Bizarre Occurances Chapter 16

Mega-Time Part III

By Dino Pollard

Vincent’s eyes flickered open. Slowly, he got to his feet and observed the area. It was the Crater. It had to be. He quickly glanced around and saw the rest of Avalanche just beginning to rise.

“Where am I?” he thought. Suddenly, it all became clear. The memories were flooding back to him. The Zodiac Stones, Hojo, Mega-Time, and Lucrecia’s betrayal. He remembered all of it. However, now he wish he hadn’t.

“Damn,” the future Cloud said, gripping his weapon. “First Fort Condor is destroyed, we find out Yuffie is a traitor, and now we’ve been taken to the Crater! Things couldn’t possibly get any worse!”

“Speaking of traitors....” Zack mumbled. “Look who decided to join us.”

“You guys are okay?” the future Yuffie asked, walking up to them.

“I’ll kill you myself, traitor!!” the future Cloud said. He ran at the future Yuffie, his weapon ready for the kill.

She quickly whipped out her Conformer and blocked the attack. The future Yuffie attempted to counter with a high kick, but was stopped. The two former allys continued to slash at each other.

“STOP!!” a man ordered. He wore a green cloak which concealed his face and he held a broad sword in his hand.

“AHHHH!!!” Yuffie screamed. “NO MORE FUTURE PEOPLE!!”

“You’re in the future, Kisaragi,” he replied.

“I’m just upset because....” Yuffie began. She pointed at the future Yuffie. “Look what SHE did to my hair!!”

“YOU LITTLE BRAT!!” the future Yuffie exclaimed. “LOOK AT THAT CHILDISH STYLE!!!”

“Ooookay,” Cait said. “Those two will be going at it for awhile. Now who are you?”

“A man you met years ago,” he replied. He pulled his hood down, revealing his face.

“B-MAN!!” Barret exclaimed.

“Baakusa?” the future Cloud asked. “Is that really you?”

“In the flesh,” Baakusa replied. “It’s been a long time, Cloud.”

“Too long,” the future Cloud replied.

“Ashame your father has past on.”

“W-what?!?”

“Future Baakusa...... Mega-Time...... Lucrecia and Rufus lovers...... a war machine Cait Sith.....” Yuffie muttered. “Gawd, I have SUCH a headache!!”

“Allow me to explain,” Baakusa said. “Knolan, Jonah and myself attempted to stop Lucrecia and Sephiroth. But they got the jump on us. We were forced to fight many different monsters at once. It was then that Sephiroth... killed Jonah. Knolan attempted to revive him, but Lucrecia had incapacitated him. I was lucky to escape. I went to find help, and then I saw you all.”

“Damn...” Barret said.

“Sephiroth,” the future Cloud said, clenching his free hand. “He’ll pay for this...”

“Come on,” Baakusa said. “We grow closer to their destination. I can feel it.”

*****

“Ahh,” Lucrecia said. “The great and powerful Knolan. Now nothing more but a worthless old man.”

“Go to hell,” Knolan snapped. He lie on the ground, weakened from her onslaught of spells.

“Such a temper!!” she said. “Now, will you tell me everything I need to know about the Ultimate Summon?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Knolan asked. “The Ultimate Summon doesn’t exist!! It’s nothing more than a fairy tale!!”

“Isn’t that what everyone said about the Promised Land?” Lucrecia asked. “Yet here we are.”

No answer. Knolan was beat. He knew it. Lucrecia knew it.

Sephiroth’s body stiffened.

“Mother...” he began. “They have arrived.”

“Good,” Lucrecia said with a grin. “Go find them, Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth nodded. As he walked out of the cavern where Lucrecia had Knolan chained, he heard the old man scream. It made him smile.

*****

Vincent knew there was no avoiding a confrontation with Lucrecia. Sooner or later the two former lovers would have to face off and Vincent would have to face the ghosts of a past which he would rather forget.

“How much longer?” Yuffie asked.

“For the last time,” Baakusa replied angrily. “We’ll get there when we get there!!”

“Okay, geez,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter when you get to the center,” a man said. “You will die anyway.”

Avalanche looked up.

“SEPHIROTH!!” Cloud exclaimed.

Sephiroth jumped down from his position and faced Avalanche. His hand went to the hilt of his sword.

“Fools,” he began. “Did you actually believe you could defeat us?”

“Sephiroth, how could you do it?” Aeris asked. “How could you betray us?”

“HA HA HA!!” Sephiroth laughed. “It was all part of the plan. Saving your worthless life was only a surefire way to guarantee that you trusted me. Then, I revealed my true self.”

“BASTARD!!” the future Cloud shouted. Ultima Weapon in hand, he ran at Sephiroth. Sephiroth blocked with the Masamune.

“Do you truly believe that you can defeat me?” Sephiroth asked.

“I have no idea,” the future Cloud replied. “BUT I CAN DAMN-WELL TRY!!!”

*****

Lucrecia continued the assualt on Knolan. The pain was nearly unbearable.

“Give up, yet?” she asked.

“Nu-never...” Knolan replied weakly.

“Very well then,” she said. “It’s time you witnessed my true power. However, I’m afraid this trick may break your heart.”

Knolan gasped. He clutched his chest in pain.

“M-my heart...!!” he exclaimed. “I--it’s....”

He fell to the ground.

“I believe the word you were looking for was ‘stopped’” Lucrecia replied with a grin. “Now I can extract the knowledge from your mind.” Her hand reached down and gripped Knolan’s head. It was nothing but skin.

“Wh--what’s going on?”

“Surprised?” Knolan asked. Lucrecia spun around. His form was appearing from the wall!!

“H--how did you...?” she began.

“My heart’s been beating a LOOOOOOOOONG time, bitch. I’ve seen every trick in the book,” he replied. “AND KNOLAN’S GOT A BIG BOOK!!!” Knolan’s hands began to glow brightly.

“Shall we go for round two?” he asked.

*****

All of Avalanche was joining in the assault on Sephiroth. He couldn’t last much longer against them. They were gaining the upper hand.

“WALL!” Sephiroth shouted. A multi-colored barrier formed around Sephiroth. It wouldn’t completely stop the damage, but it would help.

“Shit,” Cid cursed. “Anyone got a Destruct Materia on them?”

“No need, Cid,” came Cloud’s reply. “I’ve got something even better...”

“Yeah?” Cid asked. “Like what?”

Cloud removed a red orb from his armlet and Cid nodded. He then replaced it and sheathed his sword.

“ULTIMATE END!!” he shouted.

*****

Knolan and Lucrecia continued to exchange blows. With his magic staff in hand, Knolan was able to more effectively channel his abilities. It wasn’t much, but the way things were going he would need any help he could get. This would be a battle not easily won.

“Come on, old man!!” Lucrecia shouted. “Give up! It’s worthless! Use your abilities on yourself.”

Something was wrong. Knolan actually felt compelled to do as she said. Then, he realized it. She was using a Manipulate spell on him!! And his abilities were weakened for it to have even had the slightest effect on him!! He kicked himself for even allowing it to happen!! Sure, he was able to trick her with that earlier spell. But now, however, it was going too far.

There was a scream of pain. Knolan jerked his head to the side. It came from the other area. It sounded like.... Sephiroth?

“Another time,” Lucrecia said, vanishing in a flash of light.

“Maybe not too long...” Knolan said to himself. He had a pretty good idea where she was headed.

*****

Sephiroth looked around. He was in some sort of black void of nothingness. Then, it happened. Twelve knights began to assault him at once with various types of weapons and magic. However, it was the final knight which really caught Sephiroth’s attention. A giant, towering white knight with a cape concealing its body. Suddenly, the cape flew open as if it were wings and the knight lifted its sword and struck Sephiroth.

Slowly, the void began to shatter. Sephiroth was on the ground, lying at Cloud’s feet.

“Wh--what was that?” he asked.

Cloud looked puzzled. “You don’t know?” Sephiroth shook his head. “It’s called Knights of the Round.”

Sephiroth’s body went limp.

“ENOUGH!!!” a female voice called out. Vincent winced when he heard it.

“Lucrecia...” he said.

“It’s time to learn the truth of yourselves!!” Lucrecia exclaimed, appearing before them. “Let us start with my dear Vincent. Apparently, my ‘revelation’ was too much for him to bear. So he took his gun to his head and pulled the trigger.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Vincent replied. “Without Lucrecia, my life is meaningless. However, after seeing this hell on Earth I feel as if I have a renewed purpose. To ensure that this horrid future never comes to pass.”

“Let us continue on, then,” Lucrecia said. She looked ar Barret. “You. Another suicide attempt. After his precious little Marlene was lost to him, Barret died inside. So he lept from the train tracks in North Corel and fell straight into Corel Prison. Naturally, he didn’t survive the impact.”

“Holy shit....” Barret said.

“I thought all of that about Barret quitting seemed strange,” Tifa said. “But I would have never thought...”

“That makes two of us, Tifa,” Cloud replied.

“Now, as for the little thief,” Lucrecia said. “Well, you already know the sordid little details of her future.”

“NO!!” Vincent exclaimed. He drew his gun and opened fire on his former love. Eventually, the gun clicked, signifying the loss of bullets. Lucrecia hovered above him, smiling.

“Poor, poor Vincent,” she said. “What a waste.”

“You’ve said enough...” Knolan said, stepping into the fray.

“Knolan’s here too?” Yuffie asked. “ARGH!! I’m gonna have SUCH a headache!!”

“Hope ya got enough Asprin for both of us,” Cid said.

“This is the end!!” Lucrecia exclaimed. She began to lift her hands up. They were glowing bright green. As her arms lifted above her head, green figures that seemed to be composed of the Lifestream began to rise from the ground. “Now I shall show you Death!!”

“Holy shit...” Cid cursed.

“WAIT!!” the future Yuffie shouted. She tossed a purple orb at Aeris, who caught it. “There’s the Mega-Time!! Take it and get out!!”

“Yuffie...?” Aeris asked.

“GO!!” the future Yuffie ordered. “Forget about us!!”

“*sniff* I’m so brave...” Yuffie said.

“Looks like you always were a member of Avalanche,” Vincent said.

“Heh, yeah,” the future Yuffie said with a small smile. “I guess so...”

Avalanche gathered around Aeris as the orb began to glow in her hand. The aura surrounded them all once again and with a flash of light, they were gone.

*****

“What the...?!?” Baakusa exclaimed as Avalanche reappeared where they had just vanished. “Sephiroth! Knolan! Come quickly, they’re here!!”

Avalanche looked to see Sephiroth and Knolan running towards them from the distance.

“We need to destroy Sephiroth now,” Cloud whispered. “It’s the only way to ensure that what we saw doesn’t happen.”

“No,” Vincent replied defiantly (there’s your word of the day, kiddies). “He has done much for us already. If anything, we should just keep a close eye on him.”

“Yeah,” Barret agreed. “‘Sides, da future is only what’cha make it.”

“I agree,” Yuffie said. “No more killing. Home. Dinner. Shower. Sleep.”

“Fine,” Cloud grumbled. “You win... for now.”

“Where have you been?” Sephiroth asked.

“Baakusa said he saw you vanish,” Knolan added.

“LOOOOOONG story!!” Yuffie exclaimed. She then collapsed from the lack of sleep and the constant teleportation.
_____________________________________________________________________________
AUTHOR’S NOTES: WOOHOO!! MEGA-TIME IS FINISHED!! I hafta admit, the conclusion WAS kinda weak. But it was up to me to wrap up Mega-Time after the fine job Joe, Gen and StacIE did on it (no, they didn’t write the past two chapters) at pretty much the spur of the moment. My original vision actually showed what happened in the future. But I opted not to include that in here because it would be a lot cooler if you didn’t know what happened.

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