Chapter 22: Inheritance

"The last time I found someone I was... close to, brooding like this, they went off on their own and started a war."

Tifa lowers the bottle she's chugging out of and sets it on the bar, turning to glower darkly at Sephiroth. "Did your friend's stomach split open and eat someone?"

"Not to my knowledge," he answered, "You are aware Rui is still sleeping upstairs and not dead, correct?"

Tifa scowled, turning back to look at the bottle. "...I didn't realize just how little of my humanity was left."

He doesn't respond, merely waiting.

"I probably only look like I do because its comfortable to me, I'm used to being like this," said Tifa, voice shaky, "Calamities after all can change their appearance to suit their needs..."

She yelps as he grabs her by the collar of her shirt and lifts her up. "Lockheart, get out of your head or I will shake you out of it. Nothing about you has changed from what you have been these last few years except you know more of your capabilities. You are, as ever, who you have always been."

She grips his wrist tightly, cocking her other fist back, but he catches it when she makes to take his damn head off. He carries her by the scruff of her shirt and throws her outside. She lands on her ass, snarling. It had been awhile since they had last gone at eachother. She rushes him, hooking a leg behind his when he goes to block her strike, tripping him, grabbing him by the side and his hair, spins, and throws him away from the tavern into the training area. He lands gracefully as ever, shifting into a defensive stance as she comes at him unhinged, emotions boiling into a limit break despite the lack of any physical pain.

And that's part of the problem.

She's felt a euphoric high ever since she... she used her powers on Shelke.

And she hates herself for it.

She hates almost as much that Sephiroth's grown so used to her that he can actually take her limit breaks. Blocking, misdirecting, evading, or even bracing to take them head on. She finds she misses the first time she almost killed him with it after she had first been warped. It ends with trying to stab her hands like a claw into his stomach, but he catches her wrist, then she sees her fingers elongating into actual claws to try to reach his flesh...

She loses it.

She falls to her knees and bawls her eyes out.

He does nothing aside from releasing her hand, offers no comfort, merely standing there until she wrings herself out.

"You are who you are, Lockheart," he says simply, "Its on you to make of that what you will."

She glares up at him in frustration and helplessness. "You're such an asshole."

"Perhaps," he agrees, reaching up to brush a strand of hair out of his eyes, "But between the two of us, I am at the one who is content with who and what I am."

She grits her teeth, glowering at him.

"I suppose I do not see the issue you have," he stated, "What is it that you did that was wrong? Hmm? She asked you to heal her damaged body, and you did. She desired to be able to have a family, you granted her this, and welcomed her into our own. She wanted to be able to truly feel, you restored the capacity. So what then, Lockheart, is the problem?"

"I fucking split my chest open to eat her, rearranged my innards to make a womb to remake her in, then did so!" she snapped, voice cracking, "I'm... I'm not..."

"Human?" he mused, "After all this time, you are still conflicted."

He kneels in front of her, voice soft, "Tifa."

She twitches. Its not often he uses her first name.

"You made the distinction between yourself and humanity years ago," he said, "You admitted this to me. But you still cling to old trappings, why?"

He didn't let her answer. "Because you still define Humanity as good, and Calamity as evil. Such ideology is beneath you. You saw firsthand all the horrors of humans and Calamity both. You have also seen their greatness. Humans, when they so deign the effort, are capable of... at least somewhat impressive acts. As much as I'd like to have ripped Hojo's spine out through his throat, I would not exist without him having lived as an example."

"Of course you use yourself as an example," Tifa breaths, "Arrogant ass."

"I am who I am."

Tifa sighs and makes to rub her face before pausing uneasily, staring at her clawed hand. She swallows thickly, closes her eyes, desperately wishes and wills it back to her normal hand, and opens her eyes in time to see it morphing back. "Fuck."

"Perhaps, Lockheart," said Sephiroth, "After Rui has truly settled in, its time for you to truly accept yourself. You are comfortable with your life, but not yourself."

"And what does accepting myself imply?" asked Tifa shakily.

"Explore your abilities in a safe, controlled environment," he answered, "Repeat and repetition until its second nature, until its no longer a horrific rare occurrence to you."

Tifa swallows and looks away...

Then she feels a nudge from Jen. 'Shelke will be awake soon'.

Tifa jolted a little. "Well... I guess we can communicate through the connection then."

Sephiroth hummed. "Perhaps you should emulate our daughter, she is quite comfortable within her own skin."

Tifa scowled at him, but rose to her feet and went back into home, climbing the stairs, making to the bedroom, and finding Shelke nestled under the covers, Jen laying on the bed a little away from her. Tifa sat on the edge of the bed, while Sephiroth stood by the door. They wait patiently as the girl, correction, young woman, opens here eyes... and proceeds to just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, face chiseled in stone. Tifa shifts uncertainly, had she screwed something up? Harmed or damaged the girl...?

Shelke takes a ragged breath, her face twitching, but merely resumes staring up after. This goes on for an uncomfortably long time, but neither Sephiroth or Jen move, both watching and patiently waiting. Tifa, of course, is the first to take action, rising from the bed to move over next to Shelke, looking down at her. Shelke's eyes are rapidly moving, the quietness of her breathing does not betray the shakyness of it, there is a wetness to her eyes...

"Shelke, are you alright?" asks Tifa.

Shelke swallows thickly. "I'm... parsing."

"Parsing?"

"I do not believe I properly considered the ramifications of what it means to have full emotional capability again."

Still speaks the same. "What do you mean?"

"I... I think I am going to need to contact Mr. Tuesti and r-request he...," she swallows, "That he starts rescheduling therapeutic appointments again. It... it is likely they will a-actually have effects now that I don't feel numb and dead when I look at my memories."

Oh.

Oh.

Tifa's jaw clenches at the mere thought of what she witnessed of the girl's life last night. "Alright, I'll contact him. Do you need anything at the moment?"

"To be alone."

"Alr..."

Jen scoots closer to Shelke and lays her head in the crook between neck and shoulder, one arm draped across Shelke's stomach. There is a -pulse- of something in the air, down the connection between them, a sense of comfort and welcoming. Shelke reflexively relaxes before frowning, her eyes flickering down at Jen uncomfortably as the girl takes in a deep breath and sniff of Shelke. A little weird, but all things considered related to Jen, a small thing, even if Shelke was a bit offput by it.

Tifa smiles a little. "You'll have to get used to a clingy nosy little sister for the time being."

Shelke tilts her head to look at Jen for a long moment before sighing, but not saying anything else or pushing her away. Tifa leaves, goes downstairs, picking up the phone, and dialing Reeve.

"Good morning Tifa," greets Reeve, "Is... I mean... she's been there a week now. Do... do I need to set up a mako delivery or...?"

"No, its... it's done," said Tifa, not missing the sharp intake of breath, "But, you're going to need to start therapy sessions again for Shelke."

"...pardon?"

"I quote 'I don't feel numb and dead when I look at my memories'," informed Tifa, "She's upstairs trying not to cry herself into a wreck because she can actually feel about what happened to her in Deepground."

"Ah," mumbled Reeve, "I'll have someone ready for her before the day is out."

"I don't know when she's going to want to talk," warned Tifa.

"Of course, we have staff specialized in this Miss Lockheart, on demand therapeutic staff," Reeve informed her, "There were enough people... damaged by Shinra, Meteorfall, and everything that's happened since that its become a necessity, and one of our most prized and highest paying professions."

"So long as they are actually good at what they do and aren't money grubbing fakes," muttered Tifa.

"We take that kind of concern seriously Tifa," said Reeve mildly, "We've warded off such people after the first few 'money grubbing fakes' were publicly let go. The WRO does not tolerate the kind of parasites Shinra did."

Tifa twitched at that word, since she could technically be classified as a parasite via calamity, but didn't comment on that. "Good."

"Otherwise... how... how is she?" asked Reeve quietly, "Did... was the process... painful to her?"

Tifa smiled a little at the concern for her newest daughter. "No. She... panicked a little when it really started, but settled once the healing part began. It was... unfortunately invasive, and I'm likely going to either get scolded, or she's going to avoid me, because I saw all of her memories about Deepground."

Reeve's breathing hitched. "Her files were largely wiped, the only things I know is what she's told me, and what I can guess. How bad..."

"Worse than you can possibly imagine," hissed Tifa, "But... I won't breech her privacy anymore than I already have."

"Alright, I won't press," said Reeve, sighing loudly after, "Dammit Ruppert."

Dammit Ruppert indeed.

Damn Shinra.

For everything...

Tifa could eavesdrop, is so tempted to, feels almost compelled to do so. To listen in on Shelke's sessions as the young woman sits with her therapist at the edge of their hill a ways from the tavern, talking quietly. The emotional storm from the girl has hardly lessened, and the more time that passes, the more that Tifa becomes accustomed and used to Shelke's presence... the more she feels her.

Identifies her.

Claims her.

Mine.

She takes a breath and forces herself to look away from the window, going back to polishing the tables. Their usual truckers had stopped by last night, drunk as usual, and spilled perfectly good beer all across the table. Of course, she had been more concerned with being near Shelke if she needed her and hadn't cleaned it up. Well, now she only hoped it wouldn't damage the wood finish too badly, if she recalled it had been a rather potent mixed brew.

*BRR* *BRR*

Tifa fishes out her phone, putting it between her shoulder and her ear as she resumes wiping. "Tifa here."

"Hello Tifa," came Aerith's tired voice.

Tifa frowns. That tone... "Is something wrong?"

Aerith sighs. "Minerva is... upset."

"Don't you fucking start," snapped Tifa, knowing instantly what this is about, "Your goddess had her chance to help Shelke, and she didn't."

"I know Tifa," said Aerith, she did honestly sound exhausted, "I've been arguing with her about you for a very, very long time, far before Shelke."

Tifa bared her teeth. "I'd like to see her try anything against me and my family."

"Its not you I'm honestly worried about," admitted Aerith, "I've warned her that her WEAPONs aren't likely to take arms against your family unless you do something first. Minerva being who she is apparently made the executive decision that Omega is the next decision if she believes you've gone down the way of Jenova."

Tifa tensed. "Omega as in..."

"As in Chaos and Omega, all life on the planet ends and we move on," admits Aerith quietly.

Tifa swore under her breath. "Fuck, how likely is she... what the hell does she count as 'going down the way of Jenova'?"

"Mass infection, any singular infection or murder against her WEAPONs, any type of alliance with any future Calamity that might rain down, attempts to infect or subvert the lifestream," listed off Aerith, "Are the major things."

"...does she seriously think I'm interested in any of that?" asked Tifa, incredulously, "No matter what I've become I'm still me. I'm... I've been training to control and contain my damn self before I even settled down!"

"I know Tifa," said Aerith, "I know."

Tifa sighed and sat down miserably, "Sephiroth isn't interested in that shit either, especially any supposed 'alliance' with any Calamity, we both abhor them. Jen abhors them. I know Sephiroth has some kind of grudge against Genesis and Angeal for whatever the hell happened way back when, but he's less of a 'kill them over it' and more of a 'snub and ignore them over it'."

She ran a hand through her hair. "As much as the Goddess pisses me off, this world..."

Her voice cracked. "It's my home."

"I know."

There is silence for about half a minute before Aerith speaks again, voice uncomfortable, "I... did get a kind of placation that we can give, its not even something that wasn't already offered."

Tifa frowned. "Like what?"

"Jen wanted Shelke apart of her family, well, she is," said Aerith awkwardly, "She has no reason not to disclose everything she knows about Jenova and its kind."

Tifa purses her lips, unhappy, but concedes. "I suppose not."

"I suppose not..."

It takes less than a week to get everyone gathered, scattered around tables in Tifa's home. Her daughter sits on the bar, legs swinging idly, a slight frown on her face, pensive. She had agreed to speak of it, but Tifa got the impression she didn't want to do so anymore, changed from her youthful eagerness several years ago. She's not quite sure why.

Reeve is the latest through the door, and one of those at the front table closest to Jen, those designated to ask questions as to not have a shouting match. He sits down, a large pad of paper ready and waiting. At the same table are Aerith, and Vincent. Though the last is a bit twitchy, he never liked to sit still, lean against a wall and loom ominously yes, but heavens forbid casually sitting at a table among friends. Still keeps his chin tucked in and his eyes closed though. He never changes.

Genesis and Angeal sit at a table towards the door, two bottles opened between them only lightly sipped. Zack is on the floor entertaining his kids somewhat quietly. Red is with them, his flaming tail a source of amusement for the giggling children as it swings back and forth. Cloud is at the table closest to the kids, a Heaven's Special not popped open yet, but ready and waiting to do so.

Rufus Shinra is wisely sitting far away at the table on the other side of the entrance to the tavern. Elena, Tseng, and a Turk she was told was one Veld Verdot as his escorts. There is a young woman introduced as his daughter sitting with him. Tifa notes the others are a mixture of surprised and wary that this 'Elfe' or Felicia or whatever the hell she calls herself is there. Not sure why, she gets that the woman senses as a bit stronger than most, perhaps enhanced in some way, but compared to others in the room, she doesn't currently feel like much.

Cid is... "No smoking in the tavern Cid!"

"Piss off Lockheart."

Cid is Cid, already merrily on his way towards drunk at his own table, then the door opens and...

Tifa is a bit... surprised, to see Barret enter. There had always been some reason or excuse since... since the Edge Incident, to never come and see her. To be fair, she had never gone to see him either. Marlene's death an agonizing severance between them, even if she had been deceived, manipulated, altered, and slightly out of her mind at the time. He moves to sit next to Cloud, the pair giving eachother a short nod of acknowledgement. Barret had always acted cool as could be, but his emotions bleed into his voice and his actions. Now... now he moves like a stone, his face the same.

Its all her fault...

She forces the thought away and looks in on the kitchen. Sephiroth is focused on cooking, though he will obviously be listening and will chime in whenever he feels like it. Yuffie still slumbers in the Northern Crater, and Tifa has no idea when she's going to be healed enough to wake up, or how much of her will even be the same considering the last Calamity ate a huge chunk of her soul...

Her eyes flicker back to the front to see Reeve setting up a small recording device then looks to Tifa in wait. She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Jen? Are you ready?"

Her daughter shrugs. "S'pose."

Jen looks to Aerith, frowning. "Wat already know?"

"About the Calamities? Honestly, very little," admits Aerith, "We know they're some kind of sentient alien parasite or virus..."

Jen cuts in immediately. "Wong."

Aerith blinks. "Wrong?"

Jen nods. "Think. What can Calamity do? Why so scared of them?"

Aerith frowns. "Because they can and do infect most living things with their cells."

Jen stares at her like she's stupid.

Aerith purses her lips. "Is there something I'm missing with what I've said?"

"Lifestream," answered Jen, "Can take n change Lifestream. Important."

Aerith nods. "Right, yes, that's true. They can infect and control Lifestream. Its also something Sephiroth could..."

"Not same," countered Jen before pausing, "Not yet at weast. He never took wast step."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" posed Sephiroth from the kitchen.

"You gat Gamma's help at fiwst," said Jen, shrugging, "Could change self into Calamity or more if really wanted too."

Sephiroth leans forward to shove his head through the serving hatch to stare at her as if demanding answers.

Jen smiles. "Better this way. Wouldn't be Da if you took final step."

"I suppose I'll take your word for it," he answered in one of the few times Tifa had actually heard him sound wary.

"That aside," said Aerith, sounding just a tad stressed, "What about the Calamity's ability to infect, consume, or alter Lifestream, aside from being horrific, is so important?"

Jen closes her eyes for a long moment and sighed. "Gamma wasn't always Calamity."

"You mentioned something like that before, yes," said Aerith slowly, "What was she then? Some kind of being infected and altered?"

"What else can manipuate Lifestream?" asked Jen instead of answering.

"Is there a reason you are skirting around the answer instead of just telling us?" asked Reeve, single eyebrow raised.

"Won't beweave me," Jen replied.

Vincent's eyes glow gold for a moment as he opens them. "Little Calamity Child, you are our only source of information on the Heaven's Dark Harbinger and her kind, we have little reason to doubt you."

Jen stared at him for a long moment. "Avatar."

Vincent-Chaos's eyes furrow. "You wish to speak to Minerva?"

"No," said Jen, "Gamma was Avatar."

Tifa slow blinked. "As in... as in like Minerva? Jenova was a Goddess?!"

"They all arwe," answered Jen simply, "How do you fink they twist Lifestream?"

Aerith's face was pale and sickly. "How?"

"Pwognaitor."

"Again, how?"

"Perhaps," interrupted Chaos, "She should start from the beginning."

Jen's gaze turned vacant, lost in thought. "I told ma that Gamma loved once, she was Avatar, loved her world. Simple people, simple faith. No technowagy. Simiwar to Cetra. Easy to manage, easy to love. So Gamma paid attention to outside world, to space. Other worlds full of life nearby, what Gamma would eventuawy learn was rare. Develop ways to communicate. Exchange small amount of lifestream, memories, as message and question. Sometimes got answers, sometimes got sent away."

"Sent away? Why?" posed Aerith.

Jen frowned, struggling to think. "N-not... sure? Maybe focused on own worlds? Hard to piece together, so long ago, even if beginning clearer, still a lot of small things lost. Just remember that Gamma was rebuffed, especially by big world, one which became pwog..."

Jen's face scrunched up. "Pw... pro... prog... Prog-en-itor."

She nods, satisfied. "Their Avatar arrogant. Haughty. Ego as large as world. Snubbed Gamma's small little world and stupid unvanced people. It cheated, helped people with intent."

"Cheated?" posed Reeve.

"I'm assuming she means the Avatar interacted with its people, such as Minerva has started to do now?" posed Aerith.

"More, all the time," said Jen sourly, shaking her head, "Not right. People should determine own fate. Not so directed. Not at any cost."

Tifa frowned. "Any cost?"

"Like Shinwa," said Jen simply.

Tifa soured. "An Avatar that acted like Shinra, okay, that's a terrible combination."

Aerith pursed her lips. "I can make some assumptions on how that world acted then, but how does that lead to that world becoming the Progenitor?"

"They looked for etewnity."

Tifa's eyebrows furrowed. 'Eternity?"

Reeve frowned thoughtfully. "So that's what you meant."

He flips through his pad of paper towards the front. "'Fink day wook fow ternawty'. You said that the last time we were on this topic. I believe that translates to you thought they 'looked for eternity."

Jen nods.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Reeve.

"Gamma found it a lot, eating thoo worlds," admits Jen, "People looking for what they shouldn't."

Vincent hums, gold leaving his eyes. "The Hojo approach. Looking for things they shouldn't, touching things best left alone, all the while committing atrocities to do so."

Jen smiled sadly. "Worse."

"How so?"

"Imagine you seek all answers."

"To what?"

"Everything," said Jen simply, "Whether should want to know or do or not."

Her gaze grew sharp, her tone cold. "The pursuit of eternal life, eternal knowledge. Defining the unknown..."

"I don't think I'd want any of that," comes Cloud's voice from the back, voice wary.

Jen doesn't mind the interrupt, merely nods at him. "Then you smarter than most."

She returns to looking at Reeve. "Should be careful in what wish for, you might get what asked. Gamma and the Progenitor hardly worst things in universe. Gamma encountered things so much worse after becoming Calamity and barely survived, out there."

Tifa swallowed thickly. "Like what?"

"You don't wanna know ma, you don't wanna know," Jen answered softly.

Tifa opened and closed her mouth a few times before going silent. Maybe she didn't. The Calamities were enough as it was...

"Progenitor, before became wat it was," said Jen, "In one of few times answered Gamma, said there would be no moar cycles."

Aerith's breathing hitched. "That's..."

Jen nods. "Wrong."

"What do you mean by 'cycles'? asked Tifa.

"The Lifestream is a cycle," said Aerith quietly, "We live our lives, then we die and return to the Planet, sharing with it our experiences until we are born again anew in one form or another. Life and death are two halves of the same coin, and in this, nothing lasts forever. That also applies to the Planet, one day, it will die, and either it spirits away to be reborn via an Omega like function, or it will fade away and crumble, its body given to the universe, likely to be absorbed into its star..."

"Which may one day explode in a supernova, casting matter out into the universe to form new stars and planets," said Reeve, nodding, "A cycle. So what does it mean to break it?"

Vincent spoke softly, "Part of Chaos's function, before it returns to Omega, is to kill the Avatar itself, to make sure she can't cheat death if she wanted to, that a new Avatar is born on the new world Omega goes to. If it meant what I think it meant, that Avatar wished to never die, to subvert life and death."

Jen nods, sighing. "Common, across worlds many want break cycle, never finking if they should, or what happens fif they do. There reason all life mirrors cycle. Pwants, animwals, people, eating dying decomposing. Reason it mirrors this all throo universe. Breaking cycle has consequences."

She grew sad. "Sometimes, you not the only one who has to pay for them."

Reeve fiddled with his pen, thoughtful. "Shinra preformed varied experimentation with Mako with many results, most usually horrible and mutation inducing in nature from all the records I went through. Just what would someone with an Avatar's guidance be able to do? Especially without no morals holding them back? Or even worse, I know there are still some people to this day who worship Minerva. What would a people do if they were fanatics driven by what they thought was divine?"

Sephiroth hummed from the kitchen. "You're getting into the theoretical, Tuesti."

Reeve huffed. "I suppose I am."

Aerith tapped on the table for attention. "Jen, do you have any knowledge of how exactly it became the Progenitor? Not just a 'I think', but any concrete facts?"

Jen fiddled with her hands. "Maybe?"

"Maybe how?"

"It took long time," said Jen, "Remember that. Wasn't all at once. It took long time for Gamma to feel something wrong with big world."

"A long time in our time, or a long time from an Avatar's perspective?" asked Aerith.

"Maybe Avatar?"

Aerith nods slowly. "So, anywhere from centuries, to thousands, hundreds of thousands, or perhaps millions of years."

Jen hops off the bar. "Wait moment."

Tifa watches curiously as Jen leaves, then re-enters with two fistfuls of dirt and proceeds to lean up on her toes to plop them together on the table in front of Aerith. Jen takes a few steps back and asks, "Feel alive?"

Aerith tilted her head. "In what manner? There is life in it, even if it is to small to see."

Jen thought for a moment. "Alive like... one whole."

Aerith frowned. "One... whole?"

Jen picked at her skin for a moment. "I many parts, but all me. Yes?"

"Yes...," said Aerith.

"But dirt many parts."

"Okay."

"Progenitor feel like one whole."

Aerith slow blinked. "That's... you don't mean like normal beings. You're talking about Calamity. You mean it felt like how a Calamity's cells all feel like one horrible being? On that scale?"

Jen nods. "Ahuh."

"You are saying the entire planet was slowly converted into a Calamity?" said Aerith in disbelief,

Jen nods again.

"I mean... I know you said it was planet sized, but I-I thought...," stuttered Aerith, "Thought that maybe it was just dragging the planet along, like the Calamities burrow into the remains of a planet and launch themselves through space. I... I didn't realize it twisted and converted everything into..."

She trails off, looking sickly and distant.

"A large planet in which every single part of it is a Calamity cell," muttered Reeve, "I couldn't even envision how to kill such a thing... or perhaps... would what you did to the Wutain Calamity work? Jen?"

Jen shook her head. "Jen stwong, but not that stwong. Not even cwose, not yet. Even if was, Wutai Calamity stupid. Not know how to defend core. Doubt Progenitor that stupid."

Reeve nods. "I see."

Jen kicked her legs out a few times. "Not suwre if Progenitor even have core like normal Calamity does."

"Why wouldn't it?" asked Reeve.

Jen frowned. "When wrongness cover entire pwanet, it moved. Slowly came closer n closer to Gamma's world. When close enough, tendwils many many many miles lowng came out and stabbed Gamma's world, burrowed down to Lifestream and ate it. Life twisted as Progenitor feed. People, monsters, plants, dirt, rocks, everything, all corrupted, spread to kill threats and pwotect feeding tendwil. Days to kill pwanet. Unwike normal Calamity, no need to kill Avatar to finish job. When little life remain, Progenitor left, no need to destroy pwanet to move. Wat was left of Gamma drew everything that was left to her, but..."

"It was infected," said Aerith softly, "Regardless of the Progenitor leaving, its infection remained."

Jen nodded. "Gamma drew all of leftover life to her and changed. That became Gamma's Core. Gamma floated as pwanet broke apart, not moving, to fraid to move. She watched Progenitor ate rest of sowar system and left. Gamma felt other Avatars twist like she did, so she ran, grabbed a part of pwanet remains, burrowed in, used some of energy to make big explosion to send her opposite direction of Progenitor. Eventually reached new world..."

She twiddled her fingers. "West was history."

"So she just started feeding, just like that?" asked Aerith.

Jen shrugged. "Don't member. Those years, Gamma very lost, very confused, but... unwike most of other Calamity's Gamma ever met, she soon accepted."

"What do you mean, accepted?" asked Reeve.

"Most Calamity want back what was lost, think if they eat enough, become stwong enough, can eventually repwace an Avatar and become whole again," said Jen, shaking her head, "Some things once lost can't find again."

"What does that mean then, for Jenova VS other Calamities?" asked Reeve.

"Gamma adapted herself more dangerous, harder to kill, Gamma embraced being Calamity," said Jen, "Few Calamity's Gamma met did half as much to themselves that Gamma did. Those that did that Gamma killed n ate she incorporated."

Reeve rubbed his chin. "From our perspective, the Wutai Calamity was more dangerous than Jenova, do you disagree?"

"Gamma was more balanced," said Jen, "Wutai Calamity greedy, all offense, no defense when I strike back. Wat Cetra used to freeze Gamma would have worked better gainst that then it did Gamma, would have killed it unlike killing Gamma."

"I was under the impression what my ancestors did was aimed at containment, not killing," said Aerith.

Jen shrugged. "Still would starved Wutai Calamity to death, Gamma only lost strength instead."

Aerith nods thoughtfully. "I really need to see if I can get Minerva to open up the Lifestreams memories of that time so I can figure out how they did what they did."

"It's... blocked off?" asked Reeve curiously.

Gold ignites in Vincent's eyes as Chaos speaks. "The Calamity's original planetfall was... brutal. Even by my standards. The memories of that crisis are locked away as to not disrupt the Lifestream."

Jen nods. "Cetra fought well when stopped being tenders."

"Stopped being tenders?" asked Reeve.

"When the Cetra turned their powers to wrath rather then nurture," commented Chaos mildly, "But by then, the Calamity had killed many and spread far."

Jen hummed. "Made Gamma arrogant tho, fell for Host Trap and was frozen."

Chaos huffed. "To our salvation I suppose. Still, I doubt it would work on the Heaven's Dark Harbinger a second time when she next strikes."

"Doesn't matter," said Jen, "Gamma gone."

Chaos tilted his head. "...gone?"

"Gamma gone."

"Gone how?" asked Chaos, baffled, "Its taint still lurk in several mortals..."

"No will in those cells," interrupted Jen, "Gamma gone, only Jen remains."

Chaos studied her, Vincent's eyebrows furrowed. "...I see."

Tifa didn't think he did. But honestly, she didn't either. She didn't understand how Jenova was just suddenly dead and gone after surviving so much.

"Well, if Jenova's gone then great," spoke up Cloud, "We've suffered enough from that thing and its taint. Fallen Goddess or not, once innocent or not, the damage it caused... its better off gone."

That gets a chorus of agreement from mostly everyone, and a huff from Sephiroth. Jen just sits there, looking sad. She shakes her head, hops off the counter, and goes upstairs, effectively ending the session. Tifa watches her go, lips pursed, the feeling from her child...

She sighs. "Well, I guess she disagrees."

"Why?" asked Aerith, baffled.

"No clue," admits Tifa, "I guess she... I don't know, sympathies with what Jenova once was?"

"Only Jen remains," muttered Chaos briefly, "I wonder..."

Aerith turns her head. "Wonder what?"

Chaos frowns thoughtfully before shaking his head. "Some questions are best left unanswered. Jenova the Calamity is dead and gone, there is nothing more to be said. The only thing left to focus on are future Calamities, and the children of fallen Avatars."

With that, the gold flee's Vincent's eyes, Chaos had said his peace. Tifa mixes herself a quick drink and sips at it. "Children of fallen gods, huh."

"Chaos forgot to mention the Progenitor," mused Cloud.

"He didn't forget," disagreed Reeve, "Jen said that Jenova fled in the opposite direction, and its been who knows how many millions, if not billions of years. Our star is more likely to go supernova before we ever encounter that thing. Our only issues is future Calamities for the time being, or other horrors out there. If we ever get proper space travel, or the Planet enacts Omega, then we can consider that thing a future issue."

Aerith hums in agreement, rising from her table. "Agreed, for now, the Planet and the Lifestream desperately need time to heal and recover."

Tifa watches as the room steadily empties until only Barret is left, sipping at his drink. Tifa hesitates for a long moment before walking over and sitting down across from him. "Been awhile oh fearless leader."

Barrett huffed. "Pretty boy SOLDIER-wannabe left five minutes ago, Teef."

Tifa cracks a small smile before she sighs. "Barrett... I... I'm so sorry..."

"I ain't ever blamed you," said Barrett, knocking back the rest of his drink before setting it down, "Just needed time to sort myself."

"A... are you sorted then?" asked Tifa.

"Some days," he admits, "Hard without a cause, ya know? I aint one of them SOLDIER boys figthing these Calamity bastards, don't wanna be either. Means that I hafta sit outa the heavy shit these days. Aint no group I needa lead or fight against. Mostly just day to day shit. I'm in an oil company, but so what? Hafta time I'm reminded I usta try to shoot the people who led board meetings, not work with em'."

Tifa snorted.

He grins. "Who'da thought it? Big wig Wallace. Honestly missed the days we gotta blow and shoot shit up. Monster pops way down, don't even really get to do that in the down time no more."

He sighed and rubbed his face. "Sometimes wonder what use I am these days."

"That's a bit harsh on yourself, don't you think?"

He huffed. "Dunno."

They go silent for a few minutes before he asks quietly. "Do you miss her?"

"All the time," answered Tifa softly.

Its... a little dishonest, if she's being truthful. That she hasn't thought of Marlene or Densel as much as she should. It just... hurts to do so.

"Yeah," he said, "Me too. Miss her so damn much."

"Have you... thought about... you know..."

He shook his head. "Nah. Was lucky I found Myrna, don't know why she married me to this day. Don't think I have it in me to love like dat again. I... thought bout adoptin but... got cold feet outside the orphanage I went to. Just kept thinking of her, ya know?"

Tifa nods. "Yeah..."

"So... hows your lil girl?" asked Barrett, "What was raisin her like?

"Honestly?" said Tifa, "I felt like a failure the first year. Jen was born intelligent, with memories from Sephiroth and Jenova. I probably would have been a great normal mother, I hope at least, but... I had no idea what to do with her at first. It..."

"Hurt," agreed Barrett, "Dat first year with Marlene afta Correl burned was rough too. Differen reasons, but I getcha."

"It's been better since then," said Tifa, "She had intelligence, but... she didn't really understand how to be a person, a child. She's... learning. Slowly but surely..."

She glanced at the staircase, feeling her child brooding in her room. "She's learning..."