Chapter 1

"Today is the greatest day I've ever known, can't live for tomorrow, tomorrow's much too long"

Today - Smashing Pumpkins

Auron stood staring into the endless sea of green, his clothes moving gently around him as is customary when one is underwater. The Lifestream, that's what the silver-haired man had called it, it stretched out for eternity, just an ocean of crystalline green. It was cloyingly claustrophobic to some, filling every orifice with the stagnant stench of un-existence, and to others a great and endless plain. To Auron it was a massive green swimming pool he could breath in. And yet gravity worked in the same way, Auron was standing on a ground that wasn't there and found he could move as he would be able to on land, this place was truly bizarre. But Auron had seen some truly strange and horrific things in his life and this was certainly not up to par.

He turned to his willowy, beautiful companion.

"So we're definitely dead then?" He asked his voice deep and even.

"Oh yes." Sephiroth said, smiling "Its liberating, letting go of yourself and following the warm current. But I don't have to tell you that, do I?"

The truth was, Auron could not recollect what it was like dying, he remembered sacrificing himself, along with Tidus. And then waking up in this green void, along with this tall, pale, gaunt but nonetheless highly intoxicating individual.

"This can't be the afterlife. If it is I can't say I'm not disappointed." Auron said, more to himself than the other man but Sephiroth heard him all the same and chuckled

"No, there is no afterlife, I thought you were an atheist anyway. No, the afterlife is merely a product of our imagination, those who believe join each other in heaven, or wherever they have decided to banish themselves, it is all created in the Lifestream for them, as a subconscious last request if you will. But people like you and me, people who are destined for greater things than the land of the dead, end up here. And we're tested."

"Tested?" Auron raised an eyebrow, there was nothing else he needed to do, he had taken care of his unfinished business, he had kept his promise to Jecht, now he just wanted to rest. But the white haired man seemed to have other plans.

"Yes tested, you see Auron, I need you to help me do something, I see everything here, trapped in this purgatory, unable to escape because I'm too weak. But now, together, we can overcome this prison and escape our own minds, we can live again."

Ambition burned in Sephiroth's startlingly green eyes, and Auron scratched his strong, square, stubble-ridden jaw.

"What makes you think I want to live?"

"I already said I see all in here. Look" And with that Sephiroth indicated to the glowing green ether and slowly, clearly, an image began to form and before long Auron was staring at Yuna, walking slowly through the streets of Beseid, a look of utter pain and loneliness on her beautiful face. It was as if there was a hole in the Lifestream, Auron wanted to walk through it and tell Yuna that everything would be ok, that he would protect her and return Tidus to her.

"Its almost as if you can touch her. She's a very pretty young thing, reminds me of a young woman I once ran through." Sephiroth said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You killed a woman?" Auron asked, not even bothering to hide the disgust in his voice.

"I was a monster Auron. I deserved to die. Here I have found much clarity, and it is my punishment, reflecting on the atrocities I have caused with fresh, sane eyes." The silver haired man sounded truly defeated and Auron was too weary to attack him for his action, for he to had committed acts he would have readily forgotten.

Sephiroth then looked up, his face still pallid "The point I am trying to make Auron is that I have watched you and I know you're a man that needs a cause, fight for mine. The world I left is still crippled, but with our power, we can make it a far better place. I'm cured now, I'm a changed man. And you Auron, exist only to help others. You've already saved one world, come with me, save another."

Auron grew angry at this, who did this man think he was? He was finished now, he had done what he had to do, he didn't owe anyone anything anymore. Especially not this flamboyant individual.

"Let me rest. Did you even ask whether I wanted this? I just want to die and not exist anymore, is that so much to ask for?" Auron promptly drew his great katana and sliced the image of Yuna, still walking slowly through her home village, still looking distraught. The image was cleaved in half and dissipated quickly, the great warrior then turned on Sephiroth. "Please, stop torturing me, let me rest."

"Damn it man! That's not want you want and you know it! You want to be wanted, needed, like you were in that world." Sephiroth's eyes flashed dangerously.

Auron sighed, defeated

"I'm going." And he began to walk, where to, he had no idea only that he wanted to be rid of this charismatic, manic man. His pale green background stayed the same but he knew he was getting further and further away from Sephiroth.

"You have no purpose! I can give you that!"

Auron ignored him and kept walking. But a part of him knew that Sephiroth was absolutely right.

Auron sat, alone, he had finally escaped his tormentor, but now the realisation that the man was right was beginning to sink in. Auron closed his eyes and tried to squeeze his headache into nothingness. Yes, even in death Auron still suffered from terrible migraines. The humour, like most other things that required any desire to be pleased or please others, was lost on the sullen warrior.

Auron was a war hero, a guardian, he had helped kill Sin twice. He'd done enough, hadn't he? No. Probably not.

The Guardian felt lost, usually a well of experience and wisdom, now he had no purpose, nothing left. He had led Tidus to his father, Jecht. They had together defeated him and now that the world was saved both men sacrificed their own lives so that Yuna was not killed in the final summoning.

Now Auron had succeeded there seemed very little point any more. Maybe he should just keel over and disappear.

And then he saw it, much as the green atmosphere had been gently pushed apart so he could view Yuna, Auron found himself staring into the eyes of the closest thing he had ever had to a son. Tidus stood before him, lithe, slim, his impish features a mask of utter confusion. Auron stood up transfixed on his young friend. Tidus was alive? Where was he? How could he possibly live, unless the silver haired man had made him the same offer and he had actually accepted. No, the man would have gone with him to whatever other world that existed alongside Auron's own that the man spoke of.

Suddenly, and without warning, the image was torn asunder, like earlier but this time Auron was the not the culprit. The culprit was a scythe, and the wielder a pale white spectre, where a face would or should have been was merely eye, nose and mouth holes. It was a truly macabre sight, Auron drew his sword once more.

The beast lunged, the blade of the scythe arcing through the air towards the warrior's head, Auron dodged aside and brought his own blade down on the creatures hand with speed born from a life of constant combat. The spectre did not even recoil. With a primal scream it lunged once more, the gushing stub where its hand had once been hung limply by its side, its other hand held the scythe as firmly and strongly as if it were hand with two hands, it jabbed hard and Auron was forced to parry, with no time for a riposte, he skipped back and the creature, with a tenacity born from pain and rage leaped forward once more, ready to split Auron's head open with a downwards strike, the Guardian sidestepped and dealt a swift and deadly kick to the beasts ribs, he heard something snap.

The key now was to make sure the beast had no breathing space, it didn't tire or feel lasting pain, the fact that its hand had been cut clean off only angered and empowered it.

Auron gritted his teeth and ran forward, sending the beast sprawling once more with another kick to its gruesome face, he kicked it again, and again, feeling more and more bones snap. It roared, gripping his leg with hands stained with its own black blood. Auron roared louder and beheaded it. He stood up, panting and heard its breath on the back of his neck. He screamed with rage. Auron was dead and still whatever powers that controlled his life, the universe, decided to test his patience like this? Well he'd show them just how much of an animal he could be.

By the time Sephiroth reached the noise, a veritable pile of Spectre's lay dead at Auron's feet, the swordsman moving slowly from fatigue now, parrying more and more blows from the scythe wielding monsters. But Sephiroth knew that for every one you killed two took their place. He had attempted this same feat when he had first entered the Lifestream, they eventually defeated him and he awoke again. Alone and unharmed.

The Spectre's were ghostly creatures that wandered the Lifestream, at first Sephiroth reasoned that he had created them in his mind, perhaps to keep a reign on his chaotic nature. Yet here they were, attacking Auron, so they to be real. And if they were real then maybe, they could be defeated.

With that, Sephiroth drew his blade and ran forwards, lunging at the first creature that was descending on the exhausted Auron, he sliced it in half instantly. But he had charged too recklessly, one creature managed to get behind him and slam the butt of its scythe into his back, Sephiroth roared and span round, ignoring the pain in his spine. He decapitated the creature, then grabbed Auron's arm and pulled him back. He noticed there were none left. But more would come.

"Have they been regenerating?" He asked. Auron spluttered and raised himself to his feet.

"Not as much."

"Excellent. We have to hurry to a safer area. I haven't finished talking to you."

"Yes, there's something I need to show you." And with that the two hurried away into the green void.

After walking for what seemed like hours to the exhausted Auron, Sephiroth stopped and sat down on the non-floor. Auron shakily followed suit.

"Auron I-"

"Save it." Auron cut him off "I want to show you this."

What happened next confused Auron for the rest of his life, for the reason for why he could do what he was about to do was never explained to him.

Auron willed the image of Tidus into existence, he didn't know how he had done it, thinking that it was a skill Sephiroth alone possessed, perhaps being in purgatory had given the silver-haired warrior more practice in the art, whatever the reason, Auron was able to conjure up the image of his young friend once more.

And there Tidus was, in some strange industrial wasteland, smog and grit beneath his feet and swirling round his form, he was walking, dazed and confused. Auron turned to Sephiroth and the image faded. The strange man was smiling knowingly, his eyes flashing madly with barely-concealed glee. "You know where he is, don't you."

"Midgar, Auron. You're friend is in Midgar. I'll take you to him, on one condition. You help me."

Auron did not deliberate, Tidus was still alive, Auron had to make sure he was ok.

"I'll do it." He said, Sephiroth extended his hand.

"I'm Sephiroth. Good to have you on board." And Sephiroth took Auron firmly by the arm.