By a Fraction of a Degree
A FFVII Fanfiction work by findthetiger129
Rated T for Violence and Language.
I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or any of the characters, trademarks or likenesses from Final Fantasy VII or its spin-offs That honor goes to Square-Enix.
Part IV: Stigma
Chapter 78, Vacation at Icicle Inn?
April 7th [ ν ] – εуλ 0009
Allen stood at a street corner on one of the Junon upper plates with a set of earphones plugged into his ears. A casual observer would think they were hooked to a portable music player, but actually half of it was connected to a recorder and receiver synched with a special recording device he had planted in the warehouse he was watching a few streets down. He had long ago mastered the art of appearing like a disinterested young waif, occasionally nodding his head as though in rhythm with a beat no one else heard. There was supposed to be a meeting today. Someone from the group that had commandeered this warehouse would be meeting a contact, and he was here to ascertain who that was.
"You all set Allen?" Valerie asked through the other half of his headphones, plugged into his PHS.
"I read you loud and clear, ready to commence upon first sign of the targets," he said. The top button on his shirt was a cleverly disguised microphone. An innovation of Kemp's that he'd borrowed. He checked his watch. They should be here any time now. The meeting had been set for fourteen-hundred hours. He observed the seconds tick closer until he spotted movement nearby and adjusted the cap hiding his short blond hair as he perused a nearby newsstand for a magazine. It looked like the stock market had been favorable today, he noted. With a practiced motion, he picked up the paper and sat down on a nearby bench, looking like he was reading, but occasionally bringing his gaze up to observe the world around him.
Not long after that, he saw a car pull into the garage, the windows opaque to hide its occupants. Almost at the same time, three motorcycles had just been parked at the entrance, and as he observed, three men in leather outfits, each carrying a unique weapon made their way through the front door. The guard at the front was definitely very wary of them. He could see it in the stiffness of the man's posture.
Once they were in, it hardly took a moment for the hidden microphone to crackle to life.
"You got back quickly. I would have thought it would take you a few day to find the young President." Scarlet. What luck! Maybe the WRO could get them into custody after all!
A different, alto voice answered the former head of Weapons Development in a smooth drawl. "Unfortunately, he didn't have what we were looking for. He suggested that perhaps we should seek out our big brothers. But it doesn't seem like they're at home."
Someone else let out an impatient growl. "Well you can't possibly expect us to know where they are." Heidegger, apparently.
"No, but you do have other uses. Such as giving us a boat," the unfamiliar voice said.
"And just why would we do that?" Heidegger demanded.
"Whether you do or not doesn't matter," a deeper voice responded. "We will take it anyway. Or have you already forgotten what we did to your men the other day?"
Heidegger sounded like he was about ready to get violent but Scarlet quickly intercepted him. "Of course not! You can find one of our best at dock #42, Lower Junon. You can't miss it."
"Glad to know one of you has some sense," the first voice said before apparently turning to its owner's companions. "Come on, we're going."
Not long after, the three men returned to their bikes, and the car pulled out of the garage again. Allen hit the button on his PHS. "Did you get all that?" he asked.
"Loud and clear," Valerie answered. "I've sent the recording straight to Veld, and he says you're to follow the car."
"What about those guys on the bikes?" Allen asked, as he stood, nonchalantly folding his newspaper.
I'll be going to Dock 42 myself to see if we can't figure out where they're going. I don't know who their brothers are, but it might be important."
"Val," Allen said softly. "I think there's something you ought to know before you go after them."
"What's that?"
"Maybe it's just me, but all three of them look an awful lot like Sephiroth."
Cloud sat in a cave filled with moss, watching Genesis walk around the other side, reciting poetry in a low whisper as the crackling of a forge-fire could be heard in the next chamber. He wouldn't be here long, he hoped. The man's recitations were the last thing he wanted to hear right now.
"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess, we seek it thus and take to the sky, ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest…"
Tiring of watching the man in the red coat, he stood and walked out to where the hole opened the cave up to the night sky. The Autumn air blustered coolly onto his face as he looked up at the stars, wondering why he still even bothered. The tendrils of Lifestream filtered up into the night air, mocking him until, perhaps looking for something to do, he at last turned his attention to his PHS. He probably shouldn't have been surprised that it looked like it was blinking. He'd had it on silent for a while now, so he hadn't noticed when the messages had appeared. After a moment, he opened it and hitting the button for voice mail, he brought it to his ear.
"Hey Cloud, it's Zack, just wondering how you're doing. I haven't heard from you since you came to see me. Where've you been?" He let out a breath and waited for the next one.
"Cloud, I know where you said you were going, but I just wanted to check in. Call me, okay?" Tifa. He swallowed and waited for the next one.
"Hi, it's me, Yuffie! I'm going to be in the area in about a week and I was wondering what was for dinner. Call me when you get the chance, got it?" The date on that one was from about eight days ago.
"Hey, Zack says you've been off moonlightin' to look for that guy. Listen, if ya need a ride… I got the Shera ready to go…" Cid had mellowed out just a little since the wedding it seemed. He waited for the next message.
"Hey Cloud, it's Zack again. You need to learn to answer your phone. Listen, I had this idea. If you can manage to meet us up at Icicle Inn on the 10th, I'd really like to see you up there. I'll be headed over to your place in a bit to talk to Tifa about it, but just let me know, all right?"
"It's me, I just wanted to know how you've been. Call me when you get the chance, okay?" Tifa again. Though to his concern, she actually sounded more worried than the last time.
"Cloud? What's happening? I-I had a dream about you last night. You looked like something was hurting you. Please let us know where you are." That wasAerith. The date and time on that message was five days ago. He'd had a particularly bad night the night before.
"Cloud? Tifa's really worried. Where are you? Hope you'll at least be up at Icicle Inn when we head up there." Kunsel had called four days ago.
"Hey Spikey! Just wanted to check in. Me an' Cid've been workin' the oil fields like nobody's business and another shipment's gonna go out soon. But I can hardly wait to see you guys up at Icicle Inn. You and Tifa had better be takin' good care of Marlene for me, you got that?" It was good to know things had been going well for Barret at least.
"Hey Cloud, Tifa told me what you said you were doing. You know, you could have asked us to help. Is everything all right? If someone doesn't hear from you before the end of next week, I'll come after you myself and drag you back if I have to." Freya. He was slightly relieved to see that the date on her message was three days ago. He still had time.
He hung up the PHS. Well, maybe he still had a little bit of time… he was about to close it when suddenly, it whirred to life and he nearly dropped it, but on instinct, he caught it firmly in his left hand. Pain shot up his arm and he realized in horror that the spasm had caused him to hit the call button.
"Cloud?" It was Zack's voice on the other end. "Are you there? This isn't funny, answer me!"
Realizing he could no longer hide, he slowly brought his PHS to his ear. "Zack?"
"Where the hell have you been?" Zack demanded.
"I've been searching for Sephiroth," Cloud answered, hoping that would be enough of an answer.
"Why do you think we've been wondering where you are? The least you could have done was check in with us every now and then!" His friend let out a sigh on the other end of the line. "So did you get my other messages?"
"Yeah…"
"Great, now I'm going to want to see you at Icicle Inn on the 10th. I'm not taking no for an answer, you got that?"
Cloud tried to search through his own bleak outlook for some of the warmth that Zack usually inspired. "Okay," he said at last, "I'll be there." Best to let him think he'd just been out of contact.
"Great, I'll let everyone know! Though it probably wouldn't hurt to give Tifa a call…"
He was quiet for a moment and then answered "All right, I'll try to get a'hold of her."
"Good man. She's been worried sick about you, you know?"
At that point, he felt a presence behind him and looked over his shoulder. Genesis had followed him out, and he seemed to want to tell him something. "I've got to go," he said.
"Okay, but we'll see you up north. No exceptions, right?"
"Right…" At that point, he hung up and closed the PHS. He should have realized Zack wouldn't let him off the hook so easily. What was he going to do…? If he didn't go they really would know something was wrong, and the fact that more than one of them would come looking for him with the proficiency of trained guard hounds if he didn't show, certainly wouldn't help his situation…
"Ahem…" Genesis cleared his throat imperiously, "I hope you'll pardon my intrusion on your pity party, but the lady has finished with your sword."
Cloud glared at Genesis' departing figure as the WEAPON returned into the gloom. Perhaps he had a point, but that didn't make Cloud resent it any less. He wouldn't even be here if not for the fact that the First Sword had been damaged while fighting one of the more powerful monsters up at the crater. His left bicep spasmed again, diseased nerves and muscles contracting and he gritted his teeth. The pain didn't do much to improve his mood. He was certain with everything that was going on back home, that this was the last thing anyone else needed to know. And spending all that time in close proximity to everyone would make it more likely that they'd find out.
He walked back through the caves, contemplating his problems until at last he reached the forge that Argento had built. The woman had dispensed with her commander's uniform and forehead protector in favor of a loose tank top and the pants and combat boots from a salvaged trooper uniform. Though her single uncovered eye still glowed silver in the reflected light of the hot coals from which she had protected her hair by tying it back in a high ponytail. Here, she could work unhindered by her Mako addiction thanks to a ready supply of the Lifestream being nearby at all times. The woman held the First Sword in her hand, even as she gave him a look of disapproval.
"I have repaired the damage, and have attempted to reinforce the blade to a point, however…" she said, "I fail to see the wisdom of your actions."
"Does it matter?" he asked.
She didn't answer him for a moment, and then went to her sword which hung on a stand in the corner. She fiddled with it for a moment before retrieving a materia from one of the slots. Upon her return, he could see that it was a summon.
"It only matters if in focusing on the dragon in the distance, you refuse to acknowledge the precipice at your feet," she said. She placed the materia in his hand and he realized it was Neo-Bahamut.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"I had forgotten to get rid of it when we left Midgar. My days on the front lines are over and I have no need of it," she said. "Throw it away if you wish, or use it. I don't care one way or the other." With that, she walked back to her forge, and set to work on cleaning up the materials she had prepared. Apparently, in her mind, the interview was over. He turned around and walked back towards the mouth of the cave.
As he passed Genesis he noticed that the man seemed to be listening to a voice he couldn't hear, before he wandered off towards the chamber where the goddess's statue once stood. As Cloud wandered out, he could hear the man reciting Loveless, like a Wutaian Mantra. "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow, No matter where the winds may blow…"
It was only when he'd climbed up onto the lip of the chasm and reached Fenrir at the clearing which was lit up by the stars and the flowing tendrils of Lifestream that he remembered he had promised Zack he would call Tifa. He reached for his PHS and dialed. The call rang for a couple of minutes and then someone picked up. "Hello?"
"Tifa?" he asked.
"Thank Gaia, where are you?"
"Nowhere…" he said.
"But you're not hurt or anything, right?"
"…No," he lied.
"Can you come home tonight? We'll be leaving tomorrow."
"I'll be at Icicle Inn," he said.
Tifa was quiet for a moment before continuing. "When I see you, we're going to have a long talk."
He mulled over how to answer that when he heard something on the other end of the line. "Yes, all right, I'll have it out in a minute…" She turned her attention back to the call, "I have to go, but we're not done with this, got it?"
"I understand," he said. He was already dreading it to the bottom of his heart. After ending the call, he pocketed the PHS again and cranked the motorcycle, driving towards the nearest village. He would need to catch the first boat to the Eastern Continent in order to reach an airfield. Though he wondered which would be worse? Zack discovering the truth, or Tifa? His left arm continued to ache.
April 10th [ ν ] – εуλ 0009
It was afternoon in Icicle Inn when the Gainsborough arrived at the small airfield a short distance off from the main part of town. Aerith pulled her cloak tighter around her as she and Tifa disembarked. Marlene ran ahead, looking around in wonder at the snow, which had never been particularly common anywhere she had lived before. Below-plate in Midgar certainly didn't have it, and while Mideel had seen flurries during their time there, it had never stayed long enough to do anything thing more than glisten on the grass for a few hours before melting away. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "We'll be able to build a real snowman, won't we Denzel?"
The boy looked over from where he was helping Zack and Kunsel with a couple of suitcases and his face lit up at the idea. "Yeah!"
The two older men chuckled at his enthusiasm. "We can do that in a little bit once we've got everything squared away at the inn," Zack suggested.
"Okay," Denzel said. The small group trudged through the snow and were almost to the inn when Aerith spotted the Shera approaching fast. This was good. Cid, Barret and their entourage would be joining them soon. They passed out of the bitter cold and into the warm interior of the inn as Zack walked up to the counter to take care of check-in arrangements, and that was when Aerith spotted Reeve sitting in the reception area, Cait Sith next to him.
Upon spotting them he stood to greet them. "There you are," he said.
"You haven't been waiting for us, have you?" Tifa asked.
"Not at all. My transportation simply got here early so I went ahead and checked in and went for a walk around the town. I just returned actually," he indicated a pair of snow covered boots drying by the fire.
"Have you seen the slopes?" Kunsel asked.
"I'm afraid I haven't, though there do seem to be a significant number of people headed in that direction," Reeve reported.
"Great!" Freya said, having just walked in with Cissnei behind her in time to overhear the question. "As soon as we're all checked in, I'm for breaking out the snowboards and meeting up with Liz. She knows all the best places to go!"
Tifa took a moment to rest a bag she was carrying on the floor. "Has Cloud gotten in yet?" she asked.
Reeve shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I'm the first."
At that point Zack walked over with several room keys in his hand. "Okay, we're all set," he said.
A short while later, after everyone had settled into their rooms, most of GUARDIAN had dispersed in order to seek out whatever pastime they most desired. Freya, Kunsel and Cid had all gone out to find Liz on the slopes. Tifa, Barret, Jessie and Nanaki watched the two kids play in the snow while Yuffie seemed to be trying to instigate a snowball fight, and Reeve contented himself with a cup of tea by the fire along with Cissnei. It was a shame Vincent had declined to come, Aerith thought, but at the very least, he had promised he would make some time to travel to Mideel within the next few weeks. For now, Zack seemed determined that no one was allowed to worry on this trip, at least until Cloud showed up.
Aerith had been standing outside the inn watching Tifa show Marlene and Denzel how to make snow angels when Zack walked up behind her. He was wearing his GUARDIAN jacket again, she saw. Not that most SOLDIERs weren't perfectly fine under these conditions without extra clothes, but at the very least it didn't seem out of place here, and as he came up behind her, he said "Hey, I was wondering, would you like to walk around a bit before Cloud gets here? The innkeeper said the view was really nice down that way," he indicated the road headed towards the slopes.
Aerith smiled and adjusted her cloak around her shoulders, drawing the hood over her brunette tresses. "Sure, let's go." She was certain Tifa wouldn't let their wayward friend escape if he showed up while they were away, and with the sunlight glistening on the mountains to the north of them, it probably would be a nice day to take in the sights. After taking a moment to let Tifa know where they were going, the two of them walked off down the main thoroughfare, taking in the rustic style of the buildings with snow covering their roofs like icing covers a cake. Smoke puffed out of the various chimneys, and several groups of people passed two and fro between the village and the ski slopes, their footfalls muffled by the fresh powder that had just been dusted across the village this morning.
Zack walked a little ahead of her, occasionally waiting as she caught up since her stride was not nearly as long as his own, and it reminded her a little of the times back in Midgar when they would explore the slums together. In some ways, nothing could change her husband, she reflected with a smile.
They reached an overlook that gave them a view of the mountains around them and Gaia's Cliffs, marking the Northern Crater off in the distance, and even with the site of their enemy's citadel off in the distance, it was nothing if not breathtaking. "That is beautiful…" she murmured and then looked up at him. "You sure know how to pick vacation spots, don't you."
Zack smiled as he basked in her praise. "What can I say? I know what I'm doing. We all needed to kick back for a bit."
"I suppose. Though I hope Rayleigh will be all right without us for a few days," Aerith said.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, and besides, this is important." Zack leaned against the railing as he looked out over the white hills below them.
Aerih nodded in agreement. She knew very well how stubborn Cloud could be, and while she seriously doubted getting the truth out in the open would be the end of the matter, making him more aware of the actual effect it was having should at least put an end to his attempts to hide from them. She knew very well why, thanks to the Planet. By removing himself from the picture he was hoping that his own suffering wouldn't be noticed. He could be a little frustrating that way. It was almost exactly what he'd done the last time, in a less physical sense, and he should have known better.
"I'm sure we can get him to see reason once he knows what he's missed," Aerith said.
"I hope so," Zack agreed, "Because I know I'm not the only one who doesn't want to lose him again."
"Excuse me…" A voice said from behind them.
Aerith and Zack turned to find themselves looking at an older woman, perhaps about Elmyra's age, with her hair pulled up in a tight bun. "Oh, I'm sorry", she said, "I thought you looked like someone I knew. Or used to know at any rate… I suppose I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up…"
"It's fine," Aerith said, taking in the warm but simple clothes the woman was wearing and the expression of disappointment on her face. "We're actually just here for a visit, but does this person live around here? If we see her we might be able to tell her you're looking for her."
The woman shook her head. "Thank you dear, but I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible. She was taken from here a long time ago by the Shinra company… You do look a lot like her though…" an idea seemed to hit her at that moment. "Would you mind telling me your name?"
"Not at all," she said. "I'm Aerith, and this is my husband Zack…"
"That explains it then!" The woman said. "You're Ifalna's daughter!"
"You knew my mother?" Aerith asked.
"That was her name?" Zack asked, looking a bit confused.
"You're her husband and you don't know?" the woman seemed surprised.
"Well, I haven't talked about it much. I had already been adopted when he met me," Aerith explained. "How do you know my mother?"
"We were neighbors," the woman adjusted her skirt. "She and Professor Gast used to live here, just a few houses down from the Inn in fact. Do you know what happened to her? After those hoodlums came and took her away with you we never heard from her again… The poor Professor. When they found his body…" she shook her head sadly.
"This house," Aerith asked curiously. "Does anyone live there now?"
"No, it's been abandoned for the last twenty three years."
Aerith gave that some thought before asking her next question. "Is there a chance we could take a look inside?"
"I doubt that would be a problem. It's the third house down from the Inn. We're such a small town here, I doubt it's even locked. If it is, you can ask the Innkeeper if he has a key. He's also the mayor you know."
On a rise overlooking the main road several miles south of Icicle Inn, three men balanced on their motorcycles, eyes trained on the road bound for the town. Finally one of them spoke. "Hey Kadaj, is that where our brothers are?"
"That's what the President said," Kadaj murmured.
"Do you think they'll be glad to see us?" The first one asked.
Kadaj laughed derisively. "Not a chance."
The biggest of the three spoke in a mocking tone. "Don't cry Yazoo."
"But they might have mother," Yazoo said quietly.
"Maybe not," Kadaj said.
Seeing the troubled look on the bigger man's face, Yazoo said back "Don't cry Loz."
Kadaj looked across the vast empty expanse of snow for a few moments, when suddenly he heard the sound of a motorcycle. After a moment, a figure appeared from the south, headed towards the town. "Hold on. One of them's coming." As if a signal had been given, the two younger remnants cranked the gas on their vehicles, and sped down the hill to cross the snowy plains after their quarry.
A few minutes after talking to the mayor, Aerith pushed in the door to an old cabin that looked rather the worse for wear. Apparently in the absence of its owners, no one had bothered to keep it up. However, it was a sturdy structure, built of strong timber and designed to weather the elements, so it had that going for it. It was hard to believe. Had this truly been the place where she had been born? Had this really once been her home as well. Zack waited behind her as the door creaked open, revealing a modest workroom, flanked by a chair and desk and what appeared to be recording equipment. However, compared to the more modern equipment the Shinra company, and more recently other smaller companies, proffered today, it looked like it was definitely very old, and had seen better days.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about it were the bullet-holes that riddled the floor. Aerith took a step into the darkened room, ignoring the signs of age and decay, and started looking around, taking in the sights with a sense of immense disquiet. The Planet's whispers seemed muted here, but even so, she could get the sense that something incredibly sad had happened in this building, though at the same time, there had been moments of great joy here before too.
Zack followed her in, also taking in the state of the room.
"It looks like there's a set of stairs over here going down. I'm going to take a look," she said. She walked around the railing and began to descend. Below seemed a lot more welcoming, being furnished by a small double bed and warmer rugs. Another door seemed to lead off to what used to be a kitchen and a small living area, but in a corner sat something else that caught her attention, a cradle, lovingly hand-made, but definitely simple, as though the crafting of it had been done by someone who didn't do such things normally.
She was about to head upstairs again when she heard Zack calling her. "Hey Aerith, come back up here! I think I've found something!" Hurrying back up the stairs she saw him standing in front of what looked to be a computer, which he had apparently turned on. However, it was the labels on a series of video files that caught her attention.
"'The Original Crisis', 'What is "WEAPON"?'… These sound like they might be related to the Northern Crater," she said.
Zack moved out of the way as she reached out to select the first file. Almost immediately the room darkened and a holoprojector opened in the ceiling, showing two people standing in the room. A man in his early thirties with a neat lab coat and sporting a bushy brown mustache, and a woman who was slightly younger. Zack let out a gasp of surprise. "No wonder that old lady got confused, she looks just like you," he murmured.
It was true that now she saw her again, her facial features were definitely similar. And it was hard for Aerith not to recognize her. She'd only been seven when her mother had died, but her memory was something she had never wanted to erase. As they watched, the man finished fiddling with the cameras and then approached her. "Camera's ready!" he said after a moment and then, taking a breath as though preparing for a stage performance, he turned to the woman. "Now, Ifalna, please tell us about the Cetra."
Ifalna nodded in the hologram and began to speak "Two thousand years ago, our ancestors, the Cetra, heard the cries of the Planet. The first ones to discover the Planet's wound were the Cetra at the Knowlespole."
The man nodded. "Tell us Ifalna… Where is the land called 'Knowlespole'?"
Ifalna gestured to indicate their surroundings. "Knowlespole refers to this area. The Cetra then began a Planet-reading."
The man asked his next question. "Ifalna, what exactly does a Planet-reading entail?"
Her mother frowned as she considered the question. "…I can't explain it very well, but it's like having a conversation with the Planet… It said something fell from the sky making a large wound. Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet… But due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself over many years. "
"Do the Ancients, rather, the Cetra, have special powers to heal the Planet?" The man stumbled over the question slightly but quickly corrected himself.
Ifalna shook her head, and walked a few steps away from him, thinking through how she would answer. "No, it's not that kind of power. The life force of all living things on this Planet becomes the energy. The Cetra tried desperately to cultivate the land so as not to diminish the needed energy…"
The man appeared thoughtful at that. "Hmm, even here, so close to the North Cave, the snow never melts. Is that because the planet's energy is gathered here to heal its injury?"
Her mother nodded. "Yes, the energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the land… then the Planet…" she paused, her expression troubled. "The Planet tried to persuade the Cetra to leave the Knowlespole, but…"
Seeing her distress, the man interrupted "Ifalna… Let's take a break."
Her mother shook her head. "I'm all right… When the Cetra… were preparing to part with the land they loved… That's when it appeared! It looked like… our… our dead mother …and our dead brothers. Showing us specters of their past."
The man looked surprised at that. "Who is the person that appeared at the North Cave? I haven't any idea."
"That's when the one who injured the Planet… or the 'crisis from the sky', as we call him, came. He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally… gave them the virus." Ifalna was becoming more upset almost as though she was watching the information unfold before her eyes and as Aerith watched, her mother sank to the ground, gripping her hands together to stop them from shaking. "The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad… transforming into monsters. Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole, he approached the other Cetra clans… infecting them with… the virus…"
The man approached the woman and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You don't look well… Let's call it a day." After giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze, he went over to turn the machine off leaving the room once again silent.
"Was that Professor Gast who was talking to your mom?" Zack asked, "Like that older lady said?"
"I don't know," Aerith said. "It might have been. There haven't been any messages from the others have there?"
Zack checked his PHS. "Nothing yet. We might have time for a couple of the others."
"Then let's look some more. It seems a lot of this has to do with Jenova, maybe we can find something Doctor Rayleigh can use," Aerith suggested before activating the file labeled "What is 'WEAPON'?"
Immediately the holo-projector came to life again with Gast and Ifalna standing in the same room. Gast seemed to be preparing for another recording session. Once he was finished he turned to Ifalna. "Ifalna, can you comment on the thing called 'WEAPON'?"
"Yes, Professor," Ifalna confirmed. "The one the Professor mistook for a Cetra… was named Jenova. That is the 'crisis from the sky'. The Planet knew it had to destroy the 'crisis from the sky'… You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."
Gast looked thoughtful again. "Back then, WEAPON was a weapon the Planet produced of its own will?"
"Yes, but… There is no record of WEAPON ever being used," Ifalna explained. "A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it. The Planet produced WEAPON… But it was no longer necessary to use it."
Gast looked a bit confused by that. "So, WEAPON no longer exists on this Planet?"
Ifalna shook her head, coming a bit closer. "WEAPON cannot vanish. …It remains asleep somewhere on the Planet. Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time… The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still, watching Jenova."
"Where is WEAPON?" Gast asked.
Ifalna paused as though listening for the Planet's whispers but at last shook her head. "I don't know… I can't hear the voice of the Planet well… Times… have changed. The Planet… is probably watching the situation closely."
She seemed a lot more tired now, and Gast, sensing her fatigue relented. "…Thank you, Ifalna, that will be all for today…"
Once again the room emptied as the holo-projector stopped. "Hey," Zack said, getting an idea. "You don't think the Planet's changed its plans do you? This was definitely made a long time before I even knew about Genesis and it didn't make him into a WEAPON until a couple of years ago…"
Aerith tried to listen to the Planet's whispers again, curious at the thought. After a moment she shook her head, the interference seemed too great right now. "It's not saying anything I can really pick up that well. Though I almost wonder if the confusion is getting worse. When I first walked in here, there was a sense of disquiet, and I thought it came from here, but now I'm not so sure…" she turned her attention back to the question. "It's very possible that it might have realized the WEAPONs it had created before weren't intelligent enough to deal with the threat. After what it's seen in the last twenty or so years, it's hard to say. Perhaps even Hojo or that other scientist gave it some ideas after watching them and SOLDIER for so long, as scary as that is."
Zack visibly shivered and it had nothing to do with the cold. "I'd almost rather not consider it, if there wasn't a possibility it could be true."
"I know what you mean," Aerith said. After a moment she turned her attention back to the files on the computer. "Confidential… I wonder what this is…" She activated the file and it came up with two entries. "Daughter's record: 10 days after birth," she read aloud. "And then, '20 days after…'" She hit the first entry. To her surprise there was no visual, instead, it was all audio.
"What are you doing Profess… I mean, honey?"
"Oh, I'm thinking of taping it on video, but the video's not working right…" Gast's voice sounded a little frustrated.
"What are you going to tape? Is there still something I haven't mentioned?" Her mother sounded curious.
"No, that's not it. I'm going to record my beautiful daughter. And when she's sleeping, her face …looks like an angel."
Ifalna laughed. "First, we have to figure out her name. We can take the video later!" she chided.
"I've already decided!" Gast insisted. "She's a girl, so it'll be Aerith. That's that!"
"You are SO selfish!" Ifalna said in mock offence, before her voice softened in approval. "But Aerith is a good name!" She giggled. "Hee hee… it's a good name, considering it came out of that forgetful head of yours!"
"Right!? Oh, the video tape…" There was the sound of scrambling as Gast, her father, hurried to turn it off.
Zack didn't say anything, for once, seemingly unable to think of anything to say as she automatically, and almost hungrily reached for the button to start the next video. This one did have a visual output and she saw her mother walking towards her father looking rather bemused. "Video again? You just got through taping!"
Gast gave her a look of mock hurt. "…Please don't say it that way. It's our lovely daughter, both yours… and mine! Don't you want to capture her childhood on videotape."
Ifalna seemed worried. "If you keep doting on her like that, she won't grow up to be strong… Aerith is different from other children. I wonder what dangers await her…?"
What dangers indeed. They were probably everything her mother had imagined and worse, Aerith reflected. Her father looked decidedly upset. "Never say that! I will protect you and Aerith no matter what! You and Aerith are my only treasures. I'll never let you go!"
Ifalna smiled at his words. "I feel so much better now, darling. If I hadn't met you, I…"
Her words were cut off as Gast took her in his arms and they seemed about to kiss, when there was the sound of someone banging on the door. "Who could that—I was just about to…" Her father seemed to be trying to get his thoughts together in his annoyance. "Damn! " He turned back to her mother with a frustrated look. "How dare they intrude on our private time together!"
Her mother sighed, apparently equally disappointed at their interruption. "I'll send them away." She walked to the door to see who it was.
"Yes," Gast said, apparently still hopeful they would be able to continue. "At once! Who the devil…"
However, his question was cut off as Ifalna's voice suddenly sounded terrified. "It, it's them!"
Suddenly, a man appeared whom Aerith had hoped she would never have to see again, and judging by the way Zack suddenly gripped her shoulder, he clearly hadn't wanted to either. "Heh, heh, heh… I've been searching for you, Ifalna… or should I say, Cetra!" Hojo. Her face hardened as she watched her mother shelter behind her father as the troopers marched into the house, followed by the man himself. "Long time no see, Professor Gast!"
Her father glared at him angrily and did not budge from his spot between the other scientist and her mother. "Hojo… How did you know?"
Hojo's expression was smug as he looked them over. "Believe me, I had to turn over a stone of two to find you. Two years I waited… That's how much I wanted this new sample… Ha, ha, ha."
Ifalna curled away from him in terror and Gast's angry stare changed to a mixture of shock, disgust, and disbelief. "…New sample? You don't mean Aerith!?"
"Hmmm, Aerith? What a nice name…Ha, ha, ha." Hojo's cackles echoed through the room even in the recording, and Aerith reached for the hand Zack had extended to her.
"That's it!" Gast growled. "I'm severing all ties with Shinra. Hojo, please leave." As polite as the request had been, she could still tell it was a desperate plea.
At that point her mother finally stepped in front of him, getting down on her knees, begging in spite of her husband's cry of surprise. "Please, Aerith has nothing to do with it! All you want is me, right?"
Hojo was unmoved. "I'll need all of you for my experiment." He turned to her father. "You understand don't you, Professor Gast? We can change the future of the Planet!"
Gast's expression did not change. Instead, he knelt down to his wife and said quietly "Don't worry Ifalna, I'll take care of this!"
Hojo rolled his eyes. "Please don't put up a fight," he said condescendingly, "I don't want any harm coming to my precious sample." And that was when he looked straight up at them. "Mmm? What a funny looking camera. Guard! Destroy it!"
One of the troopers turned around and then the visual was gone. That didn't stop them from hearing what happened next. "Be careful with her! Ha, ha, ha…"
Hojo's laughter stopped as Ifalna suddenly cried out "Wh…what are you doing, Professor!?"
"Ifalna! Take Aerith and run!"
The recording suddenly reported a hail of gunfire and then Ifalna shrieked. "Darling…!"
Hojo completely ignored the woman's cries and simply said as an afterthought "Oh, and uh… don't forget the child!" There was the sound of footsteps and then he spoke again. "Hmm, a video? The Ancients… WEAPON!? Heh, heh, heh… a mountain of treasure! Thank you Professor…Ha, ha, ha…" As the recording stopped Aerith looked behind her at Zack.
"Aerith?" he asked.
She shook her head sadly. "Don't worry about me, I'm all right… though I think…" She didn't bother to finish the sentence, but simply moved closer to him and let him pull her into a hug. "Let's get this computer onto the Gainsborough so we can see if Doctor Rayleigh can find something useful on it. We can worry about it later after we've talked to Cloud."
Zack nodded and the two of them got to work trying to figure out how to unhook the equipment. It wasn't until they were almost to the door with the first items that Zack's PHS rang. He put down what he was carrying to answer. "Tifa? What's up?" he listened for a moment and then his brow furrowed in concern and confusion. "I… think you'll need to run that by me again. Cloud's being chased by what?"
Cloud was riding through the frozen wasteland, focusing his thoughts on the unwanted conversation that he would probably be having when he got there as he watched the white hills around him through a pair of heavy-duty sunglasses. What should he tell them? That he'd been distracted because of his search for Sephiroth? That was mostly the truth. Maybe that would get him off the hook and then he could get back to staying out of everyone's hair. His problems were the last thing they needed to deal with. He'd already been muddling over them far too long on the plane ride to Bone Village, and then the rest of the trip up into the snow fields via the western road. As he got closer to his destination, he allowed his mind to fade into a thoughtless blur as he focused on the task of driving. It was something of a relief not to have to think…
That is until out of nowhere, several shadows flew past him, materializing into several strange monsters he'd never seen before. They appeared to run on four legs and very much resembled wolves or dogs, but with strange bony ridges on their faces and bodies that looked very much like armor. As they approached, clearly with hostile intent, he went for the First Sword from one of Fenrir's compartments and held it aloft, striking at the first monster that came too close. It was sliced neatly in half but left him to contend with the next two that were coming his way. The snow blew out from behind his rear tire in a steady stream, fogging the frigid air as he flew across the hills, but as he approached nearer to the town, someone appeared next to him on another motorcycle to his left.
This stranger, who had short white hair and was sporting a strange bashing weapon that reminded him of some of the claws Tifa sometimes trained with shouted over the sound of their vehicles "Where's mother!"
He dodged out of the way, bringing the bike into a controlled spin as the man tried to get him in the face with his weapon. Only to find as he was coming out of it and moving forward again that a second man, this time with long hair and a weapon that looked like a hybrid between a short sword and a gun had appeared to his right. "We know you hid her brother!"
Not that he would have told them if he did know, but this was a non-issue at the moment, as he was forced to deflect a gunshot with his blade as they drew closer to the town. Seeing that it wouldn't do to try and fight them in a populated area, he throttled the gas and after passing the Inn, where he was sure he spotted Tifa standing in the front yard with the kids, he made a point of turning down one of the roads he knew from traveling would be the least inhabited, and navigated the streets in such a way as to draw them towards the mountain slope. He passed several houses, relieved to see that the monsters and the motorcyclists only seemed interested in him before reaching the edge of the ski slope and hitting the gas again. Fenrir leapt from the hill and into the air before coming to land on the incline below him with a resounding thump, just in time for him to turn in his seat and see the two other motorcyclists flying after him. He only spared a moment before continuing to control his careening bike as it continued down the slopes. He hoped to the Planet no one was in the line of their descent.
Well, I hope we've gotten Part IV off to an exciting enough start. Don't have much else to say. Hope to see ya next week!