Chapter 13: After the Firestorm

A/N: So, admittedly, I was working on a chapter before this, but then it got lost after I lost my old flash drive (I still never found it). I got so mad at rewriting the chapter that I never really got to finishing it. . . So, this chapter is a hope to continue writing and maybe restoring energy into writing the last one. No, this isn't another random chapter, but I did feel that another chapter to supplement the one I was previously working on would clarify a few things. Besides, I've been dying to work on the secondary storyline for ages. Why didn't I do this before? Oh well. Enjoy!

When God changes your name, it also changes your station in life. This happens when he gives you a purpose, and this name changes one chapter in your life to another. First, it was Abram to Abraham, then Sarai to Sarah. Mine, from Sarah, to Surka.

I never liked that name, anyway.

"Surka, you are a guardian," said a shadowy figure above her, standing among a council of judges, in darkness. "And you have done your best to remain his guardian, and we commend you for it. But why did you not correct his actions?"

For the longest time, Surka didn't think that anyone granted a new name by God himself ended up here, on trial for punishment of unnecessary violence.

She looked up, and her azure eyes radiated in the beam of light above her. Leaning against the podium, a tired sigh escaped her. "I didn't know I was supposed to be his mother, also."

The figure leaned forward, not seeming so foreboding if it wasn't for the dramatic lighting. "I suppose it is not your fault. Those three following you didn't fully inform you of your purpose. You may go."

Surka nodded her head, and trudged out to the back, and for the longest time, you could only hear her boots colliding thickly against the floor, until they were gone.

"So, what was that all about?" Zack was immediately harassing her with questions afterwards. "Didn't tell you of your purpose?! Those lying. . .Whatever." He swallowed his words. "What do you think will happen?"

It was outside the courtroom that they stood in a hallway, colored a white that didn't quite so blind. She had been here before, though not here specifically – it was the Big Man's Room before.

"Her judgment didn't appear too serious." Ifalna was gestating the information she had heard. "If there will be a punishment, I don't think it will be anything very detrimental. They tend to be more forgiving than they look."
"And who are they?" Surka asked, now supporting her weight against a wall. She was almost immediately taken here after the fight in the city.

"A council that decides the action of their earthly 'employs'," stated Gast, standing beside his wife. "This hasn't happened in recorded memory. At least, to me," he shrugged. "I mean, I've only been up here for twenty-or-so-years."
"Great." Surka smiled earnestly, taking in the humor that wasn't completely lost to her. "I'm special now. What about our special offender?"

"Oh, he's real special," Zack said, sharing the humor. "Sephiroth is about to go into judgment now. We're not allowed to watch."

Rolling from her side to her back, her weight dragged her against the wall to the floor like bags of powdered cement piled on her. "I see," she sighed. Her eyes cast themselves elsewhere. "And what about the guys?"
"Could you be any more vague today?" asked Ifalna, sitting beside her. "You mean Cloud and such?"

"Right. You see, you know what I'm talking about," said Surka, doing her best to keep her spirits up. She considered if this is what happens to prisoners before a firing squad – a sudden revival of bleak, quiet humor. "We did totally wipe the floor with their asses."

Zack rolled his eyes. "They're still alive."

"They have that tendency," she nodded.

"We all have our own roles to fulfill," said Ifalna, tucking in her legs. "What they are, we need to keep going and do until it's done, because nobody is going to do it for us."

"That's for sure," Gast grumbled, joining the floor party. "Now, let's hope they don't deep-fry us all for what Sephiroth did."

"Honey! Stop killing the atmosphere!" His wife smacked his arm. "Just when we were getting cheerful."

Gast blinked. "You mean, cheerful before our SECOND death?"
Surka raised her hand. "My first."

"SHADDUP!" Ifalna yelled, before giving Gast another to the arm. "And you, SHUTTY." She motioned Surka's mouth to close. "Nobody here is dying a first or second death! You'll see."

"That's right, baby! AHHHH! NO! I DIDN'T MEAN IT! BAHAMUT!" Rachel was screaming atop the dragon, above the fire blazing below.

Bahamut let out a quiet roar and let Rachel steer again.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Good." Looking behind her, there was her team, K.O.'ed, and most out of consciousness. A pang of reality hit, and Rachel moved to the back, against the wind and over to Laura, woefully patched up with little skill. "Seen better days?" she asked her friend.

Laura rolled her head over and looked at her questioningly. ". . ."

Rachel bit her lip. "Right, I thought so. AGGHHHH!"

Bahamut started to steer around rapidly and dive, pumping its wings again. Every time he did so caused uneasy turbulence, but for some reason, if it wasn't Tifa guiding him, it felt much worse.

She panted hard, and realized how tight she was grabbing on to Bahamut's back instinctively. "Well, if only someone still had any Ether, I could cast Cure. . ."

After the party was downed, Rachel, the only one left, had to bail them out by stealing Tifa's materia, but after casting Bahamut, she was drained of magic. Let's all acknowledge it now – Rachel does not have enough Intelligence to cast that much magic.

For now, all Rachel could do was to keep her friend on a steady round of potions. Everyone else who was actually keeping consciousness was just doing their best to keep themselves, and everyone else, on the dragon. She ran back to the head of Bahamut, and stood on top, doing her best to steer up high, back to the house as discreetly as she could.

"Sephiroth, you are here because of your crimes of murder," said the same voice who judged Surka. "Your partner, Surka-

"I take all responsibility," Sephiroth interjected.

The main judge paused in thought. The idea was unknown to him to come from Sephiroth, an insane killer and unfeeling man in search of revenge in the form of elevating himself on a status of "god". At least, that's who he was in a past life. ". . .That's very strange from you."

"I guess." That was all Sephiroth had to say.

"We, the council, have decided to be lenient on the charge of arson, but only because you chose abandoned quarters to set fire. However, the killings of innocents, needs to be condemned and punished. Hereby, you are to be held in suspension of your power, and spend time reflecting on just why you have been selected to work for God."

"Where is he, by the way?" asked Sephiroth, looking around. He was chained to the podium, and every sway in which he looked sent the links rattling. "I thought he was the only judge."

"It is a rule that he does not show in the face of the living, unless it be by signs," said the judge. "If he were to show, himself, it would nullify the idea of 'faith', don't you think?"

Sephiroth was amused by the quaint little idea. "Sure, whatever suits you. But after all this, why wouldn't I believe it?"

The judge rested back. "When you leave, you will be escorted to a holding area, but you will be granted time for anyone affiliated with you here to visit you. You then will be taken away to an area for which you are to be alone. You are dismissed."

"You hear anything?"
Everyone was lined up behind the court door.

"SHADDDUUUUP!" Zack, holding a little plastic cup, was pressing that and his ear against the door to hear. "Something about spending time alone. . .And Jesus."

"Jesus?" Asked Ifalna. "Don't tell me he's making his second coming on Tuesday. We're going bowling!"

"Well, Tuesday IS his birthday," Gast shrugged. "Maybe he's spending it with his Dad."

"Idiots," Surka grumbled. "Gimme the cup! I wanna hear!"

"No! You are not worthy of the cup!" said Zack, still against the door.
"Give me the cup!"
"The cup chooses the listener! You don't choose the cup!"

"THE CUP IS MINE!"

"AHAHHHHHHAAAAAA!" Zack was getting a crazed purple-nurple. "MY NIPPLES!"

"Ahem." The guards, in white suits, shoes, and ties, arrived, solemnly escorted Sephiroth to them in the hallway. "You have a few minutes." With the few words, the two large guards moved away, slightly, only to the farther wall.

Sephiroth looked around. "Doesn't look like any escaping here, does there?"

"I figured you were thinking something like that," replied Surka, brushing through Gast and Ifalna towards him. "I don't think there's any escaping, um. . .what do you call this place?" Surka wasn't even entirely sure herself.

"It's kinda like an office in purgatory, or some-such," said Ifalna, twirling her finger in the air as some kind of mindless gesture. "Somewhere no living people go, that's for sure."

"So what, is it Heaven or something?" asked Surka. "They sure could use a paint job," she remarked about the walls.

"This is. . .like a place in the Promised Land," said Zack, scratching his head, looking like he's trying to remember a forgotten geography lesson. "Plenty of souls channel through here, and this is like a minute court to judge souls. It's pretty much like a registry area, so we're keeping track. Most of the judging happens right after the souls depart the bodies."

"And that's why we're such a special case," Surka reflected. "Not only are we alive, but we were judged here for something else. Well?" Her eyes turned to Sephiroth. "What did they say?"

"I have to remain here," said Sephiroth, without much affection in his voice. "I won't have much strength. . .And they want me to think about why I was given this purpose. Sounds a lot like keeping a child its room and making it think about what it's done, don't you think so?"

"Hmph." Surka nodded slowly. "And what am I supposed to do?"

"Whatever you think you can do," Sephiroth replied, his weight shifting to one side. "Thinking of 'fraternizing with the enemy' again?"
"Hey," she shrugged. "What else is there to do, eh? I'm scheduled to work at the café tomorrow, anyway." A clever grin sat on her mouth. "I know you'll do fine."

Sephiroth sighed. "A slap on the wrist is all it is." His back bent forward slightly and kissed her like a child on the forehead, then straightened his back again. "And you three?"

The trio of undead guardians were in a little group, grinning pervertedly at him. "What?" they asked in unison. "Did we break up something?"

"Just do your job better," he muttered, with air escaping his words at the end. "I don't need you to screw up while you're assisting her."

"Schwaaa?" The strange sound came out of a confused Zack. "Whatcha mean?"

"I'm trapped here for a while, so who else are you going to bother? " Sephiroth stated. "Don't get her in trouble again, or I will kill you a second time."

"This job blows. . .," Zack griped under his voice, scooting away.

The guards were tapping on their watches.

"You got it, right?" Sephiroth addressed Surka. "Just work out the minor details."

Surka, mouth frozen at a steel, tight expression, nodded. "I'll do it before my shift starts."

Sephiroth acknowledge the corners of his mouth lifting. "You do that."

"We're going," said the left guard, a little shorter and thinner than the right. "Come on."

Sephiroth, without resistance, allowed himself to be taken, hands locked behind him, away.

"Geez, said Zack, blinking and watching the strange phenomenon. "He must be cooking something in his head if he'll just leave without a fight."

"It's probably my fault," said Surka, arms folding subconsciously. "Whatever it is he's thinking about, it's probably not going to involve me. I like to think I help him, but I'm usually just some hindrance."

"You don't know that," Gast assured. "Who else helped him before he regained his strength?"
"Himself," she replied, with no hesitation. "He made sure of it."

"M-my foot. . .!" Rachel said between gritted teeth. "Foot. . .ASLEEP. . .BAD TIME!" She was gripping her leg, and at seven-hundred feet in the air, most would agree.

The air whipped her hair back, and stung her skin almost raw by now, but it was so close to home by now. Past the horizon was her house, and she managed to find phoenix down tucked away in Cloud's pouch.

"A-are we still. . .?" Tifa, bleeding at her arms and head looked for herself, crouched beside Rachel. "Good. . .," she sighed heavily, seeing the house. "It doesn't look like anyone followed us. . ."

"Sit down," said Rachel, still holding onto Bahamut's head, making sure to steer perfectly. "You're bleeding." The tone of her voice was solid.

Confused, Tifa looked at her. It was entirely out of Rachel's character to be so serious. Her chin sunk lower, understanding. "Haha. I guess I didn't totally fail with you," Tifa said softly, her body slinking lower on the back of the scaly dragon. "Land it, will you? You should be able to dive slowly and land in the street."

Aeris was behind, tending to Laura, using her magic to heal what wounds she could. "She's going to have quite some scars. . .," she remarked to Cloud, sitting with his legs crossed, not too far away.

"That's a drawback of restore materia, isn't it?", he said, moving over, looking down at her patient.

Aeris nodded. "It accelerates cell division to create new tissue, but whether it's scar tissue or not. . .Well, as long as it works, right?"

Laura, bleeding and barely half-conscious, wheezing and occasionally coughing flecks of blood, panted under the presence of Aeris and Cloud above her. Her eyes would dart infrequently beneath her eyelids, and then her breathing may slow altogether.

"How's it hangin' back there?!" Rachel called. "I'm moving into the descent! Hold on!" Rachel was gunning it from the top, pushing her weight forward. "Bahamut! Take it down!"

Bahamut screeched back, shifting edgily before diving sharply.

"BAHAMUT!" Rachel screamed. "AHH!"

"Idiot!" Tifa spat, reaching down and rubbing Bahamut's thick neck softly, causing the descent to soften. "You can't just pretend to be all cool and in charge and think it'll pan out, can you?"

With a deep sigh, Rachel, continued to hold on and remain in control, shooting a look at Tifa. "I swear, even when nobody gives you an inch, you think you're a ruler."

Tifa managed a smile and rubbed a little blood off her forehead. "You're getting it if we land and live."

Rachel looked up and shook her head. "No confidence."

"Well, well," said Christina, sitting atop the roof, looking up and seeing a vision of a flying dragon. "They're alive."

Lowering the weight of Bahamut, the wings beat heavily, the wind sending a force that shook the leaves violently, until the ground shifted under it. As soon as the clawed feet landed, those that could move and help got the more wounded to the street asphalt in front of the house.

"Come on, come on!" said Cloud, moving things along. "Into the house, before anyone sees!"

Tifa paused, looking at him.

". . .You're bleeding." He said, eyes stuck on the red stain on her. "Why aren't you moving?"

"Awestruck that the two slackers are finally getting it," she said, then hurrying along, helping to carry Sky and Andariel's weight on her shoulders, while they moved along, too. "Amazing."

Cloud rolled his eyes while Rachel landed next. "Everybody off?"
"Sure hope so," she said quickly, pulling out the materia. "Because this sucker is outta here!" Flashing the crimson materia, the sky king received the signal to pump its monstrous arms back into motion.

The crowd of the injured moved in a wave, away from the furious wind let off from Bahamut, watching it move away through the inky black clouds in which it lived.

"Hello?" Rachel's brother was at the door. "What's up with the wind? Uh. . ." The desolate expressions, and not to mention the blood and multiple lacerations, were enough to tip him off that the questions would only grow more complicated. But, now was not the time to be asking them.

"Dad?" Christina appeared before Cloud, panting, tired from scrambling off the roof and back into the house. "What happened?!"

"A long, tiring story," he sighed pathetically. "What's important is that we get room for Laura as fast as possible."

"One side!" shouted Rachel, ushering her brother aside and taking Laura up the stairs by herself.

"B-but. . .I. . .What?" Her brother kept staring at the limp body of Laura, panting in futility for cold, refreshing air. "What happened to-

"Look," said Tifa, trying to make the fastest explanation possible, "don't ask right now. I promise you'll be filled in, but you gotta just make room now, 'kay?"
"You listen to the lady," Rachel replied hurriedly, at the top of the stairs by now. "Now, find some bandages for her."

"I, um, uh, okay. . .," her brother spluttered, before moving into the kitchen, bewildered.

"Hey, hey!" Christina was catching up to Rachel, who was laying Laura onto her bed. "Whoa. . .What happened to her?"

Rachel was tight-lipped. ". . .Just get your mom, 'kay?" Strands of hair blurred out her eyes.

"Rachel?" Christina tilted her head like a curious raccoon.

Rachel's head swung back to meet Christina's eyes. "Do it for her, if not for me, huh?" She was just managing her jovial demeanor, her smile poking out of the corners.

Christina hadn't seen her eyes so tense. "Okay," she nodded quickly, before dashing out the door.

Rachel took a seat beside Laura, who finally blacked out. Her hand already skidded lightly against Laura's forehead, swiping off charred embers and sweat.

The blood from her sides was dampening the bed.

An audible breath escaped Rachel's lips, and her hands were shaking from exhaustion.

Whatever would happen next to her friend, she acknowledged would not be up to her.

"What next?" asked Surka, back on Earth, in the cold city, unaffected by the fire. "You don't think the police will be suspecting us, do they?"

"We're on the other edge of town, so I don't think so," said Zack, looking around. "We seem to be in the clear. In any case, you'd just kick their asses until they forgot they saw you."

Surka gave a look that didn't want to admit they were right, but couldn't deny it. A demure look. "Sure, sure." She shook her head in the otherwise strangely humid, winter night. "That council of judges told me you didn't tell me my full purpose." The black boots on her feet pulled against the cold cement on the sidewalk beneath a streetlamp. "I thought I was just supposed to guard him."

"You are," said Ifalna. "But being a guardian is more than that."

"You're also supposed to direct him to his purpose," Gast tacked on to the end of his wife's statement. "But don't look at me what that is. He's the only one who knows his purpose."

"He hasn't told me anything. . .," said Surka, wondering. "I suppose I just did my best to defend him when he needed it, and accomplished anything he needed me to."

"Didn't he say that part of the punishment was to figure out what that was?" asked Zack. "Sounds pretty Zen to me. Think he'll be sitting under any waterfalls?"
"If anything, he'll be cutting them in half," Surka retorted in a partially irritated tone. "He keeps to himself. Maybe he already knows but didn't tell me."

"Crazy," Zack sighed. "You're supposed to be in his utmost confidence, regarding your. . .relationship."

"It's not as cozy as it sounds," she grumbled. "You try being close to that guy?"
"Hey, I died trying," Zack laughed. "I see it's a point well made."

"What about my purpose?" Surka questioned. "My name was Sarah. . .And I hate that name. . .And then it was changed to 'Surka' to mean 'guardian'. . .I don't want to think that's all there is left."

"Well. . .," said Ifalna, thinking about it. "While he's up there, trying to figure out why he's been given a second chance, you should figure out yours. Clear up 'any minor details', like he said."

Surka smiled quickly. "Fantastic."

"Really?" they all blinked.

"Whoa, hey, you're supposed to think about that first," said Zack. "In every manga, they think about it first, with a little monologue that usually starts with a nervous stutter."

"This isn't a manga, Zack," she growled. "And if I want to live my life, I should while I can. Ever since I woke up in the North Cave and brought Sephiroth back, it's just been one giant thing after another. . ." Her eyes closed and she tilted her head up. "And I have done some things I do regret."

"Thaaaat's more like it!" said Zack, slapping her back, while she stiffened up a bit. "I feel better after you got that angst off. It's more natural. Besides, last time I checked, we're the bad guys!"

Surka rubbed her back, exasperated. "Yes Zack, we are. Well, I'm not sure about you three. I know how you like to hang out with both sides."

The three whistled rather innocently, all to different tunes.

"Okay," she announced, moving ahead. "Let's go do this thing."
"What are we doing?" asked Gast, while the trio moved along with her.

A smile climbed half of Surka's mouth. "Clearing up details."

A/N: No, no prolonged author's note here, my people. Just something concise enough because I'm under a tight schedule. Yes, I'm sorry it's been months again. I get so frustrated, re-writing chapters. . .But with this done, I feel a little better about what I've been working so much on, and hey, think about it – the next chapter is already half-finished! You know, if I don't give up on it again. Sorry this chapter wasn't as funny as it could've been, but you know, Laura being possibly mortally wounded is not a thing to laugh at. However, the next chapter promises chocobos, crashes, stripping, and Kiro, so it's bound to be funny, eh? Eh? Oh well, nobody is reading this anymore, anyway. Ta ta!