Journey Nine – Exposure
Ashura's Office, Third Saccharine
"…Hmm, very interesting you've brought some info about Seraphiel's Compass, Bach." Ashura calmly commented, walking around his office at a leisurely pace. "Perhaps I should take a closer look of this and plan it further to Hollow Bastion as a source of research."
"Uh, are you Ashura?" Bach nervously asked. "Going back to the Heart Star System? There's a swarm of Heartless over there!"
"Yes, but Hollow Bastion has more books than I can fill in my home. So, does anyone agree to go there?"
Glass Elevator heading for Professor Gast's room
"Why didn't you tell me that One Winged Angels can heal itself for only one week?" Aerith asked with a hint of sadness that she didn't had an opportunity to take care of Sephiroth and a bit disappointed he'd never actually told her the hidden power.
"If I would tell you that sooner, I might be worried that you'll treat me like a monster." He replied with an anxious feeling that the young woman may reject him as a true friend.
"You, a monster? Certainly not! Despite there's a black wing on your back, I'm still your only friend that's from the same Heart Star System as you. But anyway, can you answer my question?"
"Oh, I forgot about that. Do you know a superstition about a cat with nine lives?"
"Yes."
"Well, I've had that similar to the cat, except when I found that out since only an infant, the feathers on my wing represents how much damage I've been taken and so they tend to separate. If I take minor damage, either only a few feathers or none at all would shred from there. However, take major damage and many would shred, to which I would fall unconscious for a week."
"Ah, I now I see why you were in pain back at Akagi."
"That's correct. Though, they do tend to grow back for a while. However, take too much damage, the feathers will all shred from the wing and I would certainly die. That's the One Winged Angel's curse and blessing."
"…I'm so sorry about that, Sephiroth." Suddenly, the Glass Elevator stopped at the location the two characters were at. Heartbeats thumped at every second to Aerith and somehow Sephiroth as they were the locked door to her father's room. "Well, here goes nothing." She placed the key to the lock and once opened, they were in a shock.
Surprisingly, Professor Gast's room was without a cobweb in sight and still well-preserved, despite the area was in a right mess.
"Great, now how do we expose the truth your father wanted to show you?" The One Winged Angel complained slightly as he assisted Aerith a helping hand, avoiding the books on the floor.
"Umm…try looking harder?" Aerith puzzlingly asked.
After few minutes searching high and low for that data her father recorded, the young woman found a red button on his desk. Her mind told her not to push that, yet her body refused to obey her brain and in a few seconds, she ended up pressing it.
Subsequently, a hologram appeared in front of Aerith and behind Sephiroth a few seconds earlier. Though she was surprised her father was still looked youthful with the same hair colour, neatly, yet disorganized hair and still wearing some clothes that typical pretty boys wear, she knew he recorded this around eighteen years ago. Finally, her holographic father began to speak.
"Aerith, if you had grown up to be a beautiful woman, like your mother, then I'm sorry I couldn't see your face for this time, until now that is, when you see me as younger than now. Back to the message, if you want to know about why the Heartless appeared in your worlds, I have the answers. Apparently, not only that, there seems to be that this situation is also connected with the Lost Eden path, the artefacts – Yata Mirror, the Holy Magatama of Yasanaki and the legendary sword, Kusanagi – that the Archangel Michael used to lock the path to Lost Eden itself and that Lost Eden MA Jehovah, as well as that girl also called Jehovah."
"Jehovah?" Sephiroth confusingly wondered. "Why did she have some connections to the Heartless?"
"I have no idea." Aerith replied with the same expression as him. "But we shall wait and see."
"That Ansem, he is such a fool to meddle with those creatures and disbelieving me for the artefacts. Many research materials were about this discovery I found – a book about this myth, a thousand years ago; people living in the world called Lost Eden made vast technology better than this collection of the worlds called the Heart Star System and other Solar and Star Systems. Unfortunately for most of the people, including Ansem, they never seem to have the interest of astrometry and being curious to find strange new worlds apart from this – though lately, I've seen, well at least the baby version of you, three and a half years ago, seem to be more interested of what I'm doing. Anyway, Lost Eden made the three treasures that people made them safe from sadness, anger; despair. However, this golden age ended in tragedy as darkness enveloped them and forced them to leave, until one day, a saviour, the Archangel Michael appeared out of nowhere and sealed the path with the three treasures.
"Or so they say. Turns out, this is all false. True that Lost Eden is truly lost forever, but I believe that some people living in Lost Eden thousand of years ago were actually playing God and the balance between dark and light. You see, remember the girl Jehovah and the MA I've mentioned? The two are actually the same person, well in theory and the research Lord Ashura kindly gave me access. These people used the young female triplets named Jehovah, Jennifer and Jenova for some experiment that involves sticking their mind and soul, removed from their bodies and sticking into the Lost Eden MAs. One of them carries the Holy Magatama of Yasanaki, though I'm not sure which one has it, but I haven't checked on the Yata Mirror and Kusanagi. However, one of the MAs decided to disobey the masters' orders and caused such havoc to the planet. I think Jenova might be the case for causing the action, though I need more evidence to prove my point."
"Wait, haven't we've heard 'Jenova' from Vincent's planet?"
"Yes, but I want to know why my father mentioned her in the first place."
"And this moves to the Heartless situation. Don't believe what Ansem and his reports have said; these creatures may come from the manifestations of some experimental gas the people from Lost Eden tried to calm some specimen candidates, all humans, but it got worse: when their hearts shut out, leaving them completely vulnerable without emotion, they lost their humanity, turning themselves into the Heartless and with that, spreading their virus to those on the verge on becoming them when fleeing from the planet and it keeps scattering right now. So, Aerith, I want to do a special favour for me: Find a way to unlock the path to Lost Eden, find the evidence through the explanations I've told you about and tell everyone in the Nimbus Galaxy to give the truth they deserve."
With the holographic Gast disappeared, Aerith put her hand on her mouth, feeling not just shock, but betrayed by Ansem's reports. Sephiroth, however, looked concerned on her condition she was in, so he tried to comfort her by putting his arm wrapped gently around her tender body, albeit a little mechanically.
"Are you…okay, Aerith?" he asked with unease. "It seems you're shocked with your father's discovery."
"Yes, but now I want to carry out my father's word to expose this – as well as talking to Jenova over this in person."
"What? Are you mad, talking to this insane woman-monster in Terra personally, not to mention another me is going to kill both of us? Shouldn't we discuss this over to Bach and his crew?"
"No, I think both of us should keep this a secret to them once we've get back to the Vatican. And making sure I don't want them to get involve."
"…"
Recreational Area, Vatican
Awkward enough, neither Aerith nor Sephiroth spoke to each other only after they boarded the ship that was en-route to Hollow Bastion in the Heart Star System. Only they knew the secret Professor Gast has been talking and the rest do not know. However after this eerie moment…
"Right, I've had enough of waiting in here!" She snapped as she slammed her hands onto the table while stood up from the seat. "Sephiroth, you're coming with me!"
"What did you say?" Sephiroth surprisingly asked to her in a rather confusing manner. "Why do you want me to come along with you?"
"You're the only person who can activate the MA Jehovah and protecting me from danger once we've reached Terra."
"Are you mad, Aerith? We're in hyperspeed mode en-route back to our world and even though I've activate Jehovah, there is no way this will survive the impact once getting out from this ship!"
"I know what the risks are, but if I don't find and confront Jenova, as well as finding my father and your mother, then we'll be in limbo not knowing the locations."
"…Are you really sure? Are you willing to risk your life for this?"
"Yes, Sephiroth. I mean it. I'll cross and hope to die for this."
"Sigh, fine. But I'm not responsible if you get hurt."
Within seconds, the two individuals ran from the recreational area to the corridor that led to the docking area, only to be interrupted when Vincent appeared in front of them.
"And just where do you think you're going you two?" He asked coldly.
"Uh, the docking area?" She replied with some nervous tensions
"The docking area? Aren't we still in hyperspeed mode, not to mention haven't you got the captain's permission?"
"Actually, Sephiroth and I have unfinished business to take care and we just don't want you and the others to worry us. It's just that this is personal to us."
"Are you going to tell Bach on our action, Vincent?" The One Winged Angel asked coldly, shielding Aerith with his wing.
"I wish I would tell the others on the situation you're in, but since this is personal matters to you, I will keep this a secret to the others."
"Then I thank you for the co-operation."
"Thanks Vincent. I hope you understand the situation we're in." She remarked calmly and both she and the silver-haired person to continue. Seconds, maybe minutes later, nearing to the docking area, Sephiroth stopped in their tracks, feeling that someone was watching them.
"Sephiroth, are you okay?" Aerith asked. "Is there something wrong?"
"I don't think so, but I felt someone was following us."
"Is it Vincent, again?"
"No, and neither Bach. I think it's another person."
"Maybe it's just your imagination."
"I guess you're right about this."
Jehovah Cockpit, Docking Area, Vatican
Few minutes of entering the docking area and sitting down comfortably in the cockpit later, they are now ready to take off, but with a risk that they'll lose their life in the process, while still in hyperspeed.
"Let's see…monitors, controls, rations and ammunitions checked." Aerith listed while, tapping onto the holographic keyboard. "Now we can take off to Terra."
"Except I can't activate to open this bloody hatch." Sephiroth frustratingly complained, while tapping on the small holographic screen.
"What do you mean, you can't open the hatch?"
"For some reason, that bloody thing is operated by the Vatican and is locked for safety."
"What! Then that means we'll be stuck here until we're too late!"
"You needn't be worried about it, Miss Gainsborough." Answered a young female voice inside the cockpit.
"Huh? What the heck's going on? There's a ghost inside!"
"That's not a ghost Aerith," he remarked "that voice sounded familiar…is that you, Jehovah?"
"Yes, Sephiroth. Not only I can meet you through your dreams, I can also communicate not physically literal, but to you."
Wait a minute, she thought as Aerith heard that voice. I've heard that voice before…she must be that girl who said Sephiroth would protect me from his other self back in Terra!
"So, do you have any means to open the hatch, not to mention surviving the hyperspeed impact from certain death?"
"Do not worry. I have a defence system that should provided the protection in the duration of the journey."
Bridge, Vatican
All seemed to be quiet in the bridge, well except the addition of Ashura and his bodyguards Mardo and Ran; then all of a sudden, warning signs appeared rapidly. Everyone was caught in surprise, to which an unknown reason this came in the first place.
"Bach!" Rufus shouted with some concern. "You'd better tell us what the hell's going on!"
"All right fine!" Bach remarked rather unusually irately "Martyrs! Got any word on the warning in the first place?"
"Yes, captain." Announced one of the Martyrs as she typed the information in "turns out the Lost Eden MA Jehovah is responsible for releasing the safety hatch from the docking area." Everyone started to murmur over on the unexpected situation.
"Well, we can't stop hyperspeed and turn back again, otherwise this would be a waste of time. And more importantly, going to Hollow Bastion is more importantly than finding the reason why Jehovah came out for no reason. Where's 'it' heading to?"
"…According to the data found in the docking area – Jehovah's heading to Terra at the Amano Solar System."
"BACH!" shouted Eliza as she appeared from the lift along with Vincent "This is bad news!"
"What is it Eliza, before I complain about twenty random stuff?"
"YESHUA disappeared and so do Aerith and Sephiroth!"
"What! Are you sure?"
"Yes. When I came to the room to do some checks on his system, his cryobed opened by surprise. I ran, asking people for his whereabouts and once I arrived at the docking area; the area was locked from the inside and I saw him, going behind Jehovah. I've tried to tell him, but then that MA was released outside the area."
"This is getting worse by the second! Vincent, do you know why Aerith and Sephiroth went to Terra?"
"…No." Vincent replied, still keeping a secret to them.
Aerith, Sephiroth, YESHUA; please be careful once you arrived at Planet or Terra in other words.
Jehovah Cockpit
They have to get to Terra to find the answers, no matter the risk both individuals have to suffer the tumbles and violent shakes, though thankfully the defence system Jehovah activated seemed to save them and once out of the hyperspeed, they saw the beautiful, yet dangerous planet in the Amano Solar System.
"We have now reached our destination." Announced Jehovah's voice.
"Now all we need to do is to find Jenova and confront her." Aerith smiled as she looked at the planet "Jehovah, you're her sister, so finding her shouldn't be a problem."
"…I'm afraid I cannot do this action, Miss Gainsborough."
"Pardon? Why can't you do it?"
"Ever since Jenova cut off the mental and physical communications with me, I am unable to locate her presence. I apologise for this trouble."
"No, Jehovah. I think you did fine on taking us to Terra." Sephiroth calmly replied as his arms controlled to move down to the surface "Besides, I'll take the position to find Jenova here."
Descending faster than an eagle, the MA Jehovah managed to glide elegantly on top of the sea, only suddenly a giant light beam below 'it' was heading to this hideous grey giant once it landed on the ground behind that mountain.
"What the heck did that beam come from!" Aerith exclaimed with such surprise.
"I think from that large cannon in front of us was the answer." Sephiroth replied, while using his arms to turn the mecha around the direction of the cannon.
"This cannon? That's one's humongous! No wonder the platform's supporting this heavy machine!"
"Well, we've no time for this! 'Cause that monster already beaming up on that building!"
And what they saw was right. That monster did blew up the building and massive damage was taken impact as its concrete crumbles and collapsed to the ground.
"Aerith, should I try to attack this or…"
"No, just do what your conscience and heart do."
Bridge, Highwind
"Cid, could you just slow this thing down…I think I'm gonna…" Yuffie nearly barfed herself as her stomach could not take the pain of being floated on air.
"Oh shut your $& mouth Yuffie!" Cid exclaimed while steering the ship. "I can control Highwind very stable!"
"More like stomach-stable than Highwind-stable!"
"Hey!"
"Guys, will you please shut up!" Tifa exclaimed while looking at the window heading for Midgar. "Besides, we need to destroy WEAPON or…what on earth!"
"Tifa why are…oh wow!"
"&$! Just what the hell is that!"
"I believe that's a huge robot with a wing on its back." Red XIII replied rather unusually in a calm mood
"What's going on, guys?" Cloud asked in a rather confused look, coming in from the bridge. "Why are looking…at a huge robot…fighting…WEAPON?"
"Uh, yeah. You've got the same expression as us."
"This is just great. First, Vincent disappeared, next, everything's gone awry since the two Materias, now a huge robot appearing from nowhere fighting against WEAPON? "
Jehovah cockpit
"Argh!" Aerith screamed, clinging on the controls, while in contrast, Sephiroth was struggling with controlling Jehovah's defence to that monster. "This isn't getting better!"
"Well you should have not told me to use my conscience!" He exclaimed as he moved the mecha, via his arms and press a few buttons to activate the little missiles that the 'mecha' wing was formed "If we've keep going into offence and then defence, this mecha's going to have less power!"
"Oh, I wish that there some miracle at work to help us!"
"Do not worry Miss Gainsborough and Master Sephiroth." Announced an emotionless male voice from nowhere. "YESHUA reporting for orders to you. I am behind the back of the Lost Eden MA Jehovah and connecting to its nervous system."
"YESHUA? Wait, what on Hollow Bastion's name are you doing? You can't just hack Jehovah in there!"
"Sephiroth, can you pull out Masamune from the back of Jehovah?"
"Are you planning something on saving our lives? And how should I know you?" The One Winged Angel asked with some concern.
"The plan I am executing will gather some success on defeating this monster, though MA Jehovah would have damage too, but should be at the success rate of ninety-five percent."
Bridge, Highwind
"Oh wow!" Yuffie excitedly shouted, watching the battle of the century "I haven't seen this battle since…uh well, I hope this robot's got materia on that blade!"
"Yuffie, this isn't the time to go on materia hunting." Red XIII remarked.
"I wonder if the robot's going to be okay." Tifa also remarked with some thought. Then her eyes were wide open, giving her sense of amazement!
"Tifa, is something wrong?" Cloud asked.
"Cloud, that robot has an extra white wing on its back! Just look at it!"
With the extra speed that WEAPON charging on to the 'angel' mecha in seconds, Masamune changed into something extraordinary – a celestial blue cannon-like gun with a 'wing' at the end. When that monster attacked Jehovah, the mecha evaded the attack and with a few seconds to load the cannon's power to maximum, targeted the WEAPON and pulled the trigger, sending a huge wave of white beam to it, leaving massive damage.
However, Jehovah's gun power paid the price as its recoil pushed it back to the platform, leaving a massive scar that can visible by only means of air transportation. The Highwind decided to fly into a part of Midgar's platforms.
With the hatch opened, the young woman, the One Winged Angel and YESHUA getting out of the mecha, they stumbled on to the new environment – a Church interior with decays showing signs of rotten ages and yet on the ground, it was filled with beautiful flowers that Terra created.
"Wow! This is rather beautiful." Aerith happily remarked, while bending down, inspecting the fragile structure.
Meanwhile and after pulling out Masamune from the torso, Sephiroth was left wondering where on Terra the three ended up landing on.
"So, meaning you can't find your sister, we're on our own to find her." He said in a disappointing manner.
"Yes." Quickly replied YESHUA. "Until Jehovah's structure, power and communication have been restored, I'm afraid we have no choice, but to continue on foot."
"Okay, so that part's done and over, now over to another question – why did you follow us? Shouldn't you be Eliza's pet?"
"My sensors tell me that you two are going A.W.O.L. and not telling the captain of the Vatican. Somehow, I was awake and got out of my cryobed, following you to the docking area, where you and Miss Gainsborough boarded Jehovah. With this situation, I activated the camouflage invisible mode and hid behind the back of the MA, before it left."
"I see. So that explains why I felt that presence."
"Dammit! Cloud, you o'foo!" cried Barret, while riding on the motorcycle, alongside Cloud and his Fernir with Tifa as his passenger. "Why going back to Aeris's place? Are you done over with mourning her?"
"Barret," The spiky blonde replied "that robot ending up crashing to that place. I'm sure of it's in her place."
"I'm hope you're right, Cloud." Tifa sadly remarked, holding on to his back. "I hope Cid, Red and Yuffie made their way to confront Hojo up there."
The two motorcycles sped across the ruins of Midgar's sectors, avoiding any obstacles that are in their way. Finally, on their way inside the church they stopped and once getting off, Cloud, Tifa and Barret were in for a shock. Not only they can see a huge robot in front of them, but three people were there!
"You can't be…" Cloud breathlessly exclaimed looking at the three strangers.
"Aeris?" Tifa had the same expression as the spiky blonde person. "What are you doing here with two Sephiroths?" However, Barret had a different expression to the two others.
"What the hell are you doing to Aeris, Jenova's boy?" He angrily snarled as he positioned his gun arm.
Meanwhile, Aerith, YESHUA and Sephiroth were stunned to see Vincent's friends in front, though they were confused of what they are saying.
"Oh dear, we're in trouble now Sephiroth." She whispered in cold shock.
"I don't know what to do – Aerith watch out!" He whispered, then shouted as he grabbed her and used his black wing as a shield seeing that the oncoming bullets were targeting them. "YESHUA, go and talk to those people and tell them this is all of a mistake. I hold and protect Aerith."
"Affirmative." YESHUA emotionlessly accepted and with one second, he disappeared as quickly as he can; leaving the One Winged Angel holding on the defensive position.
Dammit! He thought These people, except for Aerith and YESHUA, thought I'm the insane version of myself and Aerith's that woman! I have to sort this mess out, before they're going to kill me!
Author's Note: Sorry, I lied. When I said the A2 exam, I meant I'm going to put on hiatus when I'm going to on Study Leave in May, meaning I am going to put on some chapters, though on a more gap pace than regular pace.
Right, on to this chapter. Yes, I am making up Jenova's sisters and their plot, but if you are left wondering what happened to Jennifer, you have to read more chapters to find out. And yes, I deliberately put Cloud's bike from Advent Children in there, it's just a great motorcycle to put in a fanfiction. Right over the next few chapters, the three characters are going to stay put in the FFVII world for a while, before Bach and his Vatican finally rescued them. This is going to be interesting on Cloud's reaction when he mistakes Aerith as Aeris and Sephiroth (The KH version) that insane version of himself, not to mention seeing YESHUA as another Sephiroth-clone (laughs like an idiot).
I would like to thank Black Malva and my new best mate, Lily Silver, along with many Aeriseph fans out there in the world. Without you, I'll be stuck in fanfiction writer's block limbo forever. Reviews are welcome, but if you are an Anti-Aeriseph person and some flamers who like to ruin my self-esteem and reputation, bugger-off! Otherwise, I'll use my Katamari to roll you over!