"You came." Aerith's voice was soft and contained the slightest amount of hope as Cloud silently closed the distance between them, buster sword held over his shoulder and face passive.
The flower girl stood gracefully beneath the Shinra monument, her long braid swaying in the slight breeze while her green eyes held only warmth for the SOLDIER who came to a stop a few feet away from her. Her princess guard staff seemed to twinkle in the small amount of light that penetrated the storm clouds above. She held it by her side, flowers blossoming around her feet and giving her an angelic look. Her pink clothes were immaculate, barely any dirt marks or rips, showing just how little she had actually fought in the games. It made Cloud slightly sick, if he was being honest, when he compared it to Yuna's bloody, worn out dirty outfit.
"You came alone," Aerith continued on when he said nothing, taking a step towards him as a smile graced her features. "I'm so glad you're unharmed."
As she took another step, he drew his sword pointing it out towards her. Hurt flashed briefly in her grassy eyes but it was hidden quickly, replaced by slight confusion. "I didn't come here to join you," he said in a low calm voice.
"What?" she asked in confusion, her brows deepening slightly as another wave of hurt travelled through her features. "But, Cloud, we're from the same sector, we need to work as a team to win these games for the Capitol-"
"The Capitol have enough riches to last them a lifetime," Cloud cut her off passively. "Other sectors need the money more than us."
"Even so..." she moved towards him, her eyes pleading with his. "You knew me before you knew her, we were supposed to be a team and I was hoping that maybe we could be... more."
"How is that going to happen? There can only be one Victor," he pointed out indifferently.
"President Sephiroth would let us live if he knew that we were both devoted to protecting the Capitol together," she explained dreamily. "He told me before we entered the games that if I did everything he asked of me, he would grant me my wish for us both to survive, we could be the first two Victors of the Fantasy Games."
"You're deluded if you think he's going to let us both live," he replied dubiously.
"He will, Cloud," she spoke sincerely and he could tell by the look of truth in her eyes that she believed fully in every word she said. "We could be the Cetra and the SOLDIER of the Capitol, a team of two who could be the next face of power. We could protect the earth and everyone on it, if you just lower your sword."
"I don't want that though," he said firmly, his grip never loosening in his sword. "I don't want that kind of future with you-"
"You'll never have it with her either," Aerith interrupted him, a slight quiver in her voice.
His throat felt strangely dry as she spoke and he swallowed hard with an accepting nod. "That may be so but," he paused, his grip tightening on his sword, "I'd rather keep her safe than abandon her just because of these games. I'm sorry Aerith, but my mind's made up."
"I see..." She murmured slowly, taking a step back from him, her eyes no longer joyful but holding regret. "I'm sorry too Cloud, but I must protect Jenova, it is my duty as a Cetra."
No other words were spoken between them. Cloud braced himself, shifting his grip and getting ready to end the flower girl quickly so there would be no pain or suffering but he was thrown off balance as the ground rumbled beneath him. Jumping backwards, he merely watched with wide eyes as vines sprouted from the ground, ready to snatch him up. He was one step ahead though, shooting a fire spell at them and incinerating the green nuisances on the spot. The wind generated from the explosion quickly cleared the mist of dirt that had obscured his vision, only to find rocks hurtling at him with speed.
Tightening his grip, he sprinted forward, slicing through the rocks that came his way or sidestepping if he had the chance, always growing closer to Aerith. He watched her eyes widen in fear as she flinched backwards and threw up her hands, creating a barrier of hard-packed earth between them and pushing him backwards before he took the chance to cut it in half too.
Vines came up from behind him, wrapping around his legs however he cut himself free quickly before renewing his assault. He sent a strong ice spell at her, followed by one of water however she nullified both with a counter spell of fire. After finally closing the distance between them, he was ready to cut her down, knowing she wouldn't have enough time to dodge, block or recover.
She seemed to know this as well, her eyes widened in disbelief and fear, lips parting in shock as she tensed and huddled into herself, bracing for the sharp impact his sword would deliver. His only thoughts were of Yuna, not of how he was about to end a young girl's life or of the guilt he would most likely feel afterwards. He kept on telling himself he was trying to save her, to save the summoner and that was what he would do, no matter what the consequences.
However rather than making contact with soft, penetrable skin, his blade caught the hard edge of something slim, solid and very red. A gasp escaped his lips as he studied the red object with startled mako eyes, watching as it slowly rose from within the earth followed by another on the other side of him.
He jumped back and dodged its attack, barely avoiding the red tentacle as he looked in confusion towards Aerith. Her eyes held sorrow and anxiety, as if it was paining her to see him struggle the way he was. A great creature rose behind her, but not in a menacing manner, in a protecting manner, hovering over her and providing a shelter of sorts.
It was then he realised that she was its master, that it followed her orders and would die for her. It wasn't an aeon, that much Cloud could tell, it was unlike any other summon he'd ever seen before. The creature radiated power and hostility towards him, it was almost overwhelming. He had never realised how much power Aerith truly had within her.
"You're a summoner?" He asked, keeping one eye on her and the other on the tentacles.
"Not exactly," she replied with a shake of her head. "This is one of the W.E.A.P.O.N.s, the protectors of the planet. Since I am one of the last remaining Cetra, it is their duty to protect me so I may continue to help our world." Her eyes softened and she took a cautious step forward. "Please, Cloud, I don't want you to die, just... just put your sword down."
"I can't do that, Aerith," his voice was firm and unwavering and he raised his sword slightly higher. "I've told you already, I'm not turning back."
"Cloud, it doesn't have to be this way," she pleaded with him, face contorting into an expression of pain and sorrow. "We can save the planet, we can make a difference-"
"Yuna can make a difference," he cut her off harshly.
"She's misled you, you don't understand," Aerith tried again.
"I understand enough," his tone was final, matching his expression. "I won't turn my back on her." Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, his muscles tensed and jaw tightened before his mako orbs flickered open and he released the breath through his nose. "Cross-slash," he growled, jumping to the side and sweeping his sword horizontally at the tentacle.
It was cut in half immediately as a shriek left the mouth of the beast behind Aerith. He took the opportunity to do the same to the other tentacle, feeling slightly victorious as the amputated limb fell to the floor and disintegrated.
He turned quickly, making a beeline for Aerith and still conscious of the giant ruby W.E.A.P.O.N. behind her. He watched her hold a loose fist up to her chest as she took a step backward in surprise but he wasn't aiming for her. He jumped high into the air, twirling his sword as he felt the hilt heat up within his grasp.
"Finishing touch!" He yelled, sending a tornado towards the giant beast and sending it stumbling backwards, out of range of the Cetra. His sword began to glow a blue colour as he descended upon Aerith, ready to complete his mission. Determined cyan clashed with frightened green as their eyes locked and he could practically see her bite her lip as she braced herself for death once more.
She squeezed her eyes shut and raised a hand as she crouched down, shying away from his sword. He felt a sudden pressure on his wrists and ankles causing his breath to hitch in surprise as he realised his mistake. The vines tightened on the four areas of his body and dragged him away from Aerith, so that he remained suspended a few feet away from her. Despite his struggling and strength, he couldn't seem to break free from the grassy tentacles that held him in a firm grip. As the one around his right wrist tightened dramatically, he was forced to drop his sword with a grunt of pain, allowing it to clatter helplessly to the ground.
"Please, Cloud, don't make me do this..." there was a final defeating tone to her vice, clearing indicating that this was her last offer, her last effort to spare him. However he chose to ignore her, trying to break free by moving all of his limbs at the one time, even trying to bite on the vines around his wrists.
When he did not answer, her head dropped and shoulders sagged while she took a deep breath. Her chin tilted back upwards to look at the defeated SOLDIER before her.
"I'm so sorry it has to end like this, Cloud," She spoke softly, her eyes containing a watery shine to them as if she was about to start crying.
Above her, the ruby giant raised a giant claw, bearing down on him as he realised that his body would probably be transported back to the Capitol in mangled bits. He stopped struggling, knowing it was useless and resorted to glaring defiantly at the monster, hatred clear in his mako eyes. Strong jaw clenching and teeth gritting together, all he could do was wait for the claw to begin its descent, the death blow inevitable.
He felt despair wrap its cold fingers around his heart and tighten their grip, gradually letting the negative emotion flow through his whole being. His face and body language betrayed nothing of the creeping depression that had begun to eat him from the inside out and he chose not to scream or yell or grunt. After all, he was on television, had to put on a good show for the gore-greedy audience.
So as the claw came down, he let himself glare with all his might at the four sharp red knives that would shred his body to pieces. He would let no one see his weakness, not even Aerith. No one would ever no about the darkness he felt closing in on him, the darkness that would soon become his death.
But then there was light.
A blinding light shot forward, crashing into the centre of the ruby W.E.A.P.O.N.'s chest, knocking it backwards and sending it plummeting to the ground. A warmth filled Cloud and he recognised the feeling of this particular light, it was purified and divine... it was Holy light.
From behind he could hear a horse braying and lightning crackling as sparks shot towards Aerith along with eight orbs of divine shining brightness. She reacted quickly, raising a barrier of earth to block the lightning yet it was weakened by the mere force, allowing the holy energy to crash through and injure her. She fell backwards with a feminine cry of pain and surprise. Her lack of concentration caused the vines around him to loosen and fall away, sending him tumbling to the ground. He collected his sword on instinct, standing to his full height and turning around, mako eyes filled with both shock and joy.
Ixion, the aeon of lightning, came bounding towards him, horn charged with high voltage and his rider determined as always. She sat tall upon his back, her long braid blowing out behind her and bi-coloured eyes sparkling with a new type of energy he'd never really noticed about them. Her clothes, once torn and bloody were now immaculate as if they'd been dry-cleaned and her hair seemed a shade lighter. Her aura, which radiated all over the field, screamed of confidence and divinity.
He watched confused as she let go of Ixion's mane and twisted her hands in circular motions before a gust of air flew towards him and sent him spiralling upwards as vines tried to snatch his ankles from below. His sword rose up with the summoner's magic and he grabbed onto it for dear life, feeling instantly comforted by its familiar hilt in his grip. Butterflies filled his stomach as the weightless feeling took over him and he began to descend however Ixion had jumped high into the air while Yuna grabbed his hand, pulling him onto the back of the horse before it landed.
His hands automatically found her waist as Ixion took them away to the other side of the battlefield where the forests began. As the horse came to a stop, he jumped off, followed closely by the summoner as he regained his breath.
"Yuna-"
He was cut off as his left cheek suddenly burned from the slap she sent to his face. The force of it sent his head jerking to the side and he looked back at her with shocked mako eyes. The summoner herself looked slightly shocked by her own spontaneous action as her bottom lip dropped slightly but then she pulled him close and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Don't you ever try anything like that again," she whispered into his chest, her arms tightening around him.
The corners of his lips quirked upwards as his arms engulfed her in an embrace. "I won't, I promise," he whispered into her hair.
"Good, because I'd rather fight and die with you than be saved by your sacrifice," she said softly her voice trembling. "You're the one person who I won't allow death to claim."
"As are you to me," he replied as they pulled away.
A bray from Ixion broke their moment and jarred them back to reality as they turned to look at Aerith. Even from such a great distance, Cloud could actually see the slight spark of jealousy that burned in her green eyes along with the tightness of her jaw. It was so unusual for the polite, quiet-spoken girl.
That was when four other beings came crashing out of the earth, rising from the rubble and mud to stand tall along their ruby companion. One was bulky and white, another black and looming, the fourth a shiny silver colour while the last was the largest of them all, a fine shade of emerald that seemed to tower over the land.
"More W.E.A.P.O.N.s," Cloud murmured from beside her.
She nodded once, acknowledging his comment. "Cloud..." her voice came out so soft that he almost didn't hear it and he turned towards her. "I want you to stay back on this one."
"No."
"I know you want to fight because you're my guardian and I respect that but..." She let out a small breath. "I need you near me to protect me, what I'm about to do... it's going to render me very vulnerable so I need you to be my last line of defence. Can you do that for me?"
He looked at her strangely wondering what exactly she was about to do but his thoughts were cut off as he suddenly noticed her feet were sinking. Alarmed, he called her name to warn her of the fast rate her body was slowly being swallowed by the earth and he watched her eyes widen with fear. Just as he was about to help her, red flowers sprouted up around her before igniting in flames and cutting off his path to her.
Through the flames he could see her begin to panic and try to claw her way out. The fear in her eyes was unmistakable and he was suddenly frozen to the spot, not able to believe his vision as she sunk down to her waist. Her eyes suddenly glazed over though, and her struggling ceased, a look of déjà vu colouring her features. Calmness seemed to wash over her as she closed her eyes, and let herself sink even further, as if she wasn't worried about the outcome, as if she had expected this. A hand wrapped around the crimson stone around her neck and her mentor's name left her lips as they tugged upwards into a smile.
That was when he felt the ground tremble, and the summoner suddenly flew upwards in a fountain of water, the earth flaking away from her body. It was like this first time she had performed a sending in the games, on the lake where he had watched her dance majestically. She had no staff but even so, her body seemed to glow with white energy, pure untainted holiness and ten different meteors of light crashed to the earth.
They fell in a straight line and Cloud had to cover his eyes from the dust they created on impact. Once the fog cleared, he was greeted by eleven different beings, each radiating unique power and utter loyalty to their summoner. Three sisters born from plants readied their magic, wings flapping and armour immaculate as they hovered in the sky. Valefor and Bahamut joined them, their giant talons outstretched and glinting as the rain began to pour from the heavens. Shiva came in a flurry of ice, hopping onto Ixion's back as the horse brayed, horn sparking with electricity. Anima rose from the depths of hell, chain dragging her up as she roared from within her entrapment, glaring at her opponents with her one good eye. A samurai emerged from cherry blossom petals, his trusty dog by his side as he withdrew his sacred blade, determination shining in his shadowed eyes. Another dog-like creature joined them, his fur on fire as the hound of hell, Ifrit, stamped his huge claws into the grass and bared his fangs. Finally, Wakka, the aeon of water, or better known as Leviathan, came forth, his scales shimmering and blitzball held under one arm while orange hair stood up proudly on the top of his head.
Cloud could only watch in amazement as a battle cry ripped through Yuna's throat and the aeons all moved at once, charging forward to meet the oncoming weapons. Only Anima remained behind Yuna, firing her deadly blasts from her eye at the enemy. Cloud jumped into action immediately, casting healing spells on Yuna to keep her energy up and making sure none of the W.E.A.P.O.N.s got near enough to her.
He didn't know how she had managed to summon all of her aeons at once, after the struggle she had gone through to summon one without a staff but he knew something had changed within her. It wasn't her personality or her overall appearance, it was her aura, it had gone from powerful to overwhelming, especially as she twirled on her fountain of water commanding all of her aeons.
He drew his sword, ready to defend Yuna but he soon found that he didn't need to. Anima remained behind her, firing her accurate bursts of darkness from afar and prepared to defend her summoner as well. Ifrit, Ixion and Shiva who rode on the horse's back dived towards the emerald W.E.A.P.O.N. in a flurry of fire, ice and lightning. It in turn shot beams at them however Ixion was far too agile for the bulky monster and dodged all of its attacks easily while Ifrit got too close for it to attack, dealing powerful blows with his flaming claws.
Bahamut and Valefor took to the air, meeting the W.E.A.P.O.N. that tried to kill them off immediately with a powerful spell of Ultima however they split apart, attacking from both sides so it was forced to attack one at a time. Bahamut took the brunt of the spell, but he emerged from the smoke only slightly injured, shooting blasts of flare at the black monster.
Yojimbo and his faithful dog rushed towards the ruby giant, which Aerith now stood behind, her hands clasped together and eyes squeezed shut in a look of prayer. His zanpakto seemed to shine in its eagerness to draw blood and he released three knives at the tentacles, his dog taking out the last one and clearing the way for his blade. It cut deep into the monster as it tried to defend itself, severing one limb and making it roar in outrage and agony.
The white W.E.A.P.O.N., the one that looked as if it was cut from diamonds, found itself pushed backwards in a flurry of water from Wakka and received a giant blitzball to the head. The blow successfully disorientated it and allowed the water aeon to close the distance between them. His scales seemed to merge with the tsunami he created, the ginger haired aeon coming crashing down upon it like a true legend of the seas.
The silver one, the Omega W.E.A.P.O.N. found itself in the centre of a deadly triangle, the three winged sisters surrounding it and mercilessly attacking it with their unique techniques. Needles shooting from the youngest sister, the largest sister falling from great heights in a spurt of water and dealing heavy damage while the leader of the three shot flames from her spiked forearms.
In all of his life, Cloud had never felt small, even before he'd began to train to become a SOLDIER, he had always had a bit of muscle and height over others but now, as he watched the battle of the Divine beings, he felt like an ant. It wasn't just their size that intimidated him, it was their destructive power and barely controlled magic, it scarred the gaming field due to its explosiveness and sent dirt spraying up into the air with each hit. Inhuman roars, high pitched wails and screams all echoed over the battlefield along with Yuna's occasional commanding yells.
His mako eyes took in every action, Shiva and Ixion's combined overdrives; lightning and ice rained down upon the giant Emerald W.E.A.P.O.N. just as Ifrit was hit by its powerful beam. He roared loudly in pain, getting back to his feet except stumbling slightly, his leg sticking out at an odd angle and indicating the obvious break.
A muffled groan came from Yuna and he was at her side in an instant, casting healing spells from his materia as she continued to twirl on her fountain of water. "Stay strong..." he heard her murmur under her breath, however he didn't know if she was talking to herself or to Ifrit or maybe even to him. She shot him a smile as the pain seemed to fade from her features and he ceased his casting, turning his attention back to the battlefield.
The earth shook beneath them as the green monster was pummelled to the ground by the torrents of lightning and ice before Ifrit launched himself into the air, delivering the final blow with the fires of hell. The shiny emerald being faded to nothingness and he saw a look of hopelessness cross Aerith's face while pain crossed Yuna's once again. The whine of a dog reached their ears, almost as if Ifrit was apologising for not being able to keep on going as he disintegrated into pyreflies.
A human cry resounded from the other side of the battlefield as the sound of rushing waves and the smacks of a rubber ball ceased. The merman aeon, the one Cloud had encountered as a fayth with Yuna, was thrown high into the air by the pure white W.E.A.P.O.N. Blood gushed from his various wounds and the thick liquid fell to the ground in the form of red rain. Cloud could only watch horrified as it fired lasers from its shoulders at the immobilised aeon.
Yuna's limbs shook terribly as she tried to remain balanced, her tired facial features screwing up in agony while she pushed herself to keep going. The materia in his sword lit up a green colour as numerous cure spells left his lips and travelled into her body just as Wakka fell to the ground. Her feminine screams echoed around the gaming field as the W.E.A.P.O.N.s mighty foot came down into her water aeon's stomach, sending her brutally disfigured ally back into her soul in the form of wailing pyreflies.
Shiva was on the W.E.A.P.O.N. in a split-second, vaulting from Ixion's back, her usually calm elegant features twisted with rage and fury. Her fists shone with white light as her heavenly strike came into effect, sending a mountain of divine ice crashing down onto the monstrous being and destroying its skull, killing it instantly. A default mechanism kicked in as its laser's self-destructed and the exhausted aeon fell backwards in the explosion, her blue skin burned from the heat while she crashed, rolling along the grassy plains before laying still.
Just as her body began to turn transparent, she raised her head weakly, her eyes meeting Cloud's as she seemed to send a silent plea to him. Not exactly sure what she wanted from him, he guessed it was what Anima had asked him to do, to protect Yuna and so he nodded once, a sign of acknowledgment. The beautiful aeon went to rest, returning to Yuna's soul.
"Shiva..." He heard her groan beside him, hesitating in her dancing slightly to cup her palm over her heart and looking upwards. Something within her expression changed, her features tensing and a spark igniting in her bi-coloured eyes. She twirled even more quickly, throwing an arm out passionately and pointing a finger at her samurai aeon.
"Yojimbo!" she cried, her voice hard and commanding. "Zanmato!"
At her call, the giant, silent aeon nodded once before unsheathing his blade, throwing the cover carelessly behind him. Faster than a cherry blossom petal in the wind, he surged forwards twirling and slashing at the red W.E.A.P.O.N. and releasing a gust of wind across the gaming field.
There was a pause in their battle, the samurai gazed at his opponent with steady eyes as he crouched low, tired and injured from the extensive battle. His dog stood beside him, a snarl lacing his features as he protected his master from any harm. The red giant's eyes seemed to go blank, as the top half of its body began to slide off the bottom half, fading away before it could hit the ground, the final blow delivered.
The Omega and Ultima W.E.A.P.O.N.s suddenly found themselves back to back, fending off against the remaining aeons. The sisters along with Bahamut and Valefor soared around them, attacking randomly, always keeping them on their toes. Yojimbo took a back seat while Ixion sprinted across the grassy field, dodging blows left right and centre as he shot lightning from a dangerously close distance and struck with his horn.
The horse's patterns became too predictable though as the Omega W.E.A.P.O.N. struck out at him, the blow coming too fast for Ixion to possibly dodge. A bray of agony escaped the aeon as the attack connected and the unicorn's horn broke clean off his head. Bones shattered in its legs and they crumpled at odd angles while he tumbled along the dirt.
The cry that left Yuna's lips made Cloud's heart clench in agony as he called her name, casting more and more healing spells to keep her going. At this stage where she only had a few aeons left, she looked much worse for wear. Her hair was damp with sweat, a thin sheen of the body liquid covered her skin and breath came in heaving gasps.
Just as she completed another twirl upon her fountain, she stumbled slightly, looking up wearily at her aeons while trying to correct her movements. "Combine your powers, sisters, create an opening for Bahamut and Valefor!" She cried out desperately to her aeons, her aura shaking terribly from lack of energy and something about it told Cloud that this was her last effort, that after this she wouldn't be able to do anything else. This was the end.
So he readied himself, gripping his sword in case her aeons failed, preparing himself physically and mentally for the final stage. He was Yuna's guardian, the only one in the games, the last surviving one of the tributes and he would protect her no matter what the cost.
The three sisters joined together, flying high up into the air in triangular formation while the eldest sent a blast of fire at the two W.E.A.P.O.N.s. The monsters of the earth were immobilised for a brief period as the youngest twirled in the air, light connecting the three aeons and drawing them together into one massive orb of light.
A huge silence ensued, the sound of the lashing rain in the background faded away as did the beating of wings and Yuna's panting. Time seemed to slow down, a clear sign that one way or another this battle was coming to an end, this was the calm before the storm, the storm that would either deliver them victory or destroy them both.
*****
Ruby red eyes stared at the screen as a strange feeling of both adrenaline and anxiety weld up in her chest, latching onto her heart and squeezing almost painfully. Every nerve in Paine's body tingled as she watched the three sisters begin their delta attack. Her senses were so heightened by her nervousness that she felt everything at once; the couch beneath her, the tense yet excited atmosphere around her, the heartbeats of the other mentors and make-up artists who watched with her.
They were all there together, her, Zack, Lulu, Angeal, Auron, Shelinda, Tifa, Reno, Vincent and Squall. They all sat, squished up against one another on the three couches. Tifa sat mostly in Reno's lap, his arms wrapped around her as she kept hiding her eyes in his chest, afraid to look at what might happen. Lulu had begun to bite down on her bottom purple lip, pinkish red eyes wide and unblinking. Angeal sat beside her, his own expression tense and unmoving yet he held onto Lulu's hand, their fingers intertwined as if they were holding onto one another for moral support. Paine didn't know if either of them really noticed although she could tell Auron did by the way his eyes kept flickering over to the couple.
Vincent sat on Paine's left, his body bandaged after her brief fight with Chaos, who she still refused to call 'father'. He was as silent and passive as usual, his golden claw tapping against the armrest and long black locks casting shadows over his face.
Squall was much the same, although his expression seemed to be bordering on anger and Paine knew exactly why. He wanted Yuna to win because Rinoa had sacrificed herself for the summoner, he didn't want his deceased lover's sacrifice to be in vain. She couldn't blame him. Although over the past few days she had argued with him many times, trying to persuade him to return to Sector Eight. He always refused, saying he too wanted to become a guardian and continue on Rinoa's job. He was adamant that that was what the sorceress would've wanted. She had tried to tell him he wouldn't be of any use but he had refused to listen, saying he wanted to be there to ensure Yuna's safety once she came out of the games. He had sounded so sure that she would win.
The thoughts of a Victor made Paine's stomach clench in worry as she glance sideways at Zack who sat beside her, staring at the screen. The orb of light came crashing down onto the W.E.A.P.O.N.s, dealing a serious amount of damage but not enough to kill them though. Never in her life had she seen him look so serious. His cyan eyes were like crystallised mako, hard and concentrated while his raven bangs framed his fair face perfectly.
Her eyes went back to the screen as Cloud came into view, casting healing spells on Yuna, his face a mixture of worry and fear. The fear wasn't for his own life but rather, for Yuna's and that alone made Paine feel more anxious. There were only two outcomes for these games, either Aerith managed to kill both Cloud and Yuna or they would have to battle one another. Paine didn't think they would be able to do it, but if they refused the Turks would manipulate the gaming field, either making them fight or sending in monsters to fight them until only one remained. If that was to occur then Yuna wouldn't stand a chance, not after summoning and losing so many aeons.
The camera swapped positions and Paine found herself looking at the three sisters falling back, their overdrive finished. Bahamut and Valefor soared high into the air on either side of the W.E.A.P.O.N.s. In a flash of dazzling light they released their limit breaks, sending non-elemental magic in the form of energy blasts and mega-flares at the two remaining warriors of the earth.
The Victor's gloved hands clenched in her lap as she leaned forward, watching as the divine magic kept pouring from the aeons and crashing down onto their opponents. She was so absorbed in the battle that she flinched terribly as she felt a hand cover her own yet she didn't draw away. Instead she looked towards Zack who met her gaze head on, his eyes full of emotion and sincerity she didn't even know a human could possess.
"No matter what happens," he murmured slowly and quietly so that only she could hear him. She felt his fingers intertwine with her own. Surprisingly, she let him, squeezing back and enjoying the feeling of warmth he seemed to give her. "It changes nothing between us."
Us. The word caught her like a needle in the arm, short and stinging. She had never really considered them to be a package that they could ever be considered a single unit rather than two separate individuals. She repeated the word in her mind as a flurry of emotions assaulted her heart, too quickly for her to determine whether they were good or bad. She didn't know how she felt about it.
As she gazed into his eyes looking for betrayal or a lie or a sick joke, she found none. She didn't watch the last two W.E.A.P.O.N.s fade away, didn't realise that Yuna had won the battle against Aerith, didn't hear her aeons roar in victory or the smile that blossomed on Cloud's features. Her eyes widened as she came to a single realisation, that Zack was nothing like Nooj, that he knew what honour was and what a promise meant to her.
"Agreed," she murmured back, leaning into him as she squeezed his hand and turned her attention back to the games, watching as the aeons faded into pyreflies and just like that, it was over.
*****
Cloud couldn't help but smile as the last of the W.E.A.P.O.N.s faded away and Yuna's aeons roared in victory before fading away into pyreflies themselves, returning to their summoner's soul. He had always thought the Knights of the Round to be the most powerful summon on earth, that nothing could match it nor defeat it. Yet now, looking at Yuna, watching the determination on her beautiful face after she had commanded beings of immense power, he realised he'd been dead wrong. The Knights of the Round couldn't compare to the divine power that Yuna possessed within her.
The first time he'd seen her summon had been scary enough and yet beautiful all the same. The way she'd twirled her staff in one hand so expertly and how graceful and balanced she'd been in doing so. Yet the sheer anger, rage and despair that had fuelled her magic aura while the dark dragon had crashed through the sky and annihilated Seifer had really made him see her in a new light. She had the power to do amazing yet also terrible things and she'd never abused it before, she'd never given into the temptation to use it for destruction. The simple fact that she had so much self-control and how she could use her emotions to fuel her energy made his respect for her grow considerably.
He wondered what she was feeling now, what emotion could possibly be strong enough to allow her to summon all her aeons and to allow her to keep them fighting as they did. And how could one girl control eleven different divine beings at the one time without missing a beat?
One thing he was sure of, was that she deserved to be called the High Summoner and that if anyone could defeat Sin, it was Yuna.
Across the battle field, Aerith's bright green eyes widened as her last allies returned to the lifestream. Her lips parted in what could only have been a tired and defeated sigh as her knees betrayed her and she fell to the ground. She caught herself on trembling arms and looked up weakly towards them. Her eyes met his across the battle field and even though they were at least a mile apart, he could see the sadness in her green orbs. He had chosen Yuna over her, over his own partner. Although he inwardly felt sad that she had to die, he still didn't regret his decision.
She must've seen the firmness in his eyes for she offered a weak yet graceful smile before bowing her head and fading into a green aura, returning to the lifestream along with her fallen W.E.A.P.O.N.s. As the mako-green cloud dispersed, he could see nothing but a barren landscape filled with scars from the previous battle.
Yuna's fountain of water slowly began to grow smaller and the summoner twirled down with it until her feet touched solid ground again. She held her head weakly and Cloud could see her own knees begin to shake as he rushed towards her. He could hear her groan softly as he came to her side, swiftly taking an elixir out of his bag. Supporting the weak girl, he lowered them both to the ground and fed her the elixir slowly, helping her restore the void of energy she had lost.
Once she finished, he tossed the bottle aside and looked down at her peaceful face, eyes closed and lashes fanning out over her cheekbones. Gently brushing a lock of spiky hair out of her face and behind her ear. He allowed his hand continue to travel downwards and to caress her cheek tenderly with his thumb. She responded weakly to his touch, leaning into his hand and allowing a long content sigh to escape her lips.
"C'mon Yuna..." he whispered quietly into her ear, watching as his breath caused her hair to ruffle slightly. "Wake up, you did it."
Her eyelids fluttered slightly and another groan reverberated in her throat as her eyebrows scrunched together, showing she was awakening. He watched her intently, mentally urging her to open her eyes and allow him to indulge in her beautiful orbs of blue and green.
But after releasing another long breath, her face relaxed and she laid still, her head lolling to the side and her chest ceasing to rise. Panic entered his heart immediately as he shook her none-to-gently urging her to wake up and open her eyes. Her chest didn't rise though and the colour was slowly fading from her cheeks. He was sure the heart beating rapidly against his chest was not her own but his and that scared him more than anything.
Acting fast he equipped his revive and full-cure materia, and placed a hand over her heart, repeatedly casting life and full-cure on her until he felt tired and weak. A drop of liquid fell on his hand and he quickly wiped his forehead but then realised it wasn't sweat, it was a tear. He hadn't cried since his mother had passed away when he was ten...
His energy ran short and he hugged her still body against his chest, burying his face into her neck and inhaling, committing her scent to memory. "Please Yuna... please wake up...." he muttered into her soft skin, feeling it warm as his breath ran over it. He kissed her neck over and over, feeling moisture gather at his eyes as he muttered sweet nothings between each kiss.
It was all his fault, he was the one who'd left her and gone off to defeat Aerith, he should've known better. Maybe if he had have stayed with her, they could've gone off to defeat Aerith together or maybe if he had have tied her up so that she couldn't have come after him... Maybe then she'd still be alive... Maybe then she wouldn't have sacrificed herself for him... Why couldn't he have just been stronger? Why couldn't he have saved her?
He thought that he could've just defeated Aerith and then she wouldn't have had to do it, then she wouldn't have had to fight. He had wanted her to live so much, that he had been willing to commit suicide just to see her exit these games, so that she could've kept her promise to her cousin.
He placed a lingering kiss on her neck, closing his eyes and not bothering to stop the tears from trailing down his cheeks. He never cried, ever, not even when he was on his own. So why was he doing it now, on live television? He knew he should be feeling angry at himself for being so weak but all he felt was despair and regret, but most of all... guilt.
Had she felt this way when Tidus had died? Had she felt emotions this strong and heart-wrenching? Is that why she had summoned Bahamut so quickly? No, it couldn't have been, because the night he rescued her, she hadn't summoned even when Tidus' life was on the line, she hadn't had the power to do so yet when their lives were threatened by Lightning and Noctis... She'd done it without even thinking.
And she'd done it again for him, she'd sacrificed all her energy to make sure he'd been safe, that he'd live...
Because she loved him.
And he loved her.
And that just made the despair grow more.
"I love you, Yuna," he whispered placing another kiss against her neck, not wanting to show his face to the world. He wanted to die with her, he didn't want to be the victor, he just wanted to follow her, he wanted to be with her forever.
He felt his lips throb faintly, but he never took them away from her skin, knowing the Turks would soon take her away from him. He only held her closer to him but when his lips throbbed again he pulled back slightly. Carefully he placed two fingers to his warm lips, however felt nothing but their soft skin.
He looked back down to the still girl in his arms and simply stared at her. He committed her appearance to memory, her spiky brown hair with its long red braid, her long lashes, her smooth pale complexion, her soft pink lips and the long earring that came down to her shoulder. He took his eyes away from her peaceful features and looked back down at his two fingers. Time seemed to slow down as he looked from them and then back to the spot on her neck where his lips had just been a second ago. Gently, almost hesitantly, he laid the pale pads of his index finger and middle finger on her neck, watching her beautiful, unmoving facial features. That's when he felt the throb again, except this time it wasn't on his lips, it was under his fingers.
Her pulse.
"Yuna?" his voice cracked when he said her name but he couldn't help the slight glimmer of hope that crawled into it.
A feeling of pure euphoria engulfed him as her chest rose when she sucked in a deep breath, bi-coloured eyes flying open and lips parting to gasp down more oxygen. He'd never felt so happy in his life as she regained her breath and turned her bright blue and green eyes up to meet his.
"Cloud?" she whispered uncertainly. She looked at the empty battlefield, probably searching for Aerith or at least one aeon but all that remained was burnt grass, melting ice and a lot of upturned soil. She gazed back up at him with a cute unsure look. "What-"
He never let her finish her question though as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her and let his lips come crashing down onto hers with more force than he had originally intended. He didn't care though, he just let all of his pent up emotions and feelings come flooding out of him, placing them all into that one kiss. He was never very good at expressing his feelings through words but as he let his eyelids fall closed and felt her lips finally respond to his he knew she understood exactly how he felt.
And by the way she wrapped her arms around his neck with all her little amount of strength and pulled him closer, he knew she returned his feelings. He'd never felt anything quite like it, sure he'd had girlfriends before this but he'd never felt this way about them and they'd never shown this much love for him. He vaguely wondered if Yuna had ever felt like this before but discarded the thought as she hesitantly tried to deepen the kiss, almost as though she was unsure of herself. He could practically taste her inexperience, but he had no problem in teaching her.
He forgot all about the games and the deaths, all about the Capitol and the sponsors and the fact that they were on live TV and just focused on Yuna. He gently coaxed her lips to part and deepened the kiss, enjoying the way she let out a small pleasured mewl, responding eagerly but the passion soon ended when they realised they needed to breath at some stage.
They drew apart slowly, both breathing heavily and staring at one another. Yuna's eyes were glazed over slightly, a look of undeniable lust in them and he was sure his own mirrored hers. He studied her features again, drinking in every aspect of them because some part of him knew, deep down, that he'd only have a limited amount of time left to see them.
Neither of them noticed they were slowly rising to their feet, still locked in one another's embrace until Yuna suddenly buried her head in his neck. She wrapped her arms around his firm torso, half-holding herself up and half-hugging him for dear life. He returned it without a thought, crushing her small body to his as though he was trying to mould them together, to remain as one forever.
Fate could never be so kind.
"What are we going to do, Cloud?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, a high-pitched whisper that cracked slightly when she said his name.
He gently kissed her temple, not replying immediately because he didn't trust his own voice to stay steady. He didn't know what to tell her, he didn't know what they would do, what they could do. All he could do was stroke her hair and hold her close and pretend that the moisture on his neck was sweat, the same as the liquid running down his own cheek.
"I don't know Yuna," he answered after a long period of silence. "I don't know."
"I can't believe it's come to this," she whispered into his neck, squeezing him even tighter. "It just doesn't feel real."
He took in a long breath through his nose, breathing in her familiar scent that he loved and closed his eyes, concentrating only on the feeling of her body pressed close against his, engraving the memory into his mind so that it would remain there no matter what. "I don't want to believe it."
A small sob escaped her lips and he held onto her even tighter, kissing the top of her head and her temple over and over again, as though he could kiss away her sorrow. He could feel her let out a shaky breath that caused goose bumps to appear on his pale skin. He missed the feeling of her warmth as she gently pulled away to look up at him with puffy red eyes.
"I have no regrets, Cloud," she said straining to keep her voice firm. "I don't regret coming here, I don't regret fighting, I don't regret meeting you. I just... I don't want it to end this way...."
She trailed off looking down and biting her bottom lip as another lone tear trailed down her cheek but he was quick to kiss it away and give her a brave yet strained quirk of his lips. "I have no regrets either Yuna," he began, tilting her chin up so she could see the sincerity in his mako eyes. He placed a gloved hand on the back of her neck and gently brought her forehead to his, their noses touching and breaths mingling as both closed their eyes, he whispered; "not one."
He felt her lips skim gently across his and he responded immediately but unlike their previous kiss full of passion and longing; this one was more sweet and soft. Yuna moved her lips in such a gentle and lingering way against his... it was almost like a goodbye kiss.
As they broke apart, foreheads still touching, he felt her let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes to find hers filled with tears once more and looking at him through pained mirrors of blue and green. "I wish... I wish things could be different," she murmured quietly before breaking their connection and pulling back, although keeping a hand over his heart. The skin beneath her warm palm began to tingle strangely in reaction to her touch, almost as though he could feel her divine power touching him through his clothes.
"I wish that we could... I wish that you... I just wish things were different..." she finished in a whisper while shaking her head sadly. He could practically feel her torn and broken emotions through their connection over his heart. He wanted to ease her pain, to help her, to let her know that he loved her, truly. A growing doubt formed in his mind that she hadn't heard him the first time, that she didn't know and she had to know...
"Yuna... I-"
"Stop."
The single word fell from her lips in a long breathy whisper that shocked him to the core. A shock of energy seemed to pinch his heart at her command and a coldness spread over his body, making him feel completely numb. His words caught in his throat, and seemed to remain lodged there as more doubt crept into his mind that perhaps she didn't return his feelings. He told himself it wasn't true, that she did love him and she had to know how he felt... no matter what.
He tried to speak, to get those three little words up and into the open air but simply couldn't. He tried to clear his throat and moved a hand towards her but found he couldn't. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move, he couldn't feel anything at all. His whole body was numb and... paralysed...
She must've seen the confusion and hurt in his eyes because a brief flash of pain crossed her bi-coloured ones. He tried to fight against her firm magical hold on him, if only to hold her one last time but it was no use, her magic, despite her weakened state, was still too strong for him.
"Cloud..." she began slowly, fresh tears streaming down her face as a look of total despair dominated her beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry... I... I never wanted things to end like this, but I..." here she let out a long shaky breath, turning her head down and to the side so that her spiky fringe obscured his view of her eyes. A long slender arm carefully reached around behind her back as she took a few steps away from him. Every step felt like a knife to his gut, but as her arm reappeared in front of her, he felt as though she'd twisted the knife brutally when he saw the gun held in her hands.
"I promised Rikku, I promised her I'd win, that I'd beat these games, for her," he could see her physically strengthen her resolve as she pointed the gun towards him although the pain and anguish remained evident on her face. "I promised her, I'd break the cycle, the Spiral of Death that steals our loved ones from my family..."
More tears flowed down her face and despite the fact that his death was facing him, he felt oddly at peace. He wanted to tell her he loved her and that he understood, that he would do anything to save his own loved ones and if dying meant she would live, he'd do it. He wanted to tell her to pull the trigger, to be the Victor, to keep her promise.
"I know what I'm about to do is wrong... and that everyone, both holy and unholy will frown upon it... but..." the look of firmness that appeared in her eyes told him she'd made her decision and it was final. He stopped fighting the spell and closed his eyes, picturing her smiling face and her laugh as he awaited his death. "This is my story."
He heard the distinct click of the safety lock on the gun being released but he didn't dare open his eyes. He just slowed his breathing and let all his muscles relax, comforting himself with the fact that Yuna would live, that she would be safe.
"I love you, Cloud," were the last words he heard before a gun shot rang out through the gaming field and his body hit the ground.