*I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of their characters, though Katlyn is mine.
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"Um… why am I here again, Gail?" asked Katlyn as she was 'escorted' into the dance studio.
"Because you're the only person I know who has had dance training that I can trust to tell me when I look horrible," replied her cousin as she dragged Katlyn into one of the two chairs that had been set up.
"Gail, the only dance training I have was back when I was, like, nine. Plus, it was ballet dancing, not ballroom dancing!"
"So? It's still dancing!"
"Gaaah! I give up!" remarked Katlyn with exasperation.
Gail grinned as she sat down in the other chair. She was the only person who could make Katlyn see things her way (which wasn't always a bad thing). In fact, the two cousins (who looked almost identical except that Gail wore glasses and had shoulder-length curly hair) were closer to each other than they were to their respective siblings. While Gail's situation was reasonable (she was the only girl in a house full of boys), Katlyn's on the other hand was a bit more complicated. Her only sibling was her older sister, who didn't care for the fact that she wasn't going to be an only child anymore. When their parents were around, Katlyn and her sister were the picture of sibling support. Behind closed doors, however, was another story. Luckily, it had never escalated to physical abuse, but the emotional abuse was enough to leave Katlyn scarred. In fact, Gail had a suspicion that her sister's torturing was the real reason behind Katlyn's stubborn refusal to leave her cheating boyfriend behind.
"So… when is your instructor going to get here?" asked Katlyn, interrupting her cousin's reverie.
"Hmm…," Gail replied, looking at her watch, "In about a half-hour."
"A HALF-HOUR? You drug me here a whole bloody half-hour before your instructor arrives?"
"Well, of course! After all, with all of my preparations for the wedding, we haven't had time to just sit down and talk!"
Katlyn blinked in astonishment. "You did all this so that we could just talk?"
"Uh-huh! What kind of a god-sister would I be if I didn't take time just to sit down and chat with you!" answered Gail, purposefully using the term that they had come up with when they were kids that described their relationship to make up for the lack of time she had spent with her cousin. Preparing a wedding had proved tougher than planned, especially since she refused to let Katlyn help out (her excuse: Katlyn deserved to have the honor that she held without any of the work)
Katlyn gave her a small but true smile when she heard the term. "So, then, god-sister, what did you want to talk about?"
"Just let me know what's been happening with you! And don't skimp on the juicy details, unless they concern your dead-beat boyfriend, 'cuz then I don't wanna know."
Katlyn ignored the boyfriend remark with practiced ease. She clasped her hands together as her brow furrowed in deep thought.
"Well… for the past couple of weeks now, I've been having reoccurring dreams, and I'm not quite sure what to make of them," she stated slowly.
"Really?" Gail inquired. This was new. Normally, Katlyn didn't dream at all. "Why don't you tell me, and I'll offer my view on them!"
Katlyn gave her cousin a sideways glance. "Are you sure?" she asked, "You'll think I'm weird…"
"Katlyn, that's old news. You should know by now that the truly weird people are the ones who insist they're normal."
Katlyn laughed. That response was so Gail.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," she said, slowly stopping her laughter. She took a deep breath, gathering her nerve. "Well… the dreams are all different, except for one constant: A man with silver hair longer than mine and beautiful green eyes. In some dreams, I'm chasing him, in others he's chasing me. Yet in others, we're together, neither one of us chasing the other. Those ones are the happiest dreams."
"How romantic!" gasped Gail. This was the stuff of dime-store romantic novels. "Do you know this man?"
At this, Katlyn frowned. "That's the thing: I know I've never met him, yet my heart keeps telling me that I do know this man, quite well in fact. As if, once his name is revealed to me, I'll understand why we were ever separated at all."
"Katlyn… it sounds like this guy is your soul mate! You need to find him!"
"But how?" asked Katlyn, leaning back into her chair. "I don't even know his name, and most of his features except for his hair and eyes fade as soon as I wake up."
"Hmm… well, when did these dreams start?" asked Gail. "Maybe if we can find out how you started to dream the dreams, then we have the clue we need to find the hottie!"
"Wait, how do you know if he's hot or not?"
Gail gave her cousin a flat look. "Long silver hair PLUS beautiful green eyes? That sounds like the typical anime hottie, who as you know are generally hotter than real life hotties. Thus, he's gotta be gorgeous."
Katlyn snorted with amusement. "Only you would make that assumption."
"Uh, I think that there are thousands of people on deviantART alone who would agree with me," answered Gail, grinning.
"True… plus, I can't deny that the combination is hot. After all, just take a look at Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7. Even though he turns into a psychopath, you have to admit he's a cutie," conceded Katlyn.
Gail laughed, "See? I'm right again!" Turning serious, she added, "So, tell me when the Hottie Dreams started."
Katlyn thought for a moment. "Well, I guess they started back a couple of weeks ago. The day they started, I had been cleaning the apartment when I felt a strange presence behind me. When I looked to see who it was, however, I only managed to catch a glimpse of silver hair, which quickly disappeared. At the time, I just attributed it to a ghost," she answered truthfully.
Gail's mouth dropped open. "Katlyn… I don't know what to say," she admitted. "It almost sounds like you and Dreamy McHottietons are separated by two different worlds or something like that."
Katlyn sighed, "Figures. I get to meet my dream guy, but he only exists in my dreams."
As Katlyn started to look slightly depressed, Gail decided to reveal her surprise a little early. "Katlyn, there was another reason I brought you here early," she admitted. As Katlyn looked over at her, she elaborated, "You know the suggestion you made about my wedding music?"
"Yeah… what about it?" asked Katlyn suspiciously.
"Well, I talked it over with Doug, and he liked the idea. So, the musical theme for the Lune-Giggy wedding will be love songs from around the world!"
Katlyn gasped with surprise, "Are you serious?" At Gail's nod of assent, she excitedly continued, "Please tell me that one of the songs is Gackt's 'Love Letter'!"
"Of course! After you played that song for me, I knew I just had to have it in the wedding! In fact, it was that song that convinced Doug to go along with the idea," replied Gail, grinning at Katlyn's excitement.
At that moment, Gail's dance instructor walked (more like erupted) into the room. "Good news, Future Mrs. Gail Giggy!" he excitedly exclaimed.
Gail cocked her head. "You're here early, Antonio," she remarked as Katlyn sniggered at the title he gave her. Ignoring her cousin, she continued, "What's the good news?"
"I just heard from my sister instructor that Doug is progressing well with his dancing, so pretty soon we'll be able to have you two dance together!" he answered, clapping his hands together.
"That's great!" Gail remarked, her face lighting up at the image of her and her fiancée dancing together despite both of them having two left feet. At that moment, Antonio noticed the new addition to the room.
"Well, butter my buns and call 'em biscuits! Who is this lovely lady?" he inquired.
"This is my maid of honor, Katlyn Lune. Katlyn, this is my dance instructor Antonio Bailos," Gail replied as he grabbed one of Katlyn's hands and gave the back of it a formal kiss. "Katlyn's going to be watching today to see how things are going on my end. She's had dance experience, and she isn't afraid to face the wrath of Bridezilla."
"Aaand Gail is exaggerating on many accounts," remarked Katlyn. "She's definitely not Bridezilla, and I'm sure that you've been doing a great job of teaching her. Besides, I haven't danced in years."
"Honey, with the way you look it's a good thing. You'd be putting all of the female dancers out of work, and all of the straight males would be chasing you like kids chase the ice-cream truck on a hot day," Antonio replied, looking her up and down.
"Well, it's too bad I'm taken," replied Katlyn, feeling a little flustered by the compliment.
"Then he must feel like the luckiest man in the world!"
"Uh… yeah, I guess he does," Katlyn lied weakly.
Antonio looked suspicious, but Gail shook her head slightly. He understood the hint, and didn't pursue it further. "Well, anyway, did you bring the song you're going to be dancing to?" he asked the bride.
Gail held up a CD that she dug up from her purse. "Right here!"
"And why haven't you placed it in the player already?" he chastised.
Gail smiled sheepishly as she answered, "Because I was busy talking to Katlyn."
"Sugar, didn't your mama teach you to multitask? Now, hurry up and place it in the player! If we want you and your honey-bunny dancing together anytime soon, we need all the time we can get!"
Gail did as she was instructed, then got into position with Antonio. As the opening notes started to play, Katlyn's brow lifted in surprise as she remarked, "You're dancing to 'My Heart Will Go On'?"
"Yes, now hush. I need to concentrate," Gail replied good-naturedly. Katlyn nodded, then sat back in her chair and started to watch her cousin dance.
"Infinite in mystery is the Gift of the Goddess…," quoted Genesis, reading from his cherished copy of LOVELESS. Sephiroth only half-listened, his mind on other matters. The three Firsts were lounging about in the training room, set to simulate the city of Junon like usual. Suddenly, he sensed his two friends had gone silent. Looking over at them, he noticed that they were looking at him expectantly.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," he apologized.
"That's not like you, Sephiroth. You mind telling us what's going on?" asked Angeal as he leaned against a wall.
Sephiroth debated with himself for a moment, then came to a decision. "Do you two ever have visions when you're sleeping?" he asked.
At this, both Angeal and Genesis straightened. "You mean like a dream?" asked Genesis, his curiosity peaked.
"Is that what dreams are?" mused Sephiroth aloud.
"Most dreams are dreamt at night, yes," answered Angeal. "Why, have you been having some?"
"Yes. I've been having them for the past couple of weeks now, and they're…" Sephiroth trailed off and stared into the distance, unable to describe his feelings about them.
Angeal and Genesis looked at each other, then looked back at their friend.
"Why don't you tell us about them?" suggested Genesis gently, closing LOVELESS and placing it in an inner pocket. "Maybe we can help you out with them."
Sephiroth looked at them, but saw only support in their gazes. Deciding to trust them, he started, "It all began several weeks ago, when I had a vision that I thought was induced by something that Hojo injected me with during my monthly exam."
"What was the vision?" asked Angeal.
"I had been heading towards my office when I heard someone singing inside it," he answered.
"What? Was this person suicidal?" exclaimed Genesis, remembering the first and only time that he had barged into Sephiroth's office without permission. It had been to meet Sephiroth for the first time, and he only managed to escape unscathed through sheer dumb luck.
"No and I'll explain why," answered Sephiroth. "I'll admit, I had every intention of punishing the foolish person, yet when I opened my office door… it didn't open to my office. Instead, it looked like someone's living room. The only thing that was out of place was that the Shinra logo was nowhere to be found, even though it had a decent sized television. As I was looking around, suddenly I heard the voice again. I turned to see that it was a slightly-heavyset brunette female singing, and she wasn't aware of my presence at first, for she had a set of headphones on that I assumed was playing the music that she obviously was singing along to. It was only when I took a step into the room that she sensed my presence. Before I could catch a glimpse of her face, however, the vision faded, and I was left staring at my office again." He paused to look at his friends, then continued at Angeal's nod of support. "Later that night was the first time that I… dreamed about her. Each successive night, now, she shows up in my dreams. Some dreams, it's obvious that I'm pursuing her. Others, she's pursuing me. And yet others… we're not pursuing each other, but instead spending time together, similar to what we're doing now. Yet, two things are constant in these dreams: she's always singing, and her face fades away as soon as I wake up."
"Wow…" breathed Genesis. This was almost as riveting as LOVELESS, and it was all true, if the confusion on Sephiroth's face was anything to go by.
"Wow is right. Sephiroth, besides the vision and the dreams, have you met this girl before?" asked Angeal.
Sephiroth shook his head. Before he could elaborate, however, suddenly they heard a voice start to sing.
"Every night in my dreams/ I see you, I feel you," sang the voice.
"What the… did someone sneak in here?" asked Angeal, looking around the training room, Genesis doing the same. Sephiroth, however, had his gaze locked onto the end of the cannon.
"It's her… the girl from the dreams," he breathed. The two childhood friends looked at the General.
"Really? Where?" inquired Genesis.
"She's sitting right over there!" Sephiroth exclaimed, acting very much out of character as he pointed towards where he had been looking. As he looked over at his friends' faces, however, he asked, "Can't you see her?"
"No… but we can definitely hear her," confirmed Genesis. "Gaia, what a voice!"
"Indeed. Upon my honor, I haven't heard a voice like that in… well, ever," added Angeal.
"Hey, Sephiroth, what is she doing?" asked Genesis, looking over at his silver-haired friend.
"Why do you want to know?" asked Sephiroth, narrowing his eyes as he felt a strange emotion start to rise in his chest.
"Well, if you can see here where we can't, then that means that you obviously have a connection to her. Maybe we can use it somehow," explained Genesis.
"He has a point, Sephiroth," remarked Angeal. "If you can manage to talk to her, then we can find out who she is so that we can meet her in real life."
Sephiroth kept his eyes narrowed, but nodded his agreement as he turned back to where he could still see her singing. "She's sitting on a chair, looking off into the distance… I can only see her profile, not her whole face. I think she's watching something or someone, for every now and again I can see her smile a small smile and nod." His eyes widened as he heard her stop singing, and saw that she was getting ready to stand up. Instinctively, he knew that once she stood, she would be gone again. He lunged toward her as he shouted, "No, please! Don't go!" He watched helplessly as she started to turn towards his voice… and disappear, just like before.
"She disappeared?" asked Angeal, noticing Sephiroth's disappointment. As Sephiroth nodded in agreement, Angeal said sympathetically, "Don't be too sad. I'm sure she'll reappear again."
"He's right, Sephiroth. You'll see her again," said Genesis suddenly. As the others turned toward him, he elaborated, "I'm sure she's connected to the Goddess somehow." At Sephiroth's confused look, he asked, "Didn't you two feel it as she was singing? It was almost like she's a major point in our destinies… as if she knows what's going to happen, and knows what to do to make everything better."
"You're right… as I heard her sing, I felt… hope," remarked Angeal. "Hope that she has the key to make the world's destiny brighter."
"Hope? Is that the feeling I feel? No…" mused Sephiroth softly, unaware that his two friends could hear every word he said. "I feel like… what I'm feeling is more than hope, more than anything I've ever felt before."
Angeal and Genesis shared a shocked look. Was Sephiroth, who was infamous for never showing attraction to anybody, starting to fall for the mystery girl?
"Huh?" asked Katlyn, looking over at a corner of the studio.
"Katlyn? Is something the matter?" asked her cousin, stopping the dance.
"Did… either of you guys hear something?" she asked, looking over at the two of them. As they shook their heads no, she turned back towards the corner where she could've sworn she saw the same silver hair as before.
"Why? Did you hear or see something?" pressed Gail. Antonio looked between the two of them with curiosity.
"I… could've sworn I heard someone shout 'Please! Don't go!'" answered Katlyn, still staring at the corner.
"Well… there is another dance studio next door. Maybe you heard someone calling out to someone else that was about to walk out. It happens quite a lot, actually," suggested Antonio.
"Maybe…" Katlyn mused, before shaking her head. "Anyway, I'm glad that you guys stopped. Antonio, where's the bathroom?" she asked, revealing the reason she had stood up.
As Antonio gave her directions to the bathroom, she thought about the voice that she had heard. It had sounded so desperate… and in the deepest regions of her heart, she knew had been directed at her.
"I'd like to speak to my Brother, if it's at all possible," requested Minerva, standing at the border between her realm and her brother's. The assistant that she had spoken the request to closed its eyes for a brief moment as it relayed her request. Her own assistant, Leviathan, was watching over Gaia as she set out to solve her problem of Jenova.
"He's waiting for you. Welcome to the First Realm," spoke the assistant, standing aside to let Minerva pass.
As Minerva stepped into her brother's domain, she felt a sense of peace settle over her. She smiled, for that meant that her brother was willing to help in any way he could. And that was worth the risk of coming here and igniting a Meeting of the Worlds.
A/N: Reviews shall be used to contribute to the insanity of the author!