Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 41
- 42
- 43
Chapter 42: Tragedy and Hope
Everything was white. Tifa looked around. There was only white. She thought she saw Cloud once or twice, and she attempted to call out to him, but he simply turned and ran.
Tifa almost wanted to smack herself in the face. She had just witnessed Cloud fall to his death down a crevice. There was no way she could be seeing him. She realized that, perhaps, it was the wanting to see him.
And, strangely, someone did indeed hear her.
"Huh?" asked Barret as he suddenly materialized.
"The glare," Tifa moaned. She was still in a delirium, and had no idea where she was. She almost wondered if she had died, and if this was the afterlife.
Of course, that was not the case.
"You'll be better soon," he assured her. "You've been asleep for a long time."
That would explain the delirium. Her memory was slowly coming back. She had been on the Shinra 2000 when a bunch of horrible creatures emerged from the ground. Before that...
"I'm...hungry..." Tifa sighed.
"Hey!" exclaimed Barett. "Why don't you ask? About him?"
Him? Oh, Cloud, Tifa thought. She remember now. But what was there to ask about? He was kicked to his death down a crevice. She wanted to cry. But she couldn't. There was something she had to focus on now...
"Because I'm scared," she replied as she sat up.
And then, her surroundings began to materialize. She was sitting on a bed, somewhere in a small locale that seemed to be a recovery room. At least that was what she hoped it was.
"I remember he fell down that crevice," Tifa continued. "I don't know if he's dead or alive. I know he could have gotten into that Lifestream, but I don't know."
"I don't know what happened to Cloud, either," Barret said. "Guess I shouldn't tell you not to worry. Nobody knows if he's all right either."
Tifa sighed. She did not see where he landed, but she knew a fall like that could not have a good prognosis. And she never got a chance to tell him how she felt.
"How long was I asleep?" she asked, trying to get her mind on something else.
"Lessee now," Barret replied. "Must've been about seven days."
"A whole week?!" Tifa exclaimed in shock. It couldn't have been that long.
"Not really," Barret replied. "More like seven hours. But each hour felt like a day."
Tifa sighed. She was somewhat annoyed, but it did feel like she had been sleeping forever.
"What about Sephiroth?" she asked, realizing there was no getting her mind off the situation. They had made it to the North Pole, and did not kill him. The expedition had been a failure.
"You ain't over it yet," Barret observed. "Remember that huge light, in the Northern Cave? Since then, the crater's been surrounded by a huge barrier of light. Everyone knows Sephiroth sleeps in that big hole, protected by the barrier. We can't do a damn thing about it. We just gotta wait till he wakes up. An' on topa that, some huge monster called Weapon's been on a rampage."
"Weapon?" asked Tifa, trying to put her memories together.
"Remember that huge monster that was with Sephiroth, at the bottom of the crater?"
Now she remembered. "Yes." Although she could have sworn she saw at least five of them.
"Well, it's up here now," Barrett continued. "They say it's some legendary monster from the past."
"Weapon is protecting Sephiroth?" Tifa asked. It wouldn't make sense. He was the threat.
"Dunno," Barret replied. "But he's up here goin' around tearin' shit up. Right now Rufus' fightin' it. I hate to say it, but he's got guts. We shoulda been the ones to destroy it, but we ain't got no time."
Time, thought Tifa. That gave her an idea...until she realized, slowly and painfully, after remembering the fate of the Black Materia, that, if what she feared turned out to be true, that they didn't have any time.
"Hey!" Tifa exclaimed, realizing she had to ask. "How about Meteor?"
In response, Barret gave her a sincere look, and pointed in her direction. Tifa looked behind her to see coverings that appeared to be blinds. And then, the blinds opened in succession, revealing the outside world.
There, in the sky, was an orangish spherical object. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time.
"It's comin' towards us," Barret finally replied. "God knows when it'll get here, but when it does, everything and everyone will die. And the planet will be a barren wasteland forever."
Shaking, Tifa gazed at Meteor in the sky, and it seemed to be staring back at her.
"Do we have to give up?" she asked sadly.
"Dunno," Barret replied. "It don't feel like we have to. I just dunno what to do about Sephiroth, or Rufus, or even that hooker in the red dress, for that matter."
"I'm right here," Bestla said. "I can hear you!"
Tifa turned to see Bestla sitting in the fetal position on the floor. She had been in the room with them the whole time. She could have sworn she had seen her before. But where?
"You," Tifa began. "You look very familiar."
"That's what I thought," Barret added. "I know I've seen 'er before."
"Did you two pay attention to a word I said back there?" Bestla asked.
"All too well," Barret replied. "What the fuck were you on?"
"More importantly, what do you mean by you've already killed me," Tifa demanded. "I feel pretty alive. I'm achy and I kind of have to pee, so I really don't think I'm a ghost."
"I shot you with blue energy," Bestla replied. "You gave Cloud a very tearful goodbye before you turned to dust."
"It's still 'ffectin' her," Barret said, "Whatever it is."
"Wait a minute," Tifa said. "I've heard about blue energy. It was a secret weapon Shinra was developing. They were building large bombs full of it that could supposedly level an entire city. They wanted to drop on Wutai during the war."
"You got it," Bestla replied. "And guess where they're being kept? Right here in Junon."
"If you killed me," Tifa continued, "why am I still here?"
"And why?" demanded Barret. "Why did you kill us?"
"You got in my way," Bestla replied. "And I wanted to get even."
"For what?" Barret demanded. "We never even saw you until the cave!"
"You killed my parents," Bestla replied.
"Your parents?!" exclaimed Tifa.
"That's right," Bestla continued. "They needed dental records to identify their charred corpses."
"We didn't kill your parents," Tifa insisted. "If you are who you say you are, they are very much alive. They were right there in the cave!"
"You still don't get it, do you?" Bestla dismissed.
Just then, the door opened. In came Hojo, followed by Palmer, along with two armed guards.
Hojo immediately went over to Bestla.
"Scarlett found her daughter at home last night," he began. "Yet the blood sample reveals your DNA is a match." He then stepped even closer. "So what's the explanation? How can you be in two places as once?"
"You're a smart man," Bestla replied. "You can figure it out."
"I already did," Hojo replied. "Mostly. You're DNA matches the other Bestla's perfectly, and you look a decade older. Anyone can figure out why. I just want to know how you did it."
"Why?" Bestla asked. "What would you do? Prevent President Shinra from being murdered? Do us both a favor by going back to 1985 and preventing him from raping that girl in Nibelheim? Or possibly stop yourself from siring your destructive offspring."
In response, Hojo gave a hand signal.
The two soldiers grabbed her, bound her, raised her to her feet, and led her out of the room. A moment later, Hojo and Palmer followed. The door sealed, leaving Tifa and Barret alone in the room.
"She's from the future," Tifa deduced out loud.
"And sometim' in the future, we kill 'er parents? We take out Heidegger and Scarlett?"
"And then she kills us," Tifa added sadly.
"An' the blue energy?"
"Blue energy was just a rumor," she replied.
"But deadly, right?" Barret asked.
"If used on a person," she continued, "it would turn them to dust."
"Le's talk about those rumors," Barret began. "Sounds like she somehow loaded that energy into some kind 'o blaster?"
"I hope that's the worst of it," Tifa replied. "She's right about something else. I heard they also kept a few experimental bombs right here in Junon. If one of those was dropped, it would level a whole town."
"There's no way Bestla could find any, right?!" Barret exclaimed.
"If she's the daughter of two Shinra executives, who knows?" Tifa answered.
"But even Scarlet and Heidegger aren't stupid!" Barret said. "They'd protect that from everyone. Even her!"
"Not if they're dead," Tifa said. "We kill them, remember?"
MEANWHILE...
Hojo and Palmer continued to escort Bestla through the hallway. Corridor after corridor, she remained silent. She already knew what was about to happen. It was only a matter of time.
And then, they approached a door on the side that read: CONFIDENTIAL WEAPON STORAGE. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
This had to be it, Bestla thought.
So she spoke. "Where are you taking me?" she asked.
"Solitary," Hojo replied. "Until you tell us how you did it."
"You can't to that," Bestla protested.
"If you really are Bestla," Palmer replied, "mom and dad must have told you how hard we are to escape."
Bestla shook her head. "No, I mean it's not the right thing to do to me. At least right now."
Hojo sighed. "What's so special about right now? Is something about to happen?"
"Sort of," Bestla replied, sheepishly.
"And what might that be?" Palmer demanded.
"I'm really horny," she said.
Both men stopped in their tracks. Fortunately for Bestla, but unfortunately for the rest of the world, Hojo was a notorious sex addict, and Palmer was a desperate virgin.
"I haven't had sex in forever," Bestla continued. "And right now I'm stuck between my two biggest turn-ons: brains and blubber!"
"I turn you on?" asked Palmer, skeptically.
"More of you to love," Bestla replied, beginning a seductive tone of voice.
"We'll have a coin toss," Hojo suggested. "To see who can have her first."
"Maybe you can both do me," Bestla replied. "At the same time."
"Whoa!" exclaimed Palmer. "I'm in!"
Waiting no time, he began to pull up her dress.
"Not out here!" Bestla objected. "We'll be seen!"
"We'll be quick," Palmer assured her.
"What if I want more?" she teased. "What's wrong with that room?" she asked, referring to the one behind the aforementioned doors.
"That's confidential material," Hojo said.
"And you're not going to kill me when this was all done?" Bestla asked.
"Good point," Hojo agreed.
With that, he pulled out his ID card and swiped, causing the door to slide open. Bestla was quickly led inside, and the door slid closed behind her.
"Guys," she began, "you don't suppose you can uncuff me? I have good use of my hands."
Hojo began to honor his request.
Palmer wasn't to hot on it. "What the fuck are you doing?!" he demanded.
"Relax," Hojo assured him. "She can't escape this place. There are guards at every exit."
He then proceeded to uncuff her.
"So whose pants do I take off first?" asked Bestla seductively.
"Mine mine mine mine mine!" Palmer exclaimed.
She did what she said she would. Then she did the same for Hojo. And then, she began to look around the room. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the four spheres in the corner.
"That's nothing," Hojo replied.
"Really?" Bestla asked. "Those aren't the experimental blue energy spheres? The ones designed to destroy Wutai?"
"That's completely bullshit," Palmer insisted. "Come on over!"
"Eager beaver!" Bestla said with a grin.
BACK AT THE CELL...
"So they're going to let her on the loose again?" Tifa sighed. "Or maybe their going to kill her. What bothers me is that it almost seems as if she wanted to get caught. As if she wanted to get inside this building."
Barret nodded.
And then, the doors opened again, and the next visitor arrived.
"I thought Cloud would show up to save you all," Rufus announced as he walked in. "Professor Hojo wanted to check up on Cloud, too."
"What are you going to do to Cloud?" Tifa demanded.
"Sephiroth's alter ego," Rufus began. "Meteor has been summoned. Essentially, it's all but over now, so there's no need for you now." He then grinned. "No, maybe there is an important task for you."
"Whatever it is," Tifa replied, "you're not getting any help from us."
A moment later, Heidegger marched into the room.
"Mr. President!" he greeted. "Preparations for the public execution are complete!"
Tifa felt her stomach tighten.
"Execution!?" exclaimed Barret. "What're ya gonna get by executin' us?"
"You are to be executed for causing this situation," Rufus replied. "People are ignorant. They'll feel better as long as someone is punished."
Barret turned his head towards Tifa. "I take back what little praise I had for this damn jackass!"
"You know perfectly well we execute terrorists and drug traffickers," Rufus said as he turned to leave. "Well, enjoy your last moments together."
Rufus disappeared out the doorway, and was quickly replaced by two armed guards.
"I'll tie your arms now," Heidegger announced.
Tifa wanted to fight back, but the two guards pointed their guns at Tifa and Barret.
They were beaten.
MEANWHILE...
Hojo and Palmer lay on their stomachs, unconscious, and both with their pants at their ankles.
"I've located the spheres," Bestla said into her cell phone as she finished putting her dress back on. "Approach the city from behind as soon as Weapon attacks. Understood?"
"Roger that," the female voice responded.
IN THE PRESS ROOM...
Tifa and Barret, still bound, were led into the room. Tifa could instantly see it was a circus, as photographers and reporters flooded the premesis.
"Is everyone here?" asked Scarlet, standing nearby. "These are the ones who brought this madness into the world!"
"The hell are these people?" Barret demanded.
"We will be broadcasting your miserable deaths live on national television," Scarlet announced.
Tifa sighed. She had never been more humiliated in her life.
"Scarlet, why a public execution in this day and age?" asked a rather obese looking reporter towards the back.
"With the chaos resulting from the Meteor reports, we desperately need to rally public support," Scarlet replied. "It's better that we punish somebody, anybody."
"You make me sick," Tifa hissed.
"Kya ha, ha, ha, ha!" cackled Scarlet. "They'll never admit it, but everyone loves this stuff!" She then pointed to Tifa. "We'll start with this girl."
"Wait!" shouted Barret as he struggled to follow. "If you've gotta do it, do me first!"
Scarlet grinned, and pointed to the situation.
"Camera, this way!" she shouted. "Make sure you get this, the audience just eats up tearful goodbyes!"
Two guards grabbed Tifa and marched her into the next room. Inside, there was a special-looking chair surrounded by sophisticated mechanical structures, which the guards promptly strapped Tifa into.
It was no mystery. This was a gas chamber.
"What are you doing!?" Tifa demanded.
"This is my special gas chamber," Scarlet announced as she entered. "Take your time, and enjoy a slow painful death." She then smacked Tifa in the face as hard as she could. "Stuck up bitch!" she shouted as she left the room.
She then returned to where the press was standing. "Well now," she said, "the show's about to begin. Kya ha ha!"
And then, the lights began to flash red.
Every reporter from the media got a panicked look on their face.
"Emergency!" called a voice over the loudspeaker. "Emergency!"
"What the fuck's going on?" one of the reporters demanded.
"Weapon's approaching!" the loudspeaker continued. "Attention all military personnel: take your positions!"
"Oh no! It's Weapon!" cried one reporter.
"Run!" shouted another.
All hell broke loose. One by one, each reporter began to flee the room until on one obese man remained.
Scarlet was less than pleased.
"Hey, hey, all of you!" she shouted. "Damn! Why now?"
"How does it feel now, Scarlet?" asked the obese reporter.
"Hmm, so you didn't run?" Scarlet replied. "I'm impressed. How do I feel? Right now..."
She couldn't finish. She collapsed to the ground instead. She didn't move.
Barret was perplexed. "Sleeping gas?!" he exclaimed.
Without further ado, the reporter morphed into a more familiar figure.
"You never told me you could do that!" Barret said.
"Isn't nanotechnology great?" Cait Sith replied.
"Weirdo!" exclaimed one of the guards.
Cait Sith quickly pounded the guards on the head, knocking them out cold before turning to Barret and untying him. "I'm here to help!" he announced.
"Why you?" Barret demanded. "Ain't you part of Shinra?"
"Let's just say I'm against capital punishment," Cait Sith explained. "Besides, I hate this broad," he added, referring to the fallen Scarlet. "Come on, we gotta help Tifa. I'll keep watch at the entrance."
"Fools," muttered Scarlet groggily. "I've already pushed the switch." She then passed out.
Meanwhile, Barret began tugging on the door to the gas chamber, but to no avail.
"It won't open!" he exclaimed.
IN THE COMMAND ROOM...
Rufus gazed out the window. It was coming straight for them, yet he kept his composure. Nobody had ever seen him bleed nor cry. He had a reputation to maintain.
Heidegger, who was standing beside him, stated the obvious. "It's Weapon."
"There's been so many attacks lately," Rufus said. "Can we handle it?"
"I believe so," replied Heidegger. "Your orders?"
"Bomb the shit out of him!" Rufus demanded.
Heidegger smirked. "We'll give it a shot from our big cannon." He then pressed a button, placing his voice on the intercom. "Open cannon doors! Activate cannon. Target: Sapphire Weapon!"
"Preparations complete!" replied a technician.
"The cannon," Heidegger commanded. "Fire!"
Through the window, Rufus could see the cannon's opening begin to glow a few moments before a burst of light escaped from its mouth and disappeared over the horizon.
He stood there silently. This would be a moment of truth. If he could destroy a Weapon, Maybe, just maybe...
"Did we get 'em?" Rufus asked.
"Seems so," Heidegger replied.
And then, the announcement came over the speaker.
"Weapon approaching!" shouted a voice. "Speed, fifty knots. It's heading right toward us!"
"It can't be!" exclaimed Heidegger. "We hit it dead on!"
"Shit," muttered Rufus. "How about the cannon?"
"It'll take time to reload," Heidegger replied.
"Fuck it!" Rufus muttered angrily. "Then use regular fire power in the mean time!"
"Yes sir!" Heidegger replied as he pressed the intercom button again. "Open all artillery doors! Target: Weapon! Don't let it land!"
"Speed, 70 Knots!" shouted one of the control techs.
MEANWHILE...
Bestla was pacing around the room. Every few seconds she glanced at the double doors, and the two unconscious men on their stomachs with their pants at their ankles.
Slowly, Bestla realized the danger she was in. Any moment now, Palmer and Hojo could wake up. Any moment now, soldiers could blast their way through the doors. Any moment now, Weapon could destroy the entire room.
And then, the ceiling suddenly gave way. Planks fell as Nara entered the room from above, her hand on a chain and riding a platform. Bestla's salvation had arrived.
"I came in like a wrecking ball," Nara announced.
"Perfect," Bestla replied. "We'll load the spheres before we get noticed."
With that, Bestla picked up the first sphere and handed it to Nara.
Nara ascended to the Urchin and returned two minutes later. "What happened to them?" asked Nara, noticing the unconscious Palmer and Hojo on the ground.
"We all have something in common," Bestla said as she passed the second sphere to Nara. "Blue balls."
"Who has the bigger penis?" asked Nara.
"Palmer," Bestla replied.
Nara took the sphere and returned again a few minty red later. "How many are we taking?" She asked.
"All of them," Bestla replied. "I have a different use for each and every one of them."
Bestla and Nara each took one of the remaining two spheres and boarded the platform. Nara pressed a button on a remote, causing the platform to ascend toward the Urchin, which was hovering just above the broken ceiling.
At that moment, an explosion sounded the room. Bestla looked to see the doors pulverized with a cloud of smoke, which no less than ten armed soldiers rushed through, followed by Elena.
"Stop that woman!" she shouted before the platform disappeared into the Urchin.
The trap door at the bottom then sealed. Shinra soldiers began to fire on the exterior, but it was no use. The Urchin simply ascended and moved away from the roof.
Elena immediately got out her walkie-talkie. "Rufus, it's Elena," she announced. "That Bestla impersonator just stole the spheres!"
"The spheres?!" Rufus exclaimed.
"You know," Elena continued. "Those spheres? The ones we were going to drop on Wutai?"
"Evacuate all Shinra personnel from the city," Junon ordered.
"Sir?" asked the perplexed Turk.
"Are you deaf, Elena?" Rufus demanded.
"No sir," she replied. "Beginning evacuation procedures now."
At that moment, both Hojo and Palmer both regained consciousness and looked, quite awkwardly at Elena.
"Gentlemen," she began, "you're in serious trouble."
MEANWHILE, IN THE EXECUTION CHAMBER...
All of these goings on might cause one to forget about the predicament Tifa was in. She remained strapped into the chair. She tried to move, but she was bound by her hands and shins. She could only move her feet and head, and could not touch anything but empty space with them.
And then, a sound suddenly came from the vents. A nasty hissing sound. And she knew exactly what it was.
"Gas!" Tifa exclaimed. "Barret, help!"
"Hold your breath!" Barret exclaimed from beyond the door. "Hold on as long as you can!"
"Come on!" Tifa protested. "I can't hold on forever!"
"Shit!" exclaimed Barret as he unsuccessfully tried to open the door. "The Gas Room's probably locked from a different room!"
He gazed around the room, hoping for some kind of solution.
"Hmm, we gotta go with a different plan," Cait Sith said. "Let's get out of this room first."
Barret looked at the door. He didn't want to leave her there. But he realized he didn't have a choice.
"Tifa!" he shouted. "I'll help you, I promise!"
Cait Sith and Barret quickly left the press room. And then, the door closed behind them.
Barret ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was no use.
"No!" he exclaimed. "They locked this too!"
"Fools," shouted the now-conscious Scarlet from inside the press room, "now you can't save the girl!"
"Goddammit!" shouted Barret.
"Okay, okay," said Cait Sith calmly. "Time for Plan B. Let's run to the airport!"
Barret almost wanted to blast him. "Why the airport?" he shouted. "An' leave Tifa there?"
"Trust me, trust me," Barret assured. "We gotta take a chance."
The two of them ran through three rooms before making it outside. Once there, a reporter, one who had fled the press room, jumped in front of them and held a microphone to Barret's face.
"I know you're in a hurry!" she said. "But, please, if I could have a word?"
"Shut up!" Barret demanded. "I'm in a hurry!"
"Don't make so much noise!" the reporter chastised. "It's me. Yuffie!"
Barret gave her a skeptical look. "The hell you doin' here!?"
"I'll explain later!" she answered. "Now we gotta get to the airport!"
The airport lay a hundred or so yards from their position. But as they got there, Barret began to get suspicious.
"Yo!" he exclaimed. "You sure this is the right way? It's a dead end."
Cait Sith gave him a sheepish look. "Uh oh," he said. "Did I make a wrong turn?"
"You damn cat!" Barret shouted angrily. "What the hell're we gonna do now? They all be comin' soon!"
And, almost as if in cue, a multitude of Shinra soldiers began approaching.
"Yo," Barret announced, "better watch my back till the end, partner!"
Cait Sith tossed him a box of bullets, which he loaded into his gun-arm.
This would be a fight to the death. And he remembered what was also going on back inside.
If Tifa was not dead already, she was certainly doomed.
MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE GAS CHAMBER...
The same time this was all going on, Tifa remained strapped in the chair as she was trying desperately not to breathe.
The gas had completely filled the room now. One breath would kill her in a matter of seconds. She had been trained to hold her breath indefinitely. But indefinitely did not mean forever. Eventually, she would have to breathe.
The premonitions, of course, were still coming.
I know I get out of here, Tifa thought to herself. But how?
She looked around the room for the fifth time. There was still the sealed door. All buttons that could possibly save her life were well out of range. Then she looked on the floor. There, right by her feet, was her sparkling salvation.
"A key!" she whispered.
But how to get it? Her arms and feet remained bound. She could move her head, but it was nowhere near the key.
Then she remembered that she could stretch her legs.
If I can get the key between my shoes, Tifa thought, I could flip it into my mouth and free my arms.
Well aware it was a time-sensitive matter, Tifa stretched her long legs. After two attempts, she managed to get the key between her sneakers.
Here goes, Tifa thought. She knew she only had one chance at this. If she used the wrong amount of force, the key would wind up either on her lap or on the floor behind her. Putting date to the test, Tifa clenched her feet and flung the key.
It landed on her right breast. It had not been where she had been hoping, but it was indeed within range.
People better not be watching, Tifa thought as she used her mouth to recover the key.
The rest of the situation wrote itself. Tifa unlocked the right cuff with her mouth and the left with her hand. She then freed her legs and stood up.
But that was not the end of her situation.
Which button stops the gas? she thought as she began to fiddle with the buttons. Eventually, she did manage to stop the gas, but, by that point, the gas as already filled the room. She needed to escape.
She tried to open the door, but it was no use. After that careful escape from the chair...
A sudden explosion sounded the room as part of the ceiling above her was suddenly gone.
The poisonous gas that had occupied the room slowly made its way through the new hole in the ceiling.
At last, Tifa took a real breath.
And then came another loud sound. This was the sound of pounding on the door.
"What'd you do?" demanded Scarlet. "Hey! Open it!"
Tifa sighed. She still had...her to deal with.
"First you lock me in this weird place," the brunette replied, "and now you're telling me to come out? Make up your mind!"
Realizing that soldiers would soon blast their way in, Tifa climbed through the ceiling and slid down the wall, landing on a surface that was solid but unusually round. And then she realized: she was on the canon.
She ran several feet, and the she stopped. What am I doing? she thought. If I jump from here I'll break every bone in my body!
She turned around, and saw that she was mere inches from a familiar face.
"Our little game of hide and seek ends here," Scarlet announced. "The execution may have been unsuccessful, but your death by falling from here and crashing into the water below still might be pretty exciting." She raised her hand and, for a second time, smacked Tifa across the face. "Stuck up to the end!"
And then, Tifa lost it. "Quit slapping me, you old bitch!" she shouted as she hurled her hand across as the older woman's cheek.
"Oh yeah?" taunted Scarlet as she smacked her again. "Disgusting cuntface."
"Same to you!" shouted Tifa as she smacked her again.
And then Scarlet returned the smack. "Why don't you go fuck that experiment of Hojo's?"
That did it. Without saying a word, Tifa punched Scarlet in the stomach.
She staggered back and caught her breath as two soldiers approached.
"God! I can't stand it!" Scarlet shouted. "Take her away. Now it's time to pay up. I'll really drop you if you don't settle down!"
Tifa opened her mouth and prepared to say something.
But then, she heard something.
"Run!" shouted a voice.
Tifa quickly looked around to see where it had come from. She recognized the voice as Barret's.
"Run to the end of the cannon!" he shouted.
Tifa did as she was told.
"Forget it, boys," Scarlet said to the soldiers. "If she wants to kill herself, let her. As long as someone gets it on tape."
The two soldiers went below as Tifa continued to run. She was twenty feet from the end of the cannon. Then fifteen. Then ten.
And then, without warning, the Shinra 2000 appeared.
Barret was standing on what appeared to be the bridge as he tossed a rope, which Tifa quickly grabbed and climbed. She soon found herself on the bridge, along with Barret, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent.
"You okay?" asked Barret.
"My cheeks hurt a bit," Tifa replied. "Forget about that, what's all this about?"
"Well, I'll catch the details later," Cait Sith replied. "In any case, the airship, the Shinra 2000, is now yours."
"Well then," Tifa said, "I think we can all agree to get the hell out of here."
"I think I'll second that," Cid said.
And the Shinra 2000 began to move away from Junon.
MEANWHILE...
Only one of the airships moved away from Junon. The other, by contrast, moved further into the city.
Bestla returned to the bridge of the Urchin for the first time in many days. Her original plan had been a failure, but her Plan B was about to be a success.
Nara was already there, awaiting orders.
"It's time," Bestla announced.
"All four are loaded," Nara informed her.
"Then let's begin," Bestla commanded. "If I can't be a goddess, the world can still bow before me as one!"
ABOARD THE SHINRA 2000...
"Everyone," called Red XIII suddenly. "Something's up with Bestla's airship."
Tifa was the first to take a look. "Is it escaping?" she asked.
"No," Red XIII answered. "And that's what's bothering me."
Tifa peered over the ledge. The Urchin was not moving. She was simply hovering, roughly a thousand feet above the ground. As if she was waiting for something.
Tifa then turned to Red XIII.
"I feel as if I've seen that ship before," she began.
"That's the Urchin," Red XIII explained. "Grandfather said it was built for the Wutai War. But he also said it was stored underground, as the Shinra never actually used it."
Tifa shook her head. "No, I mean I think I've seen it in person."
"A premonition?" asked Red XIII.
"Maybe," Tifa replied.
Suddenly, both Tifa and Barret saw, out of the corners of their eyes, a blinding flash of blue light.
Both of them turned it its direction. The Urchin was finally moving away from Junon.
Just then, Barret, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent rushed to the bridge to see what was happening.
Down below, a blue flame was rushing through the city, engulfing everything in its path, and then, curiously, seemingly leaving it as it had been.
"What's going on?" Vincent asked.
"Bestla's airship just dropped some kind of orb onto the city," Red XIII answered.
"It's sending that blue wave through the town," Tifa added.
"But it's apparently doing nothing," Cait Sith observed.
The wave continued to spread outward to the outskirts of Junon. Then it subsided and disappeared.
"Can someone please tell me what the fuck that was supposed to be?" Cid demanded.
Tifa's mouth suddenly dried. She was the first to realize what had just happened.
"That was blue energy," Tifa said in a shaky voice. "Anything it touches turns to dust."
Everyone gazed into Junon. All movement in the town began to slow. Then it stopped.
"How long before the city crumbles?" Yuffie asked, sounding a lump in her throat.
"Seconds," Tifa replied. "Seconds."
Junon remained for a few moments, as if it was a large artwork for all to see. Then, slowly, every human, building, vehicle, and tree turned the same shade of light brown. Three seconds later, the entire town crumbled into dust.
Then the wind began to carry some of the dust away.
Everyone was silent.
"My God," Vincent quietly said.
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