5

Weapon

It was better to have the public's approval to let my friends go, especially when the execution was supposed to be aired. I was relieved to hear that they preferred my little happy reunion with Rufus, even if it was all just an act.

"That was gold, Mr. President! Gold! The ratings are through the roof," one of the camera staff exclaimed as a large gathering of us walked down a lushed red carpeted hallway. Rufus kept a supporting arm around my shoulders, and I knew, with dread, that I belonged to him now, whether I liked to or not. I tried not to think too far ahead, but I couldn't help it, like the thought of what will happen at night when I go to bed, or when I wake up. What was expected of me? What will he demand from me?

I swallowed. For distraction, I turned my head to gaze out the windows along the outer wing of Junon's mighty cannon military base, Rufus's home.

All along the metal wall, the window followed as an endless ribbon of tinted glass, displaying a glimmering ocean reflecting what it thought looked like two suns. One large and covered behind smog, and the other, small and red, distant and yet trying to burn through the glass with its mighty little stare at the world.

I could feel Isaac's eyes on me as he followed us, along with the rest of Rufus's crew. Scarlet, Heidegger, Palmer with a cane, and a few men in dark blue suits, along with a dozen Shinra troops acting as security, though against whom, I'm not certain. Without the threat of Cloud and our friends against Rufus, then who was left?

"Sir, was it wise to let them go? What if they come back to stop us?" Heidegger brought up, walking close to the President.

Rufus pressed his lips together, eyes closed and calm, while I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder.

"And stop us from saving the world? Why would they do that, Heidegger? I think they will be grateful to be set free and get the fuck out before I make them," he muttered under his breath. His military officer bit back curses, his eyes showing he wanted to see death, but he remained silent and turned his head away.

Scarlet crossed her arms, walking tall and mightily in a tight red turtleneck dress, her sharp high-heeled boots clanking along the carpet.

"I wanted to see them die for what they did," she grumbled, not afraid to voice her opinion.

When Rufus didn't say anything, she added, "It's their fault we have to deal with this mess. Is it so wrong to have a little justice, sir? I thought you liked spreading a little fear," she directed to Rufus.

That time, he replied, though mostly under his breath. "I do, but only when necessary," and he snuck a look at me. I pretended not to see it, but I knew he was giving me a warning. I wondered what Rufus could do to promote fear into me. With Cloud and Aerith gone, what could he possibly take from me?

"That's the President I adore," Scarlet purred, smirking to the back of Rufus's neck. He didn't say anything else in return, until I figured out he was just ignoring her when she continued to blab about how she missed Midgar's city flare over Junon's robust home. I wasn't ready to be right in the center of what happens in Rufus's world, who was in charge of what, how things were played. But already, I could see how it all maneuvered, Scarlet sending vibrations of resentment towards her boss while flashing hateful eyes at me like I was to blame for there being no bloodshed. I took Rufus's silent advice and pretend not to notice her. What came with belonging to Rufus was his protection. Isaac would be sure about that.

As long as Isaac was around, I felt there was a small chance for me to get out of this, despite Rufus having power. It was going to be a terrible act of political charades, and I winced inside when I felt Rufus's hand slide down my back to fall to my waist, pulling me closer to him. I bit my lower lip, pretending not to notice when he squeezed there.

"I need to speak to my secretary right away once we reach the bridge," he announced.

Under his breath, he added towards me, "I want you in suitable clothes."

I couldn't tell if that was an insult, but I didn't argue. Instead, I wanted to bring up something else, though nervous to do so in front of all of his close minions.

"Rufus..." I began, turning towards him, but unable to look into his eyes directly. I locked on to the white collar of his suit, sitting high around his long neck instead.

His chin turned towards me, and I noticed he licked his lips.

I clenched my teeth but quickly relaxed my jaw, and asked quietly, "Could I say goodbye to my friends before they go?"

Rufus's thin lips smiled before turning his head away, and then he chuckled.

"Oh, Aqua, already trying to twist my arm. I've let them go for you, haven't I? And yet, you ask for more from me," he mused, his free hand up as though asking those around him to offer anything to add to this, what he thought, a delightful joke.

"Sir, once you give a little bit, they just ask for more and more," Heidegger barged in, glad to offer his cold advice, and he grinned his creepy large straight teeth smile behind his black beard.

Rufus chuckled back, "I know, and it's hilarious."

How much shit was I going to take?

I halt my step, stopping Rufus when he almost slipped away, and he paused, eying down at me with a smirk.

Glaring up at him with curled fists at my sides, I growled, "Will you let me see them or not? Just say it."

Rufus smiled coldly.

"I've missed your bold tone and blunt words," he remarked. He kept his sparkling cold eyes on me as he slipped his arm where it belongs, back around my waist, and with a dark undertone, he added towards me, "No." And left it at that.

We walked again, and I took a few deep breaths, trying to stay cool when I felt my powers swirling inside me, ready to be used.

"Rufus," Isaac pried, standing close to me until I was in between them. "Would you like me and some of your men to escort Aqua to her new apartment? I'm sure you would prefer not to drag her to the bridge."

I noticed Rufus pressed his lips together.

"Where I go, she goes," he drummed, head held high. He turned his light blue eyes to Isaac, and they sharpened.

"Unless you're just trying to find a suitable excuse for you two to be alone together, Zero?" I had forgotten Isaac's nickname. I'm starting to wonder if the name, Zero, was more than just a meaning of him being a prototype.

Isaac instantly shook his head, eyes staying to the windows.

"No sir. Of course not."

Rufus had a hidden smile to his narrow face.

"Good. We wouldn't want any trouble," he warned, and when my eyes carefully landed on Isaac, I saw him swallow.

We reached the bridge, the head of the Junon Cannon. I spotted many sailors working at their stations, typing into computers mounted to the floor, quietly, a radio coming and going in code. I thought we were on a giant ship, with nothing but the ocean ahead of us when I glanced at the large, slanted windows. With the way the windows wedged into the metal roof, I could see most of the sky and the ocean. Up there, spying on us, was Meteor, a reminder that the end was near. It was easy to disregard it, falling into a short denial, whatever it took to sleep at night.

Rufus finally let go of me, and his minions dispersed.

"I'll be checking in on the Materia lab," Scarlet hissed. I shouldn't have, but I did, I actually stole a glance, and found her throwing knives at me with her slanted blue eyes. She knew I saw, and I whipped my head away before she stabbed holes in my eyes.

With a scoff, Scarlet turned, and retreated. Under her breath, she mentioned, "brat" and the doors slid open for her to leave, followed by three guards. Palmer chuckled to himself as he leaned on his cane.

"Oh, she's on fire today," he snorted, quite amused with the cold woman's behavior. Heidegger's thick eyebrows narrowed together, and he threw me a quick glance before they fell to Rufus with caution.

No words exchanged among the two, and I couldn't analyze Rufus's expression, his back to me, but as though they spoke, he crossed his arms and shifted his tall stance.

"Hmm, yes. She may be a problem."

He slightly turned his head towards Isaac.

"Zero, you spend much of your time with Scarlet. Make sure she's never alone with Aqua," he ordered.

Along with a hiss, Isaac tossed his hateful eyes aside, like he disliked being reminded of where most of his time is spent. Leaning against a barren metal wall, he, too, crossed his metal framed arms, and muttered, "Certainly."

Rufus turned his attention back to Heidegger.

"How is the new reactor handling the cannon's demands?" Rufus asked his officer. Suddenly, everyone seemed on edge, and I wasn't confident if it was Meteor because a cannon seemed underwhelming. Why were they focused on defending the city?

As the two spoke of Junon's cannon, Palmer escaped, since he was of no use for weaponry.

"Time for some tea," he snickered, and left, his cane tapping by his waddling feet.

In Shinra's Military command center, I hovered, feeling out of place, when Isaac whispered beside me, "Why did you come back?"

I crossed my arms across my chest, shivering to be so near him and yet unable to fully engage, with Rufus only a few feet away, plus with Shinra troops all over the place, there were too many eyes.

I sighed, falling back to how it was, returning to New York, and knew, despite how terrible it's all turned out here, I was glad to have come back. I'm needed here. Somehow, I had to still try to save the Planet, whether with Rufus's help or not. Unfortunately, I still haven't come up with a plan, and before I tried, I answered, "I wanted to. I couldn't just leave it like this, not with you stuck here," I replied. Suddenly, his abrupt kiss came to mind, and I forced my way out of it, feeling terrible for going against Isaac's wish when he sent me back home, hoping it was for good.

"Your father's putting up a storm, by the way," I mentioned over my shoulder.

Isaac fully turned to me.

"I can only imagine. How long have we been gone?"

I looked down at my feet, the borrowed sandals already falling apart easily, the hard plastic wedging loose from the foam platforms.

"Over two months," I replied, but now I know it's been even longer than that.

Isaac sucked in a sharp inhale, and he rubbed his metallic hands in through his hair.

"Jesus," he exhaled quietly. "I told you not to come back."

I turned sharply to him and snapped, "I'm with you now, aren't I? Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?"

Isaac lost his words, his mouth left open. He caught my strong gaze, and got lost, as though unsure if I was the same Aqua he fell in love with a long time ago. He closed his lips, and finally, peeled his eyes away, scanning the sea.

"Yes, that is true, but..." he sighed, metal shoulders slumped. "I don't know if Rufus can keep you safe from Meteor. No one is fucking safe anymore."

"Isaac, what happened to Cloud?" I suddenly asked, feeling like he knew.

Isaac dropped his head, hiding his expression from me.

"You already know he's dead, so why do you need to know more than that?" He murmured darkly, his eyes hidden under his loose, brown bangs.

"Because I want-"

"Zero!"

Isaac and I stiffened, sensing Rufus's stare hard on the both of us, and we turned. But Rufus was already taking his long strides, his posture well poised when he laid his fingers over my shoulder, smiling right over me towards Isaac.

"Anything you two would like to share with me?"

I shook my head while Isaac replied, "No, sir," with a perfect straight face.

Rufus squeezed, his cold fingers into my skin, and I gasped to it. Isaac narrowed his eyes briefly before looking away from his boss, keeping his lips sealed.

"Rufus, I'm here," a familiar voice interrupted.

Rufus blinked is peeved expression over to the exit, and there, an anxious looking executive in a navy business suit was fidgeting with his collar cuffs.

"Ah, my new secretary! Yes, there you are," Rufus iced. I stared at the attractive man, probably in his thirties, with thick dark hair combed just behind his ears, and a well trimmed chinstrap beard and mustache, though, his face a bit hollow. With friendly brown eye, he took one startling look at me, like he recognized me from somewhere, but I've never seen him before.

"Yes, please help my fiancée find some suitable clothes, and not from Scarlet's tailor, for God's sake," Rufus demanded, his threatening hand slipping away. Unexpectedly, I felt his cold lips on my cheek, and I shuddered silently, tensing from the awful touch.

"I'll see you later," he whispered tenderly, and turned on his heel to proceed his conversation with his officer. I'm going back to work, off you go, my lovely thing. This place is not suitable for women. That's the impression I got from Rufus, and under my skin, I boiled.

Disgusted with his farewell kiss, I rubbed my hand across my cheek, smudging it away until it felt a little cleaner. I may need face wash or sanitizer.

"You know what he's going to ask of you, right?" Isaac droned in, arms crossed, when he looked at me solemnly. His dark words laid over my head, adding to the layer of what was already in my thoughts long before I jumped on that stage.

My fingers fiddled together, until the secretary jumped in casually, "I can try to help in any way I can, like assigning you your personal room for sleep."

I just looked at him, wondering why this Shinra worker was budding in like he was a close friend.

He blinked at me when he caught my rattled stare.

"Aqua, it's me," the handsome gentleman mentioned.

I cocked my head a little at him.

"You?"

"Reeve."

I tried to follow, reeling back before everything came crashing down, before chaos erupted and spread across my existence. In the mess of all my memories, I found one of Aerith screaming back, "thank you, Reeve!"

And then it clicked.

"Oh!" My eyes popped up at his tired face.

"Cait Sith! That was you?!" I gasped. Reeve made a nervous smile while a finger laid to his lips.

"Yes, well, not anymore. I'm now the President's secretary, which is much more stressful, if I must say. I rather go back to adventuring with you and the others. I miss Cosmo Canyon."

I still couldn't believe this was the pilot running Cait Sith, and challenged him with, "If you were really Cait Sith, then what fortune did you give Cloud in Gold Saucer?"

Reeve hunched his thin shoulders close to his ears, and I thought I saw a bit of the cat doll in him.

"Uh, Tuesday is cheap night?"

"No, the one he kept," I giggled, though I already knew this man was, indeed, Cait Sith. The voice matched, the nervous energy, but I thought I'd ask.

Reeve ran his pale fingers under his beard, thinking hard.

"I think it involves him losing something precious, and if he wanted to keep it, he would have to sacrifice something equal to it. Something like that. Yeah, he kept that one for some reason."

"Reeve, it is you," I gasped, amazed that I get to finally meet him in person, and I hugged him. He didn't expect that, standing there stiff like he didn't know how to hug in real life. All the men in this world don't know how to hug for some reason.

"Uh, th-thanks," he stuttered before I released.

"I have so many questions," I began, ready to dive into a deep conversation while heading towards the doors.

But then the whole place suddenly trembled. We all wobbled, bracing for anything solid. I stumbled into Isaac, and he caught me. I pressed against his metal mech suit, feeling how it seemed to fold into him with his breathing, like it was his second skin. Isaac held us steady with a hand to a wall.

"Sir, weapon's approaching! Fifty knots!" A sailor cried.

Everyone turned their eyes to the large windows, the ocean appearing restless. Something large was approaching, blaring alarms to life. Red lights flashed, brightening the dull room.

"Weapon? What?" I asked, unsure what was going on, as I gripped to Isaac. Reeve stumbled and landed on his rear, hands slipping along one of the walls.

"We've been getting so many attacks lately," Rufus muttered to Heidegger.

"Can we handle this after the last one?"

Heidegger nodded.

"So far, the reactor can only store one shot at a time."

"One?" Rufus spat behind clenched teeth.

"Sir, the weapon is heading straight for us!"

"Go ahead, Heidegger," Rufus gave, and his officer grinned from ear to ear.

The thick man threw a large hand out, and shouted, "Fire!"

Through the quake, I stumbled out of Isaac's hold, leaning in to get a closer look through the windows behind Rufus.

Behind the rumbling earth, the walls hummed. Ceiling lamps flickered. The red alarms faded. I could hear humming coming through the walls.

I held on to a chair bolted to the floor, and watched carefully.

"It's going to be loud," a sailor warned, and he slipped his headphones back on.

Rufus stood his ground, hands in his pockets and hard eyes on the target as though he could stare his way to gunning it down.

A large wave emerged, something heading towards us like a massive missile grazing through water.

My feet were growing numb by the floor's tiny vibrations.

And then, Junon's cannon fired.

It boomed, its echo capable of being heard from across the area, every piece of land near it, quaking. Luckily, through the thick windows, it muffled the sounds of the shot, but the glass still vibrated. I could feel the push of the cannon through the floor, as though the earth tilted slightly. I steadied on the chair, and watched through the tinted glass, my jaw falling over a large beam of yellow flurrying towards the approaching mass.

"Come on, almost," Heidegger muttered, his face close to the multi-layered glass.

But to everyone's dismay, the shot missed, creating a blast of water next to the incoming threat.

"Fuck," Heidegger spat.

"Reload the cannon," Rufus ordered. "Meanwhile, use regular firepower. Whatever is necessary." He appeared calm as he told all that to his officer, his back straight and eyes cool.

"Yes Sir!" Heidegger saluted his President, and then turned to all the sailors in the room.

"Open all artillery doors. Our objective is to make sure Weapon doesn't touch land! Charge cannon!"

Buttons clicked, Knobs twisted. Orders shouted into the radio, sending messages to the ships. The shaking increased, until I had to fall to my knees. I could barely see the shots fired, all of Junon turned into a giant machine, missiles and heavy fire blaring to life, all aiming at that one growing mound in the sea.

"Aqua, it isn't safe for you to be here," Rufus began, but I suddenly couldn't hear him. Alarms, shouts, the button pushing, it all just flurried away into a muffled blaze. At first, I thought the blast of the cannon, somehow, turned me deaf. But then the whispers appeared, and they were loud and clear, as though the Planet is whispering right next to me as thousands of faces blurring together, thousands of lips telling me horrifying things. Things like the hunger to destroy everything. I thought I was becoming possessed, looking down at my own hands, pondering if those voices were, in fact, my own. That horrible feeling. That dark yearning to destroy was stewing inside me.

Destroy all those who are a threat to the Planet.

Unless those thoughts were coming from Weapon? But I was feeling it too, this strange calling, something that sparked a long time ago, the wanting to make all the horrible things disappear. I had a glimmer of that in Don Corneo's Mansion, the feeling of wanting to kill him again and again. It frightened me, my hands clasped to my chest to feel my heart beat fast against my fingers.

I shook my head, trying to clear the horrible words away. Whatever this Weapon thing was, it was naturally made, from the Planet. I could hear its voice, the Planet's drive for rebirth its only objective. Destroy all that threatens the Planet.

That included this place.

When I could hear again, the sound of chaos screamed at me. Another sailor shouted, "Sir, seventy-knots! It's closing in! I think it's going to hit!"

"Everyone, hold on!" Rufus warned.

"No, no, no!" Reeve whined, ducking his head under a desk.

Isaac emerged, one arm to Rufus and the other to me to keep the both of us steady.

"See for yourself, Aqua. Look at the mess you've come back to," he growled. I could only watch as something slowly came out of the water, taking a hit to all the missiles and large bullets launched from military ships. The titan sized creature didn't budge to the artillery fire. It kept proceeding, closer and closer, its long, protruding back displaying spiky dorsal fins.

When suddenly…

Bam!

It struck the harbor, and everything shook intensely. The large window cracked. Papers scattered. People fell from their chairs. Isaac was unaffected, able to keep me and Rufus in place when it seemed the earth jerked back and forth for a second.

I watched as a long tail fin lifted into the air, curling around the cannon until it slithered its way into the water. The quake finally subsided, and everyone scrambled during the moment of recovery.

"Damage report!" Heidegger demanded.

"Junon Base level zero at 74%," someone replied.

"We lost two ships!"

"It's after the reactors," Rufus muttered aloud.

He finally snapped back to focus outside his commanding role, when he noticed me, and then he whipped his head over his shoulder to Reeve.

"Reeve, get Aqua out of here, now!" He barked.

"Yes, Mr. President!"

Reeve took my hand.

"Let's go someplace safe. There's a shelter," he was saying, but I gave a longing look at Isaac. No place was safer than being near him and Rufus, but I didn't object, letting myself get dragged out of the bridge. Isaac and I gave one last exchange of eyes, our worries silent shared, before I was pulled away.

Shinra troops and working associates all hurried through the halls in one direction, Reeve taking me along to follow.

But something was bothering me. The voices, the Weapon, whatever it truly was, I could hear its purpose as clearly as glass, and I thought of something bizarre.

"Reeve, wait!"

I pulled my hand free, and Reeve stopped to spin around, sweat collecting around his face.

"What?"

"I think I…" I sucked in a deep breath. "This Weapon. I think I can talk to it."

His eyes expanded.

"What?!"

But instead of explaining more, I ran in the opposite direction, dodging panicked passers.

"Aqua, wait!" Reeve cried, trying to keep up, but his skinny legs were no match for my strong, adventuring legs.

It may be a ridiculous idea, but if it's to keep everyone safe. If it can stop the attacks, then maybe, just maybe, the Weapon will listen to me. I approached a grief-stricken Shinra guard and asked him, "How do I get to the cannon!"

But all I got was, "You're crazy," and he booked it.

I tried again, following the plaque signs while retracing my steps back to the bridge. The earth shook again, and I stopped, gripping a rail along the wall. Another hit.

People screamed, and Junon quaked crookedly for a few seconds before it settled again. Red lights flashed through the halls, the windows shut with layers of protective metal, so I couldn't see anything anymore when I felt the impulse to look out to sea.

Before turning to the bridge, I followed the sign, and slipped through a facility door. The walls hummed, pipes leaking sparkles of Mako, and I hurried through the glowing green flurries, sprinting.

Pipes hissed, heat rising as I almost tripped over a neglected tool box. I kept going, hands reaching to another door, and pushed it open roughly. Warm air blew my face and hair back.

I stood there a second, collecting my breath, eyes lifted, and saw the long stretch of the cannon ahead, its path wide open.

No rails. No safety net. Nothing. But it was gigantic, probably twenty feet wide. My sandals were useless, too flimsy to proceed, and I didn't want to chance it. I kicked them off, left them by the door, and kept going, even when the rough winds pushed me back.

The whispers grew. I could hear Weapon grumble, its massive form lurking in the shadows of water around the city, taking a large turn around before it attacks again.

Bare-footed, I ran, knowing all of Junon was falling behind me, aware Rufus and his men could be watching. I felt almost free, seeing only the ocean ahead, feeling the impulse to spread my arms out and jump off, pretending that I could fly away. But my arms pumped at my sides, helping me run faster even when my lungs felt ready to burst.

Nothing but warm wind, sky, and ocean when I reached the end, collecting breaths and hands on my knees.

Come on out, Weapon. Show yourself.

For minutes, I waited, afraid that my plan was flawed, or that perhaps, Weapon may just leave. But I heard it, how its hateful thoughts intoxicated mine, telling me its pain and hunger. It was only trying to protect the Planet, do what it's told, a guardian to its mother.

I stood there, analyzing the ocean, and I fell back to home in Iceland for just a few seconds, suddenly wishing to be back on that little beach. But I wanted to come back to this world. To save it, even if it went against the Planet's wishes.

Like Aerith, I had my own intention to finish what she started. My eyes narrowed, confident to stand my ground as the cannon trembled under my feet. The ocean under the cannon bubbled, waves tossing in all directions, when a head emerged, rising.

I fell back a step when a dark head of scales rose from the water's depths, waterfalls splashing off its sharp face. A curtain of water pulled apart, revealing one large, yellow eye with a distant, black pupil. As it lifted, I saw my reflection in it after how enormous it was. I gasped, seeing tracings of a frightened woman in that eye before it kept ascending. I fell back on my rear, my mouth hanging open as I watched the enormous creature grow, towering over me. Water dribbled over massive, sharp teeth, and hot air rolled me back until I panicked, afraid to slide off the Cannon. Quickly, I scrambled back on my shaky legs, and hugged myself, hearing the Weapon's desires loud and clear.

It stood Godzilla size, but with all dark purple scales and a head the size of a ship, reeling in towards me. It blinked its yellow eyes while a growl floating from its throat, bringing vibrations all through the cannon and up to my legs.

The creature waited patiently, eyes piercing my body with a studying gaze.

I shook, holding myself rigid when I hoped that I would be standing tall and brave in front of the mighty creature.

"Please," I whimpered, and I shook my head, displeased with how I sounded. I tried again, and gave the Weapon my steady, determined stare while his breath blew my hair and loose dress back towards the city.

"Please, stop! Don't hurt any of these people! I know it's what the Planet wants, but we can't have it like this. We might be able to save the Planet. Why purge what could save us all from the bigger threat up there, hanging in the sky?" I preached, and pointed up to Meteor, a glowing, watchful presence, a witness to everything.

The Weapon growled as it opened its teeth a little, and more hot air rammed into my face until I felt the need to close my eyes from it. My bare feet kept me steady, gripping to the rough metal skin of the cannon.

And then it spoke, but not with lips but with its voice in my head. A voice as thousands of voices, God-like.

Last Ancient one, the last child of our Mother and bringer of hope to revive what was once ours. I, Sapphire, Weapon of the seas, must do what is asked of me. In dire need, the Planet has released me and my brothers from our long slumber. It is my duty to destroy all that threatens our Mother. Even if you, Last Ancient one, are against it.

I clasped my hands together, unexpectedly feeling the Cannon pulsing beneath me. It was heating up. I glanced down at my feet, imaging them burning when I felt the charge increase, and gasped, lifting my wide eyes back to Sapphire Weapon's hateful eyes.

"Even if it means killing innocent people? Aren't we all Mother's children, after all?" I begged, trembling.

Sapphire breathed long, deep breaths, and its eyes averted to Junon behind me, its target.

They made their choice to lose touch with Mother. They neglected her, left her to rot and sucked her dry. What is happening in the heavens does not concern me. I must do my part. And so must you, Last Ancient one.

I shook my head. My feet were beginning to burn.

"I don't want to do it that way. I know there is so much of us who are bitter, broken, angry, and careless. But..."

Flashes of Priscilla and her gram gram came to mind, smiling. I saw Marlene, hugging into me, distressed to have me go. Tifa smiling her rare, embarrassed smiles. Barret's wide teeth smile. Cid winking at me, giving a thumbs up. Vincent grumbling, but his cheeks were red, smiling inside. Yuffie winked. Red tried to grin, showing his teeth, even though it may appear a little too terrifying. There was Aerith's beautiful lifted lips, eyes closed, her hands close to her heart as light fell around her.

And then there was Cloud looking over his shoulder, grinning down at me with warmth in his Mako eyes.

You goof.

My chest snapped, as though my sternum cracked open, and I couldn't take a breath. My eyes burned, and my teeth crunched together hard.

A tiny inhale was enough to let me say, "No. There's too many wonderful people here."

Another short inhale. "I won't let Aerith's death be a waste. I can't let you-"

And I felt it before I heard it. As quick as lightning, my hands rammed over my ears, and I fell to my knees just as the Cannon shook. The pull and push was so aggressive, I was tossed back and forth, hearing its boom through my hands. Even with my palms sealing my ear drums, it wasn't enough, and my ears started ringing. My body rolled, legs draped over the curve of the cannon's edge, feet to the sea air, and I slapped my hands hard on the bumpy surface, trying to halt gravity from pulling me over.

The voices were replaced by a whiny ringing sound of tinnitus, and I turned my head, cheek resting on the metal surface, when my eyes expanded.

I inhaled, the pain in my chest worsening.

Smoke curled into the hazy air, slithering from where Sapphire's head should've been.

Rufus didn't hesitate to use me as a diversion. I had intentions to stop the Weapon, to try to change its mind, but it never crossed my mind until I felt the Cannon heat up. Rufus wasn't going to chance it.

I struggled, pulling myself back up and stayed on my hands and knees while watching what was left of Sapphire Weapon, a headless, indigo scaled titan. Its body began to fall back, sinking into the water, the last of it its tail with lights flickering out along its fin. A massive splash along with a quake, and I neared the edge of the Cannon to watch the whole thing submerged and lay to rest in its watery habitat. Nothing was left of the beast except giant bubbles, until they too faded. The ocean proceeded steadily, swallowing the body whole, until there wasn't a trace of it.

I stayed like that, watching the water toss and turn to waves, like none of the Weapon's attack ever happened. Something inside me ached, like I've just lost someone my soul knew, but couldn't quite grasp why. Maybe we were connected to the Planet similarly, the same blood that was gifted to us.

I fell back on my rear, a hand resting on my belly as I tried to calm the anxiety blooming inside me, thinking of my child's well-being when I pictured a tiny fetus trembling in fear. I, too, was afraid. Afraid to be the terrible mother I thought I would be.

The ringing faded, enough to hear incoming gulls squawking, trying to wake me up, but it wasn't until I heard her voice, that I snapped awake.

"Aqua! You're back!" She cried through the ringing.

I turned my head over my shoulder, and discovered Tifa running towards me. The ringing decreased, but her hurried steps sounded muffled. Quickly, I got to my feet, and we fell into an awkward embrace, her poor clothes worn out and long hair a mess. Her arms laid limp at her side, but her bruised face draped over my shoulder, merging with me.

I planted my hands on her back, and closed my eyes, glad to feel another familiar person with me.

"Oh, thank the Planet," Tifa trembled. "We thought you were gone for good! We thought you would never come back! So, Cloud did it after all," she was saying, voice breaking up with burden.

I didn't understand her last sentence, freezing me into her cold arms.

The afternoon wind blew our hair together, almost black and white in contrast.

"Tifa, what do you mean Cloud did it?" I asked seriously, eyes open to Junon behind us, but all I could see was the image of Cloud falling in the Lifestream, his eyes closed peacefully, like that was what he wanted.

Tifa said nothing, even as I pulled her back to take a good look at her. Her poor arms were heavily bruised, mostly of finger markings, and red slash marks from cutting or a whip.

"Tifa, what happened? I trembled, lifting my watery gaze to her cognac eyes, and I was startled to find them lifeless.

Of course.

"Tifa," I begged, my voice shaking to suddenly see her in a similar state when we were in Nibelheim, but it felt worst this time. Shinra did terrible things to her, possibly made her suffer interrogation.

Her hands felt weak when I took them into mine, her gloves absent.

Tifa's shoulders shook, bruises around her neck vibrating to her gasps when she ducked her dim eyes from me, as though to hide her shame for loving Cloud.

"He's gone, Aqua. Cloud is gone," she gurgled, but there were no tears. I'm certain Tifa had cried all the tears her body could produce, leaving her empty and dry. Her hands released mine just so that they could fall to her sides, her black skirt torn.

"It's been eight days," she whispered, when I realized my hearing came back. But what she just said surprised me, and I held my breath.

Eight days.

"Tifa, what happened?" I asked again, but she shook her head, not listening to me. Could she not hear me?

"After Aerith, and you. He..." she hugged herself tight, and hissed up to the wind, her eyes looking at Meteor. No flash of red across her gaze, the anger in her sizzled to nothing now. Tifa's fighting spirit had been consumed by grief and torture, and my shoulders dropped heavily at the sight of her state. A pink tint covered her bruised face, one of her eyes with a black ring around it like a raccoon.

"He wasn't himself anymore. Cloud...he..." Her eyes became lost in the flashback, and I squirmed, wishing to know what it was she saw, what she heard. But Tifa kept it to herself, face falling down to her boots.

"Cloud and Aerith dead. Weapons. Meteor. It's all over," she fretted, her long bangs eclipsing her eyes.

"What are we supposed to do?" She asked me, finally seeing me as though for the first time.

But before I could answer, she shook her head, not wanting to hear it. My words won't reach her.

Tifa wobbled pass me.

"What's the point. I should've been left in that gas chamber. They didn't need to free me. I was ready..."

I twisted around and stiffened to see her proceed towards the edge of the cannon.

"Tifa?"

"We're all going to die anyway," she was saying, her voice trailing off. Her steps never slowed.

My heart raced. "Tifa!"

"Even if you could really save us, I can't bare the thought of living without him around," her voice broke. And one boot stepped off.

"Tifa!" I screamed, my voice expanding across the coast of Junon when I dove for her, my main hand reaching.

She fell, feet first.

Everything fell silent except for the ringing in my ears. My mouth was open, but I couldn't hear my scream as I reached. Tifa's long hair sprouted up, trying to wrap my hand into a trap, but I brushed through the tangled mess. My heart was pounding, afraid to miss, afraid to fail Cloud's last wish. Afraid to lose another friend.

And thank Gods, I was able to grip tightly around Tifa's tiny wrist. My other hand joined, until my arms pulled over the barrel of the Cannon, holding Tifa as she hung there, her body swaying in towards the darkness. The ringing stopped, and I heard her scream.

"Just let me go!" She wailed into the pink sky.

"No!" I cried, trying to pull her up, but her muscular body was much too heavy for my weaker one. My head and shoulders were sticking out, and I squeezed her lifeless hand as tight as I could, even if it hurt.

"I won't let you die! Cloud told me to look after you! He told me to take care of you and all of our friends. I won't let you join him in the Lifestream. I won't!" I screeched.

Watch over Tifa

Cloud's soothing voice broke me, and I unexpectedly wept. I wanted to jump off as much as Tifa did, but…

I love you.

I had a life to take care of that wasn't just mine anymore, a world to save for a possible future, and a future child to raise. I wasn't giving up.

With eyes closed, my tears fell on Tifa hanging over the edge, her feet dangling over nothing but water far below.

I screamed at her. "No. You can't give up. Not yet!"

Unexpectedly, a metal hand grazed pass my shoulder and reached down. I gasped, finding Mako eyes next to me, and I instantly reverted to Cloud, but I knew it was Isaac. His brown layered hair hid most of his face as he dove half his body over the edge, and took a hold of Tifa's hand easily. I let go, trusting him.

In one long pull, he stood, and lifted her up until her boots touched the Cannon's plate.

But Tifa instantly collapsed to her knees, sobbing.

"Please, just let me die," she whimpered, curled hands hiding her lips. Isaac and I watched her crumble away for a moment, deciding what to do. But before he could say a word, I took one step to kneel in front of Tifa, and settled a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at me.

And then I slapped her so hard, her face snapped to the side, startled red eyes off to the edge of the coastline. Her tears stopped, her breath held. Isaac's eyes widened as he quietly watched the drama unfold.

I screamed in Tifa's face, "I didn't give myself up to Rufus to save your ass, just so you can go and toss it over anyway! Aerith risked her life for us. Cloud saved mine, and now he's somewhere in the Lifestream. So don't talk about wanting to die. Don't!"

My hands slipped away, eyes falling to my lap.

"It's too much. It's too cruel," I whispered.

Tifa stared, trembling as though she was cold, her lips closed. Her eyes began to grow some spark to them, when I told her quietly, "Even if there are a few days or weeks, or months left, we can't give up. Not for a second. Cloud and Aerith may be dead, but I'm still alive, god damn it! I won't quit, and neither will you!"

Tifa gasped, the last of her tears slipping away from her slim face. I wrapped my arms around her again, taking hold of her and thought of how weak she felt. If I squeezed too hard, she will shatter into millions of tiny pieces.

Tifa whimpered and buried her wet eyes into my shoulder, returning the hold. We were like that for a long time, me waiting for her to calm down, until her eyes and nose dried. Isaac stayed, standing beside me quiet and patient. He was left to his thoughts, maybe staring at the sun lowering over the sea, the sky slowly turning orange. The winds grew strongly, until, over my shoulder, I heard Isaac mutter, "Well, he won't be too happy about that."

Tifa and I lifted our heads, our hold weakening, and turned to find the Highwind airship hovering close by. Barret waved his thick arms as he stood in its railed platform beneath the giant air filled chambers and whirling propellers.

"Tifa! Aqua!" He screamed. "Come on. Grab hold!" And he tossed a rope down as the airship flew over us. Tifa and I jumped to our feet, and she looked at me steadily.

"Let's go," she sniffled, life back in her eyes.

She grabbed for the rope and extended her free hand out to me.

But I turned to Isaac, and his eyes shifted, as though he could see behind his head, knowing Rufus was watching us from behind. The threat was silent, hidden, but it was there.

Sadly, I took a few steps away and shook my head at Tifa.

"I can't," I whispered.

Her eyes popped at me.

"What?"

"I have to stay," I demanded, glaring lightly at her bewildered look.

"Go. Get out of here. Find a way to stop Sephiroth while I try to find a way to stop Meteor," I encouraged.

Tifa shook her head.

"No. We need to stick together. We're still a family."

My hands clasped, fingers tight around each other at my belly. Nausea was creeping in, but I swallowed it down, pressing my lips together hard.

"I...I don't have much of a family left anymore," I whispered, as hard as it sounded. Aerith and Cloud were my people. Without them, I had nothing left to lose. Rufus could do what he wanted with me as long as I still had a chance to stop Meteor. I helped free my friends, and that was enough. In a way, I was doing what Tifa almost did, though in a much slower, painful sort of way. I felt like a hypocrite.

I nodded, and the rope began to nudge her.

Tifa's eyes hardened.

"That's not true!" She squawked. When I avoided her gaze, she softened.

"Look, I may not be your favorite person, but we need each other. And who knows, maybe Cloud will come back, like you did."

There was a false, hopeful smile to her lips. I regretted what I said next, almost screaming it at her face.

"No! Cloud is dead! Stop lying to yourself like you lie about everything else! Stop living in your bullshit world because it's bullshit! It's all..." I ducked my head, trying to hold back the growing urge to cry.

"A fucking waste of time," I sobbed. I closed my eyes, wiping fingers to my tears as I growled at her, "Go! Get the hell out of here!"

Tifa held her breath for a few seconds, the rope tugging at her as the Airship struggled to hover. Shrina troops were coming, guns out.

Tifa noticed, and she sucked in a shaky breath before looking back at me one final time, her eyes dim again.

"Do what you want," she hissed through her teeth. The rope began to pull her away just as bullets fired.

She clung on, and with her incredible arms strength, climbed, as the airship flew away from artillery fire, heading West.

I felt Isaac standing next to me, the both of us watching the airship fall further and further way.

"Weren't you supposed to stop them?" I asked, amused that Isaac just stood there the whole time.

He crossed his arms and scoffed lightly to himself.

"Weren't you supposed to go with them?" Isaac challenged. I shook my head as I blinked at him, amazed at how much he was handling himself, and he eyed me with the corner of his eye, the winds tossing his hair around his high cheek bones.

"What?"

I straightened and dusted my sunflower dress, more for diverting my eyes, and replied, "Nothing. You just seem different from the Isaac that exploded in my face back at Shinra Headquarters."

Isaac scoffed, and he felt the Shinra troops approaching. I turned around with him, and beyond the dozen infantrymen, Reeve and Rufus were waiting. Rufus had his hands in his pockets, the warm winds throwing back loose, ice blond bangs over his forehead, and his coat tails flapping. The sun had a few chances to beam its weakening rays down my back, and yet I didn't feel warm when I felt Rufus's eyes cling to me, reeling me to return to reality. I wanted to stay on top of the Cannon with Isaac for hours, to talk, to hear what has happened while I was gone.

Isaac must've felt the same way because as we walked back, he said to me, "Don't worry. I'll find a way for us to talk in private. Until then, just..." he sucked in a breath, eyes tucked low.

"Just stay as you. Don't change as Rufus tries to break you, and trust me, he will. I..." His eyes hid under his bangs, and he didn't finish, the rest of his words hidden behind his tight closed lips.

When we neared, Rufus's pale, glossed lips curved into a smirk, and he reached, an arm around my waist.

"I'm impressed you stayed," he chirped, one eyebrow raised.

"I gave you my word," I muttered as I tried to avoid looking at the amusement in his eyes. I wish there was another way, but to give my friends the chance to be free? It was well worth it. Where I was supposed to go from here, I wasn't certain. I had to come up with a plan, but wanted to wait and see what Rufus had up his sleeves.

"And a marvelous job distracting that Weapon, Aqua. Thanks to you, we were finally able to destroy it. I knew it was a good idea to have you with me," he beamed.

I held my tongue, not feeling the same way, and gave one last glance at the sky, finding what was left of the airship as a tiny dot in the muggy pink background.

You all take care, my dear friends.

To Tifa. I'm sorry.

45