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Author’s note:

Tifa is not a nice person. Sure, she has her moments like many people, but overall, she seems to adhere mostly to the "I’m better than you" prom queen complex. Hell, why not? She is human, and I bet anybody reading this is a self-centered asshole. Sad, but true, even with yours truly. Anyway, when I put my email address at the end of part one, don’t send me any hate email for making the protagonist a cold, uncaring bitch. That’s just the way people are.

By the way, I know this starts out like every other bubbly, "dubiously seeking revenge after unjust death of loved one," story, but stick with it, you may be pleased.

The Ancient City

Tifa’s tears mixed with that of the lake which she had just dropped her beloved. It was silent around her, Cid had decided it would be better to just leave her alone with her thoughts. Alone though, was the last thing she wanted to be right now.

They, meaning Cid and Tifa, had decided that Cloud should be placed in the pond in the old ancient city, with the body of their other fallen comrade, Aeris.

Tifa didn’t know why it hurt so much. She had always thought that Cloud loved Aeris more than her, and that they were closer in a brother sister way, rather than lovers.

But Tifa loved him, even if he didn’t love her equally.

The tears kept flowing off of her face and into the water, sending ripples over the normally still lake. She had never felt like this in her entire life, except for when her parents died. She never wanted that to happen to her again, but as long as she clung to people, she would always be hurt.

Eventually, her tears stopped. Tifa stood and picked up the ultima weapon. Cloud was placed in the waters with the buster blade, deemed to be more important to him than the ultima ever was.

Balancing the sword on her shoulder, Tifa headed back to the Highwind, a new sense of resolve hanging in her mind.

Cid stared at her while she placed the sword on the operations room table. It was a very heavy moment, so Cid decided now would not be the best time to grab a smoke.

Tifa remained standing, staring at the sword. Its color was the deep blue it always was when it was out of Cloud’s grip.

Finally, Tifa spoke. "Cid, thank you, for everything, I mean. People like you; they don’t deserve the death Cloud had. Cloud was like you, I mean. Selfless, caring. But, this is probably the last time I will ever see you."

Cid was about to interrupt when Tifa held up her hand. "No, I mean it. Please, tell everyone, when you see them, that I love them. Especially you Cid."

Cid stood up. "Tifa, don’t say that. Of course I’m going to see you again, don’t talk stupid."

"No, Cid. Cloud was murdered, and I will not rest, ever, until I find whomever, or whatever organized it. I know, Cloud would do the same for me."

Cid moved to comfort Tifa, but she withdrew. "Please Cid, don’t make this hard. Just, drop me off at Midgar, and I promise, I will never ask for a ride again."

Cid frowned, but he had no choice but to respect her wishes.

The scorched earth of Midgar

The Highwind’s jets flared as the ship arced back towards Tifa and Cid stood, Midgar a kilometer away. Up close like this, a person could see the huge cranes and construction material. Less than six months after Midgar was nearly destroyed, the people, and Shinra, were already working to rebuild.

Cid stood close to Tifa under the hovering ship. He stared at the large sword she now carried on her back, with a sheath she had made out of a pair of old leather boots.

"Tifa," He said over the sound of the approaching ship. "Remember when Cloud was missing, and I gave you power over the ship?"

Tifa nodded, trying to hold back tears.

"Just well, know that as long as I live, you will have power over the Highwind."

Tifa stared. She knew what he just said meant a lot to him. He loved that ship, probably as much as she loved Cloud. He would never say something like that easily.

"Cid," She said, but he cut her off by giving her a Barret like bear hug.

They stood like that for a long time, her basking in his comfort, him trying to comprehend how the hell he was going to live without the million little things the mother of AVALANCHE did for everyone.

Finally, Tifa broke away. Cid kissed her clumsily on the cheek, then started climbing the rope ladder that had just been dropped.

Tifa watched the Highwind fly off into the horizon, then she turned around to Midgar.

Almost a year ago today, a barmaid, a ex-SOLDIER mercenary, a disgruntled coalminer, a flower merchant, and a super intelligent beast had departed from this city, in search of a threat greater than the Shinra ever were. Now, the barmaid found herself about to go back in, alone, with the mentality of the SOLDIER she had loved.

Wall Market

Tifa headed out of the fatigue store, the SOLDIER uniform itching her skin. Tifa thought about how she once told Cloud that she hated all the things Shinra had done. Ironic, she thought, that now she was about to take up a personal war against an unseen foe, dressed as a SOLDIER.

But she was stronger. She was more SOLDIER than SOLDIER. Even if her eyes did not have a mako glow, the hate she bore the world now made her eyes plenty bright enough.

Tifa’s fists were safely tucked away in a rucksack she wore at her side. The Shinra standard issue gloves would be more than useful enough to perform her limit break.

She had fulfilled another part of her ultimate plan. Nobody would fear a big chested woman in a revealing outfit, but people would probably think twice before messing with a SOLDIER.

Tifa didn’t know if she was going insane, but she did know the all-consuming hatred that Cloud must have felt when he was being drawn to Sephiroth.

No matter, Tifa would find who killed Cloud, and when she did, Cloud’s own sword would kill him.

Tifa walked through Wall Market. The world to her didn’t seem real anymore. It was like she was awake and still dreaming. As she walked, colors seemed to melt into each other, as did the background noise. The task she took was daunting, and as long as she couldn’t find the killer, she knew she would never emerge from the feeling of limbo between the dream world, and the real world.

But the start, of course, would be at the crime scene.

The Sector 3 slums

The slums had been left, more or less, undamaged by meteor. However, this did not make the slums a good place to live. In fact, the slums were even more decrepit than she remembered. When she lived in Midgar, the slums were dirty, cramped, and stinking. Now? Dirtier, more cramped, the stink reminding her even more of chocobo shit in mid-July.

Eventually, Tifa came to the spot where Cloud had been murdered.

In her darkest nightmares, Tifa never imagined any one of her friends dying in a place like this, garbage on all sides, a huge piece of metal blocking the scorched sky. Tifa then thought of another hate long buried. Aeris had died in a beautiful holy city. And Cloud? Killed in a dirty back alley. Tifa spit in disgust.

The alley

Tifa turned her thoughts away from Aeris, and concentrated on remembering the events that had come up to Cloud’s death.

She knelt close to the yellow earth and played the events over in her mind’s eye.

They had been on a walk together. They had spent a lot of time, just walking together, ever since the group split up.

In the alley, she had been talking about her plans for the future. She had said she wanted to open another bar somewhere, maybe in Costa Del Sol, maybe in Icicle Inn. He had listened patiently to her while she prattled on.

Then she saw the figure up ahead. Cloud saw him first, but he did not act. He couldn’t pull out his sword every time somebody came into his line of vision. They continued walking, but Tifa had stopped speaking.

As they got closer, Tifa sensed that Cloud was getting tense. The man had not moved since they had seen him.

Tifa noticed the man was dressed in a black suit and black trenchcoat. He wore a pair of dark circle glasses. His hair was dirty blonde, and his face had the protruding jaw and brow ridge that reminded Tifa of mankind early on the evolutionary ladder.

Then it happened. The man lifted his hands above his head, and pointed his palms at Cloud. Three green orbs of light appeared above his head and arms. Tifa watched wide eyed as the orbs formed into meter long spikes. Before she or Cloud could do anything, the man in black launched the three spikes at her and Cloud. One went wide, another slicing through the gap between him and Tifa. The third embedded itself in Cloud’s chest, right above his heart.

Tifa watched, as if the world slowed down, as Cloud fell back, the magic spike glowing from inside his body. She dropped beside him. The world sped back up.

Cloud lay on the dirty, yellow soil. Blood was coming from his chest and mouth. Tears welled up in Tifa’s eyes.

"Tifa…." He said, struggling for breath. "Pu….pull it out."

Tifa did as he said. She gently pulled the spike out of him. Her eyes widened when she saw the geyser of blood spurt from the wound. He was dying.

"I won’t let you die!" She screamed, pulling a materia orb from her pocket. Cloud’s eyes widened when he saw what it was.

"Full Cure!" Tifa cried passionately.

Nothing happened for a second, then Tifa was knocked back by the great white beams of light striking down on Cloud. When the spell was completed, Tifa scrambled back to him.

He was still bleeding heavily.

"No good Tifa. Just, forget…."

Tifa wasn’t listening. She pressed both her hands on the wound, vainly trying to stop the bleeding.

"Tifa." Cloud said clearly. He grasped her wrist. "Just, stop. Its over."

Tifa cried bitterly. "Cloud, not like this. Not like this Cloud…."

His eyes were beginning to dim. The mako glow that was with him all his adult life was fading.

"Hold my hand, Tif. Just hold on to me…." Tifa grasped his hand, as if trying to pass her life into him. The crimson river continued to flow.

He started jerking uncontrollably. His death rattle.
Tifa let nothing stop her this time. She moved her trembling, tear soaked lips to his. He didn’t try to stop her, he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

Her first, and last kiss with Cloud was that of salty tears and blood. She held her lips on his until he stopped moving, and even when she felt the last breaths escape his lungs.

She moved her lips away, and gently pulled down his eyelids. From the second she first saw him, she loved looking at those eyes. Even when she ignored him as a child, she loved the pools of blue that gave him sight. Now, he would never see with those eyes again.

The bar

"Yes, that was how it happened." Tifa said to herself, looking at the spot where Cloud had died. The man who had killed him had fled after he saw Cloud being stabbed. She had no idea where this man would be, if he even were a man. From the brief moment she saw the assailant, she hadn’t seen any armor or weapon, or any materia of any kind. It was confusing, and Tifa could see no leads in sight.

Tifa walked out of the alley and leaned against a grimy brick wall. In the street in front of her, she saw busses emitting noxious smoke, biker gangs harassing merchants, whores pandering to the perverse and stupid. Tifa so morally detested this city that she spit again.

Deciding she was not doing anything by standing around, Tifa walked up and down the street until she found a bar that looked calm enough.

Stepping inside, Tifa quietly surveyed the scene. Drunks, malcontents, sloth’s…. Reminded her of sector seven. She walked up to the counter, passing a group of drugged out gang members, a few Shinra employees dressed in polyester suits, and a stern looking black man, dressed in black leather pants, leather boots and a short, fur lined leather jacket. A blue enameled handle began a short sword that was sheathed on his back. She made eye contact with the man, then sat down at the counter.

Tifa rested her head on her gloved hand. The weird way she was going through her life, not knowing if she were dreaming or awake, as if, as Barret once put it, she was "high on mako or sumthin’."

The bar tender, a short, stocky man with a pock marked face and blunt nose took notice of her.

"Ya’ got gil?" He said in a gruff voice.

Tifa responded by pulling a small wad of high marked gil notes and waving it in front of the bartender’s face.

"Whaddaya want?"

Tifa thought. She never quite liked drinking. God, what the hell am I doing in here anyway?

"Give me a beta." She said, slapping a five gil note on the counter.

The bartender gave her a dirty look, but he turned and started on the drink.

When the bartender gave her the strong drink, he said "Drink it an’ get out. You makin’ my customers nervous."

"How the hell am I doing that?"

"We don’ like SOLDIER, especially chick SOLDIER. So like I said befo’, drink it, an’ get out."

Tifa flipped him off, but walked away from the counter and looked for a table. The only one she saw with an extra chair was the one with the stern looking black man. She took a sip, then headed to the man’s table.

"Seat taken?" She asked softly.

The man took a sip of his double scotch, then said, "Have a seat."

Tifa sat down, and observed the man. His skin was very dark, darker than Barret’s. He had a neatly trimmed mustache, and sideburns that were shaved into spikes that just barely touched the tips of his mustache.

"Got a name?" The man said in a deep, brass coated voice.

‘Tifa, Lockheart. You?"

"Kirin, Prince. You know, Lockheart, I don’t see too many women SOLDIER around Midgar."

"Well, you haven’t been looking hard enough."

"Hmmp, probably."

They sat, quietly drinking their alcohol.

"What do you do for a living, Prince?"

"I’m a captain of the Kalm Royal Airforce. I have leave in this depraved shit hole."

"I never knew Kalm had a Air Force, much less a monarchy."

"Things have changed since Meteor, Lockheart. The government has been swept away, and the old feudal system is coming back into use."

"So, who are these new Monarchs?"

"Her majesty Alexandra and His Majesty Nicholas. Ask me, I think its just pitiful attempt for that city to gain some of its former notoriety."

"If I ask you."

"Quite, Lockheart."

"I guess you don’t follow the old saying of ‘King and country.’ Why do you do it then?"

"The pay is good, the scenery changes, and I get to fly high powered jet fighters."

Kirin cracked a smile, and Tifa laughed a little. She noticed that when she laughed, some of the dreamy haze was lifted from her senses.

Another silence, this time a little more awkward.

She noticed the gold band on his left ring finger.

"How long have you been married, Prince?"

"Eight years now."

"Her name?"

"Trinity."

"And you are happy with her?"

His handsome, stern face darkened. "What are you saying?
"Nothing."

Kirin frowned, then shrugged. "Yes, we have been happy. She doesn’t quite like my job though."

Silence. Tifa’s eyes blurred for a second, melting sights together. She recovered, then began again.

"How long have you been in town, Prince?"

"About a week now."

"Have you noticed anything happening in the alley next to the bar a few night’s ago?"
"No, why?"

"My friend was killed their two night’s ago. As far as I can tell, nobody else saw it."

"My condolences, of course."

"Thank you."

Kirin leaned forward a little, "Your friend, was he a SOLDIER also?"

"Yes." Tifa said somewhat briskly.

"Hmmp."

"What?"

"Nothing." Kirin drained the rest of his scotch. "I will be having another. Can I buy you one?"

Tifa drained hers. "No. The bartender doesn’t quite like me." Tifa got up and adjusted her sword.. "Pleasure meeting you, Kirin. Good night."
"Good night, Tifa."

The alley

Tifa walked back into the alley. She just couldn’t stay away from this place. Something here, it drew her to this place. More than Cloud’s death, something more important in the broader sense.

She hadn’t walked halfway down the alley until she heard the click of a hammer and a tight voice demanding, "Don’t move."

Tifa turned, her hands raised. "Sorry, I’m saving my immobility for when I get raped." Her hand crept closer to the ultima weapon.

"Don’t bother." He pulled the trigger. The bullet hit her gloved hand and ricocheted into the alley. The bullet did not penetrate the glove, but it still hurt immensely.

Tifa held her hand, then looked up at her attacker. He had dark circle glasses as well, though this one wore a pair of tight jeans and threadbare leather jacket.

"Nice glasses." Tifa said.

The man approached her, his gun never wavering. "Hmmp, I expected a little more opposition from a SOLDIER."

Tifa noticed movement behind the man. "I think you’ll find tonight more surprising than most." Tifa moved her hands to her chest. Despite his best effort, the man’s eyes flickered to her breasts.

It was all Tifa needed. She yanked the gun out of his hand and kicked him in the chest. He stumbled backward and pulled another gun. Tifa froze.

Suddenly, a dark hand came out of the darkness behind the man. The dim light caught the glow of a gold band on the hand’s finger. The hand took the man and placed him in a half nelson. When he struggled, another hand appeared, holding a meter long sword at his throat.

"Drop the gun." Kirin said.

"Kirin." Tifa said, walking forward.

The man struggled. "Get your hands off me kefir!" He shrieked.

Kirin twisted the arm further. "What was that?"

The man didn’t respond, just dropped his gun.

"That’s what I thought." Kirin yanked the man’s arm and sent him spinning into the middle of the alley.

"I could have handled him." Tifa said, her world blurry, her hand smarting.

"I don’t care." Kirin said, resheathing his sword. "On your feet boy!" Kirin yelled at the man.

The man got up, his hands over his head.

Kirin blinked in shock as he recognized Tifa’s assailant. "Ryan!" Kirin said, shocked. "What the hell do you think you’re doing here?!"
Ryan shook his head. "I suppose I could ask you the same thing, sir." Ryan said the last word as he said the insult before.

"Do you two know each other?" Tifa asked Kirin.

"This is PRIVATE, Sam Ryan. He’s in the second squadron of fighters."
"All friends." Ryan said. "Let me resume my business, sir."

"And does your business include attacking young women?"
"She’s a SOLDIER." Again, said like an insult.

"That doesn’t matter. I saw the leave sheet before I left the base. You’re AWOL son."

"I have my orders direct from General Crow."
"And what is that order?"

"That’s not your concern, sir."

Kirin looked shocked. "It is my concern, you son of a bitch, when you attack one of my friends."
"Just a minute." Tifa said, walking towards Ryan.

The two ignored her.
"HEY!" Tifa yelled, pulling an orb of materia out of her sword. "This is ultima magic. If I cast it, we’re all dead."
Both men shut up.

Tifa walked up to Ryan. "Take off your glasses."
Ryan’s face imperceptibly twitched. "No."

"Don’t be a fool, Ryan." Kirin said warily. He had never used materia, but he had seen how destructive it could be.

"Take off your glasses." Tifa said, her outstretched hand steady as a rock.

Ryan slowly brought his hand to his face, and pulled off the dark circle glasses.

Kirin’s eyes widened when he saw Ryan. His brown eyes had a bright mako sheen. Tifa swore, and put her materia back in the sword.

"What the hell have you done to yourself? Kirin said, his face turning ashen.

Ryan said nothing, just put the glasses back on.

Tifa, shaken but hiding it well, said, "Is there a tall guy in your squadron? Dirty blonde hair, cave man brow ridge, same glasses as you?"
Ryan remained closed lipped, but Kirin said, "That would probably be Colonel Maryei, he’s the head of Ryan’s squadron."
Tifa bit her lip, then said, "Thank you, and goodbye." She turned and began walking out of the alley.

Kirin grabbed her arm "Where do you think you’re going?"

Tifa said simply "Kalm."
Kirin shook his head. "Oh no, I can’t have you kill one of the best men in the Air Force."
Ryan piped in, "You’re on leave Kirin, you have no authority."

"The hell I don’t." Kirin said, still holding Tifa’s pale arm. "My leave is officially over. I’m placing both of you under arrest."

"I refuse." Tifa said, tugging her arm out of Kirin’s hand and walking out of the alley.

"This gun pointed at your back says you won’t." Kirin said, holding one of Ryan’s dropped weapons.

Tifa turned. "Queen and country, huh?"

"Just so." Said Kirin, pulling back the hammer.

"Very well." She said simply, walking back towards the two pilots.

Ryan said, "My truck is parked a block away."

"I guess we better hurry and get back to Kalm, then." Said Kirin.

Tifa walked out of the alley, followed by Ryan, followed by Kirin, the gun in his jacket, pointed so no one would try to escape.

Ryan wasn’t a fool, but being placed under arrest and sent back to base would certainly get the general pissed off. And failing to kill the other SOLDIER? "The shits gonna hit the fan." He muttered.

Kirin brought out the gun and whacked Ryan in the head with the barrel. "And who the hell are you calling a kefir?"

Plains outside of Kalm

Tifa shifted in her seat. The long, bumpy roads outside of Midgar, and the cold, unyielding steel truck bed had made the journey seem long, and very uncomfortable.

Kirin sat next to her, the gun trained on Ryan’s back, who was driving the truck. Kirin had made several attempts with conversation with Tifa, but the prisoner of Kalm seemed very little interested in discussion. She had made it clear when she said, "This isn’t exactly what I expected out of meeting you."

Kirin had been forced to tie Tifa’s hands together with her own suspenders.

Now though, Kalm was in their sites. Tifa looked up, and a flicker of surprise crossed her face. Her vision sharpened for a moment.

Kalm had greatly expanded since Tifa had last seen the town. It was now twice as large, and a great stone wall surrounded the city. Inside the wall, Tifa could see what appeared to be a mako reactor. To the left of the city, there were several runways, and five huge hangers, each easily a kilometer long.

The world turned into an almost imperceptible blur of colors again.

The truck neared the base. Tifa could hear the sounds of high-powered jets taking off and landing. Squads of men and women were running and training. Pilots were walking in their flight coveralls to barracks and the large hangers. Tifa thought the grounds were well kept and neat.

The truck stopped outside a one-story building. Kirin jumped out, holding both the gun and ultima weapon. He instructed Tifa to get out as well.

"You." Kirin yelled to a man in uniform holding an AK-58 at attention.

"Take this woman and sword into the complex. Isolation chamber. I don’t want anyone to touch or talk to her. Is that understood?"

The man nodded and shouldered his rifle before slapping a pair of cuffs on Tifa and picking up the ultima weapon.

Ryan started the truck again. Kirin grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him out of the cab window.

"You are not going anywhere. Take me to Crow."

Ryan picked himself up. "Oh, very well CAPTAIN. You’re going to be in deep shit when he finds out about this."

General’s Board of Directives

The seven main Generals of the Kalm Royal Airforce sat in a dimmed room, surrounding a large holographic table. In the months since Shinra’s databases crashed, a plethora of information was available to the Kalm military. Chemical weapons, SOLDIER conditioning, high powered airplanes, a treasure trove of Shinra technology waiting to be plundered by anyone with a fast enough computer. Luckily for Kalm, the government had such computers.

Right now though, the only thing that the board of General’s were concerned with was the pissed of Air Force captain that stood in front of them.

"Why was I kept out of this? You all knew I had leave in Midgar."

General Crow, a dour man of forty with sallow, pale cheeks spluttered angrily "Since when do we have to report to overzealous Captains? This is not a democracy, Prince!"

General Carrey, a pleasant woman of thirty five, said "What I can’t understand is why you interfered with Private Ryan’s orders."
"I did not know the Air Force was in the business of killing innocent people in alleys."
"You are close to court marshal, Captain!" Crow said. "I suggest you choose your next few words carefully."

"With all due respect, Generals, I would like to know what is going on."

The seven seated people were taken aback.

"That is none of your business, Captain! I have a good mind to order your court marshal right-"
"That’s enough, Crow." Said General Anthony, Kirin’s General. Anthony, who was in his fifties, was 6’ 1" and sported a neatly trimmed beard, was one of Kirin’s best friends. "I suggest, that since Captain Prince already knows enough of what has transpired that we give him full disclosure."

"I agree with Anthony on this one." Said General Carrey. "Captain, are you familiar with a failed Shinra experiment called Jenova?"

Underground Prison Complex, Isolation Wing

Tifa stared at the ceiling. It was a drab, gray concrete ceiling by any standards. It was a relief for Tifa to see something that did not cause the world to mix and swirl into itself like a child’s finger painting. The lack of movement was the greatest relief to her. It made her think more clearly.

She had been in a cell like this before. Except that cell was shared by Cloud. Being locked in with him did not make it seem like a prison at all, more like an isolated picnic.

She felt like she could feel Cloud’s warmth being regenerated and flowing into her, inside that cold metal cell.

Then she heard another voice, another source of warmth. Aeris’ voice in the next cell, talking sweetly with Cloud. Tifa could have punched right through that wall and choked the last breath out of Aeris, just so she could be alone with Cloud. But of course, she didn’t.

And now, both of them were dead. The two sources of warmth in that prison were both together, keeping each other warm.

How sick it made Tifa to think about it.

Tifa thought more than just the past. She thought about the future. The way she saw it, there was no future without Cloud. So what would be the point?

Tifa also thought about her half assed attempt to find Cloud’s killer. Fat good that did her down here.

And what would be the point of killing this blonde giant? He was obviously under the protection of comrades and government. She was once under the protection of friends, but not now. She would not….could not go back to them. That would be trying to create a future, which now, she decided, Tifa did not have.

"So, where does that leave me?" Tifa thought aloud. Revenge was out of the question, for now. So was escape. All that was left was….

"Well, forget that." She said, dismissing the subject from her mind.

Tifa just lay there, trying to think of something else, but it just kept coming back into her mind.

General’s board of Directives, cont.

"You all must be out of your damn minds." Kirin said heavily.

"We don’t need to explain ourselves to you." Said a nondescript General.

"Kalm created materia from the reactor in order to summon more of these creatures, called….what was it?"

"Jenova."

"Jenova, for another goddamn weapon."

"Not just that, Jenova is an entire mass of vireo. With power like that, our military would dominate the entire world."
"I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Why?"

Anthony said, "‘yours is not to question why, yours is but to do and die.’ I thought that was the first thing they teach you in academy."

Crow said "It doesn’t matter what you say or believe, you are in this Air Force to fly and lead your squadron. If you wish to continue to do so, I suggest you leave right now."

Kirin glared hatefully at Crow, but turned to leave. Before he left, he turned and said, "What is so important about that alley anyway?"

Carrey answered "That is the area where we expect the Jenova beings to approach the planet. The atmospheric conditions are not favorable at this point in time because of Meteor, so there are only a few places for them to land."

Kirin nodded and left the room. That was it. They had killed Tifa’s friend simply because they needed to keep the landing site clear. And Ryan was going to kill Tifa because she kept going back to it.

But there was something more here, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Kirin went over to the assignment board in the barracks. He was due for a training mission in three hours. Kirin left the barracks. There might be time enough to get a word in with Tifa.

Underground Prison Complex, Isolation wing, cont.

Tifa noticed that her vision was clearing a little bit. Like many things with her life now, she didn’t understand this either. It had crossed her mind more than once that she might be dying.

Tifa just didn’t care anymore. Living, dying, what difference did it make? Vengeance, justice, she couldn’t fathom what justice there was in the world. She had spent three months of her life fighting a force for the good of the planet. And for her labors she was rewarded with pain, and loneliness.

Loneliness. A prison of her own creation at this point. It seemed to Tifa that there were many prisons around her, prisons of her own, and other’s creation.

She was broken, and trapped by herself. There was nothing left but the pain, and the attempts to heal. So, revenge, more death, then Tifa may be whole.

But she doubted she would ever be whole, or free, ever again.

Tifa heard the lock slide on the door, and Kirin walked into the small concrete cell. She sat up and leaned against the cell wall. Kirin spoke a few words to the guard positioned outside the door, then he stepped inside and the door locked behind him.

Tifa sat there, just staring. The world was becoming clearer again.

Kirin pulled out his meter long sword, and sat on the floor, fiddling around with the sword. He took the blade and scraped the symbol of the gospel into the floor. Finally, he spoke.

"Do you believe in the Gospel?" He said, staring at the etching.

"You mean the God of the ancients? No."

Kirin continued to stare at his work. "I am. I have been a firm believer all my life. Before I joined the air force, I considered becoming a priest."

"Is that so?"

"There was a verse I memorized, ask me today and I wouldn’t be able to tell you why." He looked at Tifa before saying, "’And the way of the vicious will be made by the calamity from the skies. And lo, when that chaos is upon His earth, then the way for the righteous will be made clear, for He will create the way, and thou wilt know yon hand is that of the Lord.’"

Tifa said nothing.

Kirin stood, still holding his sword. "We have no reason to hold you in here anymore, Tifa. You will be released in an hour’s time. Before you get out of here, though, you must tell me something."

"What?"

"When Colonel Maryei killed your friend, he was wearing dark glasses like Ryan, correct?"

"Yes."

"And do you think Maryei was injected with mako?"

"Yes."

"How did he kill your friend?"

Tifa gave Kirin a detached and forensic description surrounding Cloud’s death.

Kirin closed his eyes and kissed the gold ring on his finger.

"Thank you, Tifa. I’ll probably never see you again, but it was a pleasure meeting you."
"I wish I could say the feeling was mutual."

Kirin looked at her with his stern face, then he knocked on the door. "Okay, let me out."

The door opened and Kirin walked into the hall.

Tifa was left to her fevered thoughts.

Debriefing Room

Ryan’s glasses lay on the table in front of him. He had given General Crow his version of what happened. The General was not pleased.

"I can’t believe this." Crow said, looking fearful. "Does anyone else know about this besides us and Prince?"

"Not that I could tell, sir." Ryan said. "The other recipients of mako infusion aren’t talking, and nobody seems to question our goings into Midgar."

Crow shook his head. "It doesn’t matter now, anyway. We just got a new atmospheric scan from the Shinra satellite. Our "guests" will be in the ionosphere within the hour."

"Permission to speak freely sir?"

"Go ahead."
"Who is Maryei, really? I understand he can use magic without materia."

"That is privileged information Private. But at this point, it probably doesn’t matter." Crow sat down heavily, letting an "ah" escape as he sat. Finally, Crow spoke. "Colonel Cyph Maryei is the first, and only person outside of Shinra to be infused with mako, and cells from the original Jenova specimen."

"Sir, why this summon then? Why couldn’t we just clone cells from Maryei?"

"Maryei, once he figured out what was done to him, destroyed the lab that made him so. We were never able to retrieve the sample. However, once he found out about our plans, he willingly went along with the program."

"Isn’t that really dangerous sir?"

"Indeed, but that’s something we can’t help. I mean, who knows what is going on inside Maryei’s head? We have no choice but to trust him, and frankly, we need him in the Air Force."

From outside, the sound of a large gong could be heard.

"You better get moving son, I understand you have flight maneuvers in twenty minutes."

"Good day, General."

Helipad

Kirin ran low towards the white helicopter. Today, instead of flying in his jet as was usual in training exercises, he was to go inside the large, military helicopter in order to supervise the exercises from afar. It made no difference to him; his heart was not in the training today.

Kirin got inside the helicopter and put the large headphones over his ears. He picked up a clipboard on the floor of the helicopter, and gave the pilot a thumb up. The helicopter lifted off the ground, while Kirin mouthed repeatedly into the, headset, "Knight Squadron, Eagle Squadron, Scrooge Squadron, Solid Squadron, scramble, scramble, scramble!"

As the helicopter lifted up, Kirin looked down to see the planes all taking off at his command. Then he saw Tifa, walking alone along the runway. Kirin shook his head sadly, then turned his attention back to the scrambling fighter jets.

Memorial Statue

Tifa walked silently to the large, obsidian memorial statue that was on the far end of the base. It was isolated spot, where the sounds of jets taking off were swept away by the constant crosswinds. The memorial statue was shaped like a large obelisk with several beams welded in at right angles to the main structure. The bronze plaque in front of the memorial read; "In Solemn Memorial of Comrades Lost in the Midgar, Wutai struggle. May the loyal citizens of Kalm never forfeit their lives for an enemy again."

Tifa kneeled down in front of the statue, and holding the ultima weapon in both hands, lifted it over her head and drove it into the soil.

Tifa’s vision was almost back to normal. She also noticed that the weapon was glowing brighter than before.

"It is decided." She mumbled, staring at the ever-brighter sword. "I will go on, but not for Cloud, not for the planet, but for me." She looked up; the sky was becoming redder with the coming evening. Tifa took off the SOLDIER glove on her left hand, and ran it along the blade until she was bleeding from her hand. "I will never put myself out of place for anyone again. I swear so by my own blood." Tifa clenched her fist, the blood of her body mingling with the soil she kneeled on.

Suddenly, Tifa heard low booming noises coming from the sky. She looked up to see several indistinct streaks of flame shooting across the sky. She craned her neck, following the flames, until she turned around completely. Whatever they were, they were headed to different places. One seemed to be heading towards Midgar; two others looked like they were going out to sea. Yet another kept going south, over the horizon.

Tifa took little notice of them. She pulled her glove back on over her bleeding hand, and pulled the ultima weapon from the ground.

Flight maneuvers

Kirin watched wide eyed as the streams of light and fire came down from the sky. Over the headset, he heard orders being shouted. "All units, scramble! Heli-squad alpha, Knight squadron and Scrooge Squadron, head towards Midgar. All other units, head…."

Kirin paid little attention. All around him were jets taking off and white helicopters surrounding and filling the sky.

"Captain Prince, heli-squad alpha is under your command. Knight and Scrooge are to act as backup. We will be sending an airship with you. Make sure it gets to Midgar first. From there you will receive more instructions."

"Roger." Kirin said. He switched to the helicopter frequency. "All units, prepare gunners. Head to Midgar, bearing one eight four niner."

The fighter planes shot ahead of the helicopters, heading for the large metal city in the distance. The newly made airship droned behind the convoy. Kirin did not know completely what was going on, but he had a pretty good idea by now. The experiment had worked; there were now at least three Jenova specimens back on the planet.

Midgar grew closer. Kirin refused to think about anything but commanding the squadron. It was made quite clear back at the base there was nothing he could do about this.

The radio clicked in his ear. "Captain Prince, this is viper command. Direct Knight and Scrooge to circle city. DO NOT allow Midgar to send up any planes. Shoot anything that offers opposition. Have airship move in to coordinates five niner eight four point three. Shoot anything near the subject.

"Roger." Kirin switched channels, and directed the airship to the coordinates. The squad of helicopters flew low over Midgar. Kirin saw panicked citizens run in all directions. Shinra troopers swarmed, beating up looting citizens and taking occasional shots at the white helicopters. The squad returned fire, occasionally shooting citizens. Kirin’s and four other helicopters directed the airship to the coordinates. Kirin looked down to see a group of people staring at what had landed in the city. Obviously, this unwelcome guest had caused a great calamity, and Kirin was sure that the large squads of air support did not detract from that panic. Kirin saw a small group of children run up to the object, which was covered, in a purple gelatinous shell. Kirin’s eyes widened when he saw his gunner open fire.

"HOLD! HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Kirin yelled into the headset. He turned his head away when the gunner did not hold.

The airship moved over the alley. Kirin did not look though; he was more concerned with the Shinra panzer tanks rolling into the streets, taking shots at the aircraft.

The copters broke away from the airship, which was lowering a crane down into the alley. Several units from Scrooge broke away from their circling and shot at the tanks. Most shots went wide, but a few tanks exploded. The Shinra returned fire, taking down a few copters and planes.

Kirin doubted that this day would not result in an all out war.

Suddenly, Kirin heard a click over the airship frequency. "Target acquired. Prepared to move out on your command."
"GO! GO!" Kirin yelled. Ordering the pilot to circle around and head out of Midgar airspace. Kirin opened up the fighter channel. "All units, break to four kilometers outside of Midgar, prepare for retaliation from both Midgar and Junon."
The copters and airship flew out of the city at maximum speed, the planes lagging a little behind to take care of any opposition.

Kalm came quickly into his sites. Kirin ordered the pilot to land right next to his ship so he could get in the air as soon as possible.

The helicopter settled a few meters above the ground. Kirin jumped out, pulled his sword from the sheath, and stabbed it into the soil near the runway. It stuck to the ground with such finality that Kirin stopped and looked at it before he got into the plane and started up the controls.
He pulled on his helmet and switched on the radio. He could hear the chatter from his men in Knight squadron and Scrooge. Forces were coming from both Junon and Midgar. Kirin pulled on his oxygen mask and pulled down the canopy. He did not wait for clearance from the base; instead, he took off immediately, performing a U-turn that sent him right into the dogfight between Shinra and Kalm forces. He spoke into his headset, "This is Knight one, all forces, call in."
The excited voices from Scrooge and Knight spoke their call signs as they pulled into formation. "Move into position over long thirty two and lat five four. Go weapons hot, confirmation beta gamma."
The fighters responded as the red Shinra fighters drove into the Kalm fighters. Kirin took evasive maneuvers as one Shinra took a dive bomb towards him. Kirin hit the afterburners and pulled hard up on the stick. He performed a barrel roll, guns blazing. The Shinra erupted into a brilliant fireball.

Kirin looked to the east to see large amounts of reinforcements coming from Junon. Kirin swore, and spoke into the mike.

"Command, Knight one, command, Knight one, request reinforcements at four eight niner." Kirin switched to the fighter frequency. "Knights, attack pattern omega 4, Scrooge, keep those reinforcements busy until Kalm responds."

The dogfight that ensued was long and deadly. All around him, Kirin saw planes, on both sides going down. The Shinra had a larger number of planes, but Kalm were considerably better trained, and eager for battle, as opposed to the jaded Shinra pilots.

Kirin pursued one of the Shinra squadron leaders. The Shinra was good; almost as good as Kirin, but it took Kirin less than a minute to take the fighter plane down.

There was a click in his ear. "Knight one, command, request for reinforcements denied. Order to finish Shinra and return to base."
Kirin could not believe what he was hearing. "Command, Knight one, Sirs, nobody is under attack at the base-" Kirin stopped talking as he performed a sharp barrel roll to avoid colliding with a flaming aircraft. Click.

"Knight one, Command, this is not open for discussion. Follow your orders or we will blow you out of the sky ourselves."

Kirin swore, and switched back to the fighter frequency. Kalm wasn’t doing too badly, but Scrooge had lost almost a fourth of their forces, and the Knights were barely able to stem the ongoing tide of planes heading for Kalm. "All fighters, regroup at three niner niner. Go sidewinders hot, prepare 8SMS aerial bombs. Defense pattern delta four."

The Kalm forces simultaneously blasted their afterburners, heading to the coordinates. In less than a second, all Kalm forces and all Shinra forces were opposite one another. When Kirin saw all the Shinra clumping together, he spoke into the mike, "Knight one, side three." Kirin’s rockets fired from under his wing, and the spherical 8SMS bomb shot towards the group of Shinra. A millisecond later, all Kalm forces responded in kind.

Kirin saw the Shinra forces trying to scramble away from each other, but it was pointless. The sidewinders hit their marks, and the nearly two hundred 8SMS aerial bombs exploded like red hot flowers in the sky. There was a huge flash of superheated light as the bombs erupted simultaneously. Kirin winced and turned away. When he looked back, less than a dozen Shinra were still in the air, quickly heading back to Junon.

"Knights, Scrooge, do not pursue, authorization code gamma four. Nice job everyone, report back to base."

Kirin turned his plane around, but gave a second glance to the flaming rubble on the ground below. He mumbled a hushed prayer for their souls, but felt ashamed for doing so.

Plains outside of Kalm

The truck bounded over the jagged pieces of burning metal and scorched earth. Tifa was behind the wheel of Ryan’s truck, having "borrowed" it shortly after all the planes were scrambled for, whatever it was, Tifa wasn’t sure. She had seen the impressive dogfight from afar, and Tifa knew that a war would break out soon. Tifa doubted Shinra, for all its forces, would hold together long enough to put up much of a fight.

Tifa saw the faint outline of Midgar ahead. Tifa had decided to return to Midgar permanently, but she now reconsidered her decision. Long, thin streams of smoke were rising from Midgar. Tifa recognized this kind of chaos. Midgar would not be safe.

"Not that it ever was."

Tifa twisted the wheel and headed towards Junon. Junon was still a strong, fortified city. The new canon, though smaller than the sister ray, kept a careful watch on the western continent. Junon would be an ideal place for Tifa to live out the rest of her life turned downward spiral.

Tifa’s vision was sharp; the dreamy haze was lifted. She was whole, and she would stay whole as long as she clung to the promise she made to herself at the Kalm memorial.

Tifa smiled, close lipped and empty. A drunk in Sector 7 had once said to her, "You can’t change anything, so you may as well enjoy yourself."
Words to live by, she decided. Junon was ahead. Tifa stopped thinking, and put her whole consciousness into driving. Her mission, it seemed, was over.

Runway

Kirin pulled off his helmet, feeling sick. There were heavy losses on both sides. He had lost valuable men, friends, rivals, and comrades, plain and simple. They were gone; all so Kalm could have a new weapon that Kirin felt was downright fiendish.

Kirin jumped down from the plain, and pulled his sword from where it was still stuck in the ground. Slipping the sword back in his sheath, Kirin made for the main barracks. He turned his neck around; trying to ease tightened muscles. As he did so, Kirin looked over to the fifth hanger. He wasn’t surprised to see the airship hovering idly over the huge hanger, with guards ringing the entire structure.
"So, that’s where they brought it." He said to nobody in particular.

Their plan had worked. They now had in their possession a brand new Jenova specimen. Kirin had no idea what would happen now. He tried to mutter a prayer, but for some reason, he could not.

This surprised and put a small fear into him. All his life, he had been able to pray. Prayer for his friends, family. Prayer for fallen comrades, prayer for new born children. He had even prayed to the planet herself after meteor was destroyed. Yet now, he could not pray.

Kirin looked down to the gold ring on his finger, then he averted his direction to the chapel on the base. If he could not pray there, then there was something seriously wrong with him, if not the world entirely.

As he headed to the chapel, Kirin saw Ryan run up to him. Kirin swore and pretended he did not see the bigoted, sallow man.

"Captain Prince! Captain Prince!" Ryan yelled, his lungs burning.

Kirin ignored him and opened the door to the chapel.

"Captain Pri-" Ryan abruptly stopped and looked in all directions. "The hell? I thought I parked my truck here…. Hey, wait, Captain Prince!"

Kirin stopped and turned. "What is it, Private?"

"Captain Prince, the board of Generals wants you to meet them at eighteen hundred, something about you choosing replacements for Scrooge and Knight."

"And you are telling me this why?"

Ryan swore and spit. "Well, most of the extra men are now on guard post at hanger five." Spoken as if that would explain why Ryan was chosen for such a menial duty.

"What time is it, Private?"

"Sixteen thirty."

"I may be a little late." With that, Kirin opened the door and stepped inside the chapel.

Great Gospel Orthodox

Kirin walked slowly to the back of the chapel, towards the altar. He drew his sword and planted it in the ground in front of him, and then he knelt down, his hands wrapped around the handle. He tried to bring a prayer to mind, but none would come to him. He almost swore, but he remembered to control his blasphemy when inside the church.

This was a personal disaster for Kirin. He pulled off the gold band on his finger, and clutched it in his fist, trying to bring an image of his dead wife, Trinity, to mind.

But all that came was darkness.

Darkness, and Tifa.

Kirin nearly dropped the ring. "What the hell?" Kirin quickly recounted his blasphemy. Lockheart? "I try to bring an image of Trinity, and…." Kirin gagged. "Lockheart?!"

Kirin couldn’t believe it. He missed her. That whore, that SOLDIER, that…. woman, whatever one called Tifa.

Not only did he miss her, he longed for her. He hadn’t missed someone this much since Trinity died. He had ignored that pain for so long, and now, in his time of greatest need from his God, he could not speak, could not breathe, all for want of that woman in the bar.

This was hell, anguish to his soul. He couldn’t pray, couldn’t find any solace. The guilt he felt by surviving that dogfight could not even be expressed.

Kirin recounted that night in the bar. She had been cold, polite, detached, yet somehow, Kirin felt like he could see the deep pain that was inside her. Then, in the cell, he saw how she was trying to heal that deep pain, cover the wound. But the wound was still there, despite Tifa’s futile attempt to heal.

The same pain formed inside Kirin’s own body, like a splinter in his brain.

Kirin couldn’t take it anymore. He leaped up, grabbing the sword before he ran out of the church, like a scared boy running from lightning in a storm.

He burst out of the church, fell to his knees, and started dry heaving. This was not like him. Lust, blasphemy, not even able to mutter a few words to God he wasn’t even sure existed…. now he was losing faith, too?!

Kirin held his head in his hands. Never before had he felt so weak, so alone. All his sorrow immediately turned to unaccustomed fury. He felt like that if he did not use his limit break soon, he would explode all over the base.

Suddenly, with no reason, Kirin screamed. Every primal urge and emotion inside him suddenly welled up inside him, and like a mako reactor about to go critical mass, he blew his top.

In hanger number five, two kilometers away, a doctor who was dissecting one of the Jenova specimens felt a sudden vibration and rumble. He looked up to his lab assistant.

"What was that?" The doctor asked.

The assistant shrugged and went back to work.

Junon

Tifa shifted in her sleep and her hand brushed against the man lying in bed next to her. She woke up with a start, and the whole drunken night came back to her. Without a word or feeling, Tifa got out of the bed and moved to put on her clothes, which were scattered all over, the messy room.

Tifa pulled on her underwear and pants and looked to the heavily sleeping man in the bed. She met him in the bar the night before. She was already quite drunk and he had said something about wanting to screw a SOLDIER. Less than two drinks later she was following this man, whom she didn’t even know the name of, into a taxi to go back to his apartment.

Tifa pulled the uniform top over her head and adjusted the suspenders. Less than a year ago, Tifa would have been disgusted to see a woman behave like she had the night before. She felt no pride, little shame. This was all just part of the self-destructive path she had chosen for herself.

As she laced up her boots, she heard the stranger stir. She did not care about this man, or what kind of life he led. All she really cared about was the STD’s she couldn’t even pronounce. Of course, some cure materia would fix any problem, but it was the whole idea that she might be weak enough to get infected.

Weak, or stupid.

"Whatever." Tifa said, grabbing the brightly glowing sword from off the floor.

In sector seven, she had dated, and had sex quite a few times. But in sector seven, there was usually a little, if not some feeling for the people she dated and copulated with, here, there was none.

She paused at the door and looked back at the stranger, who was still sleeping heavily. Nothing would come out of this. The man would brag to his friends later about how he picked up a drunken chick in the bar, and how he had had the most amazing sex with her. Then his friends would call him a liar, and he would tell every perverse detail of the night. And all this would be said in a bar. Tifa knew this from experience in "The 7^th Heaven."

She opened the door and walked out. Today would be her first day of the rest of her apathetic life. She no longer had to care, or worry. Her human compassion was being replaced by the selfishness she had known as an immature girl.

Still though, she had the nagging sense that everything was in great danger, maybe even more so then when Sephiroth threatened the planet. It was just something she couldn’t shake from her mind, no matter how hard she tried.

She also couldn’t stop thinking about Kirin. He embodied everything Tifa used to be. It seemed to her that Tifa’s past would not allow itself to be buried easily.