Fort Condor Medical Wing 8:37
Was she in heaven?
Cloud smiled down on her and she finally felt free. Her mind drifted back to her parents... childhood... friends... AVALANCHE...
Cloud...
She brought her hands up to her face and grinned faintly. No Jenova veins running down her fingers. No blotchy, withered skin. Just a warm glow inside. A glorious feeling that spread to the tips of her toes.
“Welcome back, Tifa.” Cloud said warmly.
She looked up in confusion. Was Cloud dead, too? Had Sephiroth won?
“What’s happening?” she asked, her eyes focusing and all the others coming in to view.
Barrett cheered and slapped Nicholas hard on the back.
“Son of a gun! It really worked! Yer a genius, kid!”
Elena, Reno and Rude shoved their way to the front. Rude stared wide-eyed at her face.
“Gosh, Tifa...” he mumbled. “You sure look...”
Elena cut him off, swiftly elbowing him in the chest. “How do you feel?”
She searched for the feeling to describe what was happening inside her.
“I feel...warm. Like I’ve just been born.” she said.
Cid stared at her, a worried look on his face. “Hey, Nick, are you sure she’s alright?”
For the first time in an eternity she laughed. “I’m fine, Cid. So... you find the vaccine, I guess.”
She looked up into Cloud’s eyes. Strange eyes. A sad, haunting look to them: the Mako, she supposed.
Yuffie shoved the others out the room.
“Oh, gawd!” she cried. “I think we’d better leave these two alone...”
“Hey, Nicholas!” shouted Reno as he was pushed out of the door. “Get some more of that stuff, will ya? She’s gone all weird again!”
The door finally shut behind them and they were alone. For the first time in... she couldn’t remember when.
“Last time we were like this was... the Gold Saucer, eh?”
He broke away and walked over to the wall. “...Yeah.”
She breathed heavily and he looked back around. “So you’re fine, eh?”
“I feel great. Better than ever. Where was Reeve?”
Cloud’s eyes filled with sadness as he walked over to her. “Reeve is... dead, Tifa.”
“What?” It came of no surprise. “How?”
Cloud sighed. “Sephiroth brought back Shera, Godo and Priscilla and infected them with the Cancer. Reeve died so we could escape. The whole of humanity owes him a debt.”
“Cloud... I owe you one.”
He shrugged the way he always did. “Anything for a friend, right?”
A friend. Yeah.
“... anything for a friend, Cloud.” she found herself saying.
“Tifa...” he began. Trailing off, he just sat there and watched her for a long time.
“Cloud, why haven’t you got yourself a nice girlfriend and settled down?”
He laughed. “My mother said that once. You’d like her, I think.”
“Answer me, Cloud. Come on, anything for a friend?”
He shrugged again. “I don’t know, Tifa. Probably the same reason you haven’t done the same. I’ve never found the right person.”
The words stung. She wanted to cry out ‘What about me, Cloud?’ but she knew the answer.
“...There was Aeris.” she said quietly.
Cloud shivered. “But she’s dead.”
“...Elena?”
“Not my type. And Reno’s got his eye on her, anyway.”
“Yuffie?”
“Aw, come on.”
“Me?”
There. She had said it. After five years... she had sort of said it. Sort of...
His head jerked up and he looked at her questioningly. She could hear the heavy thumping of her heart banging against her ribcage. Finally, he just sat up and smiled.
“Well?” she asked.
He said nothing. Instead, he got up and opened the door. Her heart sank as he twisted the handle and went out.
But just before he left, she swore she heard a bare whisper of an answer, so quiet she had to strain to hear it.
“You never know, Tifa.”

-
War Room 8:01
After almost a year, they were all here. Every one of them.
Except Reeve.
Vincent stood distanced from the group in his usual manner, and Tifa was engaged in a friendly conversation with Nicholas. Cloud almost laughed as he entered, the atmosphere felt that good.
But deep underneath, lay fear. A deep unease that everyone was struggling to come to terms with.
All the Supreme Generals were dressed in their impeccable uniform: Da-Li in his old Wutai General’s outfit, Aeronnist in the Gongaga Militia Dress, and Anderson in his ancient Shin-Ra Officers Uniform. Hamilton had opted to wear a custom made suit, pure white with emerald green trim.
They all rose to their feet when he entered the room. There was a brief silence, and the Hamilton spoke up.
“Cloud Strife... once again the human race owes you a great debt. We would surely have all perished if not for your insight, your courage, your intelligence and your strength.”
Cloud looked at him, puzzled. “We haven’t won yet, Hamilton.”
The ageing man smiled. “I’m quietly confident.”
“Anyway.” said Vincent softly. “We have about a week before the final battle begins.”
“Exactly.” chimed Cloud. “And I suggest that we all go over the strategies. And I don’t want any of you to work the men too hard: make sure they get lots of sleep, and time with family. Seeing their children with give them something to fight for.”
“What do we do?” asked Yuffie.
“Everyone here is free to do what they please, but I will be calling several sessions along with General Hamilton. In them, we’ll discuss what to expect and what to do: I don’t want anything going wrong.”
Tifa raised her hand politely. “Can I say something, Cloud?”
“Yeah.”
“Right,” she said, smiling. “The people respect you, Cloud: they love you. I know you won’t want to do this, but why don’t you make a speech to them at the final hour? It would really help.”
Reno grinned. “Yeah, great idea.”
Cloud looked at him suspiciously, but his face seemed genuine. He shrugged in surrender.
“Yeah, whatever.” he sighed. “I’ll do it.”
There was a small cheer.
“Anyway.” he said. “I’m handing you over to Hamilton, now. He’ll go over the strategy.”
Cloud sat down and Hamilton got up.
“Right.” he said Hamilton. “I’m informing you that we have six days, seventeen hours and fifty-one minutes until the Jenova come into visual range. And that means that we’ve got to be prepared in three days at the least. From then on, we wait. I’m going over the stategy for battle now.”
he paused, took a breath. “We will fight the Jenova in a war of attrition. Every single inch they gain will have to be as a result of the death of ten hybrids. You see, ladies and gentlemen, we are greatly outnumbered and the only advantage we gain is that we are defending, and the added edge of advanced technology. To win, our forces must strategically retreat and force the hybrids to pursue over terrain advantageous to ourselves. This is the only way I believe we can win. That is the task that I set, and this is how we are to achieve it...”

-
6 Days, Eight Hours and Four Minutes...
The day passed in a fleeting glimmer for Reno. He hadn’t yet decided how he was going to spend the potentially last days of his life.
He had better make up his mind soon, the clock was ticking...
Maybe he should challenge Elena to another fight, and systematically shed her clothing.
God, that was an interesting idea.
He shrugged, annoyed. Yeah, well. Rude and Elena had been off for ages. And it didn’t take two seconds to figure out what they were up to. How could his best friend get the girl he wanted so badly?
“Hey, Reno. Where you going?”
He turned round to see Elena standing in the door, soaking from the sudden downpour that had fallen upon the Fort these past few hours.
“Hey.” he grinned. “Why don’t we get you out of those wet clothes and-”
“Shut up, Reno.” she laughed. “Same old talk, huh?”
“You bet, gorgeous.”
“Don’t call me that, or I’ll crush your bollocks again.”
Reno considered this for a moment. “Would I get to be in the same position as last time? Cos’ if I was, then I wouldn’t mind-”
She cut hims off again. “Really?”
“Of course!” he said, surprised. “Are you offering.”
“Maybe.” she said shyly. She walked out of the room and into the corridor.
He grinned and followed her.
He had just made up his mind as to what he was going to do for the next six days.
God, it was gonna be fun.

-
Six Days, Two Hours and Four minutes...
Cid stood surveying the final work on the Iron Curtain, the huge, thirty feet high wall that was to be the first line of defence.
He managed a faint smile as he took a swig from his bottle. Everyone had someone except him... now Shera had gone.
Someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and he turned sluggishly around.
“You miss her?”
“Red!!! Shit, you scared me. If it weren’t for the drink I woulda screamed.”
“Yet the fact remains.” said Nanami. “You miss Shera.”
“...Yeah. Like hell.”
“Grandpa Bugenhagen once told me that you never notice how much something means to you until the day it goes. I found it to be true when Grandpa died.”
“Yeah.” muttered Cid. “I guess yer right. Yer know, I always used to shout at her, but I loved her really. Now she’s gone, and I don’t know who to tell at.”
Red smiled. “No, Cid. You’re wrong. She’s not gone.”
“What do you mean, yer stupid animal?” Cid mumbled. “I saw her die.”
“Love cannot perish, Cid. No matter how much Sephiroth tries to destroy it. It was love that caused Shera to take her own life instead of yours. I envy you there... I’ve never had a partner.”
Cid grinned. “Don’t worry, you horny lump o’ fur. You’ll get your partner.”
Red grunted. “Someday, I think.”
“Yeah. If we make it past this week, then I should think anythin’s possible.”

-
Five Days...
The clock on the ceiling clicked briefly, and then the numbers shifted to 00:00.
Five days to go.
Anthony stood at his desk, counting them down. Lots of other people were spending time with children, family, girlfriends, wives. Anthony just sat where he was and went over Project: Phoenix over and over again.
He wondered if Nicholas would come to see him. It would be nice to see his old friend one last time. And now Craig was gone...
As if by magic the door opened, and Anthony’s heart leapt.
“Hi, Ant.” said Rude calmly, shutting the door behind him. “Can’t sleep either?”
“No one can.” said Anthony politely, trying to hide his disappointment.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“What can I do for you, Rude?”
“Not much, just talk with me for a bit.”
“As you wish.”
“Okay.” Rude said, sitting down on the chair. “Since Reno and Elena have gone off... somewhere, and don’t show any sign of coming out until the battle begins, I want to ask you something without there advice.”
“Go ahead.”
“Excellant. Since we’ve effectively returned to Turk duty, and because of the unfortunate passing of Tseng all those years ago, we’ve been pretty short on staff. And I was wondering...”
“If I would be interested in the job?” said Anthony, excited.
“No.” said Rude. “If you knew anyone who would be good at it.”
There was another disappointed silence and Rude burst out laughing.
“Ha! Gotcha! Of course I want you for the job! Although if you’re going to pass the initiation test then you’ll have to become way cooler and lose the posh accent.”
“Quite.” said Anthony, raising his eyebrows.
“So?”
“Excuse me?”
“Do you want the job, moron?”
Anthony thought it over. A Turk... he kind of liked it. And now Shin-Ra was gone they’d probably just keep the peace: sort of an advanced police unit. And now, finally, he could equal Craig’s entrance into S.O.L.D.I.E.R...
“I’ll do it.” he said finally. “When do I start? And what is the initiation test?”
“Woah!” said Rude. “Slow down. This isn’t definate, although it should be easy to convince the other two with a little blackmail, and Reno is my best friend. As for starting... when the battles over and we’ve kicked Sephiroth’s ass. That’s when you start.”
He left the room. Anthony followed: he hadn’t told him about the initiation test yet.

-
Four days, Twenty Hours and Eight Minutes...
Finally, he had finished with the vaccine. Out of the two-thousand, six hundred and thirty-three infected with the Cancer, every single one had been immunised and cured.
Nicholas sat down, exhausted. That left him four days to do whatever he wanted.
Well, he wanted to visit Tifa, ask her how she was getting on. And Anthony, too. Zanzer might want a visit...
He sighed. That just about rounded off the list. What a good final four days he was going to have.
Yuffie came in hesitantly, opening the door and smiling awkawrdly.
“Hey, Nick. Can I call you Nick?”
“No.” he said simply. “You may not.”
“How about Nicky? Or Nicko? Or Nickola? What about-”
“Yuffie.” he said sharply. He couldn’t stand this girl. “Yuffie, do you have any particular reason to come to this building? Or are you just wanting to annoy me?”
“Well, I just wanted my Leviathan egg back, it’s been years since I saw it...”
“Almost five months.” corrected Nicholas.
“Whatever. Gawd, you are so scientific.”
“Yes. One of the consequences of becoming a scientist.”
She looked at him, giggled. “Wow, sarcasm.”
“You may see it, but I’m afraid it is quite different from when left it.”
“In what way?”
“For one thing, it has hatched.”
Her eyes widened. “What?! But it’s only been a few months!”
“True...” he mused over the subject. “The specimen seems immeasurably old: almost certainly it is as old as Wutai, if not older. I hypothesise that it was the Guardian of Wutai. And when Wutai is in need, it hatches and fights for the city.”
“Ah ha!” said Yuffie triumphantly. “I saw a hole in your plan. Why didn’t it help Wutai when the place was destroyed? Or when we lost the war? That was pretty major!”
Nicholas shurgged, as if it didn’t matter. “Obviously, the event has to be absolutely catastrophic for the creature to hatch. And the deciding of the the fate of the human race is probably just about catastrophic enough.”
“Ah ha. Ah ha. Ha. Hmm. Your razor wit is starting to annoy me. How big is it?”
“What?” he asked.
“The Leviathan. How big?”
“Uh... I’ve got it in the old cell we used to keep Craig in.”
“What! That’s huge!”
“Well, it is pretty big.”
“Exactly how big?”
“Erm... twenty-three feet.”
Yuffie was momentarily speechless. She let out a quiet “let me see it” and walked over to the containment facility.
“Okay...” said Nicholas, shufting about uneasily.
The Leviathan sat in the middle of the perspex cage, calmly floating in a bubble of water. Yuffie gasped in awe at it’s terrifying beauty: not even summoning one of these creatures had brought home just how magnificent it was.
It seemed to sense her prescence and opened it’s eyes slowly. Pure blue eyes stared at her knowingly.
“Hello.” whispered Yuffie. “You sure are beautiful...”
The creature tossed it’s spiny tail and roared. And deep within Yuffie’s mind...

~ Oh, calm Storm-bringer! ~
~ Hands of fire! ~
~ Use them, use them to fly higher! ~
~ Dreams and song! ~
~ Use them to go long! ~
~ Hope and resistance! ~
~ Use them to forge distance! ~
~ For the honour of Wutai fallen, Oh Storm-bringer... ~

Yuffie fell back from the glass, holding her head. The soft music seemed to press into her mind, saying more than words, more than anything...
The sweet sound reached it’s crescendo and then stopped. The creature smiled at her. A Leviathan smiled at her!
You can read my thought? she asked.
Again, the song...

~ Far away, they call ~
~ The Leviathan of the Ocean hears them, hears their song ~
~ They must be cleansed, Oh Storm-bringer! ~
~ The Final Battle approaches... ~

What do you want? she said.

~ To be noticed by a human... ~
~ To be credited at last for being what I am ~
~ A Leviathan... ~

A sense of trust began to grow between them, and she nodded.
Okay, Leviathan. What’s your name?

~ The crashing of the surf. ~
~ The gentle rolling of waves. ~
~ The fury of the Hurricane.~
~ Fury, rolling, crashing! ~
~ The silent voice of the sea... ~

How about... Hikahi. she thought, thinking of an old Leviathan in a legend she had heard as a child.

~ For the Storm-bringer, and the glory of a city fallen... ~

She turned round satisfied, telling a highly confused Nicholas what had just happened.
After several minutes of silence, he slowly picked up the phone.
“Sentient Pre-historic reptile? Telepathic ability? A song in your head? I better phone Zanzer: this is big.”

-
Four Days, Nineteen Hours and Fifteen Minutes...
Zanzer muttered under his breath as he went up to see Nicholas and the so called ‘psychic monster’.
He opened the door and stormed in: this was an hour less time he could be spending with his wife.
“What is it this time, Nick?”
“Zanzer!” said Nicholas excitedly. “I believe this sounds insane, but-”
“Yeah.” groaned Zanzer. “It always sounds crazy. Always.”
And then, like the sweet sound of the sea, it hit him...

~ Listen - for the swishing tail ~
~ of the Leviathan: ~
~ bringer of stars... ~

Zanzer was silent for a long time, the music staying in his mind for a long time. Finally, he grinned at the Leviathan that stood floating in the tank.
“How do we communicate with it?” he asked. “Do you know how?”
Yuffie rushed forawrd. “You just think something, and it hears it!” she blurted out.
“Extra-sensory-perception? This is like a Science-Fiction film. Ok, I’ll try it.”
Welcome, bringer of stars. I am Zanzer, humble-human and awed to meet a creature of your magnificance.

~ Humble-human! ~
~ Heed words of wonder and you shall sow peace among the stars... ~

He puzzled over this for quite a while before answering. The Leviathan tongue, though weird and beautiful, was obscure and hard to understand.
“What is his name?” he asked Yuffie.
“Hikahi.” she answered.
He turned to Hikahi.
Words of wonder?

~ When the patterns ~
~ in the cycloid call in whispers ~
~ Softly remebered... ~
~ Whispered songs of dreaming ~
~ And of the Moon, the Sun ~
~ And the Earth, the sea-tide’s brother ~
~ Then the cycloid will call in whispers ~
~ Softly remembered... ~
~ And the Dream Sea ~
~ Everlasting ~
~ Will call in whispers ~
~ Softly remembered... ~

Zanzer made a face as he tried to decipher the lyrics of the song. In the end, he gave up and asked another question.
Our race is fighting for it’s survival in a few days. Will you help us in our final battle?

~ Where Storm-bringer goes ~
~ We follow ~
~ Watching... ~
~ Waiting...~
~ Breathing... ~
~ Thought has relinquished its grip! ~
~ Now, we fight... ~
~ In the land of the Phoenix, where the shadow falls... ~
~ In the land of the Phoenix where the shadow falls... ~

“I have no idea what he is saying. And who is the ‘Storm-bringer’?”
Yuffie pointed a finger at her chest proudly. “Me. He’s my pet, or something. And I can undestand him, too. He says that he’ll follow me wherever I go. Hikahi’s a good Leviathan, aren’t you?”
She walked up to the Leviathan and pressed her hands against the glass.
“Are you gonna fight the Jenova, Hikahi?”

~ Where ever you lead. ~

“Good Leviathan.” whispered Yuffie. “Together we will bring honour back to Wutai.”
Hikahi closed his eyes and slept.

-
Three Days, Eleven Hours and Fifteen Minutes...
“I wonder where she is?” he murmured, as he stepped out from the submarine.
He had reqested a two day leave from Fort Condor, which had been accepted by Cloud without question. He had just needed some time.
And one last chance to find the woman he loved.
He entered the cave with a intense sense of trepidation. Would she be here? He had come here many, many times over the years, searching for clues as to where she could have gone. And now, now her son was back...
Maybe she had gone back to him?
The waterfall was strangely serene today, the eerie feel only adding to Vincent’s nervousness.
The blue cave shone with a pale light that emanated from the crystal centrepiece situated at the far end.
And there...
Vincent’s eyes dropped to the floor again. She was not there.
She never would be there. Not again.
“Vincent.”
He whirled round to see her there, standing white and frail at the waterfall entrance. Her watery eyes were lined and creased with age. She looked so old.
“Lucrecia...”
“Vincent, I...”
She stopped, and then looked back to the waterfall, as if contemplating whether to run. He seemed to sense this, and walked up to her swiftly, took her hand in his.
“I should go.”she said softly.
“Where to?” he asked. “Sephiroth?”
She froze. Facing him with a fire in her eyes and anger in her voice, she pointed a shaky finger at him and shook her head.
“You know nothing of what I have been through.”
“He does not see you as his real mother.” said Vincent quietly. “Only Jenova is in his mind now, Lucrecia. He is truly insane.”
Her mouth opened in horror. “You lie.” she said weakly.
“No, Lucrecia. I speak only the truth.”
“No!” she cried. “He was my baby! My true child! He loves me!”
“Listen, Lucrecia!” shouted Vincent, and he grasped her fiercely. “I love you! Come with me! Let me show you...”
“Love me?” she said, smiling. “No, Vincent. You never loved me. You left me at the mercy of Gast.”
He was silent. “Yes. That was... my sin.”
She stroked his face gently. “Vincent... remember me... when I am gone...”
He roared out loud. “I died for you, Lucrecia! I have lived my life as a monster, a freak. Every minute of every day I have thought of you. I will not lose you, I cannot!”
She held up her pale hand. It was almost transparant.
“I am dying, Vincent.”
“...You do not love me?”
“That’s not true. I love you Vincent-”
“Then why do you not want to be with me?” he shouted angrily.
“Because...” her eyes bulged and she took a step towards him. “Because, because...”
The words stuck in her throat and she struggled to find them again. Finally, she just fell into his arms, weeping frantically for their lost love, while he stood impassive as a stone.
I am a monster. he thought. I am no longer human. I shed no tears as the woman I love weeps for me.
And it was true. Even as Lucrecia held him close and kissed him the final time, he felt nothing. He was just a body and a mind... somewhere along the way his heart had gone.
Lucrecia died later that night. Vincent buried her underneath the waterfall and set off for Fort Condor in the morning.
There was nothing left, now.
Nothing but the Day of Judgement.

Two Days, Four Hours and Twenty-Seven Minutes...
Nicholas stopped his study of Hikahi the Leviathan and stepped outside the Science Lab.
He went to the Combat Arena for a few hours, and worked himself up into a healthy sweat: he was out of shape and this was definitely not the time to be unfit.
He made up his mind to see Tifa. He was in need of cheering up, and her smile could really help right now.
He knocked politely at her door, and smiled happily when she opened it.
“Hello, Tifa. How are you feeling?”
She looked at him, surprised, and then embraced him warmly.
“I’m fine, Nicholas. You’re serum worked great. In fact, I feel better than I‘ve done for years.”
“I am glad to hear it. Really.”
He stood awkwardly by the door for a moment, before she gestured inside.
“Do come in.”
“Thank you.”
He stepped inside her cosy room, and warmed his hands by the fire.
“Now,” she said, sitting down. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Nothing, really.” he said slowly. “But... I want you to know that, even if Sephiroth wins, I will be here for you... always.”
“Nicholas?”
“Yes, Tifa?”
“What are the chances of Sephiroth winning?”
“I do not know.”
“Don’t lie to me!” she said angrily. “You’re the top scientist: you must have worked out some figures!”
He sighed. “Well... of course.”
“Then tell me. Please, I have to know.”
He was silent for a long time before he spoke, contemplating whether to tell her or not. Finally, he gave in. He owed her the truth.
“Not... good.”
“What?” she said. “One in ten? One in fifteen? I’ve had worse-”
“No.” he said sharply. “Much, much worse.”
“...How bad?” she asked breathlessly.
“One in seven-hundred-and-ninety-eight.”
“Oh my god. That bad?”
He watched her crestfallen face, and hated himself for what he had just done. She stared at him in a stunned disbelief.
“Fooled you!” he lied. “You did not think that I was serious?”
She laughed nervously, and then broke into a giggle. The lie had worked. Inwards, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“No, the real figures are beyond my knowledge... but if we try, and try we will, we have a decided advantage.”
They talked for a long time after that, and when it was time to leave, Tifa smiled at him and kissed him gently on the cheek.
“You know, Nicholas...”
“Yes?”
“If I were ten years younger, I’d marry you in a second.”
He smiled. “But you have Cloud.”
She shook her head. “He has my heart, but I don’t have his.”
“You will win him over in the end, Tifa. Only a fool would say no to you.”
“Oh, Nicholas?”
“Yes?”
“You were joking, weren’t you?”
“About what?”
“About our chances in the battle.”
“Oh. Yes. Of course I was.”
He left her office, glad that he had lied. He had not wanted to destroy the fierce hope on her face.
She would never know about their chances against Sephiroth. How they were all destined to die on the final, bloody day of the Apocalypse.

-
One Day, Eighteen Hours, Thirty Nine Minutes...
Hamilton stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and rubbed his eyes. He had better get some sleep, everyone was counting on him tomorrow.
The door opened and Barrett Wallace strolled arrogantly in.
“Hey, General. Didn’t know yer smoked.”
“I took it up at the start of the week. Quite disgusting, I might add.”
“Yeah. Anyway, why ain’t yer with yer family?”
“My wife is dead.” Hamilton said. “And might I say the same to you?”
“Ahh...” said Barrett. “Marlene’s all grown up now. Ten. I left her round her friends house: the one that wasn’t slaughtered by Sephiroth. I’m picking her up a few hours from now. Kids, eh?”
“Yes. Kids. What did you want?”
“Nuthin’.” said Barrett. “Jus’ wanted a talk, is all.”
“Ah. Oh, well. I haven’t anything left to do. But I’m ordering you to bed for a good twelve hours sleep. I want everyone on top form tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Hamilton?”
“What?”
“I jus’ wanna say thank you, an’ all.” said Barrett sheepishly.
“What for?”
“For leadin’ us with strategy, an’ that.” Barrett answered. “I’m clueless with all that, an’ Cloud is too. Without you... we’d be gonners.”
Hamilton sighed. “Wow. I didn’t expect my first acknowledgement of thanks to come from you, but hey. All things are possible.”
Barrett grunted. “I like you. Yer got wit. We should get along jus’ fine.”
Hamilton offered Barrett a cigarette. “Want one?”
“Nah. They smell, and besides, I gotta ‘be on best form’, ain’t I?”

-
Sixteen Hours, Fifty-Eight Minutes...
Cloud ran through his speech again, and then looked at Tifa standing next to him.
“How do I look?” he asked.
“Fine.” she said. “Pretty much the same as usual, to be honest.”
“I guess I don’t have to much dress sense, do I?” he asked, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
“Just get on with it, Cloud. Thousands of people are waiting.”
He stepped onto the stage, a deafening cheer ringing through his head. He cleared his throat, and waited for the crowd to calm down before starting his final speech to the rest of humanity...

“Today, our sons and daughters run happily in the fields of Fort Condor. Tomorrow, rivers will flow with blood and the screams of the dying will echo through the air. And the day after tomorrow...
No one, not even God himself, knows the answer. I will not lie to you: the future is dark and filled with uncertainty. But if we forge ahead, together, then we light up for our children’s children to follow.
Much has changed in the past year. Our lives, our very souls, were threatened by Sephiroth. But a few of us stood firm, and defied the will of Jenova. People like Grissom, like Reeve, like Godo. And I am sure there are many thousand more unsung heroes who rose against him.
They paid for their bravery and courage.
Some where slaughtered. Some, like Godo, were changed. But their suffering was not in vain: they bought us the time we needed to make a vaccine. And now only one thing stands between Sephiroth and the total rule of the Planet: us. And I vow to sacrifice everything to prevent him from achieving his goal. Sephiroth took our family, our friends, our homes and our pride. I say we take them back.
This time there will be no running. No hiding. No turning back. This is the final battle.
Our Last Stand.”
There was a emotional silence as he finished his speech, all sorts of strange feelings ran through them all.
Then, one by one, they started to clap. A deep, solemn clap that seemed to bounce of the walls and resonate with their cheers. He stepped off the platform, and they ran to embrace him. The world seemed to whirl around, making him dizzy, as humanity joined in with the echoing chorus of “Cloud! Cloud! Cloud!”

-
Jenova Hybrids, Three-hundred miles North of Fort Condor
Permission to Attack?
Sephiroth smiled and raised his sword high into the air. The final tribute to the only true mother he had ever had.
Yes. he told them. Kill every human who resists. And change those who do not.
The seething mass of Jenova screeched in reply and moved swiftly towards Fort Condor.
Today began a new era of the Planet.

-
Two Hours...
Cloud put on his best armour and checked his materia one last time.
From it’s place up on his wall, he brought down Ultima Weapon. It shone faintly, lusting for Sephiroth’s blood.
Two hours, and it would all be over.
One way or another, it would all be over.

-
Yuffie looked at the Conformer, satisfied by what she had done.
It had been snapped in two by the fight with Godo. Yuffie had spent a long time fixing it, but now it had one major difference.
Encrusted with Leviathan scales from Hikahi, it could slice through several meters of concrete with ease. The Conformer seemed to be encased in a silver lining of water as she put on her armour, and then placed the shuriken on her back.
“Come on, Sephiroth.” she whispered. “I’ll show you what a pregnant mum can do.”

-
Vincent pulled up the carpet, and dislodged the loose floorboard that lay three meters from his bed.
Pulling out an arsenal of machine guns, pistols and shotguns, he dislodged a long, thin black case and opened it out on the bed.
The Death Penalty stood ready, waiting for this moment. When finally it would escape it’s metal prison and sow terror among his enemies once more.
He pulled out his best armour, and slotted in his materia. Finally, he took out the Death Penalty for the last time.
“It is time,” he murmured, “to repent for my sins.”

-
As she looked in the mirror, Tifa felt sure of only one thing.
Zangan would be proud.
She punched three or four times into the air and laughed out loud. She hadn’t lost her touch.
She kissed the Premium Heart gently.
“Don’t let me down.”

-
Barrett grinned as he unscrewed his Gatling Gun. Today he didn’t need a piece of crap like that.
The Missing Score, on the other hand, seemed much better a choice.
Yeah, it would make good work off kicking Jenova’s ass.

-
Cid sighed morbidly. First the Highwind had been shitted up, then Shera had died.
His Venus Gospel was the only thing he had left.
“Right, Sephy.” he said, grimacing. “Time to pay you back. For everything.”

-
Nanaki put on his most treasured possession.
The Limited Moon: the only memory he had left of Bugenhagen.
He wondered what Grandpa would do in this situation. He would do something, Nanaki didn’t know what.
“I am Nanaki, son of the Great Seto. And I will drive the evil from this Planet.”
But it didn’t matter how loud he roared the words, Nanaki still couldn’t shake off that feeling of dread that hung inside his stomach like a lead weight.

-
Reconnaissance Post. 3:16
“We have established Contact with hybrids.”
The voice was full of fear as it crackled through the Reconnaissance Post Command Centre.
“We’d better pull back.” said one of the men. “They’ll slaughter us if we don’t.”
The Commander looked at the Tactical Display. The hundred men under his command were represented by one hundred blinking lights on the screen. Even as he spoke, the lights began to dim and fade as the pitifully small squad engaged the Jenova war machine.
“Sir?” said his Lieutenant. “Sir, shall I call the men back? We need to act now if we’re to survive.”
“Call them back.” said the Commander.
“Yes, sir.”
The Commander held his head in his hands as his Reconnaissance Post fell to the hybrids. He ignored the Lieutenants pleading shouts to evacuate as Jenova poured in. He stayed motionless as his men abandoned him and the hybrids began to rip him apart.
“It has begun, then.” he whispered in his final moments.

To Chapter 4