Author's note: This is a collaboration between Ceara Ivory and myself. We do not own Final Fantasy VII!

Those Chosen By The Planet

Disc 2 Part 1:

Betrayal

Barret groaned as he barely crawled out of the boat he had to steal. It was worth it to protect Marlene though, who had escaped the mob without a scratch. The boat he had wasn't the fastest, but a few bullets later it was the only boat floating. He knew they could rebuild the boats, but he had to buy himself time to get away so he could get to safety. He had to go back to Corel to where his home was.

"Papa? Are you okay?" Marlene asked.

Barret moaned. "Yes Marlene, Papa's fine."

"Miss Anna's not here. She might be hurt," Marlene said, concerned for the nice lady.

Barret nodded. "I somehow think she's fine if that other lady was so determined to take her away. But once I rest, I can try to find her and make sure of it Marlene."

Marlene hugged her papa. She was confused and scared. Nothing felt right and her papa felt scary to her sometimes. Most of the time he was really nice. But other times...she remembered the argument Barret and Anna had. "Papa… can I tell you somefing?"

Barret frowned. That tone of his daughter's… it was scared. "Marlene, of course you can tell me anything dear. You're my daughter."

"Well… you know how Miss Anna said people can do bad things when they… have too much to drink…" She sounded unsure. Maybe he wouldn't believe her.

Barret nodded, "Yes, and I know it can happen. But what are you trying to say sweetheart?"

"Biggs liked to drink lots and lots, especially when you weren't there...and he… he… he liked to hit me when he had too much…" She stuttered, sobs threatening her voice. "And he said… he said you let him because… I'm just a girl who needs to know… her place."

Barret swore internally. His daughter couldn't… shouldn't hear his words for that man. "Sweetie, he will never lay another hand on you."

"And… and I think… you should be… be nice to the other lady… because…because she tried to protect me from him," Marlene continued.

Barret blinked. The same traitor who gave Marlene to the damned Turk shielded his daughter?! Maybe… maybe she had cause then… fearing for Marlene. "I will be, if I ever see her again Marlene."

Marlene considered going on. Continuing with her little speech, mostly because she knew he might listen to her where he wouldn't listen to anyone else. "I love you Papa… I don't want you to fight no-more…" She finally said what was in her heart for her long, yet short life.

Barret nodded. "I love you too Marlene, but I have to find a way to make amends. Something's been wrong in my head for the past many years… Something terrible… I just don't know what to make of it or do about it right now. That's the other reason we're going. Maybe… maybe I can make amends through trying to help Corel."

"Miss Anna said… Miss Anna said that… her daddy had a job for you… she said if she was ever to help you that… that you could still have it. You could make things better by helping. Its easier to make the planet healthy when you work together and don't fight. Right?" Marlene said. "Then I could go to school!"

Barret gave her a small smile. "You're right Marlene. Still, let's go to Corel and see if I can't stop this stupid violence there. Then it'll show them I've begun to change."

Marlene smiled and hugged her father. "Let's go Papa!"

He hugged her tightly and nodded. "Let's go. It's not much further. How about you ride my shoulders so you don't have to walk much? This way you don't get too tuckered out."

The boat they were on had been traveling for half a day with no clue as to where they were going. Anna's patience was wearing very thin, but she didn't know what to do. "Aeris… can you at least tell me where we're going? This is the second time I've been kidnapped in two days."

Aeris gave Anna a shocked look. "Kidnapped? I rescued you Anna. Now we're going to a special place for the tools to fight Jenova. But to get it, we need to go to a special canyon to get it. It unlocks the doorway to the special materia."'

Anna groaned. "You're still going on about Jenova? She's Sephiroth's mother! She's been helping him Aeris. I can't fight her! Look, when we get to this canyon. I am calling Sephiroth and letting him know where I am and to come get me. I'm not doing this." She stomped around the hull. She was not happy. "I want my husband, I want my son, and I want to go home!"

Aeris shook her head. "That's Jenova's influence. She is the destruction of this world. The harbinger of death. She will bring with it the ultimate use of the lifeforce of the planet – draining it to kill the whole world."

"Aeris, I appreciate your help, but I have a funny feeling that my father might be worried about me. I'm also pretty sure Sephiroth is too, not to mention my brother. And I have a son to take care of," Anna told her. "I have to go home. Jenova is no threat to this world. Sephiroth trusts her. I trust him. I am going home."

Aeris gripped her arm, "I am really sorry this has come to this Anna." She knelt down in a prayer while holding Anna's arm tightly. Images began to swim in Anna's mind of Jenova's true form, of how she would destroy the world. When it was over, Aeris stood. "As I said Anna, we have to stop her before this comes to pass."

Anna sighed. "I don't care what she looks like… I genuinely think you're wrong about her. I won't help you fight her." She pulled away from Aeris.

Rufus smiled as he approached Maeve and Arnold while Airlia was putting her belongings together for the small vacation. "Maeve, Arnold, can I ask you a question before you go to pack?"

The parents shared a secret smile of knowledge. "Of course Rufus, what's the matter?"

He gave them a weak smile. "I wanted to ask your permission to bring Airlia on a date at some point while we're on vacation. I also wanted to ask your permission to ask her to marry me."

Arnold didn't need to think twice. "You have our permission on both counts, but don't you dare hurt our baby girl. Understand?"

Rufus nodded in agreement. "I understand, thank you both. I promise I will never willingly hurt her."

Sephiroth held his hands out, focusing on the power within him to levitate a vase of flowers. He heard Jenova in his ear. "Yes son, that's it. Focus your power, bring out just enough to keep that vase floating, no more."

Sephiroth breathed in and out, focusing on his power as best as his mind would allow. He'd felt something earlier. He'd felt Anna nearby but then… she had gone away again. Finally he dropped the vase, gently, back to the table. "Mother… I can't… Anna's in danger… she's not coming here. She's moving away from Corel…"

Jenova frowned. She'd felt it too but she also felt that other girl with her, the Cetra. "Yes. And she's with that Cetra friend of hers."

Sephiroth looked up at his mother. "What? Rufus said Aeris was sent to find and grab Anna if she could, and when she did, she was supposed to stay put and call."

"Apparently, she chose not to listen. This confirms what I've said about the Cetra," Jenova explained. "Right now, I'm sure they're hunting for the key."

Sephiroth frowned. "What key?" She hadn't mentioned a key before this.

"The key to the Ancient Temple, they're preparing to fulfill the mission of their ancestors," Jenova told him. "The one I came to this planet to put a stop to."

Sephiroth nodded. It was better to not question that matter yet… "Where is this key? We can get ahead of them and get Anna back."

"Son, you're not quite understanding. It is my...belief that your wife is doing this willingly," Jenova really didn't want to tell him. "Your wife is a Cetra as well. Her mission is the same as her friend's even if she doesn't know it. She won't have a choice. She'll fulfill it. Unless we stop them."

Sephiroth frowned. "I don't believe you mother! Anna is sweet and gentle, she would never harm her family or this world!" He shook his head, "She was forced to go with Aeris I bet. Nothing you say will make me think otherwise unless I see her with my own eyes, and hear her with my own ears!"

Jenova knew he wouldn't believe her. "Be that as it may, we do need to find them. So we can stop them if nothing else. You should inform your boss of the change."

Sephiroth nodded as he pulled out a cellphone and dialed Solomon Shinra. "Sir, she's no longer heading towards Corel as we first thought. Yes, I believe that Aeris took her and is now forcing her on some stupid mission. I'm going to need help picking up her scent. Do we have anything that can help with that?" He paused for a moment before nodding. "Yes sir, send him over right away and we'll continue our search for Anna." He snapped the cell closed.

A couple of hours later, the phone on the bedside table rang. Jenova answered it. "Yes? Oh, yes. Yes, he'll be right down." She put the phone back in the cradle. "Son, it's here. Are you going to call your friends? Or will we be continuing without them?"

Sephiroth frowned. "They're coming with us. I merely wanted to have a tracker with us before I informed them of the situation. No sense in worrying them additionally with something beyond their control."

Down in the lobby of the hotel, Professor Hojo and Solomon waited with the large, red mountain lion. Sephy was with them, playing with the animal. Until he saw his father that is.

"Daddy!" Sephy got off of the creature's back and dashed over, holding his arms up to his father.

"He's never been to Golden Saucer before," Solomon explained. "And I figured, while we were here, I might as well take him to play some games."

Sephiroth chuckled with a nod. "Yeah, that will be perfect for Sephy." He picked up his son, "I know they got you this red mountain lion as a companion for you Sephy, but could I borrow him to help find your mother?"

Sephy smiled big and wide. "Red can find Mommy?"

Sephiroth nodded, "Yes. Red can definitely find her. Felines have a keen sense of smell and can easily pick up Mommy's scent."

"Yeah, Red can go. You'll help find Mommy, won't you Red?" Sephy asked the creature, giving him some say in the matter.

"Of course I will help find your mother." Came a strange voice. Everyone looked around in surprise, well except for Solomon, Sephy and Hojo. There was a chuckle, "What? Hojo gave me a voice so I might be able to speak with Sephy."

Sephy smiled satisfied. "Can I go too Daddy? I wanna help find Mommy too. And I wanna be with you."

Sephiroth shook his head gently, his hair swaying with the movement. "Unfortunately no Sephy. I have a more important mission. Make sure your grandpa doesn't do anything silly okay? This way your mother has a home to come back to."

Sephy pouted but nodded. "Yes Daddy. Come back soon with Mommy though. I miss you."

Sephiroth gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I promise, I'll be home soon, with Mommy. I miss you too kiddo. I think about you every day I'm away."

Hojo came and took the boy from his father while Solomon gave Red a little pat. "Now, you find my daughter, boy. I'm not sure how long I can keep her brother from going to find her himself and that could be dangerous for both of them."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "What did you do to Rufus to keep him busy?" It would give him an idea of how much time before he was on the hunt too on his own.

"He is currently on vacation with the Marchands, aiding the young lady in her recovery," Solomon explained. "I gave him strict instructions to stay with them but I'm not sure how long he'll listen."

Sephiroth nodded. "It gives me no more than a week I figure to find her."

Jenova sighed off to the side. How to make her son understand what they may ultimately have to do. No matter how unpleasant.

Cloud and Tifa came into the hotel from information hunting and playing. "What's going on?" Cloud asked looking at the huge cat. "And what's that?"

Sephiroth smirked. "This is Red. He's going to help us track Anna because they're not going to Corel as we first assumed. Aeris got her out, but is now forcing her on some sort of mission I think. So we need to change up our plans accordingly."

Cloud looked at Tifa. "So where do we go next? If we don't know exactly where she's going, then we need to at least plan stopping points. The world is a big place."

Sephiroth looked at Jenova. "Aeris is looking for some sort of key to the home of the ancients… A temple that lays in ruins in the south."

Red spoke up, "I know where she may be heading then. My 'grandfather' has a strange stone that he called a 'key.' It's possible… We can start there in Cosmo Canyon."