be found?"
Reno scoffed at him lightly seeing the humor within the god and shrugged his shoulders. "I thought Jalyne was outside your vision, yo?"
"Oh, she is." Faterian asserted. "It is quite exhilarating not knowing what will happen."
Reno raised an eyebrow at the deity. "She even keeps you on edge?"
"Most assuredly." He conceded with a chuckle. "She is quite the challenging child." Faterian returned his look seriously at the Turk. "Have you told her?" he whispered with a glance at the sky as the anomaly grew larger and brighter.
"What exactly am I supposed to say, yo?"
"Remember what I said." The god of Fate countered. "It is the word she is waiting to hear."
Reno clenched his jaw. He hadn't said anything along those lines to anyone in his life. He intently watched the sky and saw the dark clouds begin to strengthen around the light. Reno closed his eyes and thought of Jalyne. Could they do it – be together with all of the differences and tribulations that lay ahead.
He thought of the fun times, especially the ice skating and the smiles and pure joy she had with that experience. She was different, carried so much knowledge and has seen so many different things and worlds. He thought of Gründlia and what she was teaching him, acutely aware how outsiderish he had felt and the great lengths she went to calm those fears. As much as she was royalty and could be that personage when needed – in truth she was just the same as he. But was he willing to fight for her?
"Now is the time." Faterian whispered to him.
Reno raised his head to the heavens and consciously threw out his thought towards her as he watched the flicker of light and dark in the sky.
She hovered in the darkness of the cosmos with eyes training between the Meteor she cast and the anomaly that was heading towards her. She had once told Sol that she was unsure she could do what was needed.
When you accept fully who you are to become, Jalynemidenovia e T'Karvriandria, and allow the one that you love to share you burdens – all things are possible.
Reno had let her in his mind – the wealth of pain, suffering, and burden was heavy within in. Yet she saw the joy and personality push through that darkness. Jalyne looked at Meteor with loathing at what she did for she wasn't strong enough to defeat Sephiroth or keep him from her mind. He had twisted her thoughts and memories – no different than the sorcerer had done a few years ago and yet she turned out here.
Jalyne looked downward to the world of Gaia seeing and hearing the Lifestream call out for mistakes to be righted. She scanned the world below lightly touching minds and found one that she didn't expect to hear. It called to her in earnest to return and that it wasn't her fault the event that occurred. My Dearest.
Jalyne smiled suddenly at hearing the President's thought but what took her aback was the forgiveness his mind was shouting. She reached out towards the others and each of them had some measure of hope and forgiveness within them. Can it be alright? Can sins be forgiven?
Jalyne couldn't feel Reno – the bond was broken. She screamed and pulsed energy throwing her arms outward in frustration. Tears flooded her eyes and she screamed again, emitting darkness throughout the coldness. Why couldn't she feel him – he was just there in front of her even if just through the Lifestream of Gaia.
She thought of the recent experience of ice skating and how…normal…it was for him and the happiness he wanted to share with her. Could they be together? She scoffed to herself in reprimand. It would be tough and she would travel between worlds to keep everything in place and in order for T'Karvia. In truth, she was just a figurehead, a leader that would solve problems when needed.
Jalyne's eyes widened as a light pulse beat within her. It was the first time she thought of herself as Empress. It pulsed again and she turned her gaze to the energy rapidly approaching.
I see your Light, Jalyne – and your Darkness. Stronger together you two are. The Eternal Flame.
The words of her Autielle suddenly rang through her mind. My Light and My Darkness. Jalyne reached down and pulled back on her left wrist showing the purplish glowing infinity emblem. She switched arms and gasped, turning towards Meteor once again. She studied it for a moment before narrowing her eyes.
Take care of DarkienLyy. Be mindful of what his name means, Jalynemidenovia e T'Karvriandria.
Of course! She thought.
She turned towards the energy with arms outstretched. The pulse quickened within her.
What does your name mean? Jalyne remembered Faterian's question. Her eyes widened and suddenly she chuckled within the dark cold of the cosmos. It was a contradiction of terms. She reached outward towards him down below on Gaia.
You play the game extraordinarily well, My Lord Fate. She whispered eyes alight and stared at the disturbance which was almost upon her. Her light pulsed again and she paused, searching and pulling from the Lifestream. Seven seconds until the end…but one can last an eternity. Three have already passed.
Could her mistake be corrected? She did not know but she understood one thing. She had to let go of the darkness. All of the rage, sorrow and injustice she had to learn to deal with and realized that though it was wrong – it made her who she was. It was possible that she lost the one that mattered most to her and she had to live with the consequences as she stared at certain death moving towards her.
Jalyne understood – to move forward she had to let go of the past. She stared down the dark and white energy that seemingly was fighting for dominance and braced for its impact. She accepted the consequences of what happened and her only regret was that she couldn't tell Reno she loved him in person.
As the divergence of Fate and Time swallowed her, Jalyne heard the voice within her mind that she never thought to hear again.
I love you.