Chapter 32: Despairing Depths.

'Is this how it will end?' Vincent thought as the group descended into the crater. 'Is this truly how I will repent for the sins I have committed? Or will I simply add more?' Doubt clouded his mind as he silently followed the solemn group. Each member had determination written across his or her faces.

"Its more of those things." Nanaki motioned ahead of the group toward the black-robed figures. "What are they doing?" The group watched as the shuffling figures followed the cliffs toward the center of the crater. Some stumbled and fell to the ground, while others walked off the edge of the narrow path.

Cloud absently scratched his head, "No clue, but they don't seem to be a threat. Lets go." Together the group continued forward, silently passing the fallen figures.

Nanaki lowered his head as he walked, "Such a waste of life."

"Hey!" Yuffie suddenly spoke up from where she was examining a fallen figure; "These guys have stuff on them!" She proudly held up a flask of blue liquid.

"Yuffie." Cloud set himself to begin a lecture, "You shouldn't raid the dead."

Before Yuffie could answer Cid spoke up, to everyone's surprise, "Why the #$ not? They don't need it anymore. #&(, they might have something good on'em." He snorted as he too began searching a figure.

"NO!" Cloud suddenly shouted, "We don't have time!"

Cid glared at Cloud for a moment, "Fine." He said before beginning to walk toward the center again.

"Now Yuffie." Cloud ordered. Yuffie gave him her meanest look before brushing past him. With that the group began moving again.

As they walked carefully along the edges the smell of mako, the life-blood of the planet, grew ever stronger. "Ewwww." Yuffie whined as she held her nose tightly, "Can't Sephiroth just come to us?"

Cloud stared at Yuffie a moment before chuckling, "I don't think so, he's got the Black Materia. He doesn't need to come after us."

"Umm.. Cloud?" Tifa said as she jumped back from a bend in the path. "Sephiroth is just ahead of us."

"WHAT!" Cloud quickly ran around the bend, "Sephiroth!" He shouted as he drew his massive blade. AVALANCHE quickly joined him ready to battle, only to have surprise overcome them at the sight they found.

Sephiroth stood up the path methodically slaughtering the black robed figures as they approached him. All the while a slight grin etched into his face. As his sword pierced the last of them he calmly tossed the figure over the side while his green eyes locked with Cloud's blue ones, "You've come."

"Stand and fight Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted, rousing the group to battle, "Its time!"

Sephiroth's grin widened, "Yes. It is time for the reunion."

Cloud gripped his sword tighter, "No." His voice lowered to a frightening tone, "Its time we stopped you."

Sephiroth suddenly burst out laughing, "You? A puppet? Stop me?" He continued his haunted laughter.

"I am not a puppet!" Cloud shouted as he charged the silver-haired man. Cloud swung his sword with all his might. Sephiroth calmly locked blades with the blonde man before throwing Cloud back to the group.

"The reunion is at hand," Sephiroth turned his back; "I don't have time for you." Before Cloud and the others could pursue the silver-haired general, a bubbling pool of black liquid appeared before them.

"What's that?" Tifa cried as a malformed head emerged from the muck. The group watched in silence as a monster was born from the liquid. It towered over them, his misshapen body pulsating as its tentacles writhed at its side.

"Its another piece of Jenova!" Nanaki shouted, "It has the same stench as the others!"

As if in response the creature's mouth turned up into what could only be called a smile. "Death! Death! Death!" echoed from the creature.

Cloud fell into his leadership role, "Cait, Cid you're with me! Barret, Vincent, Yuffie use ranged attacks! Tifa, Nanaki use magic!" He shouted before jumping at the creature, swinging his huge sword at a maddened rate. Cait Sith quickly joined in pummeling the creature with his fists as Cid plunged his spear in the monster time and time again. Barret began sending hails of bullets into the black monster as Vincent carefully chose his shots. Yuffie used her oversized shuriken to slice the writhing tentacles of the monster. Tifa and Nanaki combined their energies and sent wave after wave of elemental spells at the grotesque figure.

"Death! Death! Death!" The creature seemed to laugh at their efforts before opening the end of its tentacles.

"Watch yerselfs!" Barret shouted to the melee fighters, "That thin' is up to somethin'!"

"DEATH!" The monster roared before flames poured from the opened tentacles, not toward Cloud and his group but toward Tifa and Nanaki. Nanaki jumped in front of Tifa just before the flames hit. Tifa and Nanaki disappeared in a wall of flames to the dismay of the others.

"Tifa!" Cloud cried out. When the flames dissipated they revealed Tifa kneeling over a fallen Nanaki. "What happened!" Cloud called as he returned his attention to the cackling monstrosity before him.

"Nanaki used a Magic Barrier!" Tifa answered as she checked the fire-beast for signs of life, "He's just unconscious!"

"DEATH!" the monsters cry echoed off the winds as it sent a wave of tentacles crashing down on the melee fighters. The trio desperately sliced and hacked the wave of tentacles but as they destroyed one, three more grew to replace it. Finally the trio was forced away from the body of the creature.

"$&!" Cid shouted as one of the writhing appendages sliced through his leg. Cait Sith pulled the wounded pilot away from the creature.

"Wha's yer plan Spike!" Barret shouted.

"Use a summon!" Cloud shouted back as he swung his blade back and forth, desperately trying to protect the injured members.

"I'll do it!" Yuffie shouted with excitement evident in her voice. With that she began concentrating all her energy into the small red orb in her hands. The materia glowed brightly before its light was extinguished; Yuffie fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Suddenly a ring of energy descended around the piece of Jenova, slicing through its attacking tentacles and into the ground. The creature cried in pain as it withdrew its bleeding body parts close to itself.

Cloud leaned heavily on his bloodied sword. "That's it?" As if in answer to Cloud's question the ground began to shake. The piece of Jenova slowly began rising into the air. "What's going on!" Cloud shouted but the grumbling of the rising earth beneath Jenova-Death deafened his voice. Gravity was defied as the monster rose up above their heads until it came to a slow stop. Another form slowly descended into view, its blazing red wings slowly beat the air. Its armored body gleaming in the dim light as it roared in rage. Jenova-Death sent its tentacles at the dragon before it.

The dragon ignored the incoming attack and began to inhale, as it did all the energy around it coalesced into its mouth. Just before the wave of tentacles reached their target, the red dragon exhaled, sending a stream of pure destructive energy at Jenova-Death. The energy instantly vaporized the tentacles and when the wave hit Jenova-Death its screams of pain rung out. Its body became charred and was blown away by the energy blast from the red dragon. The red dragon roared in victory before vanishing in a flash of light.

Everyone stared at where the dragon disappeared. "Yuffie?" Cloud broke the silence.

"Yes Cloud?" Yuffie grinned weakly.

"What was that?" Cloud's eyes where filled with awe. "I thought you only had Leviathan?"

Yuffie proudly held up the small red orb, "His name is Neo-Bahamut and I found him on one of those robed guys." Although her knees were shaking her grin only broadened as Cloud could only sigh.

"What are we going to do now Cloud?" Tifa spoke up, "Nanaki and Cid aren't in any condition to fight and Sephiroth still has the Black Materia."

Now it was Cloud's turn to grin, "No he doesn't." Cloud reached inside his shirt and revealed a small black orb. "I took it from him when we locked swords." Cloud gazed into the sphere, it was as if something was calling to him.

"And I can still #$&( fight!" Cid shouted angrily as he leaned against his spear, his leg not able to support his weight.

Yuffie ran over and slung her arm over Cloud's shoulder, "I'm rubbing off on you." She said with a smirk, she gave Cid a withering look, "And you're too old to know when you have to stop."

Cid went red but was silenced by a stern look from Cloud, "You're right though Tifa, we need to keep going and we can't leave Cid and Nanaki alone." Cloud stared towards the center of the crater as he thought. "Tifa and Cait Sith, you two come with me. The rest stay here."

"WHAT!" Barret shouted, "It doesn' take three to guard jus' two people!"

Cloud walked over to Barret, "But it does to keep the Black Materia safe." Cloud held out the small orb to Barret who took it speechless. "This way we know that Sephiroth can't take it from us when we're fighting." Barret only stared at Cloud as he turned away and began walking in the direction Sephiroth had disappeared into. Tifa and Cait Sith quickly followed him.

"Great." Yuffie sighed as she sank to the ground, "More waiting!"

Cid carefully lowered himself to the ground, "I've got some cards." He said with an evil grin.

Yuffie gave him an equally evil grin, "Let's play."

"No #$&( way!" Cid shouted as Yuffie pulled the pile of gil toward her. "You're cheating!"

Yuffie grinned, "No. Its called skill." Yuffie laughed. 'The skill of cheating.' Her grin deepened. Cid could only grumble as Yuffie pocketed his gil.

"Wha's taken so #$ long!" Barret grumbled from where he stood watching the path that the others had disappeared down. "We shoulda got some sign by now!"

"Keep yer #$ britches on." Cid shouted as he collected his card and began playing solitaire. "They're fine."

"Aren't ya going to play with me anymore!" Yuffie asked Cid calmly. Her only response was Cid's silence. "FINE!" Yuffie promptly jumped to her feet, kicked Cid's cards, and stalked off; all the while fuming loudly.

A pair of bloody eyes watched the scene with seemingly no interest. They followed Yuffie as she flung herself against a rock and sat down with a "Humph!" A momentary tinge of amusement flashed through the eyes when Yuffie flicked a small pebble at Cid, making the old pilot give her a death glare. To which she gave her most innocent eyes and pointed at the nearby Nanaki, who still remained in his comatose state.

'Such life, such happiness.' Vincent's mind echoed as he watched the argument between Yuffie and Cid grow. 'Even when we are so close to the most powerful being on the planet, they still are happy.' Vincent could almost feel a spark deep within himself as Yuffie and Cid began mock-wrestling, Yuffie's youthful agility and speed quickly began to tire out the less so Cid. Cid and Yuffie finally stopped when Barret reprimanded them as a parent would children. 'These people truly are strange.'

"Yeah whatever." Yuffie scowled as she went back to sitting by her rock. 'I was winning anyways.' Yuffie laughed to herself, 'Old coot didn't know what hit him.' Yuffie glanced about her friends and noticed Vincent's gaze, to which she looked away and blushed. 'Why do I do that!' She scolded herself. 'I don't...' Yuffie suddenly grabbed her head in agony; it felt like some force was about to crush her mind, "Help." She cried weakly before falling to the ground. As she looked around all the others were in the same condition minus Barret, who stood talking with Tifa. "Barret..." She tried to call before falling into darkness.

'What is this force!' Vincent had fallen to his knees, barely able to remain conscious. His eyes focused ahead of him where Barret had stood only a moment before. "Barret?" Vincent thought he saw a figure where Barret had been; through sheer force of will he was able to make out the figure. "Tifa? What are...?" Pain shot through his body, when the pain subsided and his eyes opened again, Sephiroth stood before him where Tifa had been. His eyes widened when as he realized what happened. "No." Was his last word before he collapsed to the ground.

"Get up!" A growling voice yelled. "All of you get up!" The voiced pounded on the walls of Yuffie's mind.

"Hmmm...?" Yuffie slowly pulled herself up. She blinked several times, attempting to get her eyes to focus. "Ohhhh, my head."

"I know your head hurts." The voice continued, "But we need to move! Barret and the Black Materia are gone!"

Yuffie's eyes snapped open at that and she jumped to her feet. If not for a nearby boulder to lean on she would have fallen back down, "That wasn't good." She groaned as dizziness swept over her. She once again tried to make her eyes focus, the orange patch in front of her slowly turned into a recognizable figure, "Nanaki?"

"Yes." Nanaki nodded, "Good to have you back but we have to move now!" With that Nanaki ran down the path.

"Hurry up brat!" Cid called as he tested his recovering leg.

Yuffie gave him an evil glare before following the pair "Wait!" Yuffie called to them, "Where's Vincent?"

"I am here." Vincent's low voice echoed from behind her, making her jump. Yuffie was about to make a witty comment when she felt the ground writhe and twist. It took all her coordination to remain vertical.

"What the &() is going on!" Cid yelled from where he had his spear buried firmly in the ground.

"The planet is crying in pain!" Nanaki answered with panic lilting on his voice, "Something terrible has just happened!"

Something from down the path caught Yuffie's eye, "What's that!" Everyone focused on the object that was bounding toward them, soon they realized it wasn't alone. Slowly the forms of Barret and Tifa came into view, followed closely by the leaders of Shinra themselves. "Hey guys!" Yuffie called to her friends, "What's going on and where is Cloud?"

"We leavin!" Barret yelled, "With them!" He pointed to the Shinra executives. Yuffie's jaw nearly hit the ground. "We don' ave a choice!" Suddenly a roar of engines interrupted everyone; a rope ladder was descended into view. Rufus and the other Shinra execs quickly climbed up the ladder, followed closely by the remaining members of AVALANCHE.

As the aircraft desperately pulled away from the crater, the darkness of that crater was suddenly filled with a blinding light. As it faded everyone gasped in horror as towering monsters emerged from the crater and flew into the world. One monster came to a stop near them, the engines strained as the pilot attempted to get out of the monsters path. A cone of energy formed around the beast before it dashed into the horizon. The wake of its passing struck the aircraft sending all on board flying across the decks. Tifa, even with her fighter's grace was unable to stop herself from slamming headlong into the bulkhead. Barret pulled her too him as the pilot regained control of the aircraft.

"What were those?" Yuffie asked when the remaining AVALANCHE members collected themselves. Yuffie noticed the blood flowing down Tifa's face, "Is she alright?" Barret just looked back at her with uncertainty in her eyes.

"I truly hope she will be." A cold voice interrupted them. Everyone looked towards the source of the voice. "I wouldn't want her to die before her usefulness to me runs out." Rufus Shinra smoothed his short blonde hair and stared them down with his cold blue eyes. "I have plans for all of you when we reach Junon." With that he turned and calmly left them with the ill news.

"#$#$!" Barret growled, "This is great! First we lose Cloud! Now we captured by Shinra!" Barret looked down at the unconscious Tifa, "An' Tifa isn't able to help us."

Cid limped over and sat next to the large black man, "No #$." He said calmly as he lit a new cigarette. "What happened to Cloud?"

Barret's eyes glowed with fury, "He betrayed us. He turned 'he Black Materia 'ver ta Sephiroth and disappeared."

Cid took a slow drag of his cigarette. "#$." He said quietly, "Vincent take Yuffie and hide somewhere."

"What!" Yuffie began, "You're expecting us to abandon you guys?" Her eyes ignited with fury.

"No." Cid blew a small smoke ring, "I expect you two to come after us later. If we are all caught we're screwed. I don't really want to lose more people." Yuffie was about to reply but was stopped when she felt Vincent's hand on her shoulder.

"We will return for you." Vincent solemnly said as he turned away from the group.

"How are we not going to get caught!" Yuffie continued, "We're on a ship!"

Cid let out a sigh, wreathing himself in smoke, "You are a ninja aren't you?"

Yuffie froze with her hand raised and mouth open. Her face turned red with anger before she stamped her foot, "FINE!" she shouted before she turned and ran to catch up with Vincent.

"Ya think Vincent will be able ta stand the brat?" Barret chuckled as he watched Vincent and Yuffie climb into a vent and pull the grate closed behind them.

Cid smiled broadly, "The vampire and the brat will be fine. We've both seen how good Vincent is at not being found." His mind returned to the battle outside of Wutai, just after Yuffie stole their materia. "They'll be fine... or we're all #$&." Cid said with a chuckle as Barret stared at him.