Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy characters or the story line.

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(Chapter 2)

My wish came true, Aerith was alive and not only Cloud was glad, everyone was. It was still dark outside but to us, it seemed like a dawn of a new day. Only now, I felt loss of strength and needed to crash. Again I fainted to the floor, but this time it was Barret who caught me.

"Kak Lisa, wake up," Naz shook me, but I was too tired to answer.

"She used up too much of her strength," Barret explained to him.

Naz faced the floor as he forgot the risk that had to be made. The risk was I had to use up 70% of my power and strength for the spell to work or to face the forever loss of Aerith.

He whispered and grinned slightly, "Typical, kakak Lisa."

Then when everyone understood the situation, all of us made our way to the shells and crashed for the night. I didn't wake up for two whole days and it was Cloud, Jacques and Aerith who stayed by my side till I awoke. I was surprised to see Cloud and Aerith fast asleep in each others arms by my bedside and Jacques's head not far from me.

Touched I was, seeing them here with me and stroked Jacques's hair gently as he lay there. He awoke and was glad to see me awake. Lifted me up and carried me out the door to the other shell for everyone to see. It was embarrassing the way he did that but, he couldn't help being happy, could he? Barret ruffled my hair, Vincent and Tifa hugged me till I nearly ran out of breath, Naz and Yuffie jumped on me causing me to fall to the ground, and Cid gave me a great pat on the back. Ouch, that smarts. Cloud and Aerith looked from outside and laughed at the scene.

We had a little celebration before continuing the journey. The party was held in the area of the two shells. There wasn't any music but the beauty of the Forgotten City played its own song. None other could match its beauty or uniqueness. We could stay here forever but we knew there was still Sephiroth to find. Everyone had a good time and it was like back at the Gold Saucer during the date scene. Aerith and Yuffie were chatting with Tifa and me while the guys had a little boy talk.

There was a dance and of course the main couples were together and the unlucky had to make due with what they had ...*chuckle*.

That night, Squall called my hand phone, "Lisa, all of you have to be extra careful on the journey. I heard Kujah and Evil Ansem from FF IX and Kingdom Hearts have joined forces with Sephiroth. We're not so sure how they found out about each other but like I said 'be careful'. And we have a few surprises set for you and your friends. Good night." He said and hung up

. "Great," I thought, doubled trouble. As usual, Jacques slept on my lap while I slept on the floor with my back to the wall. Barret and Cid shared a bunk and were fighting over the blanket all night. Vincent lay on a bed not far from them with Red XIII below. Tifa slept on the chair in the far end of the shell and the two love birds slept beside me and Jacques on the floor but Aerith's head was rested on my shoulder.

The next morning, we set out north to the icy fields. We jumped the spines of a huge shell outside the Forgotten City to the cave with steep walls. It looked easy as pie climbing up the walls but we were fooled by its appearance, as it was scary. A few miles away, was the outpost called The Icicle Lodge. It was a funny name for a place. This was where Professor Gast interviewed Ifalna, Aerith's mother about the life of Ancients/ Cetra. Time passed they fell in love and wed. Since then he fell out with the Shinra and with Ifalna and their daughter Aerith, they hid there till one day. The Shinra found them and took Ifalna and Aerith away. For trying to stop them, the Shinra killed Professor Gast.

"Professor Gast was my father?" Aerith asked unbelieving the fact that one of the people involved in the Jenova project was her dad. She kneeled on the floor of the house. We had watched every video that was recorded in the house, none of us believed what we saw. It was a great impact for Aerith, I knew, but she had to know. Again she wanted to be left alone. Naz and Tifa escorted everyone out while I closed the door.

"Better not bother her, Cloud. Wouldn't want her to go mad like Sephiroth did, would we?" I pulled him away from the door.

He faced the floor and wandered through the town. Vincent and Tifa booked rooms in the lodge, Naz, Yuffie and Red XIII played in the snow, Barret and Cid were chatting with a few villagers at the bar while I went shopping for items and weapons. Phew, the weapons they had here were 'wow'. I was impressed that they were powerful. Thanked the shopkeeper and his granddaughter walked out the door.

"How was Aerith" I wondered. I giggled at the sight of Naz and Yuffie burying Red XIII it the snow, "Hey, I'm freezing let me up." He complained but his fiery tail melted the ice before they uncovered him, now he was dripping wet.

I sighed and thought, "Might as well check on Aerith," I quietly opened the door and stepped in.

"Huh... where is she?" surprised she wasn't sitting at the table where we left her.

Went down to the bedroom below and stumbled on a smooching couple. Again Cloud chose to stay with her when I told him not to. They were literally all over each other this time, from the stair I could see that Aerith had been crying. Cloud must've heard and rescued her. If this keeps up, will they get tired of each other? This is the question I asked myself ever since they were always together. No. I mustn't think otherwise or I fear she'll be taken away, again. I left the house with my face flushed in red and walked blindly to the trees.

There the mayor approached me and said, "Thinking of going down there missy?"

"Yeah, I'm going." I replied, snapping out of my day dream.

"You'll need a snowboard, child," surprised at me.

"I'll manage, thanks mister." He suddenly became tensed.

"What's wrong, sir?" I asked.

"Don't look now, here come the Shinra personnel." True to his word, there entering the town was Elena the Turk and a few Shinra soldiers.

She investigated the town and boy was she surprised to see me, Naz, Yuffie and Red XIII.

She walked in front of me and shouted to my face, "I can't forgive what you did to Tseng. I won't let you go that easily." I shrugged my shoulders and tried to tell her it was Sephiroth's fault.

Still she didn't believe me. She lifted her hand in the air to bash me, but I dodged and maneuvered it. "Whoa ... ack." She fell and rolled in the snow.

Naz, Yuffie and Red XIII laughed at her as they saw the guards run after her. It was indeed a funny site. The next morning, I went to the house in the middle of town.

The father was surprised to receive visitors. "All of us?" I asked him. He pointed to Red, Naz and Yuffie.

I scratched my head and asked to see his son. He showed me to the room and I saw the boy weep. "What's wrong kid?" I comforted the boy.

"I got hurt while playing with my snowboard." He answered sadly.

Out of the blue his face lit up and he got up to get the snowboard from the bed.

"I know, I'll give you the snowboard and when you get good with it could you teach me?" he asked with his eyes shining brightly.

"Sure, of course we will." Naz answered.

He thanked us and vice versa. Before we left, I gave him a few old toys and some candy which brightened his face even more.

"Time to round up the gang, lil' bro.," I said to Naz.

"Yeah," said Yuffie.

I went back to where I left Aerith and Cloud and found them still at it, but this time they were lying down with Cloud on top of Aerith. From the stair, I cleared my throat. They panicked trying to hide their embarrassment.

"Hey you two, time to round up. I'm sorry to interrupt but we have a meeting." I giggled at their reaction.

They got up and followed me topside, smoothing their hair. At the inn, Jacques led the meeting.

"Ok, we've got the snowboard now, and it's our only way down the slope. It can take the weight of three passengers and the rest have to be carried by Grey Fox, Enima and me." He shouts out.

Cid was the first to volunteer to be carried by us. Cait Sith decided to slide the whole way as he was a toy and loved sliding down slopes. Naz decided to carry Yuffie. Cloud, Vincent and Barret (lucky for us) decided to go on the snowboard. That means I had to carry Tifa and Aerith. Poor Jacques, he had to carry Red XIII and Cid.

"Sorry I couldn't help buddy, I've got my hands full." Naz patted Jacques's shoulder and pointed to Yuffie.

Jacques and I rolled our eyes and got prepared. I had designed special seats for mine and Jacques's passengers so they'd be secure. But the bad part of it was that we had to sling them on our backs like Wilbur the Albatross in the Disney movie the Rescuers.

"Well at least it beats carrying them on our shoulders." He sighed. At first the girls, Cid and Red weren't keen on going through with it as they had to lean on their backs for a while. Luckily, Jacques didn't forget to get the map from the man who lived at the very end of town.

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