Ch 12

Skye stood on edge as she swung her sword in a deadly up ward arch nearly taking off a wing of a dragon. She scoffed at the fact that she missed but it was nonetheless effective as it flew away. Tifa joined her.

"Where did they come from? And why us?" Tifa said as she attacked a dragon with a deadly one-two combo.

"They came from the Palace and the only thing I can then of is that we have something they want" Skye said as she cast Bolt on all of the dragons at once most fled. Just then Cloud came out of the tent with his sword. Skye cast Ice 3 on all of them, they all fled as if on cue.

"A little late don't you think?" Skye said as she walked passed him.

"I always try to make an entrance" He said smiling as he followed her back to the tent. She grabbed her bag and turned around to find him in the way.

"Lets go before they come back" She said shaking her head keeping her thoughts to herself.

While Cloud was packing up his tent Skye walked over to the others who where eating breakfast. Part of a dead dragon.

"You can actually eat that?" Skye said as she looked at the others.

"Why what's wrong with it?" Yuffie said looking up at her. Skye shook her head.

"Nothing it's just Papa used to tell me horror stories of people who ate the meat of a dragon and became posessed by it... But I'm sure it was all just fairy tales" She said as she stared off into the distance. No one ate anymore.

Cloud ran over and looked at everyone.

"So how're we going to get down from here?" Cloud said looking over the edge.

"We'll just walk over top of this and we'll make it to the Canyon soon enough..." Red 13 said gesturing towards where Cosmo would be.

"Alright lets go" Cloud said pointing for them to move forward.

It took them hours to move across the top of the cliff to near where Cosmo Canyon was and the blazing sun beating down on their backs didn't help them either. By the time they made it there they were all soaked with sweat.

"So... I remember hearing about Hojo once cloning my Father... do you know about that? And what happened to the clones?" Skye said as she started to climb down the cliff.

"Well... each clone has a number on his or her arm.. Like 1 or 7 and there's at least 15 clones that we know of... but none of them survived well at least none that we know of... and there's been this project that Shinra's kept secret it's the first thing that they did as soon as they got on their feet again... they cloned the president and he probably has a tattoo somewhere that says one or four some where on his body and rumor has it that they're trying to clone Hojo" she cut him off.

"The Sephiroth back at Shinra didn't have a tattoo"

"That means that he's the real deal..."

"They did clone Hojo" She added as she made it to the bottom.

"What when?"

"I heard Mio talking about it that's why he was so snappy with me... They cloned Hojo which mean's he might be out of a job"

"I feel kind of obligated to tell you this some how.. Hojo's your grandfather"

"Ewe ick HOW?"

"He's Sephiroth's REAL father... His mother's Lucrietia...he was donated by Hojo to professor Gast's Jenova project they basically added Jenova's DNA to Sephiroth's original DNA so" she cut him off again.

"He is Jenova's son then... And I think Jenova might have been released as well"

"What makes you say that?"

"All of the crystal Pillars hold all of the bad things... and with everyday another one breaks adding another Big Evil to the planet eventually it will become unbalanced" She said as she turned around and faced the small town built into the side of a mountain. A few meters off was a Mako Cave it held Skye's attention. She stared at it her gaze unwavering as the others climbed the stairs. Cloud who was the last person up turned around and looked at her.

"Skye!" He called to her as he watched her watch the entrance of the cave. She gave no response she was off in her own little world.

"Skylie" He yelled at the top of his lungs her name echoed off of the walls of the canyon. Her named sounded more like a song then a name as it echoed. She turned around and faced him.

"Cloud... I'm afraid" She said as she walked passed him and climbed the stairs.

Afraid of what? The question hung in Cloud's mind like a festering disease. They all were afraid, especially of what Skylie might be capable of but what did she have to be afraid of maybe she was afraid of what Red's grandfather was going to tell them. He wasn't sure but all he knew was that if she was afraid this great beautiful wielder of unknown powers was afraid then they all had means to be terrified.

He followed her up the stairs watching her slow walk she looked back ever so often just to be sure he was still there. The more and more uneasy she became the more she looked back. She had unleashed something unsettling this time. The Mako caves didn't frighten her neither did the dragons of the Crystal Dragon for that matter it was the King and Queen that frightened her. She was terrified of the of them terrified that they might seek her as well and terrified that the legend of the Crystal City is true because that meant that the Planet could swallow up anything it deemed if it was vile enough. She had stopped again as she though of these things staring off into space like a cat seeing things that no one else could see.

"Skye" Cloud whispered into her ear his lips resting on her neck the tender thrill of it waking her from her state of subconscious thought.

"Skylie... c'mon we need to go" He whispered she turned around and faced him. She let herself drown in the watery blue of his eyes. Did she want him or the others to get involved in this? They wanted to save the planet... Not possibly aid in the destruction of it. She started back up the stairs.

When they got to the top she looked around it was just as earthy as she pictured it to be she looked over at a huge bonfire and saw the others she walked over. Much to her and Cloud's surprise they saw Tifa curled up next to Barret. Skye couldn't help but to giggle they looked cute together.

"Ahhh... Skylie Soule... Aloria Soule's legacy" an old man in a purple robe said looking her over.

"How did you-" She was cut off by the old man

"You want to know how I knew... I bet you don't know how I know that you knew this... I know because you wear the look of the Soule line well, unlike your mother" He said shaking his head.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"I am very well acquainted with the lost ancients... your mother was one of the strongest yet... her mother feared her so... I remember Mala coming here once to seek the will of the planet... The will told her that with each member of the line if paired with the proper person would eventually bear the keeper of the Crystal Falcon and Crystal Gauntlet... and that member is you Skylie Soule... Daughter of Sephiroth and Aloria... Descendant of the Crystal King and Queen..." Skylie had started to cry. This is what she had feared he had said the few magic words that made her want to have never been born Descendant of the Crystal King and Queen.

"That is why you can also hear the screams of the planet... That is why you have the shine... That's why you raised the Crystal Palace to take what is rightfully yours..."

"And the Crystal City" She said quietly after wiping her tears away.

"Unfortunately just about everything you know is true... The Citica were destroyed by the planet your line escaping with a curse over your head's... From every thorn comes a rose and from every rose comes a thorn.."

"So my child will be evil?"

"Not necessarily... since you are the Crystal Princess... I do not know what will become of your children..."

"This means I have to go into the Palace..."

"Yes"

"Through the Mako caves"

"Yes"

"Through the crystal city and the crystal palace and back again"

"Yes, yes, and yes... but be brave you will be able to accomplish this task with ease"

"And I must do this alone?" She said facing the others

"No..."

"But only Cetra may enter the Crystal Palace"

"That is true but the Crystal Knight is never a member of the Cetra... and you know the legend about that" He said smiling. Skye knew exactly what he was talking about. The Crystal Knight she had dreamed of him since she was a little girl a man pure of heart whom would protect the Princess at whatever the cost. Only in her dreams before had this been possible having some one strong and true by her side fighting with her to the end.

"Where can I find the Knight?" She said with a small smile on her face.

"I cannot tell you but when the time is right... he shall find you" She nodded she could see the reason within his words.

"What did the shine do exactly? And can I ever control it"

"The shine will bring you want is needed unfortunately you won't be able to control it until the time is needed... but that's all I know" He said shaking his head.

So they stayed the night and left as soon as the sun rose.

"Some help that was" Skye said as she shook her head and headed towards the river. Red 13 had decided to stay with his people for a while and Cait Sith decided to stay with him to learn more about the planet.

"I think it was a lot of help"

"I don't think it was because now we have to go to the crystal city... I don't want to go to the crystal city! I am terrified of the crystal city" She said shaking her head.

"What's in the city to be afraid of?"

"It was sucked into the planet for a reason! It could tell how evil it was so it basically ate it... and the Citica still lived in it for several years even after it was sunken by the planet... I am terrified of the people... and their ghosts" She shook her head again fear had welled up in side her again. Cloud gave her a hug,

"It can't be that bad... We've done ghosts before...I mean we defeated the all mighty Sephiroth" Yuffie said as she walked ahead of Vincent.

"He came back didn't he" Skye said, as she looked a head.

"OH NO!" She yelled as she ran a head she stopped in front of the biggest Mako cave yet it was as high as the golden saucer and bigger than Migdar. She tried to climb it but it was too smooth to get a good foothold.

"Calm down we'll just have to go through the fucker that's all" Cid said hitting the side of it.

"But I haven't found the Knight yet... and none of you can enter the Crystal palace" She said leaning against the side of it she could feel the evil.

"I'm sure that there's another way out I mean... all the caves must lead to the city right?" Cloud said peering into the cave he could see stuff moving.

"Yes but... Do you know what's in there?" She said turning around and looking at all of them.

"Everything you have ever been afraid of... your worst night mares... and your deepest darkest desires all there to seduce you to the side of the King and Queen..." She said shaking her head.

"No I'm not letting you endanger yourselves over me! There has to be another way" She said shaking her head she was somewhat angered.

"Oh god he's rubbing off on you! That's the last thing we need!" Tifa said laughing Skye just smiled politely

"It's our fight now more than ever, since this could mean the end of the world and all" Barret added as he too peered into the cave.

"Fine but I gave you the option to back out... We're just going to the nearest entrance... I don't think we're ready for the big fight yet" She said as she peered off into the distance to see a dark figure on the horizon. As the person got closer she could see who it was clearly.

"Sephiroth" She said under her breath as she watched him approach. He looked at her blankly as he neared the group like some one who know see some one who looks oddly familiar. Cloud turned around and drew his sword.

"Get away Sephiroth" He said taking a defiant stance. Skylie studied him. He had a number tattooed on his hand. He was clone number 13.

"Wait he's a clone! Look at his hand" Skye said as she ran over to him and held up his hand he looked at her funny.

"Do I know you?" He asked looking at her.

"I'm... the real you's Daughter" She said smiling.

"Skylie..." he said softly.

"yeah!... That's my name... so... are you here to try and take me to the Crystal Palace?" Skye said looking him over he shook his head.

"No... I'm just trying to get to Rocket town to buy a titan bangle" He said shaking his head.

"Do you want to come with us through the cave?" She said smiling.

"Sure"

"Now wait a god damn minute here Skye... These clones follow the will of Jenova he can turn on us in a second" Cid said watching him with sheer suspicion.

"Look! Then keep your eyes open for anything weird but I'm not going to turn someone away just because they're a clone of a very evil person" she said positively fuming. Cid backed down.

"Now lets go through the damn cave!" Skye shouted as she walked in. The others followed.