Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Where the lost ones go ❯ The Crisis from the Sky ( Chapter 37 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

37. The Crisis from the Sky

Aeris fought back the tears in her eyes as she watched Nanaki fade away into the rain. Everything in her wanted to object. Wanted to scream that it wasn't fair. He was still young, and he'd sacrificed everything to save the Planet. Nanaki had even returned, crossing the line, to continue protecting the Planet. Why did he have to die, while creatures of pure cruelty was allowed to live? The flower girl could tell from the gentle look on the noble beast's face that he didn't mind, but her heart refused to accept it! It wasn't fair, dammit! Her sweet friend deserved to live!
They all watched in silence as Nanaki disappeared, each lost in their own thoughts, when suddenly the pling of the elevator made everyone turn to face it in a heart beat.
At the first glimpse of silver hair, Aeris drew a sharp breath and she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. Still, she was unable to completely silence her half-choked cry as Sephiroth stepped out of the elevator, followed by Cid and Vincent. The flower girl and Shera instantly rushed over to their respective companion, while Rain hoisted Dawn with a tentative smile of relief to the dark haired gunslinger. She wasn't sure how he would react if she had jumped him like Aeris and Shera did to their chosen ones. But Rain bit her lower lip hard to keep back an embarrassing sound of happiness when Vincent was suddenly by her side, and she felt his arm around her.
Savouring his presence, Aeris were unknowingly nearly hugging the air out of Sephiroth, but he merely placed his own arms around her. She didn't care that he was soaking wet, and was drenching her as well. He was alive, and he was here!
Sephiroth allowed himself to dwell in Aeris a second longer, then he glanced over at the pale Tifa still standing by the window with Hojo. "He's alive. Got slapped around a bit, so the doctors is having a look at him, but he's going to be just fine."
Exhaling relieved as tears came to her eyes, Tifa nodded her gratitude. Then Hojo offered to follow her down to the infirmary, and she wearily accepted. The two passed Shera sobbing against Cid's chest, while the pilot struggled to both comfort her and fend off Barret's furious shouting. Hojo made damn sure not to glance over where Vincent Valentine and Rain were having a silent conversation over the drowsing child called Dawn, while Tifa smiled gently at the sight of Aeris and Sephiroth embracing each other like there was no tomorrow. It was with a weak hope that she entered the elevator and let Hojo push the button that would lead them to the floor where Rufus was. The war was over. Everything was going to work out fine, right?
Aeris didn't react to hearing the elevator doors close, merely focused on the sound of Sephiroth's heart thundering in his chest. She glanced up to make him meet her eyes, and she smiled faintly. Her smile widened when he returned it, and she slowly reached out to move a lock of silver hair from where it was clinging to his damp skin. "It feels like you've been away for years..."
"Yeah," Sephiroth agreed softly, unable to see or feel enough of her to reassure himself that she was really there.
A sound made itself known on Aeris' newly developed radar, and she released Sephiroth just enough to take a hold of his hand and tug him over to the make-shift crib they had made on the floor with a thick blanket and heavy pillows for walls. Crouching down, she carefully picked up the small child in her arms and Aeris glanced up at the silver haired man. "Luckily she's a heavy sleeper, just like you." The flower girl straightened and allowed the nervous Sephiroth to take over the little girl. "Sephiroth, I want to name her after you."
Starting slightly, he gazed up from his studying his daughter's face and Sephiroth blinked in puzzled awe. "You do?"
Aeris nodded with a smile, gazing briefly at the child before meeting his gaze again. "While you were gone... I realised that I wanted to call her... Zefiris. Is that... okay?"
For a moment, Sephiroth was completely numb-struck. His mind still struggling to catch up with everything that had happened, and he managed a faint laugh. "Yeah... I mean, yeah! If you... That is... Zefiris, huh?" For some odd reason, the silver haired man felt horribly proud and had this strange urge to tell everybody! "Zefiris!"
Giggling softly, Aeris could only watch as her beloved general was busy reveling in their daughter's presence and didn't object when he pulled her close again with his free arm. "I think we should perhaps get you out of those wet clothes?" She didn't need a sick Sephiroth beside a newborn daughter. "And by now we probably have to change on her as well, seeing that you've already drenched my clothes..."
Sephiroth merely hugged her closer, placing a kiss on top of her head. "It's been a long day, but it was worth it..."
Aeris nodded, placing one arm around Sephiroth's waist while the other gently arranged the blanket around the drowsing infant. "Yeah, on both accounts." She then glanced around from Cid and Shera, to Barret finally sitting down on a sofa while complaining about suicidal pilots, and over to Vincent and Rain still speaking softly about things that were meant for them only. Yes, it had been a long day, and it had definitely been worth it!

The fighting was over, but that also meant it was time to see the damage done. Wutai and Kalm were basically completely destroyed, and Costa del Sol were only in slightly better shape. Junon had suffered massive damage, like Midgar, but both towns could be restored. Gongaga was hit pretty hard, but had proven hard to remove entirely. Rocket Town, Icicle Inn, Nibelheim and Mideel seemed like the only towns somewhat undisturbed, while Bone Village, Fort Condor, North Corel and Cosmo Canyon had superficial damage done to them. Two days had passed since the final shot fired in Midgar, and the size of all the damage done to the world was just starting to make itself known.
Yet, despite everything, there was now rising a hope from the ruins. The war was over. Wounds were bleeding, but there wouldn't be new ones inflicted. Midgar had been rebuilt once before after Meteor, and people were slowly gathering to start anew. The fallen would not be forgotten, but their lives would not be lost in vain.
Aeris smiled faintly as she heard Barret yelling at Cid again, carefully closing the door to the room where her daughter was sleeping. The rain had not let up for a single moment since the appearance of the Water Spirit, and Barret was clearly placing the blame on the pilot, constantly nagging for him to shut it off again. The flower girl didn't have to pay attention to know that the frustrated Cid Highwind was perfectly capable of defending himself, his fighting spirit finally back now that the threat of Jinrei was gone. It was strange, but hearing them arguing again was a most soothing sound. It was almost like things were back to normal. The thought made her smile again, but her expression quickly turned to puzzled as she passed an open door and saw Hojo in the room. He was standing by the window, gazing aimlessly out at the raindrops hitting the glass. Halting to lean against the door frame, Aeris tilted her head curiously. "Something wrong?"
For a moment, Hojo didn't acknowledge her presence, then he slowly gazed over at her. "Nothing that concerns you."
Aeris straightened and walked over to him, pretending to find the rain drops as utterly fascinating as he clearly did. "Everyone else is gathered up in the top floor. Rufus was finally allowed out of the infirmary today."
"So I heard," Hojo mumbled, returning to stare out the window as well. "How is our dear President ShinRa doing?"
Shrugging, Aeris stole a quick glance over at the dark haired man. "It will take some time before he'll be able to walk again for real, but they say he'll be alright eventually. If it hadn't been for Sephiroth, he wouldn't have survived at all."
"It was a foolish thing to do," Hojo snapped tersely, folding his hands behind his back. "By staying with ShinRa, Sephiroth merely risked getting them 'both' killed! He just got lucky!"
While the harsh words would have shocked anyone else, Aeris merely frowned concerned. She'd spent enough time with Hojo to be able to read his mood pretty well, and she could see that something was bothering him. Making people angry was an excellent way of self-defence. Aeris hadn't seen him this unbalanced since the first days he'd spent among his enemies after returning from the Lifestream. Slowly placing a hand on his shoulder, the flower girl made him meet her gaze. "What's wrong?"
Hojo tried staring her into backing off, but he wasn't really surprised when it didn't work. Damn Cetra girl always proving to be the stronger one despite her fragile appearance. The dark haired scientist let out a resigned sigh and closed his eyes. He might as well just tell her, get it over with, and maybe she would just go away? "Jinrei is dead."
"Yes," Aeris confirmed with a slightly confused smile. "And... that's a good thing, right?"
Snorting annoyed, Hojo glared at her again. "Absolutely! But with Jinrei gone, there is no threat against Highwind, is there?" He gazed down at the golden chain around his ankle, hating it with every fiber in his body. "There is no reason for me to be here anymore."
Aeris felt the realisation like a slap to her face and she wasn't aware of how her hand on his shoulder unknowingly tightened to clutch the lab coat. "You... You're returning to the Lifestream..."
"Oh, no, not me," Hojo declared with a bitter smile as he returned to stare out the window. "When I defied the Cetra by letting Cid escape, they warned me. As he returned unharmed, I was merely given a warning, but if I defied them again I would lose my redemption no matter what."
Shaking her head in disbelief, Aeris stared blankly ahed as her mind raced to understand. "But... You did everything they said after that, didn't you?"
"I never was too good at taking orders..." Hojo managed a ghost of a mocking laugh, but didn't take his eyes off the raindrops sliding down the window. "And I knew Cid was safe from the infected soldiers, so..."
Aeris' eyes widened and she carefully rested her forhead to the scientist's arm. He'd stayed with her through her labour, knowing he was dooming himself in the process.

Silence lasted for a while, only interrupted by the sound of rain hitting the window, until Aeris slowly raised her face again. "What's going to happen to you?"
"I believe the common phrase is 'limbo' or something," Hojo replied in an absent voice, sounding more resigned than angry. It was probably what he deserved anyway, it was just that...
The flower girl frowned, this time in frustration. "But that's not right!" She tugged lightly at the dark haired man, making him glance over at her again. "You can't just accept that! You have to fight! I'm sure that Lucrecia would..." Aeris never finished the sentence as the name of Sephiroth's mother brought so much pain to Hojo's eyes that it nearly hurt her as well. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Smiling faintly, Hojo scolded himself for thinking that she wouldn't find the real reason for his misery. "Lucrecia probably wishes me eternal torture."
Aeris started and her eyes flickered confused. "What makes you say such a thing?"
"Because of the agony she suffered, and that I was the cause of it. I made her suffer, and then I killed her. Twice." Hojo made a half-choked sound and shut his eyes tightly. "I don't mind being shunned by the Cetra... I never begged for mercy once throughout my entire life, I will not start now! But Lucrecia... I just..."
She remembered hearing that Hojo had ended Lucrecia's life when she'd come for Sephiroth, but Aeris couldn't remember Hojo shoving a hint of regret or sorrow at what had happened. The scientist never mentioned it, did not shed a single tear or appear fazed by at all. What it must have done to him to keep all that pain inside... Aeris let her hand slide down Hojo's arm and took a gentle hold of his wrist. "Come. I want to show you something..."
Slightly confused, but too resigned to object, Hojo let her guide him over to the terrace door and only watched as she opened it. His puzzlement grew as she sent him a smile before pulling him along into the rain. What was she thinking? Still, he followed her until she halted in the middle of the terrace and released him.
Aeris folded her hands behind her and leaned forward slightly with a smile. "Did you know that when it rains, no one can really tell the difference between the rain drops and tears?"
Hojo managed a faint smile of his own. "I think that comes with assuming that the one in the rain is capable of crying."
"Want to know what I think?" Aeris asked, but didn't really wait for him to answer before she poked him in the chest. "I think you should start easing up on yourself a little. You can't change the past, but you can ask for forgiveness. That's all it takes, really, if you want to be forgiven then you simply have to ask for it!"
Shaking his head, Hojo then raised his face to the rain. "Some things cannot be forgiven. Sephiroth should never forgive me. Nor should you."
Aeris poked him in the chest again, making his face her once more. "But that's our choice, isn't it? It's not up to you. And for the record, I forgave you the second I trusted you with my child. As for Sephiroth... I don't think he hates you half as much as you hate yourself. In fact, I think you hate yourself enough for everyone, Hojo."
"How could Lucrecia forgive me?" Hojo asked silently, not bothering to hide the despair in his voice. "She trusted me, loved me, and I let her get hurt. I couldn't protect her, and she died by my hand. She suffered for so long, and the only thing I could do was to end it for her. How could she forgive me, Cetra?"
For a moment, Aeris was puzzled at him suddenly referring to her so formally, then she realised the purpose. "I warned you," she scolded softly and wrapped her arms around him. It wasn't a surprise to feel how tense the scientist was, but he didn't push her away. Didn't object. And for a moment, she was allowed to embrace him and comfort the man hated by so many, including himself. Then she saw her.
Hojo felt Aeris withdraw, had only a second to wonder why she motioned for him to turn around, but then he did and saw the person he never thought he'd see again. "Lucrecia?"
Dressed in a white dress, the chestnut haired woman smiled affectionately. "Hojo..." The rain seemed to fall straight through her, and there was a faint light surrounding her. "I forgive you because I love you, you fool."
Aeris felt her own tears mix with the rain as Lucrecia walked towards the stunned scientist, taking his numb hands between hers. The flower girl smiled through her tears as the two embraced, and there was a loud sound as the golden chain around Hojo's ankle broke. She nodded as the two glanced back at her, letting them know that she would look after Sephiroth. Their son was safe. It was time for Lucrecia and Hojo to be free now, leaving their worries behind. The Cetra would probably be furious, but once again love proved stronger than the Ancients. It was with a heart aching sadness that Aeris saw Hojo and Lucrecia fade, but found comfort in that she saw the scientist happy for the first time. She could just barely hear his last words to her.
"Thank you."

Sephiroth was currently congratulating himself on a successful mission as he'd managed to slip unnoticed out of the room, much thanks to that Aeris had gone to check on Zefiris and the others were busy nagging on Cid to make the rain stop. Something had been bothering him and it had to be settled, or Sephiroth wouldn't have peace of mind again. It was probably the sight of Rufus in that damn wheelchair that set off the train of thoughts that kept churning inside him, and he just needed to confirm what Tifa had said. That Rufus would walk again, and Sephiroth hadn't messed up when he tore that iron beam out of him.
Turning a corner, Sephiroth barely withheld an angry outcry as someone bumped into him, but he brushed it off with a scoff as Cloud muttered an apology before hoisting his backpack and continuing on his way. Typical! The silver haired man trudged on towards the infirmary, muttering annoyed over morons calling 'him' megalomaniac! At least he always watched where he was going, he was! However, the thoughts soon left him as Sephiroth found himself at the infirmary office and he glanced around to make sure it was completely desolate before picking the lock. Hardly a challenge. Then he turned on the computer, constantly keeping a wary eye on his surroundings, and hacked his way into the personnel files. For some reason, Sephiroth found himself remembering a memo Hojo had written many years ago about not leaving a certain silver haired child unsupervised near a computer. The memory made him laugh softly while nimble fingers tapped away. Ah, he'd had a lot of fun until Hojo realised Sephiroth had learned his way around a computer that would usually take a normal human a life time to achieve! His thoughts snapped back to the present the second he saw the name Rufus ShinRa on the screen and he clicked in on the medical file. A quick read revealed what he already knew, but a small addition told him what he needed to know. The iron beam had caused damage to the spine and several nerves, but it could be repaired over time with materia healing and physiotherapy. Had he remained untreated for any longer, Rufus ShinRa would have been paralyzed for life with unrepairable damage. Slumping relieved back into the chair, Sephiroth shut the file and was about to shut down the computer as well when something caught his eye. A medical file on Cloud Strife? Frowning, he sat up straight again and hesitated briefly. A click was heard as the file was opened and reptilian eyes flickered down the screen as they traveled over the words.
A few minutes later, Sephiroth was striding down the hall and heading towards the lower levels of the ShinRa tower. Cloud and Jessie had both been absent from the little gathering, hadn't they? Tifa had said it was because of Jessie, but now Sephiroth knew better. True, the young woman was clearly weakened after her time as captive, but that wasn't the real reason. The real reason was also the cause of why Cloud had been carrying that backpack when he'd bumped into him! What Sephiroth failed to understand was the cause of all the secrecy! But his suspicion was confirmed when he finally arrived to open the door to the garage and found the two culprits by Fenris. "Going somewhere?"
Starting violently, Cloud spun around to face Sephiroth. "W-what?" It wasn't so much a question to repeat the question, but an expression of confusion as to why Sephiroth was there and not with the others.
The silver haired man gave a slight nod towards the pale Jessie just about trying to hide behind the motorcycle. "Does she know, Strife?"
Cloud clenched his jaw and stared at the other man for a few seconds, but then realised that he had to know what no one was supposed to, and his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yeah... She knows..." The blonde gazed over at Jessie and smiled faintly. "She thinks I should tell everyone and stay here while letting doctors poke and tug at me."
"Why don't you?" Sephiroth asked with a hint of confusion before gesticulating faintly towards the motorcycle and the backpacks. "Why all this? The secrecy?"
Sighing, Cloud hesitated. He gazed down at the ground for some time, and debated if he could make them understand, but came to the conclusion that he didn't have much choice. Sephiroth was probably liable to sit on him until he did. Finally, he glanced up to meet the eerie eyes. "I don't know how you found out, but I guess you also know that it's too late for any treatment with hope for recovery." Cloud picked up a backpack, tossed it over to Jessie, then grabbed his own backpack to strap it on himself. "I've got about six months left before it kills me, and... I want those months, Sephiroth. All my life I've strived to be something to others, always hoping to make someone happy, but now... I've decided that I'm going to be entirely selfish." He got on the Fenris and kicked it to life, letting it roar a few times before Jessie got on as well. "I'm going to live the rest of my life the way I want to, Sephiroth..."
Nodding, Sephiroth made no move to stop them. In a way, he did understand. Cloud hadn't told anyone about the leukemia because their concern would have chained him tighter into the fate he didn't want. He didn't want their tears. Cloud wanted to live. And Sephiroth merely watched as the motorcycle roared out of the garage, feeling a strange kind of respect. It would seem that the puppet had finally torn free of it's strings...
Returning to the top floor, Sephiroth only dreaded how he was going to plead ignorance to Aeris when she suddenly stepped into the hall and was soaking wet. He didn't even get to ask her what had happened before she gazed at him with tear filled eyes.
"He's gone," Aeris whispered weakly, and closed her eyes hard as she saw Sephiroth was about to speak out his confusion. "Hojo... He's gone now..."
Sephiroth stuttered something, then simply fell silent. Hojo was gone? Just like that? All thoughts concerning Cloud vanished as Sephiroth tried to make sense out of why it even mattered to him that Hojo would no longer be there... It shouldn't matter to him! But it did, and he could not understand why!

Hojo had disappeared, reunited with Lucrecia according to Aeris. Then Cloud and Jessie had pulled a vanishing act the very same day, and no one knew why, or where they'd gone. Tifa had taken her friends leaving, without a simple notice or anything, pretty hard, and Rufus was left to try and clean up the mess after Strife, as usual. Aside from rebuilding half of the world, he now had a very pregnant and moody wife competing with his injuries in resulting him most pain. So far, the score was definitely in Tifa's favour.
Every waking moment was spent trying to repair the ruins left by Jinrei, and when the evenings came, Rufus was so tired and in such pain that he barely managed to reach the bed. It proved early that it would be easier to have a single person in charge of rebuilding the towns worst off, so soon every one was also on their own sides of the world. The brat prince found that he actually missed Sephiroth's company, after having sent him off to deal with Kalm, and reluctantly making the silver haired man part with Aeris once again as she remained in Midgar with their daughter. Yuffie was in charge of Fort Condor, where the damage was small enough for her to be able to actually repair more than she ruined, while pestering Reeve with her constant calls about Hawk's condition that seem to remain unchanged. The Wutaian had yet to regain consciousness, but the doctors figured it was just a matter of time before he did. Barret got Costa del Sol, while Vincent ended up with Junon. Cid was probably the only one who enjoyed himself to some degree, as he finally got his precious airship back and was transporting people and food between towns with Shera by his side. An unusually subdued Seto had humbly asked to be allowed to help, and was now balancing his duties between Cosmo Canyon and Gongaga. The damn Sage had gone missing, but Tifa had found a note complementing the room service and 50 gil on top of it. Rufus had realised with a wry smile that all one needed to make everyone cooperate was a war that nearly destroyed the world. Nothing to it, right?
Still, the days passed with working oneself to the brink of passing out during day time, and letting sleep claim you the second your head touched the pillow of your bed. At least the rain stopped after eight or nine days, much to Cid's relief and Barret's satisfaction. However, Rufus was pretty certain he'd pushed himself over the limit the day when he saw Scarlet and Reeve talking together out in the hall way, and their tone could be characterized as something just beyond friendly, but it wasn't until Aeris told him that the ShinRa president realized it was about time to take a breather. The flower girl reassured him that more had been done in the two weeks since Jinrei's death than anyone could hope for, and it was actually allowed to slow down a little before it really killed him. A quick talk to Tifa confirmed Aeris' accusations that Rufus didn't appear happy to be saved and tried to correct Sephiroth's action by working himself to death. It was almost too good when previously mentioned flower girl suggested that everyone take a few days of relaxation up in Incicle Inn town, especially as nobody objected to the idea.
So it was that the group gathered in the small town basically untouched by the war, and was allowed to rest a little after everything they'd been through, even though Rufus barely mumbled something about a nice view before he fell asleep in the room he shared with Tifa. Feeling a little relieved that she didn't have to worry about her husband for a change, Tifa scribbled a note that she left on the nightstand and made her way over to Aeris and Sephiroth's house. The two women had spent a lot of time together and the brunette had to smile slightly as she wondered how she would have reacted way back if someone had told her that. Her rival for Cloud's heart would become her best friend.
Wine coloured eyes sparkled with mirth as she passed Sephiroth busy making his first snowman to show his daughter, with Vincent and Rain as curious spectators as he'd throw a fit and ruin his creation every five minutes. Tifa was actually unable to hold back her laughter as she caught a glimpse of Cid and Yuffie on snow boards, competing to an inch of their lives about who was the better at racing.
Aeris met her with a smile as Tifa knocked on the door before entering the house. "Hi there! Did Sephiroth say anything about when we can hope to see his master piece finished?"
Shaking her head, Tifa gave a light wave to Shera in greeting. "Nope. The last I saw was him throwing the snowman's head on the ground and stomping on it." She wasn't sure what was funnier, the sight of Sephiroth making a snowman or when the silver haired man was dragged off to see his grandparents. "And don't worry about Cid, Shera. His head is too thick to get any real injuries should he hit a tree or something!"
Shera gave a faint smile from where she was standing by the window, cradling Dawn close after seeing the pilot and the ninja setting off the steep hill once again. "I hope you're right..." She then gave a faint laugh at Barret's heavy support of Tifa's statement, from where he was wrapped up in several blankets in front of the fireplace.
Hoisting her daughter slightly, Aeris tilted her head curiously as she gazed over at Tifa. "Rufus?"
"Asleep. And for some time, I think," Tifa laughed softly, stroking her own stomach in almost an automatic motion by now. "He's really exhausted. I kept trying to tell him to ease down, but you know how men are! They always got to try and fix things on their own!"

The town was quiet. So very quiet. Everyone was asleep by now, and only the moon was up to greet the one person stepping out into the snow.
Aeris glanced back at the house, knowing Sephiroth and their daughter was fast asleep. Safe. For now. Frowning, she glanced over at the forest and unknowingly tightened her grip on her Princess Guard. It had been quite a while since she'd seen actual battle, and even longer since she'd been on her own, but Aeris had no intention of losing. She drew a deep breath before she started to walk towards the trees and what was waiting for her beyond them.
The evening had been spent so happily, Aeris thought as a cold wind flew pass to play with her hair. Tifa had proven to be such a good friend, one who really knew how the loss of Cloud hurt. Shera was kindness made human, and Rain always made them all smile. Yuffie had been complaining all evening that Cid had cheated, while the pilot kept rubbing it in that the young ninja had lost in their snow board contest, and Barret threatening to knock some sense into both of them. Vincent seemed content in merely watching them, as usual, and Seto appeared to share this interest. Rufus had, as predicted, slept through it all, but Aeris knew how sorely he needed that sleep. Every day brought pain to the young man as he was still recovering from his wounds, and the flower girl found herself worrying about him as she saw him grow paler each day spent in Midgar. Still, Aeris found one of the moments most cherished from that evening when Cid had awkwardly asked her about Hojo. The pilot still felt bad that he never got to thank him properly, and had mumbled to Sephiroth that maybe the good doctor wasn't the devil after all. She was only sorry that Hojo couldn't hear it himself, that he wasn't allow to stay and get to know his son and grand child. Still, Aeris did not believe for a second that Hojo wasn't happy where he was, finally with his Lucrecia again...
Halting in front of the beginning of the forest, Aeris shivered slightly from the cold. Throughout the entire day and evening, Aeris had known it would happen. She'd felt it in her soul, and was only mildly surprised that Sephiroth and Cid hadn't picked up on it yet. It could only mean that Aeris was not considered a threat. Silly mistake.
A wolf was heard howling in the distance, and Aeris started slightly as a Jumping came leaping out through some bushes only to dart away at the sight of her. Okay, so she was a little jumpy, but that was understandable, right? Only fools felt no fear. Aeris did not want to die, but she was also determined to protect that which meant something to her. And this threat had to be dealt with once and for all.
"How far do you intend to make me walk?" Aeris muttered, sliding down a small hill and only barely managed to keep from falling straight on her behind. Good thing she was used to walking in snow by now! Moon light danced over the white ground, and it would have presented a pretty picture if not for the malice lying thick in the air. Something was waiting for the young woman that was clearly not of this world. Something unnatural.
Each step brought Aeris further from the town, further from Sephiroth, but she knew it had been too late to turn back the second she'd stepped out of the house. She'd made a choice, and she was going to go through with it. Despite how the cold threatened to make her lose the feeling in her hands, or how the snow suddenly seemed obsessed in making her fall, Aeris kept her gaze firmly locked on where she could feel a presence. A presence that seemed to grow stronger now, by each tree passed and each slope slid down.
Finally stepping into a small clearing, Aeris halted and narrowed her eyes slightly. "This is pretty suitable, don't you think?"
At first there was silence, broken by another distant wolf howl, then there was a faint rustling in some bushes before a tentacle snaked it's way out like a reptilian tongue testing the air. Apparently satisfied with what it found, the tentacle withdrew, and suddenly trees were slammed aside as the bulky form of Jenova pulled itself up to it's true height. Pure hatred radiated from the unshapely lump, it's tentacles waving angrily in the chilled air. There were liquids that no one ever hope to identify that leaked from crevices and old wounds, but what seemed almost even more sickening about Jenova was the open gash where it's head had once been. Still, it seemed to have no trouble identifying it's enemy.
Aeris suddenly gasped for air, and trembled faintly. It was almost as if she could hear Jenova's voice whispering, and the cold started to seep through her veins to leave her wondering if this was how a marionette felt. Her limbs felt so heavy. And whispers. So angry. Yet Aeris clenched her jaw and forced herself to raise her weapon slightly, knowing for certain now that Jenova's cells had invaded her body as well from carrying Sephiroth's child. Still, her Cetra blood allowed her to fight it to a better degree than Sephiroth and Cid. It was a disadvantage she'd failed to take into consideration, but it was too late now. Dear Planet, her head felt like it was going to explode! Was this what Sephiroth and Cid had gone through? No wonder Hojo's mind had snapped!
Jenova raised a tentacle and quickly aimed at the disoriented Aeris, ignoring the thundering sound as it missed and sent snow flying up through the air.
Jumping away, the young woman let her feet barely touch the ground again before leaping up into the air. A quick Fire3 engulfed Jenova, but Aeris failed to fend off the second tentacle that came at her and felt her breath being knocked out of her as it sent her slamming against a tree.

Aeris was unable to hold back a cry of pain as she hit the ground, curling up automatically as snow came crashing down on her from the branches of the tree, and only her thundering heart told her she was still alive. Numb fingers reached out and locked around her weapon, and instinct made her roll away before a spell singed the ground occupied by her seconds ago. The angry voice kept whispering in the back of her mind, but Aeris slowly struggled to her feet and raised the Princess Guard defensively. As long as she was able to get up on her feet, it was not over!
A second attack was launched at her, but this time Aeris managed to block it with her staff and delivered a punishing impact on the offending tentacle before it managed to withdraw. She knew her attacks were nowhere near Sephiroth's or Cloud's in inflicting damage, but they still gave a smarting impact that would eventually lead to an accumulating amount of injuries, and she was the strongest magic caster of all her friends. It was only a matter of staying out of the tentacles way and give more pain than she received! The flower girl ducked underneath a tentacle, blocked the second, and countered before a third attempt at hitting her could be made. A quick dart behind a tree bought Aeris just enough time to cast a Regen spell, before one of Jenova's appendages shattered the tree in half and she was forced out into the clearing again. The monstrosity from the sky seemed to grow even more infuriated by the seconds, but Aeris hoped to be able to cast a Big Guard on herself as well. Tensing slightly, the brunette waited for Jenova's move and when the tentacle came at her again; Aeris merely used it as a springboard to actually land on Jenova herself. She delivered several hard raps, before jumping away as the left tentacle aimed to remove the threat. Things were going too well. She should have noticed!
However, Aeris forgot all about her carefully laid plans and got lost in the urge to beat the living spirit out of the Crisis. "This is for Sephiroth!" She yelled angrily, once again using a tentacle to deliver an attack where Jenova's head once were. "And this is for Zefiris!" A hard slam on the tentacle that shot towards her. "And this is for Hojo!" The Princess Guard rammed into an already bleeding wound, and the monster's scream raged through Aeris' mind, still she refused to stop. "And this is for how you've tormented Cid!" A rap over the thrashing tentacle wildly aiming for her. "And another one for Sephiroth, you creepy blob!" The flower girl had to constantly fend off the appendages trying to slap her away, but she added a stomp on the pink flesh she was standing on for good measure. "I've got a whole list of people you've hurt, and I'm going to hurt you right back for each and every one!"
"For Lucrecia!" There was the sound of the Princess Guard hitting unnatural flesh. "Nanaki!" The staff hit again. "Tseng!" And again. "Zack!" A tentacle fell to the ground and went limp, making the flower girl turn her attention towards the remaining appendage. "Every person in Nibelheim!" Several whacks was heard. "For ruining Vincent's life!" Whack! "For my parents!" Aeris lifted her staff to deliver an angry attack, but then Jenova's remaining tentacle suddenly impacted with her back and slammed her into the ground on her back. The pain was so intense, and once again she felt the air being knocked out of her. In fact, the young woman felt the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth this time and when her eyes finally managed to focus again; Aeris saw the blood splattered on the snow. Her blood.
What felt like minutes were really only seconds, but her brain was suddenly screaming for her to get up and away, managing to scramble to her knees before Jenova struck her again. This time Aeris screamed as she felt several ribs break under the crashing encounter, but there was no sound! Through a haze, the flower girl vaguely realised that the monster had hit her with Silence as well as brute force, and her magic was now useless! It seemed that the sight of blood calmed Jenova slightly as it inched it's way towards it's prey to hover above her triumphantly. The young woman slowly tried to ease herself up into a sitting position, fumbling through the cold snow for her weapon, and only gazed up at the headless creature when chilled fingers locked around the Princess Guard. Had it really been foolish of her to wander off to face Jenova alone? She'd known it wouldn't be easy, but Aeris did not want that creature anywhere near Sephiroth! He'd sacrificed himself for the flower girl once before by facing Jenova alone, and Aeris was determined to never let that happen again. And the last time AVALANCHE faced Jenova, they'd lost a friend.
Slowly fighting her way up on her feet, Aeris managed a faint smile as blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth and the Princess Guard barely within her limp grasp. You shouldn't underestimate me, the flower girl thought and did not flinch as Jenova's remaining tentacle rose into the air with a threatening wave. - I'm not afraid of dying as long as I'm taking you with me...
Aeris wasn't so foolish as to try Great Gospel, knowing the Ancients had sealed off her powers, but she closed her eyes briefly and reached out for the connection that had been severed when she'd asked for Sephiroth to be brought back against their will. Please, she prayed meekly, just grant me enough power for this...
Green eyes opened drowsily and she felt a flicker of endless gratitude as she saw the trails of light circling her as she mouthed the words; Breath of the Earth...
As the Silence was lifted, Aeris instantly raised her head towards the sky. "Comet2!" And she merely closed her eyes again as she felt the tentacle wrap around her to yank her over towards the Crisis. There was no way Jenova would be able to move fast enough to avoid the powerful magic, sealing her fate to be crushed underneath the comets raining from the sky, and Aeris smiled as she heard them approach. It was over.
Tails of fire trailed the comets as they rained down from the sky, destroying and killing everything in their way.