Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Rising From the Ashes

The Highwind landed on a cleared landing pad that was an extension of the old Shinra Headquarters. Cloud was too busy trying to keep his jaw from hitting the floor of the Highwind's cockpit to say anything, and whether his mouth kept dropping from shock or amazement was hard to tell. Yuffie, on the other hand, was making no such attempt to conceal her own astonishment and simply let her jaw obey gravity.

"Oh, my God!" she finally exclaimed, drawing out the "God" to accent her surprise. "What happened to the trash heap that this place used to be?"

"For sure," Cid agreed as he lit up a new cigarette to replace the one he had dropped on the (luckily, metal) floor of the Highwind.

Midgar was no longer the dark, foreboding city it used to be. If anything at all, the place positively sparkled from the outskirts of what once were the slums to the tip of the old Shinra Headquarters. Trees, a rare sight in the past, grew in scattered areas about the city from which children excitedly darted in and out of. Sector Seven had been rebuilt and was just as clean and full of life as any of the other Sectors. Sun seemed to stream endlessly into every crack of every home, lending an even more lively appearance to the people there.

"There's something missing," Aeris muttered under her breath. She—and Vincent—seemed to be the only people unaffected by the drastic changes in Midgar. The former had never even seen the city as it had previously been in her current life, and the latter showed little to none emotion on a regular basis.

"What's that, dear?" Tifa asked, turning away from the window to glance back at Aeris.

Aeris shrugged, twisting a lock of chestnut brown hair with her first three fingers. "I don't know. The place just looks like something is missing." Her eyes lit up as a thought apparently hit her quite hard in the head. "I got it! Dad, what were those colorful things you showed me a long time ago called? They were living right outside of the waterfall and they smelled really nice."

"Flowers?" Vincent supplied.

Aeris nodded enthusiastically. "Flowers! That's what this place is missing. I mean, isn't it strange that all of those trees are growing right there, but flowers aren't?"

"We might be too high up for you to see the flowers," Tifa replied placidly. "I'm sure there are plenty."

Wait a second…now that I think about it, there weren't any flowers that I could see when we were flying pretty low over Midgar, Cloud thought as he turned back to the others and began dragging Yuffie away from her view. Oh, well. If trees can grow here, why can't flowers? There must be some around here somewhere.

Reeve met all of them at the base of the Highwind's ladder, arms patiently folded across his chest. "So, does the city meet with your standards?" he asked Cloud with a broad grin.

Cloud nodded in a dazed way that belied his complete shock. "I almost can't recognize it!" he said, unable to truly describe the amazement that was coursing through his mind. "What did you do?"

Reeve laughed. "Simple enough. Once I was established as leader, I…" his voice trailed off as Aeris slid down the last few rungs of the ladder, brushing her hands off. "Aren't you dead?" he asked weakly.

"What, me?" Aeris asked, glancing around before pointing questioningly towards herself. "Um…no. I get that a lot, though."

Reeve shook his head slowly as if he were afraid he was dreaming. "I'm pretty sure I saw you die…but…I guess I missed you back at the swamp." He extended a hand towards Aeris, offering a smile along with it. "I'm Reeve Sith."

"Aeris Valentine," she replied brightly as she took Reeve's hand.

At that, Reeve sent another stunned look towards Vincent, who chose to coolly disregard the man's expression. "V-Valentine? Uh…nice to meet you." He turned back to Cloud and gestured for the ex-mercenary and the others to begin walking as they headed towards the doors that led to the inside of the Headquarters. "Would you mind explaining what the hell happened?" he asked out of the side of his mouth to Cloud. "I'm sure it's a long story, but indulge me, please."

Cloud laughed, half-amused and half-embarrassed. "Well…truth be told, I'm not that sure, either…"

* * *

Dusk didn't like or trust the place, right from the moment she had stepped off of the Highwind up till now. It wasn't the false, cheery atmosphere of the Headquarters so much as the veiled, furtive, but still visible glances of the President towards her. If she didn't know that this man was the one who had put a reward on her head, she wouldn't have thought so much of it. The others didn't seem to be tense in the slightest, and Cloud was chatting away with the President as amicably as anyone would with an old friend. However, a persistent finger of danger kept running up and down her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck rise and prickle in response while her muscles tensed in preparation for action.

Of course, I've changed a lot since the time that picture was taken, she thought as they were led into the heart of the building. Dusk eyed the guards lined up on the sides of the hallway, trying to restrain herself from making the instinctive reach for her sword. But that doesn't mean that he can't completely recognize me…

The wide, gray hallway split off into a fork up ahead with one large double doorway in between. Reeve headed straight towards the dark red double door, nodding to the two guards that stood on either side. They simultaneously reached around and opened the doors, standing at attention with the doors' handles in their hands and waiting for the party to enter.

They're very well disciplined, Dusk mused to herself as she brought up the rear. Even more so than when Shinra was still ruling. She took a quick glance into the eyes of one of the soldiers as she passed, noting the emotions that were inside of them. They like him, but they fear him for what he can do. He runs on a perfectly Machiavellian method of ruling. I wonder what his company runs on, though…surely not Mako energy…

Reeve took the large, leather seat behind an expansive gray metal desk that was placed in the middle of the room. He looked right at home in the midst of technology and paperwork, hands folded in the typical businessman way in front of him on his desk.

"First of all, there are many things that I should probably tell you," Reeve began without preamble. "And some of them I know you're not going to like. I didn't think that we would meet again, but now we have, and I am obligated to inform you on what the company that was formerly known as Shinra is currently doing. Do you all promise to hear me out before speaking?"

Dusk nodded only after the others had agreed, trusting in their knowledge of this man to guide their common sense. I could just be imagining things, she thought as another tingle ran up her spine.

Reeve smiled quietly. "Very well. First of all, the Sith company is directed towards building a better life within Midgar. We have improved the city and the living conditions of the people enormously since you have last seen it and the slums have all been obliterated. There are schools throughout each Sector and plenty of jobs for each working adult or teenager. I am also pleased to say that my company has received a tremendous amount of support and approval from the people."

He abruptly leaned forward in his seat, raising his clasped hands so that they were now a handy rest for his chin. "Now we come to the part I think all of you will not like."

"What is it?" Cloud asked when Reeve hesitated. "It can't be that bad. I mean, you've already done so much for this city!"

"Then here it is," Reeve replied quietly. "Our company needs to run and produce money to provide for the city. Therefore, we have turned to something that Shinra was ill known for in the past.

"We harvest Mako."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Yuffie exploded not a breath after Reeve had finished speaking. "This was the very thing we were fighting against five years ago!"

Dusk stiffened at Yuffie's exclamation, telltale shivers of danger now running in continuous laps up and down her back. She darted her eyes from side to side, observing each corner and shadowed area of the room, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible as she reached for her sword.

"Hear me out," Reeve replied, holding out a hand to placate the enraged ninja. "The company can't run on just words and promises, Yuffie! The Planet has to have regenerated itself since five years ago! Besides, we don't strip it of Mako as ruthlessly as Shinra did."

"That's not the point, Reeve," Cloud snapped, for the first time completely losing his patience ever since he had stepped inside of the new Headquarters. "You're going against everything that we lived and nearly died for in the past! Almost all of us here threw away our futures trying to save what could possibly not be saved, and you're just completely forgetting that! If Sephiroth were here—"

Reeve abandoned his seat to rise to his feet, frowning angrily at Cloud as the ex-mercenary took one angry step forward. "I am not forgetting anything!" he interrupted defensively. "Don't think that I can't remember what that silver-haired bastard did to the lives of so many helpless people! But that's in the past, Cloud, and Sephiroth isn't going to come back!"

"Aeris did," Cloud returned stonily, making a swift gesture behind him towards the girl. "She's standing right before you, Reeve. If Aeris came back, why can't Sephiroth?"

"He's dead," Reeve replied with a shake of his head. "He can't come back; the only thing that could possibly bring him back would be Jenova, and she's dead, too. You're all just overreacting."

"You idiot!" Yuffie roared, frustration tingeing her face a delicate light red. "He is back! Who do you think killed that Zolom out there, huh? It was him! Sephiroth's back, and so is Jenova!"

There was a stunned silence that filled the air of the room as Reeve stared in disbelief at the girl. Then, before anyone could react, his right hand deftly slipped under the counter of his desk and pressed something unseen to the others.

The double doors swung open in seconds as soldiers filed in, surrounding the group in mere minutes. They formed a tight circle around the travelers, lowering rifle muzzles towards them while ominous clicking noises of guns cocking echoed off of the walls in the room.

Dusk and Vincent were the only ones unfazed by the security reaction. The former had her sword out into a defensive position before the first click of a cocking gun sounded, and Vincent's own gun was cocked into ready as the other soldiers prepared their guns. The pair stood waiting for action while Cloud and the rest gaped in astonishment at Reeve's betrayal.

"You are all clearly mad and would threaten my company if I let you go," Reeve spoke in a soft voice. "I have no choice but to take you prisoner."

"Do you think we'll go down without a fight?" Cloud snarled as he reached over his back and took hold of the hilt of his cleaver blade, ocean blue eyes glinting dangerously. Tifa followed his example as she swung back into a fighting stance, while Cid lowered his spear and Yuffie curled her fingers around her shuriken and origami.

"No, I don't," Reeve replied calmly. "But I do believe there is someone in your ranks who is unarmed and helpless."

The comment registered in Vincent's mind before anyone else's. He whirled around immediately to find Aeris, but his searching eyes only met the sight of his daughter being dragged away at gunpoint by two soldiers. She was squirming and putting up a decent fight for someone who had lived a sheltered and confined life, but she was no match for the two highly trained guards.

"Dad!" Aeris wailed in terror as the muzzle of a gun was pressed against her temple. Her Lifestream green eyes shifted towards the source of pressure, widening in fear as she saw the man's finger tense on the trigger.

"Surrender, or I will give the order to shoot her," Reeve announced calmly. "And don't think that I won't hesitate, Cloud. She is disposable by my standards."

Cloud stared at the traitor, gripping the hilt of his sword even tighter so that the leather of his gloves made a creaking noise against it. He glanced backwards at Aeris, whose eyes were tightly shut in anticipation of what would come. Tifa sent him a pleading entreaty in her doe-brown eyes, while Cid simply kept staring straight ahead, Dusk retained her tensed fighting stance, and Yuffie looked as if she had just swallowed a lemon.

It was only the pained expression in Vincent's crimson eyes that made Cloud lower his sword. Those same eyes had been devoid of any hint of emotion for so long that it took a few moments for Cloud to recognize the one surge of sentiment in the tall dark man, but once he did, it was enough for Cloud. He slowly dropped his sword out of the ready stance and placed it on the ground with the click of metal meeting metal.

As if that had been the cue the others were waiting for, Tifa dropped out of her stance, stripping her hands of her gloves and resting them on the floor beside her while the rest immediately pulled their weapons out of ready and set them on the ground. Cloud crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Reeve, feeling his own anger smolder in his eyes.

Reeve nodded. "Thank you," he replied simply as he waved at soldiers to take the weapons away. He stepped around his desk and entered the circle of guards, watching his prisoners with calculating eyes. His wandering eyes finally came to a halt on Dusk and Vincent, narrowing with an indescribable mix of emotions in them.

"Vincent, I know you were of the Turks," he said quietly. "And I know you slept for thirty something years, but that doesn't prove your innocence enough. Until I have finished with your file, you will be held prisoner along with the rest.

"And as for you, young lady," he continued, turning towards Dusk. The woman tensed again, her hand flinching towards the sword that remained out of her reach in the custody of guards. "You…have changed. I almost didn't recognize you, but there is no mistaking who you are. Your files clearly described you and your fate, Aya Li."

Dusk straightened her shoulders and threw Reeve a proud, but withering look of contempt. "And what do you expect to do with me?"

"Why, absolutely nothing, of course. But there was some information in your files that is of interest to one of my new workers." Reeve gestured towards a new figure that had just broken through the closely-knit circle of guards and was making his way towards them. "Meet Rei, my new local scientist."

If anything at all, Rei was the opposite of his predecessor in the science department. He was young, tall, and walked proudly, without the bent over slouch Hojo used to make his way around the building. His hair was a pale, platinum blonde in a short cut while his complexion was fairly glowing with health. The only apparent similarity between him and Hojo was the white lab coat and thin glasses they both wore or had worn, both marking their status as a scientist.

It wasn't until Cloud met Rei's eyes did he realize that, despite his youthful and sanitary appearance, the new scientist was just as crazed and malicious as Hojo was. Although his eyes were a startling shade of purple, they shone with a faint gleam of greed and hunger for more knowledge and power. The only expression that registered in them as he looked towards Dusk—or…this Aya person? Cloud though—was one of glee.

"Ah, so you're my new specimen," he muttered with a cheerful glide in his surprisingly steady and light voice. "So nice to meet you."

"I'm sorry if I can't express the same feelings towards you," Dusk snapped back, giving no ground as the scientist snaked forward.

"No hard feelings," Rei agreed good-naturedly as he came to a stop nearby Dusk. "Now, if you'll just follow me…" He turned and began to leave.

Dusk saw her one opening and took it, blind rage filling her vision with a veil of red. She leapt forward with a quick spring of her legs and attacked Rei with an expert kick obviously meant to take the scientist down.

Rei whirled around before the kick connected with his temple and caught Dusk's foot in his hand. "Tsk, tsk," he clucked at the faintly stunned woman. "What part of 'no hard feelings' did you not understand?"

Dusk growled and threw her weight to the side, wrenching her foot free of Rei's grasp. With a quick spin of one supporting leg, she hooked another kick around at Rei, aiming once more for his head. Rei ducked into a crouch on the ground, sweeping at Dusk's foot with one leg. She brought both legs together and jumped over his leg barely in time, lashing out with another kick as she came down. Rei twisted aside as her boot's heel whistled through the edge of his hair, ruffling his neat hairstyle somewhat but not bothering the man in the least bit. He executed his own attack, using a kick-punch combination that drove Dusk to somersault backwards out of his reach. Despite her reaction, Rei's speed was great enough to connect with Dusk's arm as she spun away. The force of the blow connecting caused her to come out of her retreat too early, leaving her in a bare crouch on the ground as she gasped in pain and surprise at the weight of the blow Rei had landed.

"If you would please stop this nonsense and follow me…" Rei began. Although his tone of voice sounded annoyed and impatient, the glint in his eyes betrayed his clear enjoyment of Dusk's fighting reaction.

Dusk responded by throwing herself once more at the man, throwing punch after kick in consecutive bursts. Rei managed to dodge a few, but he received the brunt of most of the blows. Dusk abruptly backed away, panting heavily and almost drooping from exertion.

Rei straightened out of his defensive crouch and smiled at Dusk. "Ah, ah, ah," he admonished with a twitch of one extended pointer finger. "My turn now."

Dusk's eyes widened as Rei darted towards her, his speed startling her into defenselessness. Before she knew it, a punch had connected solidly with her gut in a crippling burst of pain that spread throughout her entire body. She doubled over with a tiny cry of agony, gritting her teeth and doing her best to ignore the pain as she brought a knee up to connect with Rei's groin. Rei, however, perceived her attack and fully blocked her pitiful attempt with one twist of an arm. In one swift sweep of a leg, he tripped Dusk to the ground, letting her crash painfully on her back and giving her an extra push on her shoulders so that her landing was even more agonizing. Before she could try to recover, he had a boot placed firmly on her chest and pressing downwards on her lungs. Dusk struggled for a long minute before she slowed and finally ceased, eyes dropping downwards and face going ashen as her oxygen was cut away from her.

Rei immediately lifted his boot and motioned for a soldier to pick Dusk up for him. "Well, then, I'll be going!" he announced to Reeve in a voice so cheerful that it sounded as if he stood by for hours practicing that one tone. "You can find me in my lab." With that, he made a half skip, half leap out of the room, the guard carrying Dusk following with the faithful, fawning obedience of a dog.

Despite the tragedy that had just occurred, Cloud couldn't help but stare after the violet-eyed scientist and his pompous exit. He's…almost nothing like Hojo…in personality, at least.

Trapped, the team could do nothing but allow themselves to be shackled by the security teams and led away, at least a pair of guards between each member. This precaution kept any ally from making eye contact—or sending messages silently—between each other, and thus preventing a possible rebellion at that moment. Cloud saw this immediately and glared at the back of Reeve's bobbing dark head that went in and out of sight from between the two equally dark heads of the guards between himself and the President.

Damn him, he thought viciously. What the hell happened here, anyway? And damn me, too, for being so naïve…should have listened to Yuffie and Cid…

The prisoner security area looked almost the same as it did five years ago, except instead of the multiple cells there were now only two large cells, one on each side of the hallway. Cloud, Vincent, and Cid were forced into one cell while Tifa, Yuffie, and Aeris were herded into the opposite one. The walls all around were solid, and as soon as the cell door slid shut, the girls' faces were out of visible sight. Cloud kicked one of the four cots the cell held, venting his frustration out and taking a twisted pleasure in the pain that ensued due to the surprising solidity of the furniture.

"We," Cid announced calmly once Cloud was done muttering to himself over the stab of pain, "are screwed."