Sephiroth woke with a start, sitting up and searching for the woman with the caramel eyes. He found only the familiar walls and furnishings of his bedroom. It was doubtful she was hiding in the closet. Flopping back onto the pillow, he forced himself to relax and attempt to return to sleep. He realized it was futile when every time he closed his eyes, the woman's face appeared.
It was almost a relief when the cell phone on his nightstand began to ring.
"What is it?"
"Good morning to you too, Sunshine."
"You didn't answer my question, Zack."
"We're being dispatched immediately to Gongaga."
"Why?"
"Well Sunshine, seems as though the Lifestream thought it would be a grand idea to bubble up and destroy a third of the village. Aeris, uh, requested, that the two of us go."
"Since when does your lady-friend have any say in military matters?"
"She does when the Planet is telling her to bring you there. Makes sense really. You and I are the only ones that can survive the Mako radiation for any period of time."
"Hmph."
"Aw, c'mon now Sunshine. I promise you'll have coffee when you get here."
"There better be a danish with it, or the nearest trash receptacle will be up-ended on your head."
"Copy that, General. We're leaving as soon as we're briefed, which they won't do until you get here. So hurry up."
"Insolent. I'll have you court marshaled."
"I'll let them know you're on the way. Later."
Thirty minutes found him walking into the Shinra building. The lobby was normally deserted at this time of the day, but it was nearly chaotic at the moment. He immediately got in the elevator. His temper was never good when tired or hungry, and considering he was both at the moment it was a good idea to avoid the people buzzing around the building.
Upon the elevator doors opening, he found Zack waiting, the promised coffee and danish in hand. He took both without a word and started down the hall to the conference room, Zack falling in step beside him. Sephiroth frowned slightly after tasting the pastry.
"Don't make that face. Best that could happen with such short notice."
"Considering the circumstances I'll let it slide."
"Thanks."
The briefing was dull, as was the five hour flight to Gongaga. He spent an hour or two in his cabin, attempting to sleep before reaching their destination. Sleep continued to elude him, so most of that time was spent staring at the ceiling. Eventually he pulled his boots and coat back on and went to the bridge, where he stared out of the giant viewing window and paid scant attention to the other people that were there. Captain Highwind, a foul-mouthed but extraordinary pilot grumbled quietly to himself, and the rest of the crew went about their business as though the General was not aboard. Cid Highwind took his airships maintenance seriously and woe unto the individual that shirked his duties.
After landing, Sephiroth took stock of the situation, the colonel in charge being succinct with his report and returning to his duties. The mobile detox station had already been set up and the survivors were marching through with sad, lost expressions on their faces. Vehicles were lined up and waiting to transport the people of Gongaga to a place of safety until their home was either cleansed or relocated.
"This sucks." Zack had come to stand beside him. The view of Gongaga even from this distance was depressing.
"You can always wait in the airship."
"Nah. It sucks for them is what I meant. I never liked living here, but I never wished anything like this would happen to."
"It's your home town, correct?"
"Yeah." Zack frowned at the deserted houses and huts. "Aeris wanted to talk to us before we went in. She's over there."
They found Aeris staring at the village much as they had been only with her eye unfocused. She was listening to the Voice of the Planet, something made very difficult with the people surrounding her. A hand reached out and grabbed one of Zack's, but she otherwise remained silent and unmoving. Sephiroth assessed the pair, as he always did when there was any chance of danger to the girl. Aeris was half Cetra, the only living being with the blood of the Ancients still in existence. She was a remarkable healer, and her ability with magic was astounding. Though physically weak, anything trying to attack would have to get through Zack. He was constantly at her side, not just because his duty demanded it, but because he loved her deeply and would kill anything that threatened her without blinking an eye. Aeris was always unsettled by that fact, but never took him to task about it when the need for such violence arose.
"Hmmm." Aeris blinked and rubber her temple with her free hand. "I wish Mother was still alive. She'd have understood what's going on better than I do."
"You do great." Zack said. Aeris smiled slightly and squeezed his hand.
"Thanks." The smile vanished when she looked over at Sephiroth. "You have to go into the village and search."
"Obviously. Why me specifically, though? The personnel could do that with the H-suits."
"No. It wants you. This…this whole situation shouldn't have even occurred. The Lifestream is miles down in this area normally, but it just bubbled up out of nowhere. The Planet sort of, well, cried out and demanded I bring you here. It was so clear. Normally I have to concentrate to hear like that, but it was so strong…anyway, you have to go in and save her."
"Her? Her who?"
"I don't know. She's not from around here. The memories she has of her home…they terrify me. Things like that just shouldn't happen." A delicate shudder ran down her body. "You have to find her and help her. She'll come up to you once you're near the Lifestream flow."
"She's awake in that kind of radiation? Why doesn't she come out and save the trouble of waking me from a nearly-sound sleep?"
"She's not awake. Her memories are coming to me from the Lifestream for some reason. There's something that has to be done, to try and fix what's happened in her home, and the Planet is doing its utmost to help her. That's all I really get from all this." She shook her head. "I hate for you two to go into that Mako radiation, but we have to help this woman."
"Ah, don't worry Aeris. We'll be back in a jiffy." He gave her hand a squeeze before letting it go. "STRIFE!"
"Sir!?" Came from a Soldier that ran forward at the call.
"You're in charge of Ms. Gainsboro's safety until I get back. One little scratch and I'll have your liver on a plate. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Good man." Aeris went back to shaking her head, this time with a smile. "Alright, I'm ready when you are, Sephiroth." He nodded and started on the walk into the village. Zack waved to Aeris before catching up.
"You really shouldn't tease Strife like that."
"He knows I'm kidding. Sort of. Besides, he needs a chance to prove himself. Poor guy thinks he's nothing. He might even be able to beat me in a fight if I can get his confidence up."
"I see."
"What? You disagree?"
"No." He scanned the area again before continuing. "I'm more concerned about the idol-worship he has for you."
"Nah, Strife just needs to find his place. He's a good kid. Man, it's creepy being in a town without any people in it. Gives me the heebee jeebees."
"Is that a technical term?"
"Not by military standards."
"If I see it in your report no amount of coffee or danish will save you."
"I'll keep that in mind, Sephiroth."
Conversation ceased after that, both men tensed as they neared the Lifestream flow. Often times the Mako radiation would mutate what it didn't kill and those mutations were usually not agreeable. The indigenous creatures were not much of a threat, but the off chance that one was going to cause trouble kept them on alert. Oddly enough, there were no bodies, human or otherwise, anywhere to be seen. The vegetation was unusually vibrant and overgrown the closer they came to the flow. By the time it was reached, the grass was well over the top of Sephiroth's head.
Zack stood silently, eyes searching the immediate area while Sephiroth went right to the bank of the glowing river. The flow possessed a green, luminous light that bathed everything in the immediate area. He was immediately overcome with déjà vu. The Lifestream was in the exact position as the river from his dream, even the single color hue of his surroundings was the same. Just as in the dream, a dark shape began to appear in the flow, gradually growing in size and dimension into a vaguely human shape. It was coming close to the bank but the current would pull it downstream before reaching it.
"Fair!" Zack came immediately to his side, eyes finding the shape in the Lifestream. "Stay on the bank." Sephiroth quickly set his sword and coat on the ground and took a step toward the flow.
"You can't be serious! Even for you, it's suicide to go into the Lifestream!" Zack grabbed his arm, pulling him to a halt.
"I'll be fine."
"Are you crazy, Sephiorth!?"
"It seems so. Don't step on my sword again." Zack looked down and found that his foot was nowhere near the sword. Sephiroth took the opportunity to pull free from his grasp and leapt into the Lifestream. He waded out to waist level, the human shape heading straight toward him. Just as in his dream, he instinctively reached out and grasped a slim, human wrist. The current nearly pulled him under, but he managed to make several slippery steps backward until the current's strength waned enough to make walking less difficult and he could pick up and carry the person he had just fished from the flow. It was still slow going, since the consistency of the Lifestream was similar to honey.
By the time he made it to the bank, his legs were burning with the effort to move. Sephiroth knelt on the ground, still holding the body of what turned out to be a young woman. She was slim, but with enough muscle tone to show she was extremely active. Dark hair, dripping with Mako from the Lifestream, obscured her face. He wiped the hair away, finding delicate features. She was obviously from Wutai, but that did nothing to explain how she ended up in the Lifestream.
"Shit, Sephiroth. Is she still alive?" He pulled a glove off, feeling for a pulse and quickly finding one.
"Yes. She isn't breathing though." Zack bit off another curse, helpless to assist while Sephiroth and the woman were covered with Mako. He watched as his friend and superior turned the woman on her side and firmly pushed her abdomen until her body expelled the Mako from its stomach and causing her to cough up the fluid from the lungs. It made a small glowing puddle that inched its way back to the Lifestream flow. The woman coughed weakly, and began breathing. Sephiroth returned her to lying on her back. She was still for a few breaths, and then slowly opened her eyes.
