Yay, done with another chapter! It's always a feeling of victory once I finish a chapter, and especially once I get it posted and FF dot not isn't being a moron again about it and everything is HAPPY. Of course, this author's note was written before I would try to upload this to FF dot net, so hopefully I haven't jinxed myself! XD

Well, while the end of the last chapter was certainly left on a cliffhanger, and at a climactic battle at that, I think I might have hinted before that I don't intend to return to the big fight right away. In fact, just to be a mean person, I'm going to prolong the suspense a bit longer and not include Kallie, Aurei, OR Raide in this chapter!

That's right, the three materia siblings aren't going to be seen in this chapter, and that'll certainly be a first for Kallie. (Of course, it's not like they won't be going without mention either, definitely not, especially since a bit of recapping will be happening.) Instead, I've decided that now will be a good time to go back and see what's been happening with the other characters, especially since some haven't made an appearance for quite some time! Like, holy crap, the Turks! And Rufus! And Cloud and Tifa and co.! Even though the latter has been getting a lot more screentime recently, more so than previous chapters, anyway, ha ha.

Well, as usual, I think that's enough of my ramblings, so onward with Chapter 25! (And be prepared for more ramblings at the end of the chapter, of course.)

ILLUSORY FLAME: EMBERS

Chapter 25

The Depths of the Fog

"Well… that was a complete waste of time…" yawned Reno after he had put on his headset, sitting back in the passenger seat of the helicopter's cockpit before rubbing his forehead with a groan. "Who would've thought the father actually knew we were coming and bailed out before we got here?"

"Aurei clearly knew that we would most likely target her father next, so she probably warned him just in time," Rude replied, who was piloting the helicopter this time, which had just lifted off from in front of the Driessens' cottage. "It was probably the first thing she did once she and the remnant escaped from us

"At least we know the father's suspicious too, huh? I doubt he would've run if he were innocent."

Though Rude didn't say anything, he nevertheless grunted in agreement. That day when he had visited the family three years ago, he had sensed there was something fishy about both the father and daughter. Although the father had acted normal enough, and seemed free enough of suspicion (the Shinra company trusted him enough to be working outside of Midgar, after all), Rude had come to get the feeling that Emery Driessen had been attempting to hide something, and it must have had something to do with Aurei. The battle with her three years ago had planted that notion in him, and the battle yesterday had simply confirmed it: that woman was no ordinary fighter.

It was a mystery that had bothered him ever since he had first met her, and it was something he had hoped to resolve upon having the opportunity to actually investigate their home, once they found their way back out of the Mythril Mines and returned to where they had hidden their helicopters. It had seemed all too easy at first, for not only was he able to locate the Driessen cottage from memory, but they found it to be completely deserted. Entering was effortless as well, for the lock on the front door was easy to pick, and it was far enough away from any nearby homes that they wouldn't be caught for breaking in.

Yet, it was upon investigating the home itself that they soon discovered that finding any sort of clue or evidence to the family's secret was going to be the most challenging part. In fact, even though they had stayed overnight in the cottage, in case the father would happen to return and they could confront him then, their search turned up absolutely nothing.

They, like Yazoo, were unable to find anything that might possibly incriminate the family, or even give a hint to the nature of Aurei's abilities. All the documents that they had found had solely pertained to Emery Driessen's work as a W.R.O. ecologist, and hardly contained anything that would be useful to them. Somehow, Rude hadn't been surprised at all that Aurei's room had barely yielded even the slightest clue about its former occupant, sparse save for basic furnishings and only a few personal belongings.

The only thing Rude truly garnered from examining Aurei's room was yet another increase in the sense of dread and discomfort he felt every time he thought about the woman. Not that Rude could say he had ever visited many women's bedrooms in his lifetime, but any person's personal space shouldn't be as bare and plain as hers was. It would have been nice to see something as simple as a vase of flowers, a stuffed animal that might hold sentimental value, or even a nice family photo (though he would never know that Aurei had indeed possessed the latter at one point, for Emery Driessen had made sure to take it with him).

Rude knew it wasn't really his business to pry, or to even care, unless it was from the perspective of an investigator. No matter what angle he tried to view Aurei Driessen from, however, it still brought him that same level of disquiet, for something about her had perturbed him from that one day he had first met her. When Reno had inquired about her last night, about what Rude had thought of her when he had first met her, it hadn't been so easy for him to share his first impression of her. (Well, not only had Reno become slightly inebriated from helping himself to the Driessens' collection of wine, but had also asked the question in a rather unprofessional context, though that was beside the point.)

"She wasn't that much different from when we saw her today," Rude told him, again politely refusing Reno's offer to pour him some wine, since he wasn't a fan of using others possessions even if they were a suspect or a criminal. "If anything, I'd say she's grown even… colder since then."

Coldness: that was the best term he could use to describe her, and after today, he was starting to see why. Even though Aurei had hardly used her Ice powers when he had first fought her, coldness had still been a part of her demeanor, especially once he had brought up the fact he was there on behalf of Shinra, and looking to recruit her as a possible female SOLDIER. The only difference was that, back then, he had seen a hint of something in her that was actually pleasant: kindness, a small bit of affection and compassion, though one that she reserved solely for her father. From that daughterly devotion, Rude had come to surmise even then why she had so readily rejected the invitation to SOLDIER, and fully understood the resolve she had possessed to defeat him.

But, today… that coldness was all he had seen in her. Though he had no evidence to support the idea that she was fighting for her father again in today's confrontation, Rude had a feeling that was still the case, and she had become even more hell-bent about it than ever before—to the point where she didn't even seem all that human anymore. At least even when he had first fought her before, she had actually appeared a little cocky, assuring him with a smirk that no matter how much force he would utilize to make her submit, she would never give into their demands to join SOLDIER.

Truth be told, it was perhaps one of the last times anyone would see her smile.

"C'mon, man, did you really lose to her when you met her that first time?" Reno still seemed unable to get over the fact that his comrade had lost to Aurei. "You've always been one of the Turks' best fighters, especially in hand-to-hand combat."

"Aurei was sought after as a SOLDIER candidate for a reason, Reno, and I found out first-hand her potential was even greater than they first thought."

Reno scoffed. "Candidate my ass. You probably just let her off easy 'cuz you got the hots for her, eh?"

"Reno, you know I don't let that sort of thing get in the way of my work." The woman was attractive, Rude admitted that much, but by no means would he have ever fancied her. Her cold personality alone would be a deterrent to any man that tried to pursue her, something which Reno evidently didn't have a clear grasp of yet. "That day, Aurei defeated me, fair and square."

"But how, dude?"

"You think I have any better of an idea?" Rude grumbled back. It was tiring, to have to tell Reno the same things over and over again, but the fiery-haired Turk had probably forgotten he had ever made those inquiries, since most of them had been asked during his state of intoxication. The fact that he had a slight hangover right now was the reason why he wasn't piloting. "When I asked her who had taught her the forms of fighting she knew, all she told me was that she learned them from her mentor, who used to live in the Kalm area. What made me suspicious, however, is that she refused to disclose his name, saying it wasn't important who he was since he had died a year ago or so previously."

"Well, that ain't like she's hiding anything."

"Indeed. After the… confrontation, I proceeded to try and learn as much as I could about her from Kalm's residents, which should have been an easy task considering the size of the town."

"Did anyone know anything about her?"

"No, which was as I expected. They lived on Kalm's outskirts, after all, isolated from the rest of the town, and very few rarely ever saw either of them. Whenever they did, it was usually Aurei, since her father apparently has an illness that keeps him from traveling too far. From what I gathered, they believe she learned how to fight in order to protect her father, since they live too far away for any help to arrive immediately if an emergency were to occur. They also said she is sometimes hired as an escort if someone in Kalm needed protection from monsters while traveling from point A to point B."

"That makes sense, I guess," commented Reno, watching a pack of Kalm Fangs race across the plains below them. "But, did anybody actually know about who might've taught her?"

"That's the interesting part. Apparently, the last kind of mentor who would have been able to teach any sort of fighting skills died many years ago, before Aurei had even been born. No one ever saw this mentor of hers either; on the rare occasion somebody would see her training, she was always by herself."

"Weird. You think she actually had a mentor, or could she have really learned everything herself?"

"The latter would be highly improbable. From the way I've seen her fight, you'd think she had learned from the best instructors Shinra would have had to offer. Using a sickle-chain like she does is no simple weapon to master."

"Gotta say, it was pretty hard to top them. Maybe she didn't want her mentor's secrets spreading or something, if he was that good."

"It's another missing piece of the puzzle, that's for sure. I simply never imagined it would become something this complex, though."

"That now she's apparently working alongside those damn remnants?" Stretching out his arms, Reno placed them behind his head. "Yeah, that's pretty screwed up right there. You'd have to be insane to wanna team up with them, yo."

Rude grunted in agreement, for he truly wouldn't have put it past Aurei to not be right in the head, after all that he had seen of her. The mystery surrounding her only seemed to add to that, that mystery which had prompted him to learn as much as he could about her from Kalm's residents, even though it hadn't been required of him, and that lack of information he could find on her only made Aurei even more of an enigma. Despite the fact that he hadn't needed to meet her again, and he doubted he ever would have to once the female SOLDIER concept was dropped, he wasn't about to forget her.

Not only had it not been normal at all to him that an eighteen or nineteen-year-old woman could be so strong, but also how she could be so cold and stoical. It simply struck him that one who hadn't even been trained or raised in an army could possess such a disposition, as she certainly reminded him of many high-ranking warriors in both SOLDIER and even the Turks. Sometimes, in those moments when he would reflect back on the enigmatic Aurei, he would come to believe that she was meant for some greater, higher purpose, one that she had been trained for all her life, and hence why she had so determinedly refused the offer to join SOLDIER. That had to be the only possible explanation.

Except, Rude simply would have never imagined that that purpose would have anything to do with the remnants, or anything involving Jenova or Sephiroth, for that matter. Unless they had been tricked or brainwashed, what reason would anyone have to want to join those bastards?

Is it any coincidence that I was able to meet her? Then, three years later, he would see her again, in the company of the very enemies everyone had thought had been eliminated—and ones that were Sephiroth's servants no less? With all that had been happening recently, though, Rude wasn't so inclined to believe that their meeting had happened by pure chance.

"It's really a bummer Aurei's working with them, huh?" Reno brought up after they had been flying along in silence for a while. "Too bad she didn't get a chance to be recruited into SOLDIER either, 'cuz then I'd totally try asking her out."

"You really just don't know when to give up, do you?"

"What? A guy's gotta try his luck whenever he gets the opportunity, yo! Especially if it's a fine dame like her."

"Women are more than mere eyecandy, Reno."

"But it sure helps, yo!"

"Then why have you never asked out Elena? She's rather pretty, I think."

Reno gave something like a disgusted snort. "She's a co-worker, man! That'd just be weird. 'Sides, I wouldn't get by one day without getting nagged by the President or the chief! She ain't really my type anyway."

"I don't think Aurei would your type either. In fact, she would be out of your league."

"Ouch, man. C'mon, don't be crushing my ego. You're supposed to be my support here, yo!"

"I'll always be your support, partner. It just so happens that, presently, finding a woman should be our last concern."

"Maybe," sighed Reno, "but having a woman would sure be a nice remedy in times like these. Plus, if the apocalypse's upon us or something, it'd be nice to get a little lovin' before the end."

"Just don't be expecting to get any from Aurei."

"Whatever, yo."

When Elena had finally been able to return to Healin the previous evening, after that terrible encounter in the Mythril Mines, the only thing that was on her mind was rest. Tseng had managed to patch her arm up pretty well once they had located the chopper again, and aside from additional medical aid when they had arrived at the lodge itself, all that she wanted was to crawl into bed and fall asleep. She wasn't even that hungry at all, despite the fact that the last time she ate had been a measly lunch in the early afternoon.

Of course, it was only once she had climbed under the covers that she found, though she was tired, her mind was restless and wide-awake. For hours it seemed, Elena merely lay there in bed, staring up at the ceiling of her small bedroom, the events of the day buzzing through her head as she recollected the happenings that were either new or familiar. The remnants, that orange-haired girl, the fire, Aurei Driessen, the serpents, her broken arm, her shattered handgun, Reno fighting for his life, Ifrit, the serpents appearing again to put an end to the battle once and for all…

Yet, above all else, she would never forget that terror. That horrid, familiar terror. She would never forget those cold, ruthless eyes of the silver-haired man, or that chilling, remorseless voice as the remnant pointed his gun at Reno, in preparation to end his life right then and there in front of her.

It would simply become something else to haunt her dreams, as if enough nightmares hadn't already been spawned by the torture they had put her and Tseng through before.

Eventually, in spite of having considered taking a pill to help her sleep again, Elena was finally able to fall asleep on her own, though not until the early hours of the morning. When she awoke, the clock on her bedside table told her it was nearly four in the afternoon, and though having gotten a full rest might have done her some good, she still felt downright terrible. It didn't help that, outside, the skies were a dark gray and it appeared to have been raining for a while now, dampening her already dulled mood.

When she later emerged into the main part of the lodge, she wasn't surprised to see Tseng and Rufus seated on the couch, deep in discussion about the urgent matters at hand. Along with cups of coffee that the two men were drinking out of, there were various documents, newspaper articles, and maps strewn out on the nearby table; the television was even playing the tape that the messenger boy had left, the screen currently paused on an image of the mysterious woman's face. It was perhaps the only clear part of her visage they had been able to see, but even then that wasn't really saying much, seeing as she kept her face mostly hidden under the hood of a cloak.

"Ah, Elena, you're up," said Rufus, looking past Tseng at her and alerting the latter of her presence, who immediately looked concerned. "You were asleep for so long we were starting to worry about you."

"You still don't look very well," Tseng observed, immediately standing up so Elena could have his seat, as there was no other seating available in the room. "Is your arm bothering you?"

"Not really," she responded, dropping into the spot Tseng had vacated and giving him a wan, yet appreciative smile. "My arm's fine. Just didn't sleep very well, that's all."

"And unsurprisingly, you seem to be quite hungry," Rufus added when her stomach gave sudden loud growl, causing her to cringe while placing her good hand on her abdomen.

"I'll get you something right away," was Tseng's immediate response, before heading towards the kitchen area of the lodge.

"So, what's been happening while I've been knocked out?" Elena inquired as she took a seat on the couch. Upon realizing Reno and Rude didn't appear to be back yet, she added, "And where's Reno and Rude?"

"They should be returning shortly, seeing as three hours ago they notified us that they had left Kalm," Rufus informed her, clearing a space on the coffee table to make room for Elena's meal when Tseng would bring it back. "As for what we've been doing… well, you haven't missed much. We've merely been discussing our next course of action, and we haven't gotten far from square one, I'm afraid."

"Why not?"

"Limited information, and little idea of where the remnants and their 'companions' could be now. That, and we figured we'd best get our next set of directions from her." Rufus gestured at the screen paused on the mysterious woman's hooded face. "Though, of course, we haven't the faintest clue as to how she'll tell us, since her messenger boy will probably never return to Healin.

"Despite the lack of progress that we've made, however, Tseng and I have been waiting for you to wake up." When Elena looked inquisitively at Rufus, he elaborated, "We've been meaning to ask you about your encounter with the orange-haired girl, as it seems to be pretty much confirmed that she is indeed assisting the remnants. We would've asked you earlier, but given your injuries and your fatigue, Tseng decided it would be best to wait until you were feeling better."

"O-okay." Though she couldn't say she really felt much better than yesterday, Elena did want to do whatever might be necessary to piece together more clues about this mystery. Something in her did want to share her personal account of what had occurred anyway. "What do you guys wanna know about her?"

"About what fighting her was like, and about her alliance with the remnants, mainly. Although, we figured it would be best for Tseng to tell you first about what he observed of Aurei and the remnant she escaped with, since he didn't already. I would like to hear it again myself, as a matter of fact. And speak of the devil, here he is."

Sure enough, Tseng had returned, carrying a tray that had a simple assortment of foods on it, such as a bowl of soup, some bread, and a glass of water. That was what Elena wanted most, really, because though she was certainly hungry, she didn't really feel like eating, and something light would be ideal here.

"What were you saying about me?" Tseng asked as he placed the tray on the table in front of Elena, who received it with a warm smile. "Ah, you wanted me to tell her about Aurei and the remnant now?"

"Of course."

"Very well. Give me a moment to fetch a chair, then." Once he had, and had placed it on the opposite side of the table, facing down, he sat down upon it before clearing his throat. "Let's see… Well, one of the first things I definitely noticed about Aurei, before the battle had even begun, was that she actually appeared to be the leader of the group, rather than the one named Yazoo. Not only was she guiding them through the Mythril Mines, but was the one who gave the most directions, as well as answering or asking the most questions. Yazoo, it seemed, merely wanted to give the impression that he was the one in charge.

"Interesting observation indeed," the President commented. "And what was she like during the battle? Didn't you say she seemed to have a strict preference for Ice magic?"

"Yes. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen such consistent use of Ice magic by a single person in battle, and it was quite a powerful display as well, I might add, especially the limit break she utilized when the serpents were summoned. Her choice of weapon was also unique, as I've personally rarely seen an individual use a sickle-chain in combat, and I've seen many different types of weaponry in my day.

"Above all else, however, she was a formidable warrior. It's probably been years since I've had a fight as intense as that one, and I'm actually surprised that I made it out relatively unscathed. According to Rude, who fought her three years previously as you know, she was a strong fighter even then, and we all know that Rude isn't taken down easily."

"In summation, she's a force to be reckoned with, and feared as well, considering whose side she happens to be on." Having again heard Tseng's account of her combative proficiency, Rufus appeared thoughtful, his chin resting on a loose fist. "On that note, what about the remnant who fought alongside her, the one called Loz? You noticed something peculiar about his behavior, didn't you?"

"Peculiar would be the way to describe it, considering what I'd observed of his demeanor before. He acted quite protective of her, and actually appeared to be quite attached to her. Regardless, after I shot Aurei's arm, he was particularly angered by that and actually seemed to want to retaliate, though the serpents were holding him up at the time." Tseng gave a chuckle then. "You'd think he was a mindless admirer he seemed so fond of her—though not as fond of her as he is of his 'Mother', I'm sure."

"Quite peculiar indeed. Certainly not the kind of behavior we would've ever expected out of Sephiroth's pawns." After taking a sip from his coffee cup, Rufus then looked over at Elena, who was halfway through her lunch at that point. "Are you ready to tell your part of the story now, Elena? Though we were haven't gotten the full details, from what you told Tseng yesterday it seems you had an interesting encounter yourself with the orange-haired girl."

"You could say that again."

While Elena had been silent throughout most of Tseng's narration, it wasn't really because she had been eating, since she normally would have had input on a conversation during a meal regardless. Her weariness had been part of the reason, but finally hearing about how Aurei and Loz had been teaming up was making her think again about the encounter with the orange-haired girl, and what she had been able to witness of she and the remnant working together. The more Tseng had told them about the pair, the more curious and intriguing her own story seemed…

"Are you all right, Elena?" Now that Tseng was done with retelling his report, seeing Elena so unusually quiet and subdued made his concern return in twofold. "It's quite unlike you to be so taciturn."

That made Elena laugh. "It really is, huh? Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. I just think yesterday had more of an impact on me than I thought it would, especially with this arm, and the rain's not helping much either."

"The weather is matching everyone's moods right now, I think," Rufus chuckled. "Well, go ahead and tell us what you can so you can get it off your mind, and then you can go back to bed, if you want."

"Sure thing." Although Elena didn't really think she needed more bed rest, the idea was appealing to her nonetheless. Finishing off the last of her meal, she thought about how to begin relaying her part of the story. "Guess I'll start talking about the girl with orange hair, then. We don't know what her name is yet, do we?"

"Correct."

"Okay then…" Even if she had been the one to break her arm, Elena still wished she had a name to call the strange girl by, rather than just referring to her as 'that girl' all the time. "Well, strange enough as it already was that a couple of women would be traveling with the remnants, she definitely looked the most outta place. I mean, she has that girl-next-door look, and her clothing definitely suggests she came from Edge."

Tseng nodded. "I noted that as well, which makes it doubly certain that she was the girl mentioned in the news report."

"Yeah, but her looks are barely the half of it. In comparison to all of them, she probably had the least amount of experience in battle. I remember clearly that, while the remnants and that Aurei were all fighting against you, Rude, and Reno, she was just standing there like she was petrified—I think she was especially scared to see us Turks there."

Elena then proceeded to tell them about her attempts to apprehend the girl as the woman had ordered them to do, and had seen the opportunity while the girl was apparently preoccupied. Only then did the girl seem to have realized what was going on, for she started to resist, and even with the net to hinder her movements, she proved to be a challenge to capture. It had actually startled Elena a bit that she was breaking free so easily, and that she could retaliate despite her restraints.

"At one point, though, when she was trying to get away from me, she obviously wasn't looking where she was going and took one step too far and ended up falling in that hole, which led to a tunnel underneath. While I didn't wanna leave you guys, I knew I didn't have much choice other than to chase after her."

"So that's why you went down there in the first place…" muttered Tseng. "Everything was so frenzied at that point that we had no idea what happened to you, or the girl. We just heard you shouting to us, and then next thing we knew, you were gone."

"From what you told them after the battle, though," Rufus spoke up suddenly, "it was when you went after her that you saw her do something extraordinary, correct?"

"Definitely." Elena closed her eyes as she recalled that disbelieving, bewildering moment. "When I got down there, I expected to see her still struggling with the net, but… it was actually on fire, with her still wrapped up in it, and she just pulled it off like it was no big deal! I looked closely—I didn't see any burns on her, or any kind of gear that would've protected her! Tseng knows I'm not kidding; he saw the net for himself. They all did, and we brought it back with us too."

"And I wouldn't believe you were lying, Elena," Tseng reassured her. "Indeed, even if it has no use to us, we did bring the net back, though it's still in the chopper."

"I wouldn't doubt you either, Elena, but I would like to see the net for myself. It does seem like the woman wasn't lying, right? That the remnants would have companions possessing powers that defy the laws of nature?"

"That was my first thought too," Elena concurred. "It was also definitely then that I saw a change in the girl, because she became extremely defiant, telling me that she had plans of her own and wasn't gonna let anybody get in her way, and then—"

A shudder unexpectedly ran through Elena's body as she recalled what had happened next, and it unexpectedly rendered her unable to speak. The flames that had sprouted up around her, surrounding her, the girl fiercely bursting through and violently disarming her… Elena was unsure why, but that had probably been the point when she had come to realize she was in way over her head, with an opponent she had underestimated from the start. While Rufus and Tseng comforted her and helped out by asking more questions about the battle, the recollection reminded her of just how much the incident had shaken her.

What had perhaps disturbed her the most about it, though, was that change she had seen in the girl. For her, as strange as it was for her to think about and even stranger to tell the others about, it was as if she had been seeing two different people at once in a single individual. One was the first impression she had had of the girl, someone average and ordinary in appearance, hesitant and uncertain in the face of battle. The other, though, seemed to be the complete opposite: defiant and ferocious, a powerful warrior who was more than competent in the ways of magic and hand-to-hand combat. But, the interaction Elena had observed between those two people was the most intriguing of all.

"It seemed as though they were locked in a conflict?" repeated Rufus, who actually appeared to be taken aback. Tseng's eyes had narrowed in pensiveness, though he said nothing.

"Yeah, and an internal one at that. I could see it in her eyes, mainly." At this point, Elena was rubbing her forehead with her good hand, shaking her head all the while. "I mean, maybe I'm just reading too much into things, but that's what it looked like to me. It was like… she wanted that person's help so she could beat me, but at the same time, I could tell she didn't wanna have to do that to me. After all, when she broke my arm, she looked positively horrified by what she'd done to me, and ran off right after that…"

It seemed even more intense than the battle she was having with me.

While a part of Elena did resent the girl for having bested her and putting her out of commission, that look she had seen prevented her from bearing a grudge towards the girl. Although, it did make Elena wonder even more about her: if the girl hadn't wanted to be there, then what could have possibly driven her to end up in such a situation, especially one where she had to be allied with Sephiroth's remnants? It was on that note that the Tseng and Rufus directed their next line of inquiry.

"Because of the injury she gave you, I understand that that's the reason why you couldn't purse her and the remnant with Reno when they made their escape. I would have asked Reno about what he observed of the interactions between the girl and the remnant, but didn't get a chance to before he left with Rude to Aurei's residence."

"I saw enough for myself, though."

What she had seen of the girl and the remnant working together was what made the above question even stranger, after all. First off, the girl had plaintively made an effort to rescue him, and had succeeded. But, when it became obviously apparent that the two clearly despised each other, it made their 'alliance' all the more stranger, for the remnant didn't seem to want to have anything to do with her, even when she was trying to tell him there was another way out.

"And still, it looked like they ended up trusting each other, because they still ended up working together to fight against those serpents. But, I think he really ended up trusting her once that crevice got blocked off, and he said that she'd better be right about an alternate escape route before taking off down the tunnel, and she followed right after them." Elena then sighed. "Of course, because of my broken arm I couldn't go after them, so that's pretty much all I can tell you guys."

"Don't worry about it, Elena. It was still quite informative for us." Since Tseng was normally so stoic and self-possessed, it was always reassuring for Elena when he bore a kind expression, such as right now.

"In fact, I think that might be enough information for now. My head is reeling with these new revelations." Of course, Rufus might as well be exaggerating, although he still appeared to be deeply contemplating all of this new information. "I certainly think we might be able to understand the situation a little more, even if parts of it have become even more confusing."

"Such as what reasons the two sides have for helping each other out?" Tseng queried. "It does seem a bit contradictory to me: on one hand, we have Aurei and the remnant Loz, who willingly appeared to be working together, and the latter even seemed protective of Aurei. On the other, Yazoo and that girl were helping each other out, albeit very reluctantly."

"It would have been nice if the woman had explained why they would be traveling together, huh?" Elena muttered. "Instead, she obviously expects us to take orders without question, like she thinks that's how the Turks work. As if we're anything near as ignorant as the remnants are."

"Well stated, Elena. I'm glad to know that I have always kept my subordinates well-informed." That made them all chuckle.

"Actually," Tseng spoke up suddenly, "I just recalled now that I did, in fact, ask Aurei directly about why she and the remnants were allies, although I can see why I forgot. She was incredibly vague about the matter, and avoided directly answering my question; all she said was that they 'found each other useful', verbatim."

"Seems she didn't want to be giving up any information either. But then, that makes it appear she is assisting them of her own free will."

"Neither of them looked brainwashed or anything, that much's for sure," Elena piped up. "I know Kadaj was able to control all those infected kids by making them drink the water he tainted, and I didn't see any signs at all that they'd been manipulated."

Tseng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "In summation, then, this alliance between them was made of their own free will, yet they most likely had no other option due to unknown circumstances. Somehow, the remnants chanced upon them and made them their allies, most likely out of desperation for aid in their mission. The two women, however, don't appear to have any plausible reason for agreeing to help them out—as of yet, anyway."

"In addition to that," Rufus added, "both appear to have strange and unusual abilities, corresponding to mainly Fire and Ice elements, respectively. Yet, while they might simply have a preference to using those types of materia, the girl wasn't burned by the Fire spell she used on the net, and Aurei's limit break was entirely Ice-based, correct?"

"The latter also used an impressive amount of Ice spells to seal off the cave-in Loz caused when they escaped. While I couldn't see her, her magic was enough that the ice actually seeped between the rocks to our side, completely barring any chances of us pursuing. I must say, if she didn't have a materia equipped to enhance her magic capacity, then I wouldn't call her human, since no ordinary being would be able to cast that many powerful spells in one go."

"And don't forget that Ifrit Reno said the girl summoned on him!" Elena's eyes widened in terror just from thinking about the incident. "That thing was freakishly overpowered, and it lasted a lot longer than summons normally do."

"Agreed. Ifrit is one of the more commonly summoned monsters, and even I have never seen one as powerful as that, especially if it was summoned by one as inexperienced as the girl. Had it not been for the appearance of the massive serpent, we most likely would have all been finished in that tunnel. She clearly must have done something to make it that strong, though what is beyond me."

"So then…" Elena was the first to ask, "Just who—or what—the hell are we dealing with here?"

"I don't know, but if we ever get the chance to meet that woman face to face," Tseng nodded at the television screen, "then she certainly has a lot of answering to do, and answer us she will, whether she wants to or not."

"As usual, I admire your determination, but keep in mind she obviously seems to possess unusual powers of her own, and won't be afraid to use them against us should we disobey. Although, even if we are discontent with the lack of information she gives us, most likely she keeps faith in the fact that we want the remnants gone as much as everybody else does. It's rather flattering that she's chosen us to exterminate them, I think."

"If that's what she really has in mind for us, at least, and we're not the ones who are being used as tools for some obscure cause." His gaze still directed at the image of the woman's face, his eyes narrowed before he suddenly stood and walked over to the television to turn it off, for he tired of trying to decipher that enigmatic being. "If she indeed intends for us to be the ones to resolve this crisis, then… I can only hope that we'll all make it out in one piece."

"Why, Tseng… how uncharacteristically pessimistic of you." Rufus actually sounded rather surprised. "It is all very cryptic, yes, but what drives you to say that?"

Elena's eyes widened again. "You… really think it'll be that dangerous, Tseng?"

"Perhaps I am looking too deep into things, yet I can't help but feel that… the situation is far deeper and far more complex than we believe it is. A week ago, we thought we averted one crisis, yet now another has arisen, and this one is the true threat. That first crisis might have even simply been a precursor to the one we're about to face now; the strange powers the women possess and those serpents are unlike anything we've encountered before, and they all merely seem to be the tip of the iceberg."

A silence fell on the room for a short while, only broken by the sounds of the rain pattering against the windows, as the others processed the grim outlook Tseng had perceived. As much as they thought he really might be overanalyzing the situation, they knew he did have a point, for they as well were starting to sense that something much darker and much more sinister was underway, and they were a part of it once again.

"I apologize." After having been watching the rain outside the window, Tseng turned back to his companions with a sigh. "I think we've merely been discussing the situation for too, and it has given me a slight headache. We should give the matter a break for a while, and then return to it once Reno and Rude get back, if they're up to it."

"I'm certainly up for that, chief."

"Sounds like a plan."

Little did Tseng realize, however, just how close he had come to the truth.

"Aerith! Aerith, wait!"

In an instant, Cloud had bolted from his spot beside Tifa, racing towards the temple across the pool as fast as he could; had she blinked, she probably would have missed him moving entirely. It had taken her a split second anyway to comprehend that he had left her side, and he had actually nearly leapt all the way across the pool by the time she realized what was going on. Though he landed in the shallow water, a few feet away from shore, it hardly slowed him down, wading through with little effort and immediately dashing towards the entrance of the temple.

The moment Tifa had realized where he had gone, she tried to be right behind him, to immediately follow in his wake, although that was easier said than done. Not only could he move much faster than her, she couldn't jump nearly as far as he could, and when she tried to leap the distance as he had, she landed farther away from the shore, which definitely impeded her progress. By the time she had managed to wade out of pool, despite her quickest efforts, Cloud had already disappeared inside the temple. She didn't go in right away, though, when a sudden realization had struck her.

Is he… really going to go in there? Was he really going to descend down into the place where Aerith had made her sacrifice, if that was indeed where her apparition was meant to lead them? As much progress as Cloud had made during his time here, was he really going to take that big of a step in fighting his reluctance? The closer they came to the spot, the more painful it became—not just for him, but for them all. Even she stood there in hesitation, wondering if she could muster the willpower to approach that place of sorrow and tragedy again.

Yet, it didn't take long for Tifa to make up her mind. If Aerith was trying to lead them someplace important, and Cloud was going to follow, then she would too.

Ignoring the heaviness of her waterlogged shoes, Tifa hastened into the temple, where she fortunately found Cloud had not yet gone down into the temple's underground. Standing still at the top of the floating glass stairs that led downward and out of sight, he appeared to be caught in the same state of hesitation Tifa had been in, except it was probably much worse for him. After all, making the decision to descend those stairs would be one of the last hurtles for him in overcoming his hesitation…

Upon entering, however, her presence seemed to snap him out of that state a little, for Cloud raised his head to look at her, an expression of indecision and uncertainty etched on his face. She knew he was wondering if he too could possibly summon that willpower, to be able to will himself to see that place again.

"Cloud…?" she asked tentatively. Smiling gently, she nodded towards the staircase. "Shall we?"

Though he did not return her smile, Cloud's face became set with determination nonetheless, and he nodded before promptly descending down into the underground. This time, however, he was going slowly enough that Tifa could finally catch up with him, and she was able to follow close behind in his wake.

The moment that they had descended far enough down the stairs, and they could at last see the realm that lay hidden beneath, Tifa was instantly reminded of how awestruck she had been the first time she had visited this place those two years ago. Even now, Tifa wasn't sure or not if they had just stepped into an entirely new existence, separated from the rest of the world; she wouldn't have doubted if they had, given the spiritual, otherworldly the nature of the Cetra. It was like the vastness of the ocean surrounded them, an expanse of watery blue stretching out into infinity. Immensely tall spires of crystal, seemingly composed of the same glass the stairs were made out of, rose nearly all the way up from the city-like structures below, all lit with an ethereal light that had no definitive source. The fact that they walking upon stairs that were suspended in midair all by themselves, with no actual support, was surreal enough as it was.

At the same time, however, the prominent reminder of what had taken place here overshadowed what feelings of awe and reverence she might be experiencing. It seemed it would be peaceful enough here, but was far from being tranquil. The air here was already heavy with the age and wisdom that had accumulating over the many hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years that this place had existed, and the additional feelings of grief made it difficult to even breathe.

Who knew that we would ever have to return to this place? Aerith… what do you mean to tell us by leading us here?

Though they had a clear view of the structures below from this high up, neither Cloud nor Tifa could see where Aerith had gone. While she hadn't looked to be that far away from them when her apparition had appeared to be walking into the temple, she wasn't anywhere on the stairway ahead of them either. Yet, they knew that they didn't truly need her to guide them, for they already knew where she wanted them to go. They could see it from here, that very place where she had taken her last breath after Sephiroth's sword had stabbed through her body…

Cloud… There was no one else this could be more difficult for, and she could sense it only grew worse with every step he took, every step that took him closer and closer. In spite of that, he pressed on, fighting it with every ounce of his being, yet Tifa knew he was struggling more than anything else. But he would make it, she knew he would, if only for Aerith's sake.

The closer they came, though, the tougher it was for Tifa too, for her anticipation was building with every step, the same questions running through her head again and again. Just what was it that Aerith wanted of them? Why was she leading them here? What could her reasons be for having kept them waiting here all this time? Whatever it was, she could only hope that it would lend some explanation, some clue, to what was going on right now.

And then, they were on the ground level. They were walking through the many strange structures that made up this part of the underground, unnamable in what would have been their function when the Cetra were alive, yet still held that mystical, ancient power from millennia ago. In fact, though they appeared cold and lifeless, as she and Cloud strode through, she wondered if they really did contain residual energy from the Ancients who had once resided here, for she felt as if there were many eyes upon them, silent voices whispering back and forth all around them.

Truth be told, it did seem… livelier to her than the first time she had been here. Not livelier as in joy or revelry, obviously, but as if many beings that had been slumbering for ages were finally awake, and clamoring for their presence to be known. As if Tifa wasn't unsettled enough already by this place, and she knew Cloud could probably feel that presence as well.

And then, they saw her again. This time, it was no longer just a glimpse, or a fleeting vision. She seemed absolutely solid, solid as she had been when Cloud had last seen her walking away in the church, and just as solid as she had been when she had been praying at the altar, summoning Holy in the moments before her death. That just happened to be where she was waiting for them, too, just where they believed she had wanted them to go. She was not in the prayer position this time, however; instead, her back was to them, her hands clasped behind her while she stared up into the endless void beyond, just like she always used to do when she had been alive.

Even so, as Cloud and Tifa approached, their feet still proceeded with hesitation, unsure of the reality of this image. Though she looked so solid, and they so badly wanted to believe that it was Aerith, they still couldn't tell if it was an illusion or not. While she appeared to be completely unaware of their presence, barely turning around or acknowledging their approach, she did not fade away as they drew closer.

In fact, the closer they got to the altar, the more it seemed something was beginning to happen around them. At first, Tifa thought that there was something getting in her eyes, causing her surroundings to blur and go out of focus; it actually caused her to stop, rubbing her eyes to clear them of this anomaly, but it was then she realized it was not her vision at all. It was like a fog was settling around them, a haze full of blinding white light that gradually consumed and replaced the environment around them.

As the two crossed over the stepping stones and up the steps, some of the environment was still just barely visible, although the moment they stepped upon the altar itself, beneath the glass dome, everything changed. While the altar and the steps leading up to it remained, all else seemed to completely vanish, so it was as if they were standing upon a remote island in an infinite void of whiteness.

Tifa especially was taken off guard by the change, for this would be the first time she had ever been brought into this place. While she was no stranger to this dimension, as she had fallen into the Lifestream itself those two years ago, she had never been in a place like this before, surrounded by utter nothingness—the sense of desolation was almost overpowering.

Yet, she knew not to fear this place, for Cloud was here with her, and he had been here several times before now. That, and Aerith still stood before them, seemingly more real and solid than ever before. Upon their arrival, at last she turned to face them, and both Cloud and Tifa felt frozen in place with amazement as those vivid green eyes met theirs, when they hadn't in two years.

"Hello there," Aerith Gainsborough said, a glowing smile touching her lips. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

At that, a sort of numbness hit Tifa full on: her knees grew weak beneath her, and her breath left her for a brief moment when she realized the full scale of what was happening here. Aerith was here, she was speaking directly to them, when Tifa thought she would never be able to see or hear her again. Tifa had felt her presence at times, just as Cloud had, and that was how she had known she would always be watching over them and protecting them, even in death. But, even then, Tifa had come to accept Aerith's passing, and never thought that she would ever be face to face with her again. Especially like this.

Now that she was here, though, there was suddenly nothing more Tifa wanted to do than to run up and embrace her old companion, the Ancient she had come to befriend during that long journey. Aerith had been taken from them so swiftly and so abruptly that none of them had had the chance to say goodbye or exchange parting words, and so her death had been even more of a blow to them all. Yet, a part of Tifa refrained, for though Aerith stood there before them, she was still dead. She was still a part of the Lifestream, a world separate from theirs, and one which Tifa didn't belong to yet. It felt taboo to cross that line and do even so much as touch Aerith, if she even could. The realization made the reunion suddenly bittersweet.

Strangely enough, Tifa had the sudden notion that Aerith could read her thoughts, or at least feel her emotions, for those green eyes suddenly grew sad as they looked back at her. Then, to Tifa's bewilderment, she walked right up to her and pulled her into an embrace; it left her stunned, for Aerith truly felt so solid and so real, and yet the warmth of her body, the weight of her arms, somehow still felt so distant. She was here, yet not here at the same time.

Even then, though, this was more than Tifa could have asked for, if she could hold a dear friend, whom she thought would be gone forever, at least one more time.

"I'm so sorry, Tifa," Aerith whispered. "I'm so sorry I simply left everybody like that, without saying goodbye or anything… I just wanted to believe that I wouldn't have to, that I would make it back to you when it was all over. I didn't want to believe that I would most likely… die in my attempts to stop Sephiroth. But, I underestimated him."

Aerith…

The tears sprang to Tifa's eyes then, though she did her best to not let them escape. It was still difficult to speak, but she still wanted her to let her know that there was no way they could have predicted what Sephiroth would do, that there was nothing anyone would have been able to do about it. With the way things had turned out, maybe Aerith's sacrifice had been a necessity, as hard as that truth was to face…

As it seemed there was no bearing of time or space on this place, it was uncertain how long their embrace had lasted, but eventually they broke apart. While Tifa took the opportunity to dry her eyes, Aerith had stepped back to her previous spot so she could face the two of them again. The whole while, Cloud had looked on with nothing but sadness and silence. He too had many things to say to Aerith, to thank her for all that she had done and to gain that closure, but she had already known what he wanted to say. She already knew what he was feeling. Thus, there was nothing else he had to say to her, or anything he had to do.

Now, though, they all knew it was time that she told them what she had brought them here for.

"I'm sorry to have made you guys wait for so long," she said to them, when they were ready to proceed. "I know that things have taken a highly unexpected turn, things that you haven't been able to find explanations for, and you've been wanting answers. Well… I do know what's been going on. At least, I understand part of it. I'll do my best to explain as much as I can, but even then, it might take some time for you all to understand. That, and my time here is limited, for I have other matters to attend to in the Lifestream, and I have to return there soon."

"We'll… we'll do our best to understand, Aerith," Tifa responded, and Cloud nodded. "But, if we could have even a small idea of what's going on and what we need to do, that'll be enough. Whatever you can tell us, please do."

Aerith smiled then, reassuringly. "Don't worry, Tifa, I will. The last thing I want is to leave anybody in the dark, least of all you guys. Being stuck in the dark is a pretty unhealthy thing anyways, wouldn't you agree?"

As much as they wanted to laugh, like they always had with Aerith when she had said something to try and brighten their spirits, the solemnity of the reunion only got so much as a couple of smiles out of them. Besides that, Aerith wasn't her usual bubbly, cheerful self, the personality she had possessed even when she had come to assist Cloud over a week ago. Though it was still there, it now seemed to be overshadowed by worry and even fatigue—something truly serious must be happening if it was affecting Aerith like this. It made Cloud want to know all the more what was going on, if only so he could help her resolve this crisis and she could then rest in peace, just as she deserved.

Once again, she must have sensed his thoughts or his emotions, for she smiled at him again. "Really, Cloud, you're such a sweet person, but…" Her eyes lowered sadly then. "I'm afraid that this crisis isn't one that'll be abated easily. It's difficult for even Zack and I to do deal with, and I'm especially having a hard time understanding what the Planet's trying to do."

"Trying to do?" Cloud echoed.

"More like what it wants, or what it needs the most right now." Aerith gave a sudden huff of frustration. "It's like trying to deal with a sick child, really. You keep trying to help it out, asking what might be wrong with it, and it's doing its best to tell you, but it's not making any sense!"

"The Planet's still sick?" asked Tifa, suddenly alarmed. "Is it still tainted with Geostigma?"

"Even that I'm not entirely sure of," Aerith responded, calming down a little. "As far as I'm aware, the tainted Lifestream that Sephiroth was trying to use to control the Planet has been gradually thinning away ever since his defeat. Of course, that means traces of it still remain, but it may take a long while before it completely disappears. There are still people across the globe who are infected with Geostigma, after all."

"And Sephiroth's remnants are still alive…" muttered Cloud darkly. "Is that it, you think? Is it because of them that the Planet still believes something is wrong?"

"You'd think that that would be it, but it's not! Of course, that's one of the problems, but it's not the biggest problem, and that's probably what's confusing me most of all right now." She then unexpectedly smacked a hand to her forehead. "But oh, what am I doing, rambling on like this? I came here to tell you guys things I do know so you have some clarity, not things I can barely comprehend myself!"

Now that was a little more like the Aerith they remembered. They would have again chuckled in response, but the solemnity of the situation, as well as Aerith's frustration, made them refrain. But again, Aerith sensed their thoughts, for she gave a little huff of exasperation.

"Guys, if you wanna laugh, laugh! You won't make me feel bad, honestly. As a matter of fact, right now, I could use a laugh too. Humor is what helps keep people sane, in my opinion, especially when they're under a lot of stress." When Cloud and Tifa's smiles only grew wan, she sighed and folded her hands behind her back again, relenting in her belittling. "Well, if you can't manage a laugh right now, I won't blame you. But whenever the opportunity arises, do squeeze in a laugh or two, all right? It'll make everybody feel better."

Widening his smile slightly, Cloud nodded. "We will, Aerith."

Beaming a little, Aerith's expression grew serious again. "Back to business, then! Where was I?" She took a moment to think, her fingers thoughtfully touching her chin, before continuing. "Oh, right! The things I do know that you want to know too. Well, the easiest way for me to tell you is to answer the two biggest questions on your minds right now: why Sephiroth's remnants are still around, and the identity of that strange girl you saw helping them out."

Cloud and Tifa gave Aerith their complete attention immediately, tensing a little as they listened with great intent.

"Yep, the remnants were able to survive the explosion that they attempted to kill you with, Cloud. Just barely, though—it's incredible they were able to pull through at all, even if they did get a bit of help."

"Help?" Tifa reiterated, her chest suddenly tightening. "Help… from who? Who could possibly help them out? Was it—?"

"It wasn't the girl, no. I know for a fact she didn't come along until later, when she found one of them badly wounded in Midgar's ruins, but that's something I'll get to later." Aerith cleared her throat. "Anyway, the 'help' that they received… Well, it sure didn't fully revive them or anything, but it was enough that they were brought back from the brink of death."

"So then, who did it?" asked Cloud, and he wasn't surprised that his voice sounded apprehensive. If it weren't that girl, then that only left a few possible suspects, and none of them would be good news…

"You're right, Cloud. That leaves only a few possible suspects, doesn't it?" Aerith said aloud, probably for Tifa's sake in case she hadn't come to the same conclusion. "Well, I'm afraid to say it, but it's just who you think it is."

Cloud and Tifa both then felt as if an icy hand had clamped around their throats, sending chills of dread down their spines. It wasn't possible—it just couldn't possibly be true.

"That's right." Aerith's eyes then closed dolefully, and they realized then what must be the true cause of her distress. "Though you defeated him a week ago, Cloud, the threat hasn't been completely eliminated. Sephiroth—and Jenova—are still around."

It felt like such a long time since Loz or Yazoo had ever been so single-minded about their mission. Vaguely, they knew that being on the journey had certainly changed them—it wasn't just Mother that they would be thinking about. There had been Aurei and Kallie and the complex mysteries surrounding them. There had been their father. There had been enemies, both new and old, which they now had to contend with. There had been so much more than they could have ever imagined to what had once been their simple lives.

Yet, for now, that had all changed. Or so it seemed to them, at least.

Mother…

Now, it felt as though they had never met Aurei and Kallie. The journey that had taken them so long to reach here felt as though it had never happened. It was as if they had simply been transported from that moment before they had initiated the explosion that had nearly killed them, to now, where they stood upon a rooftop in Junon, the place they had been unconsciously guided to. All the anxiety and doubt that had plagued them, which had all intensified the closer they had come to Junon, their worries that Mother wouldn't be here, all that had since vanished.

They were back to their roots. They were back to their old selves again. They were back to the same Loz and Yazoo who had shot down the foolish intruders in the Northern Cave. They were the same Loz and Yazoo who had attempted to tear down the Meteor Monument in Edge's center, and they were the same Loz and Yazoo who had tried to take down Brother in a suicidal explosion, when it seemed all had been lost.

But, now not all was lost anymore. Mother was here, they were absolutely certain of it. Deep down, they knew she had to be here. She had directed them to this place, there was nowhere else she could be.

Truthfully, however, this return of such single-mindedness was a little frightening. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since they had last felt it, but it was almost as if they were in an entirely different plane of existence altogether. While Yazoo himself could barely remember what he had said to the two sisters, Loz could actually recall very little of what he had done since they had made their escape from the airship—even the concern he had felt for Aurei's condition seemed to have been washed away. The sensation was almost claustrophobic in a way, like being stuck in a narrow corridor, unable to look back behind him or turn in a different direction, only capable of going straight ahead.

That was all that was necessary for them, though, right? There was only just this one path that they had ever known, this single path that had been set before them. Perhaps it was just about time that they had returned to it; they had strayed from it for far too long.

Mother… Where are you…?

They knew it must have been her who had guided them to this spot; they would have no reason otherwise to be here. Likewise, neither had the slightest inclination to leave this spot, and it was such a strong desire to remain here that they knew with certainty this had to be it. This was where, at last, after so long, they would finally meet her. They would finally meet Mother.

But, where was she? They were here, they were finally here in Junon, just as she had asked them. What could possibly be keeping her from reuniting with her children? No sooner would those questions arise, though, than their sensibility would return. She would have her reasons for keeping them waiting, surely, and they certainly weren't ones to question it. They were never to doubt anything she did or asked of them even for one second, for she was the only thing that they could place their utmost trust in.

Because then, if there wasn't her, then they had nothing to believe in. Their existence meant nothing without her.

Mother…

Their movements were almost synchronized as they looked about them from a rooftop in Junon, surveying this city full of those despicable, miserable humans. They knew she was here, they could almost sense that she was nearby. But where, just where? Yazoo himself had believed that Mother wouldn't be so cruel as to leave them wandering aimlessly about the city in search of her, that she would give them some sign or indication, but was that just what she was going to do? Or had something happened to her that had rendered her unable to contact them, unable to reunite with them at all? No, it couldn't be that, it simply couldn't be…

Mother, please…

Then, when all began to feel lost, as the pangs of despair and desperation began to stem forth from their anticipation, and they couldn't bear to wait in anxiousness any longer, the first signs were given.

At first, the two thought they were imagining things, both with their eyes and ears, until it grew stronger and stronger, clear and more definitive, something that couldn't possibly be imagined. A strange, high-pitched tone that gradually began to reverberate in the air around them, becoming louder until it was enough that they wanted to cover their eardrums. At the same time, they knew there was no point in resistance. And then, something a bit more familiar: that bright white light, gradually descending upon them like a fog, shrouding them until nothing but whiteness surrounded them. They were truly apart from the world now, existing in the one and only place where they belonged.

Mother was here. And no longer simply a voice that spoke in their minds.

Before them, off in the distance it seemed, a shape had begun to appear—indistinct, yet still with form, growing ever clearer the closer the figure approached, emerging from the fog. As it drew nearer, all Loz and Yazoo could do was stand there, fixated to the spot, unable to remove their gaze from the figure. Whether it was by some greater outside force, or merely their own stupefaction, never had they been so entranced by anything before. Once the figure fully emerged from the haze to stand feet before them, and they could completely behold her visage, they utterly forgot themselves, for all they knew was the face before them.

My children… A faint, motherly smile touched those delicate lips. Our reunion has been waiting for far too long.

Oh SNAP, will you look who it is! First we had Raide's mysterious boss, then Aerith finally shows herself, and now Mother herself has appeared…? It seems things are not going the way we thought they would, OR ARE THEY? We'll just have to see. :D

By the way, totally need to mention two other things I nearly forgot about: one is that I actually intend to go back to Chapter 23, I think it is, and write in a new little section from Yazoo's point of view. It might not be necessary, but I think it needs it, just to reveal his thoughts prior to the situation and whatnot; I felt there was something a little missing anyway. I was going to include it with this month's update, but I ran out of time, unfortunately, although hopefully it'll be up by next month!

As for the second thing, that happens to be… A ROLL CALL! That's right, I really would like to know how many of my subscribers are active, and how many aren't! I know that some readers are indeed still reading, but just don't review, and while that's perfectly fine with me, reviews are honestly the only way I know that people are still reading. I do have a hit counter, but it's really not all that useful, and it especially don't indicate specific readers. Also, there are a bunch of people who subscribed to me before my nearly yearlong hiatus, and while I know some of them are still reading (which makes me happy), I don't know how many of them aren't. So please, if you could leave a review or send even a PM, I would really appreciate that. It doesn't even have to be long or anything, just something to let me know you're still around. :)

And that's about it for now, I think. Next time, we return to the ultimate showdown, for REAL, and it's time for Kallie to get her vengeance against Raide. Or will she? See you next month, guys. :D