Part Seven

And in darkness, there is always a light...

Those words haunted her to the soul, ripping at her like a disease from the inside out. How most of her life she believed her father's ideals were something good, but it was no such thing. But the past still waited inside her, to find some way to reach the surface and take control. She would not let that happen, not yet, and had to keep it from them.

Jeria looked over to the other side of the ship, seeing Riku stare out the window. He seemed lost, somehow, as if his thoughts wandered in the bridge of his memories. She got up and walked over, looking out where he was.

"What are you staring at?" she asked.

Riku was surprised, but soon shrugged. "I don't know. I thought I might find something out there, but I guess I'll never be able to."

"Are you trying to find your home world?" She smiled, reaching up her hand. "It's right...there. See?" She pointed to a twinkling star in the distance, Riku fixing his eyesight on it.

"That's it?" he asked, and she nodded. He looked over to her. "How do you know that?"

"When I was little, I had to read up on star charts, so I know every last one."

"Okay," he pointed out to another one. "What's that one?"

"That is...Sleepy Castle, where the Princess of Heart Aurora lives."

"Okay, how about there?" he asked.

"That is where Princess Cinderella lives. I've heard those three fairies are up to no good either."

Riku laughed. "And you'd know this?"

She nodded. "Yes, like I said, I know everything."

"Okay, where are you from?"

She hesitated, looking surprised and yet almost sad. She shook her head, shrugging. "Father never told me that. Even if I asked, he would always change the subject. I think he missed mother too much to remember."

"That heartless creature?" Cloud scoffed. "He might as well miss his soul."

Jeria's eyes narrowed, standing up and walking over with her hands clenched. "Look, I know what you're thinking, but don't you dare bring my mother into this. He did not kill her, even if you wanted to believe so, and he left that planet with me because she died. It is probably the reason he sought darkness too, and kept me a secret, because I reminded him too much of her." Her eyes suddenly softened. "He may be heartless, yes, but he wasn't always like that."

"Only in your eyes, but to the rest who are not blinded by blood he has always been like that, with or without your mother," Cloud spat walking off and out of the room.

Jeria stumbled back, her pride shot down. Aerith looked to her, then to the door, and ran out after him. Vincent stood and the wheel, watching forward but able to see in the corner of his eyes what was going on behind him. She fell back, onto her knees, and just stared straight, not believing what she had just heard. As Riku put a hand on her shoulder tears began to form in her eyes, Vincent shaking his head. He put the ship on autopilot for a time, walking back to where they were. He put a hand on the top of her head, both Riku and Jeria looking up in surprise that he could actually feel empathy.

"Don't let him get to you kid. I know you were just trying to say the truth. You believe her too, don't you?" he asked, looking to Riku, and he nodded. "See? It's Just Cloud. Let me go talk with him and see what's up, huh? Riku, can you take the wheel?" Riku again nodded, Vincent walking past and out the door.

Jeria's tears dried and Riku just sat there, wondering. But it was left to the other to decide...

Vincent reached the farthest room of the ship, finding Aerith arguing with Cloud.

"What were you thinking, Cloud? The girl only knows what she know!" Aerith stated.

"Well it's about time she learns what's right."

"What is right, Cloud?" Vincent asked, and they looked over to him, shocked that he said that.

"What did you just say?" Cloud questioned, turning to face him.

"I said, what makes you think you know what's right? You were a Heartless yourself once."

"You think I don't know that? Do you believe you know what's right?"

"At least I don't yell at innocent people when they try to make a point," he said, his eyes narrow.

As they continued to argue, somehow Aerith sensed something within Vincent. Something different that hadn't been there before. But she remained back in her state of wonder just enough to stay out of the picture until the right time came.

"What? You don't what she was saying was ludicrous?"

"No, I don't," he said, shaking his head.

"Then what do you think?"

"I think," Vincent stated, "you should take it easier on the girl. How would you feel if your father suddenly turned out to be the key of all darkness?"

That did it. Even Cloud was beginning to question it, but Aerith knew what he was getting at. Finally she stepped forward.

"What happened to you, Vincent?" Aerith asked, catching him off guard.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean you've changed somehow. But how? Why?"

Vincent did not answer, but only tried to look confused, which only lead to more suspicion. But when she was about to ask again, the ship suddenly began to shake, both Aerith's and Cloud's question being diverted to something else.

"Who's flying the ship?" Cloud questioned.

"I left it to Riku," he said, and Cloud suddenly ran past him, along with Aerith. Vincent followed, all the way up to the control room to where Riku stood, staring out the front window. Jeria stood next to him, gazing out to the planet before them.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, stepping for the controls.

" I don't know! This planet came up on the radar and suddenly we got pulled to it!" he replied

"And we're still being pulled to it," Vincent pointed out.

They all stared out as the green and blue planet approached, the Gummi Ship quickly begin pulled down to it to crash...

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A/N A new planet. Woo-hoo! But what will it be? Guess and review for the next chapter!!!