AUTHOR'S NOTE: I own nothing from the Bayonetta or Final Fantasy 7 universes.
The pair looked at the giant doors with apprehension; Luka was uncomfortable with what could potentially lie ahead, whereas Bayonetta stood there with absolute confidence. Movement from his arms both drew their attention away from the rooms ahead and to Cereza.
"Welcome back, little one." Bayonetta smiled gently at her, placing a hand on her forehead. "How are you?"
"I'm ok, Mummy. I think." The girl answered, placing her own hand on the witch's. "Where's the mean witch? Did you beat her?"
Bayonetta froze and began to tremble, the events of the previous minutes rushing through her mind.
Luka noticed and began to cover for her. "She did! And she made it look easy as well!"
"Luka." She looked at him, small tears pooling in her eyes. "For once in your goddamn life, shut up!"
The man wilted but looked at her in curiosity. "What happened?"
"She was my best friend." She threw her arms around him and held onto the pair as tight as she could without hurting them, her voice starting to crack. "She sacrificed herself to stop his control over her."
Luka quite obviously had a lot of questions, but he held back on that dam. Pushing her back slightly, he gently placed Cereza onto the floor and stood back up, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"She meant a lot to you, didn't she?" He asked, his eyes meeting hers.
"When I was a girl, she was my only friend, my only bright light in the darkness, if we get all poetic." She tried to smile. "She died because she wanted to make sure the Father couldn't control her any longer."
"What was she like?" He asked, smiling gently.
"She was sweet, caring, loyal. She was the Umbran Heir, destined to carry this stone one day. Even when I bested her in our duel to determine the Left Eye, she still had it in her to support me no matter what." She closed her eyes as the tears inside began to leak out. "I think she had more feelings for me than I did for her, and it hurts me that we never had the chance to discuss them."
"She loved you, didn't she?" His eyes widened. "She's the one that sealed you away, wasn't she?"
She nodded for both, then fell forward onto him with an embrace. "I just want her back. She returned, my memories returned, then he fucking ruined it!"
"You loved her, didn't you?" Luka swallowed. "I'm sorry."
"Luka, you idiot…" She began to laugh into his chest. "She's my friend, not my lover."
"Oh…" He replied, a sliver of hope trailing into his voice. Bayonetta looked up, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she laughed harder. Luka visibly deflated, and his eyes did not attempt to hide the hurt in his eyes.
"Don't take it so personally, Cheshire." She smiled, and then winked. "Once this is all over, I promise you one date to impress me."
His eyes bulged out and his mouth opened, then closed. "I never-"
She placed a finger to his lips. "Your eyes do all the talking, Cheshire. Now, get your little act together, because we are going to climb this tower to shove this gun up the Father's ass."
Luka laughed. "That's the spirit."
"Mummy, do you like Uncle Luka?" Both flinched at the voice and looked in embarrassment at the giggling Cereza.
"What on Earth is giving you that idea?" She folded her arms and frowned at the child, feeling a slight blush creep onto her cheeks.
"You're treating him how you treated Daddy." Cereza replied. "Do you not like Daddy anymore?"
The two adults shared a glance. "You certainly have a wonderful imagination, little one. Now come along, we have some climbing to do." Bayonetta walked passed them and placed her hand onto the doors, ready to push them open.
"My daughter, Cereza. How I have missed you." Her hand flew back from the door, and she grabbed her head in shock.
"What the fuck was that?" She turned around. "Did anyone else hear that?"
Luka shrugged and looked at her in confusion, whereas the child looked up at her, hope in her eyes. "Daddy?"
"What?!" Bayonetta's eyes widened. "Oh come on!"
"Daddy is here! Can't you hear him?" Cereza tilted her head.
"My dear, sweet child, Cereza." The undoubtably male voice continued. "Come hither child. Welcome home."
"Yes Daddy." Cereza began to walk towards the door. "I'll bring Mummy with me too!"
The doors opened, and white light spilled out, blinding the two adults. Bayonetta recovered quickly, only to watch as the girl walked through the doors, them beginning to close.
"Cereza!" She screamed, sprinting after her into the light with no fear.
"Bayonetta! Wait!" Luka recovered and ran towards the doors, only to watch as they slammed together, separating him from the two females.
"Dammit!" He cursed and eyed the elevator again. "I fucking hope this key card gets me a lot higher."
…
Sephiroth entered Purgatorio as he watched the Vigridians panicking below him. Sitting down on the edge of the building, he wondered what it was like for them. They had witnessed the Lagunan, and him, in less than two minutes. Hell, if they were watching, they could've seen the first visible Umbran Witches in over five hundred years.
They would think of it as a divine experience. Khepri added. Foolish, naïve mortals.
"It's just as she said. If they truly knew what they were worshipping, they would drop religion in a heartbeat." He mused. "I wouldn't call them foolish; more like uninformed."
They are still never worth dealing with. Khepri snorted. None of their souls are ever worth it.
"Speaking from experience then?" He laughed, then grew stony faced as he stared down the Ithavoll Building. "I suppose I can't delay this any longer."
No, you can't. Khepri also grew serious. Go on, Sephiroth.
Standing up, he teleported into the lobby, taking care to still be hidden. Even though he was in Purgatorio, it never hurt anyone to be too careful. Staying in the shadows, he watched as the mortals milled about, the secretaries rushed through, carrying files and what not and the security forces stalked about, overtly tense.
They probably heard about you and your friends show. She supplied. Be cautious.
He nodded to himself, then began to make his way to the elevator at the end of the room.
Ahh, the experiment returns. Balder's voice flowed easily into his, surprising him. Welcome back.
"How did you get inside my head?" He began to panic. "Get out!"
A creator always finds a way to keep in touch with his sons. Balder seemed to be laughing at him. Now, come to me. We have much to discuss.
"We have nothing to discuss!" He spat out. "Khepri, you can get him out?"
Khepri? You have progressed much fu- His voice was abruptly cut as a giant mental wall was erected by his patron.
There, that should do it. Khepri sounded pleased, then her voice became concerned. There's something strange going on with you.
"What do you mean?" He asked as he slipped into the elevator, pulling his wing in as he did.
I'm not sure what to describe it as. She replied. I don't even know why I think that.
"Well, it's obviously not important then." He leaned back as more people filled the elevator, crossing his arms.
I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. She scolded. I'll try and figure it out before too long.
"You can do that." He answered. "It's going to be a long ride…"
…
Jeanne strode down the street, not caring about the weird looks the Vigridians were giving her. Glancing back to the burning building, pulling down her glasses, she noticed Sephiroth disappear in a flash of light.
Abruptly turning, she walked back towards the Ithavoll Building, her eyebrows furrowing.
So, you aren't taking his advice? Good girl. Madama Styx finally made her presence known. Just like I taught you.
Stay out of this. She shot back.
I'm right, and you know it. Styx replied in amusement. You're doing this to spite him.
Opening a portal to Purgatorio, she walked through and then jumped onto the rooftop of a building. Kneeling, she screamed with all her might, stopping only when her vocal chords refused to continue.
Are you done? Styx filled the silence.
"One hundred years, and not a peep from you!" Her voice was raw. "Where were you when he caught me, where were you when he forced me to do those… things! Where were you when I slaughtered thousands of people? Where were you…"
Now, you think I was willingly letting my contracted witch to be led astray? Her patron certainly sounded offended. Balder sealed away our connection when he mentally reprogrammed you. I've only just managed to restore it now.
"I'm… scared." She whispered. "I'm scared…"
Sephiroth had a good point about leaving. It replied. You don't have the mental strength right now to help him with the fight against Balder.
"I have to have the strength!" She stood up. "They can't go in there alone, he will destroy them!"
Cereza is a far more capable witch that you are giving her credit for. And you know Sephiroth is no slouch either. Styx reprimanded. You aren't going to much use in a three on one fight, and you know it. All three of the other people have already soundly defeated you; you are weak, and you know it.
Jeanne stared at the floor, her fragile self esteem crumbling to pieces around her.
If you are so bloody insistent on staying, there is something you can do. Styx's voice took on a softer tone. You could destroy the laboratories.
Her head snapped up. "Destroy the labs?" Her mind began to whirl. "I can save whatever research Balder has and give it to Seph so he knows truly everything. And because Balder thinks I'm dead, it will be easy to gain access to the lower floors, because my passwords will still work."
There we go. It sounded happy. You know what to do.
Running, she leaped off the building and ran towards the secret entrance behind the building. Even if she couldn't change the past, she could damn well atone for it.
…
Bayonetta cursed as she ran through the corridors of the building, pushing past the security guards without a care in the world. She had lost sight of Cereza the minute the light had faded on the other side of the door, and she began to run up the tower as a result. Stopping briefly to ask where the CEO's office was, she had remained in motion the entire time.
"Hey! You!" The security forces had now caught onto her. "Stop right there!"
She rolled her eyes. She did not have the time, nor the patience, to deal with non-Luka mortals right now. Opening a portal to Purgatorio, she ran through it, causing the guards to halt, confused.
"Hey! Where did she go?" The head security guard began to pace. "Find her!"
She smiled to herself as she continued up the stairs. Even though she would eventually have to jump out of Purgatorio, staying inside would prove to be a giant boon.
"BABALON!" A giant fist crashed into the wall, tearing it apart. The mortals screamed and ran, whereas Bayonetta turned her head frowned.
Maybe it wasn't a boon after all.
Temperance punched the wall yet again, this time its fist dragging itself through the wall and into the floor. Jumping over the fist, she began to increase her speed. She did not have time for this.
The angel raised its arms, the fingers locking together, and began to fire mercilessly into the corridor, tearing up the ground and exposing more of the building to the outside. Bayonetta ran up the stair and out of sight. Looking ahead, she noticed a barrier forming on the entrance to the second set of elevator shafts.
"For fucks sake…" She hissed as she ran into a room with a giant glass viewing window, not stopping to appreciate the view. "I fucking don't have time for this!"
"The Father has requested me to test my mettle against you, Bayonetta." Temperance rose into view, flicking the glass to shatter it. "If I am successful, I will take on the mantle of Temperantia."
Bayonetta glanced at the two anti-aircraft guns outside of the building. Her first thought was to question why there was anti-aircraft guns on a relatively peaceful island. Her second thought was whether they worked.
"Prepare yourself." It began to float backwards, its fingers locking together again.
She ignored it and cast a time spell, slowing it down to a crawl. Running over to the gun, she hopped on behind it and tapped it once, bolstering it with her power. Aiming it at the head of the Auditio-to-be, she pulled the trigger. Dozens of missiles flew out, slowed down by the time spell. They slowly flew towards the angel in a clump, with the angel slowly realising what was happening. Smirking, Bayonetta clicked her fingers to resume time as normal. The missiles all struck true, blasting apart the angel in seconds.
The barrier faltered, and then failed. Sprinting to the elevator, she pulled herself out of Purgatorio and pressed the button for the highest floor available to her.
"Clearance Granted. Welcome Home, Cereza." An automated voice called to her. She frowned at it, deep in thought.
…
Sephiroth stepped out of the elevator and looked at the stairs in disappointment.
"There is no way I have to climb all of those." He turned back to the elevator and looked longingly at the walls.
You can't witch walk. Khepri laughed. It looks like you've got to put your walking muscles to good use.
"I call bullshit. I can witch walk if I tried." He closed his eyes and began to harness his power, focusing at his feet.
A few seconds passed, and he sheepishly opened them. "I think you are right…"
Of course I am. Now get moving! She ordered, and he obliged, turning back to walk up the tower. Moving into the next room, he was surprised to see a familiar angel standing with its back to him.
"Fortitudo?" He asked, placing a hand on his chin. "Didn't Bayonetta kill you?"
The angel turned, the draconian heads snapping at him. The main head smiled at him, and seemingly shook its head.
"I am but a mere courage, young mortal." It answered. "But you are not mistaken. Bayonetta did slay our progenitor, and now the helm of Fortitudo is up for contention."
"So you want the title of the Cardinal Virtue?" Sephiroth asked, summoning Shuraba as a precaution.
"You are most correct, mortal. And you being the prize of the Father, defeating you will pave the way for my ascension." It answered, bowing slightly. "May the best triumph!"
It opened its twin mouths and jumped backwards, through and out of the building, launching fireballs at the winged man. Rolling his eyes, he held up a hand and telekinetically caught them.
"Is this still the only trick you have?" He tossed them to the side, eyeing the flying Auditio-to-be. "Even I can do that!"
Flicking his wrist, he sent a meteorite at the left head and scored a direct hit for his efforts. It growled at him, and then lunged with both heads snapping. Slipping past one, he found himself staring down the other head as it closed its jaws over him.
Teleporting up, he fell onto the head and slammed Shuraba through its skull. The angel screamed in pain, and the second head twisted to breath fire at him. Sephiroth blinked and jumped up, sending arcs of energy from Shuraba at the offending head.
A fire-breathing dragon angel. Khepri commented. Would you look at that?
Landing onto the main body, he watched with apprehension as both heads turned to face him. Taking his stance, he began to think.
You know, you have more magic available than meteors and energy. His patron interrupted him. You can use those, you know?
"Oh, right." He tossed Shuraba into the right head and began to channel his power again.
"TELOAH ERM MAELPEREJI DOALIM!" He shouted as the familiar green energy shot out of his hands and began to fizzle out. Jumping up and grabbing the impaled katana, he glided back to the relative safety of the building.
"Is that all you can do?" It laughed at him. "A fireball and a few fancy tricks? You are not worthy-"
The world went green as the spell exploded, burning and disintegrating the angel into nothing. Smiling in grim satisfaction, he turned and began to run to the right. He hoped that Jeanne was keeping her word, and that his other three friends were alright.
…
Luka stared at his watch as the elevator dinged and opened. Stepping out, he watched as a group of security rushed passed and into the elevator he had just left.
"There's a disturbance in the basement, citizen." The commander nodded at him. "Please stay clear until the threat has been neutralised."
The doors closed, and the elevator descended. Luka turned around and put a hand to his head.
"Please don't fucking tell me that's what he is up to…"
He cursed as he remembered that the key card only reached this floor. Now he would have to walk.
…
Jeanne entered the laboratories to a familiar sight. A female mortal was being strapped into a familiar chair, struggling against the lab assistants that were holding her down.
"Ahh, Mademoiselle Jeanne." The head scientist walked up to her. "We are about to start the process, and you are right on time. Please, remove her memories for us."
She managed to not flinch as she remembered the title she had forced onto each assistant throughout the years. The woman perked up at the scientist's words and began to scream.
"You can't do this! This isn't right!" She struggled harder, and then something hit her and silenced her briefly.
"Thank you." She remembered to act the part. "This…mortal was getting annoying."
"We exist to please you, Mademoiselle. Will you be requiring a male or female companion tonight?" He asked, looking down as his clipboard. "We have a selection of either, for you to decide."
"I think I'll skip on the pleasures of the flesh tonight." She inwardly shuddered. No need to remind herself of that. Of what... he did to her. Or what she had done to them.
The scientist nodded in understanding. "I see. Best of luck with the Father tonight."
She threw up in the back of her mouth and turned away. She really did not need to be reminded of those nights. "Let's just get this over with."
She turned back and walked up to the panicking woman. Her wide eyes darted throughout the room in terror, and a gag had been placed on her mouth. A memory flashed through her mind as she remembered why this particular step had been implemented…
Experiment 10978 was being a pain again. He thrashed against the (to him) invisible Affinities holding him down for the first step of the experiment, the step no one had survived.
"Why are you doing this!?" His Australian accent continued to annoy her. "You never said this would happen!"
"Oh, shut up." She glared at the struggling teen. "You're barely a man. You can understand that life isn't fair."
"You promised me happiness!" His green eyes stared at hers in betrayal. "Not…this!"
"I promised you nothing." She grinned cruelly as the Father walked in. "He was the one who did."
"And happiness is what I shall give you." Balder smiled at him. "Are we ready, Jeanne?"
"Any minute now." She glanced at the monitor. "He's too agitated."
"Jeanne, calm him." He looked at her. "In any way you can. We need to have all the conditions right for once."
"With pleasure." She pulled out her favourite dagger and advanced on the struggling teen.
"You're going to cut me?!" He screamed. "What the fuck!?"
"Not quite." She reversed her grip and slammed the dagger into his chest, letting it penetrate him slightly. "I'm just going to make you forget everything."
Grabbing his head with both hands, she concentrated as she felt his psyche weaken, and his memories began to disappear one by one.
"No!" He was screaming, but slowly was beginning to whimper. "I don't them want to go! My family, my friends…"
"Too bad." She smiled cruelly. "The easiest way for you to calm down is for you to forget why you need to calm down. And I know the Father here would prefer a blank slate."
His eyes were beginning to dull. "Stop…" He slurred. "Bring them back…"
"What? Have you already forgotten?" She teased, then yanked the last remaining memories out. Laughing, she continued to pull on his psyche, causing the now comatose 10978 to begin to scream in pain.
She drew the dagger out of Inferno, watching as the mortal began to shake and silently scream. Slamming it into the chair, she leaned over.
"Hold on, OK?" She whispered. "This nightmare will be over soon."
The mortal's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. Standing up straight, she winked at her.
Spinning, she caught the head scientist with a roundhouse kick to the chest, sending him flying into the wall, him collapsing in a heap. Summoning out the All 4 One, she fired three bullets into the three security cameras, and then pointed them at the lab assistants.
"Alright, I don't recognise any of you, so I'm going to assume you don't have the faintest clue about what you just got into." She snarled at them. "Now get out, leave this building and never come back!"
The assistants picked themselves up and ran, leaving only the mortal and Jeanne as the two conscious people in the room. Stepping into Purgatorio, she came face to face with an angry Applaud.
"What are you doing?" It hissed. "You are still under his control?"
"Actually, I've had a change of heart." She pointed a gun at it. "Now, you are going to get what you deserve."
Pulling the trigger, she watched in satisfaction as the bullet ripped through its skull, killing it instantly. It dropped to the floor, and Jeanne kicked its corpse into the scientists, slamming them both against the wall again. Satisfied, she stepped back out. Turning her attention to the mortal, Jeanne snapped the straps with a quick pull, and helped the woman up from the chair.
"Are the others still in the 'pen'?" She asked as she felt the woman's arm for any broken bones.
"Yes." The woman answered. "Why are you helping? You're his right-hand woman."
"I was never his right-hand woman willingly." She stood up, content with the woman's health for now. "Free the others. Use this card; it should allow you to automatically open the door for them, and the back door for yourself."
"What about you?" The mortal looked at her with a questioning glance. "What will you be doing?"
"A favour for the only successful experiment the Father has ever done." She looked at the computers and files on the wall with regret. "And then I'm burning this place to the ground."
…
Bayonetta watched with apprehension as the elevator doors opened to the floors mostly forbidden to the public. Not that that was going to stop her.
The initial room was quiet, serene-like it is hue. She walked in, feeling really out of place, and looked around. A circular corridor awaited her, wrapping around the tower and surrounding a gigantic statue. Approaching it, she looked it up and down. It was of a female figure reaching to the sky, and dozens of cherubs surrounding it. Just looking at it made her feel small and insignificant.
"What is this?" She asked herself. "Some fucking statue of god?"
"It's the statue of Jubileus." A male voice called from behind. Sephiroth ran into view, stumbling over himself as he skidded to a halt beside her. "Something I've been told about many a time I was here."
She smiled at his ragged breathing. "Did you really run up the entire tower?"
"Yes." He leaned over, trying to catch his breath.
Turning back to the statue, she gestured to it. "This is Jubileus? Looks like the Virgin Mary if you ask me."
"It's the human interpretation of Jubileus." He corrected her as he straightened himself up. "What it actually is is still a mystery to us. The Father told me that he was carving a statue fit for a god." He looked at it with apprehension. "I'm certain that this thing being completed it not a good sign."
"Well, we can ask him ourselves." She turned to the corridor and spotted the stairs spiralling up. "Let's move on."
The pair began to walk away from the eerie statue, both secretly glad they didn't have to look at it again.
"Why did you not stay with Luka and Cereza?" Bayonetta asked, glancing at him.
"I had something I had to do." Sephiroth answered, hesitating slightly. "So I did it before I got distracted by other things."
"Does it have anything to do with the ruckus supposedly happening in the basement?" She pointedly looked at him.
"What?" He returned it with confusion. "I haven't returned down there since I left. I refuse to go down there."
"If you didn't cause it." Bayonetta looked down as they climbed up the stairs, both spotting an elevator nearby. "Then who is?"
…
Jeanne pulled out the memory drive and tossed it into Inferno. Pulling up a gun, she shot the tower and then slammed into it with a wicked weave. Smiling, she turned her attention to the files. Letting her memory guide her, she grabbed every folder relating to experiment number 10978 and tossed them into a pile. Grabbing the final one, she briefly glanced through its contents. A familiar photo stared back at her.
It was of Sephiroth with both of his wings in an incubation tank. The very tank he had burst out of one year ago. She felt a chill down her spine as she read the date on the corner.
"We tore his wing off that day…"
10978 stared at the pair with unbridled hatred as the Affinities chained him to the wall. Balder and herself stared at him with apathy.
"You tried to escape." The Lumen Sage smiled. "A most noble effort."
His eyes burned with anger. "I hate you."
Jeanne kicked him in the chest and then in the face. "Show some respect!"
"Patience, Jeanne." He held a hand out to stop her from acting further. "He will be punished in due time."
The witch in red gave him another kick, and then folded her arms. 10978 looked back up at them, eyes defiant.
"Your wings are a symbol for you." Balder lifted one of the black wings up and examined it closely. "They give you flight, and the hope you can leave this place."
He turned back to the golden eyes. "Your hopes, however, do not match mine. Jeanne." He gestured to the woman behind him. "Make him flightless."
10978's eyes widened in horror. A giant pink fist appeared behind him and grabbed onto his right wing. Balder held a hand up, and turned to her.
"Make it hurt, Jeanne." He smirked. "It's punishment, not a clipping."
"With pleasure…" The fist disappeared, and the witch grabbed the wing. Throwing him down, she planted a heel into his back and pulled back. He was struggling, but to his credit he wasn't screaming.
Twisting it, she heard the bones crack and the tendons rips one by one. He still wasn't screaming. She respected that.
"My, aren't you a brave one?" She asked, twisting it further. He whimpered in pain in response, and she smirked. "You brought this all on yourself!"
She wrenched hard, and the wing ripped off, and he started screaming finally.
She placed the folders into a box and stored it in Inferno. Turning to the door labelled specimens, she pushed it open and saw the tank containing the witch.
"Rosa…" She held a hand and placed it on the glass. "I'm so sorry…"
Clenching her other hand into a fist, she whispered the counter incantation and watched as her soul left the body, the features relaxing from a frown to a smile.
Voices called out from behind her. Slipping into Purgatorio, she smiled in satisfaction.
It was time for her to leave.
…
The pair exited the final elevator and walked onto a strange, hard-light walkway leading to a golden sphere.
"That must be his office." Sephiroth said quietly.
"It's time to actually end this." Bayonetta replied, looking at him with concern. "Are you ready?"
"He will pay!" His voice went demonic as he finally let his anger show. "We are more than ready."
The two began to march forward, unperturbed by the Lagunan presence singing to them. Bursting into the sphere of light, a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.
"You are both late."