==============================================================

Last time: The party flees Junon to escape their latest threat; assassins
are sent into the city by the criminal Greylorn seeks. Tifa's and Aeris'
jockeying to put the other person with Cloud drives him away as Cid
reconciles with Shera.

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EPSIODE FOUR: Words in Stone

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==============================================================


To understand you must go back,
    to when the world was powered by the black fuel.
For reasons long forgotten, two mighty tribes went to war
    and touched off a blaze that engulfed them all.

    -- The Road Warrior, introduction


==============================================================

    Night had come quickly, mused Red as he sat down to catch his breath.
    The search had gone exceedingly not well. No trace of the young man had
been found, nor were there chocobo tracks to be found. The Canyon's dust
made sure of that.
    Perhaps he didn't want to be found, the warrior thought grimly. Red
arched his back before setting out once more.
    The Captain had returned more or less on time. Considering the
encounter he had with the Elders, Red thought the man was lucky to be
alive. And he had brought a friend along too. What was her name?
    Shera.
    Red's nails dug into the powdered sift as he nodded absently. The mousy
woman had accompanied Cid on Highwind Too to search from the air while the
quadruped and the others searched from the ground.
    Now that it was getting late, Red headed back towards camp. The Canyon
was no place to be in at night. It wasn't the thought of the Elders or even
the local predators that deterred the warrior from staying; it was the
climate.
    Red hoped Cloud had not forgotten a blanket.
    The low chirping of dust mites and the occasional rustling from sage
rats disturbed the otherwise quiet night as he neared the camp.
    "Nanaki," a man holding a flimsy pair of swords nodded, "Good evening.
Has your search gone well?"
    "No," Red shook the dust from his mane, "I take it then, the others
have not found anything?"
    "None," the sentry replied stiffly.
    "Has the ship come back yet?"
    "Not yet."
    The man's indifference was understandable, the one eyed warrior told
himself. No one in the group was well known in the camp, except for Aeris.
And even she was only known as 'the Ancient.'
    "Nanaki!"
    The warrior looked up and saw Tifa sprinting towards him. However,
Red's demeanor betrayed his results and she visibly sagged.
    "If anything," the quadruped spoke slowly, "Cid will be able to cover
more ground than we can on foot."
    "But at that height can he really see anything?" Aeris asked as she
came up quietly behind them.
    "I'll try again on the morrow. Until then we can only pray for the
best," the warrior said quietly as he retreated.
    "Yeah. Pray," the small woman's eyes dimmed.
    Tifa wrapped her arms around herself in order to keep warm.
    "I hope he's okay out there," she whispered.
    "Don't worry," Aeris put a steady hand on her, "He may have been angry,
but I'm sure he packed well."
    "Did he?" Tifa said softly. Aeris bit her lip and wish she hadn't said
anything.
    "I don't know what to hope for," Tifa whispered, "If he's prepared,
then he's ready to leave us all. If he's not --" her voice trailed off.
    "Look!"
    They both looked up at the alarm. The sentry's eyes were on the
horizon. Tifa squinted her eyes but could see nothing. Beside her, Aeris
strained herself for a glimpse.
    Nothing but darkness.
    Tifa threw a glance at the sentry, "Are you sure you saw something?"
    "I -- I'm not sure," the man scratched his head and peered into the
night, "I was sure it was there a moment ago."
    "There!" Tifa jumped when Aeris gripped her arm and pointed into the
distance.
    A small black shape floated in the starry sky above them.
    "Not again," Aeris whispered.
    "Get inside," Tifa began pushing her towards the main building.
    "What on Planet is that?" the sentry stood awestruck by the gate.
    "Inside! Inside!" Tifa screamed.
    The black shape seemed to hover above them slightly before diving
straight down. It landed right in front of the two women.
    More precisely it crashed.
    "Planet protect us!" Aeris cried as Tifa yanked her roughly into a tent
for cover.
    The giant dark thing stalled and staked itself into the earth. It
flopped over clumsily and crumpled to the ground. The two of them watched
with a mixture of fascination and horror as a tall cloaked shape emerged
from the wreckage from what appeared to be a glider. Aeris broke cover and
dashed out before Tifa could utter a word.
    "YOU!"
    Greylorn dusted himself off as the small woman stood in a tight fisted
rage before him.
    "Hallo Cetra," he said casually, "You look well."
    "Spare me the pleasantries," Aeris said coldly, "You've got guts to
show up after what you put us through ---"
    "Just be glad I am here," the man snorted.
    "Oh, I'm just SO happy to see you," she hissed.
    "I am glad to hear it then," Greylorn ignored her sarcasm and stepped
away from the wreckage. Only then, did Aeris notice the thing on the ground
wasn't really a glider --- or at least it wasn't originally meant to be
one.
    Familiar smooth, jet black skin was stretched across a light, yet
sturdy looking frame of wood spars. The timber ends were cut in a hasty,
yet precise manner and fastened with layers of twine. The purple tinged
cuts were all that remained of where the gaunts' heads were when they were
alive.
    Aeris clutched her gut and suppressed the urge to vomit as Tifa came
over.
    "Hey you! How'd you find us?"
    "I have my methods," the blue eyed man looked at Aeris and soured,
"Your friend here is sick."
    "What?" Tifa took one look at a retching Aeris then at the "glider"
before averting her eyes.
    "Where is your Cloud?" Greylorn asked as soon as they settled their
stomachs and stepped away.
    "He's not 'mine'--" Tifa bunched her hands but Aeris put a gentle hand
on her and shook her head.
    "Not now okay?"
    Greylorn watched them impassively, "Well?"
    "He's gone," Aeris said angrily.
    "Oh," the man knitted his brow then waved it off, "No matter then."
    She looked at him surprised, "Aren't you going to help look for him?"
    "Why should I?"
    "Why'd you ask for him then?"
    "No reason," Greylorn started past them.
    Liar, Aeris gritted her teeth.
    "Hey!"
    "What is it?"
    "You owe us an explanation," the small woman stood defiantly in his
way.
    "Do I now?" Greylorn said a bit annoyed. The man was out of place with
his heavy garb, yet he did not seem to mind the heat.
    "That's right," Aeris snapped, "We've been led around in the dark ever
since you joined us --"
    "I never did," Greylorn spoke evenly, "You thought otherwise."
    "You arrogant bastard!" Tifa bunched her hands, "I'm willing to bet
you're the one who's responsible for everything that's happened!"
    The man shifted his blue stained eyes towards Aeris. She stared stonily
back.
    "You Cetra," he pointed accusingly, "have no idea the trouble you have
caused."
    "Trouble!?" her eyes flashed, "You've been causing it since I met you!"
    "Quite the contrary," Greylorn scowled, "I have been trying to minimize
the consequences of your actions."
    Tifa was ready to smack him when Aeris said, "All right. Fine. Tell me
then. Tell me what I did wrong. I won't know until you do, will I?"
    "No. I do not suppose so," the man looked at them both and motioned for
them to follow.
    Both women blinked in surprise as Greylorn headed up a narrow flight of
stairs.
    "What's going on?" Red approached them.
    "He's going to talk," Aeris said quietly, "Finally."
    "Should I get the others?" Tifa nudged her. Aeris nodded quickly in
reply before she scampered off.
    "Uh, sorry to disturb you," the sentry came up, "But what do you want
me to do with this?" he pointed at the mess on the ground.
    "Get rid of it," Aeris made a face before she added, "Please."
    "Are you sure that man has no need for it?"
    "Oh I'm sure," she replied hastily and followed the cloaked man.
    "He's heading for Grandfather's observatory," Red became unruffled,
"Only esteemed scholars and honored guests are allowed up there."
    "I thought we could go in and out as we pleased," Aeris said shocked.
    "You may," the warrior flared his nostrils, "But not that man."
    "Well he's up there by now," she said weakly.
    "I know," Red glowered, "But not for long."
    "Why do suppose he headed there?"
    "I do not know nor do I care," the warrior's words came back gruff, "I
only want him out of there."
    "Nanaki," Aeris whispered," I know this might be asking too much, but I
have to know what's going on. We have to know."
    "That's all well said, but he may tell it to us elsewhere."
    "You do not have such a choice simmie."
    Red bristled visibly, "Greylorn."
    Aeris found herself in the deceased sage's study. The blue eyed man
stood on the center platform beside four large floating rocks, each one a
different color. She gasped as she realized the 'rocks' were emanating
enough Makou for her to sense it from across the room.
    Materia.
    "Nanaki," she whispered, "What was Bugenhagen doing here?"
    "Later," he rasped back before he faced the stranger in their midst,
"Please leave."
    "Pardon?"
    "You're not allowed up here," the warrior growled, "So please leave."
    Greylorn stared stiffly at the quadruped, "I will do no such thing."
    "Then you make it difficult for me," Red stood ready to pounce.
    "You always make things difficult simmie," disdain hung in the man's
voice.
    "Aeris?" a soft voice halted stopped the fight before it could begin.
    The healer turned around and saw Tifa, along with Vincent, Barret, and
Reeve behind her.
    "What's going on?" the lithe woman asked, "Is there trouble?"
    "No. No trouble," Aeris said quickly, "W-we're just about to start."
    Lowering her voice, she whispered, "Nanaki please."
    "I do this from Grandfather's respect for you," he said through
clenched teeth, "Nothing else."
    "Then I thank you."
    The warrior snorted and lay down. His eye though, kept trained on
Greylorn. Tifa caught nothing of the exchange as she sat down beside them.
    "Is everyone here?" Aeris asked.
    "Almos'," Barret eyed Greylorn suspiciously, "Cid an' Shera'r still
out."
    The big man took his place next to Tifa and watched as Greylorn eased
into a chair next to one of the observatory's machines and took out a black
reed. The blue eyed man lit up and took a long drag before he began
speaking.
    "First, about all this," the man gestured to the giant materia, "Tell
me how this came into your possession?"
    "We tuk'kit," Barret said gruffly.
    "From?"
    "Shinra."
    "I see," the man did not seem pleased, "Is it customary to make such
large pieces of -- of ---"
    "Materia."
    "Thank you," he glanced briefly at Aeris.
    "No," Reeve spoke up, "Materia this large takes up a lot of time and
money to manufacture ---"
    "What were they going to be used for?"
    "D'ey were s'posed to blow up Me'eor," Barret growled, "But we d'cided
'gainst it 'cause o' what N'naki's grandpa taught us."
    "And that would be?"
    "That materia is concentrated Makou," Red said absently, "If we
continuously expunge it from Planet in that fashion, we would die."
    "I --- see," the man sat up a little, "Can you still make anymore of
this size?"
    They looked at each other, then at Reeve.
    "I don't think so," the man shook his head, "Most of the reactors
require lots of repair and most of them don't work any --- hey," Reeve
looked up, "What the hell do you know about materia?"
    "Plenty," Greylorn sat bemused by their expressions, "since I reviewed
all your records at Midgar."
    "Y-you went back there?" Aeris asked disbelieving.
    "I thought you said the place was poisoned," Red growled.
    "To you," the man allowed a small smile, "Not to me."
    "So if you know already," Tifa soured, "Why are you bothering to ask?"
    "Just to be sure," Greylorn nodded at Reeve, "Are the processing
facilities non-operational as your records say?"
    "Yes," the man tugged his goattee, "Apart from the underwater one at
Junon."
    Greylorn arched a brow.
    "But with Shinra in disarray," the man went on, "I don't think giant
materia --- or even any materia will manufactured for some time."
    The blue eyed stranger visibly relaxed at those words before he shifted
his gaze to Aeris, "Remember when I said Cetra history would be
inappropriate for you?"
    "I remember," she said stiffly, "How could I forget? It was right
before ---" she trailed off as Tifa gave her a empathic squeeze.
    "Here," he tossed a thin folder on the floor.
    "What's this?" Aeris picked it up cautiously.
    "The truth," his tone impassive.
    Tifa picked out a piece of paper with strange hieroglyphics.
    "What does it say?" she asked Aeris.
    "I dunno. I can't read it."
    "Your mother never taught you Cetra cuneiform?" Greylorn looked at her
with raised brows as he poured himself a glass of silver fluid.
    "I was only four," Aeris shot back.
    He set down his concoction and took a brief glance, "It is Cetra order
#14436. An order to mobilize."
    Silence invaded the room.
    "For war?" Red asked sharply.
    "Correct simmie."
    "Why do you keep calling me that?" Red said angrily.
    "Why do they call you 'Red' instead of your given designation?"
    The warrior emitted a silent growl and dipped his head.
    Tifa looked at the man carefully, "But I thought the Cetra were --"
    "Peaceful caretakers of the planet?" Greylorn couldn't suppress a
chuckle, "They were that too. But they were a lot more," his eyes held an
icy gleam, "A lot more."
    "I don't believe this," Aeris whispered.
    "It is apparent in their buildings you know," Greylorn rubbed his chin
thoughtfully.
    "What are you babbling about now?"
    "Allow me to show you," he extended a hand, "Give me your materia."
    Aeris regarded him with suspicion.
    "I told you before it was part of a system," his voice held much
distaste, "Now hand it over and I will show you."
    The small woman reluctantly undid her ribbon and dropped the yellow orb
into the waiting black hand. Greylorn swiveled around and pressed an unseen
switch on the console behind him.
    "Do you know what you're doing?" Red spoke up again.
    "Did you, when you acted as you did two days ago?"
    The warrior emitted a low growl and clicked his nails against the
floor. Greylorn leaned back and Aeris saw that he had placed her dull
yellow materia into a hole of some sort in Bugenhagens' machine.
    "That's it?" Aeris made a face, "What's it supposed to do? Sit in there
and look pretty?"
    "It is an identification device as well as an alarm," Greylorn snapped,
"Without the proper crystal sequence, this --," he rapped his knuckles
against the console, "-- is a piece of useless hardware."
    "This," she gaped, "is the system?"
    "Partly," he replied half distracted, "This is one of its control
panels."
    "What are you doing?" Red growled from the floor.
    "Going through the archives," the man snapped unkindly, "Ah. Here.
Cetra architecture."
    "Architecture?" Reeve knitted his brow, "What has this got to do with
anything?"
    "I am going to show you," he tapped another button, "exactly what that
city up north really was modeled after."
    "Wait a minute," Aeris snapped, "I thought you said you didn't
recognize the place!"
    "Did I?" he looked at her innocently, "Now that I think about it, the
buildings are remarkably similar to the temporary buildings Cetra forces
used in the field."
    The confusion on their faces prompted him to explain.
    "See here," he interlocked his hands in a circle, "Each section was
modular and fit well with one another. When they needed a higher tower or
another room, they simply added another section."
    "They don't look anything like that," Tifa said.
    "Of course not," Greylorn chuckled quietly, "Those in your city are not
the originals; the real constructions were out of metal and were made to
more exacting specifications. Those in this city are poorly made. See?"
    A translucent image now hung in midair showing them exactly what he
meant. Tifa could see two images side by side. One was a cylindrical tower
made up of a bunch of quarter circle sections. The other was of a more
familiar conch shape. As Greylorn had explained, the taller cylindrical one
had each piece shaped in a way such that they meshed imperceptibly with one
another.
    "It is fitting for them to have temporary barracks for domiciles," a
pale smile crossed his lips, "They were after all, refugees of war."
    "What war?" Tifa looked up, "Who were they fighting?"
    Greylorn snickered and tapped the console before him. The buildings
vanished and were replaced by a meaningless symbol.
    "What's that?"
    "The Jenovan Military Consortium."
    "Waydda'minnit!" Barret snapped, "I tau't Jenova was jez a guy!"
    "Oh they are," Greylorn let out a short laugh, "Now."
    Aeris sat speechless as Tifa set down the worn piece of paper.
    "What do you mean 'now'?" Red asked.
    Greylorn lit a black reed, "Thousands of years ago the Cetra were an
intergalactic civilization which spanned a few hundred planets."
    "That many?" Aeris trembled slightly.
    He waved past her interruption, "They were peaceful mostly, but when
push came to shove they fought. They found their match in a formidable
enemy."
    "Jenova," Tifa tightened her jaw.
    "Jenovans," Greylorn corrected, "They were a race."
    "What happened?"
    "Ten generations of continuous warfare can reduce even the greatest of
civilizations to dust."
    Aeris paled, "You mean the Ancients, my ancestors --?"
    "Fought a protracted war with these people until only small numbers of
both sides were left."
    "What did they fight for?"
    "Over is more appropriate," he said tersely, "Power. Power of politics,
of worlds, of money. Who knew?"
    "Do you?" Tifa asked darkly.
    "No."
    "And Council?" Aeris demanded.
    "Such pettiness is below their attention."
    "You're here," Tifa pointed at Greylorn accusingly.
    "It matters not what they fought over," he raised a gloved hand, "It
matters that they fought. And died."
    "I still don't believe this," Aeris whispered.
    "Believe it," Greylorn was sober, "In the last days, the Cetra somehow
managed to find worlds untouched by the war, but the Jenovans were ---
unlucky. They did not find suitable planets to flee to."
    "B-but what about the Promise Land? And Holy?" she began babbling, "And
everything else Ifalna ---?"
    "Here," he leafed quickly through the folder and pulled out a tattered
sheet, "Your 'promise land'."
    Aeris looked at it intently as Tifa snuck a peek over the woman's
shoulder. To Tifa, it looked like a poster for something. A large meadow
filled with gleeful children frolicking in the sun. Hieroglyphics, both
large and small spanned the piece.
    "What is it?"
    "An advertisement for a colony."
    "Colony?" Aeris passed it on to the others.
    "Correct. The Cetra colonized new worlds they found fit to be
inhabitable. That is a poster advertising an agrarian world. I happened
upon it before I bundled you up. It reads: 'Come and live where life is
ideal and peaceful. And where food is abundant and plenty. The promise
land'."
    "And as for Holy," a slight twitch registered on his face, "The GMD
---"
    "GMD?" Red furrowed his brow.
    "Guardian Main Defense," Greylorn said, "It was a planetary defense
system your forebears," he pointed at Aeris, "used to combat the Jenovans
when they were in orbit or when they landed. In the event of an emergency,
it could also run itself."
    "How?" Reeve shook his head.
    "Howl."
    "That's what he asked," Tifa pursed her lips, "How?"
    "No," Greylorn said slowly, "H-O-L-W-E. HOLWE. It stands Heuristic
Operaans Landsraad Wyrke Enfors."
    "Huh?"
    "Consider it a self aware planet warden. Why it was called 'Holy' by
your people," Greylorn shrugged, "I cannot answer. It was a program
designed by Cetra engineers as an emergency measure to supplement and
safeguard Guardian's live operators."
    "What are you saying?" Aeris paled, "That I've been praying to a
machine?"
    "To put it simply," he sipped his drink, "Yes."
    "I can't believe this."
    "You do not have to. But it is a fact."
    The small woman held her head and stared at the floor.
    "If what you're saying is true --," she said slowly.
    "It is."
    "-- then I've been a damned fool," Aeris buried her face as Tifa put a
sympathetic hand on her.
    "Oddly enough Cetra, I would say that your blind faith actually helped
you that time. It did after all, save your life."
    "What are you talking about?" Aeris looked up angrily, "I was brought
up thinking Planet and Holy were --- were --- " she stopped and looked down
again.
    "You believe what you wish Cetra," Greylorn fingered the glass
thoughtfully, "When you activated HOLWE, the system thought you were in
mortal danger and it --- took measures to protect you."
    "That's a bunch of crock," she shot back, "I was stabbed. I died."
    "To the untrained eye, perhaps," the man drummed the armrest before
continuing, "But to be accurate, the system put you in stasis."
    "Stasis?"
    "Induced sleep."
    "What!?" Tifa looked up, "You mean Aeris was never ---?!"
    "Dead?" Greylorn chuckled, "No. When she activated the emergency
program, the system took steps to safeguard her ---"
    "When?!" Tifa demanded.
    "Most likely at the moment of injury," Greylorn replied.
    "But the Lifestream ---," Aeris whispered.
    "Pardon?"
    "The Lifestream," the pink clad woman said softly, "I -- I was in it."
    "I do not follow you," Greylorn looked at her puzzled.
    "The Lifestream is what makes up everything that lives on Planet,"
Aeris furrowed her brow, "Living things don't 'die' ---"
    "All things die," Greylorn said simply.
    "Let me finish," she glared at him, "When we die we're supposed to
return to Planet and ---"
    "Be reborn?" he finished her sentence while shaking his head.
    "Hey!" Tifa shot him a glare, "Why don't you show some damn respect?"
    "It is true you were 'in' the Makou," the man ignored the woman's
protests and turned towards Aeris, "However, just as your ancestors thought
HOLWE was some sort of supernatural force, they also misinterpreted what
this --- 'Lifestream' --- really is."
    Aeris slumped her shoulders.
    "I already told you," the man leaned a bit forward, "the GMD is a
system yes?"
    She nodded.
    "Everything needs power to function. An energy source if you will."
    "Makou," Reeve soured, "Shinra harnessed it to power our cities."
    "And the system? The Guardian?" Aeris raised her voice, "It uses the
Lifestream as power doesn't it?"
    "Yes. But this --- 'lifestream' also serves as its storage medium. And
you Cetra, was recorded onto it during your stasis."
    "B-but why?" she knitted her brow, "I don't understand."
    "Possibly from the shock caused by your injuries," Greylorn said
casually, "Guardian did what it had to do to keep you alive. It recorded
you. All your memories, all of --- you," Greylorn levelled his gaze at her,
"And while you existed as a recording --"
    "A recording?"
    "Yes," the man looked at her oddly, "The system makes a copy of you. In
case something happens."
    "Wh-what happens after?"
    Greylorn paused and looked at the screen, "According to the records,
your copy was transferred back to the body after the operation was done."
    "All those thoughts and memories," she whispered, "Were they copies
too?"
    "Pardon?"
    "If Guardian made a copy of me," she said slowly, "W-would it have one
of m-mom?"
    "No," his brow twitched slightly, "Guardian only records Cetra, and
then only the ones who are present in the command area when HOLWE is
activated."
    "Oh mom," Aeris sagged and shook her head. Tifa put a sympathetic hand
on her.
    "Even with her memories intact," Greylorn said slowly, "where would you
have transferred her? You require a body."
    "I -- I don't know," Aeris answered dully, "H-how does it work anyway?"
    "How does what work?"
    "The copying."
    "I can not tell you exactly as I am not versed in Cetra medicine,"
Greylorn paused, "But I do know that they excelled at procedures done at
the cellular level. That city up north," a ghostly image of white conch
shell buildings materialized before them, "although primitive, was still
made to take advantage of such technology."
    The image changed to show the interior of one of the buildings. It
appeared exactly as Tifa remembered it.
    Cold, dank, and dark. Though she had the up most respect for her
friend's beliefs and heritage, she just thought those houses left much to
be desired as places to live in.
    The image stopped and focused on a bright glowing panel imbedded in the
wall.
    That looks familiar, she bit her lip.
    "This is a device your engineers used to channel Makou into structures
so that Guardian can oversee the structure's inhabitants during
emergencies. This is how it kept you alive."
    "But we ---," Tifa looked down and said nothing.
    Aeris gave her a nudge, "What?"
    "Nothing," she mumbled.
    "C'mon, we've gone this far already right?"
    The young woman drew in a breath then said, "You weren't in one of
those houses when you --- when Sephiroth --- came."
    "Oh. Right," Aeris looked at Greylorn.
    "I take it you are curious as to how Guardian kept her alive in the
pool?" his blue stained eyes bore into Tifa.
    "Pool?" Aeris whispered.
    Tifa nodded fiercely, "Cl --- we buried you in a pool."
    "Oh."
    Tifa's eyes glistened a bit, "Sorry if we got a bit carried away."
    "It's okay," Aeris patted her hand.
    "Here is your answer."
    The two of them looked up and saw the image had flitted to the
poolside. Tifa chewed her lip as she remembered how the small woman beside
her had sunk peacefully beneath its waters.
    It was heart wrenching to see her life ebb out just moments before and
at the pool side, she had fought desperately to keep herself under control.
She wanted to scream her lungs out, but she kept quiet.
    Partly because the place was so solemn afterwards.
    But it was mostly for his sake.
    Tifa shut out those thoughts and slowly returned to reality. Greylorn
fiddled with something on the console and she caught the brief flash of
light in the murky depths.
    "There was a plate device in the pool," the man leaned back in his
chair, "How fortunate for you that your companions did not decide to
dispose of your body any other way."
    Aeris gritted her teeth as Tifa averted her gaze.
    "It should be noted," Greylorn continued, "that when I found you, I
could find no injury of any sort any where."
    "If that was the case," Red spoke up, "then why didn't Planet revive
her?"
    "First off the planet does nothing," Greylorn held up a gloved hand,
"It only serves as a power source and as a storage medium for the system."
    The warrior shook his mane in exasperation, "Why didn't Aeris come out
of stasis then? We were there for some time."
    "I am not sure," Greylorn lowered his voice, "However I did know that
as soon as I transmitted the manual override codes Council gave me, the
Cetra was resuscitated."
    "So --- Aeris ne'er --- died?" Barret scratched his head.
    "Correct." The image of the pool vanished.
    "That's why you said she was only unconscious," Red jerked up, "Back in
Kalm."
    "And now you know," Greylorn sat bemused, "It is incredible how such
simple things can be twisted into myth and legend by having people living
like troglodytes for a few generations."
    "Hey!" Aeris looked up angrily, "What about the criminal?"
    "What of him?"
    "How did he survive?" Aeris bunched up her hands into tiny fists, "More
importantly how did he find my people here?"
    "I do not know how he managed that," Greylorn shrugged, "but he did. He
is quite --- driven after all."
    "Is he after me?"
    "Yes."
    "Why?"
    Greylorn looked at her oddly, "What would *you* do if you were the last
of your kind?"
    The question gave Aeris pause, "I --- I don't know."
    "I know what I would do," his face impassive, "I would start looking
for the killers of my people and I would hunt every last one of them down."
    "So that's it," she hissed, "Revenge."
    "Precisely."
    "But why just her?" Tifa asked anxiously, "Aren't we part Cetra as
well?"
    "I doubt it," Greylorn's face twitched slightly, "There was an
aboriginal population of people here when the refugees arrived."
    "There were people here on Planet already?"
    "Yes."
    "But that goes at odds with everything Cloud told us!" Aeris held her
head. This whole thing was giving her a wretched headache.
    "Allow me to finish," Greylorn said coldly, "The refugees bred with the
locals. After a few generations, the traits your forebears possessed
gradually disappeared. Those traits uniquely Cetra."
    "I don't understand," the small woman looked perplexed, "Ifalna ---"
    "Who?"
    "My birth mother," she said softly, "She had powers. She must have.
Otherwise Shinra would not have gone out of their way to capture her. How
did she ---?"
    "--- retain her genetic heritage? There were probably some who did not
breed extensively with the locals," the man continued matter of factly,
"She may have been purebred or not. An autopsy is needed to substantiate
such claims."
    Aeris drew her knees up and shivered as the man spoke of these people
like common beasts.
    "In any case," Greylorn continued, "Given the number of generations
that have passed, I doubt any of you would be identified as a Cetra by a
scan."
    "So it's just me," Aeris bit her lip.
    "Yes."
    Tifa put an empathic arm around her.
    "Excuse the intrusion," Reeve spoke up, "But what about them?"
    "Who? The Elders?"
    "Who else?" he growled, "What do they want?"
    The red skinned warrior took a sudden interest in the conversation.
Yuffie was still fresh on his mind.
    "Power abhors a vacuum," Greylorn said, his voice suddenly dead, "And
They abhor everything else."
    "You said they want him for his knowledge," Aeris said slowly, "back up
north."
    "It still holds true."
    "Still holds?" Red glared at him.
    Greylorn didn't reply as he downed the last of his drink.
    "That night," Aeris thought back, "when we just arrived in Kalm. I
overheard you talking with --- whatever it was."
    "And?"
    "You said they came to bargain. Were they Elders?"
    "Yes."
    "What did they want?"
    "You," Greylorn wore a thin smile.
    "But why ---?" Aeris stopped, "Me."
    "A bargain," Tifa looked at the man spitefully, "They were going to
sell her to him. Am I right?"
    "Yes."
    "Why didn't you?" she asked suddenly. Aeris blinked and looked at her,
surprised.
    Tifa went on, oblivious to the dark stares she got, "I mean, it
would've made your job easier."
    When Greylorn didn't answer immediately, Aeris realized what her friend
was getting at.
    "She asked you a question," Aeris said firmly.
    "Do you think They would allow him to fall into my custody?" he finally
replied, "I make my own captures."
    "So it was mistrust that you didn't go ahead with it," Tifa spat, "I
was right. You are too cold hearted to be protective."
    "Just be glad I did not make such a bargain," his face dark.
    Aeris closed her eyes and murmured, "Jenova."
    "If you want to know," Greylorn said slowly, "That is not his given
name."
    Red felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
    "What was -- what is his name?"
    "Sephiroth."
    Tifa saw Aeris stiffen.
    Greylorn surveyed the group, "Now you know why the line of questioning
was so --- specific."
    "Because you thought the Sephiroth in the Crater was your criminal,"
Vincent looked at the blue eyed man.
    Greylorn dipped his head slightly, "Yes."
    "Is he then?" the gunman knitted his brow.
    Red looked at Vincent strangely.
    We keep strange mementos of our loves, he thought.
    "I think not," the blue eyed man said quietly.
    "Whut makes ya so damn shur?" Barret snapped.
    "Her materia," Greylorn nodded towards the orb in the console.
    "You said if he was still alive, it still glowed right?" Aeris perked
up, "I remember you saying something about that thing Sephiroth -- our
Sephiroth was lugging around ---"
    "Jenova," Tifa said helpfully.
    "Right," the small woman nodded, "Jenova, being the person you're
looking for."
    "Correct," the man said quietly.
    "But that's his mother, right?" Tifa looked confused.
    "That's not what you said," Aeris pointed at Greylorn.
    "Correct again, Cetra."
    "But we destroyed Jenova," Red spoke up, "During the final
confrontation."
    "Did you now?" he fingered the golden orb on the console, "While the
Cetra was still recovering from her stasis, I did manage to inspect the
giant crater near the pole."
    Barret looked up, "An'?"
    "I found no life signs."
    "So we did in your guy," Tifa made a face, "Lucky you."
    "Or he has moved."
    He waited for his words to sink in.
    "What do you mean moved?"
    "Remember the incident at the city two days ago?"
    "Junon?" Tifa bit her lip as Aeris soured, "Don't remind me."
    "Those were his men."
    "What?! You mean the ones you killed at the bar?"
    "Yes."
    "And what of those men in Midgar?" Red growled, "During the first
attack? Were they his as well?"
    "No," Greylorn grew thoughtful, "I think not. The men your friend and I
fought at the bar died from our weapons, but the last one I attempted to
interrogate did not."
    "I thought you killed him," the warrior snarled, "You kill as easily as
you breathe correct?"
    Greylorn snorted, "He died from poison."
    "So?" Reeve furrowed his brow, "Dead is dead."
    "Worshippers of the Elders do not kill themselves with poison," the man
said quietly, "They have no need to. They usually rant and rave until the
plot is carried out. And even if the plans are discovered, do you think you
can muster the strength to stop them?"
    "Worshippers?"
    "Individuals who treat the Elders as gods," Greylorn explained tersely,
"These men though, were hired help."
    "They would knowingly aid such a man?" Tifa gaped.
    "Probably not. Coin was all they probably saw."
    "Thugs," she soured.
    "Or mercenaries," Greylorn gave her a small smile.
    Tifa looked down.
    "So you think the man killed himself to keep Jenova's information from
you?" Aeris asked.
    "I think he was killed by Sephiroth," Greylorn drummed the console,
"His simulacra were under his direct control for a while when it spoke, not
to mention making for you twice in succession," he glanced at Aeris.
    "He may have introduced a dormant subject specific virus and then
transmitted a signal from one of his simulacra to trigger the saliva glands
to produce a lethal variant of acid. Such procedures require him to be in a
very active and awake state. That is why I surmise he survived the events
at the crater."
    "D'en t'at thing muzz be sum'whar else," Barret slammed his gun arm
into his open fist, "Dis 'is bad --"
    "I think it odd," Vincent cut in, "Why does your criminal possess the
same name as a man who was born no more than forty years ago?"
    "I have no answer," Greylorn said simply before his eyes narrowed,
"What do you know of your 'Sephiroth'?"
    Vincent hesitated briefly before answering, "He was born from a woman.
Lucrecia."
    "Who?" Greylorn arched his brow.
    "Lucrecia," Vincent said slowly, "She was --- a scientist."
    "How did you come by this?" the man focused his gaze on him.
    "I was --- I knew her," the gunman murmured.
    "Were you the father?"
    "No," the answer was quick.
    "Regardless," Greylorn waved his hand vaguely, "Sephiroth, MY Sephiroth
was born over three millennia ago. Whoever this man was, must be --- a
coincidence of some sort."
    "Or a fluke," Red eyed the man suspiciously.
    "Perhaps," the man tilted his head.
    Tifa was softly patting poor Aeris on the back.
    "This is all too much for one day," the pink clad woman whispered. She
stared blankly at the floor holding her throbbing head.
    "And to think, that was not all I have to tell you," Greylorn snorted.
    "There's more?" Aeris looked up wearily.
    Another image flashed before them and she gasped. A large six
appendaged monstrosity hovered over a pond formed by some rocks. It took a
moment before Aeris recognized the rocks were mountains and the 'pond' was
a lake.
    "What is that?" her voice shook.
    "WEAPON," Tifa whispered.
    "Weapon?" Aeris squeaked.
    "Yes, Cetra. That little stunt of yours also triggered the planetary
counter siege and defense systems."
    "She didn't do anything wrong," Tifa rose to her defense, "She only did
what she thought was right."
    "I suppose that is one way to look at it," Greylorn said coldly,
"However this thing would not be active had she not been so --- ignorant."
    "Bud'den she'd be dead," Barret growled, "B'sides whatchoo got against
a big giant machine tryin' to help out Planet?"
    "Help?" the man's tone was disbelieving.
    "Yeah," Tifa growled, "WEAPON protects Planet when it's in danger."
    "That and more," Greylorn said with disdain, "The Cetra gave these
things very rudimentary directives. It kills anything it does not
positively identify as Cetra. And since the only thing on this world that
remotely resembles Cetra is that abandoned city in the north, everything on
this world is a viable target."
    Aeris stared open mouthed at the ghostly silver sheened giant in the
air before.
    "This is an automated killing machine," Greylorn's lips thinned, "You
cannot reason with it; you cannot plead with it ---"
    "As if we can with you," Red snarled.
    "At least," the man said icily, "I do not kill off worlds at a time."
    "And you're saying this thing can?"
    "Some of the larger ones of them can lay waste to a small moon in the
blink of an eye."
    "One?" Aeris covered her mouth.
    "Yes one," the man hissed, "And every Cetra held world had a few.
According to the records I have here, this world had three."
    "Three?" she squeaked.
    "Probably because they were smaller and less capable. Dangerous
nevertheless. If you thought the destruction of that small town three days
ago was quick, you have not seen what this thing can do in full combat
status."
    "We took out one of them," Tifa said with bravado, "Right before we
headed for Midgar to stop Hojo."
    "You?" Greylorn stared at her with disbelief, "Took out one?"
    "More precisely," Vincent explained, "Hojo's cannon destroyed it."
    "How large?"
    "What?"
    "The cannon. How large was it?"
    "Large," Reeve said, "The barrel itself was just about a half mile
long."
    Greylorn shook his head in disdain, "What did it fire?"
    "The cannon? Makou shells, I suppose."
    "I see," the man soured, "What about the other unit?"
    "Kilt a'Junon," Barret growled," Right b'fore the fust one."
    "Same cannon?"
    "Yeah," the big man scratched his head, "But wid' d'frent ammo I
think."
    "Hey, what do we do about this one?" Aeris looked at all of them,
"Cloud said you stopped Hojo --- what about his cannon?"
    "Meteor smashed it to bits," Reeve said quietly.
    "So how are we going to --?" she looked at the floating WEAPON
fearfully.
    "We will not. Not yet."
    "WHAT!?" she stared at Greylorn.
    "With Guardian under live control again, we have nothing to fear. For
now."
    "What do you intend to do?"
    "Nothing for the moment."
    "Nothing?" Aeris felt her anger rise, "I thought you said this thing
was dangerous!!"
    Her eyes dimmed, "Right. How foolish of me to forget; you wouldn't care
a whit what happens to us would you?"
    "I may not care what happens to you," the man said quietly, "but I care
what happens to me. Do you think it would recognize me as a Cetra? Or for
that matter anyone else in this room except you?"
    The woman looked around fearfully at all of them, Tifa in particular.
    "Luckily, it is not a threat. Not for a while."
    "How come?"
    "It is attempting to repair itself," Greylorn's tone was dour, "It
suffered heavy damage."
    "Damn right we d'maged it."
    "Cid?!"
    "H'ey all o'you havin' a bizzy talk with'ow ole Cid?"
    "We started a bit early," Vincent nodded, "How did you find us?"
    "The sentry was kin' enough t'tell me," the pilot growled.
    "Where's Shera?"
    "Asleep."
    "Um. Cid?"
    "Yeah?" he looked up and saw Tifa and Aeris looking at him expectantly.
    "Oh, yeah," the old pilot smacked his head, "Sorry y'two. Nuthin' so
far. But we'll try agin tomorrew."
    Tifa felt Aeris give her squeeze.
    "Tomorrow okay?" the healer whispered.
    "Yeah," Tifa mumbled, "I -- I guess so."
    ". . . warheads were you using?" Greylorn's voice grew louder and more
strained with each word.
    "High s'plosive."
    "Hardly," the man snorted, "The plates appear to have been blown from
the inside out."
    Cid shrugged, "'ey look, I had more m'portant things on m'mind at the
time."
    "Armour piercers," Greylorn's face hardened as a stream of
hieroglyphics flew past his eyes, "Moderate internal damage. Severe loss of
sensors and detection equipment. Combat efficiency at 29%"
    He turned back towards them, "At least the armament is still
functional."
    "Will it be able to move?" Aeris asked fearfully.
    "I told you already, not for a while."
    "What are you planning to do?" Red sneered, "Use it to kill more
innocents?"
    "If necessary."
    The warrior snorted derisively but he noticed the man seemed a bit
perturbed by his own words.
    "Currently I am more worried about the flight data aboard."
    "How come?" Tifa awoke from her stupor.
    "It may have some information about Sephiroth's location."
    "SEPHIROTH!?" Cid jumped up, "That fuckin' sonovabitch ain't dead?!"
    "Perhaps I should bring you up to speed," Vincent put a hand on his
friend as Greylorn glowered at the grizzled man's outburst.
    "Yeah," Cid caught himself, "Maybe y'should."
    Aeris stood behind Greylorn, "How long will do you think it'll take?"
    "To receive the data," he rasped, "thirty seconds."
    She glanced at the screen eagerly.
    "To interpret it," the cloaked man scowled, "Several hours."
    "How come?" she demanded.
    "Most of the clusters have been damaged and fragmented due to battle
damage," Greylorn turned to Cid and spat, "Thanks to your excellent
gunnery."
    "Thatz good t'hear," the pilot raised a finger and resumed chattering
with his tall friend.
    The cloaked man scowled before he returned to work.
    "What can you make out now?" Aeris bit her lip absently.
    "A crude flight plan," Greylorn said dourly as elliptical lines
appeared on screen.
    "Can we tell where it's been?" Tifa came up behind her.
    "In a moment," he rasped.
    A half second later, the image behind them fizzled and reshaped itself
into a three dimensional sphere. Contrasting lines appeared over the ball
as it slowly rotated in air.
    "This was its basic flight plan since activation," Greylorn narrowed
his eyes, "I need more time for the other data to be organized, but this
may prove helpful for the time being."
    "I can't make anything out," Aeris whispered.
    "Neither can I," the man shrugged, "It will take a few hours."
    "I kin."
    They looked at Cid.
    "Very well," Greylorn stood and strode over to the image. Extending a
finger, "Here for example ---"
    "That's Mideel," Cid said promptly.
    "A settled area?"
    "Yeah," he looked glum, "Or 'least it used t'be."
    "I do not follow," Greylorn knitted his brow, "Abandoned or destroyed?"
    "Both I s'pose."
    "The Lifestream gushed out from Planet there," Tifa added.
    "Pardon?"
    She flung her hands up, "A Makou geyser erupted okay?"
    Greylorn stayed silent.
    "What about here?"
    Cid craned over and squinted for a moment.
    "Temple of the Ancients."
    "Ancients?" Greylorn faced Aeris, "That is another reference to the
Cetra, correct?"
    "That's another name for them, yes."
    "Are you sure?" his tone took on an odd tone.
    "Yes, I'm sure," she hooked her arms akimbo, "You can tell I'm lying or
not can't you?"
    "Yes. And no, you are not lying," Greylorn looked at her evenly.
    "Aeris?" Tifa looked at her friend.
    "I'm sorry everyone," the small woman said loudly, "In the past few
days, I haven't been able to tell you everything."
    "Given what has happened I do not blame you," Red said.
    Aeris nodded as a chorus of voices forgave her.
    "Thank you all," she took a deep breath, "This man can tell if you're
lying or not. That's why he's such an effective inquisitor. He knows," she
tapped her head.
    "You can read minds?" Reeve sat up alarmed.
    "Again I have to answer for your actions Cetra," Greylorn looked at her
with disdain, "It is becoming a habit with you ---"
    "You know what we're thinking?" Red rasped harshly.
    "--- and as usual I am left to rectify the matter."
    "Why don't you clean up your own mess?" Aeris folded her arms
triumphantly, "You seem to be doing so well with mine."
    He narrowed his eyes and turned towards them. In a versed and steady
voice he said, "No. I cannot read your thoughts. No. Is that clear?"
    "Why should we believe you?" Tifa jabbed a finger at him, "For all we
know you could be lying ---"
    "You do not have to believe me," he waved her off, "It is your choice."
    "'ey," Barret's deep bass cut carried through, "Whut 'bout the Temple?
Seems li'y'know sumthin'. Whut's up?"
    "The Cetra did not build temples."
    If Greylorn was grateful for the big man's interruption, he did not
show it.
    "What?" Aeris felt a shock hit her body, "That's ridiculous!"
    "It is not. The Cetra never practiced theology of any kind."
    "But Planet and Holy ---"
    "Are fictions your backward forebears concocted out of ignorance,"
Greylorn snapped, "The true Cetra were not so avidly spiritual."
    "So what are you saying?" Aeris felt her anger rise, "That the temple
is some kind of factory now?"
    "We shall see," Greylorn strode over to the console and fiddled again
with the controls. A stream of symbols scrolled past the screen before the
image of the globe was supplanted by another. This one of an ochre colored,
stepped pyramid. Tifa saw Aeris' face lit up with recognition.
    "That's the Temple."
    "Yeah," the healer smiled softly, "It seems like a long time ago, huh?"
    "Yeah."
    "Temple of the Ancients," Greylorn's tone was dour, "I would not
believe its title even if it stood before me."
    "You won't have that problem," Red said curtly, "It was destroyed when
it collapsed on itself. It's just a big pit now."
    "Pardon?"
    "It collapsed in the course of our explorations," Aeris explained.
    "When was that?"
    "Months ago," Tifa looked up, "It turned into black materia and we ---"
    "Did you say black?"
    "--- yeah," she said slowly, "Is there something we should know?"
    "What happened to this 'black materia'?"
    "Cloud gave it to Sephiroth," she said quietly, "Our Sephiroth."
    "And your Cloud," he said with distaste.
    Tifa eyes flashed with anger as the man turned from her.
    "What happened then?" Greylorn asked everyone in general.
    "We brought the materia along to the crater," Red looked thoughtful,
"And after Cloud handed it to Sephiroth, the whole place came down."
    "You escaped."
    "Yes," the warrior scratched the floor before him, "Cloud later
resurfaced at Mideel."
    "And what of the younger Sephiroth and Jenova?"
    "We faced them at the crater less than two full weeks later," Vincent
finished.
    Greylorn sat down and closed his eyes. Aeris had never seen the man so
weary before.
    "You know something," she studied him closely, "Tell us."
    "I do not want to risk judgement," Greylorn drummed the console, "Not
yet. With the telemetry from the fighting machine I can be sure."
    "Nevermind the gadgetry," Aeris folded her arms, "I want to hear what
you have to say."
    "I will say it when the telemetry is analyzed," he said simply.
    "And by then, you'll be gone doing what ever it is you do," she said
angrily, "I want to hear it before you start lopping of any more heads."
    "Fine!" Greylorn hissed, "You want what I think?"
    He stood up so abruptly his chair clattered noisily to the floor.
    "I think you just made my job infinitely more difficult," he snapped,
"That was no cursed temple, it was a prison!"
    "A prison?" she blinked in disbelief.
    "Yes," he jabbed a finger at her, "What ever you have done so far pales
in comparison to this. Black 'materia' are holding facilities for dangerous
criminals akin to Sephiroth ---"
    "But why turn it into a temple?" Tifa asked.
    "A disguise possibly," Greylorn levelled his tone, "Or perhaps it is
more evidence of her ancestors' backwardly pursuits."
    Aeris' face tightened but stayed silent.
    "So if this materia is a prison," Reeve said slowly.
    Red looked up, "And if you say he's alive."
    "You're not sayin' he's out are ya?" Cid asked, "Couldna he be
operatin' from the inside?"
    "Stasis. He would be in stasis if he was still inside."
    "He's out then," Tifa said flatly.
    "Yes," Greylorn looked at them all with hate, "And I have you all to
thank."
    "Wait a minute!" she held up a finger, "You said you were looking for
Jenova right?"
    "Yes."
    "Jenova was the thing accompanying our Sephiroth. How could he be
imprisoned then?"
    "Perhaps the body was identified as Jenova," Greylorn said
indifferently, "Remember the GMD can make imprints of people?"
    He didn't look at Aeris, but she knew he referred to her.
    "A copy of the prisoner resides in each of these black 'materia'."
    "If 'e was t'at bad, why diddin' dey jez kill 'im?"
    "I enforce. I do not pass punishment. And I most certainly did not see
to this man's imprisonment."
    "Maybe you should learn to enforce better," Red snorted in derision,
"You kill the wrong kinds of people."
    Greylorn shot him a cold stare but said nothing.
    Aeris was dumbstruck, "Then if he was in the crater and in Planet ---"
    "Then he may already be inside carrying out his schemes," the man's
tone was brutal.
    "Even without a body?" Red arched a brow.
    Greylorn was silent.
    "But'cha said y'found no life a whi'laggo at d'crater," Barret
scratched his head, "How kin dat be?"
    "I do not know," Greylorn let out a breath and shook his head, "He has
no technology to hide from my sensors ---"
    "So use them," Tifa said angrily.
    "They were aboard the flyer at Midgar," he said tersely, "I could not
salvage them."
    "Back at Junon you tried to track him down with that Prom-mee thing of
yours," Aeris accused, "Can't you do it again?"
    "I need one of his simulacra," Greylorn shook his head, "Do you see one
I can access?"
    She scowled and stayed silent.
    "And even if I did," he went on, "I need him actively transmitting to
them instead of letting them run automatically."
    "Like when he was talking through them," Tifa perked up.
    "Correct."
    "But didn't your thing say it was running into problems?" she bit her
lip.
    "Yes. He scrambled his signal. It takes time and equipment requiring
physical manipulation for such an effort," Greylorn drew rigid, "And that
means he may have found a way to secure his old body. Or acquire a new
one."
    Aeris looked around the room. Everyone seemed haggard and worn out.
First the search for Cloud, and now this. She felt like she had been up the
better part of the day. She arched her back and yawned, several others
followed suit.
    "Whelp, this'is all I can stand for," Cid got up and stretched, "I'ma
goin' t'bed. Don' let the spiders bite."
    "Isn't the phrase bed bugs?" Tifa covered her mouth.
    "Not at the old launch site it isn't," Reeve glared at Greylorn, "And I
got uncomfortably close to them thanks to you."
    "Be grateful you got off the ground," he said unkindly, "and lived to
tell of it."
    "What'd they look like?" Vincent spoke up.
    "Big, ass spida's," Cid drawled, "Or a'least thatz what the boss is
claimin' 'em t'be. Kidnappin' people right n' left. Lucky I got Shera outta
there alive."
    "Knight in shining armor huh?" Tifa gave him a weak smile.
    "Yeah," the pilot posted a stupid grin.
    "Have you any idea what they were doing?" Greylorn asked suddenly.
    "Dunno," Cid rubbed his grizzled chin, "Shera says tey'were pokin'
'round the old launch site and takin' stuff."
    "What did you have there?"
    "Nuthin' m'portant."
    "I asked you to list the inventory," Greylorn said coldly, "Not to
provide an opinion."
    "The hell d'ya think you are?!" Cid exploded, "I ain't takin' shit from
you!"
    "Easy 'der," Barret held him back.
    "L'hell I will!" the man shook his fist, "I'll take your sorry ass
right here!"
    "Take it outside, and I'll gladly help."
    "Back off Nanaki!" Reeve rasped, "I don't need you pushing things
farther."
    The quadruped flashed his teeth menacingly before withdrawing.
    "Think of Shera," Vincent held out an arm, "This isn't worth having her
worry about you is it?"
    Cid scowled at the tall man before settling down. Greylorn sat
unperturbed and kept his eyes on the white haired man.
    "Well?"
    "Well what?" Cid spat.
    "What was at the launch site?"
    Reeve nodded his head towards the pilot, "If everyone's gone, does it
matter?"
    "I s'pose not," Cid soured and ticked off his fingers, "Fifty tons of
solid fuel, eight loads of transistors, replacements for the solid boosters
---"
    The man held up a hand, "I should rephrase the question. Anything
missing?"
    Cid scratched his head before answering, "Come t'think of it, Shera did
say the liquid nitrigin tanks were emptied."
    "Is it important?" Red asked.
    "Perhaps the Elders need it for their own purposes," Greylorn furrowed
his brow, "I have never heard of them acquiring nitrogen before."
    "Then if thass all," Cid flicked them a quick salute, "I'm off."
    "Me too," Reeve stood and stretched, "It's been a long night."
    Longer for some others, Red thought as he glanced at Aeris and Tifa.
Everyone slowly shuffled out until only the four of them were left.
    "There is still something I don't understand," the quadruped clacked
his nails on the floor, "Grandfather never said anything about this
before."
    "He would not have known. Council---" Greylorn looked down at him,
"Council prefers to handle its affairs in secret."
    "So why are you telling us now?" Aeris eyed him suspiciously, "For that
matter why speak of it at all?"
    "It is a practice, not a rule," he replied, "They make their policies,
but it is my choice whether or not to follow them."
    "You're doing their dirty work," Tifa pointed out.
    "I am," he said without looking at her, "What of it?"
    "So you're doing exactly as you're being told," she countered.
    "I do," the man said slowly, "what I think is in their best interests."
    "And killing innocents serves them well, in your opinion?" Red growled
unkindly.
    "Righteousness is highly subjective," Greylorn said icily, "Many times
it depends on who drew the knife first."
    "So you think might makes right," Aeris sniffed, "It becomes you."
    The man's eyes crinkled slightly, "The data will not be in any readable
form for another few hours at the least. I strongly --- recommend that you
all get rested for the trials ahead."
    "What trials?"
    "I take it you will not leave this solely in my care," his eyes
narrowed on all of them, "Despite my vociferous objection?"
    "You're right," Red nodded sagely, "I won't leave it to you."
    Tifa looked at him then at Aeris. They both had a glimmer of
determination in their eyes. They were going to finish this regardless who
went with them.
    How can I let them down? She braved a grin at the small woman before
her. Aeris grinned back.
    "I thought not," Greylorn said with distaste.
    "I can't speak for everyone," Aeris started, "but I'm going to see the
end of it. No matter what."
    "And you know I'm not letting you out of my sight again," Tifa grinned,
"Not for a second."
    "Yeah," Aeris beamed back, "Thanks."
    "I'm coming along to keep an eye on you," the warrior eyed Greylorn
warily, "Someone's got to keep you under control."
    "And then after all this," Tifa lowered her voice, "We'll go and find
him."
    Aeris dipped her head a bit, "Yeah."
    "Then I suggest some rest. You will not be of help if you are not at
peak efficiency."
    "What about you?" Tifa asked, "Don't you sleep?"
    The man glanced at her with a bemused expression, "Not in the manner
you are familiar with."
    "C'mon Tifa," Aeris tugged her gently, "It's none of our business."
    "You are learning Cetra," he called out as they left, "Good for you."

   **********************************************************************

    They're all in bed now. All but me.
    All --- but --- me, she sighed.
    Is this what it's like to be truly alone?
    The woman sniffed softly and rubbed her nose.
    Poor Aeris.
    You deserve better than this.
    And I'll see to it even if it means having worlds collide.
    Tifa stood alone on the darkened balcony and stared up at the infinite
expanse of twinkling stars.
    It reminded her so much of another place, in another time. So long ago.
And with someone she cared so much for.
    She cursed under her breath as the memory haunted her.
    'I'm going away. So I can become strong.'
    'And when you need me, I'll be there.'
    Angry tears flooded her eyes as her nails dug into her palms.
    "So where are you now, tiger?" Tifa whispered and stared out over the
dark sky, "Where are you now that I need you?"
    I say I want you back for her, but do I mean it deep in my own heart?
    Despite the revelations just a few hours ago, Tifa stilled believed in
Planet and the rest. She couldn't help it. It was entrenched in her
vernacular.
    So help me Planet, she gritted her teeth.
    Tell me what I should do.
    Only the silence of the badlands answered her. Even the chirping dust
mites were quiet. Soft footsteps gave her a start and she spun around half
expecting a repeat of yesterday.
    "There are only two hours until first light," Greylorn lit up a
signature black reed, "You should be resting."
    "Shouldn't you be doing something?" Tifa turned away annoyed.
    "The data is being analyzed. I can do nothing but wait," the man puffed
his smoking stick. His other hand held a glass of silver liquid.
    "I have heard from somewhere that absence makes the heart grow fonder,"
he said suddenly, "Perhaps that is the tactic he is employing."
    "How did you know?!" she asked surprised.
    "That Cetra jabbers in her sleep."
    "You're spying on her?" her voice suspicious.
    "I --- happened by her room."
    "Hmmph," Tifa snorted, "Maybe you heard wrong."
    "I usually am not."
    "You hang around her too much," she scowled, "You like her?"
    "I happened by her room," he repeated.
    "Why the interest?" she countered, "Aeris told me you risked life and
limb to save her up north ---"
    "Did I?"
    "--- and yet you seemed willing to let her die at Midgar."
    "Then perhaps she told you that I protect my sources as well."
    "Is that all?" Tifa laughed quietly, "Even a blind man can see you have
more than you care to admit."
    "Looks," Greylorn smiled thinly, "can be deceiving. And deception is
what you tried your hand at is it not? The deception of love?"
    She didn't bother to hide her disgust, "What do you know about love,
you sick minded bastard?"
    "Enough to see that you and I are very much alike."
    "Yeah right," she turned and saw his blue stained eyes on her, "We're
nothing alike."
    "Are we?" Greylorn cocked his head, "I tend to differ."
    Maybe I *should* go to bed, Tifa made a face and began to leave.
    "For example," the man went on absently, "we both readily sacrificed
our own personal happiness for the sake of the ones we love."
    She slowed then stopped completely as his next words arrested her
attention, "I know what you did back at our last stop."
    Tifa held her breath as he continued, "It may take a while, but see it
they shall. It is only a matter of time."
    The woman shivered in the darkness and kept silent.
    "And I surmise he did see through it," he cast a sideways glance at
her, "Your Cloud, correct?"
    "You should -- learn to stay -- out of other -- people's affairs," she
said through clenched teeth.
    "I try to," the man blew out a long plume of smoke, "But just as you
are unwilling to leave alone your Cetra friend and the boy, I am unwilling
to see --- mistakes of this sort being made."
    "Since when did you start caring?" Tifa hid her tears from the blue
eyed stranger.
    "It all lies within the choices we make. In the end, there is no right;
no wrong," Greylorn held up his smouldering reed and stared entranced at
its dull red glow, "Only what is good, and what is bad."
    "I made the right choice. A good choice," she bunched up her hands,
"for him."
    "And your friend?"
    "Her as well," her words came out soft.
    "And you?"
    Tifa looked down, "I don't give a damn about me."
    "My, such sentiments," Greylorn traced a black trail across the wall
with his reed, "For one so young. And so impudent."
    "Me?" she managed a small laugh, "How old are you? A million and still
alone?"
    "I made my choice long ago," his voice took on an odd inflection as he
poured his drink slowly over the railing, "And as for my age, I shall never
know. I was born before there was even a scale to measure such ---
niceties."
    "Why the hell are you so nice all of a sudden?" Tifa arched a brow and
took a step back, "Why butter up to me?"
    "Pardon?" he looked at her puzzled.
    "Y-you're not --- drunk are you?" her eyes grew wide.
    "What?" he scowled, "I harbor no such --- intentions."
    His voice quickly rose, "I am still amazed that this is all your kind
thinks about."
    "My kind?!" she flared, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?!"
    "Short lived creatures," Greylorn spat, "Bah."
    She backed away as the man angrily flung his reed over the railing, "Do
what you will, Tifa Lockheart."
    Tifa blinked, surprised that he knew her full name.
    "You choose your own fate, and leave the rest to choose theirs,"
Greylorn stormed by, "By your leave, I have work to do."
    She watched him disappear back inside, leaving her alone again.

   **********************************************************************

    'I have him.'
    Those three simple words set them all off in a mad scramble at the peak
of noon.
    Tifa stood on deck, the wind rushing past her lithe body as she
advanced toward an invisible foe.
    Duck.
    Side step.
    Pirouette.
    Strike!
    Her attacker fell to the ground.
    Or he would had he been real.
    Man, I wish I had a sparring partner, she soured as her hands renewed
their drill.
    Of all the people she knew, none were made for the type of fighting
Master Zagnan had taught her. Cid was a pilot and though he brawled in
bars, he was definitely *not* a good choice. And from the looks he gave
her, Tifa thought he'd might try to cop a feel.
    Besides he was flying the ship.
    Vincent was level headed but he was a quickdraw artist, not a fighter.
Reeve was in the same league, though a bit slower. Nanaki, she got along
well enough, but as a sparring partner he was subpar in her eyes. Too
feral. It was akin to fighting an animal and thus not to her liking.
    Yuffie would've been perfect, but she turned out more annoying than
helpful. How she ever got that skilled --- a grin crossed Tifa's face as
she remembered how the young girl had taken on her own father. Immediately,
the woman bit her lip as she remembered how she died.
    As for Aeris --- well, she let that go.
    And Cloud.
    Tifa slammed her gloved fist into the wall.
    Yeah, they fought. But she was always careful to hold herself back,
afraid of hurting him. That's why he could always get her in bed and on
occasion, out of it.
    WHAM!
    Out of it.
    WHAM!
    She ground her knuckles into the metal plate. Just thinking about him
made it difficult to concentrate.
    Control, she told herself. Remember what Master had said.
    Control.
    It's not the greatest thing.
    It's the only thing.
    Her breathing came out steady as she renewed her motions.
    ". . . LAND IT!"
    She spun around and saw the others were on deck. Aeris waved and walked
over.
    "Practising?"
    "Yeah," Tifa shook her hair to work out the knots. She saw her friend
had the materia back in her hair just she always did.
    "Hey, he's done with that?" she pointed.
    "With what --- oh," Aeris reached up and touched her hair absently, "I
think so. I found it next to me when I woke up."
    "Oh," Tifa chewed her lip and wondered if Aeris harbored any inkling
about the stranger's motives. She silently debated whether or not to tell
her about the talk she had with the man last night; or rather the talk he
had with her.
    Come on Aeris, she thought. Even you have to notice how he --- looks at
you. I don't want to spook you, but there is something definitely wrong
with that man. I just hope to Planet I'll be there if something ---
    "Hey, what's wrong?"
    She saw Aeris giving her an odd look.
    "Um, nothing," Tifa said sullenly.
    The healer arched a brow.
    "Just a bit winded that's all," Tifa forced a grin, "Are we there?"
    "Umm hmm," the small woman nodded, "We're over Mideel right now."
    To Tifa, it was logical choice to find the enemy. The town had been
the focus of a terrific eruption. A huge hole was formed where Makou
had upwelled and breached the face of Planet. And if Greylorn was to be
trusted, then this was where the criminal "Sephiroth" would be.
    The dark haired woman peered carefully over the railing, "It's empty."
    "Huh?" Aeris looked at her oddly.
    "The Lifestream. It's gone."
    "Thass what I t'ought looked s'funny," Barret rumbled behind the two,
"Whar's all the Makou?"
    "I said land it!" Greylorn snapped into the comm tube.
    Almost immediately the ship dipped sharply and Tifa felt the floor rise
beneath her feet. Highwind Too settled smoothly on the wreckage strewn
ground.
    "It seems so empty," she remarked, "Without the Makou."
    "This was where he fell in didn't he?" Aeris asked suddenly.
    "What?" Tifa looked at her friend wide eyed.
    "Cloud," she whispered, "He said he fell into the Lifestream."
    "Yeah, he did."
    Tifa said nothing more.
    She could already sense doubt in the healer's voice whenever she spoke
of him. Revealing any more of what else happened could spell the end of ---
of everything she wanted for them.
    The raven haired woman bit her lip as she watched Aeris venture over
and cautiously peer over the edge of the pit.
"How far do you think this goes down?"
    "I dunno," Tifa came up and knelt beside her, "The crater went down
pretty damn far."
    "You got to watch that potty mouth," Aeris poked her, "Marlene's taken
a shine to you."
    "Yeah, I guess."
    "Oh right," Aeris looked down, "I -- I shouldn't have --- I'm sorry."
    "Huh?" Tifa blinked and saw her glum friend, "Hey, it's okay. She's
like a sister I never had y'know?"
    Aeris gave her friend a rueful smile, "I guess you're not the only one
saying dumb things, hmm?"
    "Hey, don't say that," Tifa gave her a heart warming grin, "You're not
---"
    ". . . CRAZY!?"
    "Uh oh," Aeris looked up.
    "C'mon," Tifa pulled her up.
    The two hurried over to where the group had gathered.
    "What's going on?" Aeris whispered.
    "We were pokin' 'round," Barret said in a hushed tone, "Ole blood an'
guts here foun' some people."
    "Alive?" Tifa asked fearfully.
    "Look fer yerself," the big man moved out of the way.
    The sight rooted her in place. Bodies were scattered all over the
ground of what used to be a wooden building. Bloody, tattered bodies. Naked
except for the dull streaks across their flayed skin --- streaks of dried,
hardened blood.
    "Great Planet. I -- I think -- I'm going to be sick," Aeris pushed away
and ran off a bit before doubling over.
    Tifa stood shock still, the ghastly scene sinking its sickly barbs
into her mind. A flayed body hung from one of the broken rafters, its skin
flapped like a cheap shawl in the light breeze. The horror compounded when
she dimly recognized the shattered face.
    It was the nurse from Mideel's hospital.
    Her head had been cut by a sharp instrument in such a way that the top
of her head was missing --- as were her eyes and brains.
    "In Planet's good name," Tifa backed away and bumped into a grimly
silent Barret.
    "H-how?" she barely managed to form words, "Wh-who?"
    "Dunno," came the reply, "But d'two over d'er. See 'em?"
    "Don't make me look Barret," she turned away, "Please."
    "Okay," his rumbling low and steady, "But d'ey the Turks. If ya wan'
t'know."
    "The Turks?" Tifa braved a second look, "In the name of ---" she
covered her mouth.
    A suited body still clutching a broken cane lay beneath the hanging
body, its feet pointed at her.
    Reno, she barely remembered the name.
    A broken cane was the only indication of the identity now. His head
was gone. Lying several paces away, Tifa saw a familiar looking bald man.
The glasses were knocked askew, and she could make out the face.
    Rude.
    The man who harassed them on the rocket's launch platform now lay
silent and still. He had to be. Blood stained flowers were sprouting
through the hole in his chest.
    "What were they doing here?"
    "Dunno," Barret answered dully, "But offal d'places t'go, 'dis be
d'lazz place I'd t'ought I'd see 'em."
    Tifa tore her gaze from the plethora of corpses and focused on the two
men. Their voices rose alarmingly fast.
    ". . . don't give a fuck what's happened!" Reeve shouted, "Holster that
damn gun!"
    "She is beyond help," Greylorn retorted, "I do her a service."
    A shivering woman cringed between them, obviously shaken and frightened.
She was also naked. Tifa gasped when she recognized her.
    "Il -- Ilyana?" she whispered in disbelief.
    The terrified woman, as if reacting to some unseen horror screamed. She
didn't stop until Greylorn brought his weapon down and struck her viciously
across the face.
    "STOP IT!!" Reeve roared and grabbed the man's arm.
    The cloaked man angrily shook him off as Red snarled and advanced.
    "Are you insane!?" the warrior bared his teeth, "She's still alive!"
    "And totally mad," the cloaked man hissed, "This is what the Elders do.
This is what their work does."
    "Make people go nuts?" Reeve snapped, "Like they have with you!?"
    "I am quite sane, thank you," Greylorn said coldly, "She on the other
hand ---"
    "I won't let you kill her," the wiry man stood defiantly in the way.
Some of the others stood silent and grim, Tifa noticed but said nothing.
She wouldn't blame them. Ilyana was afterall, an enemy.
    Or was.
    They had made some sort of peace right before facing down Scarlett and
her killing machine. Cloud had insisted on the matter; they had a lot to
lose by fighting and precious little time to spare. She didn't trust nor
forgive them. Not after what their boss tried to do to Aeris. She argued
strongly against letting them off. But as usual, he made the final
decision.
    Maybe we should have bopped them, she bit her lip absently. And spared
them all from *this*.
    ". . . you would do well to kill her now," Greylorn snapped, "What ever
horrors she saw here will plague her for the rest of her miserable life."
    "Leave her the fuck alone!" Cid shouted as Shera held him back, "Jus'
kitch your damn fugitive so you kin leave us the hell alone!"
    "Oh you think you are doing her a favor?" the man's tone sharpened,
"You would let her live with this accursed misery? I pity her then."
    "Since when have you shown any remorse?" Red sneered, "I thought you
were missing such a trait since you were born."
    "At least I am born simmie," Greylorn hissed and faced Reeve.
    "Fine. You want her? Then get her out of sight and ESPECIALLY out of
earshot until I make capture. Otherwise," he brusquely cut his throat with
a black gloved hand.
    "Don't worry. She won't be in your way," Reeve said gravely. He bent
down and whispered softly, "Can you hear me?"
    The woman was trembling from fear, shock, and the elements. A small
trickle of blood ran down the side where she was struck before. She hardly
moved when Reeve took out a kerchief and cleaned the blood off. Tifa
couldn't say whether she was aware of anything at all. The ex-mayor
shrugged off his overcoat and draped it gently over her. The woman's
shaking lessened as she clutched the dark fabric tightly.
    "I'll get her inside," Shera pushed past Greylorn and reached out for
her.
    Ilyana suddenly screamed and the nearsighted woman jumped away in time
to avoid being raked across the face.
    "Shera!" Cid helped her up, "Y'okay?"
    "Y-yeah," she straightened her glasses as Greylorn let out a lurid
chuckle.
    "Shuttup!" the pilot spat vehemently at his feet and turned to Reeve,
"You b'careful boss."
    "Right," the man now clad only in a striped shirt and slacks cautiously
approached.
    "Ilyana?" he said softly. The woman craned her head slowly and stared
fearfully at him.
    Tifa held her breath. What ever occurred here, she didn't care to
happen to her or anyone else. Nor did she ever want to find out.
    "Is she going to be okay?"
    Tifa saw Aeris come up next to her. The small woman was a tad more pale
and her voice bore some strain.
    "Yeah," she whispered, "Are you?"
    "Just a bit lighter," Aeris smiled weakly and rubbed her tummy, "Think
I can help?"
    "I doubt it Cetra," the blue eyed man turned around, "Her wound is not
physical." He tapped his head and moved off a little.
    Reeve stood and gently led the stricken woman, "Get her on the ship
would you?"
    Cid soured as Shera nodded and gingerly reached out again. Ilyana
backed away and clung fearfully to Reeve.
    "It appears you have a new pet," Greylorn brandished a small metal disk
and waved it casually around. Reeve gave him a hate filled glare.
    "Someone better shutt'im up," Cid hissed quietly, "Or I'm gonna ---"
    "Let it go," Shera tugged him gently before turning to Ilyana, "Come
on, I won't hurt you."
    "Go on Ilyana," Reeve tried pushing her off, "Go with Shera. She'll
take care of you until I get back."
    The white faced woman cowered fearfully from the mousy woman and clung
on even tighter to Reeve.
    "Hey," Tifa spoke up, "Maybe you should stay."
    "I'm going," Reeve shook his head, "Just give me a minute."
    "I do not have a minute," Greylorn said suddenly, "I have multiple
simulacra signals."
    "Where?" Aeris grew alarmed.
    "Several meters below. Not moving."
    "We'd better prepare," Red looked at Tifa, "If they're anything like
what you said they were."
    "They are not moving," Greylorn repeated, "Which means ---"
    "He's here," Aeris said flatly, "Waiting."
    "He will not be if I elect to tarry," the man stepped quickly over to
the pit, eyes glued to the small meter in hand.
    "Wait!" Reeve called out as the others began to disperse.
    "Stay up top bossman. We might need'cha later."
    "Cid what the hell?!"
    The pilot ignored him and spun Shera around, "Stay an' help'im."
    "But --!"
    "Go on," his tone soft but firm. "I'll b'back. I promise."
    Her hands clasped his firmly, "I'll wait forever if I have to."
    "I know," Cid brushed her cheek lightly before trotting off.
    She and Reeve watched as the rest of the party disappeared into the
pit.

   **********************************************************************

    Stumbling in the darkness, Tifa tried not to trip and fall.
    Who'd know where I'd end up?
    "Aeris?"
    "Right here."
    Tifa felt a soft hand brush hers briefly before flitting away again.
    "Shoot!"
    "You all right?" Tifa called out concerned.
    "Yeah," Aeris groaned, "Just slipped on something loose that's all. Be
careful."
    "Got it," Tifa slid forth carefully and felt around the loose rocks
which tripped her friend.
    "Mebbe we shoulda brought a light fust," Barret cursed lightly from
behind.
    "No lights," Greylorn hissed, "It is bad enough they track us by smell
and heat."
    "So how t'hell kin we fight?" Tifa heard Cid hiss loudly, "Blind?"
    "When we find him then you can light the place to your heart's
content," the man rasped back, "Until then, be quiet and follow the
simmie's tail."
    Red growled as he was reluctantly dragged into the argument. The
warrior saw with little light, so they opted to have him lead. The
incandescent tip of his tail served as a beacon for the others to follow.
It also made *him* the prime target should anyone start firing.
    That was unnerving, he thought as he took care not to lose his footing.
    "Some last minute advice," Greylorn spoke in hushed tones, "Jenovan
simulacra were non-bipedal for most part, they preferred to use them as
supplements to their own forces."
    "And what has this got to do with us?" Aeris asked.
    "You kill anything with more than two legs," Greylorn paused briefly,
"Present company excepted of course."
    "Of course," Red growled.
    They continued on in silence until the quadruped suddenly spoke up.
    "Am I a simulacrum?"
    "Yes," the reply came back terse and emotionless.
    Tifa saw the incandescent tail hover unmoving in the dark.
    "N-nanaki?" she whispered.
    "Was I made?" the voice was tinged with fear.
    "Most likely."
    Red was silent.
    "Am I -- Jenovan?" he asked finally.
    "No," Greylorn pushed past him.
    "Then what --- am --- I?"
    Tifa thought she heard Red's voice quaver ever so slightly.
    "The Jenovans were not the only ones using simulacra for war."
    She heard Aeris gasp, "You don't mean he's ---"
    "A Cetra simulacra?" Greylorn's voice came back cold, "Of course I do.
Why else would I allow him to continue to breathe around you?"
    Aeris inhaled sharply, "But I thought --"
    "You thought nothing, Cetra. Now be quiet before ---"
    Laughter suddenly echoed through the tunnels.
    "Whut wuz that?" Barret growled.
    "Sounds like laffin'," Cid rasped.
    "Yeah, but whos'?"
    Tifa groped about until she found Aeris.
    "Stay close okay?" she whispered.
    "What else can I do?" the healer gave her a squeeze.
    Red could barely see, but he could make out Greylorn stepping away a
bit.
    "Where're you going?" the warrior asked.
    When the man didn't answer, he called out again, "Do the words of a
simulacrum fall on deaf ears?"
    Greylorn whipped his around. Urgency stained his voice when he spoke
again, "She's here ---"
    "She?" Red knitted his brow as his foot pads detected tremors from the
ground, "What are you --?"
    He never finished his sentence as a thunder clap erupted with no
warning. Red leaped aside to avoid being skewered by a large black shape.
Shouts and screams rang in his ears as he dodged back to his companions.
    "AERIS!"
    Red heard Tifa's scream before another lower one reached his ears.
    "TIFA! Don't --- AAAAAH!"
    Barret's baritone hardly rose over the din. Red could dimly see past
the explosion of rock and dirt, but he could only make out the big man,
Cid, and Vincent.
    The rumbling stopped as quickly as it had come. The silence was
deafening.
    "Where's Aeris? And Tifa?"
    "I -- I --- don' know," Barret coughed.
    "Fuck this," Cid hissed, "I'm lighting up."
    The cavern was bathed in a soft orange glow as the pilot hefted a makou
lantern high.
    "They're gone."
    "What?!" Red looked at Vincent.
    "It happened so fast," the tall man replied, "Aeris just --- fell."
    "Fell?"
    "Into the ground."
    "A hole then," Cid smugly.
    "I checked already," Vincent said quietly, "I cannot find an opening
anywhere."
    "Whar's Tifa?" Barret growled.
    "I saw her grab onto Aeris right before they both vanished."
    "This isn't good," Red said gruffly, "Greylorn?!"
    No answer.
    "Greylorn!"
    Still no answer.
    "You'd better have a good explanation for keeping your tongue," the
warrior snarled.
    "He does," Vincent said suddenly.
    "Does he?" Red hesitated, "What is it?"
    "He's dead."
    "WHAT!?" the quadruped scuttled over to where the others were. The
trademark black cloak lay in a heap. Barret gingerly shoved aside the
fabric with his gun arm. Cid made face and turned away. Beneath the black
garb dripped a foul smelling red glop.
    "What --- happened?" Red sniffed the corpse and immediately sneezed.
    Acid.
    And acid eaten flesh. Blood and bone poured freely onto the floor. The
sour stench engulfed the place and the warrior's nose. Red turned away in
disgust.
    "Surely, even he did not deserve this," Vincent said quietly.
    "Well, what goes aroun' comes aroun'," Cid spat on the ground.
    "Ne'ermin' dat now," Barret growled, "We gotta find the two."
    "They kin be anywhere," Cid hissed.
    "Jez start lookin'," the big man strode down a tunnel, "An' we keep it
t'gether."
    So we can all die together, Red thought sourly but he followed
regardless.

   **********************************************************************

    "Oooh," Aeris struggled to open her eyes.
    Funny, how come I can't move?
    Uh oh.
    What the?
    She found herself dangling several feet above the floor, apparently
safe in a pocket of white stuff. Aeris sniffed the white gunk cautiously.
    No smell, no taste.
    But it was tough.
    The cocoon had her bundled so tightly she could hardly move. She craned
her head around for a look. A giant cavern was around her, illuminated by
bright and brittle materia.
    "Wow."
    The small woman's jaw dropped as her eyes feasted on dancing,
shimmering crystal. Tons and tons of the stuff. It was all around, above
her, and below. The place wasn't lined with materia. It was *made up* of
it.
    Across the room, she saw a white bulb dangling from the ceiling. A
familiar swath of jet black hair hung from its top.
    "Tifa?" she called out.
    No answer.
    "Tifa!" she shouted.
    She heard a groan as the woman stirred.
    "A-Aeris?" Tifa looked around, "Wh-what happened?"
    "Hey! Can you get down?" Aeris squirmed to little effect.
    Tifa twisted this way and that, her hair thrashed about in a vain
attempt to break loose.
    "Ungh. Sorry," she heaved, "It's too tight to --- ungh --- dammit!"
    "Hey," Aeris looked around again, "Where are we?"
    "I dunno," Tifa heaved, "But I want to get out of here and find
Sephiroth."
    "Me too," Aeris tried squirming again.
    "Then fortune smiles upon thee," a voice rang out from nowhere, "You
have succeeded."
    Aeris swallowed hard as Tifa began struggling desperately to break
free. The healer could see a slim figure behind the thinner pieces of clear
materia. Laughter echoed throughout the cave as a figure stepped slowly
into view. She gasped as a svelte figure in a flowing white dress stood
smiling at them. The apparition stood in full view of both of them on the
materia dais in the center of the room. The hair was the whitest snow as
was the complexion, but something sinister hid behind those dark almond
eyes.
    "Wh-who are you?" Aeris managed to find her voice. Tifa had stopped her
frantic struggles to behold the being before them.
    "Why I am who you seek," the woman let out a chilling laugh and bowed,
"Alegnin Sephiroth, at your beckon."


==============================================================


trustno1

    -- password to access personal computer - Agent Fox Mulder, FBI


==============================================================


    "You're Sephiroth?" Tifa's voice was incredulous, "That's a bunch of
crock!"
    "I am," the pale woman passed a gaze of disdain over her. Aeris looked
fearfully at their captor as she stepped closer.
    "Al-leg-nin," the woman's eyes glittered with mirth, "Do well to
remember it."
    "Why did you capture us?" Tifa shouted from across the room, "Who are
you really?"
    "I told you," she held up a hand for inspection, "I am Alegnin
Sephiroth."
    "You're a woman."
    "And what of it?" she looked at them.
    "Sephiroth's a guy," Tifa said flatly.
    "There are no male Jenovans my dear," Alegnin looked wistfully at
Aeris, "At least not anymore. Not after you killed all of them."
    "Me?" the healer gaped, "What did I do?"
    "You killed them," the pale woman whispered, "You and your cursed
ancestors are all the same."
    "What do you know about the Cetra?" Aeris asked suspiciously.
    "More than I care to know," Alegnin pursed her lips and looked at her
with contempt, "After all, I am the last Jenovan."
    "So you're the criminal," Aeris took in a breath, "You're the one
everyone's looking for."
    "Criminal?" the woman scoffed, "If there was an ounce of justice in
this universe, you wouldn't be here and I need not bear this agony."
    Aeris offered no reply.
    "But there isn't," Alegnin visibly sagged, "So I have taken it upon
myself to set things right."
    "What are you going to do?!" Tifa wriggled to no avail, "Turn us into
those things you sent after Aeris?"
    "This is none of your business," Alegnin glared at her, "I have no
quarrels with slaves."
    "I'm no damned slave you bitch!" Tifa flared, "Let us down!"
    "Slave?" Aeris glanced at the pale woman, "What gibberish are you
spouting?"
    Alegnin studied her carefully before she burst out laughing, "You mean
you really don't know?"
    "I know you have a sick, twisted mind," Aeris glared at her.
    "He never told you," her tone almost pitiful, "Poor child, what lies
have you heard?"
    "Lies?" Aeris felt her heart skip a beat, "What lies?"
    "Tell me," the woman looked at her, "What has the great star killer
told you?"
    "Star killer?"
    "The one who destroyed your people."
    "I know all too clearly who destroyed my people."
    "Oh?" Alegnin's voice held amusement, "Who?"
    "You did," Aeris hissed, "It wasn't enough to leave things alone, you
had to wipe us out."
    "On the contrary," Alegnin said coldly, "It was *your* race who killed
mine. We were never a match for you."
    "Liar," tears welled in Aeris' eyes as she tried breaking free, "LIAR!"
    "Tell me what other falsehoods has he unleashed on those deaf ears of
yours?"
    "You killed my people!" Aeris thrashed about madly, "All of them! I'm
THE LAST ONE!" The small woman broke into sobs as she failed to break out
from the silky bulb.
    "My, my, my. How the mighty have fallen."
    The pale woman rose silently off the floor and floated over to Aeris.
    "Don't worry child," Alegnin tilted small woman up by the chin, "I will
put your mind to rest, before I pass you and your cursed race into memory."
    "Why don't you come over here!?" Tifa shouted, "I'll give you something
you won't forget!"
    At those words, Alegnin turned and headed towards her. Tifa's eyes
followed her warily, looking for any weakness. The woman had long flowing
white hair and pale skin. Her body though seemingly ethereal at a glance,
was athletic and well built. She could fight if need be. The only jarring
thing about her were those limpet pools of darkness that were her eyes.
They were completely black --- there were no traces of the pupils or the
corneas.
    "Oh you mislead little wretch," the levitating woman leaned close, but
not close enough for her to strike, "Don't you know? We were her servants."
    "The hell are you talking about?!" Tifa glared. Aeris had quieted down
and was listening intently as Alegnin kept talking.
    "Two and a half thousand years ago, I lived peacefully on a planet with
millions of others like me. Millions," she passed a hate filled glare at
them.
    "We were oblivious to the cosmos as it was to us, until one day,"
Alegnin darkened, "One day, the Cetra war machine arrived in orbit and
commanded us to surrender."
    Tifa passed a look of disbelief at Aeris then at 'Sephiroth'.
    "Oh yes," Alegnin looked between them, "the Cetra tore apart stars in
the name of conquest and enslaved thousands of species out of the spirit of
malevolence."
    "YOU LIE!" Aeris shrieked.
    "I have no need to lie to a fellow slave," Alegnin folded her arms.
    "You keep calling me that and I'll tear your head off bitch."
    "Such temperament," the woman eyed her with distaste, "Don't you know?
This world we are on now were populated by the underclass."
    "Underclass?"
    "All of you on this world," she pointed at Tifa, "were slaves of the
Cetra."
    "Slaves?" Tifa whispered, "It can't be."
    "It was a holding pen for the underclass, this world."
    Tifa stared at her in astonishment.
    "Crock," she whispered.
    "I jest not. Sometimes the Cetra would even breed with their slaves,"
Alegnin crinkled her eyes, "On occasion they would even allow them to be
born."
    Aeris looked at her in revulsion.
    "These are your forebears," Alegnin pointed a finger at Tifa,
"Generations of cross breeding has weeded out the traits our masters
possessed. They are Cetra like ice is hot. The derisive term for these
hybrids, if I remember correctly, was 'Cetrid'."
    Tifa gaped in disbelief.
    "That's correct," Alegnin laughed, "Every living thing on this world
was a Cetra simulacrum, a slave, or a Cetrid. There was no permanent
settlements anywhere. They dumped us on this world and treated us like
animals," she looked at Tifa with a mix of contempt and pity, "Do you still
serve her?"
    "I don't serve anybody!" Tifa strained uselessly against her bulbous
prison, "She's my friend!"
    "Friend?" Alegnin let out an empty chuckle, "You're more of a fool than
I thought. You found a good pet Cetra."
    "HOW DARE YOU!" Aeris cried out, "You killed fifty races! You killed
off all my people except me!"
    "Compared to what your people have done," Alegnin's voice shook, "My
deeds are nothing. Your ancestors killed and enslaved hundreds of
civilizations. Some say thousands."
    "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"
    "I DON'T CARE!" Alegnin exploded with fury and looked at them both with
hate filled eyes.
    "I had a world, a family. But most of all, I had my life! But it all
changed that day," her voice shook as she bore her gaze into the small
woman, "Your ancestors came onto our world and slaughtered us until we were
broken in body and spirit. Then you herded us, like beasts into your
laboratories and experimented on."
    Tifa and Aeris kept silent as she went on.
    "And when you were finished," the white face twitched, "we were
disposed of."
    "My family, my mother, my father," Alegnin whispered, "All crushed in
the name of conquest."
    "You can't be serious," Tifa gasped, "The Cetra were peaceful."
    "You believe their propaganda?" Alegnin asked spitefully, "Do you
believe her?" she pointed at Aeris.
    "With my life," the dark haired woman replied immediately.
    "Well, it makes no difference to me what you believe," Alegnin snorted,
"All I want is to see her dead." She cast her coal black eyes at Aeris.
"But not before I see her suffer."
    "So it's not just enough to kill me?" Aeris mustered a brave voice,
"You're a sadist and a murderer."
    "MURDERER!?" Alegnin's nostrils flared, "I killed with a purpose! Your
people simply killed!!"
    "FUCK YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"
    Tifa watched in horror and fascination as Aeris let loose expletives
even she never heard of --- until now.
    "CAN YOU!? WILL YOU?!" Alegnin flashed with anger, "I'll see you dead
before the day is out!"
    The cavern fell silent they each gathered themselves.
    "I'll stop you," the small woman was trembling, her face flushed from
her sudden exertion. Tifa could tell even she was surprised by her own
fury.
    "Planet help me if that's the last thing I do. And if not me, then
Greylorn. He'll take care of this." Aeris suddenly brightened, "And he'll
find me. He always does. He'll come and then you'll get what's coming to
you."
    "Greylorn?" Alegnin furrowed a brow.
    "The man Council sent after you," Aeris said with resolve, "He'll rip
this place apart to find you."
    "Ah, so he answers to a new name now," a twisted smile crossed
Alegnin's face, "Of course star killer will come. He must. He created me."
    "What are you talking about!?"
    "It was through his folly that I am what I am today," she glowered.
    "H-how?"
    "After the destruction of my race, I managed to escape," Alegnin said
in a fierce whisper, "I was alone for so long I had forgotten how to speak
when they came."
    "They?" Aeris whispered, "They who?"
    "The Council."
    "What did they want?" Tifa asked.
    "Me," Alegnin crinkled her eyes.
    "Wh-what did they want?"
    "They wanted to know if I was truly the last Jenovan."
    Aeris looked at her mute.
    "I said, 'yes'," the woman clawed her hands, "And when I begged them
that justice be done, they complied."
    Alegnin looked at Aeris hatefully, "They gave the order. Genocide."
    "What?!"
    "Exterminate the Cetra," jovial wretchedness rung in her voice,
"Destroy their race as they have done to others. Quite poetic is it not?"
    Aeris and Tifa could only gape.
    "They dispatched several of their agents to carry out the task. Their
leader was known as 'star killer' to your people."
Alegnin's laughter echoed through the cavern, "Sarra mich-nuem arazzo vech
deur. The blue eyed one who extinguishes stars."
    "Blue --- eyed?" Aeris gulped.
    "He was my dark avenger," the pale woman closed her eyes, "I still
remember how he told me that he would personally bring about the
destruction of the Cetra Empire. And he gave me his word."
    "No," Aeris whispered as her words took hold, "It can't be."
    "Aye. He led the death mission against your precious people," she
suddenly darkened, "All but those on this world."
    "Planet?" Tifa rasped, "Why?"
    "This damned slave ridden world held the last few remnants of the whole
Cetra race who escaped extermination," Alegnin trembled with rage as she
spoke, "For some --- reason I cannot even fathom, he allowed you killers,
you murderers to live on. Here."
    "So you came," Aeris said softly, "to Planet to finish his task."
    "Aye," the woman was full of mirth, "And I would have succeeded had I
not been so careless to have misjudged the GMD. It ensnared my mind and
sealed it in that accursed sphere. My body was buried by those who escaped
my wrath."
    "It took me centuries," Alegnin continued, "but I learned how to use
the crystal sequence of my prison to manipulate the man who sought to study
my fetid corpse."
    "Hojo," Aeris whispered hoarsely.
    "Aye. And he served me well."
    "You were behind all this from the beginning," Tifa perked up,
"Controlling that bastard to --- to ---"
    "Carry out my plans as his 'experiment'," Alegnin chuckled, "You would
have impressed your master with your sharp tongue."
    Tifa hissed before the woman continued, "Right before he cut it out."
    "Were you the one at the Crater?" the healer asked.
    "Crater?" the woman arched a brow, "Aye, I was there."
    "And Sephiroth?" Aeris asked, "Was Meteor part of all this?"
    "That boy of his was strong minded, I must admit," the pallid woman
darkened, "But he was driven by pettiness and indecision. I owe your
companions a word of thanks for undoing him."
    "And they'll find us," Tifa said stubbornly, "And when they do, I'll
kick your ass bitch."
    "Yes, I suppose you would try," the woman cast her coal black eyes at
her before settling back down on the dais in the rooms' center.
    "And when I'm done," the dark haired woman continued, "We'll make sure
you never see the light of day again."
    "Oh I'll survive," Alegnin laughed, "As I did at Crater."
    "How did you?" Aeris gazed at her warily.
    "Why through my allies of course."
    "Allies?"
    "They managed to freeze my former body and bring it here for repair."
    "How?"
    Alegnin's eyes sparkled, "In a delightful bath of nitrogen."
    Alien buzzing suddenly filled the room. Aeris and Tifa froze with fear
as a giant --- spider like creature skittered from the corner of the room
and stopped before their captor. It was the size of a small house and it
looked to Tifa as if it could catch and devour a chocobo in one swipe. It
chirped wildly for several moments before Alegnin held up a hand.
    "I see," she turned and smiled at her dangling prisoners, "I am afraid
my colleague here bears grim news. Star killer is dead."
    Aeris widened her eyes as the woman went on.
    "It also tells me your friends are quite lost and still wandering the
labyrinth of tunnels outside. I wonder if I should wait for them?"
    "Why don't you just get it over with?!" Tifa spat violently, "You got
us already!"
    Chirping from the spider creature interrupted Alegnin before she could
reply.
    "What? No. Later."
    The chirping grew irritatingly short.
    "I will complete the bargain as soon as I have sated my vengeance."
    Three short chirps came out and the spider scuttled out of the room and
disappeared.
    "No one will be able to find you now," Alegnin chuckled, "Not down
here. No one."
    Tifa suddenly remembered what Cid and Reeve said last night.
    'Spida's. Big ass spida's.'
    "That was an Elder?" she spoke up.
    Alegnin twirled to face her. She cocked her head, "Bright girl."
    "Yes," she stepped up, "That was an Elder."
    "And you're working together," Tifa observed.
    "Of course," Alegnin laughed, "Why else do you think they are here?
They did excellent work securing privacy for my abode, did they not?"
    Tifa shuddered as she remembered the devastated town up top.
    "Greylorn said they wanted to capture you."
    "DID HE NOW?" she looked at Aeris, "Haven't you realized by now that
man lied as easily as he killed?"
    The healer looked down and shut her ears to the laughter.
    "So what do they want?" Tifa asked, "Really."
    "What they want is simple," Alegnin gave her a wan smile, "Political
stability."
    "What has this got to do with me?' Aeris piped up.
    "With you," the pale woman pointed at her, "Not much. But with the
legacy that your ancestors have left you, everything."
    "Legacy?" Aeris whispered.
    "Everything on this world is at your beckon Cetra," Alegnin flashed a
grim smile, "All you have to do is enter the correct sequence with that
crystal of yours ---"
    Mother's materia, Aeris thought.
    "--- and the GMD will act as your Guardian and Provider for the rest of
your life."
    "What are you saying?" she shook.
    "I am saying that you, my dear Cetra," Alegnin chuckled, "Can rule over
this puny world as a god with the merest flick of a switch."
    The small woman blinked.
    "By resequencing the --- Makou."
    "Why?" Aeris demanded.
    "To create a new race of slaves."
    "H-how?"
    "The GMD creates copies of people ---"
    "I know."
    "Then what do you suppose happens to those copies?"
    "Greylorn said ---" Aeris stopped and shuddered, fearing the worst.
    "Aye," Alegnin nodded, "GMD can also *overwrite* an existing
personality. It was the ultimate slave maker."
    "I --- don't --- believe you," tears began falling from the healer's
eyes.
    "Oh I wouldn't worry mistress," Alegnin laughed, "I'm sure no matter
what calamity happened, your GMD protected you."
    Tifa realized what doubts floated through her friend's mind. If this
GMD was what it was, then could Greylorn have tampered with Aeris? She felt
a rush of anger and remorse consume her again. It was as if she died all
over again.
    Was she Aeris?
    Or not?
    Tifa struggled to keep herself in check, but it was difficult.
    "In any case, the Elders do not want you in control of slaves or of
anything else for that matter."
    "They intend to take my life?"
    "No," the pale woman chuckled, "I have first choice in that matter."
    "What did you offer in return?" Tifa spat.
    "WEAPON," Aeris said suddenly, "They want WEAPON."
    "You'd think that wouldn't you?" Alegnin suddenly turned, "Blood
thirsty scum."
    Tifa snorted, "I don't believe you."
    "You don't have to."
    "It will come for you," the healer tightened her face.
    Alegnin didn't answer as the materia behind the dais shimmered. The two
women watched the gargantuan six armed machine move over the water, its
jets emitting a bright flare as it flew.
    "Perhaps. Shall we see how my allies fare?"
    It was then Tifa noticed that there was activity on the beast's skin
--- er --- hull, she corrected herself.
    "Still searching for me," the woman sniffed, "No doubt fulfilling its
master's aims."
    Aeris didn't bother to reply as the image magnified several fold and
she could make out a small metallic spider thing scuttling into a hole in
the thing's armor.
    The view drew back just as a bright flash erupted from WEAPON's
midsection. She gasped as Tifa looked on with mounting horror as the
behemoth plummeted earthward. There was no sound, but judging from the size
of the explosion, it was highly doubtful nothing would survive the area of
impact. Alegnin turned back to her two mute captives as the image faded
from view.
    "I guess killing comes as naturally to you as it did to Greylorn," Tifa
spat.
    "You know nothing of sorrow slave," the pale woman hissed and pointed
at Aeris, "Do you know what it feels like to see your world die?"
    "My world died when you came," the small woman glared back, "I have no
one to speak to anymore of my own heritage."
    "Be damn your heritage," Alegnin sneered as she flew back towards them,
"At least you didn't witness your people's destruction first hand."
    "What?" Tifa gaped, "How?"
    "One of my captors desired me," their pallid captor allowed herself a
thin smile as she floated over to Aeris, "He took me as a consort.
Sometimes he treated me as treasure."
    Aeris flinched as Alegnin gently brushed her cheek, "Other times like
trash."
    "When his own mate discovered what he did, she made plans to dispose of
me. But not before making me suffer for my insolence," she drew a manicured
nail down Aeris' cheek, "Mistress had me watch while executioners killed
every last Jenovan before my very eyes."
    Aeris panted fearfully as the pale woman drew closer.
    "The last one was my son."
    The pallid woman smiled ruefully as she continued, "He was my baby boy.
My first and my only child. They took him and they killed him whilst I
watched."
    Alegnin's face tightened as she went on, "My world ended when he died.
My mate was killed in the initial bombardment. And Cetra could never
impregnate me; that was why I was chosen as a consort in the first place."
    "That child was the last hope for me," she whispered, "For our people.
And you took him away. My darling Sephiroth."
    The healer felt her icy breath on her neck.
    "Do you know what 'Sephiroth' means, Cetra?"
    Aeris looked up fearfully and shook her head.
    "It means 'Son of Seriepei'."
    The look on the small woman's face prompted the her to elucidate,
"Seriepei was the Jenovan god of life --- and death."
    Tifa cried out in horror as the woman wrenched Aeris up by the hair and
savagely spit on her face.
    "LEAVE HER ALONE YOU SICK BITCH!"
    She flitted away as Aeris gagged in revulsion.
    "I've waited a long time for this," Alegnin whispered, "To have one of
you so helpless before me as I was before you."
    "You killed my son," the pale woman set herself down on the dais, "But
I have the last laugh Cetra."
    "My children shall walk on your ashes and they shall remember this
day," Alegnin cackled, "Hear of it and rejoice. For I shall repopulate this
universe with our blood and we shall spit on your graves!"
    "Meet my companion Cetra and witness the beginning of your end," she
clamoured with glee, "It will be the last thing you see before you die."
    Alegnin clapped loudly and a dark shape lurched forth from the edge of
the room. The two captive women gasped as it moved into the light.
    Aeris let out a cry of despair. Tifa couldn't believe it.
    "Tiger?" her eyes grew wide.

   **********************************************************************

    "Aw hell," Cid stopped and whispered, "Didja hear that?"
    The pilot cocked his head and listened.
    "There it'tis again."
    "I hear it too," Vincent nodded, "That sounded like ---"
    "Screamin'," Barret growled, "Dat means d'en ---"
    "They're near," Red picked up his ears and turned, "This way!"

   **********************************************************************

    "A fine specimen," Alegnin brushed the young man's neck.
    "Cloud! Cloud!" Aeris suddenly shouted, "Help us!"
    Their captor narrowed her eyes, "You know him?"
    "Cloud!" Tifa yelled, "What the hell are you doing?!"
    The young man stared blankly into space as the pale woman drew her
lithe arms around him, "Oh my naughty boy, why didn't you tell me before?"
    Cloud stood mute and silent as Alegnin laughingly ran her hands across
him. Tifa could see that there was something not right.
    His face.
    His arms.
    His clothes.
    They looked bruised and torn.
    Oh dear Planet, she thought as her eyes settled on his cracked face.
    He looked as if he was mangled by a machine.
    "What did you do to him?!" she shrieked, "YOU DAMN BITCH!!"
    "Watch your tongue," Alegnin said coldly, "Or I tear it out myself."
    "YOU HURT HIM DAMN YOU!" Tifa cried, "YOU HURT HIM!!"
    "Hurt him?" the reply was unbelieving, "I did nothing of the sort!"
    "Liar!" Aeris shouted.
    "I do not lie to a fellow slave," Alegnin said icily, "He was in much
worse shape before."
    "W-worse?" the healer croaked.
    "Aye," the pale woman turned thoughtful, "I suppose it resulted from
the fall he took."
    "Fall?" Aeris paled.
    "Yes. My pets found him dying at the base of a cliff."
    Tifa blinked desperately to clear her vision as the woman continued, "I
healed his wounds as best I could. He was just laying there, waiting for
death as he kept mewing 'ar-riss' and 'tee-fa' over and over."
    Aeris looked away and tried to hide her tears when Alegnin suddenly
darkened.
    "You."
    Tifa sucked in a breath as the woman turned towards them with an evil
glitter.
    "He was talking about you two wasn't he?"
    The expression on their faces told the woman more than words ever
could. Laughter echoed throughout the cavern as she gleefully exulted to
the unseen heavens, "THIS IS WONDERFUL!! More than I can have ever hoped
for all these centuries!"
    Alegnin gave them an unsavory smile as she turned and knelt before a
motionless Cloud. The two watched in horror as the pale woman tore open his
trousers and began to arouse him.
    "NO!" Tifa shrieked, "STOP IT!."
    "Cloud!" Aeris screamed, "Fight it! Don't do this!"
    "Wake up tiger!" Tifa shouted, "SNAP OUT OF IT!!"
    Aeris began crying as Alegnin sucked hungrily on the young man.
    "Abase me," she looked up at the moronic young man, "I --- want --- you
--- to --- ah --- base --- me."
    Alegnin slurped wetly until Cloud drew rigid.
    "Oh excellent!" she cried as she was doused with a faceful of white, "I
could not have hoped for better!"
    Tifa fought and wriggled but with no effect. The young woman fought to
keep control, but with what went on just before her eyes, it was hard to
concentrate. Tears burned her eyes as all she could think of was wrapping
her hands around the pale woman's neck and squeezing as hard as she could
until it snapped.
    "And now," Alegnin stood up and produced a small device from her hand,
"To ensure you will perform to my liking."
    He seemed oblivious to her presence as she pressed the device to his
forehead. He jerked slightly and the albino woman stepped back, device
still in place. The young man began trembling violently as convulsions ran
through his body. Aeris and Tifa both cried out as the young man's skin
began to writhe from something underneath.
    "CLOUD!" Aeris wailed.
    "TIGER!" Tifa screamed.
    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!"
    Cloud's body arched violently as steam escaped from his body. Alegnin
stood silent but she kept her eyes glued to the spectacle before her. When
the haze cleared he stood fully erect, his body cast in a deep blue tinge.
Chunks of his skin were thickened and were protruding out at odd angles.
While he still bore some semblance to the man he once was, he no longer
looked human. Not even at a glance.
    Tifa could hear Aeris' weeping as the pallid woman caressed herself to
prepare for such an undertaking.
    "Aaah yes. *This* is to my liking. And you *will* satisfy me."
    "Yyyyessss," his words came out painfully slow.
    "You will do as *I* say."
    "Yyyyessss."
    Alegnin stood and moved towards her monstrous blue lover.
    "If you touch him again," Tifa shouted from her perch, "I'll fucking
kill you!"
    "Can you?" the naked woman twirled enticingly close to Cloud and
laughed.
    The brute that was once man sat on the floor like a dumb animal as the
pale figure lowered herself. Grunts of pleasure escaped her pallid lips as
she began to rock to and fro on the man-beast's shaft.
    "Cloud! Please! Wake up!" Aeris kept crying, "PLEASE!"
    "Save --- your breath --- Cetra," Alegnin panted, "He's ---- mine ---
ahhh."
    Tifa couldn't hold back any more as she felt her own tears fall.
    He looks so blank, she thought. Does he even know we're here?
    She risked a look at her friend. Aeris was openly weeping now, not even
bothering to form proper words. Her cries grew louder as Alegnin grunted
and ground her hips into Cloud's lap. The pale woman suddenly stood and dug
a finger in her ear.
    "ENOUGH! I cannot bear her incessant whining!"
    Alegnin stabbed a manicured finger at the beast man, "GO! Silence her
and I will reward you."
    "Yyyyessss," the beast-Cloud lurched forth slightly as Aeris felt a
slight jerk.
    A short cry prompted her to steal a glance at Tifa. The dark haired
woman seemed to be going higher.
    Or was she?
    Aeris looked down and gasped.
    Uh, oh. She began to struggle frantically.
    Alegnin's coal black eyes glittered with mirth as her monstrous servant
approached its descending quarry.

   **********************************************************************

    "The hell is he doin'?" Barret whispered as peeked from around the
corner.
    The four of them just arrived to see Sephiroth prance around a blue
monster. Red wrinkled his nose. Something was wrong. He may have only
one eye, but he was sure that thing in the distance was not the Sephiroth
they had fought. For one thing it smelled different.
    For another, it had the body and the voice of a woman.
    "I don' wanna fuckin' know," Cid tightened a twine around a bundle of
dynamite, "We gotta hit 'im hard and fast."
    "It may not be a 'he'," Red said.
    "What?" Barret and Cid glanced at him.
    "I said it isn't a 'he'," the warrior repeated.
    The big man looked at him, "This ain' no time fo' jokes."
    "He's right," Vincent rasped, "It's a woman."
    Cid and Barret risked another look.
    "Aw shit," the big man whispered.
    "Ya gotta be kiddin'," the pilot rasped, "Must be a man dressin' up in
wimmen's clothin' right?"
    Red snorted, "Who cares, just keep focused and --- Planet help us, it's
Aeris."
    The four watched as the pink clad woman cringed away from the blue
beast.
    "Fuck, we gotta do sumthin'," Barret hefted his gun arm.
    Vincent followed suit and they both braced themselves. The big man
slowly trained his sites on his target when Vincent suddenly grabbed him.
    "Whut the hell!?" Barret glared at the man.
    "Don't fire!" Vincent snapped, "It's Cloud!"
    "What!?" Cid looked up.
    "It's Cloud!" the gunman repeated, "Nanaki, your nose agrees?"
    "No," the quadruped soured, "But my eyes do. The face is faint, but
it's him."
    "So what do we do?!" Cid snapped.
    "DDDDDDIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE."
    The four stopped their bickering and saw a pair of red eyes leering at
them. Another pair emerged behind the first. And another. And another. Red
growled and backed away.
    Ambush.
    Low, guttural grunts and howls could be heard as the simulacra horde
advanced.

   **********************************************************************

    Aeris worked free of her bulb and backed away from the thing that was
Cloud as Alegnin smiled. Tifa, still in her perch saw a pair of ape
creatures scuttle behind her to cut off escape. The pink clad woman looked
up and froze as beast-Cloud stood over her.
    "CLOUD!" Tifa shrieked, "Snap out of it!"
    "I've waited long for this day," Alegnin laughed and turned to her
servant, "Kill her."
    Sudden chaos erupted around the room as Barret and Vincent burst in
guns blazing. The simulacra behind Aeris scattered as the fighting swept
them apart. The healer quickly scrambled to her feet and ran for cover.
    Tifa gave a shout as the pale woman looked around, dazed from the
melee.
    "What?! No!" Alegnin shrieked as her show was interrupted.
    Red howled and charged her, but she was not without defences.
    "Look out above you!"
    The warrior heard Tifa's warning just in time to dance aside the
pounce.
    "Back to me!" Vincent shouted as he raised his gun.
    "NO!" Red shot back, "It's too close!"
    The white haired ape skittered and leaped, its claws brought down in
full force. To kill. But the quadruped fought his share battles. With that
much strength behind a blow, it left little for a back swing, in case of a
miss. He darted in, rolling aside at the last second. It let out a
dispirited howl as Red's jaws caught its leg and forced it off balance.
    As he began another pass, Vincent's gun erupted and the ape crashed
into the wall.
    "ACCOMPLICES! ALL OF YOU!!" Alegnin raised high both her arms as her
"pets" fell upon them. Blood began to fall from her hands.

   **********************************************************************

    High on her perch, Tifa was relatively safe from the melee. When the
others came bursting in, she thought that was the end of it. But now she
wasn't so sure. Crimson pools had formed by the pallid woman's sides as she
pointed at Aeris and her.
    "Oh fuck," Tifa whispered as she began desperately rocking back and
forth. She bucked and struggled but to no avail. A piercing cry reached her
ears.
    "Aeris?!"
    She risked a glance and saw to her horror that her friend was on the
ground thrashing wildly trying to break free from the skeletal hands of her
ape-like captor. Tifa uttered a cry of despair and desperation as she tried
breaking free of her bonds with renewed vigor.
    A voice, sharp and abrasive, came from the depths of the woman on the
dais, "Die Cetra! DIE!!"
    Tifa felt her soul freeze as those coal black eyes looked up at her.
    "You as well slave!!!!" Alegnin roared as two bright whips shot out
forth from her bleeding hands, one at her, one at Aeris. The Cetra let out
one last desperate cry.
    "CLOUD!! PLEEEEEASE!!!"
    At the corner of her eye, Tifa saw a blue figure snap into motion. Time
seemed to slow as she watched him run towards her.
    Of course it had to be.
    She knew it all along.
    "Go tiger. Go," she whispered as death neared.
    Tifa closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.
    It was close now.
    She knew.
    Deep down she knew.
    SHRAK!!
    Funny there was no pain, just a sensation of falling.
    Thoughts of happier times ran through her mind as she began her long
descent.
    Back into the Lifestream.
    Despite what the stranger had said.
    The shouting became a blur.
    Back to Planet.
    The chaos of battle, a haze.
    I'll see mama now.
    And papa.
    Good bye all.
    Good bye.
    Good -- THUD!
    "OW!!" she yelped.
    What the hell!?
    Tifa blinked and felt the pressure on her lessen.
    I'm --- alive?
    She took no time in shaking loose the white twine that held her and
scrambling to her feet. A familiar looking blade lay near by, tiny wisps of
electricity ran up and down its length. Beside it, gesticulating
grotesquely, was a vine lying in a pool of red liquid.
    Before she could fathom what the hell was going on, a blood curdling
scream filled her ears.
    "CCCCCCCLLLLLLOOOOOOOUUUUUDDD!!!"

   **********************************************************************

    Off a way, Red saw Cloud crush the simulacrum's skull with a swift clap
of his now monstrous hands. The tentacle pierced his body as he placed
himself over Aeris. Blood gushed out from the wound as 'Sephiroth' screamed
in fury and pain. Red's ears twitched as he heard the healer scream.
    It's mortal.
    It had to be.
    Just like Tifa back at Midgar.
    The pale woman drew her lethal vine back as Cloud stood back up. She
cackled maniacally, exulting in Aeris' cries. He heard an deep rumble as a
gout of gunfire burst behind him.
    "YOU BITCH! 'E WUZ MY FRIEN'!!" Barret swung his gun arm in her
direction and opened fire.
    Cid saw his chance and inched forward. He began to lob a bundle of
explosives when 'Sephiroth' flicked out a twine and a greenish spray came
forth form its tip. The pilot screamed as he covered his eyes as he dropped
his lethal bundle.
    "CID!" Vincent slackened his fire for a moment to kick away the
dynamite as his friend lurched across the battlefield. But a moment was all
the hunching, leaping ape creatures needed to advance on their prey.
    The gunman let out a shout of surprise as one clamped down on his leg
before another grappled an arm.
    Damn. Damn. Damn, Red tore at the one on the tall man's arm. Vincent
worked a gun free and blew apart the monster saddling his leg.
    "One for one," he shouted.
    "We're even then," Red spat out the foul blood.
    "YOU DAMN BITCH! YOU KILT 'IM!!" Barret roared as he emptied his gun
arm at the woman. The bullets tore into her body, but it seemed to have no
effect.
    "DA FUCK!?" he roared as he struggled to clamp on a new belt.
    Movement from the side caused the big man to spin around --- just in
time to see the simulacrum bite down on his leg. Hard. Barret roared in
pain as he smashed the gun arm down on the fetid ape. It's hold tightened
as it jerked its head up, tearing off a chunk of flesh.
    "DAMN YOU!" he snapped the belt on and fired.
    The gout of flame tore off the simmie's head and cauterized the wound
at the same time. The injury was minor, but the simulacrum had done its
job. Barret never saw how fast 'Sephiroth' struck.

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa looked up and saw Cloud standing, a bloody mess lay at his feet.
She saw it now. How he managed to save her.
    His sword.
    He had thrown it, his only weapon to cut her free.
    Then to protect Aeris, he had to stand alone and unarmed.
    And he lost.
    He crumpled to the floor as his hands clutched his chest.
    "No," she covered her mouth, "No. NO. NO. NO!!"
    Gunfire poured into the laughing woman on the dais. Barret was cursing
for all Planet to hear as shell after shell ripped into Alegnin.
    "AAAUUURRGGHHH!!" the pale woman staggered but she did not fall.
Instead she stood erect and lashed back out at her attacker. Barret
sidestepped and the whipvine stabbed the ground. He advanced as she backed
away.
    Tifa fetched his sword and ran over to where Aeris hovered over Cloud,
wailing.
    "Cloud!" Tifa dropped to her knees. It was then she got a closer look
at his wound. The hole was large. Gaping.
    "CLOUD!" she screamed and looked at Aeris with angry tears, "DO
SOMETHING!"
    "I'M TRYING!" Aeris shrieked, "I'M TRYING!"
    "TRY HARDER!!" Tifa tore out her healing materia and placed it on his
cobalt blue body. It glowed green but the wound did not close.
    "DAMMIT!" she cried.
    Too much. It was too much.
    The materia dealer had warned her about injuries that serious.
    'You may as well save your money and call the mortician.'
    The battle swirled around them as Tifa pressed the materia tightly
against his wound. The others were still dealing with Alegnin's underlings
and were unable to help them or Barret.
    "Cloud," Tifa pleaded, "Hang on. Don't give in damn you. Fight tiger.
Fight!"
    The young man labored to breathe. She could hear the wind come out of
his wound as he struggled for form words.
    "C---c---c---couldn't ---- let ---- both ---- urgh ---"
    "Shush, don't talk," Aeris' teeth were chattering as a soft green glow
began to envelope her.
    "No," he clutched at them both with his deformed claws, "can't --- make
---- can't --- ch---choossss ----"
    Gobs of blood poured forth. Tifa savagely shook off her tears.
    "Price --- worth --- all ---- Gil ---"
    His head lolled and he went slack.
    "Cloud!"
    "CLOUD!!"
    "Cloud!" Tifa beat her fists against his chest, "CLOUD!"
    She wailed frantically as Aeris seized her hands and forced them back
on the materia. Just when things couldn't go more awry, she heard a
desperate cry and looked up.
    "Barret?! BARRET!!"

   **********************************************************************

    A bloody trunk shot forth from 'Sephiroth's' throat, gripping Barret by
the head.
    "AAA-AAHH-AURACKRUCAHCK---" smoke came out of the revolting embrace as
the big man's cries sputtered out, only to be replaced by a new one.
    "BARRET! BARRET!!" Tifa shrieked.
    The big man collapsed over the dead simulacrum, his head eaten away by
acid. Red desperately rushed headlong at her, Vincent gladly giving him
cover. 'Sephiroth' however, was not unaware as she turned and her vines
grabbed the quadruped by the neck.
    "A type 90," she cackled and brought him closer for study, "I've not
seen one for a while."
    Red pawed weakly at her, but it was no use. The warrior saw her breasts
gushing blood, as were parts of her face. Barret had done heavy damage to
her body, yet she still stood stoutly against them. Vincent's bullets had
about the same performance.
    "A pity to wreck an --- antique."
    The quadruped was violently smashed against the wall, then the slammed
to the floor, then to the wall again. Red felt like his body was falling
apart as blood flowed freely from his nose and mouth.
    Vincent fired at the last moving simulacra as he tried to aim at
'Sephiroth', but his hastily aimed shot served no purpose other than
delaying the inevitable. The creature tumbled into him, forcing the man
down. He emptied his remaining rounds into the creature as the pale woman
flung Red roughly to the ground and withdrew her whips.
    The gun man quickly worked free of his assailant and stood to reload.
But to his surprise, found he could not. His arm was severed just above the
elbow. Where the metal armature had met his flesh, there was nothing. Not
even pain.
    "Out of toys to plink at me?" 'Sephiroth' wore a ghoulish smile.
    Vincent stared in silence and braced for the onslaught.

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa had been idle up till now as the pale woman went about and
defeated each and every one of her friends. She would've fought, except she
would have left Cloud to die.
    But now, the materia no longer glowed.
    She looked at it mute and dumb.
    It can't be.
    The dull green sphere sparkled in the cavern's light, but it did
nothing more.
    That meant ---
    Her head rested atop his chest. Not a sound. She sobbed as Aeris pumped
her shoulders over and over again, "Live, damn you. Live."
    Blame someone.
    Anyone.
    Even her.
    Yes, even her.
    And you can curse the whole world, but does it matter?
    He's gone.
    Dead.
    No materia can bring him back now.
    Her tear encrusted eyes flitted over his still beastial features one
last time. The sound of labored breathing encouraged her to look up.
    What on Planet?
    Aeris sat beside them, her face tight, her hands clenched. The grief
stricken healer was full of tears as a dull red glow began to surround her.
Tifa could see great energies being built up in those embittered sea green
eyes.
    Shouting and gunfire erupted behind them as the glow became thicker,
duller, and redder. Aeris was shuddering now. Shuddering from cold, shock,
or fright, Tifa never knew. The dark haired woman watched in fascination as
the aura slowly enveloped them both. She drew rigid as she fought to keep
under control.
    Rage.
    Anger.
    Fury.
    Tifa was engulfed by the urge to smash something.
    Anything.
    But the key was control.
    She could see Aeris was struggling to keep herself from breaking out.
The small woman's fingers dug deep into her bare knees as a flood of tears
streamed forth from her eyes.
    Their eyes met.
    Aeris slowly stood as Tifa grasped the hilt of the massive blade.

   **********************************************************************

    Red sputtered and opened his eye as he struggled to get up.
    No use, he grimaced.
    His haunch was broken.
    And it hurt, he gritted his teeth.
    He saw 'Sephiroth' slowly stab Vincent to the ground with her vine
whips.
    "My, my," she laughed at his misery, "You are head strong. Perhaps I
should make you my new consort."
    The gun man said nothing as he sprawled helpless on the ground. Red
began to crawl towards them. Suddenly, he saw 'Sephiroth' jerk up and
scream.
    "CETRA!? ---!??! ARRAAGGHKK!!"
    Vincent lay perfectly still as Red was treated to an awe-inspiring
sight.
    Aeris was glowing a fiery red, as was Tifa. The small woman had her
arms outstretched and a bluish sphere of energy surrounded Alegnin. The
bloody woman railed uselessly against the barrier as Tifa took up Cloud's
blade.
    "DIE DAMN YOU DIE!"
    Red could hear the grief in Tifa's voice as she meted out blow after
blow of materia tempered steel at the wretched woman. Unfortunately the
same barrier that held 'Sephiroth' at bay also prevented her from scoring a
hit.
    "Let me at her!" Tifa screamed.
    "I --- I can't!" Aeris cried, "If I let up ---!"
    'Sephiroth' grinned madly at the small woman, "--- I shall be set free.
FREE!"
    The bloody woman's laughter filled their ears mocking them.
    "You cannot hold me forever Cetra!" she shrieked, "Soon I will come for
you and everything you have!"
    The woman looked at Tifa, "Methinks I shall kill you first."
    Aeris began to sag, her slender frame unable to bear the burden of
channeling the necessary energies for the bind. Tifa gave a cry and flung
the useless weapon at the slowly dissipating seal. Just as the barrier was
about to vanish, the woman suddenly seized up with a look of surprise in
her blood stained eyes.
    She howled with unbridled fury as she vainly tried to ward off an
unseen force. The grotesquely mutilated woman turned to Aeris. She let out
one last murderous scream as her body bulged and burst into bright crimson
confetti. The seal protected them from the sludge as Tifa stood trembling
from the revolting sight. The barrier finally dissipated and Aeris sank to
her hands and knees, exhausted and spent.
    Before their eyes, the pool of red began to congeal and blacken. The
bits of flesh bubbled and melted, leaving behind the tattered remains of
the woman's dress. The two women stood rivetted in place as the gummy
liquid continued to shrink and congeal until it became a wickedly familiar
sphere. It rolled slowly on the ground and towards a waiting black gloved
hand.
    "Commendations are in order Cetra," a raspy voice came from the
shadows, "You have done as expected."

   **********************************************************************

    "YOU!" Aeris got to her feet and charged, "YOU LEFT US TO DIE---urk!"
    "I would hold a very civil tongue," Greylorn caught her by the collar
and hissed, "Your immunity from my wrath wears *dangerously* thin."
    He flung her roughly to the floor as Tifa braced herself.
    "You may stand down woman," he said coldly, "The danger has passed."
    "Crock," her voice shook, "You're more dangerous than all the Jenovans
put together."
    "That is true. But then again the Jenovans were not military inclined,"
the man stepped out more into the light and she sucked in a breath.
    The dark hair that graced his head was gone, as were the eye brows.
Smooth new skin in a bright pink hue, draped his bald head and face. The
black cloaks were reeking with the smell of rot and blood. Even his eyes
were different. No longer were they eerie blue, but they actually looked
like anyone else's eyes --- save for the oddly gold corneas.
    "So --- it -- is true," Aeris sputtered on the ground.
    "What is?" the bald man cocked his head.
    "What Sephiroth said," she crawled shakily to her feet, "About my
people."
    Greylorn beheld the healer with slight annoyance, "I would not trust
the words of one insane --- or obsessed."
    He moved slowly towards them, "It is fortunate Prometheus repaired
enough of my injuries in time for me to intercede. Before things got out of
hand."
    "Out of hand?" she cried, "OUT OF HAND!? Cloud's dead because of you!!"
    "On the contrary," he said dryly, "I have done nothing specific to that
man. Circumstances are to blame. Your emotions run high Cetra, as always."
    "You killed my people! My heritage! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER FUCKING
MURDERER!!"
    Aeris stood quaking with fear and rage as she realized what she just
said. Tifa looked at her with wide eyes.
    Was this the same woman she knew?
    "You believe what you wish," Greylorn stopped a few paces before them.
    "Why me?" Aeris sank to the floor and wept, "Why did you pick me?"
    "Because you are Cetra," he said simply, "The last one."
    "You didn't need us to find her," Tifa looked at him coldly, "Or did
you?"
    "Sephiroth-Jenova was obsessed with settling old differences. I gave
her the chance. And it worked wonders."
    "Bait," Tifa hissed, "You used Aeris like bait."
    "Crudely put," Greylorn frowned, "But I also needed your friend to
contain the Jenova's temper."
    They looked at him in disbelief.
    "Do you think me fool enough to face her alone?" the man laughed
quietly.
    "You used me!" Aeris cried, "Used Cloud --- everyone to get me to come
here!"
    She suddenly froze with rage, "Mom ---!"
    "Your guardian made her choice when she left the house," Greylorn said
impassively, "I had nothing to do with her demise."
    "Is that all you can offer?" Tifa stared at him vehemently as Aeris
buried her face.
    "It is the truth."
    "Coward," Tifa spat on the black frocked man, "Bastard!"
    "Is that all *you* can offer?" he casually wiped off the spittle as she
turned away towards her grieving friend. Greylorn strode over to where
Cloud lay. He stood silent for a moment before holding a small disc over
the mutated body.
    "Be cursed your misery," he muttered and brandished a stubby pistol.
    Something in Tifa clicked.
    Ilyana.
    Reeve.
    Greylorn.
    'You would let her live with this accursed misery?'
    The scene played itself out in her mind.
    Oh shit.
    She rushed the man and pushed him roughly aside. A high pitched whine
mixed with vicious shouting didn't prohibit her from catching the faintest
whisper that escaped from Cloud's nostrils.
    Holy hell, Tifa wanted to cry and shout at the same time.
    "Aeris! Aeris!" she waved at her friend frantically, "He's alive!!"
    "ALIVE!?" the healer bolted over.
    Aeris was about to lay her hands on the young man when Greylorn grabbed
her.
    "WHAT THE HELL?!" she roared and raked his face. Tifa tried to grab the
dark man, but he deftly twisted her arm and shoved her down.
    "You will not treat him," Greylorn hissed.
    "Damn you, let me go!" Aeris shrieked. She caught movement at the
corner of her eye and saw Vincent holding a small revolver. Unfortunately,
her captor saw it too and he was faster on the take --- the gunman grimaced
in pain as the beam sliced off his hand.
    Aeris cried out as Greylorn twisted her around to face Tifa, who by now
had picked up the blade she dropped earlier.
    "You're a Planet damned coward!" she hissed.
    "Am I?" Greylorn snarled and pushed Aeris not so gently away, "I have
my reasons. You want to hear them?"
    "NO!" Tifa screamed and swung the heavy blade against the man. She
blinked as Greylorn easily caught her swing and tore the weapon out of her
hand.
    "FUCK YOU!" she began to bring her knee up, "Aaaah---!"
    The dark man yanked her head back by her hair and shoved her to the
ground. Aeris shrieked and dove at him, but the attack was not well
executed. A swift kick doubled her over, a second lay her flat on the
ground beside Tifa.
    "Now that I have your attention --- I --- nnnghk!"
    Tifa's teeth sank into his leg.
    "Curse this," he hissed as he reached down and yanked both screeching
women up by the hair. He did not consent to release them until he knotted
their locks together.
    "Ow!" Aeris tried pulling away and banged heads with Tifa. The two
began to furiously undo his work.
    "Now I have your attention," he dared a glance back at Vincent, who
worked his way slowly across the floor, "Allow me to explain."
    "What is there to explain!?" Aeris shouted.
    Greylorn darkened, "Do you know how Jenova survived all these
centuries?"
    "Cloud will die without help!" Tifa screamed blindly.
    "Think," his voice cold, "How has she managed to survived as long as
she did?"
    "She's the same as you?!" she hissed, "A freak of nature?"
    "If it were that simple," Greylorn glowered, "She took over bodies.
When one expired, she gained control of a fresh one."
    "Wh-what!?"
    "She implants her cells into other bodies. When she is dead, the cells
activate."
    "How?" Tifa worked herself free of Aeris, "When does it happen?"
    "Through injection; usually by syringe or by other such artificial
means," Greylorn explained, "Then they lie dormant until someone bearing
the code comes into contact."
    "Code?"
    "Death code. A pheromone released by Jenova upon her demise. It is
transmitted by touch."
    "Touch?"
    "Her last body. Her prison."
    "The black materia?" Aeris finally said.
    Greylorn nodded.
    "We didn't touch it," Tifa snorted, "And even then, why should we
believe you?"
    "You do not have to," the man said dourly, "But you said it yourself
'Cloud gave the black materia to Sephiroth'."
    "So?"
    "The pheromone can withstand a vacuum environment for well over six
millennia."
    Tifa gulped as his words sank in.
    "You mean Cloud has that code on him because he touched the materia?"
Aeris gasped.
    "Why else do you think he is still alive?" Greylorn smiled thinly, "The
cells need him to complete their task."
    The two women were shocked.
    "Task?" Tifa cried, "What's going to happen to him?!"
    Greylorn was dour, "It will take time for the memory re-write to be
complete ---"
    "Re-write!?"
    "Yes," his tone dour, "Alegnin learned a lot from your people."
    Aeris paled.
    "When the re-write is finished, there will be faint traces of the old
person, not enough to complete a full thought."
    "So you're going to ---" the healer covered her mouth.
    "--- kill him, while he is still unaware," Greylorn finished.
    Tifa gasped and covered her mouth.
    "Did you know this before?" Aeris demanded hotly.
    "A little," the man said slowly, "I knew that there were others who
could have been potential Jenovas."
    "The Reunion Theory."
    The three turned and saw Vincent standing behind them, listening. The
wound inflicted on him by the self proclaimed enforcer had been cauterized
by the beam's heat during the unwanted amputation.
    "Vincent!? Are you okay?" Aeris started to go near when the gunman
suddenly stepped back.
    "Wh-what's wrong?" she looked startled, "Let me see your wound!"
    "No!" Vincent backed away and turned vehemently to Greylorn, "You! You
were after it all along weren't you?"
    "Pardon?"
    "The black materia."
    "Partly," the man nodded and held out a yellowed notebook, "That and
this."
    Aeris took it and slowly leafed through the pages.
    A book of names.
    Page after page of them.
    Of people she never heard of.
    Of people she had.
    Some had "X's" beside their names.
    #3 Hojo P. B.          X
    #7 Ifalna G.           X
    #21 Sephiroth B.       X
    #151 Zack L.           X
    Only one did not.
    #152 Cloud S.
    Then she realized what she was reading. A book of those involved in the
experiment she had heard so much about.
    All of them were dead.
    All but one.
    One.
    "Oh my," Aeris covered her mouth and let the book fall.
    "I was to personally make sure each and everyone of those individuals
were --- properly disposed of," Greylorn said coldly, "Else she will come
back from the grave."
    "You killed them all as well didn't you?" Tifa said slowly as she held
Aeris.
    "No. Not all. Some were already dead. I have accounted for those in the
records."
    She looked at him gravely, "There's more to this, isn't there?"
    "Yes. When I investigated the laboratory your friend mentioned ---"
    "When was that?"
    "Just after I left Junon."
    "Reeve never ---"
    "Reeve never knew."
    Tifa shuddered as the man went on, "There were sealed storage racks for
vials I can only presume were for the cell samples used in the experiment."
    "And?"
    "There are 152 names on record."
    "So?"
    "I counted 153 racks."
    Tifa gasped, "Th-there's more?"
    "At least one more unaccounted for."
    "It could be anyone," Aeris looked worried, "Anyone ---"
    "Maybe they were the ones who followed Sephiroth," Tifa caught a glance
from Greylorn, "Our Sephiroth."
    "I dealt with those during my explorations with the GMD. All those who
fell in with your Sephiroth have been thankfully eradicated."
    "Including Lucrecia."
    Vincent's handless arm pointed to a spot on a page.
    "Pardon?"
    "Fourteen," the gun man rasped, "Number fourteen."
    "Ah," Greylorn tapped his head, "The cave before I went looking for the
Cetra. I remember."
    "Tell me," Vincent said quietly, "Did she know?"
    "She took it quite well."
    The tall man dipped his head, "You gave her no quarter did you?"
    "She made her choice."
    "She had none," Vincent shot him a murderous stare, "She was already
doomed to die wasn't she?"
    Greylorn's tone was subdued but firm, "We all meet an end some day."
    "And yet you still manage to cheat a proper end," Tifa scowled.
    "How fortunate," he chuckled.
    "For you," she hissed, "Black hearted bastard."
    The man shrugged as Vincent kicked the notebook away.
    "I had thought I was inhuman," the sullen man said slowly, "You are
less than I."
    "You believe what you wish," Greylorn strode over to Cloud, "I have a
task to finish."
    "Wait," Aeris barred his way.
    "What now?" he narrowed his eyes.
    "Maybe I can help."
    "You can pull the trigger if you wish," the gun rested in his
outstretched palm.
    "No!" Aeris stepped back aghast, "I want to heal him."
    "Doing so puts him in peak fighting condition when he awakes as
Jenova."
    "I won't let you," she said firmly, "There must be another way."
    "There is not," he began to push past her.
    Aeris scuttled back in front of him, "Look me in the eye and say it."
    "You test my patience," Greylorn's voice was strained.
    "You --- owe --- me," the small woman gritted her teeth.
    "Do I?"
    "Yes," a thought occurred to her, "Why didn't you finish us off?"
    "Pardon?"
    "Why didn't you finish us off?" she repeated, "Alegnin said you left us
alone here. Why?"
    He began to brush past her again, but she held tight.
    "Tell me."
    The man's eyes passed his eye matter of factly over her, "I do not kill
children."
    "Ch-children?" her eyes grew wide.
    "The oldest could barely walk."
    Aeris let him pass as she collapsed to her knees. Tifa took in a breath
as the dark man marched stiffly over to Cloud and place a small device on
the ground beside him. It began to hum as soon as he stepped away. She
fought back her tears as Greylorn turned back around.
    "A stasis field."
    She must have looked surprised because he added, "He is safe."
    "Wh-what?"
    "It will stop the re-write process as long as it has charge," Greylorn
glared at the body, "A half hour."
    "Why?" Aeris asked shakily.
    "There is a way that can cure him of this plague."
    "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO BEFORE!?" Tifa looked up in a flash of new hope.
    "It induces the cells to move from one body to another. And I terminate
the new host."
    The dark haired woman's face tightened as Aeris spoke up, "Can't we
just destroy what's wrong with him?"
    "Not with out killing the host. Doing so brings shock to the host body
as the foreign cells are merged intricately with the host cells," the man
said slowly.
    "Wait a minute. I thought you didn't know any Cetra medicine," Aeris
stopped as he gave her a bland smile.
    "I lied."
    She drew up rigidly, "Why should we trust you now?"
    "I see you would prefer otherwise," a gun snapped into his hand.
    "WAIT!"
    Greylorn looked at the two quaking women menacingly.
    "We'll trust you," Tifa whispered.
    "For now," Aeris bit her lip, "Tell us more about this -- this
operation."
    "It works since the J-cells each produce necessary proteins for its
fellows to survive, they can be tricked to 'abandon' the host body provided
enough of them are moved."
    "But won't the person on the other end---?"
    "Die. I said so before," he glared at her.
    Aeris shuddered.
    "Be forewarned that the procedure may sometimes fail," Greylorn soured,
"In such a case, I will need to dispose two hosts, not one. I hesitated to
mention it before because if something *does* go awry, I doubt I can deal
with it right now."
    The man closed his eyes to steady himself before Tifa spoke up.
    "C-can we use a-a dead body?"
    "Tifa?" Aeris looked at her in shock.
    "Well, can we?"
    "No. The time it takes for the procedure to be fully complete allows
for rigor mortis and decay to set in. J-cells would detect it immediately
and the process will fail."
    "So it has to be one of us," Tifa swallowed hard, "Someone alive."
    "Why didn't you pull the trigger?"
    "Pardon?" he looked at Aeris.
    "Aren't you going to kill him?" her voice firm.
    "What I do is none of your business," his voice cold.
    "Penance?" she pressed.
    "You believe what you want to believe," Greylorn remained impassive as
he stared at Cloud's limp form.
    "Aeris," Tifa tugged her friend, "Don't push it further. He's going to
help Cloud. Let's leave it, okay?"
    "You're right," the healer shut her eyes and nodded fiercely, "What was
I thinking?"
    "There's nothing wrong with being sure of things, right?" Tifa gave her
hand a soft squeeze, "That he's not up to something?"
    Aeris gave her a brave little grin, "Right."
    "The procedure will take time," the icy voice cut through their warm
chat, "We do not have much of it."
    Greylorn looked between them, "I need to know who will participate,
else I carry out the termination."
    "I'll do it," Aeris said promptly.
    "You?" he snarled, "Are you so ready to die so soon?"
    "It's something I don't expect you to understand," she snorted.
    "But I can," Tifa chimed in, "I'll go."
    "No," Aeris was firm, "I didn't come back to see you go. Not like
this."
    "Be serious," Tifa braved a smile, "He's dying, Aeris. I've got to do
this."
    "Do you think he'll be able to live with himself afterwards?" the small
woman asked angrily.
    "He did after you went," the reply was soft.
    "That's not the point!" Aeris caught herself, "Besides, I'd miss you."
    Tifa dipped her head.
    "You can use me," a low growl came from the distance, "I was afterall,
made for such things, correct?"
    "Nanaki," Tifa gasped, "Don't say such things."
    "It is the truth," the quadruped growled.
    "Impossible," Greylorn spoke up, "The cells have taken a humanoid
identity, they will not be attracted to you."
    "We're running out of time," Aeris tugged at his cloak.
    "Aeris, no," Tifa pulled her away. She was about to protest when a soft
voice spoke.
    "I'll go."
    Greylorn's tone was measured, "You are sure?"
    "Yes."
    Aeris whispered, "Y-you don't have to do this."
    "Does it matter?" Vincent turned to Greylorn, "I was part of the
experiment."
    "In what manner?"
    "Test subject. I'm the one missing from the records."
    "And your name?"
    "Vincent Valentin."
    "I do not see it," the black cloaked man flipped through the notebook
quickly, "You *must* be the last one. If you are to be believed."
    The man's red eyes glowed with fury and hate, "I am."
    "Vincent ---" Tifa began.
    "Save your breath," he held up a hand, "Even if I wasn't infected, what
good will I do?"
    Aeris drew a breath, "But---!"
    "I am a man of a past best forgotten. My peers are dust, as is everyone
I cared for," his voice lowered, "Everyone I loved. It's best that I die
now for a good purpose than to rot away knowing I could have done better."
    Tifa was about to say something but stopped and looked at him intently.
    "Vincent," Aeris paused, "I --- I don't what else to say."
    He cast his blood red eyes at her, "If you wish to honor me, then live
Lady Aeris. Live well."
    "I --- I will," she drew back into Tifa's arms.
    "Here," Greylorn handed him a small cable and a small cube.
    "For the transfer?"
    "This," he looped the cable, "is for the transfer. All it has to do is
make contact with your flesh."
    "And the cube?"
    "I am taking precautions," Greylorn said dryly, "Because of the
procedure, the J-cells will hasten their maturation and begin to take over
your mind. This force field will detain you. The pipe is a concentrated
plasma charge ---"
    "A bomb," Vincent said flatly.
    "The deadman's switch is here."
    "I see," the gunman's tone was sour as he drew the articles toward him,
"Anything else?"
    "Actually yes," Greylorn lay another slightly larger cube near by. As
soon as the dark man turned away, it buzzed to life and surrounded Vincent
in a translucent shell. The cloaked man proceeded to connect the cable to a
small disc on Cloud as he spoke evenly, "Do not kill yourself until I give
the word."
    "Why not?"
    "Cloud must be fully free of J-cells otherwise the procedure will be
for naught."
    "I see," Vincent cast one last gaze at the world around him. Aeris and
Tifa could only look on in silence.
    "When you are ready."
    The tall man looped the thin wire around his handless arm. He stepped
on the cable and tightened the cord. Kneeling, he pressed down on the small
cube. Three short beeps signified its activation.
    "I am --- prepared."
    "Be mindful of the pain," Greylorn eyed Vincent casually.
    Aeris felt Tifa grip her tightly as the disc on Cloud began to hum. The
tall man slumped slowly towards the ground as the wire began to glow a
sickly greenish yellow. Tifa felt relief and revulsion as the aberrations
Cloud subsided and reappeared in a new manner on Vincent. The ex-Turk's
skin began to chafe and fall off in flakes, his eyes began to bleed.
    "50%," came a toneless voice.
    A metallic clatter was heard as the remnants of his metal arm were
expunged from the new body. Aeris closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.
    "75%."
    Large growths burst from his back and unfolded into large leathery
wings. The scarf that masked his face was pushed off by a growth from the
side of his cheek which turned in a crude twist. Tifa hid her tears and
rested herself in her friend's arms.
    "100%," Greylorn said in monotone, "You may proceed."
    The process complete, his lips moved in a final attempt to form words,
a name or perhaps a prayer. The cloaked figure stood by watching him in
silence. A final whisper escaped the now fleshless lips.
    "L-luc-creeee---zaaaaaa-----"
    The monster stood and a bright flash filled the constrained space,
igniting the body. Within seconds of the discharge the flames had died out,
leaving only a rapidly congealing gel which formed a smooth black sphere.
    Greylorn held up his prize.
    "The operation was a successful."

   **********************************************************************

    Aeris knelt beside Cloud, Tifa on the other. His skin had returned to
normal, as had his bodily features, but the hole in his chest was still
there and the lacerations from his fall off the cliff were present as
well. Greylorn turned on his heel and strode off without another word.
    "Where are you going?" Tifa looked up.
    He stopped but didn't turn around as he replied, "I have what I need."
    "So you're leaving?" Aeris spat, "Just like that?"
    "You wish otherwise?"
    "I thought you healed him," she pointed at Cloud.
    Tifa could do little but stare since her own materia had been lost in
the chaos before.
    "The process only moves the J-cells, nothing more."
    "So you're just going to let him die?" Red growled from the floor. The
quadruped had witnessed the whole episode, but could muster no strength to
do anything but watch.
    "What happens to him now is none of my concern," the man's voice
sheathed in ice, "I have what I came for."
    "Well said, for an enforcer."
    The two barely had time to register the new arrival as they focused on
Cloud.
    "Taiim?"
    "The same. You take liberties with your tasks, Cuul Isheen."
    Red saw a figure with long blond hair step forward, hands behind his
back. Like the once blue eyed man, the stranger was clothed in similar
frock.
    "As do you," Greylorn said simply.
    The being called Taiim shifted slightly, "I do as Council commands; do
you?"
    "Do not forget," the acid scorched man said dryly, "Who is here by
choice, and who is here by sentence, World Watcher."
    Taiim snorted, "You have --- it?"
    "Here," black gloved hands held two similarly coloured orbs, "And
here."
    "Well done," the blond man nodded. Red wasn't sure, but he thought he
smelled something foul.
    "Council wishes to see you," Taiim said slowly, "About your recent
performance."
    "Do they now?" Greylorn's voice held an odd tone.
    "They do."
    At that, a ripple formed near the cavern wall. Red thought it was as if
the rock and materia had somehow been turned to liquid. The distortion
certainly looked like water. Undaunted, Greylorn stepped towards it ---
more precisely, he stepped into it. The anomaly swallowed his towering
black form and he vanished. Taiim turned and quickly followed on his heels.
    But what stuck in the warrior's mind as the ripples subsided, was the
blond stranger's hands. They were black.
    Black as they were long.
    And each of those fingers attached to that prehensile claw was tipped
with bright crimson blood.

   **********************************************************************

    Aeris meanwhile, had caught none of this as she dove into her work. The
hole was mended, but the lacerations, the internal bleeding was still
present.
    I can't let them down, she told herself.
    I have to finish this.
    And probably kill me doing it.
    Greylorn never said much about the healing trick, but as she knew such
a gift came at a price.
    It had to.
    Aeris wasn't sure exactly what she did to 'Sephiroth', but she didn't
care to know or do ever again. And she knew it took a lot out of her.
    Just like the healing trick.
    And now I've got this.
    Transfer of energies, hah!
    More like the giving of life.
    He must have lied to her then as he had at the observatory.
    He had to.
    Oh Planet, she gritted her teeth and tried to concentrate.
    She was going to heal him, or die trying.
    Either way, it was him or her ----
    Aeris let out a gasp as she felt firm hands grab hers. She looked up
into soft brown eyes.
    "Tifa?"
    "Together," the dark haired woman whispered.
    "No," Aeris tried to shake her off, but the grip tightened until it
hurt.
    "We do this together," determination was laced in Tifa's voice.
    The healer bowed in consent and concentrated.

   **********************************************************************

    Red pushed the bizarre spectacle out of his mind as a green glow caught
his attention. The aura enveloped both women, then slowly surrounded
Cloud's still form. His good eye was transfixed by the sight. After what
seemed to be ages, the glow vanished and the two women keeled over.
    Great Planet, what happened?

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa could only lie there in silence as she and Aeris finished. It was
incredible.
    When she touched the trance induced woman, it was if stepping into a
strange new world. One where she could see everything nook and cranny
within the body.
    She was disgusted, horrified, and fascinated by what she saw.
    And the pain that coursed her body was horrendous. Her own nerves were
set afire as they served as conduits for the makou that would heal.
    For a moment Tifa wondered how Aeris withstood this so many times
before.
    Not for a life, but for a broken arm. Or a minor scrape.
    Tifa pushed it out of her mind as she focused on her task. Guide the
makou. Let it stream into his wounds. Tissue grew and the bleeding stopped.
The black blood of his bruises were transformed into extra fat. Or hair. Or
sweat. Or what ever she wanted.
    And in that one moment she partook of the healer's skills, did Tifa
realize what power Aeris held in her slender hands.
    Immense power. The power to change anyone at a touch.
    Into anything.
    Or anyone.
    She could probably kill with a touch.
    But did she know?
    What was more, would she use it?
    Would you use it Aeris?
    This power to bring change?
    To get what you want?
    Tifa yearned to know as she looked, but she was no mind reader. A soft
whisper wrenched her out of these dark thoughts.
    "T---tiff?"
    She looked up and saw his eyes flutter back to life.
    "Tiger," Tifa managed a hoarse whisper.
    "I --- missed --- that."
    Tears flooded her eyes as Cloud hugged her tenderly.
    "Aeris," he rasped urgently and struggled to sit up, "Where's ---?"
    "Right here," soft hands clasped his.
    The pink clad woman had knelt quietly by his side until he awoke. Now
she felt him tug and resisted briefly before she bent down to embrace him.
They stayed like that before more pressing matters came to.
    "Sephiroth!" Cloud bolted upright, "I heard his name ---"
    "It's okay," Tifa whispered, "She's gone."
    "Sh---she?" he looked at her as if she was mad.
    "It's along story," Aeris said softly.
    "Barret," Cloud blinked, "I thought I heard ---"
    "H-he's dead."
    "What!? No!" he stumbled to his feet, "Greylorn! Where is he?"
    "Gone," Red grumbled from the ground.
    "Gone where?"
    "Just gone," the quadruped said quietly.
    "You two okay?" Cloud looked down.
    Aeris nodded quietly as Tifa climbed unsteadily to her feet. Soft
whimpering came from the corner and Cloud headed over towards it
cautiously. He found Cid, arms over his face.
    "Cid?!" the young man bent down, "Good Planet! Are you okay?"
    "Dew aye lyuk o-yay?"
    The man sputtered and sobbed. His face reminded Cloud of gnarled tree
bark, without the color.
    "What happened?"
    "Acid," Red wheezed on the ground.
    "What happened to you?"
    "Broken leg --- I hope."
    Cloud cursed and looked around, "Where's Vincent?"
    "He dyed," Cid's voice came out strangled.
    "Y-you knew?" Aeris stood by quietly.
    "I herdt him. Herdt ev-ree-ting," the man's lips were partly fused
together, hence the choppiness of his speech.
    "I'm sorry."
    The mutilated man's features bordered on a twisted frown as he wept.
    "Can you help him?" Cloud turned to Aeris.
    "I --- I'll try."


==============================================================


    Ni l'un ni l'autre (Fr)

  <Neither one nor the other>


==============================================================


    They trudged back up to the surface without a sound. The threat of
something coming out and spearing them through the chest was dwelled upon,
but not for long.
    The Elders had come for 'Sephiroth' and with her gone, they were sure
to leave them be. Even if it wasn't true, the return turned out to be
uneventful. Cid's head lolled between Aeris and Tifa as the two half
carried, half guided the semi-conscious man through the dark. The healer
could only manage to save his eyes, nostrils, and partly twist his mouth
back into shape, but no more. She was too spent to do much else. That said,
the grizzled man was lucky to be alive. Cloud had Red bundled on his back.
Aeris barely managed to set the bone, but the rest of him would need time
to heal.
    The party stumbled out of the pit and into Planet's murky twilight. The
sun was setting and the rays danced around Highwind Too, like victory
banners. Except that they didn't flutter. And there was precious little to
celebrate.
    "Open up!" Cloud pounded the metal door, "For the love of Planet open!"
    The hatch lock turned and creaked open slowly.
    "C-cloud?" Reeve blinked in the rapidly growing darkness, "What are you
doing here?"
    "Long story," the blond man stepped aboard
    "So what's new?" Reeve soured.
    "Nanaki's hurt. So's Cid."
    "Where's Barret? And Vincent?"
    "Dead," Red muttered.
    "What?" Reeve took a step back, "Both of them?"
    Cloud nodded, "Have you a place to put down Nanaki?"
    "Yes the lounge," the wiry man stepped aside to allow more room.
    "Lounge?"
    "We had spare time so we made some refinements on board."
    "The hell didja do to my ship?" Cid growled as he stumbled aboard.
    "In the name of ---" Reeve blinked, "Your face!"
    "Yea, my face," the man found a surge of strength as soon as he heard
something happened to his ship, "Tell me what the hell didja do to
th'Highwind."
    "I --- we rearranged the forward bulkheads to give us more room," Reeve
grabbed his arm, but the pilot shook it off, "The cockpit is open to that
area now. We call it the 'lounge'."
    "The hell you do that fer?!"
    The man tugged his goattee nervously, "Just keeping busy I guess."
    Cid groaned as he leaned against the torch scarred passageway. Reeve
dared a glance at the others. He never saw Tifa and Aeris so --- haggard
before.
    "Great Planet," the wiry man turned back to the pilot, "Looks like I'll
be doing the flying for now."
    "The hell with you," Cid reply was gruff, "It's m'ship."
    "We'll see," Reeve took his arm and led him down the hall.
    Cloud followed them to the lounge and set Red down on a quilted mat.
    "You okay?"
    "I'll be fine in a few days, thank you," the warrior settled down.
    Cloud got a first hand look of the so called 'lounge'. The cockpit was
greatly visible now. The adjacent two cabins on either side were cut away,
giving the whole place an airy kind of feeling.
    Funny, it almost looked like the old ship they were on, the young man
mused. The old Highwind.
    "C-captain?"
    Cloud swung around and saw a mousy looking woman with glasses standing
agape in the doorway.
    "I said don' call me that."
    "Wh-what happened!?" Shera rushed towards him.
    "He'll be okay," Reeve said quietly.
    Cid was silent as Shera touched his face.
    "Did you do this?" the pilot gestured around.
    "Yeah," she pushed up her glasses, "I --- I felt really cramped in
there."
    "Is that all?"
    "Well, it --- it also kept her busy."
    "Who?" Cid asked, "Ilyana?"
    "No. Not her," Shera shook her head, "A little girl."
    Tifa froze.
    Little girl?
    "Teefwa!" an excited voice filled the room.
    She looked up in shock as a tiny girl charged straight at her.
    "You're back! You're back!"
    Marlene wrapped her ribbon thin arms around the woman's waist.
    "Where's Papa?"
    "Papa?" Tifa said softly as she brushed the girl's cheek with a
trembling hand. She was still feeling the after effects of the healing
trance.
    "Where's Papa?"
    Red watched the girl flit her eyes about.
    "Kitty? Have you seen Papa?"
    "I --- don't know," he said quietly and pretended to sleep.
    "How'd she get on board?" Tifa asked Shera, who began to search the
compartments.
    "I don't know," the mousy woman replied, "I found her asleep in one of
the cabins."
    Tifa looked absently at Marlene, "I thought Hargo was to look after her
until we came back."
    "I wanted to pway," the bright eyed girl replied promptly, "You
pwomised."
    "She said she came aboard to see you."
    Tifa looked downcast as the nearsighted engineer yanked out a white box
and led Cid over to the swivel chair.
    "Teefwa, where's Papa!?" Marlene approached a whine.
    "Papa's gone."
    Tifa gasped and Marlene looked up curiously.
    "I won't lie to you," Cloud bent down and said softly, "He's not coming
back Marlene. I'm sorry."
    "Never?" the girl looked at him quizzically.
    "Never."
    "But --- but ---," Marlene's eyes grew wide as she slowly realized what
'never' meant.
    Cloud took up her tiny hands as she began to bawl.
    "But I want Papa! Papa!"
    "Hush," the girl became even louder when Tifa tried to comfort her.
    "I WANT PAPA!!" Marlene howled, "PAPAAAAAAA!!"
    Cloud picked her up and patted her as she blubbered, her cheeks flushed
bright red from exertion. Tifa leaned against the bulkhead as the tiny girl
tried to squirm out of the young man's grip.
    Oh Marlene, she closed her eyes. I'm sorry.
    "I said I'll fly dammit," Cid lurched out of his seat, one arm held by
Shera.
    "You better know what you're doing," a stern voiced Reeve stood by.
    Another cry came from down the corridor. A woman's cry. The bearded man
drew straight up.
    "Dammit," he muttered and headed off.
    "Who was that?" Red sensed it safe to be awake again.
    "Ilyana," Shera said dourly, "She's been quite a handful."
    Tifa watched as Cid stumble awkwardly towards the helm control. She felt
the craft slowly lift off and accelerate.
    "Tiff."
    She looked up and saw Cloud over her.
    "You all right?"
    "I'm fine. I wish I can say the same for Marlene."
    "Me too."
    Tifa shivered slightly as Cloud stroked her face gently.
    "I'm sorry."
    "For what?"
    "Hitting you," he said tightly, "Back at the Canyon."
    "Don't be," her eyes looked away, "I shouldn't have --- done ---"
    She hushed up as Cloud winced and shut his eyes.
    "Still -- I -- I shouldn't have lost it like that," he managed to croak.
    "I shouldn't have been drinking so much."
    Tifa tried moving away but he held fast.
    "I know I wasn't all there back at Mideel. But I know what the two of
you did for me."
    Her eyes met his.
    "Just like I know what's in here," he gave her a weak grin and thumped
his chest, "I love you."
    She softened, "I know."
    "And --- I love her as well," Cloud said quietly.
    Tifa lowered her head.
    "Be with her."
    "What?" she looked up.
    He nodded behind her.
    She turned and saw Aeris sitting by herself on a stack of cut down
walls. Her knees were drawn up as the pink clad woman stared blankly out
the window into the darkness.
    "No one deserves to be alone. Not now, not ever."
    "But---" Tifa's eyes flickered to Marlene.
    "How can you help her if you can't even help yourself?"
    "And you have?" she countered.
    "I made my choice Tiff," Cloud whispered softly, "Now I just need to
hear yours."
    He hefted Marlene up a bit as he turned around without another word.
The girl had stopped crying but she had her fingers in her mouth as she
rested her head sadly on the young man's shoulder. Tifa's eyes followed
them with longing and guilt as they walked away.
    'I made my choice.'
    So what now, she hugged herself.
    The raven haired woman turned her head one way, then the other. A wide
gulf between them all. Aeris at one end. Cloud and Marlene at the other.
    What can I do?
    'Do what you will, Tifa Lockheart.'
    She blinked, surprised she remembered those words.
    'You choose your own fate.'
    My own fate, Tifa bit her lip. She cast her eyes about.
    It's up to me. What do I want?
    She hesitated briefly and came to a decision.
    Yeah. Why not?
    She drew a breath and took a determined step forward.

   **********************************************************************

    Aeris stared mute across the endless expanse of stars.
    "H-hey."
    "Hmm?" she wiped her eyes and turned around.
    Tifa stood quietly behind her.
    "Hey," Aeris sniffed and returned her gaze back outside.
    "You all right?" Tifa asked quietly.
    "Yeah. I guess so."
    The ubiquitous silence descended upon them like so many other times.
    How many? She had lost count.
    "So," her voice low, "what now?"
    "I don't know," Aeris leaned her head against the bulkhead and sighed,
"I really don't know."
    "He --- loves --- you."
    The healer's eyes crinkled slightly, "We're back to square one aren't
we?"
    "Yeah," Tifa rocked on her feet, "I guess we are."
    "It's incredible isn't it?"
    "What is?" she looked up.
    "After all this," Aeris said sadly, "We still can't say what we truly
want."
    "That's not true," Tifa scuffed a shoe, "I know what he wants."
    "Me too."
    Tifa caught her friend's rueful gaze.
    "And you can't fool me either," Aeris went on, "You and I both heard
him."
    "Heard what?" Tifa maintained an air of false innocence.
    The healer shook her head and sighed, "Don't play that game with me
again, Tifa. It won't work."
    Tifa slumped her shoulders and murmured, "Marlene needs a family. A
mother."
    "She has you."
    "She's fond of you too ---"
    They stopped as they realized what they were saying.
    "I can't believe this," Tifa fell to her knees, "We're fighting over
--- over her now?"
    "Looks that way," Aeris said sadly, "That's why this time, I -- I'm
leaving. Forever."
    "Where?!"
    "I -- don't know," the woman looked downcast, "Not yet."
    "You can't leave," Tifa whispered, "I won't let you."
    "I shouldn't have come back," Aeris hugged her knees, "Everything
would've been fine."
    "Would it? Or would something else happened?"
    "I should have stayed in there. Stayed dead," Aeris cried, "It's all my
fault!"
    "No. No it isn't," Tifa held her, "I wouldn't know what to do without
you."
    "And Midgar?"
    "A dream. A long, bad dream," Tifa grew thoughtful, "I thought I
accepted things when we bested Sephiroth at the Crater. I was wrong. I
lived in a false world for all that time---" she stopped.
    How long ago has it been?
    Weeks? Months?
    It felt more like years.
    "Sorry," Aeris chuckled.
    "It's okay," Tifa hugged her, "But we've been through hell together. I
don't want to see you go, okay?"
    The pink clad woman was silent.
    "Seriously Aeris," Tifa dimmed her eyes, "Where else can you go?"
    The small woman hid her face.
    "I've lost a lot over the past few days," Tifa went on, "Lost people
I've known for years. I - I - I don't want to lose you."
    Aeris' hands gently touched her tear stained cheeks.
    "Promise me," Tifa pleaded, "Don't leave. Don't leave us. Don't leave
me."
    "All right," Aeris replied softly, "I promise."
    Laughter from across the lounge drew their attention. Marlene was
active again, Cloud letting her play with the two materia from his sword.
    "You know Tifa," the pink clad woman said softly, "Sometimes I wish
things would go back to the way they were. Back when things were a lot
simpler."
    "Like when?" the dark haired woman sniffed.
    Aeris formed a weak smile, "Like at Wall Market."
    Reluctantly, Tifa found herself smiling too.
    She had been interested in knowing how Shinra had been tipped off to
the AVALANCHE disastrous hit at Reactor One. Subtle questions and a head
pounding gave up a name: Don Corneo. She had foolishly tried to infiltrate
the weasel's flesh farm and try to pump the information out of him,
verbally or otherwise.
    Tifa had thought Cloud lost and it seemed the only way to avenge him.
    Using my body again, she pursed her lips.
    "Remember how silly he looked in that awful dress?" Aeris' vibrant
voice drew her out of her shell again, like always.
    "Yeah," Tifa smiled stupidly, "And that wig you found made him look
even *worse*!"
    "Yeah," Aeris broke into grins, "And you know what was so funny?"
    "Don Corneo picked him!" the two burst into giggles like children who
stumbled onto a stash of hidden sweets.
    More laughs came from Cloud's direction as Marlene fumbled desperately
trying to catch the green spheres the young man rolled on the floor.
    "Have you seen him like this?" Aeris whispered.
    "Not for a time," Tifa murmured softly, "You know, we can be her
mother."
    The healer blinked, "Wh-what did you just say?"
    "She needs a family."
    Aeris felt Tifa give her hand a squeeze.
    "A good one."
    "But what's this about ---" the slender woman sucked in a breath as she
gazed into those dark brown eyes.
    "A-are you sure?" she whispered.
    "I am," Tifa gave her a brave smile, "Damn sure."
    "Hey, what did I tell you before?" Aeris held up a finger.
    Tifa smiled and tugged her lightly, "Come on."
    Aeris hesitated briefly before nodding.
    "All right. Let's tell him."

   **********************************************************************

    Marlene clacked the materia together noisily, as Cloud watched her
intently.
    Damn she's cute, he thought as he snuck a hand to pinch her.
    "Stop!" she held the green orbs up to her cheeks, "Donte doo-dat!"
    He chuckled and tousled her hair, "Why not?"
    "Onwee Teefwa duss-dat!"
    "So why can't I do it?"
    "I donte wike-kit!"
    "Well don't worry," Cloud gave her a grin, "She won't be doing that
when I'm around."
    "Willwee?"
    "Um, hmm."
    "Will you wook aftur me wike Papa?"
    "Bet on it."
    Marlene's lips trembled as she looked down.
    "But what if sum-ding happ-wens?"
    "Like what?"
    "Like wiff Papa," she looked at him with concern.
    That gave Cloud pause. He wasn't really schooled in this kind of talk.
    Damn I'd better hurry, he caught her gaze. Before she starts up again.
    "Well --- I --- I suppose Tifa can look after you."
    "But what if sum-ding happ-wens to Teefwa?"
    Aw man, he rolled his eyes, "Well I ---"
    "Then I'll look after you."
    Cloud looked up and saw an angel kneel beside them.
    "Aeris?" he whispered.
    "Fower gurwl!" Marlene clacked her materia proudly.
    "Marlene, that's impolite," a voice admonished, "You call her 'Auntie
Aeris'."
    The young man swung his gaze around and caught sight of a raven haired
beauty. He gave her an odd look. She gave him a slow nod. Cloud looked
again at Aeris, who smiled broadly as she handed her now white materia to
Marlene. The girl squealed with delight as she tried to keep the three orbs
in her tiny arms.
    Cloud took in a breath as Tifa sat down beside him.
    "You sure?" his words came out slow.
    He was surprised they came out at all.
    "More than anything," she gave his hand a squeeze.
    The two looked up expectantly. Aeris hesitated, then placed her hand
firmly on theirs.
    "Thanks you two," Cloud swallowed hard, "I--I really don't what to
say---"
    "Then don't say a another word," Aeris whispered as Tifa planted a
finger on his lips.
    A small hand quickly settled on top of theirs.
    "I win! I win!" Marlene chattered excitedly.
    "I guess you did," Tifa smiled as they burst out laughing.
    "Hmmm," Aeris stifled a yawn, "I'm so tired I can sleep until tomorrow
night!"
    "Go ahead," Tifa unlatched Cloud's shoulder pauldron, "No one's gonna
stop you now." She kicked the shoulder guard away and it clattered off to
the side.
    "Good night Marlene. Goodnight Cloud," Aeris curled into his side.
    The small girl didn't answer as she was already beginning to droop off.
Tifa put a hand on the chestnut haired girl as she herself slumped wearily
against Cloud.
    The young man fidgetted a little, unused to the position he was in. But
with Tifa on his left, Aeris on his right, and Marlene resting soundly on
his chest, Cloud never felt so --- content.
    Their steady breathing brought him to ease.
    It was peaceful.
    So peaceful.
    Cloud finally succumbed to his exhaustion and fatigue as he finally ---
truly --- slept.

   **********************************************************************

    Red XIII watched the four of slumber off from his little make shift
bed.
    How odd, he wondered.
    Here they all were, a family whence there was none before.
    Cloud, Tifa, Aeris, and now Marlene.
    A family of orphans, the old warrior mused.
    The irony was not lost on him as well.
    I am a simulacra. A made beast. Or at least selectively bred. The Son
of Seto remembered his mother well.
    So how can I be the last?
    Unless that man destroyed all of us.
    I wouldn't put it past him, he snorted derisively.
    I guess *am* truly alone.
    His eye wandered to the helm where Cid stood alongside Shera. Low
whispers and murmurs reached his ears as the two spoke amongst themselves
in hushed tones. Reflexively, the warrior picked up ears to listen in.
    ". . . your face I'm worried about, it's not."
    "What is it then?"
    "You, Captain," Shera said quietly, "Don't beat yourself over it."
    He was silent for a while.
    "Look at them Cid," she dared a glance, "Have you seen anything like
it?"
    "Humph, damned if I ever thought of something like that."
    Shera sighed and bumped herself into him. Red felt inclined to look the
other way when Reeve came from nowhere and sat wearily beside him.
    "How's Ilyana?"
    "Asleep," the bearded man looked exhausted, "Finally. Thankfully."
    Red eyed him carefully.
    "Don't give me that," Reeve soured.
    "Give you what?"
    "That look," his tone dour as he slumped against the wall, "Maybe I
should have listened to him."
    "She owes her life that you didn't," Red said slowly, "I'm sure she's
grateful."
    "Yeah," Reeve's face sullen, "I'm sure she is."
    Red was silent as the man went on.
    "You think Aeris can help her?"
    "I don't know," Red replied truthfully, "To be honest, I've never heard
of any materia that could heal the mind."
    "I guess you're right," Reeve was glum.
    Red yawned as he felt the floor underneath him press against him. The
last thing he saw before he fell asleep were a trio of crystalline orbs
rolling across the floor from Marlene's sleepy hands.


==============================================================


And crawling on the planet's face;
    Are some insects called the human race.
Lost in time, and lost in space;
    And with it, a meaning.

    -- The Rocky Horror Picture Show


==============================================================


    "Grandfather! Grandfather!"
    The Son of Seto dropped out of his reverie.
    Danger again?
    "Grandfather come look!" one of the cubs jumped around him excitedly.
    Nanaki sprung into action despite his age.
    "What is it?"
    "Look! Look!" the cub rushed ahead where his sister stood in silence,
her paw scratched at something on the ground.
    "What have you found, Niuka?"
    "I'm not sure," the cub backed off respectfully as Red approached.
    "Muardi couldn't catch up to me, so he took to sulking here."
    "I did not!" the cub cried and began to nip Niuka's tail. She gave him
a strong enough cuff to knock him over.
    "Enough," the old warrior growled, "One word and your Grandmother will
not let either of you journey out this far again."
    "Ha ha!" Niuka leaped back to his grandfather as Muardi stopped in
mid-strike.
    The cub dropped his head and attempted no further mischief.
    "Better," Red turned back to the find.
    His eye dimmed as he read the inscription.
    So long.
    So long ago that he had forgotten exactly where.
    "Grandfather?" Niuka's nose sniffed, "Why do you cry?"
    "It --- it is a gravestone," the large quadruped said simply.
    "Was it someone you knew?" Muardi picked up his ears.
    "Aye," Red nodded and chuckled. The boy always enjoyed his stories to
his studies of Planet.
    "Can you tell us?" the cub pleaded, "Please?"
    "It grows late," Red turned around, "We should head back."
    "But Mother won't let us here your stories," Niuka pawed the earth,
"She says it fills our heads with rubbish."
    "Does she now?" Red chuckled and gazed into the two young ones' eyes.
    Niuka swatted a wayward fly as he lay down expectantly.
    "Please!" Muardi begged, "I'll do your chores, Grandfather."
    "But I have no chores," Red pointed out.
    "That's my point!" the cub laughed and jumped about.
    "Very well then," the old warrior chuckled and began the tale.
    The two cubs sat entranced by the old warrior's words. One of their
tails flicked apart a dandelion and its seeds drifted on the wind. The
ethereal white droplets danced about the grimly silent stone. One of them
hung for a moment in the cracks made by the scribed letters before floating
away. And had it had eyes, the seed would have been able to read them.



                                 Here lie
                                   Tifa
                                   Aeris
                                   Cloud
                                ~~~~~~~~~~
                                Together in
                              Death, as they
                               Were in Life.
                                ~~~~~~~~~~
                               Your children
                              miss you dearly.



==============================================================
==============================================================

Next Episode: Trinity (optional)

==============================================================
==============================================================


Authors' Note:
If you've paid attention, you'll notice that there are still some unsettled
details. No, these are not red herrings (well, hopefully not); those things
are (again, hopefully) addressed in the last chapter.

A side history --- During the course of our work we realized that sex in
literature has been rudely contained by unspecified religious groups who
are not worth our effort here to identify. How can sexual material that is
written by rabid anti-porn femi-nazis be considered 'feminism', but the
same material that's by two college guys on a video game be considered
pornography?

"IT JUST DON'T ADD UP, MAN!!"

Still, in the interest of a wider audience, we have assented and decided to
write the ecchi portion as a final, semi-autonomous episode. However, the
true ending will ONLY be revealed in 'Trinity'. Just remember provided that
you can accept these characters as people with the same wants and needs as
everyone else, then you have no business flaming us --- or being human.

==============================================================
==============================================================

Crits and constructive comments send to :: Grey228@hotmail.com
Subject line: deej-crit
(Max Zhang --- Please bullet your comments people! I can't *stress* that
enough!)

Flames and hatemail send to :: Rattlesnakedick@hotmail.com
Subject line: deej-hate
(Richard Richardson --- I'm a lawyer and I pity the fool that messes with
me!)