Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Reintegration ❯ Part 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Reintegration

Sephiroth's Point of View

Step 43: Calamity

As I get into the elevator and press the button to go up, I'm pulling my PHS out of my pocket and setting it to conference call mode, calling all the Turks and Rufus at once. "We have an emergency, I just had a fight with the shape shifter in the parking lot, but it got away."

I hear Tseng shouting commands in the background before replying, "everyone go to the president's office right away."

xoxox xox xoxox

Rufus, Tseng, Elena, Rude, Reno, Blaze and I are in the president's office now. The glass windows are covered in metal, as if we were expecting a tornado to come any second, but this is worse. "It might be Jenova, another one I mean."

"What?" I don't blame Rufus for his alarm.

"It's only a theory, but I think that's what that thing is. It can shape shift into anything, it was a butterfly before and I didn't even suspect what it truly was. It tried to take control of me, but it didn't work." If that thing had simply attacked, I would have been caught off guard, I might not even be standing here now, I'll have to be more alert. "It's as if it's connected to Jenova somehow, that's why I think they are of the same kind. Besides, I cut it in half and it got back together, just like the reunion theory."

"This is worse than I thought; everyone needs to be on full alert. Tseng, contact Junon, we have to be ready!" Rufus pauses, his face invaded by shock once again, he's looking at the computer screen which was left on and ignored when the emergency meeting was called.

"Sir?" Tseng looks at the screen and I become curious about it too.

The screen is all black, save for the red letters that read, "connection terminated."

"This is not an error," Tseng concludes.

"What do you mean?" I urge.

"This isn't the message that pops up when the connection to the mainframe is lost because of an system error or a problem with the hardware or software," Tseng explains. "The connection was terminated on purpose, all of Shinra's networks are halted, even the satellites. Practically all of the city's services that require data transfers have been stopped. The only ones who know the access codes to do something like this are the president, Rude, Elena, myself and the keeper of the databases."

"I do too," Reno complains, "no, wait, I think I forgot," it seems that Tseng predicted that would happen. "What now?"

"Go, Sephiroth, you too," Tseng commands.

Reno leaves Blaze on Rufus' desk and runs out of the office, I follow him, unsure of where we're heading. "Reno, where are we going?"

"To the basement," he runs into the elevator and holds down the button to stop it, then presses a combination of numbers, like an access code on a secret panel that also serves as the elevator's controls.

"Just what does this mean?" I can tell it's serious.

"Remember where we went to get information? The place with the databases."

"Yes," I recall it clearly, I found out more about my origins and the girl who worked there played with my hair.

"There's another level lower than that floor and that's where we're going. There has to be a reason why she shut things down."

"Is she alright?" She was a bit eerie, but perhaps I only thought so because she was dressed as a scientist and I had a dislike towards scientists at the time, but I know they're not all bad.

"Who knows, our team would be incomplete if she's not. You know how it is," I don't have the slightest idea what Reno is getting at. "Every team of secret spies needs a leader," Tseng, "someone tall, silent and intimidating," Rude, "someone skilled in piloting anything and totally awesome," I wonder who that could be? "A rookie," I think he means Elena, but technically I'm the rookie. "Someone who's a little crazy," is that supposed to be me? "And a tech geek," that must be her.

"Wait a minute, those are mostly Turks," does that mean she was aiming to become one?

"She's one of the undercover Turks," there are undercover for the undercover? "There are more, I think you'll meet them soon, but not in the best situation."

I'm about to curiously inquire her name, after all I just found out she is our teammate, but before I can ask, the elevator doors open and we exit it to a devastating scene. "How did we not hear this?" It looks like there was some kind of short circuit and an explosion, or several.

"The president's office is too high up and it's sound proof," Reno looks around and I make sure to watch his back, he's too careless at times. "These aren't the real archives; it would be too obvious to keep everything right at headquarters. This place is connected to the archives but the real data wasn't lost."

"What about..."

I fall silent as Reno kneels, brushing his fingers on the debris covered floor, they come up red, "she got herself injured, even with all this. She has an affinity for electricity, like me, except in a much geekier way. She loves technology more than anything, she was surrounded by it, electricity was all over, that boosted her power, but it wasn't enough." He dug out a strange looking helmet, stained with blood. "This is used to connect to the computer directly by brainwaves; you have to be a real geek to generate brainwaves that are strong enough."

"Reno!" I found her, the injured girl whose name I don't know.

"Sephiroth?" I feel a cold chill; I don't think I can stand having another woman die in my arms.

She reaches for me weakly; her blue nails remind me that mine are still silver under my gloves. What a silly thing to remember now, but my mind is seeking distractions away from this scene. I take her hand to assure her, "be strong, we're getting you help."

She glances at Reno, he hasn't moved, instead staring at her, scrutinizing, "Reno, you came for me..."

"Yeah, I did... Calamity!" I drop the fake just as her blue painted nails extend inhumanly like knives directed at my throat. Reno unleashes an electric attack, which distracts her for only a split second, but it's enough for me to gather myself and attack with my sword.

The being screeches when I cut it apart and Reno keeps attacking the pieces with electricity, but they crawl away, like a dismembered monster that cannot die. The pieces put themselves back together no matter how much I cut them up and how much Reno tries to stop them.

Finally, the creature disappears into the debris, probably transformed into something small. We searched and searched, but it slipped past us. Our situation is definitely critical and the chaos has just begun.

"This isn't working, it must be gone, we need to leave too and meet the others," Reno heads towards the elevator and I follow.

"What about the girl? She's a Turk, our comrade," I remind him. "How did you know this one was a fake?"

"I knew because of her wimpy 'Reno, you came for me' line, the real one would say something like 'your timing sucks Red', she's gone," Reno replies.

I get into the elevator too, "gone? You mean dead? To say it with so little regard..."

"Not dead, Turks don't die easily," Reno corrects, "we found blood but not a body, she escaped, but we can't follow her. She must have taken the secret tunnel and activated the traps as she went along to make sure that thing didn't follow her. She's following the mission she was given if something like this ever happened, no one expected another Jenova, but in case you revived insane, there was a plan. All the Turks have a part to play, except you haven't been given a role yet, but I'm sure you'll be busy."

So the contingency plan designed for me has finally been activated for the calamity. Yet, I wonder if the girl is truly alright, having left so much blood behind. "Are you sure she made it out?" What if the creature turned into something big and ate her? I would hate to think of anyone suffering such a terrible fate.

"There are no damsels in distress in the Turks."

It's true, I have witnessed how dangerous Elena can be, I nod, finally convinced. "Right, so are we going to meet the others? The creature might be after them as we speak!"

"They're long gone by now," Reno assures. "The satellites aren't working so we can't contact them, but it doesn't matter, I know where each of them is." I suppose this is part of the emergency plan.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

Step 44: Crisis

We're currently in Junon, that is Reno, Rude and myself; Tseng and Elena are off in Icicle with Rufus and Blaze. The network is back online now, the encoding was changed for safety and the core rebooted to connect to Junon in maximum security mode. Junon is now the false mainframe, while the real one remains hidden.

I'm almost afraid to ask for details about anything, least the walls should hear. Even a tiny insect could be the enemy, even if it sounds paranoid. Yet there is one thing that I must ask, "why did the enemy retreat?"

"I don't know, maybe we were closer to winning than it looked," I really want to believe Reno's assumption, but I know it to be false.

"We weren't winning, if the battle went on, we would have become exhausted and the creature would have overpowered us," it is the harsh reality.

"A secret advantage," Rude suggests.

I have learned to understand Rude's short replies by now and can read between his words. "That makes sense, she could have thought we were holding back," a million thoughts run through my head and memories from the documents of the Jenova Project come to me. "How did Jenova die all those years ago? The creature could have done research; she must know about Shinra's involvement with the Jenova Project and assumed that through it the secret to defeating her kind was learned."

"This sucks, I don't like relying on bluffs, it's not the Turk way!" Reno pouts.

"Then we'll have to turn that bluff into a reality, we need to learn how to defeat Jenova," but that information wasn't covered in any of the reports I remember. It was all about bringing out that obscure being's mysterious power, not about how to defeat it.

"How are we going to do that?" Reno inquires.

At first I'm at a loss for words, my mind goes from overflowing with information to completely blank when I focus on that one question. Seconds tick away, tension hanging in the air, then I speak one name, "Aeris."

"Aeris? The ancient? But isn't she...?"

I nod, "it may still be possible to communicate somehow, I don't think she faded away, she's in the life stream somewhere."

"Are you telling me that Cloud wasn't delirious when he said he could talk to dead people?"

I give Reno a puzzled look, "Cloud said that?"

"Yeah, a long time ago, I remember hearing him say something about talking to Aeris and Zack."

Reno's revelation should give me hope, but instead I'm filled with bitterness. "We'll have to," I hate this, "ask him," it's unbearable, why must he be the hero?

We informed the other Turks and the president of the new developments, left the Junon 'peacekeeping' troops in stand by and headed to Edge.

xoxox xox xoxox

The situation in Edge is grim, the streets are filled with fear and everyone runs away when they see Reno, Rude and I; save for a few who stay to insult us. I take it the rumors about Shinra helping the mafia have grown substantially and become very public.

We enter the Seventh Heaven and a man with a gun arm aims his weapon at us, Barret I think his name was. However, Vincent counters by aiming his own gun at Barret and Reeve intervenes by placing his hands on both men's shoulders and shaking his head, "calm down." The tension could be cut with a knife.

It looks like Avalanche has reassembled to face the current crisis. Reno, Rude and my PHS's receive test messages at the same time. News seems to flow fast, but not fast enough all the way to Icicle. It's a warning about some very incriminating news reports related to Shinra and the mafia. I take it everyone here has seen them.

Tifa is here, with Marlene and Denzel left and right of her, she looks alert and protective, akin to a lioness defending her cubs. Yuffie, the ninja girl, is pouting and grumbling hateful words towards Shinra. Cid is watching on impatient and next to him Shera stands with a look of reserved judgment. Nanaki is the most composed out of the entire group.

In contrast, Barret is the most tense, "you've got some nerve showing' your faces here!" After a deadly glare directed at us, he turns to look at Vincent for a moment, "just whose side are you on?"

Vincent shakes his head, "there's not need for bloodshed, let's give them the benefit of the doubt."

Reeve expressed his agreement, "let's try to understand each other. If they were as guilty as it seems, they wouldn't come here so openly."

"They're plotting something!" Barret accused.

I've just about had it, the world will be overtaken by that calamity if we don't stand against it and we can't do that unless we stop fighting amongst ourselves. "We're plotting to save the world from the calamity."

Reno and Rude stare at me; I know I've said too much.

"They're already in a panic and they will know eventually," I excuse myself. "Not only that, but they need to know." Both my Turk companions nod, understanding the urgency.

Our PHS's go off again and Reno checks his, "turn on the TV," he suddenly insists, "this is important, turn it on!"

Tifa reaches for the remote control and turns on the television, the channel doesn't matter, she switches but the same thing is everywhere. The screen announces the coming of an important message. They must be making certain it s broadcasted all over the world and assuring that everyone has time to turn on their TV.

The screen with the written message changes to show Rufus, "I know that the city of Edge is an a chaotic state right now and the world will probably soon be affected. This is not Shinra's doing, we are trying to fight against it and we need your cooperation. Please watch this report all the way through before passing judgment."

Another message appears on the screen stating when the following news report first aired on local TV in the Icicle area. The news report, which was not seen as anything big at the time, spoke of a meteorite that many of the inhabitants of Icicle claimed to have seen landing in the mountains, yet no one could actually find it. Researchers were out searching, in hopes of finding something of scientific value.

Rufus appears on the screen again, "we believe the supposed meteorite, which was never found, was the arrival of an alien life form. The citizens of Icicle have some testimonies to share with the world."

The next part of the report was very intriguing. The people of Icicle shared their experiences of a series of unexpected events which threatened life long friendships and created many feuds. They claimed that people where doing terrible things that those who knew them never expected, thus they supported the theory, which we already know is true, of a being capable of shape shifting and taking another person's place.

Following the statements, there came a report from a forensic doctor, confirming the shape shifter theory, it was the only explanation. A woman who was with the search party looking for the meteor got separated from them, but promptly found, as per the testimony of the rest of the exploration group. She had been acting strange and disappeared from Icicle shortly after the disputes worsened.

That same woman's body was found dead in the snowy mountains and the forensic tests revealed without a doubt, that she had died on the day when the meteor fell, due to unusual puncture wounds. She was the shape shifter's first victim. Naturally, since Shinra was still seen as powerful despite trying to keep a low profile, she must have been attracted to it, or perhaps she sensed the cells of her own kind in Cloud. Comparing the dates, it was shortly after she disappeared from Icicle that I arrived, so maybe she sensed me.

She must have done her research, but the information she could access was limited and she probably relied on urban retellings of the past and rumors about Shinra holding the secrets to absolutely everything there ever was. She must have assumed that those high ranked in Shinra knew how to fight a creature like her, another of Jenova's kind, a calamity, and the ones with the higher rank had to be those closest to the president, the Turks. That assumption has made her cautions, but she's clearly growing impatient.

Rufus appeared on screen again, explaining more about the being and speaking of his suspicions that the creature had infiltrated and overtaken the mafia. The Platinum Witch, yes, it must have been her, I picture that woman's expression from when she got away at the restaurant and I picture the new Jenova. One looks like an obvious alien and the other like an exotic human, but their faces match perfectly, how did I not notice it sooner?

The report ends and the same message from before, the one at the very beginning, displays, though the word 'replay' is at the bottom. They must be playing it all again in case someone missed the beginning or was left with any doubts. Tifa mutes the TV and looks at us, her face terribly worried. "Cloud is gone and I can't reach him on the phone."

My eyes widen in realization, the Platinum Witch was frightened of Shinra knowing how to defeat her, that's why she avoided starting a fight for so long. She wanted to access the databases to find out what we would do against her to device a defense and counter. That is also why she investigated my history; she wanted a puppet to use as a bodyguard. She must have realized she couldn't control me and gone after Cloud. He must have left because he knew he was losing control and didn't want to hurt anyone. "We have to find him!"

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

Step 45: Rival

The church in the Midgar ruins would be the most obvious place to search for Cloud according to Tifa, but he was not there. I did find a PHS with several missed calls, but no signs of where he could have gone. Yet the atmosphere itself gave me a clue, it somehow reminded me of the Forgotten City.

If my return is in any way linked to the arrival of the calamity, which it very likely is, then this is no time to start doubting my instincts, thus my destination is the Forgotten City. Even if Cloud is not there, maybe I can communicate with Aeries myself since it is her final resting place, though I try not to think of whose fault that is.

xoxox xox xoxox

It was Cid who took me to the Forgotten City on his airship, since the Turks are running around everywhere and getting things ready while trying to prevent a panic and a civil war, with help from the WRO and Avalanche, that how I talked them into letting me take this mission, emphasizing they were needed in Edge.

Next on my to do list after saving is learning how to pilot, then I will be able to get around just about anywhere on my own. Perhaps if I ask nicely, Cid will teach me, because I'm certainly not getting flying lessons from Reno.

I asked Cid to wait in the airship, he wasn't thrilled about it, but decided to let me go about my business by myself as requested. The Forgotten City is the perfect example of quiet and eerie, a deserted ghost city with such a strong atmosphere I almost expect a ghost to pop out any second. Hopefully it will be Aeris' ghost and she will have answers.

I made it to the exact place were Aeris was k-where she died. I wonder if she's shaking her head in the life stream thinking 'he's got some nerve going back there'. There's no sign of Cloud anywhere.

I call out for him, "Cloud!" No one replies and I call again, as loudly as I can, but there is no response. I look at the spot where Aeris was when I attacked her and feeling regretful I go on my knees on the same place and pray in an effort to communicate with her.

I hear a murmur, but I can't understand what it is. I focus on it and block out all my other senses. Is it working? Am I really communicating with the life stream, with Aeris? 'Behind you,' the voice is blurry but I can understand it.

My eyes open immediately and my senses become alert, finally perceiving the previously hidden presence of another. I turn and block Cloud's attack with my sword. It was close, but it would be too ironic for me to die this way. "Cloud!"

"Sephiroth! You're the one who's causing all the trouble, you and Jenova," his eyes are glowing brightly but his gaze is lost.

"Snap out of it, you're being used!" It was quite a struggle for me to become resistant to the mind control, I had times when I thought I was going insane all over again, times when I banged my head against the wall and times when I passed out. The voices, the visions, the nightmares, but Cloud should have already had some time of his own and there is no more. "Wake up, Cloud!" Aren't you supposed to be the hero? What guilt do you carry that holds you down?

"Don't stop, kill him, kill him now!" I jump away from Cloud and look at the one who is speaking. "You're Rufus' secretary!"

"Amy Talic? Oh no, my name is Aeris, Avenge me Cloud! Sephiroth wants to destroy my very soul!" Amy Talic... Calamity, how could she slip by with a name like that? That time when I thought I almost killed her, she was the one who made me lose control to weaken my mind so she could use me. All those times when I lost control, it must have been her all along, hidden in the shadows, trying to break me and turn me into her puppet.

"Idiot!" I yell at Cloud as he continued slashing away with his sword. If I ever fought him again, I never thought I would only defend; it's difficult to keep reminding myself that the one I have to defeat is not him, albeit the temptation of knocking some sense into him in a none too gentle way is ever growing. I wonder if pain will wake him up. "You really are nothing but a puppet!"

"Shut up! I won't let you... I won't..." He comes at me quickly, jumping and rushing down with his sword.

I block, he jumps back and slashes left and right, I back away and touch the water of the pond; then I hear that same voice again, the voice that warned me, Aeris' voice, but it's clearer now. 'Cloud is in despair, free him from it!'

How very ironic, I would rather give him despair, but it seems I have no choice, yet I don't know what to do. "How do I make him wake up?"

'Remind him he's a hero,' Aeris, you're not making this any easier. Either way, I came to get Cloud to communicate with Aeris and now I'm talking to her.

I focus my thoughts, instead of speaking, 'tell me how to defeat the calamity.'

Aeris replies in my mind, 'the protector of the planet, the one who has been given that mission after all the others were defeated, will know.'

"Who is it?" I say the next part aloud as I attack Cloud; I'm tired of only defending. Either way it doesn't matter, I don't think anyone else can hear Aeris anyway and that one question doesn't hint at much. Even if Aeris tried to talk to Cloud, which she must have, it seems he can't hear her. Maybe he came here to seek her help, but his mind was overtaken before he could.

'You will know...' why is she being so ambiguous? How am I supposed to know?

'C'mon legendary hero, can't you save your comrade?' That voice, I've heard it before. 'I've always looked up to you guys, so don't let me don't. I think I managed to become a hero, how about you become a hero again?' Angeal's little friend, Zack Fair.

'Cloud is not my comrade and I can't wake him,' I mentally reply.

'So the great Sephiroth is helpless, what a pity!'

"Shut up!" The battle between Cloud and I continues, "I can win, I can beat him!"

'He's not himself... is that okay? Besides, aren't you a hero? Aren't you supposed to save your comrades?' Zack is being very irritating right now.

"Fine, I'll do this the hard way," I put away my sword and focus on dodging Cloud's attacks, which only narrowly miss me. If he cuts my hair I'm cutting his head off, no questions, no excuses, no second chances. "Cloud, I'm not attacking you anymore, are you going to listen?"

Cloud's sword coming towards me is something I can only interpret as a negative answer.

"That's not the real Aeris!" I really hate this, "the real one said you're a hero," that left a bitter taste to say. "Would Aeris tell you to seek revenge? Don't be so weak, Zack would be disappointed," I make the connection, that cadet Zack hung out with was Cloud. I never really knew him; he was only the friend of a friend of a friend, but I think I'm getting to him. "That's it, stay awake, think of... Tifa, remember Tifa! She's your childhood friend, right? You protected her, like a hero," how long is it going to take him to come to his senses?

"I couldn't protect Tifa, my home town or anyone..." again with the couldn't protect guilt trips and this one affects me too.

"It's not too late, are you giving up? Is the past more important than the present?" I feel like I should have asked myself that question many times.

Cloud he yells in agony, drops his sword and holds his head, the sight is not at all unpleasant. "no... no! Get out of my head! I'm not your puppet; I won't let you use me!"

"Cloud! Are you abandoning me?" The calamity, still in the form of Amy Talic, or should I say Aeris, is desperate to regain control over Cloud.

"She's not Aeris!" I insist.

"Not Aeris..." I think Cloud is finally understanding.

Then the being changes into Tifa, "Cloud, be my hero, save me!"

"She's not the real Tifa, what kind of hero can't tell the difference?" I argue back.

"Tifa..." Cloud screams in pain, "Tifa!" He closes his eyes tightly, desperately holding on to his true self, then he finally opens his eyes, focused and determined. "Stop trying to control me!" The calamity takes this as her cue to leave and jumps away. Both Cloud and I chased after her, but she escaped.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

Step 46: Despair

"Thank you," Cloud's words were sudden, breaking the silence of the Forgotten City as we walked back to Cid's airship. "If it wasn't for you, I would still be..."

I don't feel like saying anything.

"You're an inspiration, worthy of being admired; even after all the difficulties you must have gone through, you still went on. I know what its like to be weakened and trapped," I'm not like you Cloud. "In many ways, you and I are the same," no we're not.
"Can you really say that to this face?"

"I know you look like Sephiroth, but it doesn't matter, you're not him and I know it."

"And if I was?" I'm so tired of hiding.

Cloud shakes his head, "don't worry, I have no doubts. You can't be Sephiroth because he's a traitor, I looked up to him and he destroyed everything!" I suppose it hurts more to be betrayed by someone whom you admired, but you were only another cadet, another human to be jealous of when I thought I wasn't human.

"Don't take it so personally..."

"I know, it's not like Sephiroth knew I existed, that bothers me even more, he probably looked down on me all the time."

"He couldn't look down on you if he barely noticed you at all."

Cloud pauses and looks thoughtful, "you're right, he doesn't deserve to be given so much importance even in memories; he doesn't even deserve to be acknowledged." That's not what I'm saying at all, "thanks for telling me that," I didn't!

"Sephiroth was a hero before the Nibelheim incident. Do you remember Angeal?" He shakes his head in confusion and I continue, "the one who trained Zack, he must have mentioned him. Angeal and Genesis were both friends of Sephiroth, the high ranking generals who ended up disappearing. Don't you remember at all?"

"Angeal..." I can tell Cloud is searching deep in his memories, "Angeal, yes, Zack did mention him and I remember seeing all the generals from afar, Angeal, Genesis, Sephiroth, but why do you say this?"

"I don't even know where I'm going with all of that," this is the truth.

"Inspiration?" Cloud suggests, "the three top ranked soldiers and Zack, they all influenced each other I guess, but Sephiroth was... What ever happened to them?"

"Why would I tell you? You won't properly honor their memories," this conversation is over.

"I honor Zack's memory and I don't remember much about Angeal, but I will honor the tiny pieces I have, he was a good person, Zack said so."

"You don't even know their story..."

"How do you know it?"

"From," my brother? I can't believe I'm still lying, maybe it's best to say, "my other self."

Cloud's eyes widened, "Sephiroth? You and your brother were connected? I see, you got all the negative effects of the experimentations while he got stronger, the sacrificial twin. But that wasn't all; you also got memories from him."

"The twin who was sacrificed..." sacrificed to pain, to despair, to doubt, that's one way to say it. Metaphorically speaking, it is as if the different eras of my life are my other selves. I do remember having other selves, fragments that I feel have returned to where they came from, to me, so why not say it like that? "The part who was sacrificed, the part that existed, back then."

Cloud looks uneasy, and finally reassured, as if something that has been bothering him for a long time has been resolved. "I think I understand, the legend and the hero; that was you, the evil one was the other half, the half created by Shinra, by Hojo, if that half wasn't there, it would have been you, all the time, the good half... I don't feel so bad anymore, thinking that I once looked up to a monster, the one I looked up to was someone else, a hero, it was you all along." Great, that's just what I need, I want to punch him.

I shake my head, "I don't understand it," and neither does him, but maybe most if not all people have different sides to them, different selves. "Either way, I'm here now," and I feel like I have a mission to defend this world from the calamity.

"Are you two getting on or what?" Cid calls out from the airship; we reached it and just stood outside talking. We get on and he takes off.

xoxox xox xoxox

While on the way back to Edge, I communicated with the Turks and the news is bad. In the background I can hear Reeve blaming himself for wanting information, though it doesn't make sense until Tseng explains that the calamity attacked the WRO and obtained a secret list of the undercover Turks, which the WRO had previously demanded from Shinra. They were being hunted.

Edge had fallen to chaos so we regrouped in Nibelheim, hoping to find some form of clue in the data kept at the mansion, even if it had already been analyzed before.

I entered the mansion along with an uneasy Cloud, who was soon hugged by Tifa. We were all there, Rufus, Tseng, Elena, Rude, Reno, Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, Reeve, Barret, Nanaki, Shera, Cid and I. Blaze, Marlene and Denzel were there as well, seeing as Edge wasn't safe.

The girl from the databases no longer wore her scientist disguise, instead dressed as a Turk, her previously black hair now black and blue, she doesn't look scary anymore, though to any normal person the fact that she is recognizable as a Turk would make every mental alarm scream out 'deadly'. She seems to be doing alright and has made it here, so her mission at the secret core of Shinra's mainframe system must be over, or maybe she was called because we need all the help we can get.

There are also a few others here I only barely remember, I must have caught glimpses of them in another time, or should I say another life. Some I have forgotten, but some I recognize. The woman with red-brown hair who is tending to the children while Tifa is busy reassuring Cloud, I hear them call her Cissnei. She commented something about feeling the need to return; perhaps she left the Turks and didn't come back until recently.

There is a blond woman resembling Elena, but her expression is quite different, much more serious. Elena and her glance at each other as if holding some sort of sibling rivalry. I would guess they are sisters given the resemblance.

There's also a man with an electro rod having a play fight with Reno, I don't remember him, or maybe I never knew him, I can't be sure. It seems not all the undercover Turks in the list were hunted down by the creature, the strongest have gathered here, for I have no doubts they must be the best of Shinra to have made it here alive.

The army has gathered and if we do not head into battle soon, the number of casualties will continue to increase, but we don't have a battle plan. How are we going to defeat that creature? How will we even know where it went?

I feel a sudden pain and a cry for help, though many are speaking among themselves, none of them are crying. It sounded like the voice of a child, but the children are composed, though I can tell they are not ignorant to the gravity of the situation. This is no time to be hearing voices in my head, I thought that was over.

This voice, it's not trying to control me, it's calling out to me, crying for help, beginning for protection as if the child was in turn also protecting something precious, as if the fall of this child means the fall of the precious thing that is protected by the child and that is why the child cries so intensely for help.

'Sephiroth... please... help me, save them, that thing is killing me, it hurt so much, it hurts in the same place as before, it hurts so deep and strong!' This voice is not evil pretending to be helpless; it is not from the calamity. I feel it, I know it, I understand it; it is the planet itself. But why is it talking to me? I'm not an ancient, is it because I've been in the life stream before?

"Sephiroth..." That is not the planet; someone else is calling me, "Sephiroth!"

"Tseng..."

"This is no time to space out, we need to face that calamity, it's on the attack and it will hunt us down. We'll discuss the battle strategy now," Tseng explains.

"No, there's no more time to plan, the planet is crying out for help, I don't know how, but I can hear it. The calamity is injuring it, she's," in the same place as before. There was no huge crater near Icicle when the new calamity landed, so why is the Northern Crater there? I don't think the crater was created when Jenova landed, it must have been later, that must have been a wound she inflicted on the planet. If she gets to the center, the wound will be mortal, I just know it. "The Northern Crater, that's where the calamity is, she's digging deep, trying to kill the planet."

I don't really understand why, but everyone believed me, they had faith in this strange newly discovered ability to hear the planet. Maybe it's something that I could do since I was revived, but I was unable to focus enough to actually listen; I didn't know how to listen. Maybe it's because I understand myself better, and came to terms with who I am that I'm really discovering what I am, though whatever I have become is still in many ways a mystery.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

Step 47: Limit Break

Shera remained in Nibelheim taking care of Marlene, Denzel and Blaze, the rest of us, Turks and Avalanche, have come to the Northern Crater on Cid's airship. The group includes Rufus, who stubbornly refused to stay away from the action, though he promised to act mostly as a sniper.

The crater has become much deeper and an evil aura is in the air. We make our way down, careful not to fall, but as quickly as possible, until we reach the deep bottom. The calamity has noticed our presence and is ready for the inevitable confrontation. Eliminating those Turks must have been a provocation and a test, but we didn't respond swiftly enough, I think she knows we are unaware of the secret to defeating her, she herself most likely doesn't know what it is. A weakness that one is unaware of can be extremely dangerous, but it won't do the opponent any good if he is unaware of it himself.

"Lowly creatures, do you dare fight me?" She laughs mockingly. So this is her true form, she's not simply copying Jenova anymore, though they are definitely of the same kind. She has the same pink skin and her eyes glow brightly. Her hair is a shiny platinum color and it's much longer than Jenova's moving as if carried by the breeze, but there is no breeze down here.

There is a glow around her, maybe Jenova had that glow too when she lived, but she didn't include it in her Jenova disguise, possibly because she determined that we wouldn't know of it, since Jenova died so long ago. It cannot be denied that the sight is majestic, if her expression were serene instead of malicious; some might mistake her for some kind of angel.

Everyone stands ready and speaks their own oath of courage, but I am too focused on the coming battle to hear them and too distracted by myself to make my own. Then, in a split second, the fight begins.

We didn't have time to train together, Turks and Avalanche. I half expected people to start bumping into each other and accidentally cancel out their attacks like newbie cadets, but fortunately that's not the case. Rufus is shooting more and more as fast as his ammunition can be refilled. Vincent is doing the same, though instead of staying in one place where cover can be found if needed, he's moving around and jumping to shoot while staying out of he way of the calamity's attacks.

Joining them is Tseng, fast and precise without the theatrics of Vincent's jumps, but without staying in one spot for more than a split second. Elena's sister is following a similar strategy. Barret, the other gunner of our group, is rather amusing to watch, charging in full force firing away and backing out when overwhelmed with attacks, only to charge in again a second later, confident that next time he'll land the finishing blow for sure, but this is only the beginning.

The three Turks who have an affinity for electricity, Reno, the girl with black and blue hair and the man who was play fighting with Reno back in Nibelheim, all wield electro-rods and are focusing their energy in unison, creating a much more powerful electric attack.

Cissnei and the ninja girl, Yuffie, was it? Are surprisingly synchronized with their shurikens, though I sense it is Cissnei adjusting herself to match Yuffie's attacks from opposite directions. It's clear she has the most experience in terms of teamwork, making the best of numbers and being quick to fill in all the openings left by the others. Obviously, she hasn't neglected her training.

Reeve is not here in person, though he is on the airship, controlling Cait Sith from there. The robotic cat is riding on Nanaki, pounding away at the Calamity whenever Nanaki strikes, adding a little extra to the first's attacks.

Tifa, Rude, Elena and Cid are attacking from different directions but with perfect timing, as if trying to divert the enemy's attention before the next attack and all at once watching each other's backs.

It seems everyone has found their own little subgroup to work with, while at the same time supporting the overall team. "Ready? Let's get her from both sides," the sword wielders are stuck together, why must I be teamed up with Cloud? None the less we attack in perfect unison, I wonder if seeing how I use my Masamune, he'll figure out I'm far too similar to Sephiroth to be only a twin or clone.

The calamity's force is amazing. Whenever she is damaged in any way, and it takes a lot to do that, she heals instantly, she's serious now, it's a lot harder to cut through her in her real form. We have all noticed her tremendous strength and resistance and the unspoken notion to attack repeatedly hoping that we're faster then her healing powers is put into effect.

She no longer has the semi angelic appearance from before. Her skin has become red with anger and power and her previously ivory glow has turned dark. Her eerie eyes glow even brighter and her platinum hair moves like deadly tentacles. She has grown sharp claws and spikes, making it very difficult to attack her. Her skin has also become harder, akin to armor made of ruby. She truly is a terrible calamity.

Her attacks are not limited to the physical, she possesses a sort of telekinesis, moving large boulders at will and throwing them at amazing speeds like canon balls. Her strongest attack is that dark force. She threw it into the air like a dark sun made of negative energy and it exploded, raining deadly beams on us. Most were left in a near death state, knocked unconscious while others, barely alive and able to crawl, struggled to heal themselves and awaken their companions who would surely be crushed if they stayed still.

Hours passed and our energy is almost exhausted, our sanity and will to live being brutally tested. I feel it too, pushing my body to the limit and summoning energy to go on from a supply that's already empty. We had come equipped with materia, but the summons did not come to our aid. The calamity laughed at our attempts, she was able to block out Aeris from the life stream in the planet, she can easily block out communication with alternate dimensions much further away. Ice, Fire, Lightning, Earth, Comet, Ultima... even with he flow of Time itself on our hands and layers of Barriers and Shields, we cannot Restore ourselves as fast as she can and the effect of our materia is fading.

No one can carry an infinity of items into battle, no matter how small and concentrated they may be and no one can become truly invisible, no matter how well armed and how fast and often they are healed, even with materia to enhance our life, strength, speed and energy. Our preparations were hasty but strong, dare I say we could conquer the world if we wished, but it seems we cannot save it.

They're falling, all my comrades are falling. I can't let this happen, not again. I couldn't save my friends in the past, now that I feel I can make new friends, that I have made new friends, I can't let them die. Not this again, I don't want their lives to be stolen away.

Rufus has forgotten his promise not to be reckless, he along with Vincent, Tseng and Barret, despite being armed to take on the world, have run out of ammunition. They're charging in recklessly, putting all differences aside and striving together. The electric team led by Reno has no more energy left for such attacks and they charge in as well. Cissnei and Yuffie, their weapons broken, join them. Rude, Elena, Tifa, Cid, Nanaki and Cait Sith, they're all attacking as well. Each of them in the last of their strength, each of them desperate, each of them knocked away.

"Now!" Cloud calls out. They have managed to do some damage with that last effort, the calamity is healing slightly slower, though still fairly fast. We attack, over and over relentlessly, ignoring our pain and blood, I imagine my state must be as bad as his, as bad as all of us, but we're still awake, clinging to our last drop of life. It wasn't enough; the calamity threw us away like lifeless puppets with cut strings and recovered. "How can we beat her? This is hopeless..."

We can't retreat, if we do, she'll finish digging to the center of the planet and kill it. It might fall apart and even if we prevented that, even if we regrouped and won, if the planet died, where would we live? All the living beings in the world will no longer have a means to support themselves. "We cannot fall into the shadows..."

I attack once more, head on, the calamity fights back, but I don't change my course, jumping high while her long tentacle-like hair tries to hold me back, but I keep moving and slash down at her with the Masamune, her claws cutting deep into my flesh as I go. I want to knock her all the way to the legendary promised land where evil would disintegrate, to a distant place where she can't hurt anyone, I don't care if she drags me with her, but I will protect this world.

She screeches loudly, louder than ever, in deep agony. "That was reckless, suicidal!" Cloud scolds; it's as if he's afraid to be left alone to battle, afraid to be the last to fall.

"I'm not about to lose," I assure. "Her energy is not infinite, she's powerful but not immortal; her kind was defeated before." Though I should be terribly close to death, I instead feel a rush of calmness, because I'm not struggling anymore. I am doing what I must and I have decided to try my best until this battle ends. I am no longer focused on the outcome, I'm only thinking of the here and now.

I see the world from a new perspective, regardless of what I once was and what I am now, all that matters is that I'm here and what I wish to become is... a hero. Even being an unknown hero will do as long I as I do everything I can to protect, true heroes are not about glory after all, not about fame and being turned into action figures, it's about giving everything to protect. I call upon all my power, past and present and stand ready for battle once again, with a single black wing on my back.

"Sephiroth," Cloud whispers.

"You knew didn't you? Deep down you've always known, but you didn't want to believe it. Cloud Strife, stop clinging to a past villain to feel like a hero by comparison, there is no such a thing, because a hero is someone who shines so brightly that there can be no comparison."

"I..."

"It's not really for you to determine, ask your friends when this is over and they'll tell you." The calamity attacks and we fight, unable to speak any more. I know what I am, by accepting myself, including my flaws and past mistakes, I was able to understand it.

When Aeris said 'you will know' she was giving me the answer, but finding yourself is something you can only do yourself. Mother must have known; that's why she smiled and called me hope. That is also why it didn't feel so strange to be called weapon and why I can hear the planet after finally learning to listen.

This planet really is childish. It chouse the strongest out of those who were slain, assuming that would be enough for them to become heroes. It took the most powerful beings from the life stream and turned them into Weapons, the protectors of the planet. Yet those dragons didn't know what they were doing. At least this time the one who was chosen to be the next warrior of the planet can actually think and strategize. Well, Planet, I'll show you you've made the right choice.

Cloud has fallen, exhausted and injured. I move him out of the way quickly. He's still conscious, he says something, but I don't understand.

"Rest, I'll finish this..." I summon those three parts of myself that I might have suppressed in the past. They appear, coming from me. "Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz, keep her busy for just a moment so I can summon the planet's power."

"Let's go, we'll show her who's boss!" Kadaj leads the way into the assault with fiery courage.

"We'll put up a good fight!" Yazoo wisely strategizes searching for openings.

"And we'll make you proud!" Loz shows his power jumping into the action.

I summon the power of the planet, the power of hope itself and put my very being into one last attack, to break my limits, to break all limits and accomplish what must be done. Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz return to me, becoming one with me again and I charge forward, my sword glowing a pale green.

Even impaled, the calamity struggles strongly, clawing at me and throwing her dark energy. Her attacks are not without effect, but I know I must stay strong. I can feel her very being connect to mine as if our souls are doing battle. Every memory I ever had flashes before my eyes, both good and bad. I treasure the good memories and accept the bad ones as an inevitable part of who I am.

Then the green glow fades, and the calamity's life begins to disappear as well, but she still holds on. I'll have to finish her myself, she's stubborn, clinging to this world, changing her shape; mother, my real mother, what a cruel illusion, but she will not fool me. I am surrounded by a silver glow, my very soul. I'll dissolve this calamity's very last cell; there will be nothing left for history to repeat itself. Finally, with desperate rage, she faded away completely.

I remain in this world for only a few seconds, more. I see them waking up, the planet is healing them now that it has been freed from that creature that inhabited it like a disease. I believe the planet wished to help us more during the battle, but the calamity had held it back, now she's gone and the planet is free to heal, though it will take a very long time. They are awake, my comrades, all of them, I spread my wing as I feel myself fade away; I put my very soul into disintegrating the calamity after all. I smile, not wanting to be remembered looking grim and this time the expression doesn't feel so strange, "I will never be a memory..."

xoxox xox xoxox

"Some people are just so stubborn..." Zack?

"He doesn't know when to take a break; he's restless like a puppy, like you." Angeal?

"He might be mad if he heard you calling him a puppy... Wait, you just called me a puppy!" Zack...

"It seems it's not his time..." Aeris?

"There are some who might get lonely if he's not there; he's still needed in that world." Angeal...

"I guess this means you'll be on your way, give my brother my good wishes." Lazard?

xoxox xox xoxox

"Wark!" Of all the things to wake up to...

I open my eyes and see a room that is mostly white, an infirmary; the Shinra infirmary at headquarters. I remember fading away, I guess I must have reappeared somewhere and was brought here. The large red chocobo's color makes it stand out against the pale room, as if his size didn't already make him obvious enough. The chocobo looks at me curiously, his blue eyes glowing with... mako?

"Wark! Wark! Wark!"

"What is it, Blaze? Why are you..." Reno stops, it is one of the rare but pleasant occasions when he's left speechless, as expected, it doesn't last long. "He's alive! He's alive!"

"Blaze?" I stare at the chocobo, he's big enough to carry me and he certainly looks strong. He's nothing like that fragile tiny creature I remember. "How did he get so big? For how long have I been in a coma? Why are his eyes glowing?"

"It's been a whole week. You beat that evil alien, you're a hero!" I can tell he's avoiding my other questions.

"Reno, what happened to my godchild?"

"Um... well... I kind of lost track of him that one time and he might have eaten something radioactive..." Reno confesses. "But don't worry; the doctor says he's fine, except for the part of being a bit bigger than most chocobos and a lot stronger and faster. I entered him at the Gold Saucer last weekend and we won all the races!"

I laugh; I should have been prepared for these antics when I came back. "With you as Blaze's father, it should come as no surprise that something like this would happen." Blaze bends over so I can reach and I pet. "Good to see you again."

"I wonder why no one's rushing over... Hey, didn't you hear me? I said Seph's alive! He's awake!" Reno insisted.

"Shut up, I'm not falling for that again!" I know that voice...

"It's true this time, really!" I can definitely imagine Reno in the boy who cried wolf situation.

"I'm trying to read!" The other man argues.

"You read Loveless everyday!" Reno pouts, "is that more important than your comrade coming back to life for the billionth time?"

"You're drying my patience!" Genesis moved to white curtains around my bed away, his hand raised with his favorite book ready to hit Reno with it. He stood frozen for a second before yelling, "Sephiroth! Everyone! Sephiroth is awake!" One by one, they rush into the room while Reno pouts because no one believed him.

xoxox xox xoxox

Apparently it was Reno who found Genesis and brought him to Shinra, thus the Turks, myself included, took it upon themselves to help in the process of reintegrating him into society. Hopefully, I'll save him from being driven insane by Reno's antics, Elena's crazy driving, Rude's absolute silence, Tseng's workaholic ways and Rufus being well... Rufus, plus whatever new strangeness the other Turks may add, because no one is ever normal in Shinra. The president was surprised when I delivered Lazard's message, then smiled, knowing that Lazard continues to exist somewhere in the life stream.

Right now we're all reunited at the Seventh Heaven, Cloud and I are not exactly friends and I'm sure he'll never admit I saved him back then, but it doesn't matter. He knows who I am and accepts it well enough not to put up a fight. Tifa must have been shocked, but she too has come to terms with the truth, they all have. There will be no more hiding.

The reason why we're here at the Seventh Heaven isn't simply a victory reunion and it's certainly not for the sake of listening to Reno's 'thee soldiers walk into a bar' jokes. We're here because my new adventure in this world began with an invitation to hang out at the Seventh Heaven and I thought it might be good to have Genesis come here too.

"Next week," Genesis declares, "we're all going to see Loveless!" I know he will insist until we all do, Shinra and Avalanche alike.

End

Disclaimer, I don't own Final Fantasy VII. Step 47 had a lot of references. There were some references to Dissidia with Sephiroth's quotes about falling into the shadows and the promised land. When Sephiroth mentions fame and action figures, it's a reference to Hercules. A reference to Valkyrie Profile is when Sephiroth mentions choosing the strongest from those who were slain. Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz represent the three aspects of the Triforce from Legend of Zelda. Reno yelling "he's alive" is a reference to Frankenstein. The part about the 'dark sun made of negative energy' is a reference to the Gagharv trilogy, part of the Legend of Heroes game series. Why does the planet sound like a child? Because in the original FFVII Cid calls it a child. Why is Genesis alive? Because at the end of Crisis Core it is hinted that Genesis survived and even if I didn't include the events of Dirge of Cerberus in this story, hence why Shelke isn't there, the game also hints at Genesis being alive.