The blast got the attention of all the others, and they paused for a moment in their own battle to look over. When the smoke cleared they saw Lucrecia on the ground, looking up at Vincent standing over her.
"You'll never stop me," she said, getting slowly to her feet. "The only way to do it is to kill me, and you won't do that. I swear to you I won't rest until Sephiroth is returned to me."
"What's Sephiroth got to do with this?" Elena said.
"That's why Lucrecia wants the Crystal Materia, you dolts," Yuffie answered. "She wants to use it to bring back Sephiroth."
They all looked at Lucrecia, who looked back angrily at the Turks.
"What are you waiting for," she said. "Finish them."
"Wait," Reno said before the others could move. They looked at him.
"I see now that perhaps it might have been wiser to delve a little more into the details of this assignment before we took it, and yes I realize that isn't ordinarily Turk policy," he said, looking at the others. "But there are exceptions to every rule. We all know what would have happened if Sephiroth had been allowed to complete his little scheme. I don't think I have any desire to give him a second chance at it."
"What are you talking about?" Lucrecia questioned. "You're working for me, now do as I say."
He looked at her sternly.
"Not anymore," he said simply. "It's time for another Turk first. We quit."
Lucrecia just stared at them for a long time with her mouth open. Then she turned to look at Vincent, and he could see defeat in her eyes.
"You might as well just kill me now," she said slowly. "I can't live without him."
"I think you can," he replied. "I think you are stronger than you believe. Come with us. Cloud still needs our help. There's still time to make things right."
She shook her head, but she did not object when he took her hand and led her over to the others.
"Now let's go see what kind of trouble Cloud has gotten himself in," he said.
But then he heard the laughter. That chilling familiar laughter, which confirmed without looking what he already knew but longed so desperately to deny.
He looked up. Sephiroth stood in the circle of light, looking from one to the other of them while still chuckling to himself. His gaze drifted to Cloud.
"I get the impression you're not happy to see me again," he said. He laughed again, and the sound went through Cloud like a knife.
"I admit I had hoped I was rid of your ugly continence for good," Cloud responded, attempting to sound casual. "But it looks like it didn't work out that way. Fortunately I see no reason why we can't quickly remedy that situation. We bested you once, I guess we'll just have to do it again."
Sephiroth laughed again. It was bad enough he had to be back, but did he also have to be so damn cheerful, Cloud thought.
"The mouse might have killed the cat once, but I wouldn't lay odds on it happening a second time," Sephiroth replied. "Besides, I've learned a few things while I was gone."
He raised his arms. There was a flash of light and a tremendous explosion. The entire room shook and Cloud and his friends were flung backwards. Cloud hit the wall hard behind him and fell to the ground.
"Shit," he heard Barret exclaim.
Cloud got slowly to his feet, his ears still ringing, and held his sword in front of him. Even as he did so he heard someone say something behind him. He turned to see Cid, Yuffie and Cait enter the room, followed by the Turks, and finally Vincent and Lucrecia. When she saw Sephiroth she stopped and her eyes grew wide.
"Sephiroth," she said softly. "My son."
Sephiroth turned his attention toward her.
"You, my mother?" he said dismissively. "You are not my mother. Jenova was my mother."
"No," Lucrecia said. "I am your mother. I was the one that bore you."
"You were a vessal, that is all" he replied disdainfully. "My mother was Jenova, it is her cells that gave me true life, not yours. You are just like the others. You are all of the race that stole this planet from my people. And now you will all pay for it!"
Sephiroth raised his arms again and there was another thunderous blast. Again they were all thrown to the ground.
"This is going to get tiresome real fast," Barret exclaimed.
Cloud pulled out the Ultima Materia.
"Let's finish this," he said grimly.
Barret and Vincent opened up with their weapons. Cid and Yuffie closed in with spear and shuriken, while Cait attacked with his materia. After Cloud blasted Sephiroth with the Ultima materia he glanced over to see that even the Turks were attacking Sephiroth. Only Lucrecia remained unmoving.
Red slipped around to the side of Sephiroth and came up beside Tifa, quickly releasing her. As they ran back to the others Red paused for a moment to pick something up.
In moments everyone was letting loose at Sephiroth with everything they had, but it seemed he had grown stronger somehow, for he was brushing off their attacks with little difficulty. He was no longer laughing, but the condensending smile remained on his face.
He launched his explosive attack twice more, and though Tifa and Red cast cure and wall as soon as they rejoined the others, the attack still did more damage than they could repair.
Red came up beside Cloud, and Cloud felt him press something into his hand. He looked down to see what it was, and then at Red. They said nothing but Cloud nodded in understanding.
Sephiroth launched his explosive attack again, and again they fell back. They got slowly to their feet, all except Elena who remained down.
"We can't take much more of this," Reno said, standing over her.
Sephiroth advanced on them slowly, realizing as well as they did that he was slowly overpowering them. As he advanced he suddenly noticed something lying on the floor next to him. He stopped for a moment and idly picked it up. Then he advanced again, stepping into the circle of light. He had been toying with them so far, but now he decided that playtime was over. He concentrated on his summon spell, and opened his mouth to utter the words.
"Nor...."
He stopped, and his mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. That was not what he had meant to say! He looked at Cloud and suddenly understood when he saw the yellow light blazing through Cloud's hands.
For a long time neither one moved as they battled mind to mind. Sephiroth knew he was stronger now, much stronger, and now that he knew Cloud was trying to influence him, he knew this failed excuse for a SOLDIER could not force him to do this. Concentrating fiercely, he took one slow step forward.
Tifa, who was standing to Clouds right, suddenly reached out her hand. While still concentrating on Sephiroth, Cloud slowly reached over and took it. Sephiroth suddenly felt the pressure on his mind increase.
Tifa reached out with her other hand, and Red took hold of it. Slowly and without a word, the other came over. First Cid, then Cait and Barret, and then Yuffie.
Sephiroth felt his mouth moving again and redoubled his efforts. Sweat dripped from his brow, but no words came out.
Yuffie felt someone come up beside her, and turned to see Rude next to her. Slowly he reached out and she took his hand. Then Reno stepped beside him along with a now recovered Elena. Vincent took her hand and looked silently at Lucrecia.
Lucrecia walked up next to Vincent, but she did not take his hand, instead just looked at Sephiroth. He stared back at her, concentration contorting his face, but for the first time they saw a hint of fear in his eyes.
"You are my son," she said softly. "And I love you. But you've been very bad."
She reached out and took Vincent's hand.
"Nor.." Sephiroth said again.
He shuddered as if he had been hit by a physical blow. His mouth twisted and a strange gagging sound came out.
"Nor par tellemar..." his face contorted and turned red with rage. His eyes grew wide and veins bulged on his forehead. Finally the word came out in a gurgling croak;
"Aeris."
The light flared up, and once again they had to turn away.
When the light faded Cloud looked up immediately, eagerly.
The first thing he noticed were green eyes, but these did not glow with the mark of SOLDIER, these were kind and tender, surrounding by Aeris delicate features and long brown hair.
"Aeris," he said softly, hardly believing it.
She smiled and stepped down out of the circle of light.
"It's good to see you again," she said, looking around at them all.
"I'll be damned, we did it," Barret said. He turned to look at Yuffie, who was still holding hands with him and Rude. They all hastily dropped hands and looked away from each other.
Cloud and Tifa walked up to Aeris, still holding hands. Cloud turned to. face the others and took Aeris hand with his free one, smiles on all their faces.
"Mission accomplished," he said triumphantly. "Now let's go home.!"