Oh! So sorry for the wait again! I was home all weekend in Kansas and was gonna write the new chapter during the 7.5 hour ride there and post it on my moms computer, but…my laptop battery doesn't work and I hafta have it plugged in to even turn on! GAH! So I'm writing this a lot later than expected. Please forgive me and stay with me. Hope I didn't cause any of you to lose interest and you all continue giving me such great reviews!  Enjoy this new chapter, please!

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VII, Squaresoft does.

Chapter 17

Zack stood next to the window in the guest room of Fort Condor. His stare was cold and distant as he watched Shinra prepare for battle. They lined up the bottom of the hill and mountain side, their army was enormous compared to Fort Condor's handful of civilians and allies. He hoped Fort Condor's defenses could hold up. They did have an advantage being on top of the hill, but they still were outnumbered ten to one. Zack took in a deep breath, sighing slowly.

'I hope we can hold them off. I hope there is still a way to stop them.' Zack leaned against the window frame, resting his head on his arm. A knock sounded behind him. He turned his head and lifted his sunglasses. Aeris stood in the doorway, fidgeting slightly, her small hands cupped together by her waist.

"Everyone's almost ready. They're nervous, but I think they'll be alright." Aeris took a step forward, looking around the room uncomfortably.

Zack took a few steps forward to meet her. His blue eyes stared at her. He sighed again and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Aeris, I…" He tore his gaze away. "I want you to stay here…where it's safe." He closed his eyes.

"What!? But, but why!?" Aeris threw her arms down in exasperation.

"I don't want you to go out there, it's too dangerous." Zack looked at her; his pale eyes were full of sadness. She shook her head in disagreement.

"Everyone else is going! I'm part of the team too! Why not worry for their safety as well!?" Aeris' anger heightened.

'Now I've upset her.' Zack scratched the back of his head.

"Aeris…I don't know…what I'd do-." Zack had trouble speaking.

"I can help. I can keep everyone safe." Aeris mumbled.

"But what about your safety!?" Zack turned to her quickly. "No one else has your powers, Aeris. And need I remind you? That's Shinra down there, the people who are also searching for you!" Zack pulled her arm and drug her to the window. His finger thudded against the glass, pointing at the enemy.

Zack looked down at the girl and once again rested on her shoulders. He seemed very bothered and tired, mentally and physically.

"Please…don't go out there." He murmured quietly. The room was silent for a minute. Even though he did not meet her gaze, he knew she was staring at him; staring at him with anger and annoyance.

"I'm going and there's nothing you can do to-." She was interrupted as Zack pulled her up to meet his lips. The kiss was quick and shut her up. Her expression seemed, at first, happy and then upset.

"What? What do you want!?" Aeris turned away from him. Zack was sent backwards, walking away from her in disbelief. He did not expect or want that response.

"I…why would you ask that?" Zack stumbled to find words.

"Zack…" Aeris rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. She covered her face and shook her head. He was quiet a moment before speaking.

"I…want you, Aeris. I want your safety. I want your…" Zack rubbed his neck, a nervous gesture. "…love…" He finalized with a tiny voice almost unheard.

He looked at her, not sure what to expect. She stared back; her expression blank. He knew she was speechless, and knew he did not want to hear what she was about to say. It was at this moment Zack felt she was no longer the woman he loved. She still did not say anything; she searched for the right thing to say. Zack sidestepped and walked around her, heading for the door. He stopped a moment, but did not look back.

"I promise, when we're through with this battle, we'll go get Cloud." Zack's words were dull and cold. It cut through Aeris like a knife. He stepped out of the room, leaving her to her thoughts.

Aeris stood in her place for a few seconds before retreating to the window. She looked out below observing the preparations.

Zack walked slowly down the long hall. His steps were heavy and echoed through the silence of the guest wing of the fort. He approached a small table, a vase full of colorful pink and white flowers overflowed the ceramic jar. He leaned against the table and punched it quickly, a loud cracking sounded. He had broken the table, sending a crack down the middle and throughout the entire body. The vase tumbled over. Zack flailed his arms, catching it quickly and setting it back onto the broken wood.

"Damn it…" He whispered. His dark bangs hung over his face as he lowered his head in failure. "Where did I go wrong?"

'Probably the five years you were missing. Damn you, Hojo.' Zack thought to himself. He felt miserable as the tears welled up in his eyes. He tried to blink them back to keep them from showing, but it was useless. The sting was unbearable. He took in a few quick breathes and spun around quickly as he felt a soft touch on his arm. Aeris stood before him, her expression soft and innocent.

"Zack…" She smiled at him, her eyes were shining. She stared at him he pouted in silence. "Zack!" Aeris giggled with delight like she did years ago. The tall man leaned in and hugged her tightly. It was an unusual sight, him bending down to hug her since he was considerably taller than her. Aeris brought two soft hands to Zack's face and wiped a few stray tears away.

"Oh, Zack…" Aeris whispered. She did not know what to say. She looked confused and annoyed with herself.

'She doesn't want me…she wants Cloud.' Zack's thoughts burned into his brain.

Aeris got close to the man and wrapped her arms around him, staring into his soul with her innocent eyes. He held his breath as she leaned into him and kissed him gently on the lips. Zack brought his glassy eyes down to meet hers. He bit his lower lip. The man's face appeared serious and hard. He wrapped his arms around Aeris' waist and pulled her small frame against him tightly. His bangs tickled her when he rested his forehead against hers. His gaze darted from her eyes once, to look at her pink lips. They both pulled close and met each other with another kiss. The kisses were quick at first and then became more passionate. Aeris pulled her hands behind Zack's head and dug into his dark hair. They stumbled slightly as Zack pressed her against the wall.

'This…I wanted this.' Zack thought as he took a quick breath in between heated kisses. He reached for her hands and pulled them over her head, never stopping the caress with his lips. Aeris fought slightly to be released from his grip. He shook his head slightly telling her 'no'. She whimpered in his kiss and he quickly released her. Her hands flew to his hips. She pulled him even closer, even though they were already as close as possible. His right leg slid in between hers. Their breathing was quick and deep. The passion heated to its full extent and was dulled when Zack stopped. He lowered his head and whispered to her.

"Aeris." He looked up at her. "There's something I have been meaning to tell you."

"HEY!! Where are you guys!?" Yuffie's voice called throughout the halls. Zack groaned with annoyance. The two separated quickly as the ninja girl flew around the corner.

"They're coming! Let's go!" She flailed her arms in the air and waved for them to follow. Zack sighed, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, and ran after the young girl. Before he turned around the corner he looked back at Aeris.

"Stay…" He said seriously and pointed his finger at her. Then he turned and left the building.

"Wow look at this place." Tifa stared at the catapults and defensive lines. There were many contraptions created to keep the enemy from advancing up the hill. "We're gonna whoop some ass!" She pulled a fist to her face and growled at Barret.

"Hell yeah we are!" He faced her, bringing his gun-arm to his face and growled back. Both of their growls heightened in volume and length, preparing each other for the fight ahead.

"You two are so weird." Yuffie scoffed. Zack walked slowly behind her. He had removed the straps and belt from his uniform.

"Didn't like the outfit?" Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Move better without it." Zack grinned. He lifted his sword and rested it on his shoulder.

"Let's get ready. They've begun." Vincent walked past the group.

"Alright everyone…get into position!" Zack yelled. The villagers were scrambling to their locations and prepared to load the catapults, stoners, and tri-stoners. There were defenses in every nook and cranny of the hill and mountain side. The villagers were armed with rifles and bows and arrows. Many had swords and some had nothing more than a first aid kit. A war cry sounded at the bottom of the hill. It started out soft but grew to extreme volume. Zack lifted his sword into the air, walking between two giant catapults at the top of the hill.

"Ready!?" He cried over the valley. His side began their own war cry. It lasted for a minute and then silence hung over the field. Everyone situated and held their breath. Zack smiled at the sight.

'This is amazing.'

"FIRE!!" He dropped his sword. The two catapults on either side of him were cut, sending two-hundred pound stones to the bottom of the hill. All the other contraptions began sending stones and boulders down the hill, rolling over many of the enemies. The sound was immensely earsplitting. The 'whoosh' from the flaming arrows sounded from all around. The defenses were quite strategic and well planned. The Shinra soldiers marched up the hill, never faltering. The defenses were good but would not hold them all back for long. The marching vibrated through the hill, the ground shook and the sound was like thunder. Behind the first wave of soldiers was an army of dark warriors. Their feathers were large and their blades were even longer. Their red sashes fluttered in the wind.

"More death ninjas!" Yuffie pointed down to the warriors.

"Ugh…they don't taste very good…like old, dry meat." Red XIII snorted. He growled and lurched forward, getting a hold of a nearby soldier.

"Looks like Hojo's been busy." Vincent muttered. He pointed his revolver to the bottom of the hill and fired once. The bullet hit a large man at the bottom, sending him backwards and rolling into a small group below. A small smile of satisfaction crossed Vincent's lips as he watched the men try to crawl out from under the dead soldier.

Vicious animal noises flooded onto the field. Many new creatures and beasts jumped into the battle, taking out many of the innocent civilians of Fort Condor. More beastly men appeared, some riding the giant animals, all adorned with spikes and giant blades and armor.

"Unbelievable! Hojo created this army!? But…where did he get so many people to volunteer?' Tifa stared in awe at the new additions to Shinra's elite army.

"They probably didn't volunteer." Barret grit his teeth.

"Why…that's awful!" Tifa was angry now. The thought of innocent people being experimented on for Hojo's delight only pissed her off more. She leaped forward kicking a soldier across the face. "I'm getting me one of those!" She smirked and headed down the hill to stop the frightening warriors.

"Not without me your not!" Barret followed.

Zack stared at the death ninjas and giant warriors. He cringed when he noticed the silver hair flowing from the masks they wore.

"Oh…great." Zack gaped at the experimentations. Tifa and Barret turned their heads upwards towards Zack. He nodded at them and pointed at the new warriors.

"What now!?" Yuffie looked over her head. She flipped over one man's shoulder, pulling on his arm, and sent him flying backwards into a lion-like beast. The animal bit into the man and pulled him around the corner. Yuffie wrinkled her nose at the sight.

"Look! Silver hair! Those things are the Sephiroth clones!" Zack called out for everyone to hear.

"Monster…" Tifa growled and sent a fist into the face of one of the death ninjas.

"That's why they're so creepy!" Yuffie shuddered.

"Emotionless…and artificial." Red shook his head, his beads clacked together. "Why not just make robots?" He growled.

"These are more fun and less cost for Hojo." Zack rolled his eyes.

"At least I am still a living being!" Vincent snarled and pulled out his rifle. He shot both weapons now, aiming for the heads of the dead-like warriors below.

'What a mess.' Zack squint his eyes looking over the battle field. Many villagers lie dead in the dust and many more bravely stood their ground. Giant warriors lurched over the small and weak and never hesitated to take them out. Zack felt the anger inside him build. There were children on the field their helmets too large for their heads. Barret and Tifa stood side by side, taking out many of the animals. Vincent seemed to be holding his own against a group of death ninjas. Red and Yuffie were holding back the humans while Cid and Cait Sith helped with the catapults and loading of the stones. Zack's eyes rolled over the hill side once again. More innocent lives were crushed. Many were crushed before they even had a chance to swing their sword.

'It's not right. These are innocent people defending their home. Shinra has no right!' Zack clenched his fists in anger. He pulled out his sword and leaped towards the advancing enemy. They posed no threat to the man. Zack swung vertically hitting a soldier in the chin. He spun around sending the sword horizontally to two men at his side. As he rolled he brought a boot to the face of another and sent the sword downwards, crushing through the skull of one more. The advancing group diminished quickly when in Zack's hands. He barely broke a sweat and smiled proudly.

'We got this. We can do this. It'll all be over in no time.' He smiled to himself.

A low snarl sounded behind the dark haired ex-SOLDIER. Zack turned slowly to find a behemoth armed with a giant commander. The beast was enormous; its horns were spiraling and thick. Its fangs hung down over its chin as it growled with hunger. The commander atop the beast appeared to be about fifteen feet tall and was thick and full of bulging muscles. His armor was large and a dark red, made of iron. His helmet hid his face and he had gloved hands. One hand gripped the reigns of the behemoth the other held onto a giant sword about the size of Zack.

"Okay…so you want some too huh?" Zack cleared his throat and held tightly onto his sword. He had the speed but he didn't know if he had the strength. The two stared at one another as if accepting each other's challenge. In a second the battle had begun. The giant iron man swung his sword down towards Zack. He easily sidestepped but had to duck and roll to miss the sword's length as it flung to the side after him. The bulking commander hit everything in sight. His giant sword crushed through the beams of the two catapults and collided with both his allies and enemies. He had only one mission and that was to destroy Zack.

"Whoa! This guy is unbelievable!" Zack felt beads of sweat drip down his forehead. The sword was flying back towards him at and incredible speed. Zack swung upwards, metal colliding. The impact sent Zack flying backwards. He tumbled down the hill a few feet and collided with a boulder, his back slamming against the stone. Zack heard the cracking down his spine. He, at first, was afraid to move. He wondered if he was now paralyzed. He shook his head slightly and felt Jenova's cells at work and stood up quickly.

'Can't rest now. Gotta take care of this Oni.' Zack grit his teeth and lurched towards the behemoth and its rider. Their swords met again, this time Zack dug his heels into the dirt only sliding backwards and not tumbling. He stared at the two monsters.

"JENOVA." The iron man garbled in a low metallic voice. It sent vibrations throughout the armor because of its bass. The sound was very dry and chilling.

"What?" Zack gulped in disbelief.

'This guy has got to be loaded with Jenova's cells.'

Zack looked over at the creatures and smiled with satisfaction. The behemoth heaved forward to butt Zack. The dark haired man jumped up and brought his sword down into the animal's skull. The behemoth screeched and bellowed with pain and fell forward to its death. The rider stopped all action. It stared at Zack for a moment and slowly slid forward off the behemoth's back and landed face first in the dirt. A low snarl vibrated throughout the iron man's chamber. It swayed its arms from side to side and kicked its legs, trying to get up. The bulk mass from the creature was too heavy to lift itself up. Zack's lips curled as he put a boot against the giant's side and pushed as hard as he could. The giant was sent over the hill and spiraling to the bottom.

"The bigger they are…" Zack chuckled. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" He called for his allies to hear. Everyone quickly cleared a path for the rolling giant. The armored experiment crushed its own allies and destroyed their defenses. Tifa's head was sent upward. Zack was triumphantly standing on the top of the hill, a grin crossed his face. She smiled at him and shook her head. She waved him to come down and help them get rid of the other threats.

"Damn good job, boy!" Cid ran after him. "Too bad the catapults were destroyed. Looks like I gotta go hand to hand now!" He pulled his spear from over his shoulder and yelled as he ran it through a death ninja. He turned to see Cait Sith fighting some soldiers.

"I'm surprised to see you're fightin' yer own kind, cat!" Cid spat. Cait Sith whacked a man on the top of the head and turned to Cid.

"Well…I suppose I like you guys." Cait Sith purred.

"Won't ya' get inta trouble?" Cid spun his spear overhead.

"Eh, who knows? For all I know the Turks are falling out too. They're sick of Hojo's schemes especially." Cait Sith hissed at a nearby offender.

'I wonder…what Hojo is up to now?' the cat contemplated.

Hojo dug into his pile of tools. He mumbled and grumbled to himself inside the lab. There was a specimen on the table, waiting for procedures. The small table next to him was full of bloody and rusty utensils. On the other side was another stand holding metallic pieces and wiring.

"I'm not going to lose….no way." The scientist sputtered. "I'm not going to let anyone ruin my plans." He fiddled with a pair of pliers and looked at the ceiling.

'Man he gets crazier everyday.' Reno thought to himself. He was out in the hallway snooping through the small square window in the door. He couldn't see very well because of the bad lighting in the room.

'I wonder what poor soul is his victim now? No one deserves that…not even if it is a clone.' Reno rubbed his eyes.

Hojo turned quickly and faced the door. This sent Reno jumping back. He looked side to side for a hiding place and leaped behind a nearby plant. He held a leaf over his face. The vibrant man heard the door push open and a moment later footsteps passed him. Reno stood up and watched Hojo turn around the corner down the hall.

'A lil' peek wouldn't hurt.' The red haired Turk smiled to himself.

Reno entered the dark room and slowly made his way to the operating table. The room gave him the creeps. He did not know which was worse; Hojo or all the utensils and chemicals lining the walls. Reno stumbled over to the table and tried to get a good look at the specimen. His eyes had not quite adjusted to the light yet.

"Hmph…poor bastard. Probably some nasty…killing…machine…" Reno slowed his words down as he looked at the patient. There were needles protruding from the skin and his eyes were wide with fear. His exposed torso had a scar running from the left shoulder diagonally to the right side of his hip. Reno continued his gaze down the body. He looked over the navy blue dress pants and stopped at the sight of the dark dress shoes. Reno's heartbeat quickened. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"HOLY SHIT!" Reno jumped and leaned his face forward and stared at the man's face. He immediately began tugging on the man's arm to help him up. The body did not move. It could not move.

"TSENG!! Come on! Help me out! We gotta get you outta here!" Reno began to panic. He needed to get his friend and ex-boss away from Hojo.

'No way…he was dead. Tseng was dead! I was there and saw it with my own eyes! Elena…she was crying! Her damn mascara was all over her face!' Reno noticed he was breathing hard. He never felt so scared in his entire life. He continued tugging but set the man down when he noticed a vile on the table next to him. A soft moan came from Tseng's lips.

"What? What!? What are you trying to tell me!?" Reno held up the vile and looked at the label. A syringe had been placed inside the bottle and the contents were injected into Tseng's body.

"Oh damn! He paralyzed you!" Reno noticed the metallic pieces and wiring on the table next to him. There was a strange claw. He knew it looked familiar.

'Vincent Valentine.' Reno gasped.

"So he can turn you into a monster!" Reno turned and threw the vile against the wall. He turned back towards Tseng. Loud footsteps sounded down the hall. The noise sent Reno looking for another hiding place. "I promise! I'll help you!" Reno dove over a pile of boxes and giant chemical barrels just as the door flew open. Hojo's humming was loud in the cold dark room.

"Okay, son! We're moving to a new location." Hojo chuckled. "Time for the Jenova treatment." Hojo strolled over to the front of the operating table and pushed it forward, the wheels squeaking with each turn. Hojo made his way to the elevator in the corner and pushed in a code in the panel.

'Shit! SHIT! What do I do!? What do I DO!?' Reno's mind frantically scanned the room for a way to stop Hojo. Then he remembered. He reached into the inside of his jacket and pulled out his electrical prod.

"I'm coming Tseng…hold on." Reno whispered.

The elevator doors slid open and Hojo wheeled the ex-Turk in. He stopped when he heard a noise behind him. Hojo turned around quickly to be hit across the side of the head by Reno's prod. Hojo fell to the floor hard. He was unconscious. The elevator doors began closing. Reno darted through the small gap and ran into the wall in the cabin. He took a deep breath and stared at Tseng.

"You alright? Man! I…can't believe it!" Reno hugged the man on the table. "I…I thought you were dead!" Reno smiled and leaned against the elevator doors. It hummed and lowered for a few seconds. The doors opened quickly, spilling him onto the cold cement floor of the sub-basement lab. Reno sat up, staring at the room. He never knew there was another floor beneath the building.

"Now…how do we get outta here?" He scanned the room. There were no exits, only the elevator. The only way out is to go they way they came from. Reno stood up and looked at the elevator panel.

"First floor…" Nothing happened. Reno pushed the button again.

'PLEASE KEY SECURITY CODE' the bright letters shown.

"Damn Hojo!" Reno slammed his fist against the panel. He looked at Tseng who still lay on the bed. His eyes were staring at Reno. He still could not move. Reno turned to the man.

"We're stuck."

Aeris looked out the window. She had watched the entire battle so far.

"He wants me to stay here…" She took a deep breath. "Cause he wants me safe." Aeris turned and walked towards the door.

"Well! What if I want him and my friends safe!?" She slid on her bangles and picked up her staff. "No one's gonna stop me!" Aeris said proudly.

She stomped up the stairs to make her way to the door that would lead her outside to the top of the hill. It creaked noisily open with an awful sound. The noise was immediately covered with the sounds of battle. There was yelling and crying. There were the sounds of bullets and clashing metal and the loud thudding of the boulders. The heavy metal door thudded loudly behind her. She stared in disbelief at the sights. Things were so different here than through the window.

"Zack!?" Aeris scanned the battle field. It was hard to identify anyone because of all the dust. She turned her gaze upwards towards the nest and gasped in horror. A soldier had made his way to the condor's nest. The colossal bird guarded its enormous egg. She saw the man pull out a large blade.

"Oh no! Hey, you! Get away from that bird!" Aeris' cry alerted the giant bird. It looked down at her quickly and then noticed the soldier next to the egg. The condor quickly rose to its feet and spread out its wings. The span was a good twenty feet. The man screamed and stabbed the bird in its side. This irritated the condor greatly. It soared into the air and grabbed the man with its large talons. It flung him across the land sending him hundreds of feet to the bottom of the hill.

"Oh, my." Aeris gasped as the bird swooped down towards her. She screamed as its talons reached forward. She could hear the wind howl between the bird's feathers and could see the light reflect off the giant claws. The bird's screech was piercing and echoed for miles. Aeris ducked and took cover as the bird flew over her. She heard a thud and a moan from behind her. She turned her head to see the condor now carrying a Shinra soldier. The soldier dropped his sword, apparently preparing to run Aeris through. She slowly stood up and stared into the sky, watching the enormous bird. A long feather floated down in front of Aeris face. She snatched it and stared at the golden fibers. There were specks of blood staining the rich color.

'Poor bird.' Aeris continued her gaze as the condor flew in a large circle over the battle field and back to its nest, hiding the egg.

"Shinra…why? Why do they do such terrible things?" Aeris looked down the hill. There were so many dead and wounded. Aeris felt a pang in her heart. She felt real fear when she noticed dead children and dieing grandparents.

"I…I can't help them all!" Tears slid down her cheeks. Her attention was adverted to an approaching group of men. She could hear her friends down below.

'They fight to help others…why can't I?' Aeris clenched her small fists and stood her ground. The men approached her slowly, chuckling to themselves.

"Looks like Hojo's toys aren't doin' too well." The biggest man, a human commander, in the group laughed. "We mere humans made it to the top!"

"And what a prize for getting up here!" Another man cackled. There was about six men and more approaching the top. Three men reached for Aeris. She squealed and lifted her staff into the air and crashed it down onto one man's hand. He howled in pain while the others laughed out loud. Aeris continued and spun around hitting another across the face and expertly rotating it to her side, digging into the third's stomach.

"Hey! You! Get up here and take care of this little girl!" The large man commanded. Everyone and everything on the battle field turned and obeyed orders. The entire battle moved forward, advancing towards Aeris. She watched in horror as all the dead-like warriors and beasts approached her like robots.

"Hey! What's happening?" Tifa looked over the field.

"I dunno, but they're all goin' to the top." Barret pointed.

"Oh no!" Tifa gasped and began running up the steep hill. "It's Aeris! They're after Aeris!" Tifa called out for her friends to hear. She flipped forward bringing her heel down on top of one of the enemies. She tilted to the side and spun on her toes kicking another in the face.

"Aw shit! What's she gonna do against them? Come on! We gotta help!" Cid pulled Cait Sith and began dragging him towards the top.

"Man! They never give up!" Cait Sith lifted his megaphone in the air. "ATTENTION! WE NEED TO HELP THE GIRL! HEAD TO THE TOP OF THE HILL!" Cait Sith began chanting.

"Where's the fight goin'?" Yuffie turned her head upwards to see what all the commotion was about. She tugged on Red's mane and pointed upwards. "Red! We gotta go!"

"Humans? Oh…lemme at 'em!" Red roared and dug his claws into the dirt.

"Zack!" Vincent yelled. Zack turned his head surprised at the volume of Vincent's voice. "The top of the hill!" Vincent turned and began sharp shooting the enemy running to the top of the hill. Zack brought his gaze up to find Aeris surrounded by troops. She was fighting alone.

'She didn't listen to me.' Zack thought.

"They're taking turns fighting her! Bastards!" Zack hissed.

"Better hurry! I don't know how much longer she can hold them off!" Vincent shoved Zack up the hill and followed closely behind him.

Aeris spun around and swung once again at one of the men. They kept coming and she did not know how much more she could take. They were just playing with her and Hojo's fighters were on their way.

"I'm tired of this! Let's just bring her inside already!" One man leapt from the crowd and grabbed a hold of Aeris arms. Aeris yelped and struggled to free herself.

"You guys…need to get a girlfriend!" She stomped on the man's foot and elbowed him in the face. She brought up her staff and hit him across the head. She lifted it again to hit another man but was stopped by the large commander. He snatched her wrist and pulled the rod from her hand. He simply tossed it over the edge of the hill.

"Alright, bitch. I've had enough." He pulled out his sword and aimed it at her throat. Aeris backed up and ran into the arms of one of the soldiers. He held onto her tightly. The commander traced the tip of the sword over Aeris chest and down her sides. He smiled at her. Her hair was halfway down from all the fighting and her jacket was sliding down her shoulders. She was breathing heavily.

"Too bad…" He frowned and pulled the sword back, preparing to impale her. A loud cry sounded over the field as he began to spring forward. The massive condor screeched and leapt from its nest. It swooped heavily down to the men below, knocking half the soldiers over the ledge. It swooped around and headed back for the rest of the group, impaling and stabbing with its beak through their armor. The commander stumbled backwards, avoiding the bird's rampage. The bird screeched again and hovered over the man. It's blinding yellow eyes seared through him. The bird lurched forward, but the commander dove safely out of the way.

"Look out! Duck!" Zack yelled and dove into the ground as the bird swooped low and back up towards the commander. Zack stared at the condor in awe.

"Damn bird!" The large commander yelled out. He swung his blade upwards, making contact. Aeris heard the cry of pain. She fell to her knees and covered her face.

"No…no…" Aeris whispered as she continued to hear the bird cry out. The struggle continued for a moment. Aeris shook her head side to side, trying not to lose control. The sound of the sword stabbing the bird was deafening to her ears. Her eyes shot open when she heard the condor's death cry.

"NO!!" Aeris crawled on all fours and watched the condor. It was stabbed in the chest and unmoving. The bird's wings were spread halfway and its head was tilted towards the sky. The bird's beak remained open as it slid backwards from the sword and limply colliding with the ground behind it, rolling to the bottom of the hill. Tears stung at Aeris' eyes.

"No…No, no, NO!!" She leapt from the ground and grabbed a nearby sword dropped by the eliminated soldiers. She charged the man and pulled the sword back. The man turned to her. Fear covered his face.

"Huh?" He turned to her quickly and gasped as the cold blade ran him through. Aeris pushed the sword forward, bringing the blade further through the man's stomach. She quickly released and stumbled backwards. The man stared in disbelief at the girl dressed in pink. He looked down at the sword and gurgled before falling forward onto the ground. His eyes were empty and his expression blank. Aeris felt like she was going to be sick. She heard the nearby footsteps of her friends approaching. They were all dirty and bruised. Everyone stared at the spectacle before them. Aeris was lying on her side in the dirt crying uncontrollably.

"Oh…" A sound came from one of the viewers.

"I-I…I did it. I…killed him." Aeris stuttered. "I didn't mean to…" Zack walked up to Aeris and lifted her from the ground. The battle was over and it was not as satisfying as Zack had hoped.

"I-I…killed someone." She sobbed and pressed her face against Zack's chest.

"At least Shinra didn't get to the Huge materia." Barret tried to help. He looked down the hill staring at the lifeless bird at the bottom. It had crushed all the remaining Shinra soldiers.

"This is horrible." Tifa shook her head.

"What's that sound?" Red titled his head and listened. "Sounds like a cracking…"

"What?" Yuffie looked upwards. "Oh! The egg!"

"Well I'll be!" Cid pulled a hand above his eyes to shield the sunlight. The egg in the condor's nest rocked back and forth. A baby condor began shoving its way through the shell.

"Looks like with death, life was created." Vincent stared at the golden bird.

"Aeris…Look." Zack pulled her off of his chest and pointed to the nest.

"Huh?" She looked up groggily. The bird chirped as it pulled the pieces of the shell from its body. The leader of Fort Condor made his way to the top of the hill. He smiled at the bird in the nest.He limped slightly as he stepped over the edge.

"Thata girl!" The man laughed. "Yup. You sure do have good timing." The man made his way to the nest. He looked down at Barret.

"The huge materia is inside. I brought it in a long time ago to protect these birds. Shinra just…did not realize that we live here to protect the birds…not that damn rock!" He patted the bird on the head. "Too bad your mother died, but I suspected she was about due anyways. I think that's why she fought so hard. Come take a look." He looked down at Aeris and motioned her to join him.

Aeris slowly climbed to the top. Her tearstained face smiled slightly at the sight of the baby. The bird stood up and spread out its wings. It was as tall as Aeris and the wingspan was larger than she could have imagined. She stared in wonder as it dropped its head into the straw and pulled out a red orb. The bird held it up for Aeris to see.

"For me?" She asked quietly. The bird tilted its head and remained silent. Aeris cupped her hands together and the orb was dropped. She held onto the shining materia and scrutinized it. "Phoenix? This is phoenix!" Aeris turned her head down to her friends and held up the orb.

"What!? You mean it gave you materia!? The bird gave you a materia!?" Yuffie jumped up and down.

"This…is beautiful." Aeris looked at the oversized bird. "Thank you." She hugged the creature. It cawed quietly. Aeris turned to the group and slowly made her way to Zack.

"…" She stared at the orb.

"You okay?" Zack asked her. Aeris nodded her head.

"Yeah…" She placed the orb in her pocket, and turned to Tifa. "We should go…Cloud is waiting for us." She said. Tifa nodded.

"Alright. Let's get out of here!" Cid walked into the fort. Everyone followed but Zack stayed behind for a second.

'She must be really stressed out…Maybe Cloud will make her feel better.' Zack lowered his head and followed his friends.

"This…sucks." Reno leaned against the stone wall in the lab. Tseng was sitting next to him.

"I would have to agree with you." Tseng muttered.

"At least you're talking now. How's the rest of your body?" Reno asked.

"Hmm…still numb, I think it'll be a while before I can stand." Tseng sighed. He looked down at his hand and wiggled his fingers. "That's about all I can do for now." He smiled weakly.

"Man…where's Rude when you need him?" Reno slid down the wall and sat next to Tseng.

"Maybe…it's his day off." Tseng turned his head to Reno. "Is today Tuesday?" Tseng questioned. Reno thought long and hard about it.

"Damn! It is!" Reno whined. A noise from the upper floor interrupted his pouts. "Uh oh. I'm guessing that Hojo is awake now." Reno laughed nervously.

"And my next guess would be he's finding soldiers to come and get us." Tseng closed his eyes. He moved his arm to his chest and scratched. "I itch…" He stopped and looked at his arm.

"Wha-?" Reno stared.

"Oh…look at that. Getting better already." Tseng's words were slow and tired. He rested a moment and jumped at the sound of the elevator running.

"Great…just what we needed! We gotta get outta here!" Reno stood up and stared at the elevator door. "Before Hojo gets us both!" He shuddered as the lights on the elevator lit up the numbers of the floor it was traveling to. Reno pulled out his electrical prod.

"I guess we fight then." Tseng smiled.

Sephiroth hid in the trees of the nearby forest. He had watched the war and seemed very content with the results. His silver hair swayed gently in the breeze.

'That's my girl.' Sephiroth smiled as he watched Aeris and her friends board the Highwind. 'That human got just what he deserved…' His green eyes lit up with delight when he reflected on the sights of Aeris stabbing the man.

"I'll have to congratulate you later, my dear. I have so many plans for us. So many plans! Pathetic human lives are at our expense." Sephiroth chuckled, bringing a hand to his mouth and down to his stomach. He had not laughed so hard since the day Cloud handed him the Black Materia. Sephiroth saw that the Highwind was now taking flight and decided he should leave as well. He faded away, disappearing from the forest.

There! A nice long chapter for you guys! Hope this was satisfying enough. Especially since it took so long to type it! Gah! Anyways…it's late now. I think ill go to bed. Now that it's 11:45. well you know the drill please review! I love hearing from ya!

-Annubis