I don't own the characters. Square Enix does.

This fic is a practice in many things for me, so critique is very welcome.

This particular chapter (or prologue) was hard for me to write, since I don't have much of an idea of where the story is currently headed, but these little pieces were necessary to start the story. It would have been weird to just start with what's going to happen next (even though I don't really know what that is).

My comments on the chapter are at the bottom.

UPDATE: 5/15/09

Just read more information on Genesis, so I've changed his part in the prologue to fit canon better.

UPDATE: 5/11/09

After reading someone's comments on the bad characterizations all too often seen in FFVII fanfics, which included comments on resurrecting Aeris, I realized what had been missing from this chapter. I've added several lines onto Aeris's part that hopefully make her coming back to life a bit more realistic.

--

Why she hadn't melded with the planet yet, she didn't know. Deepground had been finished off six months earlier, and Sephiroth had been defeated again a year before that. Sephiroth's consciousness had become quiet, though it hadn't vanished, and she didn't think it ever would. The man was determined to remain himself, but the possibility of him returning to physical form once again was low, from what she could tell of his mind. If Sephiroth was defeated for good, she had no reason to remain herself.

But then she chuckled, as she did every time she thought that. Yes she did: she enjoyed watching Cloud live his life. Being with him in spirit was the next best thing to being with him in physical form. But Cloud was moving on and he didn't need her like he had before, and even though she knew it was impossible to return to him, she couldn't help but feel a longing to be with him at every moment. Her heart ached, even as the part of her imagination that it was.

Melding with the planet would be easier on her. She wasn't scared of it, why would she be? She just didn't want to yet. A part of her did, just as a part of her wanted to wait around in the lifestream until Cloud died and joined it as well, but she knew that wasn't right.

Cloud wasn't the only reason she hadn't melded yet, she realized then. Something was pulling at her mind, warning her: there is still something that will hurt the planet. Your job isn't over yet.

It was the planet. Had she been ignoring it all this time? It seemed like she'd been hearing it over and over, but hadn't wanted to listen. She didn't want Cloud to have to deal with anything else. He'd gone through enough, and so she'd ignored the warnings.

Hello? She sent the question through the lifestream, toward the place she instinctively knew would hear it. It wasn't a word, that's not how the Cetra communicated with the planet. It was a thought without form, but with a clear meaning. I'm sorry, have you been trying to contact me?

I have. Came the response. The planet's thoughts always made her shiver. They echoed with the age and wisdom it held. Do not worry, up till now it has not been urgent.

Until now? She asked.

Yes. There was a pause and she patiently waited. You never learned of Genesis in your lifetime.

Who is he?

Someone who has many similarities, yet many differences, to Sephiroth.

She felt a hint of panic. Another Sephiroth?

His similarities are in his upbringing, but he despises Jenova, unlike Sephiroth. The planet clarified for her.

Relaxing slightly, but still worried, she asked, then what is he planning?

Nothing. In fact, he may even help.

Now she was confused. Then what do you need me for?

The new threat lies in Jenova herself. Genesis wants to project me, but he cannot do it alone.

I'm afraid I still don't understand why you need me.

Something like the mental version of a smile made it's way to her from the planet. Genesis is no ancient, my dear child. You are the only one who can communicate with me.

But I can't speak to the rest of them… And then she realized what the planet meant to do. She smiled, and in her mind, she saw Cloud smiling too.

Will you go back? The planet asked.

She hesitated, thinking it through before making a decision. It was true, she wanted to be with Cloud, for him even more than herself, but there was peace in being dead. She didn't have to worry about pain, or making a living, or anything else that the living did. And also as a Cetra, she didn't want to interfere with the way of life. Cloud was getting over her, though she knew he still loved her. In a few years, he might even recover enough to find someone else. If that happened, Aeris knew she wouldn't be jealous; she wouldn't want him to miss out on that part of life just because she wasn't there. A part of her wanted to remain in the lifestream. Though she didn't think Sephiroth would be much of a problem again, what if she was wrong?

Do not worry about that man. The planet told her gently. The greatest danger will be on the surface, and that's where you could provide the most help, but I will only send you back if you agree to it.

She sighed. The planet needed her, and she did want to be with Cloud. She felt like they had missed out on so much last time. She wanted another chance.

And anyway, if the planet needed her help, how could she refuse and not feel guilty for the rest of her existence?

I'll go. She said finally.

Genesis sat by the fire in their camp. He couldn't sleep. He had returned, as he always knew he would, but now what was he supposed to do? The goddess had healed him, cleansed him of the Jenova cells that had nearly claimed life, and he had to repay that debt. He'd sealed himself in that cavern to wait for the day when he would be needed again, but why had he awoken now? The Deepground Incident had ended just before he'd woken, and he'd nearly sealed himself up again upon learning that. But there had to be a reason he'd woken up when he did. The goddess had healed him for a reason, but what?

He wasn't sure what the reason for Weiss was either. He knew that Weiss shared his own cells, and maybe that was it. Did he have a responsibility to this man because of that. But then why had he been able to revive him? The man had been all but dead in the cavern where he'd woken. There had to be another reason.

The past six months had been spent searching for a way to help the goddess, but so far he'd found nothing. So did he keep looking? He didn't know what else to do, but wandering the planet aimlessly wasn't something he particularly liked the idea of. If only he could ask the goddess what she wanted.

He sighed, reciting loveless again in his head as he did once in a while. Perhaps there was still something hidden in its rhymes and riddles, something he hadn't seen before when he'd been concentrating on healing his body. He turned the lines over in his head, searching each word and phrase for hidden meanings. He broke them apart, seeing if there was a puzzle there to be solved, then put them back together again and tried to look at them as if he'd never seen them before.

The Gift of the Goddess.

Sighing again, he finally lay down and closed his eyes. Whatever he was meant to do, he'd better get some rest.

Sephiroth had been watching him since he'd woken. There was something about him that was familiar, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember where he'd seen him. It wasn't just the bright blue eyes—he'd recognized those right away: they were just like Cloud's. Anger boiled within him at the thought of that simple human, the simple human who had somehow managed to defeat him three times.

There was something else about this brown-haired man with a long red sword. And… what was this emotion he was feeling? He couldn't recall ever feeling it before. Could it be… No. That was impossible. Or, if it was true, it had its roots in the times from before he'd awoken, and those memories meant nothing. He had let go of those long ago.

But then why was he so fascinated with this human? Even to the point of distracting him from Cloud. Oh, not enough to make him loose his grip on himself. That would never happen. Cloud would always be the core of his being, his grip on himself in this place.

Even if this man had just been a part of the foolish years of his youth, a part of him wanted to know who it was. Why did he not feel the hatred for this man that he felt toward all humanity?

He felt…

Hurt?

--

For the first section with Aeris, why didn't I use her name? I don't know. It just happened that way. Also, I think that Cloud does move on from Aeris after AC, but he still loves her and would try to bring her back if he knew a way. I just think he's strong enough to be able to move on from her. He knows there's no use in pining after her if she'd dead, that doesn't make one happy. Aeris knows this and would want it that way... if she didn't return that is. 8D

With Genesis, I believe he returns with the intention of aiding the planet, but that doesn't mean he won't be an antagonist of sorts. I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with this, but he won't be very helpful for a while I think. And I have absolutely no idea for Weiss. No idea at all.

And Sephiroth. I really like the nice Sephiroth from CC, so even though it's probably not likely that Sephiroth would ever be nice again, I like Sephiroth enough to turn away from canon to make him at least a little nice. I don't know how nice he'll be, and I don't know if I'll bring him back in physical form yet, but I'm letting the story decide for me.

I'm going to try for a chapter a week, but I can't guarantee anything. I'm not very reliable with my writing.

Reviews are appreciated!