I'd like to apologize, i'm three days late. The thing is, is that on the 20th i started the lil rant and replies at the bottom of the page, but half-way through my friends called me (it was 12:30 in the morning.), and we all went to IHOP for a farewell dinner/breakfest. My friends are anything but normal. we had some pancakes that was in all reality swimmin in the Strawberry syrup they have at the table. It was actually an improvement compared to the Boisenberry we tried last week. The objective was to smother and eat everything, and to see who broke first. Luckily that wasn't me. So we all made it through the pancakes, and someone almost lost it at the eggs. And we were about to call it a tie, when my friend noticed the water. Now, mixing strawberry syrup with water is never a good thing, each of us knew that so we did the next stupidest thing. We used the lemon in hte water. Covered the lemon slice in Syrups sucked on it, then in rapid succession Poured salt all over it and sucked again. Ya... I can feel my teeth becomeing more and more brittle. Needless to say none of us were feeling well, so we decided to call it a night. It was 2:15 by that time, and i had to get up at 7 to start packing the truck for the big move to Tulane. so i decided to call it a night.

I'm not sure why i narrarated all that when i mere sorry would have sufficed. I just felt like explaining myself. So the moral of this story is: Don't be stupid, keep the lemons in the water.

19) A Voice Less
Avalanche was now reunited. The team members they had lost in at the crater were found, the world was safe, their enemies dead, and with two weeks to spare until the city wide celebration that would envelop all of Midgar. In a matter of five days all the rubble was cleared out of the city. The entire world had come together for to see it done. In a week and a half the rebuilding was expected to be finished to its three quarters mark. Four days after that would be the party of the century.

After Yuffie had awoken the AVALANCHE crew decided it was time for a change of venue. Cloud and Tifa decided it was time to take their relationship to the next level, and make a joint capital investment. The two of them bought the empty house in Costa del Sol and would rent it out as a time-share, occasionaly using the beautiful villa for their own needs while the area was in the best of season. But for now it was Avalanche's home away from home.

It was on the second evening of their stay, that the entire group found themselves together for the first time with absolutely nothing to do.

Barret, Cid and Cloud had gotten back from barhopping early. Yuffie was nursing nasty sunburn to her arms, and Red, Cait and Vincent were just hanging around the house. Tifa had just gotten back from the market getting some Aloe Vera for Yuffie's burns. They were all sitting in the large living room staring at one another. There was nothing to do. No pep talks, no strategies, no convoluted explanations explaining their next destination, no tear jerking speeches about why they had made the journey and undertaken the responsibility for the planet's safety. Just silence.

It was too much for Yuffie to bear. "So Cloud, what exactly does the hero do once he kills the dragon and saves the princess?" Yuffie grinned.

Cloud scoffed. "Why you asking me?"

She shrugged and replied, "You just seem like the one to ask."

"Well, he rides off into the sunset. Takes the princess back to his castle, marries her, they have three dozen kids," he said quickly stealing a glance at Tifa who was covering her mouth. "Everybody is happy. Why exactly are you asking this?"

Yuffie bit her lip, and evaded. "So when will we head set off for Midgar?"

Cloud laughed once before replying. "We leave in nine days, we'll be staying in a nice upscale hotel on the plate. In 13 days we're the guests of honor for the festivities. Now how did this come up? You have something important to tell us?"

Yuffie looked up at Vincent. He just nodded to her and stood up for a moment. "Actually, since we still have some time before the festivities, I was wondering if you could drop me off the site of the Temple of the Ancients."

Cid stretched his back. "When do you want to head out? It should take about three hours to get there."

"At most I'll need about three days. I'll pick up some supplies tomorrow morning. Can we leave by the afternoon?"

"Course." Cid replied.

"You know what we'll be facing when we go there?" Tifa asked.

"We?" Vincent replied, taken slightly off guard.

"Of Course WE" Yuffie rebuked. "We're your friends right?"

Vincent glanced at Yuffie and replied "Without a doubt, but-"

"So we'll all be going with you." Yuffie cut in. "Whats important to you is just as important to the rest of us." She said sporting a wide grin.

Tifa grinned at Cloud and nodded in the general direction of Vincent and Yuffie. Cloud blinked once then started laughing for a moment before Tifa punched him in the arm. Looking around Cloud stood up before the others. "Do I hear any objections to moving this party to the Temple of the Ancients for a few days?" No one made a sound. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow afternoon at one PM we'll leave. Pack light, we won't be there long."

Barret stood up and started towards the makeshift bedroom. "Hah, pack light he says. We've been traveling light for close to three months now. I haven't even bothered un packing yet."

"Where you heading marshmallow?" Yuffie teased.

"Gettin some sleep before we leave tomorrow." He turned back to Yuffie. "And who you callin marshmallow Brat!?"

"I just call em as I sees em." She called back before he left the room.

Cid stood up and started walking after Barret. "The marshmallow is right. We should all probably turn in and get rested before we leave tomorrow."

"Later old man!" Yuffie yelled after him. Cid didn't turn back or make any response, but waved his middle finger in the air as he exited the room.

Tifa stood up and yawned. "Those two are probably right, we may have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I advise the rest of you to get some sleep as well. Night, Yuff, Vincent, Red." She grabbed cloud by the hand and led him out of the room. Red quickly excused himself and left.

Vincent turned to the side and looked at Cait Sith, the large mechanical doll was already on recharge mode. That just left him and Yuffie. "Why did you insist on everyone coming?" he asked.

Yuffie stood up and walked towards the mini fridge in the corner of the room. "Gee whiz, no thank you or anything." She quietly pulled out a couple of candy bars and deposited a 5 gil bill in the change box.

"Yuffie..."

"Damnit Vincent! We're you're friends, and we are concerned about you. Its not just me, its everyone here." Yuffie walked up to him and plopped down next to him on the couch. "If you don't want us there when it happens we'll wait outside, but please, stop pushing us away." Yuffie gently opened the candy bar and began to nibble at it. Vincent was just staring at her. She looked at him one last time then wrapped up the candy bar and threw it in the trash. "I've lost my appetite." She got up to leave.

Vicent quickly stood up and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her towards him. "Yuffie." She was there directly ahead of him looking down towards the right trying to avoid his gaze. "I want you there with me tomorrow when I go to the circle of purification." Gently he raised her chin to look at her face. He was surprised to see tears streaming down her cheeks. "Whats wrong?" he asked.

"Nothings wrong." She answered truthfully. "I'm just glad to hear it." Gently Vincent started rubbing the young girls upper arms then kissed her once on the forehead.

"Go to bed Yuffie." One thought crossed his mind as he watched her leave. '37 years is a damn long time.'

Vincent finished his supplies hunting early that morning. His supplies that consisted primarily of flashlights, batteries, a couple of notepads, some digging tools and pencils. He didn't expect this to take more than a few hours even though he told cid it could take a whopping three days. The airship landed right alongside the where the temple of the ancients used to be. The group found the entrance to the sealed temple a few yards away from where they had first picked up the Black Materia. Being careful not to damage any of the stone sealing the entrance they carefully removed them and the great stairway below was revealed.

Tifa gave Vincent the remaining supplies to distribute. Everyone was surprise when all he did was hand Yuffie a flashlight and they both jumped down through the hole in the ground leading to the great staircase. With Chaos guiding them they quickly made their way to the circle of purification. There were no monsters to hinder their journey in this place. The temple predated the random hordes of monsters that invaded almost every other uninhabited spot on the planet. That was why Vincent did not want to shatter the rocks above the stairway, just to move them, then to reseal the temple when they left. From the circle of Purification Chaos was now navigating them to Remus's office. When they got there they searched the wall for the proper inscription. This task was left to Vincent since of the two he was the only one who could read the ancient language. After finding it and recording the pattern for the daises, they returned to the purification chamber. In reality the didn't exactly need the flashlights. The transparent balls of materia which had lit the corridors and room in Chaos's flashbacks were still operating, only slightly dimmer than they once had been.

Vincent stepped into the center of the pool while Yuffie raced from dais to dais twisting and turning the little knobs to match the markings on the wall. The eternal patience that was part of the Valentine trademark was gone completely. Vincent stood in the middle of the pool tapping his foot and rubbing his temples in a worried motion.

"Its all set!" the young ninja called out from the side.

'Chaos what's wrong why isn't this working.' He said inwardly. I have no idea. the demon replied. Vincent turned to Yuffie, "Maybe I should lay down in the po-"Vincent hunched over hacking and coughing as the pool came alive with a bright glow. His eyes were bulging out of his head. Yuffie called out to him, but dare not enter the pool. Vincent's senses started fading. He could still see and feel, but his hearing had been replaced with a constant ringing noise. Vincent collapsed on the submerged platform on his side. He twisted his head up and stared at Yuffie. She was screaming something, he couldn't make out what.

Yuffie just watched in horror. She had half a mind to run back to the surface and find cloud, and another half to stay and watch. The later half won out, she dare not leave. The pool of life-stream was glowing a bright blue, and the rest of the lights began to flicker slightly. Vincent was laying in the pool on his side, his head was twisted upwards staring at Yuffie, a look of pain plastered all over his body. Suddenly there was an explosion of blood, and something large and purple flew out from Vincent's torso and out towards the ill-lit side of the room. A few moments later two more explosions followed, a white blur and a gray blur flew in a similar direction. Vincent started screaming in pain and turned his body so he was flat on his back. Yuffie was terrified, she started pounding on one of the dais unsure of what to do to stop the process.

Vincent rolled onto his back and looked down at his stomach. His shirt was ripped open and there was a thick layer of blood covering him. Suddenly he felt his left arm go numb. He looked to his left, his bronze gauntlet hand was raised in the air, he tried forcing it down but it didn't seem to be responding. The numbing feeling began to spread all along his left side. He looked at his arms, for some reason the shirt started ripping. When the rips in his sleeve became large enough Vincent was hit with a pang of fear. His skin color had changed, from a pale white to a dark shade of gray. 'Similar to the color... of Chaos's skin.' He thought to himself. 'Could this be a trick? Is he trying to take over me?' A searing pain cut into him from his left shoulder blade, he felt something pushing him up and suddenly a large black wing was flapping on the ground next to him. Suddenly the numbing sensation spread to his face, and eyesight from his left eye became very blurry and eventually all sight from that eye had left him. Vincent just closed his eyes and screamed out in pain as the fiery sensation ripped through him again.

Yuffie looked on in fear, she too had recognized the skin tone that was becoming predominant on Vincent's left side. Due to Vincent's constant writhing and squirming it was difficult to observe the changes. She looked Vincent over once, and as strange as he looked now, something even more strange caught her eye. Since when did Vincent or Chaos for that matter have three legs? Yuffie raced around to the other side of the pool get a better look. Vincent's right most leg looked normal, his leftmost looked more like one of Chaos's, and the middle was split down the middle both. Yuffie looked up at his face, and recoiled in shock. It looked like Vincent and Chaos's heads had been melted together, for a minute there was little movement as both sides stretched out in opposite directions. That's when it hit Yuffie, 'Chaos was now splitting off from Vincent's body.' After making the realization, you could imagine how relieved she became and how less frightening the sight was for her. Unfortunately there was no reduction in the pain Vincent was feeling, this pain was like nothing he had ever felt before, it was like being torn down the middle and having the wound cauterized time and time again.

After a half a heart pounding minute more there lay two figures in the pool, a pain stricken Vincent and a slightly dazed Chaos. The pool lost its glowing quality and the lights all around the room brightened some. Yuffie took it as a good sign and jumped into the shallow pool and kneeled over Vincent calling out his name.

Vincent's eyes were shut tight. The pain seemed to be gone, but he didn't want to take any chances. His other senses seemed to slowly come back to him and he heard a distant voice calling out his name. 'Yuffie.' He batted his eyes once and there she was kneeling above him. He let out a gasp and reached an arm up around her small frame and pulled her close. They were both crying tears of joy. Suddenly Vincent was overcome with laughter, he didn't know why but when he realized he was still in fact alive it became the happiest moment of his life. It was only then he realized that he was a completely different man. A week ago he would have welcomed death with open arms, now the knowledge that he was still alive gave him the most elated feeling in the world.

Suddenly he heard a loud Smack and the side of his face became very pained and tender. He opened his eyes and looked up.

Yuffie was sitting on his right hand side next to him still crying. "Stop laughing, I was scared to death for you." With her right hand she absently began feeling around his stomach for an opening, or wound of some sort. Even though there was blood all over his clothes and in the pool, she found no opening.

He caught her hand in his left. "I was scared too. I'm just happy I'm still here." She gave him a weak smile. 'Something's different.' He thought to himself. He gave her hand another squeeze. 'No way...' Vincent began to sit up, Yuffie helped him, that's when they both noticed his left arm. The bronze gauntlet was gone now, replaced was the flesh and bone he had so many years ago. Vincent ripped open his sleeve, and there it was. The same scar he had boasted to Yuffie about while he had shown her his first mission as a Turk. Vincent and Yuffie stared at each other, about to start laughing again, but their moment was cut short. There was movement to his left. The Lord Chaos, his face and body hidden behind his expansive wings slowly got to his feet and staggered towards the entrance. Yuffie began helping Vincent to his feet, they both were eager to see what he had to say.

But they were distracted by some threatening throat noises emanating from their right. 'The three explosions' Yuffie thought to herself. A weary looking Galian Beast, Hellmaster, and Death Gigas slowly advanced on the couple. There was a snapping noise from the Galian Beast as one of its legs broke, it started crawling towards them clawing the ground before its fingers snapped. Slowly Yuffie and Vincent began backing away towards the front door. The hell masker crouched forwards and leaned on his chainsaw for support before he slumped over and gave chase in a slow crawl. The death gigas was the last one standing. He walked like he was returning home from a bar, his head and body swaying in every direction, only for him to lose balance and fall over on his side. He didn't get up, the Galian beast stopped moving, and the Hell masker slumped forward in defeat. Yuffie and Vincent just looked at each other and then raced for the exit in search of Chaos.

They found him on the stairs about a quarter of the way up. He had fallen forward on them. His breathing was heavy and labored, the digits of the Bronze gauntlet flexed nervously. The two humans ran up on either side of him. He let out a quiet laugh. "Sorry for leaving you two back there, I just wanted to get a breath of fresh air once more before I died... again..." Yuffie and Vincent just looked at his sad face. "Please go, and allow me the dignity of dying by myself here, some animal trapped in a labyrinth." Both Yuffie and Vincent looked at each other, the same thought passed between them. Each one got beneath a shoulder and slowly began walking him to the surface. "What do you two think you're doing?"

"You're no mere animal to die in this place." Vincent replied.

"Ya, You've done so much for us as it is. Let us help you in this small way." Yuffie continued.

Chaos looked to either side at these two humans. He didn't say a word.

The walk to the surface was a long one, but as they neared the surface they were able to call the others below to help them. The rest of AVALANCHE was just as shocked as they were, when they realized they were hauling the demon chaos to the surface. Chaos's vision was beginning to blur, but he could feel it and smell it. 'Fresh air.' Barret and Cloud carried Chaos onto the deck of the Highwind, as the others worked quickly to reseal the hidden temple. Minutes later the Highwind took off at lightning speed towards the City of the Ancients. Chaos stopped breathing half way there. They continued never the less.

When they finally left the city a day later they left two things. The first was flowers for their fallen comrade, their precious flower girl Aeris. The second was a grave along the shore of the lake Aeris had been submerged in. It was a makeshift grave the body was covered with large stones and shells. On the large slab of smoothed granite that served as a tombstone some words had been etched in.

Lord Chaos

Rest In Peace

Creator and Protector

of this great city.

After I finished writing this I read over it once. The whole part where they find Chaos on the stairway, after I read that I was all like "... dude... that is so similar to Joe Pesci's almost death scene in 'With Honors'." But I never thought of that once while I was writing it, so I figure its ok. Don't start crying yet every body, there is still one chapter left. I was never one for happily-ever-afters. I always needed to know just what happened to them, how many kids they had, and if they died happily within six months of each other.

I need to keep this kinda short. If i don't update now, then i won't be able to for the next week or so. Its about 8:39AM and we're leaving to move me into college in about 15 minutes.

Hotaru170: One ov the best you've ever read? Thanks alot! I appreciate the phraise.

Neko-Yuff16: Thanks I hope you enjoy this one just as much. It became slightly delayed, but that also gave me a chance to improve slightly upon it.

ShadowReaver: Thanks for the compliment, but we're almost there... the end of the line... the big... finish... I'm building it up too much, i'll stop now...
Eva, Pixie, & Felichel: glad to hear you liked it! sniff

Empress-Eerian-Sadow: Ahhhh, thats fluff... If i have the time i'll have to throw some more in...

Cattibrie393: I appreciate it. I dunno thought i think the shades of grey part came of kinda bland. But what can ya do.

PaineKisaragi: fluff is fun. Thanks for the review! Keep readin we're almost there.