Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII. If I did, my computer would actually WORK…

Note: In this fic, Aeris is alive, and it's also SephAeris…just a warning.

Second Note: As hard as I try to make everyone in character, I may slip occasionally and make them OOC. If I do this, I'm sowwie.

Third Note: When a sentence is like this, it's probably a thought. "When dialogue is entirely like this, it's the Planet speaking." When dialogue and sentences are like this, it's normal dialogue and normal sentences.


Chapter 1: The Trial Begins

"Arise, Cetra, from the eternal sleep. You have been given a second chance. Follow the Lifestream—it will lead you to life. This will be your true trial…if you succeed, you may live, but if you fail, the Lifestream will take you again…it is your choice."

Aeris heard these words, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on her back on a very uncomfortable rocky surface. The brunette Cetra sat up, brushing off her pink dress, then noticed the tear in front and felt her back, finding the rip's twin. She moved the fabric apart slightly so she could see the scar.

"Sephiroth," she growled. "Well, I'm free of you now…"


"Arise, one who was betrayed by all that you knew, defeated by the puppet. You have been given another chance to prove yourself, to make right what you did wrong. This is your trial. If you fail, the Lifestream will take you back to its darkest banks…if you succeed, you may live."

Sephiroth opened his eyes, finding himself in the Northern Crater, exactly in the spot Cloud had defeated him. There were scars all over his body where the Omnislash attack had cut him, but he wasn't bleeding. Feeling through the darkness, he found his Masamune but couldn't find his trench coat.

"What now?" he muttered, standing up. "First I suppose I have to get out of this place…"


After a while, Aeris realized that she wasn't just lying on hard rock, she was lying in snow—very, very cold snow. She wasn't sure where she was, but she wanted to find warmth, and fast.

Before too long—meaning in under a day—she found a small town. There was a child playing with a sled nearby, along with other people scattered throughout. She figured most people were inside.

"Um, excuse me," Aeris said to the kid.

"Huh? Whaddaya want, lady?" the kid asked.

"…Can you tell me what town this is?"

"What, you crossed the ocean, climbed all the way up that mountain, and went through that cave and ya don't know? This is Icicle," the kid said, obviously suspicious.

"Oh…Okay, thank you," Aeris said. She looked around and headed towards a shop to buy a replacement dress and a coat. Once that was done, she tried to think of a way to get back to the Midgar continent.


Sephiroth climbed out of the crater and eventually got over the mountains without hurting himself too much. He defeated the monsters that attacked him fairly easily, but he was a bit rusty after being dead for who knows how long.

Even though he was shirtless, he wasn't very cold. The snow and ice was chilling, yes, but not as freezing as it may be to a normal human. Even so, he wasn't immune to fatigue, and though he was against the idea of staying at a town, the one he saw in the not-so-distant distance might be his only choice. So, he went to the town, which he recognized—Icicle.

After a few minutes (half of an hour, actually), he reached the town. No one seemed to pay much attention to him, perhaps because his hair almost blended in with the snow. Some people gave him odd looks, saying "Aren't you cold, though?" Most people ignored him, however, because most people were inside.

He scanned the town. Maybe he wouldn't stay here, after all. He didn't like the idea of being around people again, not yet, anyway. He passed through quietly, but accidentally tripped over a pink-clad woman who had been sitting down.

"OW!" Aeris said, and stood up. "Watch where you're goi—" Then she saw Sephiroth, and backed away.

"Is something wrong, Cetra?" the ex-general asked in a bored tone, pushing himself off of the cold ground, then standing up.

"You…you're the one who killed me!"

"Hmm? Which one were you again? …Oh yes. The flower girl," Sephiroth said, shrugging.

"You…jerk!" Aeris cried, her gently nature not allowing her to say the much harsher words she had in mind.

Sephiroth would have rolled his eyes if he wasn't so stoic. "Yes, well. I must be going now." But before he could take a step, everything went black, though he was still standing. He looked around. Aeris was in the void as well.

"Don't look at me! I didn't do it!" she shrieked.

"This is your trial."

"Huh?" the two said in unison.

"…This is the Planet speaking."

"Ohhhh," they chorused.

"Yes, shocking, I know. Anyway…This is your trial."

"Being stuck in a dark void with this person is my trial?" Aeris asked.

"Not quite. Your trial is…getting along," the planet said.

"Um?" Sephiroth asked questioningly.

"Perhaps I should explain in terms you understand…of course, not that you're dumb or anything. Neither of you are. Your trial is to get along. If you can go through one month, getting along with each other, you will be granted life and will not have to be stuck in the Lifestream until your natural deaths. However, if you don't get along, I will take you back to the Lifestream again."

"…"

"I know you are asking, 'Why?' It is because both of you wish to live. Both of you have something you still wished to do before you died. However, before you may live, you must prove to me that you are truly willing to roam the Planet for the decades to come. I do not need more violence scarring my surface…if you learn to be peaceful with each other, your blood will no longer stain your death spots. Good luck…"

The black void turned back into the cold scenery of Icicle.

"This will be…difficult," Sephiroth observed, turning to look at Aeris.

"You think?" Aeris snorted. "If we're going to be stuck with each other, can you at LEAST get a shirt or something?"

The Sephiroth fangirls sighed in disappointment as the silver-haired man bought another trench coat and put it on.


Yumesuta: Sorry if that chapter's kinda stupid…It'll get better, I promise! Anyway, if you are reading this sentence, could you please review? I love reviews…