One year later
Godo Kisaragi and his three sons nervously walked into the newly refurbished throne room. Plants were everywhere, and the Jenova monstrosity was gone.
"All your weapons, please." Barret stood before them, holding a silver tray. Once he had intimidated them into filling up the tray, he placed it on a stand in the middle of the room, then went and struck a small golden bell hanging behind the new smaller throne.
"The Wutaians are ready for you now, Your Majesty." Aerith quietly opened the door and made her announcement, being magically attuned to the ringing of the bell.
"Figures. We'll have to take this up another time." Reno said, his lips hovering above Tifa's bare breasts for a moment before he got out of bed and started getting dressed.
Tifa made a pouty face, and then sighed. "Fine. Go tell the prison warder to make sure he gets fed and groomed properly for the opening ceremony of the Bacchanalia." she ordered Reno. "You too."
"Yes, Your Majesty." he replied, slightly mocking as he headed out the door, knowing she hadn't been referring to the warder himself.
"I'm sorry to have interrupted your alliance meeting with him, Your Majesty." Aerith told Tifa.
"No worries, there'll always be time for that. And we're alone now, you can still call me Lady Tifa. You more than have the right to be the only person allowed to use my name, you know that by now, don't you? After all, I owe you my life too." Tifa reminded her as she put her royal robes on.
Reno walked down to the dungeon, not that disappointed at missing out on sex with Tifa. He still thought of her as a psychotic bitch and he didn't trust her at all, even if she had kept her promise she made him at the Bacchanalia last year, but he was willing to play along.
"You won't kill me though, because of what I can offer you." Tifa calmly replied when Zack pulled Reno off her enough for her to speak again. "You help me, I can restore the Turks' honor. How would you like them to be hailed as heroes who fought to the last man to protect the last Ancient from the evil God-King? I'll even give you the Wutai nation if you want that as well.
Reno wasn't interested in ruling anything, but Tifa had found the one thing he wanted more than vengeance, and she had followed through with it. A memorial was being constructed at the scene of their slaughter, with a statue of Tseng and the other senior Turks. Reno never planned to visit it though, he would feel too weird seeing a memorial statue of himself. And when Tifa took over the throne, the first thing Reno did was get his tattoos redone. His hair was almost back to normal as well. He gave the prisoner warder his orders, then went to find Yuffie to make sure the guards were leaving her alone.
Tifa entered the throne room in a stately walk, Aerith behind her, holding the train of Tifa's royal robes. When Tifa stopped in front of the throne, Aerith let go and Tifa gracefully sat down in the throne and crossed her legs. Aerith bowed to her before turning and kneeling in front of the throne so that she faced the four Wutaians. They gasped to see the materia they had paid in tribute last year adorning Tifa's delicate tiara and bracelets, and fragments of materia acquired elsewhere had been woven into her richly decorated robes. She also wore a dark materia pendant, which was the only inactive materia she wore. The rest of the inactive materia in the castle treasury had been lovingly enchanted by Aerith to work for Tifa.
"We welcome the House of Kisaragi to the Castle of the Cetra." Aerith told the Wutaians. "I am the Divine Empress' handmaiden, to be addressed as Lady Aerith. Thank you for bringing your tribute."
"We…we didn't bring a tribute." Godo cleared his throat, feeling unnerved by her white unseeing eyes.
Tifa leaned forward slightly. "Please go to the nursery and send our nanny and her guardian to me, Lady Aerith."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Aerith rose up and walked out the back door.
"Captain, please show them what happens to those who fail to pay me the proper respect." Tifa ordered Barret once Aerith was safely out of earshot.
"Her Majesty requests your presence in the throne room." Aerith said as she walked into the nursery. Over the past year, Tifa had taken the time away from enforcing obedience to her leadership to get Aerith familiarized with the castle so she could find her own way around, ordering tactile markers installed in hallways and onto doors to help her.
"Right away, Lady Aerith." Yuffie replied. "I have just finished changing their diapers. Do you want to hold them in the rocking chair?"
"Yes, I would." Aerith recognized the hand that safely led her through the toys on the floor to the rocking chair as Reno's. "She wants you there too, Sir Reno." Aerith said as she sat down in the rocking chair.
Reno frowned, not liking to be called that. "Sure thing." he agreed.
"Here is Storm first." Yuffie handed the girl to Aerith first, then went and picked up the baby boy out of the crib. "And here's Strife." Once Aerith safely had a hold of her twins, Yuffie put on her gloves and knee wraps, and handed her leash to Reno.
Once she heard them leave, Aerith started talking to her children as she started rocking. "I wish I could see you both. Your real mommy was so glad you have golden hair just like your father." She remembered the difficult birth and how Tifa had stayed by her side the whole time, and was so overjoyed that Aerith delivered two healthy babies, a boy and a girl. Tifa had insisted on sleeping with Aerith and the babies that first night, and Aerith had felt so grateful for the love Tifa freely gave her, especially when Tifa had finally confessed the horrors she had endured under Sephiroth's reign. But she had been helpless to do anything about it until Reno and Zack joined forces with her to overthrow him, making her a widow in the process. All that was left of him now were the twins, Cloud's body had been cremated in the fire. "I'm sure you'll grow up to be a beautiful woman, Storm. And you Strife, you'll be a First Knight just like your father, then you can take over from your uncle." Aerith jiggled the sleepy babies before she began singing a Cetran song her own birth mother had sang to her as a child.
Reno kept his face neutral as Yuffie followed him out the door on all fours. She refused to walk any other way now, unless ordered to, like when she was taking care of the babies. That was her other hangup, she wouldn't do anything anymore unless she was ordered to. Reno had been busy over the past year, as somewhat of a diplomat to Wutai to smooth over any trouble with Tifa now occupying the planetary throne, getting the nobility there used to him, trading on his former position as second-in-command to Tseng, a man whose family was well-respected in the Wutaian aristocracy.
When he was at the castle, Yuffie was his shadow, at least until the babies came and she was ordered to care for them. She had seemed to attach herself to Reno for some reason, and he felt himself becoming rather protective of her. She was little more than child herself, despite the intense forced sexual education she had undergone, not to mention the psychological torture or brainwashing she had been subjected to, some of it Tifa did herself, the rest she left to the guards. Yuffie would live in the barracks if Reno was gone, and the first time he came back, he found her there tied to a bed, left alone while all the guards were all working or eating. She had smiled at him, asking again if he wanted to enjoy her yet. He had quit protesting Tifa's plans for the two of them that day.
Godo looked in horror at the smoldering corpses of his sons as Barret refueled his arm. "Wh…why have you violated our treaty?" was all the shocked man could think of to say.
"You had no treaty with me." Tifa calmly pointed out. "I think Wutai is ready for new leadership."
"My people will never accept anyone but a Kisaragi as their leader!" Godo exclaimed.
"Exactly." Tifa smiled sweetly at Godo who realized he was done for, before she nodded at Barret, who went and opened the back door. Reno walked in, leading Yuffie behind him to the middle of the room.
"Heel." Reno told Yuffie, and she obediently sat down in a kneeling position in front of the silver tray full of weapons, angling her bent legs outward, opening her mouth slightly and resting her hands on her thighs, curled up as if holding something. Her now long hair was elaborately braided. The short summer dress didn't cover her genitals in that position, and she looked like the sex doll she had been turned into. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened more as she saw her father.
"I had promised your wife that Yuffie would be returned, if she brought me the black materia. Unfortunately she died in the process." Tifa casually fingered the dark materia pendant she was wearing. "But I'm one to keep my word, so here she is. What do you have to say to your father, Yuffie?"
A puzzled look came over Yuffie's face for a few moments before she knew what Tifa meant. "You…you did this to me." Yuffie quietly said to her father, but wouldn't look at him.
"Say it again, louder." Tifa ordered her, leaning forward.
"You did this to me!" Yuffie blurted out.
"Again!" Tifa demanded of her.
"You did this to me!" Yuffie screamed, standing up and finally looking at her father, slapping one hand to her throat and the lace choker she wore as her collar. She didn't even know her other hand reached onto the silver tray and grabbed a knife as she approached her stunned father. She couldn't stop saying it now. "You did this to me! You did this to me!" Yuffie charged Godo, stabbing him and continuing to yell at him. He fell to the floor and she kept stabbing him long after he was dead, trying to kill the memories seeing him brought back. She finally stopped, sobbing brokenly. Reno took the knife out of her hand, and she turned to him for comfort.
Tifa leaned back in her throne, a cruel smile of satisfaction on her face. All of Yuffie's innocence was now gone, since she had taken her father's life. She was the only Kisaragi left, and she would obey any order from Tifa. "I'm glad you enjoyed your wedding present, Yuffie. I know it's a little early, but that's how politics is, it's not convenient for anyone's schedule. Now go get ready for the opening ceremony of the Bacchanalia, both of you." Tifa told them.
A maid ran in then, bowing to Tifa. "Your Majesty, the artist is here with the portrait, he's finally finished it."
Tifa nodded. "Very well, send him in."
He passed Reno and Yuffie on his way out, avoiding making eye contact with them when he saw the blood on Yuffie. He was pushing a handtruck, with a large covered rectangular item on it.
"I hope this is to your satisfaction." the man said as he bowed to Tifa before unwrapping the portrait once she had given him permission.
Her smile was now genuinely happy as she looked at his work. "That will do. It's ready for you to hang up." Tifa gestured to the spot on the wall where it was to go, right above the throne so all visitors could see it. "Captain, please pay the man on his way out." Once they left, Tifa got off the throne and turned around, smiling again at she looked at the portrait of Aerith sitting in the throne, holding the twins on her lap. Tifa herself was standing behind the throne, her hands possessively on Aerith's shoulders. The artist had the good sense not to alter Aerith's eyes. Tifa had killed the first two painters when their portraits had Aerith with regular eyes. She had made it abundantly clear to this third artist that Aerith's white eyes were beautiful and not to be changed.
"I present to you Her Royal Majesty, the Divine Empress!" Barret told the guests. The guards carried her palanquin in, and she gracefully dismounted with Barret's help.
"For the opening ceremony, we're going to do something a little different." Tifa said as she took her place on the stage. "Bring them in!" she ordered the guards.
Reno and Yuffie entered the ballroom first, followed by Aerith and Zack. Both men were wearing tuxedos, except Zack was shackled and his eyes were a little unfocused. Aerith and Yuffie were wearing beautiful gowns, holding a bouquet of roses. Each couple positioned themselves in front of a stand with a silver tray on it, bearing a jeweled dagger and a ribbon. She repeated the wedding ritual Sephiroth had married her to Cloud with for each couple, starting with Zack and Aerith.
"Lady Aerith, do you promise to always honor Zack as your husband?" she asked Aerith after she had tied their wrists together.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Aerith replied immediately.
"Zack Fair, do you promise to protect and cherish Aerith as your beloved wife?" Tifa asked him.
Zack stared at her and blinked, realizing he had been asked a question. "Yes, Your Majesty." he replied, repeating what he heard Aerith say.
"And do you both promise that serving me will supersede any personal relationship you have with each other?" Tifa now asked both of them.
"Yes, Your Majesty." They both answered.
Tifa picked up the jeweled dagger and sliced both of their palms and then clasped their hands together. "As you now share your blood, so do you share the rest of your lives. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Aerith had to initiate the kiss, Zack was still a bit slow to understand what was going on. Tifa then repeated the ritual with Yuffie and Reno. A girl in Yuffie's condition was the last kind of wife he wanted, when he had on extremely rare occasions even thought about being married. But he wanted to get her away from Tifa and back home in Wutai. She might have ended up as Tseng's wife after all, and since he was dead, as his second-in-command, Reno had to step up. Her behavior as she killed her father suggested there might be something salvageable in the human wreckage she now was. Being in familiar surroundings where she lived before she was raped and tortured should help.
Reno had no qualms about leaving Aerith with Tifa, she was safer here than she would be anywhere else. His last mission was to protect her from Sephiroth, and he was dead now. Besides, Aerith would be a target by quite a few anti-government groups out in the real world that he had run across in recent years. He had watched the Tifa and Aerith carefully over the past year, and while Tifa could be quite brutal when she felt like it, he had never heard her even raise her voice to Aerith or look at her harshly, in fact she was only gentle and loving with her, and Aerith gave new meaning to the term 'blind adoration' in regards to her deep devotion towards Tifa, despite that they were both headcases as far as he was concerned. And Tifa was definitely insanely protective of Aerith, not only physically but of her 'innocence' as well, shielding her from the dirty work and perversion all around them. Any guard Tifa noticed so much as looking the wrong way at Aerith would be missing at least one body part if they were ever seen again. Reno was sure the world itself would have to be on the brink of extinction before she would let any harm come to Aerith, now that she had the materia to do so...
"Where is Lady Tifa?" Aerith cried to Reno as he held her upright. "Please, take me to her!"
"Yeah, you can reassure yourself that you're safe now. Sorry it took so long to rescue you." Reno said, misunderstanding the reason for her tears.
"Why do you and Zack think I needed to be rescued? Lady Tifa did that…she's done nothing but take care of me. I love her! That's why I'm having her baby!" Aerith exclaimed.
Reno didn't know what to say to that, so he just led her the rest of the way in silence, wondering if they had made her crazy as they had Yuffie. It had been years since he saw her last after all, plenty of time for them to warp her. "Here she is, on the floor in front of you." Reno said when they stopped in front of Tifa and Zack's bodies, pools of blood under each of them.
Aerith dropped to her hands and knees, crawling over to her. "Lady Tifa?" she asked fearfully. "Lady Tifa? No…please don't leave me and our baby!" Aerith began sobbing hysterically as she felt Tifa's cold body. One of her hands slipped in the blood, and her other hand put her hand on Tifa's chest to steady herself, making contact with the materia pendant Tifa was wearing, that Cloud had given her for their anniversary. Suddenly it started glowing as Aerith touched it, and a soft red globe of light engulfed Aerith and Tifa. Reno and Aerith both heard a loud squawk, then the globe of light burst open and Tifa gasped as her wounds were healed.
"The Phoenix materia…I thought that was only a legend." Reno muttered under his breath, not at all happy with this development.
Tifa saw Aerith crying over her hysterically. "No need for tears. Didn't I say I'd never leave you?"
Aerith nodded happily. "Yes, you did." She smiled through her tears and Tifa pulled Aerith to her, kissing her. Reno's jaw dropped open as he stared at them.
Reno kissed Yuffie quickly on the lips when Tifa pronounced them married. "Come on, let's go start the honeymoon." he told Yuffie, picking her up and carrying her out of the ballroom to raucous cheers by the revelers who thought they didn't want an audience. He took Yuffie outside to the courtyard, where his brand new helicopter was, it his wedding gift from Tifa. Now he felt bad for not doing her earlier…he'd almost fuck the captain of the guards for a sweet bird like this. He ordered Yuffie into the co-pilot's seat as he relished being in the pilot's seat again. He hadn't realized til he couldn't anymore, how very much he loved flying.
"I'm coming with you." A woman said, hopping on board. "I'm to be your new captain of the guards in Wutai. Name's Shalua Rui. I've got the same capabilities." She stuck a prosthetic arm between Reno and Yuffie. "Ready when you are."
Reno frowned but initiated takeoff procedures, surprised when Yuffie started whimpering. "You've never flown before?" he asked her.
"No." Yuffie squeaked. "I thought you were finally going to enjoy yourself with me."
"There's plenty of time for that." Reno told her. She was still too young for him, but at least he could just order her to not pester him for sex until she was at least another year older. Reno frowned again…what kind of newlywed told his wife not to pester him for sex? The kind of newlywed with a child bride who probably had more sexual experience than he did, but was as mature as a tadpole, he reminded himself. At least Zack was marrying someone old enough…if Reno had any doubts about leaving Zack stranded there subject to Tifa's frail mercies, he reminded himself that Zack was a big boy, and Tifa wanted him alive and married to Aerith, so he was safe, so to speak. And if they managed to turn Zack into a nut job like the rest of them, there was always the explosives Reno had cleverly hidden in the castle supports during the refurbishing. He had decided to let Tifa live for now, since killing Cloud seemed fitting retribution for her killing Rude, and she had technically been killed too, and if need be, he could get her alone and finish the job. She only removed her materia jewelry for serious sex, and some of their tastes were the same in that respect. He smiled grimly as he flew towards Wutai and his future.
"Lay down." Aerith told Zack as Barret removed the shackles from her husband. "Trust me, you'll like it." she said when Zack hesitated.
"What's going on?" he asked her even as he obeyed. Zack had also been revived by the Phoenix materia, because he and Tifa's bodies had been touching, but he wasn't close enough, and it only healed his mortal wounds. He had to recover on his own from having around half of the bones in his body broken. They had kept him under lock and key in the dungeon, in a soft comfortable bed with nursemaids constantly tending to him, but he was still a prisoner. Then he got hooked on the painkillers he needed to survive the healing process, not knowing Tifa had deliberately ordered him to be given the most addictive ones for that very reason.
"You've sworn allegiance to the Divine Empress, now she's going to accept your offering." Aerith explained as Tifa took off Zack's pants and mounted him. "Then we can consummate our marriage with her blessing. And soon we'll have a family of your own. You can be First Knight until Strife is old enough to take over for you. It'll be so wonderful, thanks to everything she's done for us…we all get to live happily ever after!" Aerith was holding his head in her lap and caressing his face as she talked about the future.
Zack groaned as Tifa started riding him. He wondered when it was time for his medication again, and repeated the last words he thought he heard, wanting them to make sense to him. "Happily never after…"