A Tilted Axys

Chapter 17

"You're sure it was Jenova?" Vincent asked, handing Axys a cup of coffee.

"Yes. She said that . . . Aerith disguised herself as Jenova and that's who spoke to them. She said that there IS no clone and that Aerith only said that to make them stop." She grasped the cup with shaking hands and took a small sip.

"But why would ShinRa lie to us about it, unless-"

"Unless they want to use her again!" Axys said, angrily. "I'm calling Reno!" Axys ripped out her phone, only to have Vincent snatch it away.

"You are not calm enough to do this, Axys, I will call him." Vincent pulled out his own phone and dialed Reno's number.


"Reno." The redhead answered.

"You have some explaining to do!" Vincent said in his no-nonsense tone.

"About what? How my lover disappeared or how he's been having dreams about a WOMAN?!" Reno shot back.

"Stop bullshitting me, Reno!"

Axys gasped at Vincent's use of foul language.

Vincent ignored her and continued. "About how there never WAS a clone of Jenova. Why did you lie to us?!"

"Easy, man! We just didn't want any trouble and we knew that if we denied it, there would be!"

"Is she really dead?"

"No. I don't think so. That's where Loz went, isn't it?"

"Yes. She's back, and she's got them."

"How do we get them back?"

"Get rid of her, one would think!" Vincent said angrily.

"Wait, wait, wait . . . she has ALL of them?"

"Yes, Kadaj and Yazoo too."

"What about Ax-"

"She's here and I just got her calmed down. She saw the whole thing, and was hysterical when I found her."

*After Vincent’s conversation with Reno*

Axys knew what she had to do, and that it was the hardest thing she would ever have to attempt. She could not allow one of the others to be the one to kill Yazoo if it came to that. SHE had to be the one to do it, IF it had to be done. She also knew that there was a great possibility, considering the fact that Jenova had control over her brothers again, that she could be killed, herself. That is why she now sat in the bar with Tifa and Reeve, writing out her final wishes.

It was decided that, should Axys be killed, Cloud and Tifa would take Zurui, as they could not have children of their own. Kagirinai would also be taken in, should anything happen to Vincent and Yuffie. Vincent was currently with Cloud, traveling back from the Forgotten City after searching for the clones. The search of the mansion had turned up nothing, as Axys thought. They were smarter than to go back to the one place they could be found.

Axys signed her name next to Reeve’s, and Tifa did the same. The Daughter of Jenova sighed heavily, and fought tears. She knew, for a fact, that . . . if it came down to it, she would die. She knew that no matter what the reason, she would never be able to kill her husband.


“You let her get away, my son. You betrayed me yet again . . . I will have to punish you for your insolence!” The voice of Jenova rang inside Yazoo’s head. “I will not help you hurt them!” Yazoo said. He screamed in pain as another series of jolts and electric currents raced through his body. He looked to his brothers. They too were laying on the floor of the old lodge, writhing in agony over their so-called betrayal. “I will have you again, my sons . . .”

He fought. Yet it seemed that, the harder he fought, the stronger the pain became.

“Yuri . . .” He heard Kadaj whimper.

“Filthy human whore!” the voice of Jenova snarled. Kadaj cried out and arched his back, flopping helplessly on the floor as his ‘mother’ tortured him.

“Stop!” Yazoo cried, unable to bear watching his brothers in such pain.

“Have you learned your lesson then?” Jenova sneered.

“We will NOT help you! You are NOT our mother! We had families once! You’re not IT!” He said, proudly. He growled as the pain once again overtook his body.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Loz stand. ‘Yes!’ he thought. ‘He’s winning!’ He was wrong.

“Mother . . .” Loz said, bowing his head.

“Very good, my son. My darling son . . .”

“No!” Yazoo said. Before he even summoned the breath to yell out again, the worst series of currents hit him and he screamed again.

“Break!” Jenova said.

“No!” he answered.

“BREAK!” She said again, summoning all of her power to achieve her goal. Kadaj stood and bowed his head. Yazoo couldn’t believe it!

‘No . . .’ he sobbed internally. ‘Axys . . . Zurui . . .’ He closed his eyes as the electricity overloaded his mind, and when he opened them, his wife and his son ceased to exist.

“Mother . . .”

“I found them.” Vincent said, walking into the bar.

“Where are they?!” Axys said, frantically.

“At the lodge at the base of the crater. The old man abandoned it last year.”

“So there’s still something of Jenova in the crater, or else they wouldn’t be there. It’d waste their time.” Cloud said.

“Probably.” Vincent answered.

“Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!” Axys said, starting for the door.

“Ax, are you sure you want to do this?” Cid said, ashing his cigarette.

Axys looked at the floor in front of her. When she looked up, her eyes shone with unshed tears, and a fierce resolve. She grabbed Cid’s cigarette from him and took a long drag, the first nicotine she’d had in over a year. “Absolutely. Let’s go, Vincent, Cloud.” She took her son from Tifa’s arms, hugging him close and kissing his tiny forehead. She rested her head against his, and whispered, only loud enough for him to hear: “Please remember me, my son.”

The ride to the lodge was silent, each sensing that something would go terribly wrong.