Reno: Uh, where's Reeve? Did he go on strike again?
Elena: Nah. He's running around the ruins of Midgar in Proud Clod, smashing buildings, fighting monsters, and shouting "Gawziwa" in a bad Oriental accent.
Reno: You mean Wutaian, right? And what the hell is "Gawziwa"?
Elena: Godzilla.
Reno: Ha, and people call me the stupid one. I am clearly smarter.
Elena: And any second now, you'll say something to disprove that.
Reno: Sorry, what was that? I was hooking my 'mag rod into my Game Boy because the batteries ran out.
Elena: I rest my case. Tyramir doesn't own the rights to Final Fantasy, its characters, Godzilla, or Game Boy.
Reno: Dammit, my 'mag rod melted my Game Boy!
Chapter Thirty Nine
Into the Breach
Focusing on the Ultima Materia, Cloud sent a wave of green energy into the ground that Sephiroth's barrier touched down on. Rocky debris hurtled through the air directly at the party. Another green flash appeared as Vincent cast a protect spell, blocking the shrapnel and causing it to bounce harmlessly away.
Sephiroth's barrier slowly began to compensate for the hole in the ground.
"Let's go!" Cloud yelled.
Aeris dove in first, followed by Vincent. Rufus hesitated for a moment, but a nudge from Cloud sent him in. The President of Shinra had probably wanted to be last, to be given the responsibility of guarding the rear. Cloud ducked and rolled under the barrier as it closed.
Once inside, he stood up, uncoiling like a spring, and unsheathed his sword. He looked about, scanning for danger.
All around was Midgar Square, bathed in a surreal white glow. Odder was, it appeared as it had prior to Meteor. Buildings were whole and undamaged, but had the look of emptiness, like no one really lived there. Cloud shivered.
"It looks like Sephiroth has access to some of his old Jenova powers," Vincent observed, taking in the scenery.
"No," Aeris said. "This is from the power he gained while in the Lifestream. It is untainted by Jenova. That's why there's the white glow."
"Foolish to think that white means good," Rufus stated. "I can feel her all about this place. She's everywhere. This is tainted by Jenova."
"That's just her presence," the Cetra woman replied. "She's very strong here. She's attempting to syphon Sephiroth's power as her own. Jenova has always been a parasite."
Cloud was having trouble focusing on the conversation. Somewhere in his head, just behind his left ear, was a kind of buzzing noise. It was almost a ringing, and behind it, a voice. He recognized it. Sephiroth himself had used this trick on him before. He tightened his grip on his sword until his fingers began to ache. When they did, he focused on that.
And then Aeris was there. She put her arms around him, and leaned up, whispering into his ear, "It's okay. She has no power over you. Not any more."
The grip on his sword relaxed, and the buzzing faded away. Aeris leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, then let him go. Cloud felt a little abashed and looked away, and caught sight of Rufus' face. A sneer was there, and somewhere in his eyes.... jealousy?
"Let's move on, shall we?" Vincent said.
Cloud quickly agreed and started moving forward, searching for any signs of Sephiroth. Vincent and Aeris immediately followed, falling into step on either side of him. Rufus hung back, taking up the rear like he had originally planned. Cloud muttered darkly to himself for letting Rufus get that position. He did not want to trust the President of Shinra to guard his back. He turned his head and his eyes met Vincent's. The ex-Turk nodded once, and fell back, taking a place beside Rufus.
As they traveled further into the Square, Cloud began to get the feeling of being watched from the empty buildings. He kept both hands gripped on his sword, but he was startled to find one of Aeris' arms entwined with one of his own. It helped comfort him a little, but he refused to let his guard down.
The Square itself was immense, a large portion of the city devoted to trade, even larger than Wall Market. It was a convenient place for people from different Sectors to meet, and travel to other portions of the city. Abandoned carts and stands were about, all with the same shared sense of emptiness, like if no human had ever really been there. And in the middle of the Square was Sephiroth, on his knees, head down. In front of him was a humanoid appearing mass of flesh, tentacles coming from its sides. Its face was definitely female, but very little else of it looked truly human.
"Lucrecia, what have you done?" Cloud heard Vincent whisper.
The whisper made Jenova look up, away from her son, and directly at them. Her green eyes instantly turned red.
"So, you've come to take my son away from me again. You can't have him."
"Sephiroth--" Aeris said.
"Silence, Cetra! Your time on this planet is dead. Your race is dead. You are the only one left, and you're only a half-breed."
Rufus stepped forward and lifted his shotgun directly at Lucrecia. "Wrong."
"Oh yes. The make-believe Ancient. Do you really think you're a match for me just because you have a drop of Cetra blood swimming impotently in your veins? You are sadly mistaken."
"I don't need to be full-blooded Cetra to kill you." Rufus emphasized aiming his weapon at her and squeezed the trigger. With a contemptuous gesture, Jenova made a protect shield around herself. The shot stopped in midair, the pellets falling to the ground harmlessly.
"How?" the President of Shinra exclaimed. "Those are Mako shells!"
"What is a weapon made of Mako compared to someone who can manipulate and even live in the Lifestream? You are a fool, Rufus of Shinra, as are you all. I will destroy you all."
"No."
Everyone started as they looked to Sephiroth. He slowly stood up, power emanating from his body.
"What did you say?" Jenova said.
"You will not harm them."
"You dare to defy me, your mother? Allow me to show you what the Cetra denied you. Your own memories."
A tentacle lashed out, wrapping around Sephiroth's throat. Green electricity flowed around it, and into the white-haired warrior. He arched back, gasping.
"Let him go." Aeris released Cloud's arm and was now striding purposefully towards the enemy from the sky.
"Or you'll what?" Jenova sneered. "Use your Cetra healing on me?"
"No. Or I'll use it on Sephiroth."
Before Jenova could react, a wind began to stir. Streaks of blue appeared in the air, coalescing around Sephiroth. The green electricity coming from Jenova's tentacle increased.
"You can't stop me, Ancient! I am too powerful!"
The blue light increased, creating an aura around Sephiroth. The white-haired warrior appeared to be rapidly gaining strength.
Jenova looked confused. "How--? You can't stop me. Not by yourself!"
Rufus stepped forward, sweat beading down his face. "A make-believe Ancient with impotent Cetra blood in him is helping."
"No matter, it's just a simple--"
A gunshot filled the air. Jenova gasped as blood blossomed from her chest. Another gunshot followed after, and another, as Vincent stepped forward, continuously firing at her. Cloud shifted his grip on his sword and charged, swing in a wide arc and slicing the tentacle that bound Sephiroth.
The white-hair warrior fell to the ground, gasping for air. Cloud's mouth twisted in anger. Despite what Aeris said, he still hated this man, and he had the perfect opportunity to kill him. A new wave of tentacles grasping for Sephiroth brought Cloud up short. He hacked and slashed at them as Vincent fired more ammunition into Jenova.
But she was too fast. Despite their efforts, new tentacles formed and poured from her, grasping onto Sephiroth. Even the dismembered ones continued to move, reaching, grasping.
"I will not be stopped! He is mine, and I will have him!"
The world flashed green.
Author's Note:
Hmm, wasn't sure what to do towards the end there. Next up, Rude.
Elena: Nah. He's running around the ruins of Midgar in Proud Clod, smashing buildings, fighting monsters, and shouting "Gawziwa" in a bad Oriental accent.
Reno: You mean Wutaian, right? And what the hell is "Gawziwa"?
Elena: Godzilla.
Reno: Ha, and people call me the stupid one. I am clearly smarter.
Elena: And any second now, you'll say something to disprove that.
Reno: Sorry, what was that? I was hooking my 'mag rod into my Game Boy because the batteries ran out.
Elena: I rest my case. Tyramir doesn't own the rights to Final Fantasy, its characters, Godzilla, or Game Boy.
Reno: Dammit, my 'mag rod melted my Game Boy!
Chapter Thirty Nine
Into the Breach
Focusing on the Ultima Materia, Cloud sent a wave of green energy into the ground that Sephiroth's barrier touched down on. Rocky debris hurtled through the air directly at the party. Another green flash appeared as Vincent cast a protect spell, blocking the shrapnel and causing it to bounce harmlessly away.
Sephiroth's barrier slowly began to compensate for the hole in the ground.
"Let's go!" Cloud yelled.
Aeris dove in first, followed by Vincent. Rufus hesitated for a moment, but a nudge from Cloud sent him in. The President of Shinra had probably wanted to be last, to be given the responsibility of guarding the rear. Cloud ducked and rolled under the barrier as it closed.
Once inside, he stood up, uncoiling like a spring, and unsheathed his sword. He looked about, scanning for danger.
All around was Midgar Square, bathed in a surreal white glow. Odder was, it appeared as it had prior to Meteor. Buildings were whole and undamaged, but had the look of emptiness, like no one really lived there. Cloud shivered.
"It looks like Sephiroth has access to some of his old Jenova powers," Vincent observed, taking in the scenery.
"No," Aeris said. "This is from the power he gained while in the Lifestream. It is untainted by Jenova. That's why there's the white glow."
"Foolish to think that white means good," Rufus stated. "I can feel her all about this place. She's everywhere. This is tainted by Jenova."
"That's just her presence," the Cetra woman replied. "She's very strong here. She's attempting to syphon Sephiroth's power as her own. Jenova has always been a parasite."
Cloud was having trouble focusing on the conversation. Somewhere in his head, just behind his left ear, was a kind of buzzing noise. It was almost a ringing, and behind it, a voice. He recognized it. Sephiroth himself had used this trick on him before. He tightened his grip on his sword until his fingers began to ache. When they did, he focused on that.
And then Aeris was there. She put her arms around him, and leaned up, whispering into his ear, "It's okay. She has no power over you. Not any more."
The grip on his sword relaxed, and the buzzing faded away. Aeris leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, then let him go. Cloud felt a little abashed and looked away, and caught sight of Rufus' face. A sneer was there, and somewhere in his eyes.... jealousy?
"Let's move on, shall we?" Vincent said.
Cloud quickly agreed and started moving forward, searching for any signs of Sephiroth. Vincent and Aeris immediately followed, falling into step on either side of him. Rufus hung back, taking up the rear like he had originally planned. Cloud muttered darkly to himself for letting Rufus get that position. He did not want to trust the President of Shinra to guard his back. He turned his head and his eyes met Vincent's. The ex-Turk nodded once, and fell back, taking a place beside Rufus.
As they traveled further into the Square, Cloud began to get the feeling of being watched from the empty buildings. He kept both hands gripped on his sword, but he was startled to find one of Aeris' arms entwined with one of his own. It helped comfort him a little, but he refused to let his guard down.
The Square itself was immense, a large portion of the city devoted to trade, even larger than Wall Market. It was a convenient place for people from different Sectors to meet, and travel to other portions of the city. Abandoned carts and stands were about, all with the same shared sense of emptiness, like if no human had ever really been there. And in the middle of the Square was Sephiroth, on his knees, head down. In front of him was a humanoid appearing mass of flesh, tentacles coming from its sides. Its face was definitely female, but very little else of it looked truly human.
"Lucrecia, what have you done?" Cloud heard Vincent whisper.
The whisper made Jenova look up, away from her son, and directly at them. Her green eyes instantly turned red.
"So, you've come to take my son away from me again. You can't have him."
"Sephiroth--" Aeris said.
"Silence, Cetra! Your time on this planet is dead. Your race is dead. You are the only one left, and you're only a half-breed."
Rufus stepped forward and lifted his shotgun directly at Lucrecia. "Wrong."
"Oh yes. The make-believe Ancient. Do you really think you're a match for me just because you have a drop of Cetra blood swimming impotently in your veins? You are sadly mistaken."
"I don't need to be full-blooded Cetra to kill you." Rufus emphasized aiming his weapon at her and squeezed the trigger. With a contemptuous gesture, Jenova made a protect shield around herself. The shot stopped in midair, the pellets falling to the ground harmlessly.
"How?" the President of Shinra exclaimed. "Those are Mako shells!"
"What is a weapon made of Mako compared to someone who can manipulate and even live in the Lifestream? You are a fool, Rufus of Shinra, as are you all. I will destroy you all."
"No."
Everyone started as they looked to Sephiroth. He slowly stood up, power emanating from his body.
"What did you say?" Jenova said.
"You will not harm them."
"You dare to defy me, your mother? Allow me to show you what the Cetra denied you. Your own memories."
A tentacle lashed out, wrapping around Sephiroth's throat. Green electricity flowed around it, and into the white-haired warrior. He arched back, gasping.
"Let him go." Aeris released Cloud's arm and was now striding purposefully towards the enemy from the sky.
"Or you'll what?" Jenova sneered. "Use your Cetra healing on me?"
"No. Or I'll use it on Sephiroth."
Before Jenova could react, a wind began to stir. Streaks of blue appeared in the air, coalescing around Sephiroth. The green electricity coming from Jenova's tentacle increased.
"You can't stop me, Ancient! I am too powerful!"
The blue light increased, creating an aura around Sephiroth. The white-haired warrior appeared to be rapidly gaining strength.
Jenova looked confused. "How--? You can't stop me. Not by yourself!"
Rufus stepped forward, sweat beading down his face. "A make-believe Ancient with impotent Cetra blood in him is helping."
"No matter, it's just a simple--"
A gunshot filled the air. Jenova gasped as blood blossomed from her chest. Another gunshot followed after, and another, as Vincent stepped forward, continuously firing at her. Cloud shifted his grip on his sword and charged, swing in a wide arc and slicing the tentacle that bound Sephiroth.
The white-hair warrior fell to the ground, gasping for air. Cloud's mouth twisted in anger. Despite what Aeris said, he still hated this man, and he had the perfect opportunity to kill him. A new wave of tentacles grasping for Sephiroth brought Cloud up short. He hacked and slashed at them as Vincent fired more ammunition into Jenova.
But she was too fast. Despite their efforts, new tentacles formed and poured from her, grasping onto Sephiroth. Even the dismembered ones continued to move, reaching, grasping.
"I will not be stopped! He is mine, and I will have him!"
The world flashed green.
Author's Note:
Hmm, wasn't sure what to do towards the end there. Next up, Rude.