INTERLUDE ONE: VINCENT

 

"Me and Lucrecia as lovers?" Vincent looked at Yuffie with a perplexed eye. "Hardly. She was my sister."

 

"WHAT! Okay now how the FUCK is this day going to get any stranger." Cid's cig fell from his mouth. "That is it, everyone sit the HELL down. I want to know what the fuck is going on! Explain, you first Vincent." The pilot then pointed at Tifa, "Then you better make your reason for making Mr Clean over there talk a God damn good one, Tifa."

 

Vincent sat at the table with his eyes closed. This was going to be hard.

 

***

 

"My sister and I were orphaned very young. A gang massacre left her to take care of me. I joined SOLDIER at 14 to help her pay for school. I was inducted into the Turks when she graduated from College. She met Hojo when she came on as an assistant in the labs." Disgust flooded his voice, "She was so in love."

 

"Vincent he asked me out!" She jumped up and hugged her brother. "He likes me!" Her dark pony tail bounded up and down as she jumped like a school girl. It was hardly becoming behavior for a scientist at Shinra

 

Vincent looked up from his case file with a snort. "He's a creep like the rest of them Lucy." Lucrecia made a face and punched his arm

 

"Don't call me Lucy, Vinnie."

 

" Don't call me Vinnie, Lucy."

 

"Vinnie-poo." she taunted in a baby voice.

 

In mock anger Vincent Valentine slammed the files on the coffee table "I've killed for less." He picked her up and thrust her over his shoulder. He began to walk to the front door with her "Maybe there will be someone out there who would be willing to buy you in wall market."

 

Lucrecia started kicking and laughing. "If you sell me, then who will protect my baby brother?"

 

Vincent made a face as he sat down his sister. "Baby brother? I am a foot taller then you, toots."

 

"Only nine inches hot shot." She looked at the clock "OH I gotta get ready!"

 

 

"He asked her to marry him of course. She was a gorgeous bride. His money paid for everything. I had never seen her so radiant, so- so happy. As much as Hojo made my very skin crawl Lucrecia loved him. She grew more beautiful with that love."

 

"When I was 18 she brought an experiment to my apartment. She was crying, angry with herself...."

 

 

Vincent went to the door, as he opened it Lucrecia rushed in with a thin red headed girl. "Vincent help me!" He took the younger woman from her as Lucrecia closed the door. "I just did something horrid to Peter."

 

"Clam down! Who is this and what is going on?"

 

Lucrecia wrung her hands and sobbed. "He wanted her destroyed. I- I-I couldn't do it. She's been through nothing but pain her whole life. She's been neutralized, she's harmless. Please, she just needs a chance to have a real life."

 

 

"I was always a sucker for her crying. So I agreed. We named the girl Suzanna, and she was nice to have around." The dark Turk looked up at the sky as if he wanted it to fall on him. He took a deep breath and sat there for a while. "I need coffee."

 

"I'll get it." Reeve moved quickly, he already knew this story.

 

"GET ON WITH IT!" Cid yelled, he lit another cigarette with intensity.

 

"Suzanna was more then just nice to have around. She refused to let me be 'cranky' as she lovingly put it. She was so humane, so honest, so beautiful. I was used to attractive women, my sister always had cute friends and I was a Turk. But Suzi was something else. Her smile could light up my worst day." Vincent sighed again in longing. "Her eyes were so green, she was perfection. I feel in love with her."

 

 

"Vinnie, come on smile." The red head put her face in front of Vincent's. She then snagged the paper he had been reading and darted across the room.

 

"You little viper! Get back here!" Vincent wasn't really angry, she knew that.

 

"Make me Vinnie." He rushed her, but she was much faster then the Turk. "Slow poke," she jabbed him in the side as she spoke. Before Vincent could react Suzanna was across the room again.

 

"Don't call me Vinnie."

 

"Why?" She was honestly curious about it. Vincent hadn't expected the question.

 

"Because I don't like it. It isn't my name."

 

"Well Vincent isn't your first name either." She reasoned, placing her hands on her trim, shapely hips.

 

"Okay so it isn't. " Vincent tore his eyes from those hips. "Its part of my name."

 

She pretended not to notice him staring. "So is Vinnie" she stuck out her tongue. Vincent found himself wondering how she could make even that movement sexy.

 

"No where is 'Vinnie' in the name Vickaler Vincent Valentine." he crossed his arms over his chest and Suzanna laughed. "What?"

 

"You are so cute when you pout, Vic."

 

 

"She was unexplainable." He shook his head, "she made me feel like I could do anything."

 

"Vic, you okay?" It had been a very tough day for him that day. As much as he wanted to, he could not pretend that he wasn't killing people for a living. Vincent felt like a monster. No matter what he had to do for Shinra, he couldn't help but smile as Suzanna beamed at him. Her smile was a lighthouse in the fog of his life. She made Shinra and that world seem to fade. He sat on the couch.

 

"I guess." He put his head in his hands. "How can I stop from feeling like a monster?"

 

She slid beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. It felt good to have her so close to him. She believed in him, Vincent needed her. "I couldn't tell you that Vic, I'm not even human. So I am told." He snapped his head up at that. How could such an amazing woman not be human?

 

"You are more human then any one I have worked for." Vincent said earnestly. They were suddenly kissing. They drew to each other like separate poles on a magnet. It escalated to them on the floor, Vincent over her. "I think I love you, Suzanna."

 

 

"We were married, just a year after that Reeve caught wind of Hojo cheating on Lucrecia. I was furious with him when I found his wedding band at the Honey Bee Inn. I showed it to her outside the Shinra mansion."

 

 

Lucrecia and Vincent were walking through Nibelheim, she clung to his arm weakly. "I feel so sick Vincent, my stomach won't settle."

 

"The shop is just over there. Are you going to be Okay?" He left her sitting at the front gate. She looked around very sadly and waited. She stood up slowly as her brother returned. "Here." He watched her drink the tonic with a look of pity, "Lucrecia, I know you told me to keep my nose out of your business with Peter, but I can't let this slide." Vincent took out a wedding band. Lucrecia stared at it blankly.

 

"Lucrecia and Peter Hojo, always and forever...." She started to cry, "Where did you find this?"

 

"The Honey Bee Inn. Listen, you don't need him. Divorce the-"

 

"I can't! I am pregnant Vincent!" Shaking her head furiously she ran from Vincent to ask Hojo the truth.

 

 

"I looked all over for her, I was worried that she would do something to hurt herself. I found her at the gate, with Hojo. He had apparently smooth talked her into staying after he found out she was pregnant." He looked at Reeve, "You asked me how I could stand it, remember? My beautiful sister being strung along by that psycho. The more Suzanna told me about him the more I hated him. And all I said was 'If she is happy then I don't mind.' I just stood there and watched him lie to my sister. The only person who kept me alive when I was a child. The one person that had all of my respect, I just stood there...." His voice trailed off.

 

"You don't have to explain any more Vincent." Tifa said tearfully.

 

"No, I have to finnish this." The dark ex-Turk took a deep breath and another sip of coffee. "When she told me that Hojo wanted to use her as an experiment I was outraged."

 

 

"After all that Suzi has explained to you! After all that you have seen him do!" Vincent paced the room in Icicle Inn. "You would let him do this?"

 

"I am aware of what I am doing Vincent. It is perfectly harmless, and it could save people millions. Imagine never having to give your child a flu shot, or having to sit though chicken pox. They are little things, but it is a start." She was sitting on the bed, looking very strained. "I hate it when you two fight, please."

 

 

"Yet again I stood by and did nothing. Oh sure, I fought with him, I made her cry. But in the end I let it happen. When Sephiroth was born Hojo told her that the baby died in birth. He called Lucrecia all sorts of names, but she was my sister. She was strong. She divorced him and came to live with me and Suzi for a few years. Six years to be exact with you. That's when Reno was born. I was proud of him, I still am proud of him." That earned a snort from Barette. "There is just this feeling that you get when you hold your child, Lucrecia never got to feel that..." Vincent sighed, he looked over to Rude, "give me a smoke?"

 

The bald man tossed the pack over, no one dared to even breathe to loudly as Vincent lit his first cigarette in over twenty years. "Thank you, " Vincent said as the smoke blew out his nose.

 

 

"Its a boy!" Vincent was too elated to be calm. He jumped with Lucrecia in the hospital. "Renald Vickaler Valentine."

 

The young doctor leaned in the waiting room door. A big smile on his face for the new father. "They are ready to see you Mr. Valentine."

 

It was all he could do not to bounce into the room like a five year old. Lucrecia laughed at him. As Vincent held the little boy, a tear worked it's way into his eye. "Renald." was all he said. He looked over to his red headed wife. "I love you so much Suzanna." She smiled at him, never had they been so happy, so in love.

 

 

"I suppose that seeing all of that made her curious. She went to Icicle Inn the next week, never to return. I got the call that she was dead, I knew it was Hojo. I confronted him against Suzi's wishes."

 

 

"Where is she you monster!" Vincent was inches from the doctor.

 

"You dare insult me? You damn slum born cur! She is dead! Haven't you seen enough dead bodies, Turk?!"

 

"If you didn't do anything to her what harm will there be in letting me say good-bye to my own sister!?" Vincent had enough of Hojo, he moved forward. Hojo pulled out a gun from his lab coat and shot.

 

 

"I should have seen it coming a mile away. That son of a bitch shot me like I was some fish in a barrel. Point blank in the stomach. I fell to the ground in a pool of my own blood. Thank whatever powers had control that day. I woke up on the operating table very much unrestrained. My left arm hurt, it felt like it was asleep, there was also a sharp pain. I just stared at my hand, I was clueless. I reached my fists to the sky, pleading for help. Then I thought about my family. I had to go to them."

 

 

Vincent rushed into his apartment, clinging his left arm. "Suzi get Reno we have to go!" She didn't ask any questions, she only grabbed the baby and a bag. Hojo was waiting with over a dozen SOLDIERS just outside the door. When Suzanna saw him she started shaking. Vincent stood in between the mad man and his family.

 

"Well, so this is something I wasn't expecting." Hojo smiled. "Very interesting. Take the baby alive." A car squealed though the troops. Reeve and Scarlet jumped out.

 

"Get out of here sir!" Reeve yelled. Suzanna got into the car with Reno. Vincent looked at his partner, hesitant to leave him. "Move it Vince! You have more important things to worry about then us."

 

"Yeah, we can take care of ourselves," Scarlet confirmed.

 

Tseng drove them to a hotel in the slums. Suzanna sat on the bed, still trembling. "Vic, don't let him take Reno, please anything is better then what they do there...." She sobbed uncontrollably.

 

"Tseng go report to the president; let him know that Hojo's off his blasted rocker." The young Wutain saluted and left. Vincent kneeled next to Suzi, he took one of her hands in his. "I have to go make sure that they are alright. I will be back."

 

"How do I know that Vic?" She fell to the ground with him. Vincent hugged his family tight and vowed to protect them.

 

"I want to come back." He left his navy blue hoodie on the chair and left his wife, never to see her again.

 

 

"I didn't make it." Vincent snuffed out the cigarette and lit another before the smoke from the first even cleared. "I would rather not get into the rest, if you all don't mind. When I saw Reno I knew he was my son, but there was nothing that I could do at that time. Other then an apology on my part I haven't spoken to him. I want to, but I feel ashamed. Part of me can't bare to hear how Suzi died, or what he has had to do to survive. If I would have listened to Suzi, then maybe none of this would have happened to him. I let him down more then I let Lucrecia and Suzi down. I don't even know where to begin. I never got to tell any of then good-bye."

"He's understanding, Vincent." Tifa responded ignoring another snort from Barette.

 

"I have to face that I blew it, Tifa."

 

 

MOVEMENT THREE: COMING TOGETHER

 

Reno sat with his head against the wall. Cloud was sleeping about a foot away from him, having a nightmare. I feel you there man. Reno felt a wave of pity for the hero. He knew what it felt like to be thrown into something that you never asked for and then expected to work miracles. Reno shivered as his eyes scanned the cell. Claustrophobia moved about him like an anaconda, choking him. The red head took a deep breath and then it dawned on him, This is Hojo's second lab's holding cell. FUCK. The mad doctor had one large cell crafted in a stone room in one of the old service corridors to his hidden lab. Reno remembered the twisting stairwells, but he also remembered the way out. Just a matter of getting by Amazon and Pale Face.

 

Cloud whimpered and tossed more, the nightmare was getting worse. Reno couldn't just let him lay there like that, he shook Cloud gently, "Hey man wake up."

 

"Ahh!" Cloud sat blot up with a start. He blinked and looked owlishly around the room.

 

"You were having a nightmare, I thought that I should wake you." Reno said flatly.

 

Cloud flopped next to Reno with a heavy sigh, "thank you." He stared at Reno for a moment. "Why?" was all he asked.

 

"Why what?" Reno didn't look at Cloud, he continued to examine the door across the room.

 

"Why did you become a Turk?"

 

"Oh." Reno looked at the ground, he had never been asked that. He didn't know how to respond. Especially to a guy he wasn't all that fond of.

 

"Money?" Cloud asked as Reno continued to stare at the floor.

 

"Fuck you." Reno spat, "you think that I wanted to whore myself out to them? You think that I asked for this? Is that it? That I was such a low life already that I just took the next step?"

 

"Your the one who admits you're a whore. I didn't even have to accuse this time. Your a damn coward too for always running away from us and not finishing-" Reno threw a punch to Cloud's jaw stopping the blond from speaking. Cloud threw himself over onto the red head. Now that they were in close and on the floor, Cloud had a distinct advantage with weight and strength. He got in four hard punches to Reno's face before the Turk got his foot under the blond's hips and kicked. Cloud was flipped off Reno, his back slammed against the wall.

 

Reno rolled to his feet and wiped the blood off his mouth. "What would you do Strife? I have a child to think about! I told them they could just have killed me, but that wasn't an option. They threatened my daughter! I was in this fucking lab when Rufus gave me the choice. In the glass tube, with the blood on the floor. Hojo was crazy! Anything was better then that, I would think that you would understand."

 

"So sell yourself out like that?" Cloud growled from the floor.

 

"If I have to fuck and kill to keep Trigger from having to then I will." Reno slid down the wall back to the ground. "Damn hypocrite. What would you choose if you had to live those five years again?"

 

The blond man glared at Reno, he didn't need to be reminded of Hojo, he saw the psycho everytime he tried to sleep without medication. Cloud had no idea what having a child would be like. Barret had been near tears under the outburst when Marlene was kidnapped. He could hear the desperation in Reno's voice as the red head spoke about his daughter. I would have agreed to save myself, without a child to think about. Cloud shook his head to rid the thought, but it was too late. What right did he have to judge? Reno was only protecting his daughter.

 

He took in Reno's words slowly, if I had the choice? Holy, he is right." Cloud took a deep breath, "I'm sorry Reno, I would have done the same thing."

 

Reno nodded, "you didn't know."

 

So maybe he isn't so bad, both men thought.

 

***

 

The group sat in silence, not even Cid spoke. Yuffie poked Rude in the side as something caught her eye near the truck. Rude got up to check on Reno's daughter. Suzanna screamed making Rude break out into a run, he ran to the truck as the girl scrambled out of it. When Rude turned around the front of the vehicle, he came face to face with a woman. "It's her!" the child yelled as she ducked behind Vincent. The woman moved her hand to one of the katana's on her hip. The others were frozen in shock. This woman stood as tall as the 6'6" Rude, her eyes burned an amused but piercing green. Rude backed up a step and slid into a fighting stance. She smiled, "you think that I am going to waste my time playing with you? Give me the child."

 

"Over my dead body." Rude growled in a voice that usually made his opponents wet themselves.

 

She smirked, "Okay then," as she spoke she removed her katana belt and threw both it and her cape on the hood of the car. "If you insist." Her powerful form moved into a fighting stance, but she only held it for a moment. The tall woman moved forward throwing fast jabs at Rude, who blocked quickly and skillfully.

 

Rude attacked, but the woman grabbed the big Turk's fist. Rude wasn't as stunned by the move as she had anticipated, he threw a left hook; putting all of his 295 pounds into it. The punch hit her directly in the side of her face, forcing her to let go of his hand. She fell to a crouching position. Then the woman shot up, grabbing Rude by the neck and lifting him off the ground with one arm. "Well now, that was impressive, for a human." Rude's hands were on hers, trying to break her hold. "But you are still a human, I could end your pathetic life right now." she shook him to emphasize her point. Rude began gasping for air as she spoke. "But that just wouldn't be sporting of me." She threw Rude a good seven feet backwards, he laid coughing at Yuffie's feet.

 

"Rude!" Yuffie dropped to the big man's side. She touched his neck gently. Then the ninja glared at the super human female, "You bitch!" She snapped jumping to her feet.

 

"Touching, you should be thankful I left your boyfriend alive little one." the woman huffed. "I have little time, give me the child and leave."

 

Vincent was not in the mood to deal with this, not after all that he had just been forced to remember. He moved in front of Rude and Yuffie. "Where is Reno?" Vincent's voice was as icy as the woman's as he spoke.

 

"The halfling is safe, the hero is keeping him company. As long as they don't kill each other they will be fine." She laughed again and turned to Tifa. "It seems that there are some strong feelings there wouldn't you say sparrow?" Tifa's eyes narrowed, making the woman smile.

 

"What do you mean halfling?" Yuffie asked as she helped the bald man to his feet, boyfriend? Rude?

 

"You fools honestly think that he is human? Now for the last time, the girl."

 

"You won't be taking Trigger with you." Vincent said

 

The woman's face remained impassive, "Must sting badly to have your whole life ripped from you and tossed back into your face in shambles. A bit late for being paternal don't you think Valentine?"

 

Vincent allowed his temper loose, when he spoke again Chaos' voice could be heard just under his own. "I warn you only once more."

 

Shock spread over the woman's beautiful, yet cruel face. "Chaos?" She backed up to the hood of the truck again.

 

Vincent Valentine was almost gone when Chaos spoke again, "it has been ages Yrene. Human form does you justice."

 

She seemed insulted by the comment, "Serving a human master? Or are you reduced to residing in corpses?" Yrene taunted

 

"Mock me again daughter of Odin! See what shall happen!" Chaos's wings broke free from Vincent's back with a sickening popping of bone and muscle.

 

Without another word Yrene snapped her fingers and vanished in a flash of light. Vincent hit his knees, the wings withdrew, leaving his tee-shirt in tatters, the blue black flesh faded away to his true pale shade. The ex-Turk coughed out blood and sunk further to the ground, his demon pushed back into his subconscious.

 

Rovina and Nanaki had Trigger huddled in between them. "That was a centra summon demon!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Cid asked walking over to Vincent cautiously with Barret. They helped him back up to his feet. "What do you mean damnit?!"

 

"I don't know where to start. Lets get rest, Tifa can explain over breakfast then I shall tell you what I can while we are working."

 

***

 

The pale eyed man swirled the coffee in his cup. He didn't exactly like the beverage, but he was bored. Yrene stormed into their "apartment". It was a lab room, but they had converted it to suit their needs. Seeing an opportunity to alleviate his boredom, he took a verbal jab at her. "Yrene, you seem to have lost the oracle again."

 

"Not in the mood Apollyon. The majesty seems to have neglected a few very choice details in our little mission." She sat across from him, "brother you are not actually drinking that human slop are you?"

 

"Hardly," He tipped the cup again and let the liquid hit the floor. "You know that we will get the oracle sooner or later. Her father will just bring her to us. Human form has left you very unagreeable."

 

"Brother will you listen to me!? There is much more to this then we were told."

 

"Like what? The humans frighten you, sister?"

 

"Chaos." She said intently.

 

The cup fell to the floor. "Did he recognize you?" She nodded. "What was he doing with humans? He detests the wretched things."

 

"He is residing in the halfling's father. Apparently Sillian's attachment to him meant enough for Chaos." A wicked smile crossed her face. "I have been thinking about him, the halfling. He has no idea how much power he is sitting on."

 

"I know where this is going Yrene, keep your hormones in check."

 

"Imagine, if I have a child from him, it will be only a fourth human and it will be unbound by our laws and restraints. Our power without having to be summoned, without the damn orbs that bind us to that lunatic."

 

Apollyon smiled with his sister, "a child that could hold the orbs. We could be free to do as we please." Another thought crossed his mind, "The hero has been connected to Jenova. We could bond Havoc to him, that would take care of Chaos." He picked the cup up. "I didn't have faith in that old centra hack writing anyway. I would much rather allow our race back to the world. Humans could be phased out in a few hundred centuries. Demons and aeons will have their rightful places."

 

"Father would not agree, neither would lord Leviathan or king Bahamut. They are overprotective of the human pests."

 

"But are they here sister?" Apollyon began to laugh.

 

She laughed with him. "No, they are not now are they."

 

***

 

Yuffie was with Rude in the room they were using in the Highwind. They had to double up with the rooms. Barret and Cid were none too pleased with Yuffie's choice of a room mate for the night. She didn't care, Rude's neck was bruised from that strangle hold the woman had on him. Yuffie didn't want to leave him alone. She sat on the bed with Rude sitting in between her legs on the floor. His soft gray shirt was next to her. Yuffie was enjoying the view immensely, but only her blush gave that away. She was putting medicine on the sides of his neck where the woman's nails broke the skin.

 

"I can't believe she picked you up like that. I am worried, Rude."

 

"Me too." The big man replied. He shivered as the cloth she was using tickled under his arm.

 

"What?" Yuffie asked. Rude didn't talk so she tickled just behind his arm, Rude flinched up. "You're ticklish!"

 

"No," Rude lied, she continued to tickle him until he burst out laughing. "Stop that!"

 

"Not till you say 'Yuffie is the greatest and sexiest ninja in the world.'" She laughed. Rude spun around, grabbing Yuffie's hands as he did so. He pinned her arms behind her back, holding her wrists in one hand. Their faces were just and inch apart.

 

Rude felt a chill up his spine, she wasn't backing away from him. He moved closer to her, "you don't know what you are getting yourself into, Yuffie." he muttered softly. His low rumbling voice made Yuffie's heart flutter and color rise up her cheeks.

 

She slid her foot up the back of his leg. "How about you show me?" She asked as she closed the distance between them. They kissed slowly. Rude let her arms go so his hands could go to her body. Yuffie leaned back and he followed her onto the bed. She let out a slight moan as his mouth moved down to her collar bone. Rude positioned himself to lay next to her.

 

"You sure about this?" He asked, sliding his hand under her shirt. Yuffie put her hand on his chest and pushed Rude over onto his back. She laid on his chest and kissed him, "yes".

 

***

 

Rude woke up slowly. He felt warm breath on his back. Yuffie muttered in her sleep behind him, pulling herself closer and nuzzling her head in between his shoulder blades. The feeling of being held was new to the big Turk. When is the last time anyone held me? He couldn't recall, but he knew he liked the feeling he had at this moment. A sharp pain made him remember where he was. He sat up, rubbing his bruised neck.

 

"Is it morning already?" Yuffie asked, still groggy from sleep. "We are going to the Shinra building today then?"

 

"Yeah and Tifa is going to come clean about all of us." Rude winced as he turned his head to find his pants.

 

"You think that she will admit how close she was to Reno and Trigger?" Yuffie handed the big man his pants.

Rude didn't speak, if she doesn't I will beat him senseless if he takes her back.

 

***

 

Cloud and Reno were sitting side by side. Both looking at the door and trying to keep their minds off of where they were. "Why did you leave Nibelhiem?" Reno asked.

 

"Hated it there." Cloud sighed, "my Mom moved there when she was 17 and pregnant with me. I never knew my dad, if I ever do meet him I am knocking him the fuck out. It was a very conservative town, we weren't welcome. I got sick of it so I left."

 

There was a silence, "and joined SOLDIER?"

 

"No, a biker gang actually." Reno did a double take at the hero, his angelic image now totally ruined. "Yeah." Cloud laughed at Reno's expression. "I was the best drag racer in our little group. I used to race for the tittles ya know. Well I got around to racing these SOLDIERs and Sepiroth was there. He wasn't too pleased when he saw us loading all of his bikes up. He figured I should make up the money I cost him. I figured to run like a squirrel, but he caught me."

 

"The guy was a prick." Reno muttered. "Even the real one was."

 

"Amen." Cloud sighed. "Tifa left me you know."

 

"Did she?" Reno tried to sound uninterested.

 

"She loves you, she always has. I love Aeris." He looked up at the moss covered ceiling. "She was on her way to Junion when I got jumped by the zombie nation."

 

Reno didn't want to smile at that. Tifa had hurt him, he could forgive her for that. She had hurt his daughter, that wasn't so easy to forgive. "Lets concentrate on getting out of here."

 

"Done trying to kill each other?" An icy voice came though the corridor.

 

"Fuck you." Reno snapped.

 

"You keep propositioning me like that I may just take you up on it." She laughed at the face both men made in their cell. "My brother, Apollyon and I are to take you to the majesty. Get up." Neither one moved. "Fighting is useless, you both know it. Now get up and lets go, if you think about running we will break your legs." Reno and Cloud looked at each other and stood. "Much better. Be good boys and this won't be too bad."

 

 

INTERLUDE TWO: TIFA'S CONFESSION

 

Cloud tried not to think as he followed Yrene to wherever they were going. Reno walked silently behind the hero, his intense eyes taking note of every detail possible. Apollyon walked behind Reno thus erasing all ideas of escape. So sure were they that Cloud and Reno would behave that they didn't bother to restrain them at all. It was more unsettling to the prisoners without being at least handcuffed. It was as if they were going because they wanted to. Yrene walked into a lab, Cloud stopped cold. "Move," Apollyon ordered. Reluctantly, Cloud went into the lab.

 

Reno felt a lump rise up in the back of his throat as he looked at two of Hojo's old specimen tubes in the corner of the room. Cloud was shivering beside him. The red head looked to the floor and was immediately sorry that he had done so. The cement was stained a rosy color from Hojo's past victims. Reno would not deny that he was afraid as well. Unconsciously the two men moved closer to each other. Yrene stood at a door across the room, Apollyon remained at the door they had entered from. Reno and Cloud were trapped.

 

"Well, well, long time no see." A familiar voice floated to them, causing them to spin around. "You both look well," A fit of insane giggles erupted from the speaker, Reno felt his hair stand on end. "Much better then the last time I saw you." The figure laughed again at it's prisoner's gaping mouths. "The two men without whom the fall of Sephiroth and Shinra would not be possible." Giggling madly, the speaker sat down on the bloodstained desk, "I owe you both."

 

Cloud and Reno found their voices at the same time, "Rufus!"

 

***

 

Elena took a deep breath as she walked out to the deck of the Highwind. Tifa was the only other person up and about. The brunette was watching the sunrise over the fallen city. It stained the ruins gold, orange and red. All this time, it still looks like a battle field. She walked purposefully up to Tifa. "Tifa?" The other woman turned around, her red rimmed eyes showing more sadness then any words could talk about. "Could I ask you a question?"

 

Tifa turned back to the sunrise, looking at the ground. "Sure," she wrung her hands.

 

"When Tseng died, did he suffer?" The brunette snapped her head over to stare blankly at Elena. "I don't blame you, I don't want to get anything to throw back into your face. I just want to know. I will sleep better at night if I know."

 

Tifa smiled sadly at Elena, she had been expecting an attack, an insult, anything but what she was getting. An honest, needful question. "He was in shock. I don't think that he felt it anymore. You know how he was, always so serious." The brunette put her hand on Elena's shoulder as the blond started to tear up. "I can tell you that he died well, he wasn't alone." Tifa felt herself begin to cry as well.

 

Elena hugged Tifa. "Thank you, I just had to know." Tifa returned the hug. Elena stepped back and looked into her wine toned eyes. "You truly love Reno don't you?" Tifa nodded. "I am behind you Tifa, so is Yuffie and Vince. Don't worry about the past, or what people will think." The blond turned to go. When she was about halfway across the deck she turned around. "Oh and Tifa?" The brunette looked over her shoulder at her. "If you hurt him again I will be forced to change my mind."

 

"Thank you Elena." Tifa said gratefully to the blonde's back.

 

***

 

Barret stretched as he walked off the Highwind. It was going to be a very long day. First he was going to have to put up with Yuffie snuggling up to that Turk and then he was going to actually work with them. The big man walked into the ruins of Midgar, he realized he was in what had been sector seven. He looked up to the sky, I promised you guys that I would get him for you. Jessie, Biggs, Wedge, what am I supposed to do now? Hate for the red headed Turk welled up inside him yet again. He smashed his fist into a piece of the rubble. No matter what Tifa has to say, you killed my friends. You killed them without a second thought. I will get you for that, Reno. A flash of red caught Barret's attention.

 

Suzanna hopped up on what used to be a cement pillar. "You hate me don't you?" Barret blinked at the child for a few moments. She continued sit on the pillar and sadly stared at him.

 

"What reason would I have ta hate ya?" Barret had a soft spot for kids, he felt sorry for Suzanna. With Reno as a father you probably have it bad kid.

 

"You hate Daddy." She said simply.

 

"Yeah I guess I do." He sat down as well, wondering where this was going.

 

"Why?" She hopped down and moved closer to him.

 

"He killed a lot of people, kid. Don't you know what he is?"

 

The little girl shook her head, "he didn't wanna." She sat down next to Barret and sniffled back tears. "It was my fault."

 

"Did he tell you that!" Barret was shocked, I am going to break his fucking worthless neck.

 

"No," she hung her head, hiding her face in waves of red hair. "Daddy told me that man was crazy and that I shouldn't listen to him. But he was right. Daddy was trying to be nice, but he was wrong." Now crying, Suzanna looked up to the big man, "Daddy's a bad liar."

 

"Your dad can not blame you for all the nasty things he did." Barret started. He put his big hand on the child's shoulder. She welcomed the contact.

 

"He didn't. Hojo told me this."

 

"What were you near that man for?"

 

Suzanna moved closer to Barret, "they came into daycare and took me. Shinra told Daddy that they would give me back after the plate dropped. If he didn't then Hojo got me." She started to shake, "it was so scary down there. People were screaming, and I wanted my Daddy. Hojo told me that Daddy, Uncle Rude and everyone else were terrible people. He told me that Daddy was a bad person because he had to worry about me too much."

 

Barret felt more rage for the mad doctor and the Shinra then he had ever thought possible. How could Hojo tell a little child those things? Suddenly he wondered what he would be able to do to protect Marlene. I would do anything for her, she's my daughter. He couldn't feel bad for Reno, but his heart went out to Suzanna. "That isn't true. Your Daddy did what he did because he had too, but it wasn't your fault. It was his."

 

"How?" Such a small question, why would it be so hard to answer.

 

"Because he is the adult." At twenty one years old..... God Damn. Reno was no adult, he was a boy when his daughter was born. How many kids would have left their girlfriends, or made them have an abortion at that age? Barret often felt overwhelmed with Marlene, not with lack of love for the child, but because there was so much to raising a child. And he was 31 when he took Marlene out of Coral. Reno was 15 when his daughter was born. "Where's your momma?" He asked.

 

"She died when I was a baby. I don't 'member her. I kinda wanted Auntie Tifa to be my momma, but she doesn't like us no more."

 

"That isn't true at all. Tifa misses you very much. She's told me so. She's mad at your Daddy."

 

"You can't have one and not the other," the child looked at her shoes. "Try not to hate my Daddy, please?"

 

Barret hugged the little girl. "I'll try,"

 

***

 

The air hung heavy with emotion as the group began to meet in the main room of the Highwind. The first people to enter were Tifa, Elena and Vincent. Tifa was thankful that they sat next to her. She would need support. Barret followed with Suzanna, earning strange looks from the others. The little girl wandered into the next room to play with the computer, she knew that there was going to be a boring adult talk. Reeve and Scarlet came in with Nanaki and Rovina. All four said nothing as they sat down.

 

Cid came in, unusually silent. He had been thinking all night. Shera had told him to calm down over the phone, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she and Elmyra and Marlene may be in trouble. They went to Wutai to be on the safe side. Thinking of Wutai made him think about Yuffie. He looked about and felt a bit perturbed that Rude was also MIA. If that son of a bitch-

 

The door came open cutting off Cid's thoughts. Yuffie walked into the room and blushed immediately when she realized how late she was. "Uhm Rude's smoking, he'll be in inna minute." She bit her lip and moved to sit down, hoping that no one noticed her slight difficulty walking. Cid got up, and stormed out the door. Yuffie jumped up to follow him, but Vincent stopped her. "Vince lemme go! He's going to jump Rude's ass!"

 

"And you won't stop him. Getting involved is only going to get Rude mad at Cid." The dark ex-Turk replied. "Rude promised to behave right?"

 

"Yeah, but Cid will just push and push!" She turned to glare at Barret. "I don't know why it's any of anyone's business! He's nice to me, he treats me like an adult. I understand being protective but," she threw her arms in the air and flopped down "GAWD! I will give them ten minutes."

 

***

 

Cid walked up to Rude with a more then slightly pissed off air. "What did you do to her!?" he snapped.

 

Rude had to turn his body around to look at the pilot. His neck hurt to much to move it. He didn't say a word as he puffed on the smoke. You knew this was going to happen. She told you it would. Cid lit his own cigarette and waited. Rude turned away from him.

 

"Listen you shit head you touch her again and I am-" Cid was silenced as Rude spun around and lifted him off the ground by the collar.

 

"You will what?" He puffed on the cigarette with his free hand before speaking again. "Let us get some things strait, Highwind. One: I could curl you if I felt like it, so force is kinda useless. Two: What ever we do together is none of your business. I didn't hurt her, I didn't force her." He sat the pilot down, "Three: She made me promise to be nice to you, so you should thank her later." With that he turned away from Cid to toss his cigg over the railing. He brushed shoulders with the pilot as he entered the Highwind.

 

***

 

When the group had calmed down Reeve turned to Tifa, "well Teef. You going to tell us the truth now?"

 

The brunette nodded, "yeah." She looked around and took a deep breath. "When I was five my mother died. My father was devastated, as a result I spent a lot of time with my master Zangan. Three months after Mom died I went with him to my first tournament. We met another one of his students and Chocobo Bill's. She had a young boy with her. His name was Reno.

 

"His student was Maraih, she was amazing in a fight. She was also a very close friend. Reno was shy, believe it or not. We ended up sneaking out for a swim because we couldn't sleep."

 

 

Reno edged over to Tifa's bed. "Tifa" he whispered "Hey wake up." The girl opened her garnet eyes and looked into Reno's blue ones. "Lets go play."

 

"Now?" She sat up.

 

"Why not?"

 

"Okay." She slipped down to the floor and the two kids ran out the door. "Lets go swimming!" Tifa smiled and ran ahead of Reno. "Betcha can't catch me!"

 

"Really?" Reno dashed for her and grabbed her shoulder. "Tag!" And he darted off. They chased each other to a little pond. Reno stooped down and looked into the water. "I never went swimming before." He saw his reflection, suddenly he frowned and reached a hand to his scarred cheek.

 

"You all right Reno?" Tifa didn't like the change that simply seeing himself had brought on Reno. She sat down next to him and tapped him on the back "Reno?"

 

 

"I thought that I was alone until then. Misery loves company I guess, because he made me feel better. I knew that I could talk to someone. Where he came from didn't matter to me then. Who he was is all that mattered. When he told me about his mom I told him about mine. We were best friends ever since.

 

 

"The guys that killed my mom did these to me. I just don't like seeing them." He said sorrowfully

 

Tifa put her small hand in front of her mouth in a shocked expression. "Reno? I am so- are you okay?" They looked at each other for a few minutes. Tifa bit her bottom lip and softly told him "My mom died about three months ago." Her eyes began to well up with tears. She looked up into Reno's seemingly impassive face, "How do you stop from crying?"

 

"I can't cry. It hurt so much so when I did that I stopped." Suddenly aware of how small they were, the children eked together. "I wish I could cry again sometimes, it made me feel better." He looked up at the sky. "If you want to cry do it, I miss my momma too. It still hurts a lot. I won't say nothin' about it."

 

Tifa hugged her new friend. "Thank you, Reno."

 

He hugged her back. "For what?"

 

"Understanding."

 

 

"We wrote each other at least twice a week. All the kids that skipped school made me so mad, Reno would have killed for the opportunity to go. He has this photographic memory, it really is a crime that he never got an education. He did fine for himself with the church library though."

 

Cid coughed. "Church? Where did he get there?"

 

"Oh, yeah. Mariah lived in a church with one of Master Zangan's friends, Padre. He and Reno fought all the time. As Reno grew older it got worse. Maraih got too sick to work, and the church was not for profit. Shinra taxed the hell out of the slum people. Reno got a job running drugs to keep up with the bills." She looked down, "I begged him to come live with me or master Zangan, but he was so stubborn! Always had to take care of other people, he didn't even think that Padre wanted him around, and he still paid their bills.

 

"When he was fourteen he met this girl, her name was Bethany. She was perfect for him. She made him a much more relaxed and sober person. Trigger was born when he was fifteen. I came to visit, even though Reno begged me not to. Said that the slums were dangerous. I am stubborn too."

 

 

Tifa walked slowly off the train. Her father would have killed her if he knew where she was. He hated Reno. It was more that he was overprotective, Reno wasn't exactly a sterling citizen. But he was still Tifa's closest friend. She looked around for her best friend, he was easy to spot. The tall red head walked up to her swiftly. "comon Teef, let's go before it gets dark." They made their way down the allies, Tifa kept close to Reno. She tried not to pay much attention to the people laying in the trash. A man grabbed her arm.

 

"Hey darl'n how much?" Tifa pulled her arm free and stood gaping at the man. She was appalled at him, he moved closer.

 

Reno was fast, his gun was level with the man's head. Tifa gasped, she had never seen that side of Reno before, "How much is your life worth old man?" The guy backed up quickly.

 

"Wolf! I-I - "

 

Reno narrowed his eyes, "you are leaving".

 

 

"People were afraid of Reno. He was the leader of a gang called Fallen. No one knew his name, they called him the Red Wolf. It was so strange seeing him that way, as someone to fear. He was only trying to get by, to feed his family."

 

Tifa felt emotion well up inside her, she closed her eyes, but tears moved out none the less. "He loved Bethany so much, they were so happy. They had nothing but each other and Trigger. And then she was killed. A rival gang had her executed when Trigger was just a few months old."

 

"Executed?" Barret asked. "You mean-"

 

Tifa nodded, "yes. Reno lost it. He blew the whole place up."

 

"Fuckers deserved it," Rude grumbled.

 

She glared at Reeve. "Mariah didn't take losing Beth well, her illness took over again, she was hospitalized. Hospitals cost, and Reno didn't have it. But the Turks offered it to him. Didn't they Reeve?"

 

"I had no choice in that Tifa." Reeve said in a voice that the other members of Avalanche had never heard him use. His light tenor voice had a bludgeoning effect. Tifa remained undaunted.

 

"He had to kill one guy. That was all so he thought. He had no idea that he wasn't going to get away. I didn't hear from him after that. Padre let us know that Mariah had died, Reno was no where to be found. Padre refused to tell me what had happened. I thought that he was killed." She sniffled more.

 

"He saved me from Neiblehiem. I - I - ." She looked at Rude. "If it hadn't have been for you both...."

 

 

Tifa was barley conscious. She remembered Sephiroth, then she felt hands on her body. She remembered the SOLDIERS, they had used cure materia on her, but she was still not better. Tifa thought that they were taking her to a doctor, but when they removed her torn shirt from her body she realized what they were really thinking. She was too weak to fight them, she whimpered and they laughed at her. They pinched and pulled at her, one moved over her, to remove her skirt when the door flew open. It slammed him into the wall and bounced off his head, knocking him out.

 

"What do I have here?" Reno growled. He looked around and then smirked dangerously "I know, four dead men if they don't pack their dicks back and leave."

 

"Three ta one aren't great odds, Turk. You'll get a go. We found her." Snapped one man. His face went pale when the threat didn't seem to work.

 

Reno pulled his nightstick out again. "Leave now or you won't live to regret it later." The men began to advance on him as Rude ran into the room. The big Turk made the SOLDIERS quickly rethink the idea of fighting. They looked over to the only officer in the room, the man who Reno's entrance had knocked clean out. "How about two on three?" Reno asked the now uncomfortable SOLDIERs

 

"Three on three is the fair thing to do now." Tseng was leaning in the door way, picking at his nails with a butterfly knife. "However, I seem to recall hearing that a good Turk was more then a match for three good SOLDIERs. I suppose we will see." The Wutain cracked his knuckles.

 

"No no, Uhm we have someplace that we have to be." A different man said, edging away from Tifa. The three SOLDIERs lined up against the wall as Reno put his nightstick back into its holster. Rude and Tseng moved aside and the men darted nervously out. Reno was already kneeling next to his friend.

 

"Teef? Hey? You awake?" Reno removed his jacket and wrapped Tifa in it. He lifted her without much effort. "Teef?" Reno repeated, shaking her gently.

 

Tifa's eye's began to flutter open, "Cloud?" She moaned, she opened her eyes. "Re? What are you doing here?" Tifa blinked "Where have you-" Rude chanted quickly cutting her off. The sleep materia took effect and Tifa's head fell to Reno's chest.

 

 

Tifa's tears fell down her cheeks and hit the table. "They risked their necks to hide me from Hojo. They went against direct orders to save me. I felt so welcome by them all." She looked at Scarlet, "you especially, Scarlet. I mean, you made me get back on my feet. You all were so kind."

 

She smiled at Yuffie despite her tears. "Rufus had a bit of a crush on my chest. And well, he was creepy. So Rude, being the great true blue friend that he is pretended to be my boyfriend. It was our inside joke, that Rude liked me." She shook her head and laughed. "I will never forget the time that Rufus asked Reno about us and he said 'well the last guy to hit on Teef in front of Rude just got out of therapy about a week ago. I heard that he has almost full use of his left side now.'" All the Turks started to laugh. "He never even looked at me again."

 

"That was so funny." Scarlet shook her head. "You were as much trouble as they were. Miss- I threw the woman out of the window because she was talking shit about Rude." Tifa laughed with them. The blonde ex-Turk smiled at her. "Okay, so I suppose that I can say I missed you too Tifa."

 

"I am never going to deny that I was attracted to Reno. I was. He respected me much more then I wanted him to, he never...." She sighed in a wistful way, "I couldn't help but fall in love with him." She wiped her eyes. "I wish that he wouldn't have had so much control, maybe I would have never left. It was frustrating, nearly begging for a man that slept with on average three women a day for his job. I was so jealous...." her voice trailed off.

 

"Then I heard about Avalanche. I wanted to take Shinra down. I knew deep down that Avalanche could do it." She looked at Barret. "I am so sorry, Barret. I lied to you. I let you think that I wanted revenge only, but that wasn't it. I wanted Reno to be free. I wanted him to never have to do all those things that Shinra made him do. Then we could have a family." Barret said nothing, Tifa continued to stare at the table.

 

"I had two families, the Turks and Avalanche. They clashed as I guess I knew they would. He had to drop the plate, and I never gave him a chance to explain. I called him all sorts of names that I didn't mean. I told him that my father was right about him." She shook her head at the bad memory, "I know that I hurt him." Vincent put his human arm on Tifa's shoulder, "I never even gave him the chance to tell me why."

 

"They had his daughter." Barret said gruffly. Tifa looked up at him and nodded.

 

"That explains so much." She continued to cry, her words coming out between sobs. "I just left, I called him all those things, I pretended that I loved Cloud, I even..." Elena handed Tifa a tissue. "I never told Trigger good-bye, I just left. I abandoned her, if I would have looked for her I would have known." Tifa looked to the door of the room Suzanna was playing in, "I have missed her so much, she was like a daughter to me, and Reno... I left them both, I don't even know how Trigger took me leaving. I wasn't there." Tifa knew her mother was dying long before she lost her. Trigger had no idea that Tifa was leaving, she didn't want to think about how much she could have hurt the little child, all because she was being selfish. "I- I- I am so sorry, now I beg you all to forgive me for lying, for leaving, for being so selfish. None of you have too, I will understand if Reno doesn't want to see me again. I just want to tell him I didn't mean all those nasty things I said. I was so wrong."

 

The door to the computer room opened slowly. Suzanna leaned in the doorway, her hands in the pockets of her jeans. She looked up slowly, "does this mean your coming back?"

 

Holy she looks like Reno. Tifa nodded, "if you don't mind."

 

The little girl looked back at the floor. "I never wanted you to leave," she looked around the room. Everyone was staring at her, the girl stood up and walked over to Vincent and Tifa, "can we get Daddy now?"

 

 

CRESCENDO TWO: TURN AWAY

"He he he." Rufus snickered. "I am so pleased to see you both as well." He continued to snicker.

Reno was shocked to see Rufus like this. The former Shinra leader had been calm, cool, collected. Reno hadn't enjoyed him, but unlike President Shinra, Rufus had his respect. Rufus had Reno's respect because he knew how to wield power. He played life like a chess game. His aloof and callous air was enough to make men tremble, he had drawn Reno into the game. His game, whatever Rufus touched became his, Reno was no different. Rufus Shinra had owned him. Used him as a piece of the game, Reno clenched his fists. This time Rufus didn't have his daughter to threaten. This time Reno wasn't going to play.

"I am sure you are curious Reno, you always were the curious one." Rufus' once immaculate hair was a tangled mess. He was dressed in an old Turk suit and tennis shoes. The crazed man emitted an air of danger, "I will explain once we get started." Reno and Cloud glared at the once great president.

"You've been crawling in these old rat's holes all this time?" Reno sneered. "I would have thought it below you."

"Sh-sh-sh-shut up!" Rufus stood and walked around the desk. Cloud didn't wait, he lunged for him. The blond president lifted a shotgun to Cloud's nose. "Nice try." He shoved the barrel of the weapon at Cloud, the hero did not back down. The laughter had ceased "Now get in the tubes."

"Go ahead and kill me." Cloud growled. Reno was impressed with him, he didn't know many people who would be that brave in this situation. The red head started to move around to corner Rufus, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Strife duck!" Reno yelled as he watched Apollyon move out of the corner of his eye. The hero ducked, Rufus fired and Apollyon back up with a hole in his chest. Reno threw his elbow backwards, connecting with Yrene's ribcage. Fueled by fear, Cloud and Reno ran out the main door for all they were worth.

Cloud was no where near as fast as Reno, the red head was already pushing buttons on a keypad by the time Cloud caught up. "be the same, be the same, be the same" Reno kept praying as he entered a five digit code.

Cloud watched as Yrene and Apollyon walked to them, swords drawn. "Hurry Reno!" Cloud urged the red head.

"Fuck!" Reno yelled as the keypad flashed red. "Please for the love of Holy!" He begged as he entered another code. The keypad flashed green.

"YES!" both men cheered. They dashed into the next room and Reno pushed a button to close the door. He turned and took off down a hallway, Cloud followed. They turned another corner and bailed directly into Apollyon.

"Going somewhere are we?" Apollyon was near healed.

"Yes, the other way." Cloud said as he and Reno backpedaled. Reno turned the corner and came face to face with Yrene.

"Miss me sweetheart?" Yrene purred. For once in his life Reno Valentine was speechless.

***

Rovina shuddered again as they neared the Shinra building. Like everything else around them, the building was in ruins. The large group had split up, Tifa, Rude, Scarlet, and Cid remained at the Highwind with Suzanna. The others went to search the Shinra wreckage. The black beast mentally steadied herself for what was to come.

"So you gonna explain or not Dar- Rovina?" Barret asked from the back.

"Yes, I shall try." She raised her voice slightly to be heard, "before my species or your own were on the planet there were Aeons."

"Aeons?" Reeve questioned. "You mean summons?"

"Yes. The mightiest of these was Alexander. According to legend there are many worlds other then our own."

"Planets?" Asked Elena, stopping to look over at the beast.

"No, dimensions of sorts. I cannot explain further because there is no other literature on the subject. These worlds became connected because of another race, the Centra. They wished to live on this planet to hide from the Jenova that were hunting them. Alexander agreed, to the dismay of many of his people. The Aeons were split, some wanted to expel the Centra, some wished to help them."

"So how do humans fit in?" Yuffie sat down, they had all stopped to listen in.

"They did not exist yet. The Centra and the Aeon's existed and interbred, creating powerful creatures called Demons. When these mixed breeds died, the Centra could summon them from beyond the grave to aid them. Many Aeons felt that this was a direct threat to their power. There was a war....."

***

Yrene paced as she continued to explain. "They tried to overthrow Emperor Alexander, these pests. In the end Aeons won over. Those Centra that had fought against us lost their powers, they became another race- humans." The two men floating in the tanks had their eyes focused on her, they could not respond, but she knew they understood. "Alexander was wounded. He closed off this world with the last of his energies forming the lifestream. A way to power the planet. We Aeons moved to a different plane, the Demons moved along with us. There has been a family feud of sorts ever since.

"An unpleasant side effect of the original Aeons being here is the materia that was an side product of the lifestream. We could be summoned here by the Centra that we left behind via the materia. Humans got ahold of this and many wars were waged." She shook her head, "such inhumanity from humans. Worthless creatures if you ask me."

***

"Hojo figured out that you could animate half dead bodies or dead bodies by summoning a Demon." Rovina spat Hojo's name out as if it were acid.

Vincent growled. "It doesn't always work, Why me?"

"It may have something to do with Reno's mother. If she was an Aeon, then that would explain why such a powerful Demon allowed itself to be bonded to you. He even could do it with Aeons, trapping them and using their orbs to control them."

"Materia?" Yuffie asked

Rovina nodded.

***

"This is where you come in, Reno." Yrene tapped on the glass. "You are half Aeon. Your mother's name was truly Sillian. Hojo, trapped her in a human body the same way my brother and I are trapped by Rufus. When he realized that she was far too clever for him he destroyed her orb. This stranded her on this planet. She was thus neutralized, couldn't even use materia. Only in her dreams could she connect with the other plane.

"You were born without an orb. You have her power, you just haven't tapped it. I could open that up for you. Now, imagine if an Aeon was born here, only a fourth human. No bonding, no orbs. Our race could return!" Reno arched his eyebrow at her, she sighed. "I say 'ours' to you because you are an Aeon as much as you are a human. You don't have to cater to them! They are insects! Look what humans have done here! Look at yourself! This can be stopped and you are a necessary part in stopping it. You have some of Sillian's power within you, Reno. You just need to have your eyes opened." She took a needle out and injected a pipe to Reno's tube. Pain overwhelmed him. "Being born again is never pleasant. You will understand." She turned to Cloud. "And you, we need to take care of Chaos. I have just the thing...."

***

"That is about all I know, if Reno's mother was an Aeon we will have problems I fear. I would not wish to fight Aeons." She turned to Vincent, "is there any way that I could talk to Chaos? He seemed to know quite a bit more then I do."

"No." Vincent said quickly.

"He didn't try to harm us before." Rovina prodded

"That is because I was focussed on that woman. Without a focus I have no idea what he will do."

"The planet-" She started.

"Rovina, Vincent is looking out for our safety. Nothing is to say that Chaos wouldn't lie." Nanaki interjected. "We need to press on."

***

About an hour later Reeve was setting up a video station to look over the security CD's that Elena had found. They were not all together as a group, but it didn't exactly matter. They were within yelling distance. He looked to his former partner and frowned. "They are labeled 'Hojo: S-Red' if that means anything."

Vincent looked at the floor. "That's Suzi." The dark man sat down on the debris ridden floor. He noted the look he was getting from the other former Turk leader. "I will be alright Reeve." Reeve nodded and pushed play.

They were looking at a large training room. A red headed woman was standing in the middle. "Oh Holy, Suzi." Vincent sighed, he turned his head away from the screen. Then Yuffie screamed. The others ran from every area to her voice.

"Nice set of lungs there, pet." Apollyon leered over Yuffie, who promptly turned and ran towards her friends. They opened fire on the pale eyed man as Yuffie ducked behind them. Apollyon smiled. "Now you are all being silly." He put one hand out, "Areos." A dark wind swept the hero's off their feet and slammed them to the ground. "I refuse to warn you pests again!" He pulled the masume from its sheath. "Leave if you value your lives."

Barret leapt to his feet and held out his gun arm. "I don't give a fuck what you are! You are gonna be swiss cheese!" Suddenly Yrene was behind him. She she tossed the large man over, if Reeve wasn't fast she would have crushed him beneath Barret. The ex-Turk grunted as he hit his bad knee on the cement. Reeve was trying to stand, but his knee would not obey him this time. He rolled into a sitting position and glared at his assailant.

She smirked, "run kiddies." Lifting her arms up she yelled. "Ultima!" The heroes scrambled for cover.

"REFLECT!" Scarlet yelled, casting to Reeve as she hid. Yrene snarled as the blast fired back at her. Elena and Yuffie took off together. They stopped short as a familiar voice spoke to them.

"What are you running from now, Lany?"

"RENO!" Both women yelled. The red head smirked, Yuffie and Elena took a step back. "Re?" Elena questioned fearfully. Reno was dressed in a similar outfit as Apollyon and Yrene. He walked forward. "What's going on Re?"

"I had my eyes opened, 'Lany. Now, I think you both need to leave."

"You don't mean that." Yuffie said. She pulled out her conformer.

Reno was unimaginably fast, he twisted Yuffie's wrist back, she dropped the weapon. "Please, don't be stupid," he chided. Elena struck out at her former ally, he let go of Yuffie.

"Run Yuff!" Elena ordered, the ninja took off. "Reno we are your friends what are you doing!?"

"Maybe 'Lany, that's why I am giving you the chance to run away." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Humans have caused far to much problems on this planet. We made your kind and we will end them."

"Terminate a whole race?" Elena started to back up faster, Reno was not normal. His eyes were glowing green.

He laughed, "no honey, more like a phasing out. We aren't as heartless as you humans." He sneered. Elena swung out again at Reno, she used to be able to knock the him over. Now Reno's head only snapped to the side. He smiled, "see what I mean?" With no other choice, Elena took out her gun, Reno struck her on the side of the head, she fell.

"I told you they wouldn't accept it." Apollyon said from behind him.

"She was going to try to kill me." Reno shook his head sadly. He turned to Apollyon, "Should I go after Yuffie?"

Apollyon smirked at Elena, "Yeah I suppose. Humans are an attractive species I will give them that. She could be fun." He picked up the unconscious blonde as Reno followed Yuffie.

Yuffie stopped running, I can't just leave 'Lany like this. She saw Reno coming up behind her at what looked like a casual jog. OH GAWD! She ran, but Reno caught her shoulder and spun her around. "Reno! I am your friend! Why are you-"

"Shut up, Yuffie." The red head snapped. "I gave you your chance, and yet you chose to fight with me. You don't get another." He pinched her neck and Yuffie passed out. He lifted her over his shoulder. I hope this works.

"Reno, we are being called." Yrene smiled at him, "have a happy hunt?"

Reno shook his head. "I wish that you would have been wrong." They began to walk back to the lab.

Yrene shrugged, "you are doing the right thing. Have you thought about our plan yet?"

Reno threw her his lady killer grin, "yeah, I have. I agree."

"All that is left is taking care of the majesty."

"Don't worry, they won't let us just have these two. When they move to save them I will get Suzanna. Our two problems could cancel each other out. Avalanche could take care of Rufus and then we just need to let Havoc go right?"

She nodded, "Then it is just a matter of time, you will be a legend, Reno. We are going to raise our people back where they belong." The pair of Aeons smirked at each other, outlying the future of the planet in their minds.

Bad Reno!