Chapter 3: Farewell

"To have finally met her. After all these years, after all my abandoned hope, the planet has still seeked to help us reunite. Now I can finally leave this world in peace.

Young Aeris has all the hopes of her mother, but also all the dangers. Hojo is still hunting her I see, if only I had realised his ambition sooner, then neither her nor her mother would have fallen into Shinra's hands. But she tells me she forgives me. How can that be? If it weren't for me...then Ifalna would still be alive.

I hope her well in the future, my young daughter. Butshe tells me of the danger of Sephiroth. How can that be? I remember that young boy all those years ago working alongside Hojo. He was treated so poorly by that 'man'. I remember helping as him as he got older, looking after the youngster. But now, he will be much older, at least years older than Aeris and no longer in need of a babysitter. I wonder what he has become? After I left for Icicle Inn, I wonder how that man as treated him, nowhere near a son I imagine.

Just another reason to despise that man. That fool..."

The ink finally etched its last words as Gast trailed off with the last sentence. Aeris was sitting by patiently, seemingly in meditation. The scientist remembered his wife also doing the same thing sometimes, she told him she was communing with the planet, hearing it's wishes and worries. And...settling it. This was what all the Ancients did, and Aeris was half.

Gast turned to look at the entrance of the city, Aeris had told him about it. The true city that was, an amazing place that was considered the holy sanctuary of the city as their temple was so far away, and now apparently destroyed.

"Dad...are you going to come with me to the city?"

Gast looked surprised at the question, apart from thinking that the young woman was still meditating, he didn't think he would be allowed access to such a place. A holy sanctuary of the Ancients? Why would a lowy human be allowed to defile it? It seemed as if she could read his mind, as after a few seconds of silence, she finally added, "I want you to come...and the planet says it wouldn't mind..."

"Then, let us go!" Gast replied with a smile. Aeris returned it and they both walked off down the centre path, though quite slowly due to the old mans' condition. They spoke happily, sharing memories, sharing lives. Both were estatic to have finally met one another.

The blue light reflecting off the lakes edge caught their attention. The beauty of it held their silence, they were nearly at the entrance to the forgotten city, yet Gast could have sworn that this peaceful place was it. He could almost hear the voices of the Lifestream itself calling to him. But what was it trying to say?

He closed his eyes, immitating the actions he had seem his daughter do just a while ago. And the voices shot through his mind. One voice stood out clearly, one he had held in memory for so many years, yet was so sure he would never hear again, he called to it, "Ifalna...? Is that you...?"

The voice replied clearly, as if the person was standing right beside him, though he knew that the voice he was hearing was not from his ears, it was radiating from inside his mind.

"Yes dear, it is me. I think it's time."

"Time...?"

He wasn't completely sure of what the voice was trying to tell him, but in his second of hesitation it finally hit him. He could feel the warmth of something unearthly enclosing him, a type of unreal fog that made his reality seem distant,

"Yes, I think so too..." He paused for a moment, lost for words,

"....just let me say goodbye."

Gast opened his eyes to his daughters' face. She watched him anxiously before asking, "Did the planet speak to you?"

He nodded slowly, unsure of how to form his next words.

"So, what did it tell you dad?"

"That...that it thought it was time.."

"Time? For what..?"

He did not answer, but his silence was enough for her. She looked at him, eyes shining from the beginning of tears, "But we just met..." The old man placed his arms around her in an embrace, "It's not forever. We'll meet again."

This was not much comfort for the young woman, as she began to cry, sobbing onto his shoulder. Gast held her close, allowing the tears to soak into his worn clothing. He was nearing tears himself, but he knew he had to be strong. He had to be the role model that Aeris had been missing throughtout her life.

The flow of tears finally stopped, as she released him, green eyes filled with sorrow. "I'll see you...and mom again. I just have to wait, right dad..?"

"That's right dear, but for now, you have to go on with life. Finish off the work of the Ancients." And with that last statement, he lay back onto the ground on the water's edge and closed his eyes. "Time to see you again..."

The brown haired woman did not leave his side as he lay still, lifeless. She could sense his spirit as it returned to it's beginnings, but she still could not bring herself to leave the body. She felt cheated by this reunion, why bring someone back if they were only going to remain for so little time in her life? Why do anything to help the planet if it did not see favour apon her?

"Aeris dear, I believe you still have a job to do."

She bolted upright, looking around for the source of the voice. Yet her eyes failed to fall upon any other living soul. "Dad? Where are you...?" She called out to the open space, eyes still scanning the distances of the lake.

"I'm...always with you dear. Always near you."

"But..."

Aeris felt herself lost for words, her emotions were mixed, scrambled and she did not know how to express them. She finally nodded to herself in firm acceptance, "Someday we'll meet again, right dad? All I have to do is be patient."

With this final statement to herself, she lifed herself up onto her feet and stepped fowards, into the Forgotten City. She still had a job to do, she was going to save the world. And when it was over, she would be reunited with the ones she cared for.

The End