An economy is the realized system of human activities related to the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area. The composition of a given economy is inseparable from technological evolution, civilization's history and social organization, as well as from Earth's geography and ecology, e.g. ecoregions, which represent different agricultural and resource extraction opportunities, among other factors. Economy refers also to the measure of how a country or region is progressing in terms of product.
Rufus ShinRa was looking through the windows of his magnificent office building from the top floor, which was reserved for him only. The main office; complete with all the most recent modernity and surrounded by fabulously extravagant furniture. The colors ranged from Mahogany to Cream, broken only by the polished steel that added a modern, yet carefully planned and executed effect to the massive wood.
It was early morning and Midgar was lying half dormant beneath his window. The change was to begin this fateful day; the axis of the slightly wobbling planet was leaving the age of the Horseman and moving towards the Moray Dragon. In ancient times the Moray Dragon was the symbol of wealth and success as each scale on the skin of the animal represented a coin. Rufus smiled at a sudden image from his childhood, remembering his household serving Moray at New Years Eve to celebrate the coming wealth.
Well, as the old age gave way to the new, it couldn't be more suitable to introduce the new Age of Wealth about to come. The wobbling of the planet brought about the shift in constellation only every ten thousand years and was different from the completed years around the sun. Indeed, people had forgotten about these ancient events. They all celebrated the New Year, but not the new Age. The length of the Ages was so long that several generations had forgotten about them.
Beneath his feet was the beating of thousands of hearts, the new army dwelling in their coffins of fleshy spheres. They were trained, refined, enhanced and programmed to obey his command. Above ground the building was a magnificent, cone shaped architecture of tinted glass. It had recently been finished after years of construction. Yes, it was all new. It was time to leave the old; time to leave the thoughts of Sephiroth, for he had been replaced by thousands of others, the memories of his father whose name would be forgotten in the shadows of Rufus' accomplishments.
As soon as the planet awakened the new order would spread over the world like wildfire and announce the dawning Age. In his heart, Rufus felt a sense of anticipation. The contracts with the other worlds were signed and the army was standing by; there would be no revolution, no other political parties to overtake, and no Avalanche to fight. Rufus sported a smirk at the thought. And what if Avalanche would gather its remaining members? They were far too weak now and the powers of the company reached far beyond this world. The people were crippled before they even had the chance to fight.
The sun broke through the evening sky and as the shadows receded to the golden rays that swallowed the new world, people awakened to a reality that exploded on the streets in panicking masses and a state of confusion.
Cloud was riding his bike to the bakery to get his morning bread and to deliver what he had been asked a few days previously. He was to be there early morning, but was greatly delayed by the masses on the streets, people running about and filling the roads and crowding everything up like bottlenecks. He finally reached Mr. Lockley's bakery and went inside.
"I'm sorry to be late, Mr. Lockley, but the roads were completely crazy," Cloud began apologizing, but the old man waved it off shaking his head.
"Oh don't bother… no delivery today. The shop is closed."
Cloud took off his sunglasses and pulled his sweater zipper halfway down his chest. It was warm inside and Cloud sat down on one of the chairs in the small bakery.
"What's going on?" the blond asked and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "People've gone mad."
"For good reason too," Mr Lockley took sides and sat down in front of Cloud, placing a basket of freshly baked cinnamon rolls on the table and encouraging the lad to eat whilst beginning to explain what happened. "I came here at three in the morning, as I always do, to start up the bakery. Most people are sleeping at that time, but you know the first loafs of bread need to be finished by six when people want to buy for breakfast or for the day. As always, I have a small TV in the back and turn it on to listen to the morning news while awaiting the first customers. But what was said on the news completely blew my mind and if I had a little bit of youth in me, I would've marched out on the streets hollering like the people there."
Cloud took a bite out of his warm cinnamon roll, admitting between bites that he was really bad at following the news because he hated early mornings and often took the opportunity to sleep in as late as possible.
"Well, young Strife, the entire economy as we know it has been cancelled."
Cloud nearly choked on his roll huffing a muffled; "What?!"
The old man nodded and watched people outside the bakery, arguing and shouting.
"Oh yes," Mr. Lockley scratched his beard and cleared off the crumbs. "Credits as you know them are worthless. Before the money we had was worth its stated value in precious metals. Today, that credit card is nothing but a plastic card with imaginative numbers that have been cancelled out. They're not worth the value of the card itself."
Cloud was numb and his confusion muted his mouth. He couldn't grasp the sudden change that had occurred over night. People had lost all their assets and the money they owned, in terms of electric figures tied to a card, no longer corresponded to the expected value.
"What the hell happened?" Cloud coughed up, realizing all his savings were now in limbo in the electronic ether, worthless. All those years of hard work. "What will happen to people's assets?"
"There will be an announcement by Rufus ShinRa in a broadcast in a short while. I hope we'll get some answers."
As the countdown for the last few minutes began, the eyes of the entire waking world were on the single channel that was being broadcast. There was only one channel on every thinkable media.
Nobody on the streets, nobody moving, nobody smiling, the frozen sun rose to silence, and even the hollering winter winds were now whispering ever so softly. The streets turned soundless, everyone was waiting and gathering around a transmitter source. Tseng was sitting in a silent kitchen holding a cup of coffee in his hands, Tifa was fisting the kitchen towel as she watched the TV above the bar, Rude was by her side as he had dropped her off at work, Vincent was sitting on the top of the clock tower watching the big screen facing the town square, and Barrett was no longer paying attention to little Hunci as she complained about her cereals not being sweet enough. The world was listening with the fullest attention directed at the proud leader appearing on screen. President Rufus ShinRa was dressed in a magnificent outfit of a black suit and a strict coat completing his image of a person in control.
"Dear citizens. I know you are all confused about the changes that have taken place over night, but I assure you that no matter the despair you may feel at this moment, tomorrow will bring about more fortune than you can imagine. It has been over a decade since the dangers from a powerful sorcerer were quenched and remnants of my father's corporation were scattered by the winds. We have lived in despair for a long time, with no proper promise of a prosperous future. Austerity measures and collecting tax money to try to bridge a deep cleft between crumbling social structures are things from the past. Due to our inherited financial and social abyss, we have severe difficulties in sustainability to overcome… something not possible with the old model of capitalism."
Rufus made a theatrical pause to heighten the tension before he went on ever so confidently.
"But now my dear friends, a new age is dawning and as the consellations turn of the Moray Dragon, it presents us with new opportunities… a new life. But a new life and a prosperous future require that we think and live in a new way. I have during these years of struggling seen how little you earn in the sweat of your own brows, millions are unemployed, education is not what it used to be and the welfare system is on its knees. In fact, the successes of societies are boiled down to energy consumption and therefore, we have re-started the core of the ShinRa power plant to infuse the veins of our society with strength and stability."
The loud hum of anguish was spreading through the crowd amongst those still remembering the consequences of the power plant.
"Please, before you delve into the past, let me enlighten you of the fact that there will be no harm done to the Lifestream and Gaea will not be affected. In fact, no inhabited, living planet will be affected by the harvesting of energy. But we must face facts, people. Our population grows and the demand for energy is constantly growing with it. The difference between a phase zero and phase one society is moving that source from the planet to the stars. And it is not only on our planet. The entire squadron is suffering the same and hence, extensive meetings, and through expertise from top scientists we have established a close collaboration with eighteen of the squadron members. You see this map of the neighboring systems?"
A holographically generated map appeared on the screen, depicting all the inhabited systems in the squadron and Rufus was moving about amongst the swirling planets like some deity.
"For every inhabited planet in each system, there are dozens of others that are far too hostile in physical attributes to be inhabited. These are dead planets; too hot, too cold, too active or dormant. What my father had missed out on was the fact that these planets, although not harboring life, not living, still possess tremendous powers that can be harvested. Yes, you heard right. By taming these powers we can have a prosperous life in terms of endless supplies. And not only that, this will also create new job opportunities for the adventurous. Space-cities are being built to transport and channel the energy to our home. I would also like to call your attention to the fact that job opportunities will be extended beyond Gaea and exchange between our neighbors will take place. This will also facilitate transfer of cultures, education, technological advancement, and so much more. The possibilities are endless!"
The people watched as Rufus ShinRa hypnotized them, showering enthusiasm as he continued.
"And the money you ask? Yes, before our time money was valued against precious gems and metals, but those are scarce and though one would think 'if it's scarce it's worth more', it is an old method by which to create a value. And what is it worth once it disappears? How can one measure value against nothing? And how can we extend our extraterrestrial trading market if we deal with a currency that no one else but us values? No, my friends! There is one thing that every intelligent creature in the Universe is dependent on: energy! A currency tied to the consumption of energy will never be useless, because from our first breath, we all need energy to survive.
I know many of you are worried about your cancelled assets, but I assure you they will be restored by the end of the day as a part of ShinRa's assets, and as a celebration of our new way of life, I will refund last year's taxes. How could I do that? Because, ladies and gentlemen, you own ShinRa. Indeed, our reform has led to the fact that "capitalism" is a term from now on used to describe systems in which there are no capitalists. For example, take the worker-owned ShinRa Corporation. Why would there be a need to take money from a source to which it would need to return? You see, the ShinRa Corporation is now the single most powerful company in the squadron with an estimated annual turnover far exceeding the average income of every person tied to the company… meaning, it's too big to fail and unemployment will be a thing of the past. It is the focal-point of survival with supporting pillars on every inhabited planet in the squadron, which is ensuring its continuation. Whilst the company stands, money is paid out. And as long as energy is needed, as with every civilization, the company will stand. In fact, you have become masters of your own industrial and social fate."
An overwhelming cheer spread across the streets as the first set of smiles radiated off people's faces and hearts were lightened. But Vincent was watching from his tower, shaking his head and muttering in despondency; "Fools, you're celebrating giving up your freedom!"
Nanaki was standing next to him and lowered his head in sadness. Indeed, if people's economy was tied to the ShinRa Corporation then it meant that people were chained to the success of the company. Of course, in this way, everyone would do the best to keep the company floating no matter what; the perfect way for Rufus to ensure his future. No one would want to bring him down now. Would they?
As Vincent was about to engage in Nanaki's thought-pattern, the most shocking sight stole his breath. Across the town-square, in another side of the city, Tseng dropped his coffee-cup and it smashed against the floor. His heart began racing and he felt almost sick to his stomach. Tifa raised her hand to her mouth, muffling the gasp that was released in fear, eyes drenched in tears whilst staring at the screen. Cloud stood up from his chair, hands crushing his sunglasses with rage, whilst the pompous Rufus ShinRa with extravagant grandure of thunderous music, presented his new masterpiece and greatest gift to the world. The sounds of marching feet tuned in to the rhythm of beating drums.
"This, my dear friends is also an insurance of our future. A new army of Soldiers!" he cried out with enthusiasm as cameras from air and ground were scanning over the sea of drones, fully equipped and armored. "Flawless in their loyalty and capable of doing what the human body cannot. Now there will be no need to send our children into conflicting situations… these loyal drones, will protect us from harm."
"Avoiding telling the truth, Rufus?" Miss Khin muttered in her solitude, watching the broadcast on TV from her kitchen table. She shook her head stating to herself that; "This is just a subtle way for you to scare people into loyalty and to warn anyone trying to oppose. Very good, you bastard. By the Gods, Sephiroth, we need you more than ever…"
Chaos broke through Vincent's human haul, eyes glowing with fury. His anger was not only directed toward ShinRa, but also toward Vincent who had been too self-absorbed in personal torment to listen to the angel. Chaos' demonic wings shot out from his back, extending restlessly over his frame like an epiphany, and with stale lips scarred by the dagger-like fangs he quoted the Angel.
"I am to be united with my spawn and coil around the Universe to split into a thousand nations."
"The age of the Moray Dragon," Nanaki added and the gravity of Sephiroth's warning was slowly beginning to sink in. "I see this before my eyes, Chaos, but I still can't believe it."
The screens all over the world were broadcasting the perfectly arranged lines of disciplined soldiers, but all their faces were masked and bodies in full gear. It was a perfect scare tactic that spoke instinctively to the feeble minds of the masses, for quite soon individuals began nodding and accepting the new reality of having a fat bank account and an army that would protect their new assets and make life peaceful on Gaea. The announcement was over two hours long and if there had been any event to catch the attention of a whole planet, it was this. And as a skilled rhetoric master, by the end of his talk, Rufus had a majority of support among the people on the street. The first day of the new Age proceeded with a strange tension in the air. Some were confident, but others, scarred by the past had a lingering foul taste in the mouth. What would happen now?
Almost a year had passed since the last meeting, but they were all gathered around the round table once again; just like knights from ancient legends. They were all agitated and the world was changing with every day that passed by. It was spinning faster and faster and almost throwing its inhabitants off its surface, yet life had to go on as it has always done. The bread had to be baked, the wine had to be poured and the chores had to be done.
Cid and Barrett were fuming under the surface and the choice of words they used to describe the current situation of the world was somehow all anchored to the concept of battle. Hunci was under the table making drawings in the scarce light, but without complaint she attended the image that she has been working on for days.
Tifa had brought along Rude and was endearingly holding his hands whilst engaging in the conversation. Cloud had been watching them from across the table but the seething jealousy he felt a few weeks back had now settled in seeing her smile again. Cloud had Tseng by his side and they were both very quiet; observing the situation.
Rude had been quite surprised to find his intermediate boss appearing at this meeting as members of this group were clearly the antagonists of Rufus ShinRa, the man that employed both Rude and Tseng. But there was gravity to the situation that required some tolerance in this matter. The fact that borders between foes and friends were shifting and resetting the boundaries of their world required a new way of thinking. Ever since Rude had engaged in a relationship with Tifa, life had not been the same. Apart from not taking unnecessary risks at work, he was also more open to meet with people he had previously battled fiercely. Life was not the same anymore and would continue changing. Rude made no effort to open up a discussion with Tseng. He was a secluded man and figured that the Turk leader must be going through the same changes within as everyone else.
The person with the heaviest burdens was Vincent. He sheltered a Daemon inside his core that had been detached from his soul. One that now gained sovereignty and could surface on his own will. To keep the Daemon at bay, Vincent had denied the night its rest and slept under the sun and the battle between the two was raging on. Vincent was sitting outside the building and had refused to partake in the meeting although he knew it was important. He had no desire to go inside, but Nanaki approached him with the gentleness of a true friend and tamed the anger out of the old warrior.
"It was a hard decision to make, Vincent," Nanaki sighed and sat down next to the introvert man leaning against the sun-tortured wall.
The paint on the wall was dry and rendered pale in color and flakes of it were resting on Vincent's red mantle.
"I know you are filled with hatred…" Nanaki went on but was interrupted by Vincent.
"Not only that, my friend."
Nanaki blew a hot mist through his flaring nostrils, shaking his head. He knew that Vincent was desperately offering his heart to Lucrecia's cold body in order to escape the obsession his Daemon was cursing him with. He wanted no more dreams of Sephiroth, no more forbidden unions with Jenova's spawn, no more hopeless desires or illicit daydreams. He wanted no part of Sephiroth. But Lucrecia was not awake and she could not offer him that salvation and it seeded grave bitterness within Vincent.
Nanaki stepped up to Vincent, their faces only a breath away from one another. The feline burrowed his gaze into the ruby, opaque pearls of the Daemon Lord and said;
"Blood boils without fire, and it comes and goes without your control. You think there is shame in what you've done. Well what it is that you have done?"
"I fell, Nanaki," Vincent's answer brushed past the feline on wings of anger and self-reproach. "It feels like I fell from the Heavens, Nanaki. The fall was so hard."
However, Nanaki was a wise and compared to Vincent an ancient warrior who was closer to nature than most other creatures. His scars ran deeper than the surface of the skin of any other Soldier and his wisdom was directly linked to the whispers of the winds and the rumble of the earth. And thus, with a comforting smile, his eyes radiated with warmth as they reached into the heart of a mourning man.
"But the harder the fall, the higher the bounce, my friend, and wise choices will keep you levitating where others drown. After this fall you can fly higher than any other. Release Chaos and trust in him. Don't fight all your emotions, Vincent. Allow him to fall into Sephiroth if he finds peace there. You may be his Lord, but it is NOT up to you to stop him from feeling alive. That's what makes the spirits so envious of us mortals."
Vincent cocked his head a little then retracted it deeper into the collar of the mantle. Nanaki pulled away and began walking towards the door as he spoke.
"They may have powers that make us stare in awe, but they can't feel. How can you define the universe and life around you without the sensations that fill you with the emotions that make you feel alive, huh?"
Vincent looked at Nanaki then stared into the void as if he tried to find the answers in the empty air in front of him. The sand reflected the sunrays, stinging his eyes, whilst the warmth brushed against his face.
"So what are you saying, Nanaki?" Vincent moved away from the wall and brushed the paint-flakes off his shoulders.
"I'm simply saying," Nanaki waited for Vincent to catch up, "that you should give your Daemon a chance to find peace just like you are craving for it. He has after all served you well throughout these years."
"Yes he has," Vincent sighed and felt Chaos purring with gratitude inside his chest. It was time to welcome the night once more and sleep under the stars.
Down in the poker room of Tifa's bar, the assembly stirred in restlessness. It had been a long day and the coffee pot was constantly being refilled. Food was ordered in and the beer flowed down dry throats. It was like a cauldron boiling with emotions in the dimmed room. Although it was still light out, the room was lit only to create an ambiance for the players, but it also created the illusion that it was night time.
When Nanaki and Vincent entered the room, the stirring atmosphere was replaced by anticipation and vibrating agility. Nanaki blew a hot mist of air through his large nostrils and licked his large whiskers with a sigh as he took his place at the head end of the table, which in this case meant next to Vincent. When all were seated and attention was focused on him, the large feline began.
"I know that some of you have been called upon by the Great Beyond. I have received a message from Aeris…"
Gasps and incomprehensible murmurs of confusion swept the ether like a gentle wave. Vincent was still hesitant to speak, and hovered in the background allowing Nanaki to carry the main responsibility for the painfully disturbing issues that had been locked inside hearts. He was not strong enough to bring his dreams forth, but the dice was rolled and there was no turning back now.
"I have, since a while back noticed that several of you have secrets untold. It's been tainting the peace out of many of you. Nightmares, bad dreams that border onto reality… you perhaps can't even tell if it was a dream or real? "
No answers, only oscillating glances exchanged between confused faces.
Nanaki went on; "Isn't there anything you'd want to share?"
Still no answers, only avoiding looks, flickering eyes, and faces buried in beverages and deep sighs.
"Look," the feline went on, "I know about your dreams, and I know that some of them are of very personal nature, but we really have no time to dwell on those issues when we have more important things to consider…"
"Like what?" Cloud asked, staring at the green surface of the table.
"Like our future," Nanaki answered.
"What is our future?" Cid cut in arrogantly but with a discouraging tinge. "Considering what Rufus has planned for us, nothing's certain anymore. I don't even know if I'm to wake up on this planet or the next by tomorrow - new habitants from other planets, new economy… new life for crying out loud. Rude…" Cid leaned over the table and the light from the roof fell on his face, casting frightful shadows that swallowed his eyes into darkness. It made him seem like a ghost and as he spoke, the shadows danced on his features, "… haven't you picked up on any of this from your boss? Couldn't you guys anticipate this happening?"
Rude shook his head, letting go of Tifa's hands and enclosed his glass of beer in his palms.
"Something," Cid continued. "I mean you guys work there… how could it all have passed you by without notice?"
"You don't understand, Cid," Rude defended himself. "We don't question. We are bodyguards, not politicians."
"But, seriously, Rude…"
"He is right," Tseng cut in. "No one knows anything. That's part of the contract of being a Turk. What's not your business is NOT your business… but…" he sighed before he continued, "… I did get to see a document not meant for my eyes. It wasn't so much about the economic plan, though."
"What was it?" Cid's eyes narrowed and his presence crept closer to Tseng. Even Cloud, sitting wedged between them, could feel it.
"I don't know if I got it wrong... but…"
"Spit it out, for fuck sake," Cid urged him with a frown.
"I think Rufus is planning on reviving the Jenova project."
"That's impossible!" Cid barked with floating anger. "Jenova was completely destroyed."
Tseng nodded; "But Rufus already has an army…"
"But that army is just empty clones… right?" Cid interrupted him with anguish.
The silence was deafening. It descended upon them like a dome and made the noise completely incomprehensive. Nanaki's keen senses searched for any signs of life within the humans around him, but not even a gentle sigh escaped from the frozen bodies. The room went cold as if it had been submerged in ice; life escaped and there was nothing left but sterility. But, as with the first drops of sunlight, slight movements vibrated through the air like life returning after a cold winter. The yellow gaze of Chaos was the first to shine through the fear that surrounded them all.
"In my dreams, Sephiroth said something about a serpent and dawning of a new age. We have to be sure," he growled. "We need to know if this is true."
"We have suffered enough under the period of President ShinRa," Tifa added. "The energy-project has cost too many lives already."
"But who is leading the project?" Yuffie asked. She had remained quiet next to Kazuhito. "All the scientists involved were killed, others exiled and Sephiroth along with his spawn are dead."
Tseng nodded, but countered with the fact that in the document left behind by Rufus, there was a small paragraph he noted that mentioned the name of Hojo.
"Impossible!" Barrett exclaimed. "That delusional old mess was killed. I saw his corpse!"
"Nonetheless, he still seems to be running the Project," Tseng threw back.
"How the hell?!"
"I don't know, Barrett! I can't give you more answers," the Turk exhaled into his palms as he rubbed some sense into his face. "We need to find out more about this."
"How?"
"You Turks will just have to keep a closer eye on your boss from now on," Kazuhito suggested. "If that's confirmed, we'll have to prepare for another conflict."
"A conflict? Another war?" Tifa asked, suddenly thinking about the uncertainty of a future she didn't ask for. She would not accept it. She barely survived one period of war she wanted no part in another.
"You think Rufus will use an army of Jenova-clones to invite us all to a nice, big barbeque?" Barrett spat in reponse to Tifa and finished his beer in anger.
"IF he has an army like that," the brunette defended herself. "For all we know they could be just empty clones. Those drones may look intimidating, but they didn't seem anything like the clones we've seen before."
"True," Tseng agreed, "but there might be more... something we don't know about yet."
"What makes you think he has found remnants of Jenova anyway?" Yuffie asked.
"What makes you think he hasn't?" Cid barked back and all of a sudden the conflict had reached the small assembly once vowed to defend the peace on the planet. The arguments seemed to last hours until Nanaki finally reached his limit and silenced them all with a fierce roar.
"Silence!"
Words of defiance and mockery died instantly and all attention was focused on the great sentient feline.
"Now this," Nanaki growled, "we don't know if there is another Jenova-army out there ready to be unleashed or not. The mere thought of it is grave enough to take the possibility under serious consideration. But until we have found proof of it, we SHALL focus on the task set forth by Aeris. Sephiroth and his so-called brothers are the keys to this situation. Now, I don't know where it leads or how it connects, but some of you have received messages from the Great Beyond and I want to know WHY and WHAT. Is that quite clear?"
No one argued against their great leader. It wasn't something self-proclaimed by the humble feline, but with his powers so closely associated with the Cetra and all the living, the rebels pointed him out through an unspoken decree. Even Chaos backed off when the feline showed his claws. As a Daemon he was more powerful, but the respect the sentient being instilled within others was undeniable. He was endowed with far more than a simple Daemon.
"Cloud," the feline walked up to the blond sitting slightly shrunken and introverted in his seat next to Tseng. "Who has stolen your heart?"
Tifa's eyes grew big with anticipation; would she be jealous or relieved. Who had the power to destroy the solid bands they had once developed? She held Rude's hands tightly in her own, not even noticing the increasing strength in her grip as she waited for the answer.
"Kadaj," Cloud delivered the name through a whisper.
Though it shocked most of them, none spoke in a rude or belittling manner. No one dared, for this was so unlike Cloud. He seemed weakened and vulnerable speaking of Kadaj; the person he had defeated in battle. The blond was full with regret and at first attempted to hide his burden through what seemed hardly intelligible maundering.
"… He came in the shape of that cat, Greybone, I found on the way home one day. Damn cat nearly had me killed as I tried to avoid hitting him with Fenrir. I didn't know it was Kadaj. Before that, I only had dreams of a tortured child screaming 'make them stop'."
Vincent cocked his head, his rubies landing on Cloud. The sleepless nights had left traces of fine lines around the blond's eyes and a slight furrow between his brows. Vincent said nothing and Cloud went on, but deliberately left out the most intimate details of his encounter. They all listened as Cloud revealed his dreams.
"And all the dead birds in my yard where Aeris had planted the lilies. When the cat came I thought 'Great, he'll keep the flowers clear from birds', and I guess he does to some extent. But then he started interfering with my life. I saw his face everywhere and the more I tried to fight it, the more affectionate the cat became. I even tried to lock him out and I almost killed him once, but nothing helped. And then…when I didn't have the strength to fight him anymore, I felt complete."
Cloud lifted his gaze and watched Tifa. Her expression was empty; devoid of any emotions. It both scared and soothed him at the same time for at least she was not jealous. She was still holding on to Rude's hands with the firm conviction that she belonged there. Cloud smiled at her and she returned the gesture. They had made peace after a long line of conflicts.
"That's Kadaj," Nanaki nodded. "I know Vincent's had close contact with Sephiroth."
A wave of incoherent mumbling washed over the room, but the feline quenched it before it had the chance to evolve into another situation. Careful, fumbling questions were posed and the sentient gave enough answers to still the curiosity of the group. He had to give them a chance to build up confidence.
"Vincent has a past with Sephiroth and Chaos is the channel through which they can speak. All of you who have had these dreams and experiences have had some sort of connection to the spawns. Who else?"
"Yazoo is my weight to carry, but I accept it," Tseng announced boldly and with a sense of pride. "I've seen him so often the past year or so that he has become a part of me."
Rude almost dropped his jaws, but fought to maintain composure so as to refrain from being offensive.
"It's true and I've met him many times… in many ways," the lead Turk persisted unabashed. "I was linked to him through the time when the brothers captured me and Elena and tortured us. I have been reliving that situation over and over… but it's different somehow."
Vincent posed his first question and engaged in the conversation.
"Different how?"
Tseng lifted his head and squinted into the light falling down on him.
"I don't know," he went on, "it's like he is frozen. He stands at the head end of the altar where they chained me and he holds my head in a firm grip. Kadaj and Loz have distorted faces and they don't look like I remember them. They are insane… untouchable… but Yazoo is just sad. I always died in those dreams, but then one night it all changed."
Tseng lowered his head, rubbing the tilak between his eyes.
"I forgave him and then it was like a spell was broken. He saved me and since then, he comes to me almost every other night. But by the morning…"
"They fade like mist," Cloud shot in and a strange sadness veiled his complexion. It was heartfelt as he revealed the emptiness he felt each time Kadaj dissipated.
"At least you have Greybone," Vincent cut in, Chaos rumbling in his chest, slowly announcing himself to the world. The voice of the Daemon Lord deepened the closer Chaos came to the surface of the human flesh. "Sephiroth burns in the light. He suffers, he bleeds and he dies every night… and he scars my soul every time."
Nanaki felt the explosive mix of frustration and sadness boil out of the Daemon, but he could not allow the discussions to take another course, and thus he continued.
"We are still one brother short."
The feline scanned the room for another channel to the dead, but no one came forth with their thoughts. Finally, the fourth gatekeeper appeared in the shape of a little girl through an accidental slip of words as Cid asked Barrett about the tormenting nightmares of little Hunci. Barrett had no wish to talk about it and had deliberately kept quiet, but the secret was now in the open. Yes, little Hunci had suffered from nightmare for months.
"I had nightmares too," Barrett said in defence, "I didn't think it was so much more different from when I was a kid. You guys know what it's like. The brain takes in a lot of information it needs to digest… it gets messed up at times. Happens to all kids. I didn't know it was this serious… I mean…"
Vincent placed a hand on Barrett's shoulders.
"We all know you've been a great father to Hunci. We're not questioning your actions. What you did was correct. You tried to protect her. But now we need to find out if she is the fourth gatekeeper."
Hunci crawled out from under the table. She hadn't heard anything of what had been said; mostly for she lacked any interest in grown-up business. She had been spending time drawing. She took her place in Barrett's lap as she was asked to answer a few questions. Tifa had that difficult task making her speak. Hunci has always loved the company of Tifa and trusted her more than most others.
"Hey honey," the brunette smiled, "we just heard that you've had some bad dreams."
The little girl shrugged.
"Wanna tell me what they were about?"
Hunci shrugged again as she kept her gaze on her drawings.
"You know, Hunci, I used to have loads and loads of bad dreams when I was a little girl. It was about someone chasing me. Either a monster, or a bad person, or a demon…"
"It's always the same person in my dreams," Hunci threw in with a yawn and continued coloring her drawing.
"Really?" Tifa asked and moved a little closer. "What does he look like?"
Hunci shrugged and Tifa nodded.
"All right… Do you know him?"
The little girl shook her head, continuously avoiding the gaze of the grownups.
"Well, can you tell us what your dream is about?"
Hunci licked her lips after a large gulp of soda and whilst coloring her most recent drawing, she told a little tale from a child's perspective.
"I have a friend in the woods. It's a wolverine and we play a lot together. He is nice, and he likes coconut ice cream like me. We play in the woods until we come to a funny maze. He knows the way through it, so I'm not worried."
"Where does the maze lead, honey," Tifa leaned closer, showing genuine interest.
"Deep into the ground and into a little hole that I have to crawl through."
As Hunci went silent, Barrett tried to lighten the gloomy atmosphere by bouncing her playfully in his lap until she began giggling. He was masking his questions in a silly game.
"So what do you do in that burrow, princess?" Barrett asked and blew hot air against the back of the girl's neck. "Did you eat bugs? A big, fat worm or maybe chewed some roots? Oh, I know," he drawled, "you crept into an ant colony so they could tickle you like this…"
Hunci was screeching with amusement as her little frame was tickled and as she managed to catch a breath between her laughter, she corrected the dad explaining; "No, silly. We don't have time for that. We go to a big room where the monster lies."
Suddenly, her smile disappeared and mature gravity overcame her whilst continuing in a hypnotic tone.
"We come to a room where the monster lies. We try to find a way out but all the doors are locked and the key doesn't fit. I have to find the right door before the monster wakes up… but I never quite manage. The monster wakes up."
Tifa caressed the little girl over her altered face. It wasn't the complexion of a carefree child anymore they were witnessing.
"What happens when the monster wakes up?"
Hunci lifted her head and turned towards Tifa with burning eyes.
"We die. We always die."
"All right, that's it," Barrett intervened and tightened his arms around Hunci. "This is unhealthy. I don't want her to suffer anymore."
Lost outside the sphere of the conversation, as she often did, Yuffie kept on staring at the odd pictures Hunci had drawn whilst hiding under the table.
"What's this supposed to be?" she asked and pointed at the drawings on the table.
"This is my friend, the wolverine," Hunci explained, pointing her delicate finger at a small creature she drew under a big tree. "And that's me in the tree eating ice cream."
"Oh, it's so pretty. And this?" Another drawing came into display.
"This is the gate we go through to get to the maze and this…" yet another drawing was shown to the praising crowd. "… is the room with all the doors."
Knowing his manifestation was different from that of Tseng or Vincent, Cloud asked little Hunci if the wolverine ever showed itself in the shape of a man or any other creature. The girl shook her head and gathered her drawings in a bunch.
"No… but he doesn't like to be referred to as the 'wolverine' all the time."
"Oh?"
"Does he have a name?" Yuffie asked and received a nod.
"M-hmm… his name is Loz. He is the one who protects me. He is my guardian against the evil monster."
It was an extraordinary tale. The adults went all silent and sensations of pride and humility washed over them at the notion of how the tortured souls of deviant spawns had broken through to the surface of the living to warn and protect those who had condemned them to eternal torment. Loz, the ultimate killer, embodying the physical destructive power of Sephiroth was now the guardian of a little girl in the underworld. Indeed, the spawns had to be saved, their message had to be heard and the gates to the underworld had to be opened somehow. It was all they needed to know. There were forces at work that guided their fate into a center point that brought about a focus in time and space to intertwine the living with the dead. There was a message that had to be carried through. There was not much more to say other than letting the course of fate bring the future.
"How can we open the gate?" Vincent asked and with that very question unleashed the whispers once echoing inside Cloud's head at their previous meeting. "Remember this place, Cloud, it will be of importance to you…" It was a whisper brought about by Aeris and Cloud shot up from his seat.
"I know… I'm sure of it! The Forgotten City. We need to return there."
"How do you know?" Tifa asked, but Cloud could not provide a sufficient answer other than flashbacks of voices he once heard.
"Look, I know how this sounds, but I just know it. It's just as I heard it through the voice of Aeris... a long time back."
"All right, Cloud. I believe you, and we shall return," Nanaki agreed. "Once the morning comes, we shall take chase to the Silver forest."
The Gate to Hell was about to open yet the sun rose like a blessing past the majestic mountains. Cloud rode Fenrir through the Silver forest surrounding the Forgotten City. The trees were like frozen pillars protruding out of the ground clad in white frost as the winter covered the woodlands like a quilt. Fenrir's wheels were sinking deep and spinning with great effort through the powdered snow; no proper grip, engine screaming and water evaporating on the hot exhaust pipes. The eyes of the blond were burning as he followed that playful young woman far ahead in the snow. He was heading home after his last delivery, speeding along the dim road when a ghostly silhouette of someone appeared from nowhere and made him almost crash into the ditch.
When he managed to assume control over Fenrir and stop it safely, he looked around to see what had nearly sent his spirit back to the Lifestream, and was struck by the most amazing sight peeking out from behind a frozen tree. Aeris! But as he made an attempt to get closer to the girl, she moved away like a frightened doe, disappearing into the silvery night with a trailing halo of light in her wake. She was laughing and dancing between the snowflakes as they came down from the blanketed branches of the trees. Cloud chased Aeris like a wolf hunting a deer; not releasing her for a second from his gaze. The deer ran and the wolf chased.
Vincent was riding bareback on Nanaki, carrying the dwelling Daemon in his heart. The agile feline avoided colliding with the trunks with such precision that Vincent had to hold his breath several times as dread swept across him at close instances. They were chasing that young man far ahead. He was soaring through the forest like a dream, hovering and swaying effortlessly far ahead.
In the veil of the winter light young hearts warmed up the night as the young man united with his wilderness Mistress. They were dancing like mist inside a waterfall and glowing with pride in the darkness. Wind-driven snowflakes were spreading and falling, whilst starlight on a frosty lake was shining so enthralling. Beating of paws and thumping of feet echoed around the hills, giving chase to the spirits of the night; to the spirit of the two escapees.
Night snow had left a new blanket, which erased their traces as they bravely wandered together with spring in their steps. Young-bloods dancing carefree and wistful as a waterfall, chased by the trinity of a Daimon, followed in the ghost of Wolf and sentient spirit.
Vincent noticed someone running alongside him and Nanaki, moving rapidly in the same direction. They were all united; joined forces. It had been Aeris' will for them to gather here. She was one of the gatekeepers to the other world for only the Ancient ones could open and close the gate to the wastelands on the border to the Lifestream, and the gate would only be opened when those who crossed it had the determination to walk alongside daemons without losing their souls in fear. It had been a long process and years of nightmares were preparing the chosen ones to what was to be expected in the wastelands. Nanaki knew that Aeris was not tormenting Cloud, her lost confidant, or Vincent, or Tseng, or even little Hunci without a reason. The nightmares had been a trial period, but the will and determination had to come from within. It had all been a game of chance.
Only one chance; would Vincent be able to battle his guilt to the point where he developed sincere emotions towards Sephiroth? Enough to step into the nightmares? It was still a question, but Nanaki knew that Chaos was on Aeris' side without even knowing it. The angel had become an integrated part of the Daemon and Chaos was governing Vincent's every step even if the flesh was masking the presence of the power lurking behind the human façade. Chaos was still free to roam, but only through Vincent could he feel, and the emotions he tasted were far too addictive to let go of. Nanaki was aware of this and had dared to set the Daemon free, for he knew Chaos would stay with Vincent if he ever wanted to feel the closeness of the seraph again.
Although running alongside on different paths, the storm in their minds pulled them all closer, converging like gravity, and they almost collided far ahead. Cloud hit the brakes so strongly that the bike threw him off into the lake. The ice broke and the water was so icy cold that the chill pierced through his skin like thousands of needles. He tried to catch his breath, but his muscles cramped as the cold immobilized his limbs.
Nanaki had lost his grip on the icy ground, slipping and falling and throwing Vincent off his back. The warrior hit the ground with such force that he immediately lost consciousness. The white shore was covered with snow that was beginning to turn red as tiny drops of blood slipped through the broken skin on Vincent's forehead. Chaos was lingering on in this world, but his powers were failing. Struggling on the frozen ground he resembled a wounded bat trying to fly, which only ended in the tragedy of rolling into the water that pulled them down. Chaos was free, yet unable to move.
Nanaki himself had taken a bad fall and though he was persistently holding on to his awareness, his head started spinning. The last thing he recalled as he barely lifted his head from the ground, was an odd sight of several other bodies lying at quite a distance from them on the other side of the lake. He was trying to focus and get up, but a hovering silhouette and a gentle touch clouded his vision and the world submerged in darkness.
"Rest, my dear friend…" was the last thing he heard.
His head rested against the snow, and to his astonishment, Nanaki realized that it was no longer cold, but rather soothing like a mother's touch. The Mother had come to watch over them.