— ...Pant... Pant... Pant... You fought well, Dyne – after a rough match against a figure of a past long forgotten, Barrett kneels over, tired and wounded. Despite his efforts, he doesn't feel like a winner at all.
— ...We're evenly matched... – said Dyne, who showed no signs of pain. He felt nothing near the abyss on his back – we're not human... then, what are we?... how many times you and me shoot each other? Why... why aren't we dead?...
— I dont want to know. It's a bless we're alive – Barrett didn't wanted to fight against his old friend, but he had to. The men with machine guns at arms would eventually met each other by crossing different paths – I thought the ego of yours would get you killed, but you still are a persistent guy after all these years...
— Ego? It's been a while since I borrowed it. Is there any use of having a self identity, when all that you get after living a boring and frustating life... – before Dyne could finish with his pessimistic lecture, Barrett approached and lend his only hand to the fallen comrade. He didn't wanted such hospitability – GET AWAY FROM ME, MORON!
— So what's next, Dyne? – Barrett had a gun pointed over his head. Instead of fear, he felt calm – we'll fight and fight again, until we're both dead? That's a real stupid idea, buddy.
— You think I don't know what you're doing? Playing with my emotions!? Well, I am devoided of them all. There's no use... – Dyne limps away as he leans his back against a wall – there's nothing left for me to do, except destroy. I want to destroy everything. This crazy world, you, even me...and what's left from me.
— Marlene – Barrett's thoughts suddenly revolved around his daughter. Dyne's daughter – do you really want Marlene to 'join' her mother?
— I... I don't know. I am confused, yet it should be clear by now... – Dyne takes a look around. At his old pal Barrett, the junkyard, the crosses hanging over the abyss, and reaches to a tragic conclusion – you said before that the idea of us beating each other 'till we're both dead makes no sense, but I've been thinking about it... it doesn't sound stupid to me. In fact, it makes a lot of sense to me.
— I see no sense in any of this – Barrett said, as he looked around and saw a desert. He felt as empty as those dry lands.
— But I do – while Dyne, on his emptiness, found the answer to everything – let's face it, Barrett... People like you and me... we're better off dead. Can't you see? The world is too hard for both of us. We bruise too easilly, we bleed too much. We're all in pain, all walking wounded. You fight for the Planet, yet has the Planet ever fought for you? I heard what happened at Midgar, Sector 7. Biggs, Wedge, Jessie... you lost these too.
— We have lost too many people, indeed. They were part of our lives – Barrett felt devastated, both physically and emotionally.
— Now they are part of the Planet – while Dyne lived somehow, without any goals, any consideration, nothing that defined the old Dyne. The human Dyne – don't you see it, idiot? The only way you can help this Planet is to die. Not for it, or anything, or any of your silly ideals. There's no need for sacrifices. Just die... your body will feed the earth, that's enough help for a Planet that gave you none.
— Well, I think different! – hardly Barrett followed the workings of ill minds – if I keep fighting for something I truly believe, even if I die for it, which I won't that easily!- something will happen! My efforts won't be in vain, because it ain't only me who fights for the Planet. I'm not alone in this, you can count on me...
— '...as much as I can count on you', the same old story – Dyne knew he would hear that cheesy speech again. He didn't knew when, he doesn't care – you used to do well at convincing people, Barrett. You were one of those in favor of Shinra building up a Mako Reactor at Corel. You thought it would bring us all an easier life, while I worked hard mining coal. No one used coal ever since that damn Reactor was built. So what happened next? As if it was not enough for Shinra to invade every single aspect of our lives, they had to kill us like they owned us.
— Like I said before, I'm not here to ask you to forgive me – Barrett stood up, looking right throught at Dyne – I made my mistakes.
— Mistakes after mistakes – how much Dyne hated him – you left the garbage dump of Corel, moved to Midgar, and there you created AVALANCHE to resist the same Shinra who promised a better life for us. Your friends and closed ones were enlightened by your words, while people that had nothing to do any of this fight you're so proud of died again.
— We knew there would be casualities from since beginning. All battles have losses, but we learn from those losses in order to win.
— Yes, casualities. My wife included – Dyne thought about Eleanor, about how he used to be loved.
— Mine as well – and so Barrett thought about Myrna – why does nothing stays buried?
— Tell me, buddy... what have learned from these losses? – Dyne looked at his metallic arm, which counted as a loss too. Perhaps it all began when he lost his arm, following Corel's genocide – have we grew stronger with time? Or is it just our gun arms that are strong enough? Not that I care...
— It's not our arm's doing. These guns are ours, we own them – Barrett knew how Dyne felt. How different it is for someone to hold of so much power and be overcome by it – and you were responsible for the slaughter at the Gold Saucer.
— Yes, that was my doing. Not that I feel proud of it, or anything. I want to destroy everything, that's what I live for, yet I don't wanna live anymore. Not like this... The good old days were not as good as I remember, so what makes the future any better? You think fellowship is the answer, my dear Eleanor thought love was the answer. I have learned better, and the answer, my friend-is power! And this is all the power I'll ever need! With this gun, I rose above my pain and problems! I feel like a giant. I AM A GIANT! Soon the world will know how tall I am!...
Dyne mulls his few triumphs, his many losses. He felt the power he had at the tip of arm. With that very power, he could do whatever he wanted. However...
— ...But I don't care. I really don't care how much power I have, as much as I didn't cared about how many people I killed, how many Shinra has killed at Corel, nothing really matters. You create an identity, careers, relationships, all these nonsensical ideas that interpret and justify reality in many ways without increasing our knowledge about what really matters. We live a boring and frustating life, then we die. We feel a need to, like you say, 'keep fighting' to get rid of the very idea that everything is useless. So long, Barrett...
— NO! You can't do this! – Barrett yelled. He knew Dyne was going nowhere else, he had no other choice but – you can't just give up, Dyne! Life's too precious! And what about Marlene? What will be of her?
— Marlene... – Dyne thought about his daughter. He has not changed at all reaching the edge of the abyss – think about it Barrett... how old was Marlene back then?... Even if I saw her for a brief moment, she would not know me... for the best. Admit, she'll be fine without me. These hands are a little too stained to carry Marlene anymore...
— My hands aren't any cleaner, buddy – Barrett said, as he looked at both organic and artificial arms in shock – I'm not worthy of holding Marlene either...
— we're toxic, Barrett. Anyone comes near us, and their lives become radioactive. Isn't it time for us... to find a little peace?
— I'll only find peace when the Planet's safe! – no matter how many burdens he had to bear, Barrett is too stubborn to give up – I'll give a better future for Marlene, no matter what!
— I see – Dyne stared at the void below, filled of darkness. He pulled a necklace and tossed it at Barrett – give that pendant to Marlene. It was Eleanor's... my wife's... memento...
— All right... – Barrett holded the pendant – I'll keep it safe.
— So, Marlene... Already 4? Wow... she was so little... – Dyne said, feeling weird. He was both calm and infuriated, nostalgic and saddened. He limps to the edge of the ravine, turns to Barrett and – buddy... take care... Marlene... Don't.. make... Don't ever make Marlene... cry...
— DYYYYY-NEEEEEEEEEEEEE! – Barrett cried, with all the air on his lungs. It's not enough to bring his friend back.
