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Darkened Skies	By : Cynthia Category: Final Fantasy VII > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 949 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters are the property of Square Enix. I do not profit from this fanfiction, it’s for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
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"Darkened Skies"

Chapter twenty-four: Omega

A Final Fantasy 7 AU fanfiction

~***********************************~

Author's note: I didn't see the point in describing some of the events from DOC, since those who have played it or watched the cutscenes on media sites already know what happened. Hopefully, my choice not to bog the chapter down with excessive details won't make it seem rushed.
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.

~**************************************~

True to their promise, Genesis and Angeal provided ample distraction. They snuck out the back exit of the little house they'd been hiding in and they immediately proceeded to launch an attack on the Deepground search parties. There were no "hey you" obvious attempts to distract them…there was only a sudden flurry of violence, which took the enemy completely by surprise. Angeal mowed down a group of them with his Buster Sword drawn, charging like an angry bull before the troopers or their warped beast companions could react. Genesis provided further confusion, leaping into the air and spinning in a corkscrew motion with his blade flashing and flaming darts shooting out in all directions. One of the Pegasus riders was forced to leap off of his hoverbike to avoid being chopped into kibble, and another swerved right into a building with surprise. In less than a minute, the two SOLDIER officers had the undivided attention of every Deepground agent in the area.
"Bold moves," observed Sephiroth in approval, peering out at the carnage through the window. He glanced at his companions and nodded. "Move fast."
While he and Vincent moved deeper into the city, the rest of his team made their way back to the lift, as ordered. Initially, he intended to bring them with him, but he changed his mind and decided they'd do better on the surface, with the rest of the military. The fewer people he had to keep track of, the better.
As he and his companion left the area with quiet haste, Sephiroth inwardly hoped his two friends would come out of this alive. He wasn't one to express his affection openly, but he'd known Genesis and Angeal since he first began his training in SOLDIER, and there was a loyalty between the three of them that ran deep and true.
"Good luck," muttered Sephiroth under his breath as he cast one last look at them.
Vincent was a quiet, oddly reassuring presence at his back as he moved deeper into the city.

~************************************~

"Okay, word is out that they've killed all those people they were holding," Zack announced to his team once they had control of the sector. "That's what all that screaming we heard was about."
There were shouts of anger and protest within the ranks, and Zack held a blood-stained, gloved hand up to quiet them.
"Listen to me, guys. That means those bastards have sent a whole lot more souls to the Lifestream. I want to bring on the pain as bad as you do and pay these freaks back for what they've done, but we can't go all rabid on them, right now. Every Deepground operative we kill is just another drop in a bucket that's already getting too full, understand? Our orders are to hold this sector and avoid killing, if we can. Take out your ammo and replace it with the rubber bullets you've been issued. Use tear gas instead of explosives. Take prisoners if you can, but try not to kill any more of them."
Kunsel spoke up. "What about the General and the other Lieutenants?"
Zack shook his head. "They haven't reported their details, but I know they made it in. We've just got to trust them."
Kunsel nodded in understanding and he absently wiped at the dried blood on his arm, in a futile effort to get it off. "Feels like we're in Hell."
Zack looked around with a grimace, his face sooty and splotched with the blood of both his people and the enemy. "Yeah. Be strong, though. We'll get through this."

~***********************************~

As their initial momentum wore off, Angeal and Genesis found themselves getting crowded. Their efforts to distract the enemy had paid off, but now they were being steadily surrounded, and with enemies stronger than the average SOLDIER recruit, fighting them back was quickly proving to be a more than ample challenge.
"Back to back," shouted Genesis as the noose tightened.
Angeal agreed with him unquestioningly, putting his broad back against Genesis'. Their blades spun and threw sparks as they deflected bullets and blocked sword strokes. One of the beast-men leaped through the air to pounce on Angeal, and he caught it by the throat before its gnashing teeth could bite him. With a grunt, Angeal threw the creature forcefully into the crowd of its peers.
"Angeal?"
"I'm all right," he assured, blocking a heavy-armored agent's serrated blade. It occurred to him that this really could be the end for the both of them, and Angeal decided to blurt his feelings while he still could.
"Love you, Gen."
Genesis looked over his shoulder at him and if anything, his expression revealed annoyance. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"
The big man blushed in spite of himself. "It…uh…just means that I—"
"We aren't dead yet," interrupted Genesis, his crimson blade clashing with an opponent's, "so stop talking like the curtain is closing!"
Angeal managed a smile, comforted to know is declaration was rejected not because the feeling wasn't mutual, but because his companion refused to give up. He doubled his efforts, determined to stay alive if only to ensure that Genesis survived this.

~************************************~

They made it to the reactor before they faced opposition again. Vincent saw the movement in the shadows first, as Sephiroth was looking in another direction. He rudely shoved the General out of the way before flourishing his ragged cape. The bullet that could have hit Sephiroth was harmlessly absorbed in the crimson folds, and Vincent returned fire immediately. Sephiroth got to his feet quickly and had his masamune ready before the first insurgent closed the distance. Had he been a man with normal vision, he might have had difficulty seeing his opponents, but for the glowing stripes on their form-fitting uniforms. Fortunately for him, his Mako enhancements allowed him to navigate and fight in the underground city as well as any Deepground resident. Vincent was much the same.
Sephiroth dodged the first attacker, while simultaneously slicing the air and forcing the second to hop away hastily, to avoid being cut open. Vincent covered him as he went into melee, firing at the ranged attackers to keep them from getting a clear shot at Sephiroth. One of them went down, clutching at his throat as one of Cerberus' bullets punched a hole through it. Vincent followed up with a powerful Fire spell and he reloaded while they were scattered, flipping open the bullet chamber and filling it with new rounds with astonishing ease and haste.
"I was beginning to think your weapon had a perpetual supply of bullets," remarked Sephiroth as he blocked two more sword cuts aimed at him. He kicked one of his opponent's in the face and as he staggered backwards, he sliced him in half.
"I just reload quickly," assured Vincent, almost cracking a smile. Cerberus could hold three times the ammo of a normal revolver, and he'd mastered the art of reloading in practically the blink of an eye. His cape's supernatural properties certainly helped him keep a substantial supply of bullets on him, at all times.
When Sephiroth finished off his remaining opponent, the two of them moved in on the ones taking cover against the building. While they knew every death counted in a bad way, there was no time to be delicate and take prisoners. Sephiroth managed to incapacitate one operative by slicing a leg off and Vincent shot a woman in both feet, but they were forced to kill the rest. The entrance to the reactor was locked, of course, but not even Deepground architecture could withstand the masamune's abnormally sharp edge. Sephiroth cut an upside-down "V" into the door and Vincent kicked the spot, making it fall inwards. The crash of metal was deafening as the broken part hit the floor.
"Do you know where to go now?" Vincent murmured as they stepped into the reactor together.
Sephiroth nodded and tapped his temple, searching the shadows with alert green eyes. "I memorized the schematics of every tactical Deepground facility, once we had access to Scarlet's files. I hardly needed her direction to navigate the city."
Vincent glanced askew at him. "You have your mother's memory."
Sephiroth returned his glance. "Lucrecia's?"
The gunman nodded. "She had a photographic memory, too."
Sephiroth compressed his lips briefly. His eyes brightened with lingering anger. "I know virtually nothing about her, aside from what I read in the files."
"Perhaps when this is finished, I can tell you more about her," offered Vincent. "You deserve to know who she was, and what she was like."
Sephiroth searched his mind for an appropriate response to the offer. He'd wanted to know more about his birth mother for a long time, but part of him dreaded it, as well. He'd built up an image of her based on what little he knew, after thinking of Jenova as his mother for so long. Would the truth of Lucrecia prove to be better than his imagination, or would he find it disappointing? His curiosity was greater than his trepidation, however.
"Why not tell me now?"
Vincent seemed mildly surprised. "You're sure you wouldn't rather wait for a better time?"
Sephiroth smirked without humor. "I'm confident, but I'm not delusional, Mr. Valentine. There may not be a 'better time', for either of us. I would like to know more about her, while I have the chance to hear it. We're sure to find further opposition inside of this facility, the deeper in we go."
"A realistic attitude," approved Vincent. "The first thing I'll tell you about your mother was that she was kind."
Sephiroth glanced at him and motioned to the left when they reached a T intersection. "Was she? I would think a woman who would allow experiments on her own unborn child isn't prone to that particular personality trait."
"Don't blame your mother for that," defended Vincent immediately. "You know who was really responsible."
"I know Hojo convinced her," agreed Sephiroth, "but she could have refused. She chose not to."
"He had a hold on her," explained Vincent. "A strong one. She was a scientist, and Hojo can be very persuasive. I've long suspected he used her guilt against her. He twists things, as you know."
"Her guilt…because of you?"
Vincent nodded. "Partly. My father, as well. She blamed herself. Once the treatments began, it was too late for her to back out. She would have miscarried you, had she tried. The treatments became necessary for her pregnancy to make it to full term."
Sephiroth paused and looked at him. "She told you that?"
Vincent also stopped. "Yes. She confided in me when I confronted her about what she and Hojo were doing. It was the last time we spoke to one another."
"I…see. I never knew."
They resumed walking, both of them staying alert for danger. "She loved you, Sephiroth," Vincent assured him in a low voice. "She was desperate to see you born. She wanted to hold you and tell you how sorry she was. If you need to hate someone, hate your father. Lucrecia doesn't deserve it."
Sephiroth couldn't contain a grimace. "Don't refer to him as my 'father'. He was a sperm contributor, and nothing more. I had no real parental figure as I grew up, and I wouldn't want to claim him if I could. As for hatred, I already harbor plenty of that for him."
"As you're entitled to," agreed Vincent.
They lapsed into silence again, and just as Sephiroth was about to ask him to share something else about his mother, the sound of gunfire echoed in the metal corridor. Vincent went down without warning and Sephiroth realized the shot had been fired from behind them. He lifted his sword and stood protectively over his companion as a group of Deepground operatives closed in on them with hardly a sound. They were very fast and very quiet, and Sephiroth could only assume they had come from the opposite corridor. He deflected more bullets when they tried to shoot him and he spared a glance at his companion, who was climbing back to his feet.
"Are you injured, Valentine?"
"Not enough to matter," growled the gunman, pulling his hand away from his right side as he readied his gun.
Sephiroth saw the blood, but since the man seemed to shrug it off, he didn't let it concern him overly. Once again, they battled their enemies together, and as they fought for an advantage, more Deepground operatives arrived from the corridor they had been trying to traverse before. Evidently, word was out that two intruders were in the reactor.

~*****************************************~

From that moment on, Sephiroth and Vincent had to fight for every step they took. At one point, Vincent felt a warning stir within him and he feared Chaos would come out. He somehow held him back and the entity faded again, by the time he and Sephiroth finally made it to the control room.
"Seal the door," ordered Sephiroth, staring at the still figure of the shirtless man lying on the floor. "I believe this is Weiss."
Vincent shut the door and activated the locking mechanism. He looked down at the Tsviet Sephiroth was standing over, and he frowned. "Is he dead?"
The general shook his head uncertainly, and he prepared to check for a pulse. He heard the crackle of energy behind him as he knelt and he twisted back to his feet, sword readied. He got the chance to see a black void manifest around Vincent before the gunman vanished into thin air.
"Valentine?"

~**************************************~

"I've lost Valentine."
The report sufficiently destroyed Reeve's concentration, and he stopped monitoring the helicopter's computer systems and adjusted his headpiece. Surely he'd misheard. He was supposed to be on communications silence unless he had important information to convey, in order to keep the channel open for military personnel to coordinate their attacks and defense. He couldn't let this go, however. His heart pounded as Reeve spoke into his transmitter. "I’m sorry General, but could you repeat that?"
"I've lost visual and communications with Valentine," answered Sephiroth.
"How?" That question came from Lazard.
"I suspect Nero the Sable has him," replied the General. I've located Weiss. He's unconscious."
"Where could Nero have taken him?" Reeve asked, hardly giving a damn about Weiss.
"Tuesti, stop cluttering up this channel with your questions," ordered Rufus. "I'm sure if the General knew that information, he would relay it to us. Sephiroth, finish Weiss off. We aren't taking any Tsviet prisoners; they're too dangerous…especially that man."
"Understood."
Reeve clenched his jaw and glared daggers at the cockpit. Of course, the president was right. Sephiroth would have told them if he knew where Vincent was, and Reeve was confident that he would try and locate him, once he finished his task. Still, it was so very hard to sit there helplessly while Gaia only knew what Nero was doing to Vincent.

~*************************************~

Sephiroth was prepared to decapitate the seemingly oblivious Tsviet, when that same crackle of energy manifested behind him again. He backed away from the black void that formed, fully expecting it to come after him. Instead, two raven-haired men came falling out of it, landing roughly on the tiled floor. Vincent got painfully to his feet and Sephiroth went to help him. The gunman looked a bit worse for the wear and banged up, and he was bleeding in several places.
"I'm…all right," insisted Vincent, his gaze going to Nero. The Tsviet also got to his feet, and he was in worse shape than Vincent.
"Brother," Nero murmured, limping over to Weiss. He manifested another nimbus of darkness when Sephiroth started toward him. "Don't. My darkness may not be able to absorb the host, but I'm sure you're a different matter. Stay back."
"We fought," offered Vincent in explanation when Sephiroth looked at him curiously. "My connection with Chaos has made me immune to Nero's powers, so he chose to duel me, instead."
"And you won," guessed the general in satisfaction. He turned his attention to the defeated man. "Nero the Sable, you and your brother Weiss the Immaculate are both charged with conspiracy to destroy our planet. Resist if you must, but I have orders to execute you for your crimes. If you surrender, it may be possible to procure a more lenient sentence of life in prison, instead. The choice is yours."
The fury in those blood-red eyes could have killed, if it were possible for a glare to do so. "We won't be chained again. Not by you, not by anyone. Weiss will be reborn and we'll rid the world of all of you!"
"So be it," answered Sephiroth, readying his blade. "Even if your darkness defeats me, I'm sure my companion will deal with you."
Nero looked like he wanted to say something else, but Weiss stirred at his feet, distracting him. He knelt before his brother, keeping a wary eye on Sephiroth and Vincent.
"Weiss, I'm here." Nero helped him to sit up and for a moment, the other Tsviet looked around in confusion, his spiky white locks nearly covering both pale, intense eyes. He looked at Vincent, and a cold, conniving smile grew on his lips.
"How…convenient. You've brought Chaos here. The last piece has fallen into place."
Vincent stared at him oddly, and Sephiroth also watched the man with a nagging sense of recognition. Something about his mannerisms were very…familiar. He observed him closely, gauging the likelihood of taking him by surprise, even as he tried to put his finger on what was troubling him.
"Chaos won't assist you," Vincent assured him, while Sephiroth puzzled it over. "He doesn't answer to mortals."
"He'll answer to us with the Protomateria, fool. I have it safely hidden and I'm ready to use it." He turned his icy gaze to his brother as Nero helped him to his feet. "Thank you, Nero. I have no further use for you."
Nero didn't get the opportunity to ask him what he meant. The surprised shock on his face when his brother plunged his hand into his chest said it all, and the look in his eyes said that the unexpected betrayal hurt more than the attack. Weiss hurled his brother across the room—directly into Vincent. Already injured from his recent fight with Nero, Vincent crashed to the floor and struck his head. Both of them lay still in a jumble of limbs, and blood began to pool on the floor beneath them. It was difficult to say whose blood it was.
Sephiroth wasted no time. He rushed Weiss wordlessly, with his masamune leading the way.
"Foolish boy," muttered Weiss, and as he closed in on him, Sephiroth finally figured out what was so familiar.
"So, this is where Hojo's artificial intelligence went. It's inside of you." Sephiroth grunted as Weiss dodged his attack.
"Very good," approved Weiss. "I've always said you had a sharp mind…almost too sharp. I entered Weiss while he was in a SND, attempting to find a cure for the failsafe virus he activated when he killed his restrictor. Thanks to that, I was able to orchestrate Jenova's plan, even though my physical form is locked away in your prison."
It was disturbing on a monumental level, to hear Hojo's words coming from the Tsviet's mouth and listen to him talking about himself that way. Sephiroth knew it wasn't the real Hojo…just an artificial entity with all of his ambitions, personality and genius. The fact that it was in the body of the most powerful Tsviet in Deepground made it far more dangerous than the real Hojo.
Sephiroth made another pass, searching for an opening. Weiss moved with astonishing speed and the general grunted as his sudden kick connected, hitting him in the ribs and knocking him into the wall behind him.
"I'd rather not fight you, boy," Weiss/Hojo informed, "but I can't allow you to interfere with my plans."
The ground began to tremble, and a piece of the ceiling broke off and fell as a crack spread over it. Sephiroth regained his balance and circled his opponent, respecting the damage he could do.
"It's starting, Weiss/Hojo said with glee. "Can't you feel it?"
Yes, he could feel it. There was a being of great power wakening…a divine form meant to rise only as the planet's last defense against total destruction. Without taking his eyes off his opponent, Sephiroth activated his transmitter.
"All units, abandon your posts. Get out of Midgar, now."
In the blink of an eye, Weiss was in his face and before Sephiroth could report further on the situation, he tore his headset off and grabbed him by the throat. The device clattered to the floor and Sephiroth tried to strike out at Weiss with his sword, but the bigger man clamped an iron-strong hand over his wrist and stopped him.
"The great Sephiroth," said Weiss through madly smiling teeth. "I've always wondered what it must be like to be you, boy. To have your strength, and skill. My body would have never withstood the enhancements I gave you, though."
He lifted Sephiroth against the wall, his eyes wild with power and exhilaration. "How does it feel, boy? Now you're the weak one."
"I disagree," coughed Sephiroth, grasping the possessed man's wrist with one hand. "I'm merely temporarily inconvenienced."
He proved his point by demonstrating that there was nothing weak about his kick. His knee struck Weiss hard in the groin, drawing a pained, shocked gasp from him. The Tsviet abruptly let go of Sephiroth and staggered back, cupping his abused parts.
"Never assume I won't fight dirty, when it suits me," Sephiroth informed as he rubbed his throat and prepared for another attack.
As the tremors grew worse, he activated the Barrier materia in his bangle and he considered his options. He couldn’t afford to get predictable against this opponent. He saw Vincent stir from the corner of his eye and he hoped the gunman was right about Chaos—though now that Omega was waking, it probably no longer mattered.

~********************************~

Vincent was facing a different sort of struggle as Sephiroth faced off against the mind-controlled Tsviet again. The masamune carved a huge gash in the floor as Weiss avoided one of Sephiroth's sword strokes by a narrow margin. Vincent was vaguely aware of Nero's lifeless body on the floor beside him. The tiles were cracking away to reveal a curious, smooth crystal surface beneath.
~We're inside of it…Omega. It's forming around this facility.~
Chaos was pushing to come forth and Vincent groaned with the effort to hold him back. He still believed the demon wouldn't cooperate with Deepground, especially now. Finding out that Hojo was in control of Weiss had been a shock to the system, and he was weak from his fight with Nero. His fear wasn't that Chaos would side with Deepground willingly, but that he might try to feed on Sephiroth. Vincent could feel his hunger and his rage. He understood why he was enraged, being connected to him as he was. Chaos was angry that Omega was waking up. He was angry that the enemy had succeeded in manipulating it, and he wanted to teach them a lesson.
"Sephiroth," Vincent called, looking up at the General as he deflected bullets fired from some form of sword/gun combination that Weiss somehow got his hands on, at some point. "You need to leave."
"I'm currently occupied," informed Sephiroth, sounding remarkably calm for a man fighting for his life.
Vincent groaned again, his body pulsing with energy. "Chaos…is coming. Go…get out."
~"Relinquish control to me, Vincent."~
The gunman shook his head. "Can't….trust you." His hands curled into fists, the clawed points of his gauntlet scratching the smooth, crystalline floor.
~"You have no choice."~ The mental voice was darkly amused. ~"I will have my vengeance, with or without your cooperation."~
Vincent's thoughts went to Reeve. ~"Can you stop it?"~
~"Omega? Possibly. I've never tried. I never agreed to your friend's proposal either, Vincent. What I want now is to rip this mortal's spine from his body."~
Desperate now, Vincent reminded him of Reeve's warning. ~"Omega is under Hojo's control. If you don't stop it, what Reeve Tuesti told you will come true. There will never be a balance again, and there will never be humans—true humans—in any form."~
He could practically feel Chaos turning the notion over in his head. He took hope in the demon's hesitation and he tried to be patient. Sephiroth was holding his own against Weiss, but Vincent could see that he was tiring. Had he the time to rest after battling his way into the reactor, Sephiroth might have done better. Vincent had truly never seen a more brilliant swordsman before, and Weiss putting him on defensive was proof that the Tsviet was probably the strongest living being on the planet. Chaos could very well be the only one that could defeat him.
~"I make no promises,"~ Chaos informed him at last, ~"but it would not be to my advantage if humanity perishes completely. Give me control, my dark one."~
The last was said in an almost caressing tone, and Vincent felt his control slipping steadily away. He gave Sephiroth one last, concerned look before giving in.

~********************************~

Reeve stepped out of the chopper with the others when it finished touching down and the hatch was open. He looked up at the skyline, his jaw dropping at the sight of the being with the huge wings rising over the city of Midgar. Now it became clear why Sephiroth ordered everyone to evacuate.
"Omega is preparing to ascend," Reeve said, his heart sinking. The creature was awe-inspiring, looking somewhat humanoid but lacking mortal features. It was bio-mechanical in nature, though not built by human hands. It was beautiful in its angelic appearance, but Reeve couldn't appreciate that beauty when it heralded the end of the world.
The mission had failed and it was highly probable that both Vincent and Sephiroth had perished. Up ahead of him, he recognized the other winged SOLDIER officers and Zack. He came up beside them, taking notice of their bruises and the blood drying on their uniforms and skin.
"Did either of you see Sephiroth or Vincent while you were down there, before you left?"
"No," answered Angeal with a shake of his head. "We lost communication with them after the order was issued. Genesis and I barely got out in time. The lift collapsed from the tremors and if it weren't for our ability to fly, we'd both be trapped down there with the rest of Deepground, now."
Reeve lowered his gaze, hoping in his heart of hearts that there was still some chance they could still be alive. "Well, at least you lads made it."
Genesis snorted. "Much good as that will do us now. That thing is starting to draw upon the Lifestream through the Mako reactors."
"Should'a listened to us," Grunted Barret, standing by the Highwind next to Cid. "I always knew those damned reactors were bad news!"
"Perhaps we'd have been better off if your group had succeeded in blowing them up," Lazard observed. "They're only bringing the end faster."
"Whatever we do now is too little, too late," Rufus said.
"Yeah, looks like we're boned," Reno agreed. He looked at Tseng. "Too bad ya didn't get the chance to have your honeymoon, boss. Ow." He rubbed his arm when Elena popped him.
"Hold on," Zack said with excitement, pointing toward the city. "Anybody else see that? I think it's Sephiroth."
Reeve dug a pair of automated goggles out of his jacket, slipping them on quickly. He made an adjustment and they magnified his vision like a pair of binoculars. His heart pounded with renewed hope when he recognized the winged form flying toward them from the city. He searched the night sky for any signs of another familiar form, but he found no evidence of Vincent Valentine.
"It's Sephiroth," Reeve announced.

~*****************************~

It was difficult to describe the titanic battle he'd witnessed the start of, inside of Omega. Sephiroth still believed that given enough time, he could have defeated Weiss. However, Chaos was the only one that might be able to stop Omega and when the demon took over Vincent and informed him that he intended to try, Sephiroth didn't argue with him. Weiss/Hojo had been thrilled by his appearance, but his excitement was quickly stomped when he attempted to use the stolen Protomateria to compel Chaos. Evidently, possessing a conscious mind allowed Chaos to resist the control—at least when the protomateria wasn't literally fused with the person seeking to control him. Weiss attacked him when he realized he couldn't control him, and the demon moved with equal speed to retaliate.
Sephiroth landed amongst his comrades and he overheard part of what Rufus and Scarlet were saying to each other. "Contact our people in Junon and instruct them to initiate emergency protocols," Rufus was saying. "Citizens will be moved to the bomb shelters for protection."
"That won't matter, if this continues," Sephiroth said. "Leave them in ignorance, President. It would be kinder not to cause a panic."
Rufus looked at him and parted his lips to argue, but then he shook his head and sighed.
Zack approached with Genesis and Angeal, wearing a big smile of relief on his face. "You made it out! What about Vincent?"
Sephiroth looked back at the city and the enormous, winged figure hovering over it, sucking Lifestream through crystalline tendrils. "He's inside of that creature. I don't want to bring false hope, but there could be a chance the end can be averted."
"Oh?" Genesis tilted his head. "How, exactly? Are you proposing a direct assault on that thing?"
"No." Sephiroth shook his head. "It wouldn't help us. Omega has some form of invisible shield around it, and I doubt even our strongest weapons can penetrate it."
"Then how did you make it out of there?" demanded Scarlet with a frown.
"By the skin of my teeth," admitted the general. "Omega hadn't completely manifested when I escaped. When I realized Valentine was likely to get trapped in there, I tried to turn back but the creature completed forming and I couldn't return."
"So Vincent's still alive," Reeve said, his dark gaze staring up at Omega. "Somewhere inside."
"As Chaos," agreed Sephiroth. "I don't know what manner of conversation the two of you shared, Tuesti, but you seem to have convinced him that it's better for the world not to end, tonight. He claims he's going to stop this."
"We're expected to trust that creature?" Rufus said.
Sephiroth gave him an annoyed look. "Our other option would be to bend over and grab our ankles."
Rufus lapsed into silence.

~******************************~

While Chaos battled Weiss inside of Omega, Reeve came up with a plan to slow Omega's progress. He ordered teams to go back into the city and destroy the Mako reactors, to stop the creature from drawing on them to drain the Lifestream faster. It seemed to do some good, but the rest was up to Chaos and Vincent. Reeve silently prayed as they watched and waited. For a while, it seemed like Chaos must have failed against Weiss, but then he broke free of Omega and hovered there before it.
"Come on, Vincent," Reeve begged under his breath. "Convince him to keep going…it's all up to the two of you, now."
Chaos stayed there for a moment, and Reeve could see the snarl on his face as he zoomed in with his goggles. He appeared to be struggling with some primal urges…perhaps finding it difficult to bring himself to attack a being he was meant to work with. There was really no way to guess what was happening inside Chaos' head, and Reeve started to get a sinking feeling that perhaps Chaos couldn't attack Omega, after all. The gigantic wings began to flap and it was with great horror that Reeve came to the realization that it was preparing to leave…and take the Lifestream and all hope of survival with it.
Something happened then that confused the hell out of him and other witnesses, however. It appeared that part of the Lifestream drifting around Omega broke away from the rest of it and touched Chaos. The demon's expression relaxed as though soothed by the contact, and then Chaos flew straight up, arched over Omega and dove directly down into it. People were forced to shield their eyes as Omega lit up like a holiday tree. The light was blinding and it radiated outwards over the sky, temporarily turning night into false day.
There was an explosion and then, Omega seemed to evaporate before their eyes. The Lifestream withdrew back into the ground, and the sky slowly cleared again.
"Where the hell is Valentine?" Reno asked, the first to recover from the confusion of the moment. "Did he blow up with that thing or what?"
The thought prompted Reeve into action. While the survivors of the strike cheered at the confirmation that the danger was over with, Reeve Tuesti began to run toward Midgar. He ignored Zack's call warning him that there could still be enemies in the city, driven by a desperate need to find out if his friend still lived.
"Goddamn it," swore Sephiroth, startling those around him. He looked to his fellow officers. "Come on. He could get himself killed, if there are any insurgents left in there."
Genesis and Angeal took wing with him and Zack hitched a ride on Angeal's back.
"Tuesti," Sephiroth called as he landed in front of the engineer and stopped him, "Do not go in there without us."
"You're the only company suit worth saving," Genesis added as he joined them.
"Hey, Lazard's okay," Zack pointed out as he and Angeal landed. Seeing that Reeve was in no mood for jokes, Zack tempered his sense of humor. "Sorry. We'll help you look for him, Reeve. He's got to be in there somewhere."
Genesis exchanged a look with Angeal and Sephiroth raised a brow at both of them, silently warning them not to say out loud what was obviously on their minds. If Chaos was inside of Omega when it evaporated, there was a good chance that both he and Vincent were gone.

~*************************~

"Vincent! Vincent Valentine!"
The familiar voice shouting his name dragged him painfully out of his swoon. He groaned in pain when he tried to move, and it occurred to him that he was lying in a bed of broken rubble. He tried to get up, only to fall to his knees again with a grunt of discomfort. A beam of light flashed against his shoulder and then settled on his face, blinding him. Vincent lifted his gauntlet to shade his eyes from the harsh light.
"Here! I found him!" It was Zack Fair's voice.
The beam of light began to bounce and come closer, but then it abruptly dropped with a clatter and Vincent saw the outline of a spiky-haired man go down with a yelp. He saw another male figure coming up behind the fallen SOLDIER operative and if he weren't in so much pain, he almost could have smiled. Reeve jumped right over Zack's prone form and it was a wonder that he could see well enough by starlight not to trip over the same rubble that brought Zack down. He held a flashlight in his hand as well, and Vincent was again blinded when he shone it in his face.
"Vincent! Thank God! Are you okay?"
"I would be better if you would get that light out of my face," answered the gunman tiredly.
"Oh, sorry." Reeve put the light down and he squatted by Vincent. "Anything broken? I've got Cure materia but if you need any bones set, we've got to let the medics look at you."
"Nothing's broken," assured Vincent. He sighed in relief as Reeve activated the spell materia and the soothing glow settled over him, healing his injuries and soothing the aches and pains. "Thank you."
"I'm fine, by the way." Zack approached, dusting his hands off on his pants. "Thanks for the concern. I really felt the love when you jumped over me, Tuesti."
"Vincent was inside of a WEAPON," retorted Reeve, "you tripped over a rock. I had to prioritize."
The others joined them as Reeve helped Vincent to his feet. Sephiroth looked the gunman over curiously. "Do you need medical attention, Mr. Valentine?"
"No," answered Vincent. "Reeve has already seen to my injuries. I just need to rest."
"Of course," enthused Reeve, smiling broadly. "I'll have you set up with pillows and blankets from the cargo bay, once we board the chopper. You can sleep on the way home and take all the rest you need when we get there, too. I'll make sure nobody hassles you for a report until you're good and ready to give it."
"I should give it now," sighed Vincent, "while it's still fresh on my mind. My memories of events when Chaos takes over blur quickly."
"All right, if that's what you want. I'll call for a chopper to pick us up, now." Reeve turned and began to adjust his transmitter, but he nearly tripped over the same spot Zack had. He cursed and shone his flashlight on it, only to go still.
"That wasn't rubble you tripped on earlier, Zack. It was a body."
Fortunately it was a Deepground operative and not one of their own, but it was a sobering reminder that they still had to tally up the body count and make a list of who wouldn't be returning home to their families.

~*********************************~

Vincent gave his report as soon as they made it back to the strike teams. He explained that while Chaos did defeat Weiss in combat, he didn't get the chance to take his life. Weiss somehow shook off Hojo's influence after losing the fight, and he sacrificed himself to Omega—at least, that was how Vincent saw it. He had no idea that Nero's spirit approached Weiss and merged with him, helping him to purge Hojo from his mind. After that, Chaos broke free from Omega's body and that was when he slipped. Because he hadn't fed and was going against his own nature, Chaos nearly didn't have the will to complete his task. Together, he and Vincent found the strength to do, and as it turned out, Reeve's decision to have the reactors destroyed helped weaken Omega.
They didn't return immediately to Junon. Instead, they set up camp and in the morning, they set off to the grim task of retrieving and identifying their dead. They were welcomed as heroes when they returned to Junon later that evening, and there were celebrations in the streets for days. People were so relieved to know the world would go on, even the last rites for the dead had a celebratory feeling to it. The men and women who gave their lives to save the world would be honored for years to come. The SOLDIER operatives who were once regarded with fear and suspicion over their unique, altered biology were treated as beloved heroes of the people once more.

~*********************************~

A week after the Omega incident, Vincent shared something with Reeve that he'd deliberately left out of his official reports.
"I wasn't completely honest when I said Chaos and I 'found the strength' to go on," he confessed, stopping before Reeve's office window. He looked out at the city below, contemplatively.
"Oh?" Reeve looked up from his computer screen. "Then what really happened? I saw you…I mean Chaos…hesitate."
"Lucrecia came to me," answered Vincent, turning to regard him again. "She came out of the Lifestream and she helped me gain some control. Chaos…wouldn't have been able to complete his task on his own. She must have known that."
Reeve stared at him. "I…see."
"You don't believe me."
"I didn't say that," corrected Reeve. He got out of his chair and approached the gunman. 'If you say you saw her, then you must have seen her. Whether she was really there or in your head is a question I can't know the answer to."
"She was there," insisted Vincent. "I know you think I simply found the strength myself and imagined her, but she was real. Lucrecia made it possible."
Reeve nodded slowly, knowing better than to argue with him. "Then I suppose we owe her a great deal of thanks."
Vincent regarded him suspiciously for a moment, wondering if he was teasing. Seeing the sincere expression on Reeve's handsome, bearded face, he relaxed. "Maybe now, she can rest in peace."
"Maybe," agreed the engineer. "What about you, Vincent? Has this brought you any peace?"
Vincent lowered his eyes. "I wish I could say it did, but no. The protomateria is gone now and I have no control over when Chaos manifests. His efforts against Omega exhausted him, but he'll return one day, and soon."
"We'll find a way to deal with it," promised Reeve.
"I know one way you could deal with it," suggested Vincent, lifting his eyes off the floor to look at him with an odd intensity.
"And that way would be?"
"Does your science department still make use of stasis tanks?"
Reeve's expression said he didn't like where this was going. The stasis tanks were reserved for the most severe injuries, to help patients recover from near-death trauma or keep them alive when all other methods weren't likely to succeed. "Yes, we still have them."
"Put me in one. If I'm in stasis, Chaos can't return."
"No." Reeve shook his head. "That's not an acceptable way to deal with this."
"Why not?"
The executive threw his hands up in exasperation. "Because you'll be in stasis, that's why! It's like inducing a coma indefinitely. You might as well ask me to kill you!"
"I would still be alive," objected Vincent. "I'm not asking you to help me commit suicide, Reeve. I'm asking you to protect yourself and let me sleep."
"But you're still sacrificing yourself," argued Reeve. "Vincent, you're my friend. It's bad enough that you keep trying to crawl back into your coffin, but at least when you do that I can come knocking to wake you up."
"You could still wake me up, if the situation ever warrants it," reminded Vincent. "Reeve…I'm tired."
"But—"
"I'm tired, Reeve." Vincent put his hands on his friend's shoulders and gazed into his eyes, willing him to understand. "I'm world-weary. I've lived through things no normal man could survive, and now I'm always going to be at the mercy of this entity inside of me. I can control the others, but not Chaos. You wouldn't just be doing this for your own safety. It would be a personal favor to me."
Reeve visibly struggled with himself, obviously torn. Finally, he sighed and abruptly embraced the taller man, hugging him tightly. "Dammit, Vince."
It was Vincent's turn to stand indecisive. He didn't quite know what to do. He and Reeve had exchanged friendly pats on occasion, but this was the first time they'd ever hugged. The last person to ever embrace him had been Lucrecia. It felt good to be in a warm, human embrace again and Vincent slowly and hesitantly returned it. He almost smiled against Reeve's hair, appreciating his friendship and loyalty.
"Thank you, Reeve."

~****************************~

The next day, Reeve escorted his friend to the labs. He stopped as they approached the stasis tank that he'd had prepared for him and he turned to the woman in the lab coat.
"I can take it from here, doctor. Please give my friend and I a moment alone."
She nodded and adjusted her wire-framed glasses. "Of course, Commissioner. Call out if you need any help. I'll see to it that you aren't disturbed, otherwise."
"Thank you." He waited for her to leave and once the door slid shut, he sighed heavily and looked to his friend. "You're absolutely sure about this? There's no chance I can change your mind?"
"I've made my decision," assured Vincent, "and I think it's best for everyone."
Reeve wanted to tell him it wasn't the best choice for him. He wanted to tell him how unfair it was, that he might never get to talk to him or touch him again. He wanted to finally tell him that he loved him, but he knew how selfish it would be of him to burden his friend that way. Vincent had earned his rest and he was right; they couldn't control Chaos or guarantee that he wouldn't hurt someone, the next time he came out.
"I'm going to miss you terribly, my friend," Reeve confessed, feeling safe in at least admitting that much.
"I'll miss you too."
Reeve forced a chuckle. "Actually, you won't. You won't notice time passing at all."
"Then I suppose I get the better deal." Vincent's gaze softened on him. "I'll never forget you, my friend."
For a horrible moment, Reeve thought he was about to start crying. He blinked and cleared his throat, looking away to conceal the moisture threatening to gather in his eyes. "Excuse me," he mumbled when he felt composed enough. "I had a tickle in my—"
When Reeve turned to face Vincent again, he found himself looking up at Chaos, instead. "—Throat. Oh, shit."
There had been no warning; visible, verbal or otherwise. It was like the entity just shut Vincent down and took over before the gunman even knew what was happening. The cold expression on the supernatural face told Reeve that Chaos knew everything, and his life began to flash before his eyes.
"Just so you know, this wasn't my idea," Reeve informed him, somehow standing his ground even though he wanted to run screaming from the room.
"I'm aware of whose idea this was," Chaos answered, his yellow gaze sliding up and down Reeve's form. "I was not consulted, however."
"That's…well, that was rude of us, but you must understand that—"
"I understand that my reward for saving your miserable species is to be trapped indefinitely in a state of hibernation, again. You are as ungrateful as you are weak."
"There's no need for insults," Reeve dared to chastise. "We're very grateful for what you've done, but you have to understand, Vincent is suffering and as a being that feeds on people's souls—"
"Spirit energy," corrected the demon, crossing his arms over his armored chest. "I could not actually consume the human spirit if I wanted to. Your souls are your own, until your bodies expire and you return to Gaia. The energy they produce is another story."
"Okay, the energy, then," allowed Reeve. "Pardon my mistake. My point is, I'm standing in the room with someone that could basically eat me. You could drain me to death, if you wanted to."
"Yes, I could." The hunger in those eyes as they caressed him made Reeve think he'd made a mistake, pointing that little fact out.
"Uh, you could, but then you wouldn't have me to snack on later," he said hastily. "Look, this isn't about insulting you or seeming ungrateful. This is about Vincent finding some peace and me trying to protect humans from being culled. It's really nothing personal."
"Your reasons don't matter, if I choose not to cooperate."
Reeve backed up a step as Chaos loomed over him, spreading his wings. One of them bumped a nearby equipment tray and the clash of a metal instrument hitting the floor made Reeve jump a little. "Well…would you consider cooperating?"
Chaos went still and for a second, his face betrayed a flash of amazement. "You really do have substantial nerve, human."
"I'm just trying to be polite," insisted Reeve. "You were angry because we never asked you, so I'm asking you now. Will you sleep with your host, Chaos?"
Realizing how that sounded, he quickly corrected himself. "I don't mean sleep with him, sleep with him. I mean hibernate. You won't even notice the time passing, and you won't feel any hunger."
"And why should I do this?"
Reeve took a shot in the dark. "Because you don't like it here. Aside from the occasional human snack, this dimension bores you."
Chaos titled his spiked head. "You sound certain of that. Do you believe your human mind can possibly comprehend how I feel or think?"
"No, of course not," answered Reeve, "but I'm an observant man. I may not know what goes through your head, but I know what I've seen. Am I wrong?"
He thought the demon might not answer him, but after thinking it over, he looked at the waiting stasis tank. "If you aren't being truthful with me about this…thing…I will break free and hunt you down, engineer."
Reeve blinked. "Then…you'll do it?"
"If for no reason than to escape the hunger, I will." Chaos regarded him with eyes that burned with unholy lust. "I'm tempted to taste you before I sleep."
"Oh." Reeve didn't much care for the idea of being 'tasted', but if it would help convince Chaos to do this…
"Well, I guess I can't fault you for wanting a bedtime snack." He dropped his arms and shut his eyes. "I won't fight you. I owe you one, anyway."
He sensed his approach and he tried not to stiffen as he felt the entity's hot breath sigh over his lips. Reeve had no idea what to expect, but given the size of Chaos' canines, he half expected him to bite him like a vampire. Maybe he gathered the spirit energy by drinking the blood. He braced himself for the sting of fangs, but to his surprise, it never came.
"If you still exist on this plane when I wake again, I may claim you," Chaos informed him, stepping away. "I'm certain I'll kill you now if I taste you. I won't wish to stop feeding until you're utterly spent in my arms."
Inappropriate, dirty thoughts popped into Reeve's head in response to that last sentence, even though he knew that by "spent", Chaos meant "dead".
"I…wouldn't want you to do that. You have my gratitude, Chaos."

~*************************************~

When it was taken care of, Reeve reported it to Lazard. The SOLDIER director looked confused as he stared up at him with a frown on his lips. "And he actually agreed to it?"
"Well yes," answered Reeve. "It isn't like I could have stuffed him into the tank against his will, Lazard. Chaos willingly allowed the procedure and now he's safely stored in the stasis lab. We should restrict access to only the highest clearance levels, of course."
"We will," promised Lazard. He noticed how unhappy Reeve looked and he offered some sympathy. "I know you're close to Mr. Valentine, Reeve. This was a smart decision, though. We have no idea what else Chaos is capable of and this way, we know where he is at all times and your friend is safe."
Reeve nodded, not much comforted by the observation. "I think I'll go cheer myself up by gloating at Hojo for his failure. You don't object to that, do you?"
Lazard smirked. "If anyone deserves to deliver the 'bad news' to him, it's you. Enjoy yourself, Reeve."

~*************************************~

-To be continued
- 23
- 24
- 25
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