Chapter Text
Cloud and Tifa drove the vehicles down the Expressway and away from the Shinra building. In the back of the truck Barret sits down.
“Home free, Red!” He says to Red XII.
“I wouldn’t celebrate just yet.” Red replies looking at the building.
“Man, you need to lighten up.” Barret comments then adds. “Hell, you might even try smiling.”
Red turns to him and gives a weird smile.
Barret stares back taken back. “On second thought...maybe frowning suits you better.” Red drops the smile and turns away. “Hey, don’t pout!”
“Look.” Red says looking back at the Shinra building. Baret looks too and is shocked.
“Are you guys seeing this!?” He calls out to the others.
Cloud and Tifa pulled over and watched as the Whispers coming from the city began to cover the entire Shinra building. Once they reached the top, they start to spread like they’ll engulf the city.
“It’s like the whole damn building’s made of ‘em.” Barret comments.
“I don’t understand. What are they doing?” Tifa asks.
“Who knows...” Aerith replies.
Barret suddenly remembered something. “Wedge-you don’t think he got caught up in it do you?”
“If he did, I hope he’s okay...” Tifa said worried for him to.
They’re coming.” Red said.
“Who?” Barret turns to him. Red keeps his back at the building. Barret turns back to see Shinra troops on bikes coming at them. “This we don’t need.”
“Time to go!” Cloud tells the group.
Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red got back in the truck, while Cloud got back on the bike. They drove as fast as they could, but the pick-up truck could only go as fast as it was carrying heavy load. The Shinra troops closed in on them and attacked. Cloud drew the Buster Sword and struck at the security force, either hitting their bikes or ramming them into each other. He does what he can to keep them away from the others while Barret provided support.
But the more they destroyed, the more kept coming. Bikers, drones and an armored van chased after them. Cloud destroys the van and sends it into a roadblock ahead of them, allowing them to get through. A Shinra helicopter arrives, and Barret tries to take it down. The group took cover inside a crossbridge, causing the chopper to break off. But more drones and machines come after them.
After dealing with them Cloud spots bombs on the ceiling.
“Get down!”
Tifa and Cloud drove as fast as they could to get out, but the explosions were faster. Just when they thought they were done for, the Whispers surrounded them and protected them from the blast.
“Guess we owe you another one!” Barret said to them as they disappear.
The Shinra helicopter returns with two SOLDIERS 3 rd class. Barret tells Cloud to deal with them while he took the chopper. The SOLDIERS tried to get hit on Cloud. But thanks to Cloud’s fight with Roche, he was able to keep up with them. Cloud took out one then the other when he tried to hit him as Cloud hit his partner.
Barret shoots at the chopper as it dodges some of his bullets. Then with its gun it fires at the group. Cloud spots a ramp and uses it to get near the chopper and slices its rotor causing it to crash. As it did it lands in front of truck. Cloud almost stopped the bike, but he didn’t have to when he saw the Whispers protecting the truck from the explosion.
“You good?” Cloud asked driving next to them.
“Somehow!” Aerith replies.
“So... now they’re on our side?” Barret asked as the Whispers disappeared again.
“The Whispers intervene not to defend us, but to preserve the flow of destiny.” Red explained their purpose again.
A large Shinra machine approaches them on another highway.
“Oh no, don’t you dare!” Barret said.
The machine jumps over to their lane and chases behind the truck as Cloud slows down the bike from nearly being crushed.
“C’mon! You see the piece of shit we’re driving here!?” Barret grumbles.
“Says the three hundred pounds sack of it.” Red comments.
“Hey!” Barret frowns at Red.
“Focus!” Tifa shouts at them.
Cloud speeds up to them. As he gets close the machine notices and attacks him while doing the same to the truck. Barret shoots at the machine's head giving Cloud a chance to attack its six wheels. He destroyed a wheel before it lifted the others and tried to slam him. Though for each wheel Cloud destroyed, it still kept moving. Cloud reached the last one and the machine malfunctioned from the damaged Cloud and Barret inflicted on it.
“Okay y’all! Let’s finish him off!” Barret shouts.
“Cloud!” Red calls out to him. Looking at Red he gestures up ahead and sees a gap wide enough to send the machine over.
Cloud gets close to the machine and Red jumps on the back.
“Go for the head.” Cloud tells him.
“With pleasure.” Red responds.
Red jumps at the head while Cloud drives under the machine and slices through the locks on the wheels, making it lose control. The group used ramps to jump over the gap while the machine fell and exploded.
“Yeah!” Barret exclaims.
Cloud turns after seeing the explosion. But when he did, he sees Sephiroth in front of the highway border control. He pulls the brakes and stops causing Tifa to stop the truck from hitting him. Looking back, Sephiroth is gone again. A black feather drops in his place.
Feeling like something’s going to happen, Cloud gets off the bike and walks toward the border control with the others following.
The group passes through the border control but stops when more black feathers rain down. Looking up, they see Sephiroth descending upon them sword in hand.
“Okay, asshole let’s-” Barret begins ready to attack, but Aerith stops him.
“Don’t.” Was all she said looking at before turning back to Sephiroth. “And you... You’re wrong.”
“Those who look with clouded eyes see nothing but shadows.” Sephiroth replies.
“Everything about you is wrong.” Aerith retorts.
Sephiroth smirks looking down then back. “All born are bound to her. Should this world be unmade, so too shall her children.”
“The world won’t end today.” Cloud says and draws the Buster Sword. “But you will.”
Everyone else stood ready to attack. But Sephiroth made no move. Instead, he looks over them.
“Listen.” He said.
The group covered their ears when the Whispers arrived and screamed.
“Destiny comes.” Sephiroth tells them.
The group could only cover their ears as the Whispers kept screaming. Then they felt like their minds were taken elsewhere.
Elsewhere in a daytime of Midgar surrounded by Whispers. A man on the outskirts approaches the edge and sees the metropolis city completely covered with them.
“We drag our asses all this way...and this is the welcome we get.” Zack comments to himself. He’s been seeing these things as he and Cloud got closer, now they are swarming the city. Even the army, as they ambushed them, don’t seem to notice them circling their boss's city.
Speaking of, he turns back as they drew their weapons on him. With the robe things circling them, and they don’t even flinch.
Zack stands before them and lets out a sigh. “Boy, oh boy...” He shakes his head.
“The price of freedom is steep.” He looks back and just smiles. He knew this could be a possibility. But he made his peace with it. Now all he could do is take out as many as he could, and hope Cloud will survive.
Zack slowly reaches for Angeal’s sword and draws it then holds it in front of him.
“Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens... Protect your honor...” He lowers the sword. “...as SOLDIER!”
Zack charges at them. “Come and get it!” Zack swings the Buster Sword.
Cloud eyes snapped open after seeing that. For a moment he forgot how to breathe. Then he turns to Aerith and sees the same shocked eyes. She saw it too. Zack’s final stand. But why did the Whispers show them that. He turns back to Sephiroth who is facing the Whispers and cuts through them. Creating a hole in them.
Sephiroth turns back to the group only looking at Cloud. “I’m waiting, Cloud.” He enters the hole.
Cloud stood still watching him vanish in the portal. Then he follows. Only to be stopped by Aerith.
“This is the point of no return.” She tells him. She lets go and approaches the portal. Using her mystical powers, she turns the dark portal bright then turns back to the group. “Destiny’s crossroads.”
“Why did you stop me?” Cloud asked. Why stop him only to change the portal?
Aerith looks uncertain. “I’m not really sure.”
“What will we find on the other side?” Tifa asks.
Aerith turns to the portal. “Freedom. Boundless, terrifying freedom. Like a great, never-ending sky.” She turns back to them.
“What you heard just now were the voices of the planet.” Aerith explains. “Those born into this world. Who lived and who died. Who returned. They’re howling in pain.”
“Because of Sephiroth?” Cloud asked wondering if he’s the one causing all this.
Aerith nods. “They... Their words... they don’t reach him.” She hesitates. “All these moments and memories, precious and fleeting...they’re like rain rolling off his back. And when they’re gone, he won’t cry, or shout, or anything.”
“He’d tell you that he only cares about the planet.” She goes on. “That he’d do everything in his power to protect and preserve it. But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.” Aerith clenched a fist the looks at the group pleadingly.
“There’s no greater threat to the planet than him. Sephiroth has to be stopped. He has to be. And that’s why...” Aerith looks down. “I’m asking you to help me. I know that together we can do this. But if we do...” She turns back to the portal. “We’ll be changing more than fate itself.”
“If we succeed...if we win...we’ll be changing ourselves. I guess...maybe, that’s why I hesitated.” Aerith finished. And when she did the Whispers screeched again.
The group looked at the portal, unsure what to do. One they could turn back and follow whatever path the Whispers have for them. Or they could go through and face an uncertain future. Predated by them instead of the planet.
“You said it yourself. He has to be stopped.” Cloud spoke up. “So we go through.”
“Never tried to challenge destiny.” Tifa muses as she stands with them after thinking.
“This could well be her last line of defense. It won’t be easy.” Red said joining them.
“Let’s go.” Cloud said. With that they go through one by one except for Barret who hangs back.
“Wouldn’t be the first time I spit in destiny’s eye.” He comments pointing his gun. “Whether you can see the seams or you can’t...doesn’t change that she’s always trying to have her way.” He turns to the city. “Daddy’s coming home real soon, honey!”
With that Barret turns back and goes through the portal.
The group made it to the other side and find themselves facing Midgar with no Whispers around them.
“Don’t know about you but looks normal to me.” Barret says sarcastically.
“Over there!” Aerith said looking at the sky.
They see the Whispers form into a purple darkness. Then they turned into a tornado heading towards the group.
“Okay, that ain’t right!” Barret exclaims.
The group tried to run as it started to take parts of the city. Only to stop when finding another coming behind them. The tornados cornered the group and blew them away from each other.
As Cloud is blown into the sky, he sees the tornados form around Midgar and tears it apart. The Whispers gathered together and merged into what looked like a harbinger monster. It howls and gathers debris with a black portal and throws them at Cloud, who dodges and defects them. Cloud landed on pieces of broken roads that are levitating by the giant Whisper. He finds Tifa and Barret surrounded by Whispers. He jumps down to them and sends the Whispers off.
“You’re alive!” Barret said.
“Oh, so now your happy to see me?” Cloud asks but gives a smirk.
“Wouldn’t go that far.” Barret smirks back.
Cloud turns back the giant Whisper. “So that thing...that’s a Whisper too?”
“Looks more like an ‘arbiter of fate’ than the others.” Barret replies.
“We can beat them.” Tifa says confidently.
As if the arbiter responded as well, summoning three smaller ones to surround them. Each one had weapons that matched the three of them. A red one with a sword, a green with claw like fits, yellow with twin guns.
“Bring it on!” Barret exclaims as they face their opponents.
Cloud, Tifa and Barret fought their respective opponents. Till they disappeared and the arbiter sent a gust of wind at the group. They ran to another area, where Cloud almost falls from a collapsing road. Tifa and Barret saved him as the Whisper trio returned. The group deals some damage to the trio till the arbiter makes them disappear again and attacks the group. Barret clears a path, they slide down a destroyed highway and the Whisper with the sword appears alone and attacks them. The group defeated it once more, hurting the arbiter in the process.
“Did we do it?” Barret asks.
Hang on!” Aerith and Red show up.
The arbiter begins to regrow its destroyed arm while sending five lights to the group. They reached their minds and showed them Red with two others like him running.
“What the hell did I just see?” Barret asked as they turned to Red.
Red hesitates. “A glimpse of tomorrow if we fail here today.”
The arbiter attacks the group while they were distracted. Separating them, Cloud, Barret and Red on one side, Tifa and Aerith on the other. The Whispers of Barret and Tifa appeared before the Cloud’s group, while the one they thought they had defeated appeared before Tifa and Aerith.
“Damnit! How do we stop these things!?” Barret asks.
“Well, the big one is way over there.” Red gestures to the arbiter.
“But these guys are right here.” Cloud interjects as the Whispers attack them.
Both groups fought off the Whispers, till they once more defeated them. It hurts the arbiter once more and sends another vision towards the group. This one shows a meteorite falling to the planet.
“This can’t be our future...” Tifa said shocked.
While she and Aerith were distracted by the Whisper, they were facing lunges at them. Cloud appeared and blocked its attack and forced it to retreat.
“The future is always a blank page.” Aerith said as the trio Whispers returned.
“Them again?” Barret shouts exasperated. “The least they could do is give us a little breather!”
“What do we do?” Tifa asked concerned.
“We split up.” Cloud suggests. “Take them down at the same time.
“In that case, ultra big boy’s all mine.” Barret said. He leaves along with Red to find another spot.
Cloud, Tifa and Aerith faced the trio of Whispers. The latter’s transformed into a darker version of Bahamut. The formers were able to split them back to their forms with the help of the Ifrit summon materia Jessie gave to Cloud. The group defeats the trio one by one, as Barret shoots at the arbiter with help from Red, preventing it from summoning them. As they destroy them, the group experience more visions. One showed Cloud fighting Sephiroth, another one Cloud saw before, of someone praying and a materia falling into water, the last showed person lowering someone in pond. When the last one was defeated, the arbiter exploded in blinding lights that engulfed the group.
The group finds itself in an area bathed in light, with water under their feet.
“Where are we?” Cloud asks Aerith but she shakes her head.
“I’m waiting, Cloud.”
Cloud snaps around hearing Sephiroth’s voice. The area begins to turn orange.
What the hell is this!?” Barret asked.
“This is-” Red begins to say but was cut off by a huge fireball above them.
Looking up, they see Sephiroth appear and absorb the fireball. The area returned to floating debris of Midgar and Sephiroth finished absorbing the fireball and drew his sword. He raised his hand and had the Shinra building float over him before throwing it at them and separating them.
Cloud falls then sees a train coming at him. Drawing the Buster Sword, he cuts through it and other debris till he lands on a platform. Turning around he sees Sephiroth descend on the platform and readies his sword. Cloud does the same.
“This time I’ll make sure your dead.” Cloud said before clashing his sword with his.
Sephiroth just smirks as always. “Fate is not to be taken likely, Cloud.” He pushes him back.
Shut up!” Cloud snaps and attacks again.
Cloud attacks Sephiroth with all his might, but he hardly made Sephiroth move, only blocking with his sword. Sephiroth gained the upper hand and knocks Cloud to another platform. After rolling, Cloud looks up to see rubble forming together by Sephiroth who sends it towards him. Before Cloud could react, Tifa came and delivered a powerful kick and destroyed it.
“Need some help?” She asked.
“Don’t know about need...” Cloud would prefer her safe but knows there’s nowhere here that is safe. They turn back to Sephiroth as he lands in front of them.
“You ready for this?” Cloud asked Tifa.
“You know it!” Tifa declares.
With that, the two Nibelheim survivors faced their hometown’s murderer. Even with the two of them, Sephiroth still hardly moves, but they are able to land a few hits on him. They entered a stalemate. Sephiroth then has a black wing produced from his back. Sephiroth sends the two of them back to another platform, with a dark energy that held them down. He holds his sword in Cloud’s face. But before he could strike, a small fireball struck Sephiroth, forcing him back. The dark energy dispelled and allowed Cloud and Tifa to see their savior.
“Aerith!” Tifa said in relief.
“Sorry I’m late!” She replies.
They turned back to Sephiroth and engaged him. With Aerith throwing spells at him made him put in a bit more effort. Sephiroth tried to create a super nova fireball with the Whispers to crush them on. But the group distracted him from fully casting the spell till they managed to strike him hard enough to dispel his attack. Sephiroth then summons Whispers and sends them at the group. Bullets interject them before they get close.
“Barret!” Tifa said when they turned to see him behind them. Red also rejoins them.
“Welcome back!” Aerith said and Red smirks in response.
They turned back to Sephiroth as he regained his strength.
“We can do this.” Aerith says. “We can change it-make it right!”
Sephiroth jumps up to another platform, sending out more Whispers. Aerith attacks with a lightning storm spell, Red uses his claws, Tifa her fist. Cloud takes the chance to go after Sephiroth as Barret covers him. Cloud jumps onto floating debris, cutting down Whispers that got close. He makes to the last debris and leaps at Sephiroth bringing the Buster Sword down on him. But Sephiroth blocks it with his sword and the Whispers circling around him exploded in a bright light.
Cloud finds himself falling towards Sephiroth on a barren rock. He lands after a flip and on his knee. Before he could stand, he experienced another headache. Only for it stop when Sephiroth grabs his hand.
“Careful now.” Sephiroth says. “That which lies ahead...does not yet exist.”
Cloud looked at him confused before shrugging him off and jumps away from him. Sephiroth turns to look at the stars behind him.
“Our world will become a part of it...one day.” He says. “But I... Will not end.” He pauses. “Nor will I have you end.”
“What the hell are you talking about? What is this?” Cloud asked.
Sephiroth turns to him. “The edge of creation.” He replies then approaches him. Cloud couldn’t find himself to back away.
“Cloud, lend me your strength.” Sephiroth held out his hand. “Let us defy destiny...together.”
He continues to hold out his hand. Cloud for a moment almost felt the impulse to take his hand, but he quickly pushed the feeling down. Stepping back, drawing the Buster Sword again.
“After everything you did.” Cloud begins looking straight into his eyes. “My hometown, my mother, Tifa, Zack... Never.”
Sephiroth surprisingly looked disappointed, then brushes it off and readies his sword. They stood tense for a moment before Cloud charged. He delivers four strikes that Sephiroth blocks and knocks him back. Cloud goes around and lunges at him. Sephiroth blocks his attacks as he tried any angle and fake attacks. Pushing Cloud once more causing him to rush at him again and blade locks with him.
“Not yet.” Sephiroth said and pushed him back again.
Before Cloud could react, Sephiroth charges at him faster than he did and struck Zack’s sword out of his hands and cut off half of his right pauldron without hitting the skin. It lands a few feet away. Cloud stood there defenseless and waited for the finishing blow. But Sephiroth leans close.
“Seven seconds to the end.” He said, making Cloud think that’s how long he’ll make him wait. “Time enough for you. Perhaps.” He then whispers in his ear. “But what will you do with it? Let’s see.”
Cloud on instinct turns around but finds Sephiroth gone and a black feather in his place. Cloud stood there looking at the stars. Wondering what he meant.
Back in the Shinra building, Rufus Shinra looks over the city from his father’s former office, which at last is now his.
“Mister Vice President.” Heidegger addressed him but he ignored him.
“Mister President.” Tseng said.
Rufus turns to him. “That’s right.” He said and moved to ‘his’ desk smirking at Heidegger’s displeasure.
Reeve, Palmer and Scarlet all stood lined up in front the desk, joined by Heidegger. Rufus takes a moment before sitting down with Tseng behind him.
“Now, unto business.” Rufus begins. “What do we know about Sephiroth’s sudden return?”
In Hojo’s lab, scientists and security were scrambling around the drum dealing with the mess in the drum. Hojo stood before the tank that once housed his life work was gone. But instead of anger, all there was is glee and joy, making him laugh maniacally.
Zack leaned on the Buster Sword exhausted just a little bit. He had never fought like this before. He had expected to be down by now, but surprisingly he could still fight another thousand troops. Looking up, expecting to see more of them coming at him. Instead, all he saw were dead troops and silence other than the burning of helicopters.
“Wait... Was that all of ‘em?” He says to himself. Utterly shocked to be the last one standing. He turns to the spot where he hid Cloud and moves to get back to him, using the Buster Sword for support.
“Hey Cloud. You see that?” Zack said.
An explosion happens behind him, knocking him off his feet. He looks up, expecting the army surprising him, but sees Midgar now engulfed in bright light, replacing the robe things till it fades and the city is seen again. Zack stands up and puts the Buster Sword on his back and stares at the glimmering lights around him. Wondering and concerned if it's a good or bad.
Back in the slums people of Sector 7 started to clear the debris and rebuild what they could With Marle supervising. That’s when they notice glimmering lights falling from the sky, causing them to look in wonder and confusion. In Sector 5 people were wondering the same thing. While in the orphanage a man wakes up, feeling pain instead of being dead.
“What...?”
In Aerith’s house, Marlene was watering flowers in the guest bedroom.
“Marlene!” Elmyra calls.
“Coming!” Marlene responds and makes for the door. But stops feeling something from behind her. “Daddy...?” She runs up to the window seeing flowers soar through the air by the wind.
“Marlene!”
In the wasteland surrounding, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red look back at the city.
“I’ll come back.” Barret promises his daughter.
“What now?” Tifa asks Aerith who only shakes her head in response. They turned to Cloud who's holding a black feather.
“Sephiroth.” Cloud clenched the feather, causing it to fade.
“He’s still out there.”
“I thought you beat him.” Barret said, not in a condescending way.
Cloud shakes his head.
“We can.” Cloud turns to Aerith. “We will.” She repeats what she said before. That all of them together can they defeat Sephiroth.
Tifa walks up. “Count me in.”
“If it's to be a hunt, you could use a nose like mine.” Red decides to continue to help them.
Barret stood uncertain, before turning after shaking his head.
“I’m in too!” He decides. “Bastard wants to destroy the whole planet, doesn’t he? An enemy of hers is an enemy of Avalanche!” Barret declares sticking with his convictions to defend the planet.
Cloud could only smile gratefully in response. Even if he would prefer to do this alone, he knows he’ll never get anywhere without help.
Suddenly it began to rain. It was raining like this the last time Cloud was out here. When Zack died. Looking back down to get a move on, he for a moment saw Zack and himself in the fog ahead of him.
“Almost there, Cloud.” He hears Zack say. Though he can’t recall it happening like this. “We’re almost there.”
Cloud shakes his head thinking it’s just the ghost of the past, haunting him as it always will. Unknown to him, there’s one other person who feels it but says nothing.
Aerith stood quiet not saying anything as always. She looks up at the open sky.
“I miss it. The steel sky.” She laments staring at the sky before joining the others in their pursuit of Sephiroth.