Journey Ten – Misunderstanding
Bullets flied and yet, it never entered the interior shield of his black wing, Sephiroth couldn't keep the defensive position he was in, while Aerith covered her head feeling this is all of a mistake. They knew YESHUA could sort the situation out, but that did not help the diplomacy as they heard a lot of punches being thrown in.
"If I keep my defence down, you and I will be killed…" Sephiroth said painfully, couldn't take the strain "…but I can't let you do that. Got and ideas Aerith?"
"I don't know, Sephiroth!" she replied loudly, tackling the wave of bullets' tempo. "I'm not really a tactician, but I've learnt something from Leon way back in Traverse Town."
"Then, you'd better tell me, before my feathers are weak to protect!"
"Well, what I am suggesting is…"
"Barret! Stop this instant!" Cloud exclaimed to Barret. "You don't know what you're doing!"
"Shut up Cloud!" Barret responded even as he still firing the One Winged Angel's shield. "You saw Tifa battling a cyborg teen, while he tried to provoke her…" Unfortunately, he never finished his sentence, when out of nowhere the One Winged Angel disappeared quickly and the next second, pierced an object to his gun arm, severely causing damage to the mechanism.
"Sorry, if my scabbard penetrated your arm." The silver mane person remarked sadly behind Barret.
"Why you…" Barret angrily responded, but then realized something was not right. "Hey! You've apologised!"
"I don't really care if you apologised to Barret, Sephiroth!" Cloud slowly exclaimed as he pulled out his Buster Sword from behind his back. "But I'm taking you on! I'll avenge Aeris's death and put an end to becoming a God! Right here!" And he rushed towards him.
"Wait!" Sephiroth clearly explained, before positioning his Masamune to defence. "I'm not the 'Sephiroth' you know…"
CLANG!
Swords dances like a beautiful piece of theatre and yet Cloud did not understand why this 'Sephiroth' was not his usual self, defending himself all the way. The 'Sephiroth' he knew was always aggressive and tended to call the spiky blonde man 'brother' or 'Strife', but this 'Sephiroth' had no idea who on Planet Jenova is, not mention even Cloud himself. Nevertheless, he thought this must be a bluff.
"Look, I don't know what you're doing, but I am not that Sephiroth you know of!" he defensively shouted, before evaded via the wall.
CLANG!
"Ha ha, very funny Sephiroth! Trying to fake yourself you don't remember me!"
CLANG!
"Look, I'm serious! I don't know who you are, who on Earth Aeris is and why that 'clone' does want to destroy the world!"
CLANG!
"And how the hell should I know about you're not that insane person? Do you have evidence?"
CLANG!
I could have called Kusanagi for help, Sephiroth thought, while at the same time defending and evading from the spiky blonde man's slashes. But that blonde person just really put me into a stance I can't keep this forever.
Meanwhile, behind one of the rotten benches, Aerith could see that she was needed for both of her friends; Sephiroth being defensively engaged with the aggressive blonde swordsman and YESHUA, putting up in a self-protective shield from the brunette's punches and kicks. She felt completely helpless on saving both of them and yet, her heart told her to protect the ones she have as friends and yet somehow, the pocket watch Sephiroth that gave to her that was hidden inside the layer of her shirt began to glow brightly.
Why's Sephiroth's pocket watch glowing in a time of danger? She thought, but then quickly dissolved the issue as her friends' danger, seeing the One Winged Angel losing the defence control and the 'teenage' cyborg falling into scrapheap. All right Aerith, this is now or never! She sprang out of the bench and with her loudest voice she did, Aerith had done written in her history.
"WILL YOU PLEASE STOP THIS INSTANT!" She shouted with her tears, but that did not stop there; for her pocket watch shine so brightly, strange celestial wispy wires came from behind her back and they quickly tied the blonde swordsman and the brunette fighter to the ground, confused and shocked on this strange discovery. Aerith was confused on what the pocket watch did to them, but that didn't stop running towards Sephiroth, who now was on the verge of seriously injury from the swordsman. "Sephiroth! Your right arm, it's bleeding!"
Sephiroth, on the other hand, didn't care about his right arm, his Masamune defensive arm; despite he can still the pain. "I'm all right Aerith, just worry on YESHUA's condition." Then, he looked to the blonde swordsman, who was tied down to the floor and struggling for freedom. Unexpectedly, the One Winged Angel, after giving Masamune to YESHUA, now descended and right behind him, knelt down and showed to the swordsman his right arm covered in dripping blood.
"Your arm's…still bleeding!" He exclaimed surprisingly "…That's impossible! You're supposed to heal quickly in about two seconds, thanks to Jenova's cells!"
"Now, you see why I am not the 'Sephiroth' you know." He told him very coldly "I am not that insane person who killed Aeris – is it?"
"Yes, that woman you've mentioned of. So, if that woman who accompanied you isn't her."
"That's correct. Her name is similar to Aeris, except with 't-h' replacing the 's'."
Then Aerith stepped over to the blonde person.
"I'm sorry for your loss." She replied softly and sorrowfully. "We couldn't find a way to save her."
"…that's okay. I'm sorry I mistake you and your friends as Aeris and 'him'."
"I'll give you their and my names, if you promise not to hurt them and tell us in exchange."
"…Fine."
With that event happened, the celestial wires that bonded the two warriors released them and once stood up, the blonde swordsman looked to the three individuals.
"Good, then. First of all, my name's not Aeris, it's Aerith Gainsborough and this robot here is YESHUA and that guy is Sephiroth, though you can call him 'Seph' for short to avoid confusion, isn't that right, Seph?"
"…Yes." Sephiroth reluctantly replied when he hated someone calling his name shorter, but Aerith was right to avoid the confusion between the insane version and himself.
"Okay, so I now I know why you're not her. I'm Cloud Strife; the brunette who just nearly beat the robot guy is…"
"I'm Tifa Lockhart!" The brunette shouted, as she 'tidied' herself from the wires.
"…What she said and the guy Seph pierced his gun arm is Barret Wallace."
"Hey foo'!" Barret shouted as he finally pulled the One Winged Angel's scabbard from his gun arm and threw it to him. "You probably need this to sheath your sword!"
"Thank you." Sephiroth responded as he caught his scabbard and sheathed his Masamune. "Can we ask you one question, Cloud?"
"What is it, before I called Cid over on PHS?" replied Cloud.
"Do you have an airship?"
"Yes. And what?"
"Do you have any room to fit a mecha?" To which, the One Winged Angel pointed at the stationary Jehovah.
"Excuser moi?"
Meanwhile, back in Hollow Bastion…
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN AERITH, THAT ROBOT GUY AND SEPHIROTH ARE IN TERRA AND NOT WITH YOU!" Yuffie exclaimed, feeling very angry that Bach could not rescue the three unfortunate victims, until Ashura finished his research on Seraphiel's Compass.
"Look, would you just calm a little, Ninja girl?" The eccentric guitarist replied, attempting to calm her down.
"I have a name you know! It's Yuffie!"
"So basically speaking," Leon coldly explained to refresh his memory, while putting his hand on his forehead "this is your entire fault for letting my friend, the Ex-champion in the Olympus Coliseum and that robot person out into space. YOU DIRTY BASTARD!" All of a sudden, the lone swordsman was not all himself as he shook Bach by the shoulders. Very hard for about ten minutes or so and the guitarist was lost for words. "WHY YOU WERE SUCH AN IDIOT INTO LETTING THEM GO FIRST!"
"Please calm down Mr Leonheart and Miss Kisarangi." Adrian replied when stepping to compose the uneasy situation in the library "I'm sure that once Lord Ashura finished his research, we will move to Terra as soon as we can."
"Well, you'd better do it! Because as soon as you're ready, Yuffie and I are going to Terra with you!"
"WHAT?" Everybody, including Ashura, exclaimed.
"Leon, shouldn't we look after Hollow Bastion and let them search for them?" Yuffie asked to the lone swordsman coldly.
"Yuffie, the Heartless are nearly gone and besides, we have plenty of moogles who are well-trained to defend themselves."
"You're right, but aren't we putting our lives to risk?"
"Look, you'll either be courageous to find our friends or chickens who like to stay around. And besides, we'll need something to explore new."
Somewhere dark
"They're in Terra, Master." Told Ryoujin coldly and emotionlessly. "It seems they want to confront to the rogue MA Jenova."
"I see." Remarked the white stranger, 'Master'. "So it would seem that he and his companions are trying to find her."
"So why shouldn't we gatecrash the party and let them have our way?" sulked Bellima.
"Jenova has a powerful ally that we would find the most trouble to deal with." Cracked Astaroth.
"Ah yes, the Great General Sephiroth. The 'other' One Winged Angel."
"Hmm, Bellima, it would seem that you would like a challenge."
"I gladly accept it, Master. I'll be in Terra as soon as I can."
"And I'll go with you."
Platform, Highwind. Several hours later.
The sky looked so pleasantly peaceful, saved for the eye sore of the buildings in Midgar; Aerith and Sephiroth looked to the clouds wondering beyond the blue sky.
"Hmm, do you know what happened to the others, Sephiroth?" she wondered, while looking and feeling a bit down.
"I'm not really physic, so why should you ask?" he responded.
"Nah, it's nothing. Just forget what I said." Then, they've heard footsteps and looked it was just Tifa coming in to join the crowd.
"Hey." She greeted, while standing next to the young woman. "So, what's on your mind Aeris…I mean Aerith?"
"So, what's Aeris is like? Was she similar to me?"
"Personality-wise yes, but she was also half-Cetra."
"Half-Cetra?"
"Yes, though I should have told you earlier before Cetra can hear the Planet's cries and such. Unfortunately, she was the last one, till Sephiroth, sorry Seph, killed her in the spot."
"…I'm so sorry about that."
"Mind if I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Do you have Cetra power, like Aeris?"
Aerith shook her head. "I'm afraid, sorry to disappoint you Tifa, not. I was born from a different world and the only special powers I have are my heart and my brain on the knowledge."
"I see. So, you can't talk and hear the Planet? That seems to make sense. However, all seems to change, when I went unconscious and suddenly everything wasn't seemed as I saw."
"…"
"Aeris disappeared and we found her on her grave and what was stranger, the Meteor and Holy Materias disappeared from trace as well."
That's the two materias we took in order to activate Seraphiel's Compass!
"How about you, Seph? Were you born in the lab and got injected with Jenova Cells?"
"…I wasn't born in a lab." The One Winged Angel replied, unusually calm for someone who is such a powerful swordsman. "Just like Aerith, I was born from a different world and grew up with my normal mother."
"Was she a bit like Jenova?"
He shook his head. "No. My mother was biologically human and she took care of me very well. Always protecting me from my strange condition – that black wing on my back."
"Ah, I see and why did you and that robot boy come here?"
"We want to confront Jenova for personal reasons. That, I could say no more."
"…hmm. Perhaps I should leave you two alone."
"No, that's okay." Both Aerith and Sephiroth embarrassingly remarked to Tifa. "We always need a little company."
Tifa smiled to them. "Thanks, guys. To be honest, you're both good people."
Seconds passed, maybe even minutes later and the three had enjoyed this joyful conversation. They talked about YESHUA, their worlds, the culture and maybe even the personal problems they had to contend without help. Only this conversation ended, when Cid's voice was on the klaxon.
"Hey, you three!" He exclaimed with a rough accent. "Get to the meeting room quick! We're near the Northern Crater!"
The place where Jenova is currently hiding. Aerith and Sephiroth both thought on her whereabouts.
Meeting Room, Highwind
"Now, you know why I summoned all of you here." Cloud announced, standing up like he was the leader of the group in front of Yuffie, Barret, Tifa, Red XIII, Cid and the three new recruits, Aerith, YESHUA and Sephiroth.
"Can we land this thing ASAP, Cloud?" Yuffie desperately asked as her stomach couldn't take the pressure in the airship.
"As soon as we land the Northern Crater, Yuffie. Anyway, before Hojo was killed by Cid, Red and Yuffie, there was some information from him regarding Jenova and Sephiroth's whereabouts and it turns out it's in the Northern Crater.
"However, I'm not sure how deep the Crater is, since it has full of mako for some time. Well, Seph, do you have any battle strategy there, since you're a powerful person?"
"What did you say?" The One Winged Angel stunned as he stood up from the seat not that far and next to Aerith's. "I may be a powerful swordsman, but that doesn't mean I'm a great tactician."
"Compare Sephiroth to you. He's the opposite of you and yet your skills are similar to his."
"Yes, but you should replace the tactics job to Aerith. She was the only person who has a higher IQ than mine."
"Sigh, fine with that. Aerith, any plans?"
Though the young woman was completely shocked on handling the tactics, nevertheless she stood up and tried to speak confidently.
"Uh, I'm not good at planning major attack, but once we landed on the Northern Crater, we should split into two or three groups. Scouts, offensive and defensive or something like that.
On the scout, Seph, YESHUA and I will use the mecha, Jehovah, to descend and see how deep the Crater is. Once that's done, we can begin to descent and then confront Jenova. However, you have to agree with our condition."
"And what condition is that?"
"Seph and I want to talk to Jenova."
"What! Why?"
"Personal matters. Then you can attack her."
"…we'll leave that to you. And praying that your strategy will work in hopes of healing the Planet's wound. With Shinra and Hojo out the way, we can now focus on Jenova and Sephiroth. You can leave the room." With the strategy done and planned, it was time for some peaceful reflections, until landing at the Northern Crater. The place Jenova is hiding from them and the only source for Aerith and Sephiroth to discover the truth on Lost Eden.
Meeting room, Vatican
"This is an emergency guys!" Bach exclaimed as he slammed his fist onto the oak table. "Aerith, Sephiroth and YESHUA have gone missing in Terra and it's up to us where they headed into."
"Yes we all know all about it, so stop repeating yourself!" Adrian scolded with irritation and the same expression with Zack, Rufus, Alda, Eliza, Vincent and now for the first time, Yuffie and Leon.
"Okay, okay! Well anyway, we need to know where they are and to that, we are going to use the data YESHUA's memory is in. So Eliza, any luck?"
"I think there is, and I imagine the last time his memory last recorded was in the Northern Crater in the planet Terra." The young Afro-Edian engineer responded as she typed some words on the laptop.
"Right, so going to Terra would be easy, but the hard part is finding them and Jehovah somewhere in the Crater. Right then, we'll spilt into two groups, the ones that are going on foot are Adrian, Alda, Eliza and me. Leon and Yuffie are going on the new MA and for the rest – keep communicating with us, so that our signal won't cut off. Okay, dismissed people!" And so, after such a short meeting they left the room, except for Leon and Yuffie, who were not seemed so impressed with the guitarist.
"You gave us such a short meeting and yet you always seemed so calm." Leon cracked to insanity.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault I'm always this way in life. And besides, remember the package my old man's company gave to you as a present."
"Yes, but what's with this MA we've got? It's a mixture of Gummi technology and so-called 'Yeager' engineering all rolled into one!"
"Did you say MA?" Eliza wondered as she came back to them. "Gummi technology and Yeager engineering? That one's never tried in the test field, not to mention it's not even tested for approval!"
"Eliza, your MA was never tested on YESHUA's connection now, is it?"
"…I guess you're right. So, who wants to the pilot of this new MA?"
"I'll do it!" Yuffie exclaimed happily as she immediately raised her hand as high as she can. "Since there are no girls piloting this huge mecha, I'll take the helm!"
"…Guess I have no choice, but to assist Yuffie on the weapon controls." Leon sulked, seeing that he missed the chance of piloting such a huge boy's toy.
"Then it's settled! That I, Yuffie, Kunoichi and pilot of the great MA Kami-Kaze, shall rescue Aerith and her friends and avenge them, should they'd be dead!"
"Why do you name that MA 'Kami-Kaze'? I thought it says 'Wind' on the leg."
"Oh shut up! I'm going to change into 'Kami-Kaze', 'cause it such a cool name to sound for a mecha. 'Wind' just sounds so generic and puts a reputation to us!"
Oh dear mother of Hollow Bastion, Leon thought to himself as he mentally slapped his head here we go again with the Ninja stuff.
Docking Area, Highwind
"Hey Aerith!" Shouted Cloud as he ran up towards Sephiroth and Aerith was about to board the cockpit, via the open hatch; along with YESHUA who climbed to the back and connected himself with wires attached.
"Cloud!" She exclaimed. "I didn't expect you here."
"I wanted to give you this." The blonde swordsman handed her a specially detailed quarterstaff that labelled 'Princess Guard' and only the late Aeris knew how to hold a weapon.
"Why are you giving me 'Princess Guard'? Isn't that Aeris's weapon?"
"I wanted my burden to be lifted and hopefully can rest her in peace. I wanted you to keep it as a souvenir."
"Thank you, though I'm not really such a fighter myself." She chuckled a little when she said 'fighter'.
"Well, good luck and may your heart would still be as pure." And he ran off to the others outside the Highwind and into the edge of the Northern Crater.
"What was that all about?" Sephiroth asked to Aerith curiously as he already 'sat' down and placed his sheath next to his side.
"Cloud's just giving me a present as a 'thank you' for letting Aeris to rest." She then, 'sat' down as the hatch closed and the screen turning on automatically. "Is there something wrong with you lately?"
"No, just a little curious, that's all." He lied just a little and shook his head, yet his heart was thumping fast.
Why do I get the feeling I'm protecting Aerith all of the time? She and I have nothing in common and only just friends, but still, I've feel that she and I have been closer to each for support lately. Could this be 'love' I'm developing? No, that could never happen!
Somewhere in the sky of Terra
Bellima's mecha and Astaroth's, a black griffin-shaped mecha with 'mechanized' boneless wings were inspecting the situation that seemed to interest them.
"So that rogue MA Jenova is somewhere in the Northern Crater. How interesting for gatecrashing the party." She snickered via her communication device.
"Don't forget about the Great General's Jenova-enhanced strength." The Fallen Angel sarcastically smirked. "He's a very challenging opponent to deal with."
"Well, at least I'm having some fun, instead of being bored in there."
"Ah, yes I can see that from your point of view."
"So why can't we go down there and have some fun, eh Astaroth?"
"I suppose so, since I wanted to drink the blood of the 'other' One Winged Angel."
And with that, the two mechas descended into the Northern Crater.
'Kami-Kaze' Cockpit
"Are you sure you want to pilot this, Yuffie?" Leon asked as he tried to get used to the hybrid technologies of Gummi and Yeager. "You should have me as controlling this huge mecha!"
"Leon, there aren't many female mecha pilots around here," Yuffie happily explained as she looked to the surroundings of the 'floating' cockpit, despite they're still in the Vatican docking area. "And besides, Cid taught me a lesson or two on controlling Gummi ship and I'll adapt it to Kami-Kaze,"
"Yeah, only to wobble and crash in about five seconds."
"Hey! Don't just doubt about my ninja-slash-mecha skills into it!"
"All right, I've heard enough!" Bach exclaimed as he appeared in a small screen to the two 'newbies'. "Just hold on tight and you'll be space. Once you're there, just get down to the Northern Crater and shoot a beacon, so that the Vatican can descend down. You got it, Yuffie?"
"Yep. Sure do, Captain Guitar!"
"Okay, so let the rescue party begin!" And with him gone as the holographic screen turned off, the female computer announcer started the countdown.
"This is so excited Leon! Our first trip into space and zero gravity!"
"Yuffie aren't you overexcited about…" Unluckily for Leon to finish the sentence while at the same time the announcer said 'zero', the MA 'Kami-Kaze', literally sent the lone swordsman and 'Kunoichi-cum-mecha pilot' backwards, until a few seconds later, they were in space and 'next' to them, Terra. A planet, where Jehovah and YESHUA was last seen.
Don't worry Aerith, Sephiroth and YESHUA; Leon, the others and I are going to rescue you! Yuffie thought and used her arms to begin the descent to the planet and the Northern Crater.
Author's Notes: In case of the philosophy by C.S. 'Narnia' Lewis, if you wanted me to do some more action descripted paragraphs, I'm sorry to say, but I'll let you do the action scenes in your head. Plus, this fanfiction has now fourteen reviews (good ones, not the flamers or the anti-Aeriseph stuff) and I'll thank you the readers and also special thanks to Frozen Eclipse (my mate over at MSN Messenger), Black Malva, Lily Silver and now my new best Aeriseph fan mate, Tishinnia (if I spelt your Pen Name wrong Tish, I'm sorry!). Without them, I'll just leave this chapter with more suspense and canned the entire fanfiction immediately, with many Aeriseph fans and newcomers feeling they need to make petitions of wanting me to continue the alternative version of Aeriseph.
Sequel-wise, I'm not planning to do a sequel to Nimbus Exploration, until I finish the entire original first series on how much chapters I've done. Though there will clashes aside in terms of making the latest chapter, like doing some chemistry work for my chemistry teacher and actually just doing a favour for my older sister, so that might take some time to upload the new one.
Speaking of sequels, I might make another Aeriseph fanfiction, but with Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz making major appearances, after reading 'Sephiroth's Second Chance' or something by mistake is probably my inspiration, only setting the characters in the real world, like say Oxford in England, for instance.
Reviews are welcome, though no 'I-hate-Aeriseph-fanfictions' and flamers and in the next chapter, the almost-whole cast of this fanfiction are colliding each other for the objective to either save Sephiroth and company, destroy or confront Jenova about her involvement in Lost Eden and the 'other' Sephiroth. Hmm, I wonder how I will turn out writing this one huge task of fitting the narrative in (laughs like an idiot).