Chapter One – Aeris
"I know... I'm dreaming..." whispers Aeris, the silvery white trails of the Lifestream whispering around her, barely more than a ghost, merely the resonance of existence at the simplest level.
Upwards, she is rising, towards the sun, a warm glow spreading through her. Through ground now, past ruins and bones, towards the roots of trees and even beyond, up to the grass and the flowers. As she passes through the bent boughs of an ancient oak, she passes through a drey of squirrels and feels their miniature hearts beating within her and warmth explodes once more until she passes on, up into the open sky.
Carried by the breezes and reinvigorated by the sun, Aeris grows with strength until finally she can see instead of simply feeling and casts her vision across the horizon. There is the fallen Midgaard, now simply a mound beneath the advance of nature, vines, trees and plants all sprouting through the once great metal metropolis. Perhaps, he will still be there.
Down, Aeris wills her new self, sink down to the ground. At her touch, flowers burst from the fertile earth and vines lovingly spiral around her toes and ankles, begging her to be one with the Planet. Though it hurts to do so, Aeris wills herself forwards, each step a struggle as more and more, the plants beg her to return, to leave the surface and return to the Lifestream, to be one with everything in existence, everything under the loving sun.
"No," whispers Aeris, "Please! I want to go to him..."
Passing into the shadow of one of the several reactors which once fuelled Midgaard, Aeris collapsed to the ground and buried her face in her hands, tears spilling through the gaps in her fingers to wet the mossy soil. Here, in this world, there was only green. Oceans, waves and mountains of viridian plant life, the life she had so despised Midgaard for destroying. But the one life she wanted, the one life she wanted to see, was not here.
For seven hundred years, she had dwelt in the Lifestream, waiting for the day that Cloud died and returned to the Planet. She had met the souls of Barrett and Tifa, Yuffie, Cid and Cait Sith – even guided them on to the final stages of the afterlife. But, Cloud had never returned to her. Though she had watched over him in his final fight against Sephiroth – though silently she had hoped that perhaps one day Cloud might grow old and die peacefully, he had not. And, one day after years of sadness and despair stained with the coldness of lonliness, Aeris realised that she could no longer feel his presence in the world.
Had it been that, though, which brought her back?
The thought suddenly struck her.
Just how had she been given another body, another chance at life?
The curious figure laughed dryly and wrapped his arms around the other, smaller figure before him. The first and taller figure was clearly male, decked from head to toe in black, his trousers well fitting and his jacket flowing clear to the ground. His jaw was square and coated in rich dark stubble, his build broad shouldered with slender hips and he stood cockily, with an arrogant air. His skin was a rich tan colour and his hair flowing black tresses that he clearly took good care of and he would have seemed entirely normal, were it not for the black clockwork gears in each palm of his hand. The other figure, far smaller, slender with tussled mossy hair and wide green eyes yet an angelic, androgynous look that could make it appear both male and female.
"The Ancient is confused and frightened," the male whispered, "You're doing well, Lacolese!"
Lacolese smiled wanly, "Its very simple, Colix, its simple magic."
Colix chuckled dryly and ruffled Lacolese's hair, "Then continue with your simple magic my dear, we have much to accomplish and but one day to do so!"
Rolling up his sleeves, Lacolese revealed the six clockwork gears in each arm that continuously broke the flesh and worked furiously against each other. Smiling with more than a little venom this time, he spread his arms and began to whisper...
Somewhere, the Planet was crying. She could feel it as her tears wet the earth, taste it bitterly in her mouth as she breathed in. At the moment it was only a sob, perhaps a volcanic eruption, but it may get worse. Trembling and alone, Aeris drew in her legs and began to cry softly. So she had been given body and soul once more – but what were these without friends – without her beloved Cloud?
... heartbeat ...
A curious sensation rippled through her body, a warmth deep within.
... heartbeat ...
The feeling spread outwards, down her legs, to her arms, in her breast and in her head, filling her with power. It felt, like the power of Materia, the crystalised Lifestream, the essence of the Planet that people could use to accomplish brilliant magical feats! But, why was the feeling inside? People equipped Materia to their weapons or their clothes – this was the same feeling – but within her own body!
Then, the power was overflowing and mixing with her tears. Reminded of her solitude, Aeris began to cry even more so, wishing she could replace the warmth of Materia with her friends. Anyone, Yuffie, Tifa, Barret... Even... No, too much to wish for...
"AERIS!" two voices cried in unison.
There, two visions as though from a dream, standing close to the reactor, watching her earnestly. Yuffie, waving furiously with one arm, Tifa grinning broadly. And Aeris, scrambling to meet them, tears streaming in the wind, hair untidy and body streaked with dirt, fell into their arms, sobbing and crying...
It was only the beginning, the rebirth of heroes...