A/N: Last one, if you made it this far and don't hate me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Duet avec Chocobogoddess
Movement Four

Something was pressing. Reno knew Tseng was expecting to follow her, but something told Reno that he needed to. So, here he was, following one woman and wishing he could keep watching another. It wasn't that Aeris wasn't a pretty girl. There was simply something defeated about her. However, Reno had to admit, he was interested in her, for only one reason.

"She never fights with me."

Even now, when the air was clean, save his cigarette smoke, Reno shuddered. What had Sephiroth meant? Why was he involved? Aeris had to know. She seemed to know more about this situation than anyone else. His last conversation with Tseng clinched everything. He'd asked Tseng why he'd told Aeris his name before they'd met. Tseng responded that he hadn't.

Tseng wouldn't lie about something like that, and it WOULD have been out of his character.

Then how, in the name of anything holy, had she known his name without asking? He remembered, walking into the church and smelling the flowers. She stood up and smiled at him. "Hello, Reno." When he asked her how she knew, she'd only responded that she'd been told.

Who told her?

Reno picked up his pace, though he didn't know why. It was irritating him, this whole ordeal. The first time, in the President's office was bearable, then the old man at the temple, lastly in the Gold Saucer, each time was closer, more invasive, and he didn't know why. Tonight, Reno would get some answers.

She interrupted his thoughts, as if she could read them, by stepping onto his path. He hadn't even noticed that she'd stopped. "I wondered when you'd get here," she said quietly.

"You were waiting for me?" He started, spitting the cigarette to the ground and smashing it with his boot.

She winced. "Don't do that. The Planet doesn't like it." Turning away, she spoke over her shoulder. "We're almost there."

Reno snorted to her first comment and almost lit another one up to spite her. Instead he looked to the woods and then back at the flower girl. "And where is it exactly that you are supposed to be going?"

"A place no one knows about, but me. And one other. I've been feeling it pull me there for a long time now. I'm supposed to go there." Her brow furrowed delicately, and Reno thought he heard her add under her breath, to die.

Reno didn't understand the idea of "going quietly into that sweet night". In fact, Reno was rather proud of the fact that he clung to his life with the tenacity of, well, of a Turk. "Well that's just WONDERFULLY vague of you. Do you know that? How about you sit your ass down and explain this to me?"

"We can't stop--" she began, but halted when Reno grabbed her wrist. Aeris looked down at his hand, then sighed in annoyance. "We don't have much time. I don't know what I can explain that will make you understand, Reno. And no," she finally met his eyes, "I'm not in any particular hurry to die. It's just...time. It's necessary." There was grim determination behind her words, resolve mixed with fear and resignation.

"Make the time." Reno hissed. "I'm entitled to some answers." He tossed her wrist down, the resignation grated him. Lighting a cigarette, Reno glared at her. "Fine, you can walk and talk."

She looked a little relieved as she started walking again. "Ask your questions, then, but don't be mad at me if you don't like the answers."

"As if you'd give a shit if I was." He snapped, though started walking beside her. "What's going on? I get you, I understand what's happening with Sephiroth. Maybe I get a little bit what you are throwing your life away for, but in ALL this shit. Why me?" He felt the hairs lift up on the back of his neck as he talked. Something about this whole situation frightened him.

She flushed at the mention of Sephiroth, he noticed with no little disgust, but at his last question, she came up short and stared at him. "Why...you?" She looked almost hurt for some strange reason. "You want to know why Sephiroth is so interested in you? Ask HIM. I suppose it's because you fight him when no one else does. I don't, because to tell the truth, it wouldn't matter if I did. You'd feel the same way if you were in my position. We're a lot alike, Reno, just with different destinies."

"You and I are nothing alike. And Sephiroth refuses to say anything because it isn't really him anymore. He's just a puppet, and Jenova would love to kill me for reasons totally unknown to myself. I happen to find that irritating, you understand?" He shoved his hands in his pockets, unable to shake the feeling of being watched. "I don't believe in destiny."

"She wants you dead for the same reasons she wants to kill me," Aeris said. "Because you're a threat to her. You have powerful ancestors, like mine, and she hates them all." They walked in silence for a while, Aeris somehow picking out a path from the dense trees and undergrowth. "You know," she said at length, not looking at him, "He's not completely gone."

"Gone enough." Reno responded. Reno looked down at her. Did she actually enjoy the attention from that thing? He preferred not to know the answer to that, he shuddered none the less. "When something affects your own personal goals, that's gone enough to me."

As if her words brought it into being, the stench of Jenova made Reno gag and double over as a wave of nausea hit him. When he looked up, he saw Aeris moving toward a familiar figure in black and silver. He stood on a narrow path that led from the forest to a twisted, organic structure, with clear blue water all around. Sephiroth smiled at Reno, barely seeming to notice the girl who went willingly to his open arms. "My cousin! What an unexpected delight."

"My own personal stalker! What a rather expected pain in my ass." Then he realized what Aeris was doing. "Hello! Flowerchild? That would be the WRONG way. Living and breathing is in the opposite direction."

She hesitated for only a moment, glancing back at him, then she closed her eyes and turned away. Her arms wound around Sephiroth's waist, a gesture frighteningly like a lover's. Only this lover was crying; Reno realized she knew exactly what she was doing. Well, screw her. Or rather, let Sephiroth. Reno had had enough of stupid, crazy people. Really.

Sephiroth, meanwhile, looked amused. He raised a brow at Aeris, then looked back at Reno and laughed. "If only you could see your face, little cousin. I almost wish I could combine the two of you into one person."

"I bet you would just get a real kick out of that." He snapped, agitated. Reno's hand twitched at the gun on his hip, but he knew even unloading a clip would do little to Sephiroth. And something told him hitting Aeris was a bad idea. "Aeris-" he tried again "-listen to me. Right now the sweet understanding bullshit needs to drop. You can't even harbor the idea that he has any good intentions."

Her hands fisted in the leather of Sephiroth's coat, then released when he pushed her aside. Sephiroth ignored her startled whimper and strode over to where Reno stood. "Good intentions? Hardly. Though it's been amusing to watch her try to 'find my good side', you know." As quickly as that, Aeris was dismissed from his notice, and Reno captured all of his attention. "Now, you, on the other hand...I'd almost change for you, little cousin."

"Aww am I supposed to believe that? How fucking sweet." Reno slid back slightly, taking out his magrod and flicking it on. He could smell Sephiroth again. Even though what was left of him was growing gaunt. Bags of a deep purple shade hung under his eyes. Only Jenova was keeping him going. Reno wondered how long it would take before she made herself heard.

"I'm disappointed, Reno," Sephiroth smiled. "After all I've offered, you still push me away. And yet...you wouldn't have pushed me away the last time I saw you, not if Mother hadn't shown herself." He stepped closer.

Beyond them, Aeris listened to the exchange, her face showing first betrayal and then defiance. She seemed to come to some decision, whirling about and stalking across the bridge and into the structure in the center of the lake.

Sephiroth's eye twitched, and the scent of Jenova grew stronger. Reno could hear her hissing something underneath their thoughts, urging Sephiroth to follow Aeris. They struggled for dominance, inches away from Reno's face.

God that smell was gagging, it came and went in waves as Sephiroth tried to overcome the parasite that owned him. Reno snarled, backpedaling. Then a stray thought hit him. Maybe he was supposed to be here, maybe Aeris needed more time, time she would have given away to Sephiroth. There was a reason she couldn't stand up to Jenova. Reno didn't understand it though.

Sephiroth staggered forward without warning, grasping at Reno's arms to keep from falling. "N-no," he growled to the being within him, "I am in control here!" He didn't sound like even he believed it. "Not you!"

Pity was something he didn't want to feel for Sephiroth. It warred with something deep inside of him to feel sorry for what he had become. Weak, snarling at himself like a child demanding of a cruel parent. He couldn't feel any other way though. Even though his skin crawled, he let the other man steady himself, helped him up. He didn't risk a look at the flower girl. Right now he had the bull by the horns so to speak.

Aeris had disappeared into the building by the time Sephiroth finally regained his composure. Some flash of his old self, the General, flickered behind the haggard expression he now wore. "R...Reno," he gasped, and for once, there was almost nothing of Jenova in his voice, "Gods." He laughed a little, a rueful, wheezing noise. "You're right. You were right, the thoughts you had last time I saw you. I'm...dead. Ever since SHE..." His words choked off.

GO, the voice of Jenova commanded, cutting across their thoughts, SHE ESCAPES FROM US!

Sephiroth grimaced and gripped Reno's arms tighter. "I...am losing. I will kill her, Reno." He shook his head, the silver hair glinting in the blue light. "I don't w-want to."

"You have to give her more time." Reno urged, dropping the mag rod. "You have to. Take just five more minutes, man. Then you will win, she's ready to die. She always has been."

"I--hah--I know." Sephiroth sank to one knee, unable to stand and fight Jenova's furious battering at one time. He lifted his head to catch Reno's gaze and hold it. Mako eyes met mako eyes, flaring and mirroring each other's struggle. "When...when she...takes over--run, Reno." His mouth quirked up in a pained smile. "I w--would rather not...kill two p-people who remember...m-me."

"You aren't killing anyone. It isn't you." Reno shouldn't be comforting him. Sephiroth was right, Reno should be running. He should be terrified. Oddly enough, he wasn't. "I can't die today anyway, I have too much to do tomorrow."

ENOUGH! Jenova screeched, and somehow, both men knew it was over. Whatever Aeris had needed for time, they'd bought. Sephiroth gave one final, regretful laugh, then pushed Reno away with the last of his strength. By the time Reno regained his feet, Sephiroth--or rather, his body, for absolutely nothing remained of the man now--had already whirled and was striding toward the building at the center of the lake, sword drawn. Jenova's piano-wire voice rang in Reno's mind even as Sephiroth's form grew smaller in the distance. If you have ruined everything, little dirty creature, I will reserve a special punishment for you.

Reno stood slowly, half afraid that Jenova would realize she was too late and rush up the moment he turned his back. He looked down at the mag rod in the dirt and sighed heavily. It was over; something terrible had just been averted. But that didn't mean they were out of the woods yet. Reno bent down and picked up his nightstick. He thought, though not to himself. I'm not ready to die, not after all of this, not to you.

He knew AVALANCHE would be here soon, the Turks on their heels. They weren't going to save the flowergirl. But what needed to happen had happened anyway. "Never did answer my fucking questions, Aeris…" He said, this time he knew no one would hear him.