Disclaimer: I do not own this. But you already knew that.

Chap. 25

Everyone looked up as the creature Jenova arose from its abyss. She stood over all of them and had tentacles waving around.

Aeris whispered, "Jenova."

Looking around, she saw Sephiroth that had disappeared and the others were in sore straits. Not to mention that Cloud wasn't there. Is he...No, I mustn't think like that.

Tifa moved over to Aeris.

"Aeris. Are they okay?"

She motioned to Cid and Red XIII, "Yes. But it will take some time for them to revive." She then looks at Zack, "And he's too strained to fight right now."

Tifa nodded, "Looks like we'll have to hold them off until they wake up. Or until Cloud gets here."

Aeris didn't answer. Rather she stared intently at Jenova. Suddenly, Aeris stood up.

"I'll handle Jenova."

"Aeris?"

"Don't worry. I can handle it. Besides, I can't stay in the back forever." She looks over to the unconscious Zack, "Please watch him for me."

Tifa looked strangely at Aeris before nodding, "Okay. I will. Just be careful."

Aeris then strode straight up to Jenova. The creature looked at her with a wicked glare and spoke with a bell-like voice.

"Creta..."

"Jenova. You will harm this world no longer!"

A stream of energy swirled around her and she raised her staff. She began to glow as she readied herself to fight. Jenova seemed to grin and her tentacles spread out.

"Now to rid myself of your kind."

Jenova lashed her tentacle out at Aeris, but it hit an energy field that surrounded her. Jenova was surprised, but summoned up a Fire3 magic spell. Aeris raised her arm upward and her staff glowed red briefly. She then shot her arm forward and Jenova was engulfed in a even stronger Flare spell. However, Aeris looked in surprise as the damage quickly healed.

"Return to your Promised Land!"

Jenova stretched her arm out and a massive sphere of energy formed. Lifting it up, she then hurled it at Aeris. Aeris quickly put her arms out and her staff floated before her. A stream of energy flooded out and countered Jenova's beam.

"Wow, Aeris."

Aeris has her hands outstretched and she is trying to force the power back, but Jenova  doesn't budge and begins to overwhelm her. Jenova's energy then hits full force and starts to fly at Aeris.

"Aeris!"

Suddenly, a form grabbed Aeris and pulled her away just before Jenova's magic slammed into the ground, causing a loud explosion. Jenova looks over and Aeris looks up to see...

"Cloud. You're alive."

Cloud nods and then turns to Jenova, who seems to regard him

"Child."

Cloud gets up and sets his weapon forward. Jenova does nothing as Cloud charges. Suddenly, Cloud is slammed away by wave of energy that hammers him to the ground. Cloud is unable to move.

"Remember, you are my child."

Cloud slowly gets up and suddenly grips his head, "No. No! I won't!" The black wing on his back retreats into his back and Jenova's face is of shock.

"You defy me? Perish then."

Jenova's tentacle raises and a beam flashes out. Cloud looks up to see it coming, but it is too late to avoid it.

"Cloud!"

Suddenly, Tifa makes a mad dash to Cloud. The beam came just as Tifa grabbed Cloud and stood in front of him. The beam hit both of them and they were hurled to the floor. Jenova smiled at them before raising another tentacle, this one covered with spikes, ready to run them through.

"Ah!"

Jenova wheeled around to see Barret, gun-arm raised and smoking.

"Do it now, cat!"

Behind him, Cait Sith was charging with energy. On the chest of the moogle, a slot machine appeared and began to stop. The first slot was part of Cath's face. The second matched it. The third began to slow down.

"Come on, come on!"

It stopped...on a bar.

"Damn!"

A group of toy soldiers appear and fired their rifles. Although they hurt Jenova, it wasn't damaging enough. Jenova pointed at them and a wave of Gravity shocked them to the ground.

Meanwhile, Cloud was recovering from the last attack and sits up with Tifa.

"Tifa, are you okay?"

"Yeah. My leg is a little hurt though."

They both looked up as Jenova began to shimmer with energy.

"Wait. Look there in the back."

They saw a thick tentacle connected to the base of the core. It began to glow as Jenova shimmered with energy.

"That's it. She's drawing power from the core."

"I'm on it."

Cloud quickly dashed to the tentacle and leap up into the air. The Buster sword came down hard, but the tentacle wasn't even cut.

What? Not a scratch. I better upgrade.

Cloud posed his sword forward and it shimmered. It transformed from the dull silver blade to a white-blue crystal blade. Cloud raised it over his head, but neglected to look over to see whether Jenova noticed him. A Fire2 spell slammed near him and he fell down again. His Ultima Weapon skidded across the floor away from him. As Cloud struggled to rise, Jenova prepared another spell when a shot rang out. Jenova turned ans saw both Vincent and Cid, both ragged but standing. Cid leaped up into the air, lance posed to stab down, nut he suddenly froze in the air. Vincent raised his rifle to shoot again, but was frozen by the time spell as well.

"Cloud, catch!"

"What?"

Jenova suddenly turned as a reawakened Zack tossed Cloud his Buster sword. Jenova screamed in defiance and attacked, but suddenly saw a glow of energy behind her.

"Cosmo Memory!"

"All Creation!"

Both Red XIII and Yuffie were up and fired heavenly blasts of energy and Jenova was torched by it. At the same time, Cloud leaped up into the air and aimed at the connection tentacle.

"Haaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!"

The crystal weapon slashed down and severed the tentacle. Jenova screamed again and the entire cavern shook. Aeris spun her staff one final time.

"Be gone!"

Aeris stuck her staff in the air and white beams of energy poured out and attacked Jenova.

That's...Holy!"

The magic attack surrounded Jenova and she began to dissolve. Holy then exploded in pure, white light, causing everyone to cover their eyes. After a long while, the light faded and Jenova was gone.

The cavern continued to shake and a loud roar echoed through the place.

"Time to go!"

Everyone helped picked up the injured and ran out. They reached the room they were in before when they first entered, but they saw no way out.

"We're trapped."

"No way. Lady Luck will come through."

Just as he said that, a crack emerged above them in the dark room. It grew bigger and bigger and eventually shattered open. A ladder flopped down before them.

"The Highwind! Let's go."

Everyone quickly grabbed the ladder and began to climb up and out and the Highwind moved up from the shaking Weapon. Looking down, they saw Weapon shake and roar and begin to fly upward.

Aeris noticed the action, "Weapon is trying to leave the Planet before it explodes. It's trying to save it."

Ultima Weapon struggled to make its ascension out of the crater. But it seemed to be drained of power and it was moving out very slowly.

"Weapon won't make it. Its going to blow before it can make it to the atmosphere."

"Isn't there something we can do?"

"The only other thing is to destroy Weapon now before it self detonates."

"How? I don't think any of our magic materia has that kind of power."

"I've got an idea. Turn us around."

The Highwind turned around back toward the Weapon.

"If we can't use magic, then we'll have to summon something with that power."

"A summon spell?"

"Yeah. And I have just the one."

Cloud reached in his pouch and pulled out a red materia. He hooked it to his sword and began summon the monster when suddenly, Cloud fell and was pulled right off the side of the Highwind.

"Cloud!"

Looking over the side, they saw Cloud holding on to the ladder right over the glowing Ultima Weapon. Looking down, Cloud sees a tentacle holding onto his leg. Jenova, or better yet, what remained of her was firmly gripped on and pulling its way up. Cloud struggles to get her of, but it is no use. Tifa sees this from above.

"Cloud!"

Jenova slowly makes her way up to him when suddenly she screams. Looking on the opposite side of the ladder was...

"Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth had impaled Jenova, causing her to release Cloud. Sephiroth then manages to climb between Jenova and Cloud and takes a look at him. Cloud looks back at him and for a brief moment, time slowed down. Sephiroth's white hair waved around as he regarded him. Those eyes... Different color, but they are the same as mine. All this time, and my family was right there.

"I have no right to say this, but please forgive me for all that I have done to you."

Cloud blinked as Sephiroth shifted his body closer to Jenova. Sephiroth then gave Cloud a smile. Not his usual eerie one as before, but a true smile, one that Cloud has never seen before in his entire life

"Farewell, my brother."

With those finally words, Sephiroth leaped off the ladder, taking Jenova down with him. As he did, Jenova shrieked and he began to laugh insanely

"So 'mother', we shall die together! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The two forms disappeared into one of the cracks of light and unearthly screams were heard coming from it. Cloud dangled on the ladder, taking in what just happened.

"Sephiroth. Farewell."

Cloud climbed up and Barret helped him in on the deck. Ultima Weapon was now next to them and still moving slowly. The cracks of light became bigger and more energy began to pour out. Cloud quickly grabbed his sword and used the summon spell.

"Hope this works. Tera Flare!"

Cloud vanished and everyone looked up high into the sky. In space, the armored dragon flew out from the sunlight and into position. Its six wings spread; Bahamut Zero charged its most powerful attack. Its head reared back and suddenly lurched forward, sending a bright beam of light down to the Planet. On the Highwind, everyone saw the twinkle of light...

"Oh crap. We gotta move now."

Cid quickly slid on the ground and pulled a latch. The Highwind's propellers jettisoned off and were replaced with booster rockets. The Highwind quickly shot away as the Tera Flare completely engulfed the Weapon and totally Weapon exploded. A massive wave of energy shot out and the Highwind was hurtled through the air. Everyone struggled to hold on and Cid managed to get it to land. Getting out, everyone looked as the explosion rocked the ground and a sphere of light grew to an immense size before ultimately dissipating. Cloud reappeared before them and bet down to the ground, exhausted. Everyone looked up to see Ultima Weapon was completely gone.

"We...did it. It's really over."

Alternate…

"Oh crap. We gotta move now."

Cid quickly slid on the ground and pulled a latch. The Highwind's propellers jettisoned off and were replaced with booster rockets. The Highwind quickly shot away as the Tera Flare completely engulfed the Weapon and totally Weapon exploded. A massive wave of energy shot out and the Highwind was hurtled through the air. Everyone struggled to hold on and Cid managed to get it to land. Getting out, everyone looked as the explosion rocked the ground and a sphere of light grew to an immense size before ultimately dissipating.

"Look!"

Everyone looked up as Bahamut Zero came out of the bright light, its six wings flapping strongly. And on top of his back was Cloud, still holding the Ultima Weapon sword. The way they looked together was very similar to what Odin looks like of his horse, except here, it was a dragon. A dragon knight.

"Alright. He did it!"

Cloud jumped off of the dragon and it disappeared. He landed softly and then bent down in exhaustion.

"We...did it. It's really over."