Disclaimer: I only make up stories in my head, and never get any profit from it. This sucks.

Happy New Year!

Chapter 18

Mikoto sat in one of the many chairs in the cockpit. The ship was on autopilot, since the

controls were not too different than the Invincible, and between the five of them they had figured it out.

The golden clouds passed by rapidly, underlit from the setting sun. She thought that soon the moons

and stars would come out. Forever suspended in the sky. Unreachable.

What a sad existence.

Blank was there too, sorting through his pack. He emptied it out, then put in the unopened

potions and other items. Tossing unusable objects away.

Mikoto, on the other hand, wasn't doing anything productive, just staring at her broken nails.

She had tried to be ladylike for so long, and now she had broken nails, short hair, and dirty clothes. A

real improvement. She smiled, it was good to think of such mundane things. It took her mind off of all

the insanity around her.

She shifted in her chair, resting her head on her hand. She gazed out into space, yawning, her

tail swishing back and forth. Like a monotonous pendulum.

What was the connection between the events that have happened? First there was the attack

on the children and herself. A silver dragon, one of the most dangerous monsters on all of Gaia.

Then Kuja had appeared at the Iifa Tree, a walking talking corpse. The Angel of Death

himself.

There was the mysterious woman in the Lifestream too. The one who had talked to her through

the stream of souls.

Lindblum was then attacked by silver dragons, the motivation still unknown. The great city now

lay in ruins, mirroring ten years ago.

She had dreamed the strange dream of the attack, with laughter ringing over the destruction.

Next was the death of the Black Mages and the disappearance of the genomes. Still

unaccounted for.

The ambush at the Iifa Tree, and then the death of a friend.

And finally the revelations of the Chosen at Ipsen's Castle. The many reincarnations of Gaia.

What did it all mean?

She knew her brother had some hand in it, but what of this 'Mistress'? The one he called

Terra? Was she real or just some figment of her brother's twisted mind?

And if she was real, what was she to be able to control Kuja?

Mikoto shuddered, a chill running down her spine. She closed her eyes, trying to be rid of the

feeling. She curled up, the chair surprisingly comfortable. The genome drifted off, sleep overcoming

her overloaded mind.

(Mikoto found herself in the milky white depths of the Lifestream again, but this time she wasn't

drowning. Merely present.

She saw images of her life pass by. First as a vessel in Bran Bral, then her blundering steps in

Gaia. The images flickered and repeated like old silent movies.

Sounds entered her ears as well, shouts along with serenades, music along with dialog. An

audio commentary of her life.

She moved, fast forwarding her biography.

Then stopped.

Mikoto looked about, her vision encompassing her entire surroundings. She saw nothing but

the milky white of the Lifestream. She wondered why she was here, last time she had been thrown in.

Then out of the haze, the woman appeared again. She was floating among images of a world

Mikoto had never seen before. The windows showed advanced technology alongside more primitive

magic. Strange landscapes with foreign skies. But it seemed familiar to her, like the similarities

between a rising and setting sun, closely related but fundamentally different.

Other windows showed the woman surrounded by others, sometimes fighting monsters, or

arguing amongst themselves, or just having fun. The people showed many emotions, fear, love, anger,

hurt, confusion, frustration, and determination. Whomever these people were, they were important to

the woman, Mikoto felt as much.

However, one window in particular caught her eye, it showed a tall, green eyed, silver haired

man. He was surrounded by fire, utterly calm, holding an extremely long, skinny sword. He projected

the same kind of presence as Kuja, a demented, twisted aura. She moved away, not wanting to be any

closer to the man.

"These images are scenes of my life, Daughter of Terra. They remain around my consciousness

just as yours do." The woman said calmly.

Mikoto's head snapped up, she had not expected the woman to speak, "Who are you?" she

asked, "Why am I here?"

The woman smiled reassuringly, "It does not matter who I am, know only that I am here to

help. You have been summoned here to learn. The information I possess may help prevent Gaia's

destruction."

The genome stared at her, "Prevent Gaia's destruction?"

She nodded, "Gaia is once again in peril. The worst part is that no one of this world knows the

truth. The information has long since been lost to the mists of time."

"What truth?"

The woman looked to Mikoto, seriousness deepening the depth of her eyes, "There have been

other worlds. Other reincarnations of the world known as Gaia. The images around me are from my

world. They show the journey my friends and I went on to save Gaia."

Mikoto's brows furrowed, "How does that help? Even if there had been other versions of

Gaia, it does not reflect on the present."

"Yes it does. Knowing the capabilities of Gaia can help you defeat Terra."

The genomes eyes widened, "You know who Terra is?'

"Not who, but what... Terra is the soul of the planet called Terra. The planet that tried to

assimilate Gaia. The planet you were born on."

"But," Mikoto started, "Terra was destroyed."

"Gaia has been destroyed in the past as well, but always is reincarnated. Why would Terra be

any different?"

Mikoto thought back to the Chosen's ceremony. How they said Gaia reincarnates herself.

Were they right? Would the cycle of death and reincarnation repeat forever?

"Then how can Terra be destroyed? Gaia will continue the rebirth as can Terra. The fighting

will be for nothing for neither planet can win. Is the planet doomed to such a fate? Are we forever

shackled as well?" Mikoto said, exasperated.

"I hope that is not what fate has in store. Destiny can be cruel, yet...we must fight on. Believing

in the outcome we hold close to our hearts." The woman said quietly.

"Is that all you have to offer? Comforting words? A false hope to follow blindly? I am sorry

but I need more than that." Mikoto spoke clearly, not ready to accept those terms. She had duties to

fulfill and promises to keep before she gave in to the woman's words.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly, "I do not pretend to know all the answers, but hope and

belief are not to be dismissed so easily. Without them no one can continue onwards."

Mikoto straightened up and looked the woman in the eye, "I use actions to achieve my goals.

Belief in myself or others, or hope when the situation is bleak, but never in place of what is important.

So do not lecture me."

She smiled slightly, "Forgive me, I believe I got carried away. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It is all right." Mikoto waved her on to continue.

"I think there is a way to prevent the endless cycle of rebirth. One that you were involved in."

"Do you mean assimilation?" Mikoto asked, "The syphon of souls?"

"Yes, the planet has a soul, just like the inhabitants. I don't see why the planet's own soul can't

be sucked up as well." The woman concluded.

Assimilate Terra in place of Gaia. Destroy Terra's soul so that the planet can not be reborn.

"It could work..."

The woman smiled brightly now, her green eyes twinkling, "Good! Now the hard part...how?"

Mikoto saw the woman looking expectantly at her, "You are asking me?"

"Well, yes, you are the resident genome here." She then saw Mikoto's blank look, "Don't you

know the process?"

"The assimilation process? Well... I... no not really."

"This is going to be harder than I thought."

Mikoto smiled weakly, "If we can somehow weaken the soul, that might help."

"That's all you have?"

The genome sighed.

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"Well, at least it is a place to start." the woman said.

"I feel better already." Mikoto muttered.

"This will all work out, I just know it." The woman smiled happily. "And you must believe it

too, other wise the sacrifices of so many before will have been in vain."

Mikoto caught the sadness and frustration from the woman as she said the last phrase, "Like

your own sacrifice?"

The woman's eyes widened and then shut, "Yes."

"I believe you," she said, "and thank you."

The woman smiled, the previous emotions long gone, "Good, I'm sorry I don't know more, but

know my prayers are with you, Daughter of Terra."

The genome smiled back at her, "Thank you, again, but my name is Mikoto."

The woman appeared a bit taken aback for a moment, but answered readily, "And my name is

Aeris.")

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Mikoto awoke on the Ragnarok feeling refreshed and ready for action, the dream crystal clear

in her mind. The woman, Aeris, had helped her think of a way to defeat Terra. The Mistress, the soul

of the planet of Terra, all one in the same. The one controlling Kuja, the one syphoning souls with the

Iifa Tree, trying to assimilate Gaia, again.

She knew to weaken the soul of Terra, but how? She had no way to contact souls, save the

Lifestream, and Terra hadn't made an appearance. Then she remembered the dream, the one with the

apparition who said she was Terra. The one with the hollow eyes.

But had that been a fluke? She hadn't been able to contact the spirit a second time.

And then there was the assimilation process. Even if she did manage to get the soul into a

position to be assimilated, she didn't know how.

Not to mention the ever important telling the others. Would they believe her? She doubted it, it

was farfetched to her.

Mikoto sighed, she really didn't need all of this.

"Good Morning." an overly chipper voice said.

"Good Morning Blank, how much longer now?"

He shrugged, "Another hour or so. This thing flies faster than the Invincible."

"It will be good to be back home after all of this nonsense."

"Yeah, back home." he said, his voice now hollow.

Mikoto realized her mistake too late, "I did not mean it like that, I am sorry."

He waved her apology away, "Don't worry about it."

She really didn't need all of this.

"No," her voice was soft, "I know how you feel, my home was destroyed too. So please do

not just dismiss my apology."

He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find something to do with his hands, "I know, it's just

been a long trip..."

She watched him worriedly as he trailed off, there was something else on his mind, "What is it

Blank? Are you not feeling well?"

"No, not that, just... there's no reason to worry about me, I'll manage."

There was quite obviously something he wanted to say but was not. "Blank, I consider you a

friend, what is wrong?"

He paused, then spoke quietly, "Mikoto, have we ever met before?"

That was not expected, "I do not believe so, I met you in Lindblum. Are you sure you are

feeling alright?"

"Oh.. yes, just forget I said anything. Maybe I'm lightheaded form jet lag." he laughed.

She gave him a smile, Blank wasn't supposed to act that way. It wasn't in his nature.

He smiled back.