Author's Note:

Reno: Wow. Things are really heating up. I wonder if Tyramir has anything else under his belt?

Reeve: I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Tyramir doesn't own the rights to Final Fantasy. He's just borrowing it. Final Trinity is coming. Be sure to check out the site. It's linked on Tyramir's ffnet page. There's now a message board. Feel free to create an account and post, it doesn't take much effort, and Tyr likes feedback!

Chapter Sixty

In A Place of Relative Safety

As Aeris entered the gates of Junon, she noticed that the place had dramatically changed. More guards walked the streets, easily double if not triple the number that were present before. And their discipline was even greater than it had been before. Whereas Rufus expected it in his troops, even demanded it, it appeared as if some unseen force had moved in and inspired a terror even greater than Rufus had been known to command. The air seemed to hum with fear, and Aeris didn't like it at all.

Worse, for whatever reason, the Mako reactor in Junon was running beyond capacity. It pooled more power from the Lifestream that it ever had before, and the Cetra woman could feel the Planet whimpering in pain. It was almost as bad as Midgar had been in its prime, and that megacity had eight reactors to distribute the damage. Somehow, the reactor in Junon was producing almost as much power.

"Ma'am?" Gerald asked.

Aeris shook her head, answering, "It's all right. I just felt a little dizzy."

The soldiers who had come with her all looked to her for guidance, as if to ask, 'What now? Where do we go from here?'

She wasn't entirely sure herself. She hadn't thought it through this far, merely planned just enough to get this group to Junon and see if Reeve knew what to do.

Reeve. She wondered if he was in good health. When she had left Junon with Rufus, he had just been about to receive healing for some sort of injury. Although Rufus hadn't told her at the time, he'd later disclosed to her in the car ride to the Mythral Mines that it was a berserk Cait Sith that had nearly done the man in. It was difficult to believe. She didn't know much about the way the Cait Siths worked, but she couldn't imagine one getting up and breaking someone's arms and legs for no apparent reason.

Regardless, Reeve was obviously the answer. She just had to get to him before Rufus arrived. Which would be a few days, but one could never be sure how long it would take to get through beauracratic red tape, even if it was just to get to see someone who was a friend.

She turned to the Shinra guards and said, "I'd like to thank everyone who followed me. You did the right thing! I know you feel you should be loyal to Shinra, but in disobeying Rufus, you helped the Planet! Now... you should report to your stations, and spread the word that the Tali Hishna are coming!"

"Should we tell everyone about Rufus?" Gerald ask, loudly enough to be heard by everyone.

Aeris chewed her lower lip, unsure of how to answer that. The men needed their morale. They needed to know there was a reason to fight, a reason to keep going and continue on against impossible odds. But at the same time, they were entitled to the truth. In the end, her ethics won out. She would not lie to them.

"Tell them everything. Tell them that Rufus Shinra saw an enemy coming, one that would kill us all if they had their way, and instead of choosing to fight on, he decided to submit to them. The great and proud President of Shinra chose to be a dog of the Tali Hishna!" Even as she spoke, she felt a fire going through her, and her voice raised. Heads nodded along with her speech, along with cheers of triumph. A fervor spread throughout the troops. They knew their path. To fight on, where others had fallen, or given up.

It wasn't much of a speech, but it was the person who spoke it, the beacon of goodness that these soldiers had come to know, and even on some level, love. It was just something about Aeris that made them feel... hope.

The group gave a cheer, and then split up, heading to their stations, already speaking with whoever they came across, spreading word of the Tali Hishna, and Rufus' betrayal. She watched them go, wondering if she should look for Reeve, or try to gage the reaction of the common soldier.

Reeve would have to wait.

Expressions were hard to tell, but Aeris could feel an increase to the tension about Junon. These soldiers had already seen and been through too much. She wondered what had caused their current discomfort. Shoulders slumped, and heads shook in disbelief. No one wanted to hear what was being said. No one wanted more trouble thrust upon them.

She was about to go see Reeve when Gerald came running up to her. "Ma'am! Ma'am!"

She rolled her eyes in mock frustration, and smile warmly at he approached, despite his worried tone. She had to make sure that someone seemed happy and cheerful. If not her, then who else would lift the spirits of these demoralized soldiers?

"Yes, Gerald?"

"The Tali Hishna! It's them! They're here!"

Her eyes widened, and she could feel the blood drain from her face. That was not good. That was definitely not good. Rufus had promised her a week head start. It had never occurred to her that he would lie. But of course he would. That was the type of man he was. Give the enemy false hope, and then crush it. Break the spirit of the opponent. That was what Rufus was good at.

"What are we going to do, ma'am?"

"We're... no... I'm going to fight."

"I beg your pardon, ma'am?" Gerald asked, his voice confused, noting the distinction in her phrasing.

She nodded to herself, and gripped her staff tightly. There was only one way to defeat the army on Junon's doorstep. She had to cut off the head of the snake. She would have to bring herself to kill Rufus and the Yenta Pree.

"Ma'am?" Gerald asked again, worried.

She turned to him, smiling wistfully. "I'm sorry, Gerald. Can you get Reeve for me?"

The soldier started, as if just remembering something. "That's the other thing I came to get you for. He's been injured. He said he needs a healer, but Materia's not working. Can you go see to him?"

Aeris looked to the gates of Junon, then to the direction of the Shinra building. Reeve was her friend, and he needed help. How had he been injured? It didn't matter. She had to choose. One friend, or the entire city. She had to be there to confront Rufus. If she challenged him directly, his pride wouldn't allow him to back down. He would have to accept.

"Bring Reeve to me!" she said. "Quickly!"

Gerald nodded once, and ran off in the direction of the Shinra building.

Author's Note:

Gah I hate writing Aeris. Ah well. Remember, check the message board out. Up next is Hojo (and how he got wounded!)