Heyya all!
Damn thing's finally done! Thank you for your patience! Only one more chapter remaining! Oh, 6 has been reposted with better formatting...stupid thing...
Oh, and mad props to Storm Strife for her Design of Vincent/Chaos and inspiration, as well as Digitaleawie for her Chaos Design! ^_^
Here we go!
Eleven years old. That's when Elena saw her first murder.
And what traumatized her wasn't that the mutilated corpse was formerly her step father. Nor his attempted rape of her and beating of her mother when she tried to stop him moments before.
It was her best friend standing over the body. Hands dripping with blood.
Raw hate etched in every fiber of him, aging him by decades, more demon than human. It was the first time she'd glimpsed Reno in his transformed state, and how he could kill as easy as one drew breath.
It scared her. Still scared her deep down after all these years.
They covered up the murder. Easily done in the Midgar slums. Her Mother played the grieving widow role to perfection and no one said a damn thing. Elena wore red to the funeral.
First conspiracy at Eleven. Multiple counts of breaking and entering, theft and destruction of public/private property before that. Turk material alright.
She'd never questioned Reno's abilities or Missus T's knowledge of them even after that night. She had been afraid to. Now she had no choice, unconscious yet aware of Reno carrying her off god knows where.
What was she going to do now? Damned if she knew…
Premium Spirit Productions Presents
In association with Square Pictures
OBSIDIAN
A Final Fantasy VII fanfiction by Sentora
Final Fantasy and its characters belong to Square. Just borrowing them for this crazy fic. The new ones belong to me, so ask nicely if ya wanna use 'em ok?
Chapter 7: Cruel intentions
Reeve sighed as Shera hung up on the PHS. Wanted a drink at the moment more than anything.
Shera had informed him of the current situation on Wutai. Vincent had vanished in Ramuh's attack, teleported or vaporized. Yuffie had ignored her own injuries in a mad search for him, up until she literally passed out and left the others to search in the Highwind. Leviathan and Shiva returned to their world to recover and prepare themselves.
Again, he'd been too late. Only comfort was that their secret weapon had worked.
Reeve sighed. And where the hell was Reno and Elena?!!
He leaned back in his chair and looked out at the Weapons…and noticed that pretty lab assistant from before staring up at him from the floor.
"What the…"
The Weapons hissed and activated on their own, the Cain protocols keeping them from reacting to the one thing they were after all along, Reeve's eyes widening and punching the alarm.
"Oh SHIT-"
Lucrecia grinned…and exploded into countless squirming tendrils that engulfed everything in reach…The Weapons roaring…
##
"I don't see what's the big deal about changing a diaper. Can't be worse than anything else I've…Oh GOD!"
There was no describing the expression on Cloud's face when he caught a whiff of the diaper's contents. Tifa outright laughed, Zakaeris even giggling in a 'who me?' kinda way.
Cloud ignored his wife with an effort as he removed and closed the diaper. Then balanced it on his Ultima sword as far away from him as possible as he walked over to the trash can and dumped it.
"It's not funny!" he mock growled, cradling his now freshly diapered daughter as he walked over to Tifa and lay down beside her, Zakaeris lying between them as they watched her.
"Oh yes it is! Weapons, Sephiroth, Mako Poisoning and Jenova, and a dirty diaper defeats Cloud-ACK! Stop tickling!"
"I'll give you something to laugh about!"
"Heeheeheh-that's not-haha-fair!"
Safely between her parents, Zakaeris watched them play a little longer. Sucking her thumb and eyes wide and curious in that way babies always are.
…Jenova…
Zakaeris looked up from her parents at the odd voice she heard. Looked around in search of it. Cloud and Tifa had chosen that moment to kiss, missing her reaction and unaware of the voice.
…coming for you…
Zakaeris saw darkness. A darkness that writhed and crawled like a living thing. Walls, floors, things and people…everything it touched was simply…gone.
Her brow furrowed, a look of concentration quite misplaced on her.
…the darkness shifted direction toward her…
Zakaeris began to wail.
Both groaned, Tifa picking her up and trying to quiet her. "What wrong, sweetie?"
Zakaeris' cries became more insistent by the moment, her tiny hands fisted and her expression scared.
….COMING FOR YOU!
Cloud winced as his skin crawled like in Jenova's presence, only a hundred times worse …Tifa immediately alarmed and picking up Zakaeris…
…Just as the alarms began to blare…the 'darkness' Zakaeris had seen devouring the walls and floors of their room…
"All personnel evacuate immediately…I repeat, All personnel evac-"
##
"Sir, Look!"
The Junon branch of Bannon Industries was no longer recognizable by the Junon navy. The skyscraper was transforming, overrun by some kind of substance that could only be described as some dark, cybernetic ooze…
The Naval commander watched limbs tear free from the shifting mass…a huge maw of fangs the size of a bus yawning open near it's center…
"Open Fire!"
##
Cloud hated running from a battle more than anything. Especially when he didn't have a choice in the matter.
Whatever was consuming the building was intent on adding them to maze of black steel and alien circuitry, Cloud's fears of what they were trapped within becoming clear as they were forced to smash a window and try escaping on the balcony…staring down the rapidly forming body of some kind of towering beast…Chitin armor beginning to form on it's naked circuitry/flesh and large undeveloped wings unfolding as it's features became more defined…more like the…
"The Weapons…" Cloud muttered.
Tifa was too busy judging the great height they were at, looking for an escape…found it looking at the Ultima Sword. Grabbed the handle.
"…Remember Icicle town?"
Cloud looked at her and Zakaeris…then down the back of the beast…."No way…"
A mass of reaching tendrils decided for them, Tifa unbuckling the massive sword and pushing them on it as she threw it down, now a makeshift surfboard to ride down the ever-changing creature. Cloud guiding the best he could as they skidded down as Tifa huddled close with Zakaeris, dodging both the naval assault and reaching ooze by the barest of inches…
…Zakaeris laughing and giggling as her parents screamed and swore most of the way down.
"Aim for the tail!" Tifa yelled as she handed Cloud Zakaeris and powered up Final heaven…
The still forming tail flexed, the ooze shifting beneath them to attempt crushing them against it…
…Tifa turning and unleashing it behind them into the wave…using the blast as a boost off it's body…Cloud grinding off it like a ramp and flying a good couple of feet to splashdown near a ship.
The massive creature roared, crouching on it's solidifying leg and cut a wicked front flip into the water and disappeared almost instantly…the naval fleet swept away by the massive tidal wave it created…
##
"Well, this is a surprise. What brings you down here so-"
*CRACK*
Sephiroth staggered back, grinning at Aeris as she nursed her hurting fist.
"You should put your hip into your swing." he commented dryly, rubbing his jaw.
Aeris was angrier than she had ever been in her life, sparks almost coming from her eyes. "I don't have time for your games…"
"Of course you don't." Sephiroth stood and turned his back on her, seemingly obvious to her temper. "Mother's on a roll upstairs and here you are, the planet's protector, without a clue."
Aeris almost lashed out again at the remark, fighting to stay calm.
"Face it Aeris." He half turned, a smirk on his lips. "You can't even control yourself, much less the situation or me. Every passing second it's getting harder tell you from Desdemona." His features shifted before her eyes ever so briefly. "Brings Angelus Oozing to the surface just to look at you."
Aeris' eyes narrowed.
"That's been your goal all along I see." She said calmly. "Well it won't work."
His reply was a sinister chuckle. turned and faced her with that 'I'm superior' half smile he perfected.
"No…not mine…"
Aeris stepped back in sudden dread. *What now…"
"I've learned something in my time here." Sephiroth walked toward her as she stepped back, moving her toward the barrier. "The planet is little different from the animals that walk upon it when you strip away the bullshit, threaten it's survival. It will fight with tooth and claw, even sacrifice the innocent to preserve itself."
Aeris stopped at the barrier, transfixed but fighting to not let her fear show. Sephiroth loomed over her, the half smile now a full fledged death's grin as he placed his hands on either side of her head against the barrier, trapping her.
"Is the pieces falling into the place now, dear Aeris?" his warm breath tickled her nose, and he smelled of earth and forest. Primal. "Part of the 'redemption' you sought for me was to test you. To see if you would repeat the mistakes made as Desdemona due to my resemblance to Angelus. Heh…" He cupped her cheek almost lovingly. "Almost too easy to convince the planet to doubt you, and after your current performance the planet has nominated someone better for the job. ME."
Aeris pushed herself backwards through the barrier, her confidence bolstered once on the other side.
"How does it feel to have been betrayed and replaced by your murderer?" Sephiroth asked.
"…You're lying! The planet wouldn't…"
"Let me prove it to you by giving you a kiss."
Masamune speared through the barrier with frightening quickness into her stomach. twisted and jerked free.
Aeris collapsed, Sephiroth's smile the last thing she saw before oblivion consumed her.
Sephiroth pushed free of the barrier as easily as water, shoulders shaking with silent laughter as he threw Aeris' body over his shoulder, the very ground corrupting beneath his steps…
##
The Dreamsense had Yuffie once more. Deeper than ever.
Past. Present. Future. They were a storm of imagery around her, tossing her back and forth. She managed to make sense of some things but not much, seeing everyone from Cloud to Vincent to…
"…Mother?"
The maelstrom ceased almost instantly, And Yuffie found herself standing in front of her mother, just as she remembered her: Tall and regal in a purple kimono, her long brown hair sweeping behind her in perfect waves…the gentle gray eyes and features her father insisted she inherited-not that she saw them YET-that could melt hearts or frighten the strongest spirit when angry…
She hugged Yuffie close, Yuffie returning the embrace fiercely.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you baby." she murmured.
"Wasn't yer fault…" Yuffie sniffed, fighting not to cry as she buried face in her kimono. "Ramuh…"
Her mother rubbed her back comfortingly. "That's not important right now, and my time is short. You need to understand your gift if you are to help Vincent."
She looked up in concern as her mother continued.
"Your Kiragi is rather unusual, dear daughter. It allows you to see the past or even glimpse the future of those around you, living or not, even experience them if you let yourself. You must learn to embrace it rather than run from it before…"
She looked up, as if hearing something.
"He's here."
She let go, made to turn away…
"Don't go!" Yuffie grabbed her hand-
-The claws ripped free of her chest…the red haired child watching her die…-
Yuffie jerked back, her eyes wide with shock.
Her mother nodded sadly. "Do not dwell on it now…you have far worse things to face now…"
Yuffie woke.
And Wutai burned around her.
The smoke choked her, finding herself on the Pagoda roof instead of her bed. The ground was littered with bodies of the Wutai guard and civilians, those unhurt attempting to drag them away as well as fight the fire.
…Just like her dream before…or was it…
Yes, he was standing on the edge, Tattered red cape flowing in the incredible heat, surveying the carnage with an almost regal, despotic air. The metal claw reflected the fire, giving the impression it was part of the crimson hurricane below.
Vincent. As she seen and he feared.
He half turned to her, the human part of his face twisting to match the grin on demonic other half.
"Da-chao's tits you sleep like the dead. Speaking of which…."
Death Penalty raised, spun and barked. A cry below and then silence.
"So here we are, Yuffers. Beauty and the beast as it should be. Chaos/Vincent kicking the Conformer lying at his feet to her. "No damn talkin' teapots and a better plot."
She sat up to a crouch, her hand on her weapon…but leaving it on the ground. Chaos/Vincent smirked.
"You think I won't kill you, don't you?"
"Why would you?" Yuffie shot back, her head bowed and her hair hiding her eyes.
"Seems like the icing on the cake, burn your town, kill everybody and leave you for last." Another sharp report from Death penalty followed by another cry, this one female. "See how badly you've screwed up, babe."
"Then whatcha waiting for?"
Chaos/Vincent shrugged his head. "Good point."
His quick draw was frighteningly faster than she remembered. Yuffie nearly bounced off the roof from the impact of the bullet deflecting off Conformer, sliding to a stop at it's edge in a crouch.
"Scared you didn't I?" He kept Death penalty trained on her.
Yuffie didn't look up, keeping her head bowed and Conformer half raised.
"Oh, I see…" a evil chuckle. "You think there's enough of Vincent left to save you, right? Heh, silly rabbit."
"Then why you missed?" she retorted.
"Nani?"
"You aimed for my shoulder just then. My heart or my head ain't that far off!"
"Another good point. Your casaba melon of head is rather hard to miss." Chaos/Vincent shrugged again. "Let's try again then shall we?"
Yuffie threw herself to the right before he even finished and it still wasn't fast enough…Chaos/Vincent already there to smash Death penalty's butt into her ribs and then spin around to club her off the roof…Yuffie managing to grab the edge of the lower roof…Chaos/Vincent seconds behind her to smash her into the wall and through it…Yuffie bouncing across the floor inside to lay still in a heap.
Chaos/Vincent hovered inside, arms crossed. "Crap, still alive? Not that I'm not having fun trying…"
He dodged the returning Conformer thrown just as Yuffie fell earlier…Yuffie already on her feet and running toward him to catch it out the air and shoulder rammed him out the hole…a brief midair brawl breaking out and ending with her using his body to take the impact…leaping free…
Chaos/Vincent reappearing behind her and drop kicking her in the back…reappearing in front of her as she flew forward a few feet with a raised knee…Yuffie recovering in midair and immediately pushing off it into the air and dropped with an hammer punch to his head…staggering him but receiving an uppercut in return that sent her head over heels…managing to kick him in the jaw as she flipped over and landed on her stomach hard…Chaos/Vincent spun off his feet as well…
…both off the ground as soon as they landed …Yuffie leapfrogging over him as he lunged and catching his cape…spinning as she fell and whip lashing him off his feet to the ground…twisting as he drew and fired blindly at her on his back…Chaos/Vincent lashing out with the gun and sweeping her feet out from under her and spinning to his feet as she controlled her fall…Conformer and Death penalty striking sparks as Yuffie blocked his next swing and tried to overpower and disarm each other…before Chaos/Vincent suddenly relaxed his guard and off balanced Yuffie…twisting the barrel around and firing point blank…
Yuffie flew through the air. Tumbled and bounced to a heap and lay still.
He spat and wiped his mouth, chuckling. "Whooo! Where did that come from? Think someone watched too much Matrix there!" He walked toward Yuffie. "Still dead as a doornail after all that…"
Yuffie suddenly snapped out with Conformer…Chaos/Vincent cut across the chest and then across the back as it returned…staggering slightly as Yuffie climbed to her feet unsteadily and caught it.
"Ok…now I know I shot you in the face…"
Her wounded shoulder said otherwise, some of the citizens and royal guard pausing in their battle with the fire to attempt helping, Yuffie barking at them before they could. "The fire first!"
Chaos/Vincent snorted. Aimed and shot another woman in the shoulder that had gotten too close. "Damn thing must be off or something…"
"You can't kill anyone Chaos, Vincent won't let you." Yuffie said confidently. "It's still his body…"
Chaos/Vincent was on her before the words left her lips, the vicious rib cracking punch betraying the accuracy of her statement, just short of lethal and catapulting her into the air, followed by several Chaos sabers that spun her around and tossed her to the dirt…Yuffie stubbornly attempting to rise to her feet despite the gaping wounds across her back and ribs…
"Same reason why… you haven't…killed anyone yet…just wounded…" Her eyes met his, blood trickling down her arm as she gripped Conformer tighter. "And I will fight as long as he needs!"
*Has she figured out what I'm really up to?* he smirked. *Doesn't matter…I've already won…*
"Let test that theory then…"
He raised his hands above his head…The great fire suddenly shifting and gathering like snakes above him to feed the gathering sphere of a Flare spell…
*That will destroy the town!* Yuffie thought in terror. Everyone panicked and ran for some kind of safety…
"…And answer that question!" Chaos/Vincent grinned. "Wutai or Vincent!"
The sphere grew…scant seconds to react…one throw and she could kill him before he could dodge…
"…I can't-"
"Bzzzt! Thank you for playing!"
Dropped his hands and completed the casting motion.
The fiery death of Wutai could be seen as far as Icicle town. bright as the sun-
-And Yuffie snapped awake from her brief glimpse of Vincent's future…a future that would occur in seconds if she didn't react!
"…And answer that question!" Chaos/Vincent grinned. "Wutai or Vincent!"
This time the words were barely out of his mouth when she threw…screamed his name…
Chaos/Vincent's eyes widened…Conformer seconds from tearing him in two…
…leapt straight up…the conformer just barely passing under him and the sphere still balanced above him…
…Noticing Yuffie complete her spell casting motion too late.
"TORNADO!"
And he was engulfed and wind and flame as the spells mixed violently…managing a final massive Chaos Saber before swept into the sky in agony…one that rent the street like tissue paper and sent Yuffie flying with a shriek upon striking her…blood erupting into the air…
And inside his body, time stopped for Vincent…unaware of his body carried high into the skies nor the agony of inferno tearing at him…seeing only Yuffie flying back bleeding…over and over…
*YUFFIE!!*
The spell finished it's course…Vincent's body landing face first, the pavement a spider web of cracks from the impact.
Yuffie landed limply on her back, limbs gruesomely splayed and her chest covered in blood. Eyes wide and staring.
Vincent managed to crawl to his hands and knees despite his broken and burned body…ignoring it's protests as he saw her lying there lifelessly…
Break! Chaos taunted.
…Memories of the last two years flashed before him…
BREAK!! Hellmasker screamed.
…Yuffie…Chaos…no HE killed her…
Break! Gigas rumbled.
…He killed Yuffie…
Break! Gaian barked.
…His chest heaved painfully…he clawed at his eyes as if to tear the sight of her bloody body from his mind…
Break…Break…Break… they chanted as they circled him in his mind.
Twitched and jerked in seizure on the ground…curling into a ball against the unbelievable agony of his grief, injuries and something ELSE he felt building within his wracked body…
Break-Break-Break-Break-BREAK!
…Howled and thrashed madly…clawing at his chest and foaming at the mouth…
BREAK!
…Banging his head mindlessly against the ground…totally unaware of Lucrecia appearing out of nowhere as his body bulged gruesomely at various points and shredded his clothing…as if something was attempting to tear free…
"Give in Vincent." Lucrecia grinned wickedly. "Just give in for me…"
His transformations grew wildly out of control as his thrashing got worse…until he managed to crawl to his hands and knees as his body bulged almost to the point of exploding…
…with the most gruesome sound one could ever imagine four barely humanoid forms did explode free from him in a gruesome parody of childbirth…Vincent finally lying still.
They grew rapidly upon landing…their forms at first the recognizable ones of Chaos, Hellmasker, Gaian and Gigas…but then altered radically until very little remained of their original forms…
Gaian grew to the size of an elephant and twice as bestial in appearance. Losing what little humanoid attributes he had for a thickly muscled, tryannosaurian design with curved horns and armored with wickedly sharp spines everywhere. A four legged, reptilian tank with fangs like railroad spikes…
Gigas' motley, frankensteinian appearance became more streamlined and cybernetic as he also grew in size and his flesh split and scattered to the wind. Massive armored fists, pillar like boots, black chest armor and a fearsome death mask of a humanoid face incapable of expression…all held together by wires and circuitry twisting together to imitate powerful muscle and flesh, creating a behemoth that towered over all…
Hellmasker giggled insanely throughout the twists and bone snapping of his change…remaining human of sorts but his skin darkening to black, muscle mass and height increasing twice fold. No longer a horror movie knock off, this Hellmasker towered at seven feet and wiry with whipcord muscle that the blue tattered shirt and ragged pants couldn't hide. Two chainsaws were clutched in his hands, chainsaws more resembling Cloud's oversized swords. The greatest change was his namesake, his mask more demonic than ever now that it actually little more than a grinning set of tusk like fangs that reached from scalp to chin had he actually had them, a permanent, hellish death's grin for a face and no visible eyes that actually opened wide to reveal there was no face behind it as he chuckled…
And Chaos…His new form was a combination of Vincent and his former self Maduin: Vincent's lady-killer features and short hair from his Turk years while adding Maduin's above average muscle mass and height, his black wings folding around him like a cloak and adding to the dark mirror version of his host he'd become. The change continued until his eyes were now black with red cornea and his skin darker, his clothing gray and black to match. a brief flare of red black aura betraying the hidden strength belied by this new form.
They loomed over Vincent's half naked form on all sides, Lucrecia walking over and raking her hands across Chaos' chest as she looked down at Vincent…and then kissed his demonic twin full on the lips.
"My poor deluded Vincent…The irony must be unbearable." Her voice was soft yet cutting as she pulled away to look at him again.
Vincent twitched. Struggled to speak through scaled lungs despite the pain raping his body.
"To think, all those wasted years of torturing yourself, moaning about your so called sins and failures while dressing like a vampire. No wonder Hojo died laughing."
She knelt down, stroking his hair from his eyes almost tenderly. Vincent could only stare in bewilderment, only barely holding on to his sanity.
"In other words, lover…you were nothing to me. Nothing but an attractive Petri dish."
His eyes widened. Choked on the blood filling his mouth to attempt screaming in denial…
"I already know what you're going to say…" She imitated his voice. "You lie Jenova! I will not listen while you pervert my Lucrecia's memory!"
She cocked her head and smiled innocently at him. straddled him, played with his hair more as she spoke in her own voice.
"Was I that convincing?" She asked playfully. "Fool, I am Lucrecia! Every soft whisper, every moan of pleasure, every loving gaze you've burned into that little time warped mind of yours came from me! I breathed life into that collection of cells you lusted after. I seduced you. I played you like that beloved piano of yours!"
"…no…"
She chuckled in that cute way he remembered to torment him further.
"What's wrong? Does the truth hurt my poor little Vincy Poo? Would you like a kiss to make it all better?" She opened her mouth, an obscenely long tongue flicking out to wipe across his lips in a beastly kiss. Laughed and moved her hips suggestively. "Some old fashioned loving for old time's sake?"
"…stop…"
"But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet."
Stroked his chest, Chaos and the others chuckling at the crude parody she made of one of Vincent fondest memories.
"See, I shouldn't have so lovingly referred you to as a Petri dish. You were more of a…incubator for my dear Chaos. Made sleeping with you so much easier picturing him."
Vincent closed his eyes and looked away, wishing to die as his world crumbled around him.
"Look at the mistress when she's talking to you, Vinnie." Chaos taunted, kneeling down and forcing him to look at them. "Hmph, Little bitch. You have no idea of true pain but whine about your sorry existence. All of us have suffered far worse betrayals than this before your grandfathers were even born, suffered imprisonment, death, lost my daughter Terra to men like you!" He grabbed a handful of Vincent's hair and viscously bounced the man's head off the street. "But we have only gotten stronger and fought for this moment, to make all responsible pay!"
"revengerevengerevengerevengeWESHALLHAVE!" Gigas and Gaian chuckled their assent, Chaos dragging Vincent over to Yuffie and tossed him down beside her on his face.
"And all that challenge us will fail." He looked at Yuffie, with the oddest expression. "Just as you failed her."
Lucrecia snorted, her claws extending. "At least my granddaughter won't depart this world alone. Escorting her is all your good for now, Vincent!"
She pulled back…
Stopped only as Yuffie's hand grabbed her leg, her eyes very much alive and pissed.
"…not dead yet…bitch…." she managed, speaking taking more strength than she really had.
Vincent was still too weak to speak properly, finally slipping into unconsciousness with something resembling a smile of relief.
"Casting slow on yourself to slow your bleeding and buy time. Clever little minx of a granddaughter you have, Lucrecia." Chaos walked over to Lucrecia, nuzzling her neck as he embraced her from behind. "Lets spare them for now, amuse ourselves watching them see how futile it will be when they attempt stopping us."
Lucrecia purred. "Mmmmm…you're right. Can't have them saying we're ungenerous." She looked at Yuffie with a smirk. "I hope you show the intelligence to decline our challenge, granddaughter."
With that the four turned as if to walk away…vanishing completely as if they weren't even there.
Yuffie managed to crawl over to Vincent and lay her head against his, confirming herself that he was still alive. Found herself swimming in and out of consciousness, barely aware of whoever had picked her and Vincent up out the street to tend to their wounds…
Only the future she glimpsed in her contact with Lucrecia a moment ago…struggling to make sense of it before it became reality…
##
"ACHOO!"
Zakaeris yawned, Cloud swearing she looked bored. He and Tifa was huddled close for warmth with a blanket, sitting on the bridge of a warship named Junon Jewel-stupid name for a warship Cloud thought but kept to himself-after getting fished out the harbor.
"I knew Bannon was stupid to store those things there, after what one did to Junon last time." The captain snorted, glaring at the couple. "No better than Shinra…"
Tifa squeezed Cloud's arm gently in warning, Cloud giving him a glare instead. "Did you pick him up as well?" she asked.
The captian snorted. "No sign of him yet, and I'm making sure to look for him, so I can toss his smart ass in the brig where it fuc-"
Tifa's boot flew and bounced off his head. "Don't swear in front of my daughter."
Zakaeris giggled at that, Cloud smirking at her a moment before getting serious again. "I think he's still inside that thing…can you track it?"
"It's moving too fast to follow." The captain rubbed his nose, instantly more discreet. "But seems to be heading toward the main continent. I've already warned all towns except Wutai."
"Why not Wutai?"
"We haven't gotten a reply on PHS or anything for an hour now…"
"Sir! It's stopped!" a Helmsman reported. "Several miles from the shore of the main continent…" The radar suddenly went crazy with beeping. "…Just opened fire on us!"
"From that far out?!!"
"Brace for impact!"
A rain of yellow energy smashed into the fleet, everyone thrown to the floor by the shockwave of impact. Zakaeris giggled at the movement, Tifa and cloud protecting her with their bodies. Screams of panic rose over the com…
"…Nine ships heavily damaged and the rest disabled but seaworthy…we're the only ones unhurt."
"It hit every target it wanted." Cloud said darkly.
The captain looked at him disbelievingly.
"I have a request Captain. Contact the towns and inform them that it would be wise to go to Evac Zero status, and gather your fleets. Also allow me to contact the Highwind from here, we'll check out Wutai."
Evac Zero…worldwide evacuation plan developed by Reeve and Red XIII after Meteor to Cosmo Canyon. Things had officially going to hell in a hand basket if Cloud was even thinking that, Tifa thought.
"Isn't that rash?"
"You saw yourself Captain. It fired at us to get our attention, hitting all the ships except the one we were on." Cloud's eyes were cold. Tifa nuzzled Zakaeris, her blood running cold at his words. "That thing wanted us to see where it was going and what is the only thing of any strategic value on the Main continent?"
The captain paled.
"Midgar."
##
When Midgar was transformed into the world's largest Materia, everything was preserved solid by the Lifestream, only the humans that had sought safety in the lower levels during Meteor unaffected. Even the tattered remains of Shinra tower remained, appearing as if to collapse at any moment. So did the Mako power supply system, modified by Reeve and his company to instead channel the natural energy provided.
It was from it's rooftop Elena watched Reno test and adapt to his powers for over two hours now, growing stronger with each passing moment. He remained in his new form now, the earlier, brief regressions to human gone for an hour and counting. Tested his transformations and enhanced skill against several creatures of various size and ferocity, from Midgar Zoloms to the latest, a Ruby dragon that even now fell to the ground below, neck broken after a brief but vicious battle in the sky.
And Reno was enjoying it all. Every moment.
But disgust was the last thing on Elena's mind, watching him fly and tumble through the night skies, smiling in a way she had not seen since they were young.
She marveled at how at peace he finally was. Free again.
"It is a wonderful thing, is it not?"
Elena didn't take her eyes of Reno to answer Lucrecia. "Yes."
"You always were his guardian angel, watching from afar even as children." Lucrecia smiled to herself as she walked closer.
Elena snorted. "Failed at that rather badly, doncha think?"
"You're here aren't you?"
"….."
Lucrecia chuckled wryly. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, little one. You are more than the humans you've served till now, much more."
"Because of my talent?" she looked at her hand. "That doesn't make me more than human…more of a failure if anything." she then looked at Lucrecia. "I'm nothing like you or Reno…"
"But you are." another chuckle. "You haven't figured it out yet, have you?"
Elena blinked.
Lucrecia slid her hands in the pockets of her coat and walked up to the younger woman, watching Reno as well.
"Do you think the Kisaragi are the only ones of Esper blood?"
Elena stared at her.
"Siren, like Maduin and Leviathan, also fell for a human long ago. Thankfully not as much drama followed that affair like the previous two. They simply carried on, lost in the shadow of the Kisaragi, generations after generations until you, Elena Seraphim. Each with the same talent to charm with voice or mental command."
It was a rare moment when Elena found herself speechless.
"That is why I encouraged you and Reno, child." Lucrecia grinned. "Reno needs a strong and gifted mate. And your Children will be even stronger, heirs to the new world that Chaos and I will create."
"What do you mean children?! Who says I'm going to marry Reno you scheming old-" she blinked. "You and Chaos? What?"
Lucrecia walked to the edge, staring out at the crystallized city.
"Reno and Vincent carry Jenova cells unlike any other. When mixed with the Sephiroth cloning data I stole from Cloud they create the Tartarean Strain, a virus capable of transforming all living and nonliving things it infects into Jenova life forms no matter the vector, even by radiation." An evil smirk crossed her lips. "Tseng was my first success, followed by the Gi, and even now my Obsidian Weapon, merged from the remains in Reeve's care, brings him here so I can force him to use Midgar's power to spread Tartarean planet wide via energy pulse…"
"…transforming everyone." Elena breathed. Rude, Mother…everyone she knew the same as Reno and Lucrecia…
The older woman stalked toward her, her eyes glittering.
"Is it not your desire as well?" she challenged, grasping Elena's shoulders. "A perfect world where Reno and yourself are accepted for what you are?"
"But we can't force them to…"
"To what?" she snorted. "They force to hide our gifts or face persecution, sometimes worse! Why should you care for what the humans think, when they care nothing for you?" she turned her to look at Reno flying lazily. "Would you take his happiness from him for them?"
"No…" Elena murmured. Lucrecia was right in a sense: Reno would not be accepted by them. She remembered how it felt to be thought of a freak.
Lucrecia could see the inner war in eyes, trying not to smirk broadly.
"I will leave you two alone to think about it. Take your time…"
Elena nodded mutely, watching Reno as Lucrecia started downstairs.
He touched down in front of her, flexing and posing with a huge playful grin.
Elena stuck out her tongue and turned her back on him. "Hmph, not talking to you."
Reno's answer was to scoop her up and take off into the sky again, Elena yelping in surprise as she found herself in Reno's arms miles above the ground…looking into those eyes she loved…and their lips parted and dangerously close…
*…I'm sorry…Rude…Mother…*
Her heart decided and damned the consequences…kissed him fiercely…
*…I'm sorry….*
##
Early morning found Wutai completely empty. Something not even the great war had managed. The damage of the previous night remained, the streets cold and empty.
Evac Zero was officially in effect…the boats and aircraft carrying the civilians of every town and settlement setting toward Cosmo Canyon, escorted by the Navy and Aerial forces.
The preparation for war was a hard thing to behold for Yuffie after waking, informed of everything by Shera and her father before they left earlier to prepare the Cosmo defense. Give her time to prepare herself as well as…take care of Vincent.
He had survived the separation. Barely. His heightened healing and endurance had been strained to their limits and nearly gave out throughout the night. He would recover…at least physically.
She immediately searched for him after she was left alone, her heart heavier with each step. Found him in the Conservatory.
He sat at his beloved piano, his unbound hair a death should from which he miserably stared out. Stared at nothing with somber, lifeless eyes…their garnet luminance faded to an empty, auburn darkness. Hand and claw rested on the silent keys, the quiet aura of strength he had always presented the world gone. Sat there like a broken toy, cruelly discarded by its owner to sit in a dark corner, forgotten. Useless.
Her heart wept to see him so lost.
As if it took everything he had, he looked at her. Looked at her as if she was a stranger offering salvation, miles away and unreachable.
For once, words failed Yuffie. Gawd…What could she say to ease such a loss? To soothe the poison devouring heart and soul till nothing remained?
No, words would not be enough.
Instead, softly but unwavering, she padded over to him, cupping his chin in her hands and gently parted his hair away from those eyes she loved so as she kissed his forehead. Faced the intense pain in those eyes and let her heart speak for her.
I love you.
Never breaking her gaze, she then reached down to hold the metal claw in one hand, the most blatant example of all he had endured. Her other hand caressed his cheek lovingly.
This doesn't matter to me. It never has.
Something flickered in his eyes. Desperately holding on to that spark, she held his claw to her breast with both hands. Fanned that spark with all the love and understanding she could give and more.
No matter what may come…I will always love you…
Finally, she leaned in to kiss him, chaste yet passionate. Drew back to lift his chin and stare once more into his eyes as tears gathered in hers.
Never forget that.
They stood like that for a long time. Both afraid to even breathe.
Then…shaking terribly…his human hand reached up to tentatively caress her cheek, Yuffie leaning into it and staring in wonder as two crimson streaks raced down his marble cheeks…as Vincent wept for the first time in ages...the phantoms of guilt finally banished from those eyes she loved.
Afraid to speak, to ruin this miracle, she simply kissed him fiercely as she stroked his hair, barely aware that she wept as well…
"Yuffie…" he whispered.
How long had she dreamed of this moment? Yuffie was too terrified to let go…lest this to only be just that, a wonderful dream…
He suddenly lifted her into his arms, carefully lowering her to the floor as he looked at her questioningly, thumbing away her tears.
Are you sure you want this?
Her nerves afire from having him so near, her heart close to bursting, she nodded.
"More than anything…" she whispered back as he lowered to kiss her again…
Sometime later, both entwined within his cloak, Yuffie sleepily stirred within his arms as he stroked her hair. Warm and more content than she'd ever been in her life, all thoughts of Lucrecia and the upcoming battle were miles away.
Vincent was silent as well, for once everything crystal clear for him. One single thought in particular.
Tonight it ended. One way or the other.
The hours before however, were theirs alone. And they spent them with all they had, burning these few precious hours into their heart and souls to carry into battle tonight.
To be concluded!!!
Author's note.
Finally! Home stretch peeps! Seeya soon and waiting for your suggestions!