Reunion

music (to absolutely listen to while reading and activate the on loop stream)

She was floating.

Flying in a tender aura of appeasement combined of a warmth she rarely had known in thirty-three years of life. The black-haired woman caught mumblings all around her, incapable of observing what was surrounding her.

She could’ve sworn that, not later than five minutes ago, fire burnt her body so far that she fell on the ground and passed out almost right after because of the pain that dashed through her core.

“You think she’s gonna wake up?” she heard from a male’s voice, questioning.

                       What are you doing here ?

                                                                  It isn’t your time.

Not yet.

“C’mon, that was pretty tough to take in…,” he pursued. “I’m not sure if she should be here,” answered a feminine voice, sweet and reassuring.

Where was she? Who were those people? Did she dodge that materia? No. Mera was certain she didn’t. A tender hand went back and forth in her hair, cheers being heard in the background. Children…?

Why would there be children? Lastly, she was lost in a desert and got attacked by terrorists alongside Reno, Vincent, and Rude. Mera then picked on running footsteps that headed towards her position, familiar scents invading her nose.

“No, no, no…” murmured one of them, approaching a step closer to position. Her head encountered the fabric of a dress, as brown hair tickled her forehead. Mera blinked once or twice. She then wiped the hair strand that caressed her delicate features.

“Take it easy, ‘Geal, she ain’t gonna break,” said the voice she now recognized as Zack’s.

“She shouldn’t be here. Not now, she’s not even thirty-five. Not even halfway through her life an-...”

“Accidents happen, Angeal. Of course, she didn’t plan on…”

“Dying, yes, you can say it. Dying,” admitted Zack.

Dying?! She was dead… Angeal ?! A comforting feeling untied the knot of anxiety in her stomach, liberating her frame from the tensed sensation running all the way through her muscles.

She didn’t want to leave. She had enough. Shinra, Jenova, Deep Ground… Knackered, exhausted, tired, fatigued. No words could describe how empty inside she felt during all these years. Over a decade of suffering by now.

“She’s gonna choke if you all continue getting closer! And so will I !” scolded Aerith, to everybody’s surprise.

“Sorry…” apologized Zack.

Mera laughed internally at the sound of, whom she now identified as Aerith, thanks to her high-pitched tone. Mera rubbed her eyes multiple times before getting blinded by a white light, green highlights colouring the infinite ceiling of the purest tint.

She was still in her uniform. Each part of her body hurt further for any type of movement she’d get eventually done. Aerith gently placed one of her hands on her back, trying to hold her, as the figure of Sephiroth drew itself from the fog and led a gentle hand. His lips stretching at the sight of his childhood friend and him having the chance to see one another again.

“You’re here… You all…” she muttered. Mera’s heart was ironically pounding in her chest, like she hasn’t just passed away. The warmth of his glove touched her skin, as she then jumped into his arms with all her height and weight, still small compared to his gigantic stature.

“And you shouldn’t be.”

Shouldn’t, but she wanted so badly. Her eyes were now bawling, and only happiness overwhelmed her heart, so much that the fact of her life was coming to its term, didn’t seem to bother her.

“But I want to be here, with you. With you all. I missed you so much since…,” the silver-haired stopped his best friend, pinching the tip of her little nose, which made her take a step back. “It’s not worth the while yet. You don’t have enough stories to tell us.”

Zack laughed at his words. He never imagined Sephiroth so close of somebody beside Angeal and Genesis. However, the man stopped at the death stare the General sent right on his position.

“I-...,” started Mera, she wiped tears from her eyes, her pink orbs becoming lighter at the mere sight of Sephiroth, enlightened by their reunion. Mera grabbed one strand of his hair, the silk sensation comforting her heart further.

She missed his Cologne, the sensation of the 6’7 colossus who had shared the biggest and capital part of her life. Sephiroth then pointed behind her, indicating she should turn around.

Then, something in her chest broke.

Angeal.

She couldn’t say goodbye when he left, and now it was time for them to meet again. Whilst Sephiroth kept an expression of stoicism to not play with her feelings, knowing well how emotive she was… Angeal didn’t bother masking his sadness at the view of the woman he had loved, being present with them in the Lifestream.  

Her figure was still the shortest he’s seen in his life, fragile, like she’d eventually come to break. A wonderful piece of smothered glass. Her hair was shining, lips plumbing with a slight blush on her cheeks.

She was outstanding.

But all Angeal imagined was the state of her physical body, in the real world. Closing his mako eyes, the SOLDIER shook his head negatively. However, the sensation of two arms around his chest got him out of his sombre torpor.

Mera was holding him so tight against her tiny figure that he felt his muscles tightening in his abdominal area. But he didn’t care, he was trying to keep it all together. Angeal ran his hand through her blackened mane, the sensation remembering him at the times they were all four together.

Against his will, a single tear dropped from his eye, wiping it instantly. He avoided the worried glance of Sephiroth upon both him and Mera. Kissing the latter’s forehead, enjoying her presence at the absolute maximum.

“I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry…” she pleaded between two sobs. “If only I would've had known, I would’ve kept you away from all of that, and you’d still be with me. We’d still all be together. The four of us.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” explained Sephiroth, approaching the pair. “It was Hojo’s and Hollander’s. We were victims of their yoke. Now it’s over, we’re all safe.”

“I don’t wanna go back there… I got nothing to do any more, I want to catch up with the time we all lost. Everything Hojo and Hollander stole from us,” explained Mera, hiding her face farther in Angeal’s chest. 

“Sephiroth’s right. It isn’t the time for you, yet.”

But for you, there’ll never be one, right, Angeal ? thought Sephiroth.

She lifted her head up, face flushed by the heart of Angeal’s shirt. A soft smile captured his lips. He wanted to kiss her, hold her tight and keep Mera safe from everything. As he had always done.

“I got somebody for you, he wanted news of what you became,” said Sephiroth with a gentle smirk. Mera tilted her head, interrogated until the man shook his hand with a sign to come closer.

Then she stepped ahead, falling on her knees right after. Her brother standing up with a blue-eyed baby in his arms. Abel’s skin shined under the white beams of light, the bronze shade showing off his knife-like jawline and high cheekbones. Her brother’s pupils laid on his sister, both internally shattered and delighted to see her again.

“Hey, gremlin,” he joked with a chuckle. “Get up, you're already short enough, aren’t ya? Thought you’d get at least an inch taller, guess you’ll always stay a minus.”

This sole sentence generated a laugh, Sephiroth giving him a frown. He would never change, god-damn.

“Abel…” she whispered, repeating the same name over and over. Like an illusion. The man walked ahead, reaching Mera soon enough to take almost by surprise.

The day Hojo stole her unique chance to become someone better than she was. Better than everything she’s ever been.

“He’s the kindest baby in the world. Never cries, never begs, sleeps well,” explained Aerith. Mera lowered her head, observing the features of her son. He looked like Reno more than her. His lips were just a little fuller and the fringe of lashes was definitely hers.

“Listen I-... I know it gotta be ten times harder for you to get back with your people now, the living. But you can’t be here now,” added Abel above the pyramid of negations she already obtained from her friends.

“Why? I mean… Nothing can happen here, and I’ll be with all of you, even my child…”
“Because I want my nephew’s wait for his mother to be worth it. He hasn’t died to see her living absolutely nothing. You gotta create a story, and you better go with a good one to catch up with all the years. His dad too, because once he’s getting there, I’m gonna kick his ass for knocking up my sister, so hard, he’ll get back to Earth right away.”

He stopped for a while, witnessing the tears running down Mera’s cheeks again. “We’re taking care of him. Me, Sephiroth, Angeal, Zack, Aerith. Live for us, Mera. Live for him. You didn’t sacrifice all of this to die ridiculously from a fire materia, you heard me? You’re my sister and I don’t allow you to give up on what I didn’t have. Not my watch, got it ?”

“Abel, I-...”

“Now go. Say goodbye, we’ll meet again. Peace yourself out, ease your mind. We’re all safe and sound here, live with no regret.”

Abel took the baby off her arms again, giving it to Sephiroth, so he could hug his sister tight, whispering an intelligible sentence only she could catch. Mera sniffled, reflecting on her decision. Voices in the background, calling for her.

The woman was relieved she finally knew they’d be together in the end, forever.

Thus, she pivoted her figure towards Angeal, Aerith and Zack. Kissing her baby’s forehead one last time and whispering a sweet “I miss you” to Sephiroth, the latter replying he’d wait for her. Jogging to Angeal, she stood on her tiptoes and plucked his lips against hers for a handful of seconds that lasted forever for the SOLDIER.

“For last time, you first kiss thief,” she almost shouted with a wink.

Aerith took her hand in hers tenderly, laying her remaining fingers on her eyelids and everything went black again.

***

“I think she’s waking up, fuck,” yelled Reno out of relief.

Vincent and Rude rushed to the hospital bed, observing the feminine body of Mera waking up. Her entire envelope of flesh was screaming in pain, but the healing materia placed near the syringe eased the lurking hurtful sensation.

“Hey, Mera…?” called Reno.

Nothing, not a word.

The brunette gave a glance to the room she was in, slowly realizing she was back with the living. Tears burst out of her eyelids and the only answer she gave to her friends and ex-lover, was a sob that alarmed the nurses and doctors right away.