This is very short. It's also to the point and comes off as rambling. As usual I don't etc, Final Fantasy, etc.

Here lies the account of Cloud Strife. I know you must be reading this Vincent, or maybe Yuffie, so I can guess that you've done as I asked. I can't thank you enough. I suppose I should start around the begining with why. Why did I disappear? Where did I go? What did I do? And I'm sure the one Yuffie wants to know, where's my materia? I can give the simple explanation to each question, but without knowledge of why, there can be no understanding. Vincent, if you do read this, I know how you feel. I may not of dealt with the pain as long as you have, and I may not have handled it the same way as you, but I understand.

It all started right after Sephiroth's defeat. Sephiroth pulled me into the Lifestream and we fought. I won and Sephiroth's spirit was returned into the ebb and flow of life. Before I left the Lifestream, I had a vision. Aeris was there, reaching out for me, but I returned before I could see her. I felt as if there was a way. A way to see Aeris again. After Meteor was destroyed and everything quieted down, I hid from everyone. I needed to find a way. I had to try. Then, I met this man.

I can't describe him very well, he seems so odd. But he found me and offered his assistance. I was of course skeptical, but he knows things. Ideas never thought of before. Remember the combo I told you about for your Death Penalty? He came up with it. He told me of an ancient ritual. A summoning ritual. You might be wondering what this has to do with Aeris. You'd be surprised. In the end, it has everything to do with Aeris.

He told me what to do and what was needed, and I set about to make it happen. But something came up. Yuffie. The most important key to the ritual is the presence all summoning materia. Yuffie had taken Leviathan, thus making the ritual impossible to finish. That's why I sent you the letter. I knew of all people, Vincent, you would be the one to help me. Everyone else would have tried to stop me. More so Tifa. I care deeply for Tifa, but only as a friend. I should have told her so, but I was too big of a coward to. maybe you weren't the only one who would have been willing to help me, but my friend said you were the best choice. I hope he's right. Sorry about sticking you with Yuffie, I know she can be a handful, but she has her heart in the right place.

I'm handing this part of the journal over to Dio in a short while. Right now I'm going to go to Wutai, to see if there are any more Leviathan materias there. I doubt it. If you haven't received a letter from me, it means I didn't find anything at Wutai. I'll try to leave the next part with Yuffie's father, Godo. I hope not. Until our next meeting.

With all hope,

Cloud Strife.

"What was he doing?"

"What do you think he meant by a 'summoning ritual?'"

"I don't know, but it seems we're heading to Wutai."

"No place like home."

Wasn't that ________? Fill in the blank during your review. Read and Review.