Final Fantasy: Fated Chapter 12: Marionettes By: Sasha Harlow Concept by Samantha Rodgers Dawn at the Gold Saucer. The sun struggles to rise from behind the mountains, spilling its life-blood onto the shifting desert sands below, causing them to sparkle like a million rubies. Out of this sea of riches grows the tree of life, glowing with reflected red-gold light. A lavish display of Nature's beauty put on for an audience of one. The man stands awash in the light of dawn. No amount of beauty can heal the wounds of his soul, none can ever make him feel life or love again. A man beaten, broken, and come back again. A man with one objective: the destruction of this world and himself. * * * Inno blinked sleepily. Although it was still the cliched "dark and stormy night" outside the hotel room window, the clock by her bedside read 9:16 am. *9:16? Why didn't anyone wake me up?* Fully alert now, she hopped from her bed and snatched up her clothing from the places she had dropped it on her way to bed. On went the dress, the belt, and boots in record time. A quick brush through and her hair was ready for the barrette. As a final touch, a tiny green sphere snapped into place on the barrette. She ran one finger over it, musingly, remembering the scene from the night before. Gabriel, looking surprisingly shy, had handed it to her before she'd made her way to bed from out of that Pandora's box he always seemed to have with him. *"I noticed you had a slot for one. Not that you need it, but maybe one day it will come in handy..."* Feeling ready to face the day, Inno stepped out into the hallway. And into chaos. * * * *I am not sulking. I am thinking. Alone. With my arms crossed. Sulking is beneath my dignity.* Grumped Gabriel, slumped into an old style chair in the lobby. He had awoken before dawn to prepare to journey onward in search of Sephiroth. To stop his other self before it was too late. And had waited. And waited. When the others had a last put on an appearance well after dawn, none had seemed to interested in continuing their journey. Jessie, Biggs, and a young girl who had looked vaguely familiar had run off to the arcade together, Marlene and Tifa were riding the Ferris wheel, Cait Sith had run off with a man hastily introduced as "the Boss" to renew old acquaintances and look for Barrett, and he thought Nanaki was watching the chocobo races. But what had hurt most of all was a laughing Aeris dragging Cloud off to "relax and have some fun." His anguished stare was matched only by Tifa's. *She doesn't know me now. And if I change the loop, she may never... I want to become what she became to me. A savior and more, life itself. The angel will always fall without her.* His private ruminations were interrupted by the arrival of ShinRa troops. * * * *ShinRa? Here?!* "Search over there, too! Any information as to his whereabouts will result in a full raise in rank!" Inno stood, stupefied, as men in ShinRa's blue uniforms began breaking into the rooms that she and her companions had been using. When no outraged cries came, she assumed that no one was in them. *Did they leave me? But... ShinRa's here! What will I do?* Inno desperately wished she had control over the strange power that came and went, using her body and then abandoning her, drained and weak, as one of the soldiers walked up to her. His helm completely hid his features, giving him an inhuman, soulless look. Inno wanted to be able to disappear. Death strode determinedly closer. "Excuse me, miss. Have you seen a man in a black cloak around here? He's a wanted felon." "Ah... uh... no! No, I haven't." Feeling like she'd somehow gotten a reprieve, Inno ran down the stairs to the relative safety of the lobby, right into Gabriel, who was looking unusually grim. "They're looking for Him." Inno didn't have to ask who 'him' was. "We have to find the others. He must be close." * * * Tifa had left Marlene with Biggs and Jessie after their tenth ride at the Speed Square. She had pleaded illness, but deep inside she knew she was looking for Cloud. Cloud, who was here somewhere with Aeris. *Probably having a great time.* She wondered why that thought bothered her so much. She stood in the Station, wondering where to start, when she caught the faint sound of gunfire. * * * Nanaki was riding the Ferris wheel. From up here he could see all of the huge construction that was the Gold Saucer. But, more importantly, he could see out into the desert, out past the grasslands and forests, to where the mesas and canyons began. The clean desert air sang with the promise of Cosmo Canyon. He ached for the simplicity of home with every fiber in his being... The giant wheel was halfway to the ground when his sensitive ears pricked. Off to the east was the patter of automatic weapons and the screams of the wounded. Not waiting for the wheel to finish its circuit, he made an incredible leap to the ground below and rushed toward that elusive sound. * * * Cait Sith and Reive were enjoying the chocobo races. It had been many years since Reive had gotten away from Midgar to relax, and where better than in the one place that ShinRa did not own? Reive had built Cait Sith with top of the line components. He might look like a cat, but he was capable of far more. His hearing, for example, could pick up screams even from the other side of the Gold Saucer. "Something's not good, Boss. Stay here, I'll check in with you later." Cait Sith bounded away, leaving Reive to wonder if he hadn't maybe made him just a little too independent. * * * Gabriel reached the graveyard hoping one ore more of their band would be there. He became aware of a sound that dredged up the worst of his human half's memories: the sound of projectile weapons and their victims. For a moment he was back in that forest, the smell of smoke, gunpowder, and blood. The gloating form of Tseng above him, and the sounds of his friends, who had trusted him to lead them, dying futilely under the hail of bullets from ShinRa soldiers. *Not this time! Never again!* "What?" Inno asked, and Gabriel realized he had spoken aloud. He was already letting the Sephiroth memories in as he jumped through the shaft marked "Battle Square," readying himself for combat. *This time I will protect those with me!* He landed lightly on his feet and ran out into the anteroom. Cloud and Aeris were already there, rushing towards the still forms of ShinRa troops near the entrance. Behind him came an unusual 'whump.' Whirling, tense against the expected assault, he saw a sight that made his lips curl in amusement despite the grimness of the situation. For Nanaki, Inno, Tifa, and Cait Sith had all come into the Square at once. And were stuck. "Don't just stand there! Do something!" Said an indignant Tifa, whose head had somehow gotten underneath the moogle's arm. "Stop talking! You'll tickle him!" Cait Sith exclaimed, pinned to the top of his moogle by Nanaki's bulk. "What? I can't hear you with moogle fur in my ears!" She returned, starting to struggle to free herself. The oversized stuffed toy began to shake, twisting and turning in an attempt to free itself from this assault. Inno 'wooofed' as the moogle's antics crushed her against the wall opposite of Tifa, giggling uncontrollably. "Tif! Hehe... Stop!" "What?" [POP!] The living bundle of arms, legs, and fur snapped lose from the doorway and landed in an untidy pile at Gabriel's feet. "If you're all quite through," he remarked casually, "I really think we aught to catch up with Cloud and Aeris." The four glares he received in return would have melted the frozen north. * * * Aeris gazed down at the dying man beneath her. Death was always personal to her, no matter that the man was 'the enemy' and had likely dealt death to others. Tears ran freely from her eyes as he gasped out his last. "The... man with... gun... for... arm..." The unknown soldier shuddered and was still. *Gun arm? Not... *"Barrett?" Cloud only looked at her sadly, shook his head, and closed the man's eyes. He surveyed the carnage around them. Both ShinRa and Gold Saucer employee had been gunned down with equal impartiality. Standing up, he offered her his hand to rise. Aeris accepted, feeling the tiny electric thrill that happened every time she touched him. *I wonder, does he feel it, too? Is it just because he looks so much like Zack, or something more?* There was the sound of a throat clearing behind them and Aeris realized she was still holding onto Cloud's hand. Blushing, she stared studiously at the ground so not to have to meet Tifa's gaze. "You there! Stop!" From out of the entrance came a overly muscled man wearing nothing but a pair of speedos, flanked by guards. "This way, quickly!" Cait Sith shouted through his megaphone. "No time!" He bounced through the door opposite the entrance. With a collective shrug, the motley group followed him to... A dead end. "No way! This door is always open!" Cait exclaimed, tugging on the door marked "monster's entrance" on the far side of the arena. "Now I have you! I, Dio, hereby sentence you to life imprisonment for the carnage you've caused here at my Gold Saucer." "But we didn't..." What ever Tifa had started to say, was cut off by the arrival of seven MPD's (Mechanical Prisoner Detainors, patent pending, ShinRa Corp., made in Wutai). They advanced in a rough circle, pinning everyone together at the center of the battle arena. * * * The MPD's had deposited them none too gently beneath the Gold Saucer. They had proved impervious to weaponry, both mundane and arcane. *And a whole lot of good my 'powers' did me. Not even one Bolt spell... And I'm nearly helpless without them.* Inno thought, dejectedly kicking sand with one foot. "Corel Prison," Cait began, sounding like a tour guide, "known everywhere as 'unescapable.' It is surrounded by a quicksand desert that cannot be crossed on foot." "Barrett!" called Tifa. "Over here!" Inno looked up, noticing their erstwhile companion only a few meters away. The big man looked over at them. There was a haunted look in his eyes. "Jus' stay away from me. I got to handle this myself." He ran around the nearby corner. "Hey you!" Called a scruffy looking tough guarding a gate in the fence surrounding them on the other three sides. "New peoples need ta see da Boss!" "The Boss?" Cloud asked. "Ya, da Boss. Get ya goin'." Once again sharing a collective shrug, the unlikely allies made their way into Corel Prison. Here the dregs of society gathered among the ghost town below the Gold Saucer. Paradise within sight, but always out of reach. Off in front of them was a run down building with the word 'bar' crudely marked above the door with charcoal. A few tough looking men stood around at odd intervals, eyeing the arrivals with varying amounts of greed, disinterest, and lust. Tifa and Aeris moved closer to Cloud. "Excuse me, my good man," Cait Sith chirruped, speaking to the nearest inmate, a painfully thin man with a ratty face and unkempt black hair, "but can you tell us where to find this "Boss"? We'd be terribly grateful." "..." He replied, beady eyes sweeping over weapons, packs, and belt pouches. "Well! Someone is lacking in manners! Have you seen a big guy? With a gun arm, maybe?" "..." "Never mind, Cait. We'll find him ourselves." Gabriel muttered, tugging urgently on the moogle's arm. The stares directed their way were making him increasingly uneasy, particularly those directed at the three girls. Cloud led the group down the packed sand that served as the main thoroughfare through the 'town.' Gabriel glanced behind them to see that the man Cait Sith had spoken to earlier was boldly trailing them. His hand moved to his weapon. Inno wrapped her arms tighter around herself. She didn't like the openly hostile looks they were getting as the inhabitants sized them up. *I feel like a mouse in a room full of hungry cats. A very fat, juicy mouse missing a leg or two.* Near the end of the street was a house that, from the outside, at least, did not appear as broken down as the rest. "Walking around like a moving target isn't going to help us find anybody. Why not check it out?" Gabriel hazarded, earning himself a suspicious stare from Cloud and a grateful one from Nanaki, who had also noticed their new 'shadow.' "Yes!" Inno seized on that idea eagerly, wishing to be away from these men that seemed to strip her clothes off with their eyes. "Please, Cloud? The Boss might be in there..." *Although "the Boss" is likely to be worse than these men. Anyone they would respect... It's better not to think about it.* The porch creaked alarmingly under their weight, and the floorboards inside the one room house were not in much better shape. All of the windows were broken, and the furniture within had suffered the effects of the weather for a time before someone had boarded up the windows. A rafter had fallen from the ceiling, crushing what had once been a fine coffee table and several small rodents had made a home in the stuffing of the couch. Amidst the destruction of Time and Nature stood Barrett, uncharacteristically still and silent. "Barrett!" Tifa cried gladly, causing the big man to start. "What the fu' you doin' here? I though I tol' you I'd handle dis. You don' belong here!" Barrett swung his weaponed hand up and aimed at the little group. Inno felt her heart freeze in her chest. She was dimly aware of someone telling her to get down, but she felt frozen in place, watching with deadly fascination as the gun swept up. She kept waiting for the voices to come, to sweep her away and make her body into something not her own. *I don't want to kill him!* Someone tackled her from behind, sending her crashing to the rotten floorboards. There was the overwhelmingly loud sound of gunfire and the smell of gunpowder. She tensed, squeezing her eyes shut, expecting a bullet to tear through her at any moment. Finally, there was silence, broken by a *thump* that Inno had come to know all too well these past few days. Someone recently living had fallen to the floor. She risked cracking her eyes. She found herself staring into a lifeless pair of ratty eyes only centimeters away. She scrambled backwards, bumping into the old couch, causing the nesting rodent to run of, squeaking indignantly. *Breathe. Just... breathe. You're still alive. Your friends are still alive... and you didn't kill anyone that you know.* She found the most relief in that thought, in knowing that her strange powers had not turned on Barrett. "Barrett, what's going on here?" Cloud demanded. "You see, I gotta take care 'a this. It's all my fault, ya'see." Ignoring the indrawn breaths, he continued. "It all started with ShinRa, 'a course." * * * Barrett was the last to arrive at the town meeting. Despite this, he was the most enthusiastic, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, threatening the safety of his childhood friend beside him, Dyne. "Be still, Barrett." He hissed. Dyne was less than thrilled to be here. For what ShinRa proposed was, to him, nothing less than the death knell of Corel and all that it stood for. He glared angrily at the attractive blond before them: Scarlet, representative of ShinRa Corporation. "As you know, many other towns in the area have already come under the wing of ShinRa." She began. "They have enjoyed numerous benefits from our Mako technology." Scarlet gazed pointedly at the coal braziers, emitting little light and heat but doing an excellent job of covering the walls and ceiling with soot. "This will mean a better life for all of you." "But what about the coal mines?" Murmured Trione, a man who had been on the town council longer than many of its members had been alive. "Coal is, of course, outdated. It will be replaced with cleaner, more efficient Mako power." "But coal is how we make our living! I don't know anything else!" Shouted Dyne, standing up. "ShinRa will guarantee your jobs." "Dyne, dis is a chance for a better life, man. Think about Marlene. You don' wan' her growin' up with soot in her lungs, do ya?" Barrett reasoned, standing as well. "Don' worry. Everythin's gonna be fine." * * * "But nothin' was fine. Dyne and me were out scoutin' when the reactor blew. ShinRa blamed it on terrorists in the town." Barrett sagged, avoiding the eyes of his companions, afraid of what he might see there. "Dere weren't no terrorists, but dat didn't matter so much as findin' someone to blame." * * * The smell of smoke alerted them to the danger long before they came into view. From the top of the cliffs where the old railroad once ran they could always catch a glimpse of home to brighten the last few kilometers home. Today, however, the view was a grim one. Fire colored the horizon blood red, as Corel burnt to the ground. "No! What happened? An accident?" Dyne was unable to move, unable to take his eyes from the horror below. "I don' think so, friend." Barrett grimly stated, as Trione ran up the tracks. He was staggering as he ran and his eyes held nothing but unreasoning terror. It cleared slightly when he caught sight of the two men. "BarrettÖ ShinRaÖ soldiersÖ burningÖ chasingÖ You brought this on usÖ" He managed to pant out, one hand clutched against his chest. Whatever else he had to say was silenced forever by a bullet into his back. Four of ShinRa's foot soldiers ran into view. "None of the terrorists must survive!" Ordered the leading soldier, bringing his weapon to bear on the duo. "Run!" Barrett shouted, half dragging Dyne away from the view of their homes and lives becoming so much smoke. The lead projectiles sung their deadly song through the air around them, causing rock to powder around their heads. Barrett winced as a piece of rock sliced his cheek. Part of the trail collapsed beneath them from the assault, causing Dyne to lose his balance. Barrett lunged after him and just managed to catch his hand before he plummeted to the ground far below. "Fools! Can't you hit anything?" Came a voice Barrett would never forget. Scarlet. She ripped the gun away from one of the soldiers, causing him to fall from the railway bridge into the chasm. She took careful aim at the two men. She saw them lock eyes as the larger man began to strain to lift the weight of the smaller. She smiled grimly and squeezed the trigger. She did so love giving her prey that one moment of hope. There was a sudden numbness in Barrett's hand, followed by white hot agony. The ruined hand could not longer grip the blood slicked hand of his companion. Barrett could only watch as Dyne fell out of sight. Then the world went black. * * * "When I woke up I didn' wanna live. I jus' kinda wandered for a while. Den I heard 'bout this doc that could graft weapons onta people. When I went to him he tol' me he'd done the same thing ta another man, 'cept it was the other hand." "Wait. Dyne's injury would have been in his left hand, right? So, he's alive?" Looks were exchanged all around at Tifa's statement. *Another man with a gun arm? Then the carnage above...* "Yeah. I looked for him for a while, but I wanted revenge. So's I went to Midgar to claim a little. Now ya know why dis is all my fault and why I gotta do dis alone." "Wait." Tifa said, stepping in front of the door Barrett was heading for. "We're you're friends! Friends stick by each other no matter what! Right, Cloud?" Cloud shrugged. Tifa shot him a Look. "Uh, sure," he muttered. "You'd do dat? When ya know the truth?" "You didn't do anything wrong, Barrett. We all believed the lies ShinRa told back then." Cloud said, kicking one of the floorboards savagely. * * * Several of the prisoners had been shot, leaving a trail of death that lead to the tough who had first greeted him. He was still breathing when they found him. He managed to gasp out "Man, da Boss sure's in a bad mood taday." Aeris did what she could for his wounds and they proceeded through the gate he had been guarding. In the center of a pile of junk just beyond that gate stood the ruins of what had once been a home. There wasn't much left of it now, just a few walls next to a chasm in the Earth. Standing in the center of what had once been the living room was a tall, thin man. He was attractive, but there was a sickness in his soul that somehow communicated itself through his eyes. He stood up straight, but with head hung low, and limped towards the group, one leg held out stiffly from his body. "Hello, Barrett." He said softly. "Dyne! I heard you was alive! We even had the same operation!" Barrett made to rush towards his friend and was stopped by a bullet in his left arm. The man lifted his head just enough to meet Barrett's eyes. "Don't come near me. What's that?" He paused, cocking his head as though listening. "It's Elaine. She's asking me to forgive you. But I don't think I can, *old friend*." "Dyne? What's wrong?" "What's wrong? I want to destroy it all. This prison," he lifted his gun and fired a single shot into the rubble beside him, "the world," again he fired, this time skyward at the Gold Saucer, "and everyone in it." He lowered his gun at Barrett and fired off another few shots. "Dyne! Stop!" The bullets paused. "Why dja do it, man? The people up there were innocent!" "No one is innocent. Everyone dies. We will all reunite with the Mother. I've lost everything. Elaine, Marlene... but the Mother's going to bring them back for me." "Dyne... Marlene's alive! I... I found her after... I went down to Corel and she was there. Come with me. Come see Marlene." "Marlene's... alive?" Dyne lowered his head and appeared to think. "Then I guess we have to fight, Barrett." "What!?" "I have to take Marlene to see Elaine. She's been so lonely. Marlene would really like to see her mother, right?" "I don't want to fight you!" "Then don't." He said simply, and began to fire once again. Barrett body shook with the impact of bullets, and he kneeled with his arms crossed, defensively. Inno was the only one who could see his eyes. Mirrored in them was his love for Marlene waging with his love for his friend. But also there was anger. His temper building, boiling over. Cloud made a move to interpose himself between the two men, but Barrett waived him back. He got up from his defensive position and raised his weapon. Inno thought she heard him whisper "I'm sorry." His weapon glowed as it charged with energy, and then the release. A great wall of power slammed into Dyne. He staggered, then fell to one knee. Barrett staggered towards Dyne despite his wounds. "Stay Back!" Dyne shouted, but his voice had an unpleasant, gurgling sound. He managed to push himself to his feet. He looked skyward. "Elaine... I'm coming." There was an expression of peace on his face as he walked towards the chasm. "No! Dyne, come with me. Come see Marlene. She needs to know her father." "She'd be what, eight now? She can't possibly remember me. You're her father now. My hands are too stained to carry her now. Here." He threw something small and glittering at Barrett. "Take good care of her for me." Without a sound, Dyne let himself fall backwards. Barrett turned desperate eyes to Inno, expecting her to once again work her miracle. She reached out her hand, as if to stay his fall, but the power would not come. "No..." She moaned. "Dyne... my hands ain't any cleaner..." It was Aeris who first moved to break this frozen tableau. She moved to Barrett's side, aglow with green light, filling him with the healing energy of her materia. Her eyes, pained and bright, met Barrett's, and they shared a moment of wordless communion. Agony for this senseless waste and all the other lives ruined and cut short by ShinRa. The journey back to the prison was made in silence. * * * "We want to get out of here." Cloud told the overdressed man in the trailer. "We were told you could arrange it." "No one gets out of here without the Boss's permission. And he doesn't give it to anybody." Mr Coates replied, smoothing imaginary wrinkles out of his garish suit. "Will this do?" Barrett asked, holding up a pendant. "Wow! You musta killed the Boss to have gotten that. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. The Boss was, well, a little off his rocker, if ya know what I..." He suddenly trailed off as Barrett advanced on him, catching hold of the lapels of his tasteless outfit. "Ya don' know nothin' 'bout him, ya got it?" "Sure! I don't know nothing, I mean, anything. Ah... yes." He waited until Barrett released him before continuing. "Well, then. As I'm sure you're all aware, in order to get out, one of you has to win a chocobo race in the Gold Saucer. I'll arrange it." He paused, listening to the whistling of the wind. "But not tonight, I think." "Why not?" Demanded Cloud. "There's a desert storm blowing in. Anything outside in about ten minutes will be nothing but bones in the morning. I suggest you hole up until then." * * * Inno shivered as she listened to the howling of the wind and the constant whisper of sand lashing the one room cabin they were once again inhabiting. Someone, possibly Tifa, had removed the body of their 'shadow' and cleaned away the blood. If it were out in this storm, it would be impossible to tell from any of the other half-buried skeletons tomorrow, a victim of the regions hungry winds. She leaned further back against the Cait's moogle, which was currently serving as a chair of sorts for her. It was surprisingly warm, almost as though it were alive. Someone had also cleaned out the hearth and lit an anemic fire there. It's flickering light hid more in shadow than it revealed. Being back in this house had put Barrett in a morbid mood. He had Dyne's pendant dangling from one hand, letting it spin slowly, catching the firelight. Out in the open, Inno could see it contained a large clear stone, roughly worked, surrounded by gold. The workmanship was not the best, but it was easy to see a lot of love had been put into it. "He found dis diamond in the coal mines." Barrett said softly, almost to himself. "It was perfect, he coulda sold it and lived a little better for a while. But he wanted ta give it to Marlene. For her future. He panned the gold outa streams while we was scoutin'. He musta spent months on dis so he could give it to her on her birthday. He never got the chance." He wrapped his fist around it and turned to face the fire. Lulled by the sound of the wind and the crackle of the fire, Inno dozed off. * * * When a person sleeps, their consciousness retreats. It was during these moments that the Other was best able to exert Its influence. This time, however, It was not content to play the puppeteer. Tonight It needed direct control. It sent its influence into It's host, using the knowledge gained after centuries of absorbing stray bits of Lifestream. Inno shifted uneasily in her sleep. Her hands twitched and her mouth opened. "*[Sleep],*" she commanded, and those around her did. All of her companions slipped into dreamless slumber. Inno opened her eyes. The eyes she opened were not those of Inno Kinsley. They shifted with a kaleidoscope of colors. He hair lifted up around her head, flickering and glowing like a halo of golden flame. He skin began to glow with the same golden light, obscuring her features. The Other looked out into the world. It was concerned. While It was not precognitant in the normal sense of the word, it could sense the future as multiple pathways. It knew that *this* person would be able cause *this* event, and that changing *this* event could lead to *that* one. While nothing it sensed was certain, It could sense a high probability in this host. It had known that somehow, this girl would be able to influence the future to Its advantage. Thus it had used her, and used his newly acquired knowledge of human feeling to use those around her. It had gained the key individuals' trust by saving lives and defeating their enemies. These emotions were truly a useful weakness in this species. Apparently, they could also be a strength. As the things It now knew as emotion grew stronger, so did Its host. Her ability to resist It grew stronger. This could not be allowed. In Its hatching hunger, It had ignored Its future sense when attacking the other star spawn and become trapped. It would have freedom, and no lesser creature would stop It! It would find the source of these emotions and destroy them before they could become a threat. It turned Its host body towards the first of her companions, marveling at the frailty of these animals. Slumped against the wall was a large creature with dark skin. It was clenching something tightly even in his magically induced slumber. The Other summoned up the emotions of Its host. It had learned much of the incomprehensible things from the Lifestream of this planet, and It felt confident that, with Its host's vocabulary, it could label the emotions and determine which were stronger. For this creature she felt sympathy and a little fear. Nothing powerful enough to worry the Other. The next was a four legged creature with red fur. Here there were stirrings of intellectual friendship, and, a small dose of kinship, despite the differences. Pathetic lower life forms. Another of Its host's species. A male, with yellow hair, who looked guarded even in his sleep. Here there was confusion. Hot and cold. Strong emotions, at last. The Other examined the future paths and snarled in frustration. It could not eliminate this one. He was a key to too many events. It turned to the next. Two women, sleeping side by side. Here was a tentative friendship forged by sharing traumatic events, but also a surprising rivalry. Once again, nothing that concerned the Other. Next was a very small creature. There was a strong attachment here: affection and friendship, forged by humor and hardships endured. Furthermore, eliminating this one could have an extremely favorable outcome for It. Just for thoroughness, It checked the last form, a raven haired man dressed in black. It reeled under the force of emotions. Love was here, the kind shared by close siblings. Also gratitude and something else It could not identify. This one would not have any negative outcomes if he died, either. Very well. It would destroy the two sources of Its host's troubling emotions and rid itself of this resistance. It built up power, preparing burn away every trace that either had ever existed. *[NO!]* There was something in Its mind with It. Somehow Its host had awakened and was fighting for control of this body. While the Other was vastly more powerful than this pathetic animal, she had the advantage of knowing this form far better than It. *[I will not allow you to hurt my friends!]* Slowly Inno fought back control of her body. Part by part, until she shook with exhaustion and dripped with sweat. She would oust this power that sought to use her as a weapon. For a moment, it seemed like she might win. Then the power came rushing back, driving her before it like a leaf before a hurricane. She was lost, and could only watch as she raised her hands over the still form of Gabriel. *No...* * * * Ioviano was waiting out the storm when Jenova spoke to him. She wanted this girl destroyed. Now. He received an image of one of the females in the group he had been tailing. Jenova felt the surge of the Other's power and feared. * * * There came the crash of shattering wood. Uncertain, the Other withdrew. Seizing the opportunity, Its host beat It the rest of the way back, deep into her subconscious. She whirled and saw something that made her blood turn to ice. Standing in the ruins of the doorway was a monster. Physically, it resembled Nanaki, but she could somehow sense the corruption in it. Panicked she stepped backwards, tripping over Gabriel. She could only watch as the creature came closer. *Let it destroy me. At least then I won't be a danger to anyone. But, what about the others? They're helpless like this... But I can't use the power again! Even if it *would* come on command!* The alien thing that wore a familiar skin slunk forward, meeting her eyes. She knew it was aware of her helplessness, and was reveling in it. *Wait...* One hand stole to the clip in her hair, she concentrated and... *connected* somehow to the magic. "[Esuna]." Suddenly Gabriel was there, between her and the thing that moved towards her so relentlessly. "Looking for some easy prey?" He asked grimly. His query had an unexpected result. Suddenly every red hair on its body arched up. His mane moved in a may that was *wrong*, somehow, and then burst free with over a dozen tentacles, each ended with a barbed hook that dripped a noxious substance. "YOU!" The creature shouted, insanity growing in his eyes. "What are *you*... no matter. I will kill you and take your place under the Mother! Die, Sephiropth!" ________________________________________________________________________ Well. Finally done. Somehow between school, work, and the world's most miserable cold I got this done. I am well aware of how rushed and inadequate it is. I can only apologize. Thanks to Jake Wallace for the extension!