Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or Square-Enix...but I DO own the fruits of my own imagination, so enjoy!
Part 4: Beyond The Wall of Sleep
Prologue: The Plan
Aerith stood in front of the large group of people assembled at the lake, moved nearly to tears. Eight people now stood before her, Sephiroth and Ragnar, waiting to come up with a plan on how to infiltrate the Shinra building.
She had fully expected Angeal and Elfé to rush back upon hearing what had happened to her family, but she hadn't expected Zack, Kunsel, Luxiere, Cissnei and Freyra to follow them. Nor had she expected Genesis to up and walk away from the Healers examining him once he'd heard the horrible news.
...Although it seemed clear that Sephiroth had half-expected it, from the way he was glaring at Genesis.
"Why do you look so shocked, Aerith?" Zack asked with a grin. "We know the Shinra building; more than just the labs. SOLDIER and Turks both have their own escape routes mapped in case there was ever another disaster at Shinra Headquarters."
"Yeah, and it looks like there's gonna be a disaster pretty soon," Freyra quipped, "It's about time we found out what the hell Hojo's been doing to our sister Turks."
"You've got some group of friends," Ragnar remarked as he placed a hand on Aerith's shoulder.
"You're telling me..." Aerith said with a grateful smile.
"Tifa was pretty pissed that I wouldn't let her come as well," Elfé explained, "But going into ground zero is too much, too soon. If it wasn't your kid brother and sister, I wouldn't let you go either, kid."
Aerith laughed in spite of herself.
"One thing to think about..." Genesis interjected, "Now that Hollander's running his own organization, I could see my 'dear uncle' splitting up the twins in order to satisfy both mad scientists. If that's true, then at least half of the mission will be a breeze. Hollander still trusts me, although he's a little irritated with me for being such a pain in the ass of late. I can literally walk right in, grab the kid, and fly right out."
"Perhaps I should join you," Angeal said suddenly.
Genesis looked at his friend, annoyed. "Still worried I'll botch something up?" he asked wearily.
Angeal shook his head no. "Actually...I've been thinking on the way down here...and Elfé can back me up, as we discussed this for a bit during the hike..."
Aerith furrowed her brow and tilted her head slightly. Had Tifa been right about those two...?
Angeal sighed before continuing: "...Maybe it's time I met and confronted Hollander. We have to stop him and Hojo, and it just seems appropriate that I be the one to deal with him."
"Because of Project G?" Cissnei asked.
"You've read the files, I take it?" Angeal asked her.
"I know as much about the Jenova Project as Professor Hollander told me and the others during our trip to Banora," Cissnei admitted, "I know it was you that he really would have preferred to have return to the Shinra. I'm guessing because your cells aren't degrading."
Angeal sighed. He might as well admit it to everyone. "That...and the fact that Hollander is my biological father."
He was met with a stunned silence from the five Shinra renegades.
"So the subject of Project S is the son of Professor Hojo," Freyra mused, "while the subjects of Project G are the son of Professor Hollander and the nephew of President Shinra. I've heard of stage parents, but I have to say, these guys really take the cake..."
The tension broke and the three SOLDIERs broke into uneasy laughter. Even Genesis managed to smirk in spite of himself.
"Also," Angeal added, "Seeing me might prove to be a big distraction for Hollander. He may very well let his guard down, which is exactly what we need."
"I hope you're right," Aerith said, "But there's still Hojo. He's all the way up on the 67th floor. That's a lot of guards, soldiers and Turks we may have to get past...unless..." Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she smiled.
Sephiroth was instantly wary. "What is is?" he asked uneasily.
"You trust me, right?" Aerith asked as she looked up at him innocently.
"Not when you have that look on your face, I don't," Sephiroth said flatly.
"Heh- shot down!" Luxiere snickered.
"Just hear her out, Seph," Elfé urged him, "There's no harm in listening to what she has to say, and nobody else has any suggestions right now."
"Very well," Sephiroth sighed.
"Thanks, El." Aerith smiled and looked at the crowd. "Trust me- if all goes well, this plan could succeed with minimal bloodshed."
"Darn..." Freyra joked, snapping her fingers.
"Let's hear it, Aerith," Elfé urged the younger girl.
Aerith's smile quickly turned devious, causing Sephiroth and Elfé to both tense up slightly as they waited for her to speak...
"Are you all right?" Galeas asked as he touched Ifalna's shoulder.
His sister nodded absently as she paced around outside of the room where the technicians were reassembling the transcontinental portals.
"It shouldn't be much longer," Galeas reminded her, "You'll be able to see your husband and son very soon."
"I hope to the gods that they sedated the twins," Ifalna said, wringing her hands, "Being awake during that long helicopter ride...it's hell. I remember when..."
She then shook her head, as if trying to clear it of her own awful memories.
"I'm so sorry, Ifalna."
She stopped pacing and looked at her eldest brother, who wore a pained expression on his face.
"I should have planned this better. You shouldn't have had to wake up alone like that. We knew there were risks. We should have worked on a timed release for more than just you. If so, there could have been others to keep you safe. I could have kept you safe. You wouldn't have had to suffer..." Galeas sat down on a bench and held his head in his hands.
"And I'd still be the High Priestess with no husband or children," Ifalna reminded him, "Despite what's going on right now, and despite what happened to me in the past, I have no regrets over anything that happened."
"I should have been there..." Galeas sighed.
"You're here now," Ifalna reassured him as she sat down next to him. "And that means the world to me. Also...I have complete faith in Sephiroth and everyone else who offered to help."
"The young man with the Calamity's blood..." Galeas exhaled as he shook his head. He looked at Ifalna. "You trust him that much?"
"As I said, he's like a son to me," Ifalna reiterated. She then sighed at Galeas' worried expression. "Blaze seems to be fine with it. Can't you trust me? Or the planet, for that matter? If he were truly a danger, the planet would never have left me alone. Also..."
Galeas raised an eyebrow expectantly.
Ifalna smirked. "One thing I've learned being the only full-blooded Cetra for the past 19 years is that it's not much fun when people make assumptions about an entire race of people based on one person. I know that Avalanche thinks we're all horticulturalists because my daughters and I like to garden. My eldest son is fascinated with weapons, but since he gets that from his father, it's assumed by most that he's more in touch with his human side."
Just then, Ragnar walked over to his siblings. In his hands were two small swords. "Still sharp as the day I got them," he announced happily. "I love Adamantite!"
He stepped back and swung each sword a few times.
Ifalna couldn't help but laugh. "You and Cassius are going to get along so well, Blaze."
"You're sure about going with the others?" Galeas asked, concerned, "You don't know the layout of this area at all. Most of the other people going are very familiar with this Midgar place."
"Since when did Blaze ever sit back when anyone needed help?" Ifalna reminded him.
"Point taken," Galeas acknowledged, "Regarding Ragnar and your young friend. I'll try to keep an open mind in the face of a seventeen-year-old friendship."
"That's all I ask, brother," Ifalna said as she placed her hand on top of Galeas'.
Just then, the door opened, and a young woman stepped outside.
"The LINK to Cosmo Canyon is complete," she announced, "This way, Savior."
Ifalna cringed involuntarily at the old title as she stood up and stepped inside.
"Guess I should let the others know as well," Ragnar said, "If they're done with the Link to Cosmo Canyon, then the one to Myrkheim should be done very soon. Perfect timing as well...the others managed to agree on a plan. It should be...interesting."
"Care to enlighten me?" Galeas asked.
"Nope," Ragnar said, shaking his head, "Because you'd only tell Sparks. And I know Sparks won't like it at all."
"I'd hoped that 2000 years of sleep would have matured you somehow," Galeas quipped.
"Now, now, big brother," Ragnar chided him, "Where's the fun in that?"
He then walked off, leaving Galeas shaking his head resignedly. They hadn't even been awake for a full day yet...
What kind of world had they all woken up to?
The rescue party had soon gathered outside of the LINK room, waiting for the next go-ahead from the technicians.
"I'm counting on you all to do your part," Aerith said, addressing everyone in the group. "I haven't been inside the Shinra building since I was five, and I was only ever on the 67th and 68th floor. They might have changed in the past 12 years. As it is, I barely remember anything about the layout."
"I've never been to the Shinra building at all," Angeal pointed out. "I'll be counting on Genesis not to lead me astray."
"Are you sure it's a good idea for just the two of you to go it alone?" Ragnar asked as he adjusted the mythril chestplate he now wore.
"Don't underestimate these guys," Elfé told him, "They're second only to this one..." She pointed at Sephiroth.
"Is everyone here ready?" Sephiroth asked.
"We did all of our shopping at Bone Village right before we got back," Cissnei reminded him, "We're all set on potions, ethers and remedies."
The doors opened, and Galeas stepped out. carrying a metal staff. "Ah, good," he said, "You're all here. You'll be happy to know that the LINK for you all is almost ready."
"Is Mom back in Cosmo Canyon?" Aerith asked.
Galeas nodded. "I went with her briefly."
"How is everyone?" Aerith wanted to know.
"Your stepfather's still asleep," Galeas told her, "Your brother Gabe seems fine, but he keeps asking everyone when his father will wake up." He shook his head sadly. "He looks exactly like your uncle Gabrael, that child. Maybe on some level, your mother knew that, if she was the one who named him."
Aerith nodded. "She was the one who named him. Daddy named the twins, and my biological father named me." She sighed. "When are you going to move him here?"
"As soon as he's awake, we'll try and get him over here as soon as possible," Galeas explained.
"Tell him and Mom that I love them and the six of us will be together again very soon," said Aerith.
"Wait, you're not going to go see your dad and your little brother before you go?" Elfé asked.
Aerith shook her head. "If Daddy's still unconscious, there's no point, and I don't want to reunite with Gabe just to say goodbye all over again. It wouldn't be fair to him, especially now that the twins are suddenly gone. He's too little to understand any of this."
Elfé nodded. The girl had a point.
"We might as well just go once it's time," Aerith said sadly.
"Before you do leave..." Galeas held out the metal staff. "Your mother tells me you're pretty skilled with that staff you have strapped to your back. But from what she also told me, it doesn't seem like that staff will hold out against the swords that these SOLDIER people use."
"Yeah, he's right, come to think of it," Kunsel piped in.
"Is that staff whose I think it is?" Ragnar asked somberly.
Galeas nodded solemnly as he handed the new staff over to Aerith. "This is made from Adamantite, the same as the two short-swords your uncle carries. From what your mother says, the art of forging Adamantite has been lost to civilization."
"Amazing..." Kunsel marveled, "We only use Adamantite for materia fusion. I had no idea people used to forge weapons with it!"
"When's the 'Weaponsmith Guild' or whatever going to be up and running again?" Zack asked, "I'd love a sword like that!"
Angeal looked at Sephiroth with a small smirk on his face. "Looks like our state-of-the-art swords might wind up obsolete in the near future," he joked.
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.
"Good thing our vault was even more well-hidden than the Sleeping Chamber," Galeas continued, "This particular staff..." He looked at the ground sadly. "...it belonged to my own daughter. She was the same age as you, Aerith, when she brought that staff with her into the final battle with the Calamity at the Northern Crater. She'd be glad to know it's still in the family."
Aerith gripped the staff instinctively, looking at it in awe. Then she looked back at Galeas, visibly moved. "Thank you...Uncle Galeas. I'll take good care of it."
She pulled her old staff from the sheath strapped to her back, and handed it to Galeas. "Hold onto it for me? It's still my first weapon and all."
"Absolutely," Galeas said with a nod.
The door opened, and the woman from before came out again. Her eyes met Aerith's. "You must be the savior's daughter. Follow me, please."
"What's with this 'savior' title everyone keeps addressing Mom by?" Aerith asked Galeas as everyone walked into the LINK room.
"I'm wondering about that as well," Sephiroth chimed in.
"That is a very long story that we unfortunately don't have time for," Galeas told them.
"Holy shit..." Freyra gasped at the sight before her.
Two sets of large metal pillars stood on each side of the room, both emitting a bright light that resembled a doorway of sorts. At the bottom of each set of pillars was a plate bearing Cetran lettering. Half a dozen men and women wearing what appeared to be the uniform of the Technicians' Union stood off to the side, as if waiting to see if the LINK would work.
"Which one takes us to Midgar?" Angeal asked.
Aerith pointed to the one on the left. "That one," she said, reading the plate.
"And these portals are one-way, correct?" Elfé asked, "The last thing we need is SOLDIER to come storming into the city when the citizens are unprepared. Shinra would forget all about the twins if they had five-hundred original Cetra at their mercy."
"For now, yes," one man answered, "You'll have to find your own way back once you cross over, so make sure you have everything you need. As for Cosmo Canyon, we brought what we needed to create a return LINK for the Savior's family, as well as any other resident seeking refuge from these Shinra people. It's all set."
"I'll bet the firecats will all be coming here," Elfé speculated, "Especially now that Shuroya and Kimu have cubs."
"Are you folks ready?" the woman asked.
Everyone nodded.
She gestured at the set of pillars. "Just walk right through. I promise you'll be all right. See this picture?" The woman stepped aside, revealing what appeared to be a hologram. A city of ruins could clearly be seen. "That's where you'll be walking into."
"Interesting..." Genesis said as he strode right over to the pillars and without any hesitation, walked right through.
"Show-off..." Freyra muttered.
"You're just mad you didn't do it first," Cissnei teased.
"Hey, there he is!" Aerith exclaimed as she pointed at the grainy image on the holographic monitor.
Indeed, Genesis was now walking around the ruins, waving...in the wrong direction.
"Good luck, everyone," Galeas said. His eyes then fell on Aerith and Ragnar. "You both had better come back safely."
"You worry too much," Ragnar scoffed, "Doesn't he, Aeris?"
Sephiroth couldn't help but smirk. This kid was the male version of Aerith. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but it amused him all the same.
"Let's do it, then," Aerith said. She immediately walked through the pillars, vanishing into the light. Everyone else soon followed after her.
A/N: Short prologue, I know. But it's a prologue, so there you go.
Ugh...now the real work starts. If Genesis and Angeal will be covering Deepground, then it means I've got to start playing Dirge of Cerberus if I want to get the layout right, and to anticipate...certain boss battles(Genesis is sorely mistaken if he thinks Deepground will be a breeze). Ironic considering Vincent won't even be showing up until I start writing the sequel to this story, which will pick up in the original timeline.
Also, not to be a tease or anything, but I've got one more character from the original game to introduce in the coming chapters. Hope you all look forward to it!