Cloud hasn't been the same since the ancient temple. Tifa's noticed the subdued nature of his behavior, the quiet resonance of his voice, as if he's disconnected from the present. The collapse of the temple and the acquisition of the Black Materia remains a mystery. Cloud claims he doesn't know what happened, nor can he explain how he and Aerith were the only ones to navigate the ancient maze.

Barret cites Aerith's lineage as the obvious reason. "And she pulled Cloud along for the ride," he says, satisfied with the unknown.

It tugs at Tifa, this alteration in him. Cait Sith's betrayal and then losing Aerith has everyone rattled, and maybe it got to Cloud more because he'd brought them all together. The responsibility of their current circumstances must weigh heavy.

Even though Aerith survived the temple, going off alone doesn't make sense. Cloud told them of the strange way Aerith had communicated this to him, and that, too, leaves Tifa uneasy. But at least they have the Black Materia, which means they are one step ahead of Sephiroth and Shinra.

The Sleeping Forest, as Vincent said, is a chilling landscape of endless ivory tree trunks. The density of branches filters any sunlight into a timeless dreary pallor. There are no animals, at least none they can see, and patches of tough grass grow through the barren earth.

Yuffie praises her great foresight to buy a jacket in Nibelheim because it is cold here. The crinkle of Cid's cigarette pack sounds harsh in the quiet.

"Sleeping, huh?" Barret says. "Great name, for whoever named it."

"Shinra, perhaps," Vincent replies. "Professor Gast and Simon Hojo pioneered much Cetra research before the focus shifted to the Jenova Project."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You were on a first-name basis with that creep Hojo?" Barret asks.

"...Not exactly."

The group stays close. Their boots crunch on dead twigs.

"Tell us about the Jenova project," Tifa says.

There isn't much to tell because Vincent was an Administrative Research associate supervising the scientists in Nibelheim. He wasn't directly involved in the work.

"And by Administrative Research you mean the Turks," Barret clarifies, "And by supervisin' you mean protecting."

Vincent nods. Shinra kept their research under tight wraps, and the Jenova project was classified above all else. During his assignment, he'd taken a liking to one particular scientist—a beautiful woman producing results beyond expectations. Lucrecia.

The relationship should never have happened, he admits. He was unprofessional, but she was enchanting.

"A woman, huh," Cid says. "Ain't that always the trouble."

But this woman was more concerned with her experiments than Vincent. When their relationship became serious, she threw herself into the Project, spending all her time in the labs. Shinra was close to a breakthrough, she kept saying. He thought maybe it was an excuse to spend time apart.

Then, Professor Gast left the Project, abandoning Shinra in light of a discovery that Vincent gleaned had serious implications on the origins of the recovered specimen, which was the basis of all Jenova cell experiments.

"Bugenhagen mentioned that Gast thought Jenova was not a Cetra," Tifa says. "We learned this in Cosmo Canyon."

That may be true, Vincent corroborates, but he doesn't know for certain. At the time, all he cared about was redeeming Lucrecia's favor. The Project then passed to Simon, who pushed for advancements that, from Vincent's perspective, seemed to exclusively involve Lucrecia. Hojo and Lucrecia became inseparable, and ultimately, Vincent gave up on her though his feelings lingered. She wanted an intellectual, someone on her level, not some trained gunman. Their romance was over.

The news coming from the labs, however, was troubling. This Jenova Project was claiming lives. There was human experimentation, unwilling test subjects. It never sat well with Vincent. He petitioned for reassignment, but his request was denied.

Then he found out Lucrecia was pregnant. She was planning to offer the child to the Project. Vincent urged her not to. The timing implied this was not his offspring, yet he felt it wrong nevertheless. She told him he would never understand its importance.

So Vincent confronted Hojo.

The story pauses.

"...And?!" Yuffie prompts.

"And…" Vincent says. "Hojo shot me in the chest. I blacked-out."

"Blacked-out?" Cid hoots. "If someone shot me in the chest, I'd be dead!"

Nanaki picks up the tale. "You mentioned before that Hojo was responsible for your transformations. Is this how it happened?"

Vincent does not meet anyone's gaze. "Yes. When I awoke, it was on one of Hojo's slabs. I don't know what he did exactly. This type of mutation…" He examines his gold claw. "This was not part of the Jenova Project."

That confirms Nanaki's senses. Inhuman, but not alien.

"Lucrecia had gone on with the experiment," Vincent continues. "She implanted Jenova cells into her fetus. This is how Sephiroth was born."

The group stops cold. Cloud practically walks right into Tifa.

"What?" Tifa says. "Does that mean…?"

"Hojo is Sephiroth's daddy?" Yuffie blurts out.

Vincent shrugs. Evidently, yes.

Tifa exchanges horrified glances with Barret, Cid, Nanaki. But when she looks at Cloud, he doesn't seem to be paying any attention.

"What happened to Lucrecia?" Barret says. "An' how the hell anyone have a relationship with that monster Hojo?"

Vincent doesn't know on both accounts. He'd failed, in all respects, and he couldn't bear what he'd become. His body no longer felt like his own. He fell into despair and locked himself in the Nibelheim basement, only to be disturbed by Cloud and Nanaki bringing news of Sephiroth and Hojo.

"That madman is still spreading harm, irreparable," Vincent says. "I intend to stop him. I have slept long enough."

If only he'd tried to stop Hojo after his first gruesome awakening, Tifa wants to add, this whole mess could have been averted. But she maintains her silence. The shocking news has everyone stunned.

"I am grateful to be on this path with you all," Vincent says, concluding his tale.

"That is some crazy shit," Cid says. "Damn, I don't know if I'm glad I met you all or terrified!"

Tifa touches Cloud's arm. "Cloud, did you know all this already?"

"Hm? No, not really."

Ahead, the woods open to a desolate village long abandoned, crumbling, and overgrown. Squat spiraling ruins sit near frozen lakes and islets. Sparse shafts of sunlight draw opalescence from the mottled structures. The curved architecture is faintly reminiscent of conch shells, and luminous trees grow from the lakes with long bare branches like bones. The silence here is suffocating.

"Did Aerith come this way?" Tifa wonders aloud. "This whole place is…"

There's an energy in the air she can't define, a certain tinge like the aftermath of a violent storm.

"Why don't we explore a bit?" she suggests. "Aerith might be nearby. Keep your phones on."

Cloud stands at the edge of the largest lake beneath a conical building of jagged peaks. He doesn't move, but the others disperse, collectively indulging their intrigue at this ancient landscape.

Barret and Nanaki head east. Cid and Yuffie go west. Vincent and Tifa walk north. Or, relatively speaking, those are the areas each pair explores. Cardinal directions are unclear, much like in the shrouded forest. It is another world within these boundaries.

Barret wanders along narrow streets between smooth beige walls and gaping dark windows. He enters one of the doorways. It's freezing inside, and he sees a staircase. Maybe he can climb up to get a better look.

At the top is a large empty room with its roof and partial walls collapsed. Barret peers out onto the vista of ruins. He can see Tifa further down the walkways and Cid off in another direction. But no sign of Aerith.

This is a waste of their time, and it's damn cold.

"Barret."

He jumps, gun-arm raised. Cloud stands in part-shadow behind him. Barret lets out a breath.

"Damn, man, why the hell you sneakin' up on me like that!?"

Cloud's expression is flat. He's pale, more so than usual.

"You okay, man? You look kinda…"

"I need you to do something for me," Cloud says, extending his hand. He holds out the Black Materia. "I need you to hold onto this for me."

Barret regards the materia, then Cloud. "Why? It makin' you sick? 'Cause you look kinda sick, to me."

Cloud holds it further out, unwavering. "Please, Barret."

Barret takes it with some suspicion. "Why, spike? What's going on with you?"

"I don't know what lies ahead, and I can't trust myself."

"I figure you trust Tifa more'n me."

"I do. But not with this."

Barret closes his fist around the Black Materia. It feels hot.

"Sure thing, spike. You can count on me."

This relieves Cloud. He exhales and wipes his forehead. "Thank you."

The large materia goes into the leather pouch at Barret's side. "Any idea what we're supposed to do with this thing anyhow?"

"I think we'll know it when it happens," Cloud says. "I might...need it back at some point. I don't know."

"Right…"

"But, for now, in case something happens to me—"

"Nothing will. Relax." Cloud needs to lighten up.

"No, but, if something does… Just keep that thing safe for me. Okay?"

He worries too damn much, but if it will help ease his mind, Barret is willing to help.

"Yeah, man. No problem."

Cloud lingers. The blonde looks exhausted, unfocused.

"You sure you're okay?" Barret asks.

"Aerith isn't here."

The simplicity and confidence in the statement confounds Barret.

"An' how you know that?"

Cloud doesn't respond. He heads down the staircase, the sheath on his back disappearing into shadows last.

Barret shivers. He calls up Tifa and the others. Cloud's got a hunch Aerith ain't here, so they better get a move on. Nobody questions Cloud's intuition. There is an unmistakable calm in this place, unbroken by any living creatures except for them. No, if Aerith had come this way, she is long gone.

The party continues north. The forgotten city and the Sleeping Forest fade as the terrain transforms into a tundra. Massive ice-capped mountains jut from vast snow plains beyond.

"We need warmer clothes," Tifa says. She's been shaking since they landed. Cid and Yuffie couldn't agree more.

"Where's that ski resort?" Cid says, rubbing his arms. "I could use a hot tub."

From a smattering of lights nestled in the mountain range, plumes of white smoke curl into overcast skies. That must be the resort.

"Damn, we gotta walk all that way?" Barret says.

The answer is yes, because they'd wanted to trek through the Sleeping Forest on foot in the hopes of finding Aerith, so Cid had landed their chopper outside the woods to the south. And nobody had opted to backtrack to their mode of transit. So yes, now they have to walk. Cid lights a new cigarette with numb fingers.

"It isn't so far," Cloud says, pushing forward.

The snowfields are pristine, uncut, sparkling in the descending sun. Barret puts an arm around Tifa to keep her warm as the wind whips. Yuffie withdraws into her puffy Nibelheim jacket, zipped to her chin. Nanaki shakes ice from his paws at regular intervals.

Their footsteps break a trail through the snow, and after two hours of walking, they arrive at the foot of the mountains. A path snakes upwards with signage for "Icicle Inn". Arrivals are typically via airship, the team discovers.

"Great!" Cid says. "We can catch a ship outta here once we find Aerith."

The climb is perilous in the waning light, but at last, the village comes into view. Snowflakes drift past rustic shingled roofs. A quaint hotel and a few shops and homes are the extent of Icicle Inn. An aerial lift takes skiers and snowboarders into the mountains, and an airship terminal hosts a small commercial liner. It is a tourism destination and little else.

Tifa heads to the hotel. Inside, there's a roaring fireplace and warmth melts over her skin like bliss. Other guests mill about, returning from a day of winter sports or savoring mugs of mulled wine in lounge chairs. She and Yuffie count their gil.

"Is this enough for a night's stay?" Tifa asks the clerk behind the counter.

"Preferably a room with a hot shower?" Yuffie says.

"Or a hot tub?" Cid chimes in.

"And a hot meal," Barret says.

The clerk accepts the cash and nods, handing over two room keys. "All of the above. Hot tub's on the second floor. Bar and restaurant on the first. But you folks don't look like the usual clientele. You lookin' to climb the summit, too?"

"Too? You mean, someone else is?" Tifa says. "A young woman with long brown hair and green eyes?"

"Mmmhm. She with you?"

"Yeah. When did you see her?"

The clerk chews the end of his pencil. "That's funny, I can't recall exactly. But she was headin' to the crater."

"Crater?"

"Oh yes." The clerk clears his throat, delving into a tale well-told. "Thousands of years ago, a meteorite crashed to the earth, creating these glorious mountains. Legends say that the planet responded to the impact by creating ancient warriors called Weapons that lay dormant at the base of the crater."

Tifa raises an eyebrow. "Weapons?"

"Yes, these warriors are in a state of slumber, but will awaken if the planet is ever in crisis."

She finds this hard to believe. A tall tale to enhance the area's appeal, no doubt. She takes the room keys and politely smiles.

"Okay, thank you," she says. "We'll be going to the summit, too, then. To go after our friend."

The clerk returns her smile. "In the morning, yes. Far too frigid now. Besides, you'll need climbing gear, so best to hit the shops on your way out."

"What about airship access?"

"Oh, no, I'm afraid not. We respect the natural beauty and do not disturb it with any tourism flights. This is for the preference of our hikers, as well."

Of course, nothing is easy. She thanks the clerk and turns to Cid once they are away from the counter. "You and I can go back for the helicopter tomorrow," she says. "Then we'll pick everyone up and head in."

Cid asks the clerk for a topographical map. He smooths it out near the fireplace.

"Hmm. Nope," Cid says, tracing a finger along the lines of elevation. "Our chopper won't work."

"Why not?" Tifa asks.

"The crater is wide enough. Hell, could even fit a full-scale airship. But we don't have the maneuverability like modern crafts do. Could get it enhanced in a few weeks with the proper equipment, but…" Cid stops to glance at Cloud, awaiting the usual frantic we-don't-have-time interjection, but Cloud merely watches, waiting.

"Ah, I understand," Tifa says. "Then we climb tomorrow."

The team converges on the hot showers and hot meals shortly thereafter. Everyone is in a cheerful mood, replenished and rejuvenated. Even Cloud seems less disoriented. He wants to explore the town. Aerith has been here, so there might be more clues.

Yuffie refuses to leave the hot tub, but the others venture out. First stop is buying layers of clothing and coats. Yuffie's gil is dwindling, but at least they won't freeze to death. Next is climbing equipment. And advice from the shopkeeper on how exactly to use this equipment. Had Aerith come through here, seeking the same? The store owner nods, remembering the young woman though they spoke little.

Dusk settles, and the sky glows navy streaked with purple. Shinra drones buzz high overhead, and the group hides beneath the awning of a vacant home until the coast is clear. Shinra continues to seek them, ever relentless.

"You folks interested in the property?" a voice says from the porch of the vacant home.

There's a dusty for-sale sign in the window, and a clean-cut man in a button-down coat stands with hands in his pockets.

"No," Tifa says. "I'm sorry. We were just leaving."

"Oh, that's too bad. If it's the incident that's putting you off, rest assured this home is a real gem! Plenty of square footage, and of course, access to the best skiing on the planet. Or snowboarding, if that's more your thing."

"Incident?"

The salesman's smile wavers. "Oh, it happened so long ago. Years and years. But nevermind that. The price is very reasonable, regardless of the Shinra name."

Tifa's interest piques. "A Shinra incident?"

He hesitates. Perhaps a sale could come of it. Some folks love the idea of death and murder. He decides to risk it.

"A Shinra professor, uh, died here. He lived with his wife and daughter. To be honest, he was a strange fellow and kept recordings of his scientific studies. The event occurred during one such recording, which the bank recovered from the home after repossession."

Vincent leans forward. "What was the name of this Shinra professor?"

The salesman rubs his chin. Yes, these folks are intrigued, after all.

"Gast, I believe."

The group falls silent. The salesman feels the potential sale, the hunger.

"You folks want to see the recordings? Oh, it's nothing secretive. Part of the home's history and open to any prospective buyers." Before they can respond, he beckons them inside. "Come in and take a gander!"

Vincent enters first with Tifa and the others behind.

The interior smells of fresh cedar, and it's staged as a charming lodge. A fireplace crackles. There's a vase of wilting flowers on a windowsill.

"Everything is new," the realtor says. "Highest-quality materials. And don't worry, that surveillance equipment is very much removed."

"Can we see the tapes?" Tifa presses with a smile.

On the top floor, the salesman rolls out a portable video player and taps a button. The screen fuzzes into a grainy film. The timestamp is before Tifa was born.

It's the same house, but everything is different. The area where they currently stand is a laboratory with electronic equipment. A man with cropped dark hair, circular glasses, and a thick mustache is on-screen next to a woman with cascades of long mahogany hair. Her eyes are deep emerald. The proceedings are a question-and-answer between the two, but it isn't an interrogation and she isn't under duress. She answers willingly, happily.

Her name is Ifalna. She is a Cetra. She explains the process of reading the Planet through interpretations from the earth. The Planet, she says, is in pain from a terrible wound caused by the calamity from the skies, the meteorite which formed the northern crater. The professor plans to study the crater with Ifalna's assistance.

"Our ancestors say that an entity emerged from the crater after impact," Ifalna says, her voice distorted on the aging tapes. "One with terrible powers, and the ability of mimicry. It deceived the Cetra, appearing as our brothers and sisters, our friends. The infection spread to other Cetra clans, breeding fear and madness."

"What did it want, this calamity?" Gast asks.

The woman answers, but the film is too deteriorated to understand. The salesman stops the tape and switches to a new one.

"Spooky stuff, huh?" the salesman says, shining a smile. But his audience is speechless. He presses play on the next recording.

The timestamp has advanced. The professor is asking Ifalna questions again, this time about the Planet's ability to heal. The amount of energy required, she says, is too great. It will take eons to seal the northern crater. That is why the crater remains to this day, a relic of bygone times and a scar on the Planet.

Then the tape skips. The timestamp is now several years ahead. The camera angle is less formal and handheld. The woman holds a newborn, and Gast speaks lovingly with pride. Ifalna chides him for recording this, but he says he wants to document their daughter's first days.

He's already decided on her name, he says.

"Aerith."

"Aerith," Ifalna repeats, testing the sound on her tongue. "What a beautiful name."

Tifa gasps. Shock sifts through everyone. Barret grumbles his disbelief. The tape halts. The salesman thinks he's snared their interest. He puts in the final tape.

"Now, this one does contain graphic imagery, so please be warned," he says.

Tifa's eyes are wide. She nods. "Please. We want to see."

The timestamp is only a month later. Gast and Ifalna are coddling Aerith, cooing at her and reveling in her adorable features. The baby's clear green eyes are unmistakable. Suddenly, there's a banging on the door. Ifalna gets up to answer it. She disappears off-screen. Gast kisses Aerith's forehead.

Then Ifalna cries out. "It's them!"

The view hastily retreats to a stationary position as Gast puts down the camera near Aerith's crib. The jarring angle shows him leaning over the railing to the first floor.

"Ifalna!" he calls out. She dashes upstairs, and he holds her behind him.

Shinra MPs march up, rifles raised. Gast looks all around feverishly. Then a man in a white lab coat enters.

"Simon!" Gast exclaims. "What...What do you want!?"

Hojo chuckles. "Oh, how long I had to wait for this. It took quite some time to track you down, but once I heard about your newest specimen, I simply couldn't resist."

"Specimen? You mean...Aerith?"

Ifalna sparks with anger. "I won't let you take her!"

Laughter continues from Hojo. "Cute." He snaps his fingers, and the MPs begin destroying the equipment, closing in around Gast and his family. "Don't you get it, Gast? We could advance all manner of scientific studies! You and I could achieve greatness!"

"I'm done with Shinra," Gast says. "I severed all ties!"

Hojo shakes his head. "That's not how this works." He pulls a gun. "Don't make me do this. Hand over the child."

Gast refuses. Ifalna rushes towards Aerith, but an MP intercepts. She struggles and shouts. Gast reaches for her, but Hojo stands in the way. The baby begins to cry. The MPs keep their rifles trained on Gast as Hojo goes to the crib and lifts Aerith.

"Don't you touch her!"

"This is happening," Hojo says. "Whether you like it or not."

Gast charges at him, and Hojo pulls the trigger. The bullet pops, loud and sudden. Ifalna screams.

Gast is on the floor, bleeding profusely. Right where Tifa stands now. Hojo instructs the MPs to destroy everything. Holding Aerith, he exits. A rifle stock smashes the camera into darkness.

The tape clicks off.

In the vacuous silence, Tifa can scarcely breathe. "D-Did a young woman by any chance come through here and see this?" she asks. She cannot stop seeing the blood all over the floor beneath her boots.

The salesman shakes his head. "No, nobody except for you all. Pretty incredible history, am I right? A piece of Shinra history, no less. So how about it? Are you interested?"

But he's read the room all wrong. The blonde with the broadsword says nothing and leaves. The man with the cigarette glares and mutters something vulgar. The tall, muscular guy grits his teeth and storms out. Even the bizarre doglike creature swats its fiery tail in anger. None of them are pleased. He'd been too pushy. The tapes are too graphic. Before he can recover, his audience has left, with the man in the red cape departing last.

Outside, Tifa catches up to Cloud. He's pacing, distraught. She catches his hand.

"Mimicry," he says, out of breath. "That can't be possible."

"This whole thing is a shock," Tifa agrees. "Hojo stole Aerith as a child? Remember Elmyra's story about how she found Ifalna at the train station in Midgar? She escaped from the Shinra Tower, surely!"

Barret and Nanaki nod. The revelation is incredible.

"This Hojo guy is a real piece of work!" Cid says.

Vincent concurs. Hojo had always valued scientific obsessions over any human life.

"Shinra fucked up everyone," Barret says. "That's the moral here. Poor baby Aerith. Can't imagine a child that young under Hojo's care. Ugh."

"We have to reach her before Shinra does," Tifa says. "We have to."

The importance of Aerith's safety escalates now that they know Hojo's had his hooks in her longer than suspected. Strange that Aerith never mentioned her experiences with Shinra as a child, though it is possible she was too young to remember. Or perhaps her mother's death consumed all other moments, like a glaring spotlight casting all else into darkness.

"Aerith is a tough cookie," Barret says. "She'll kick Shinra's ass if any of those Turks reach her 'fore we do. Ain't nothing we can do until morning anyways."

He's right, on both accounts. Best to head back to the hotel.

Northern lights shimmer teal across the night sky as they return to the inn. Yuffie asks what she's missed, and Cid laughs. More crazy shit, he tells her. Yuffie isn't surprised. The group splits into the two rooms. Tifa opts to stay in whichever room Cloud does. She wants to keep an eye on him.

She wakes in the middle of the night. Moonlight peels through a slit in the curtains, and Cloud stands at the window looking out, arms crossed. He notices Tifa awake and motions for her to go back to sleep. Nothing to worry about. She rolls over and does her best to do so, but he looks shaken and pale. She remains awake, listening for him to ease onto his bed, but he never does.

When at last, morning arrives, she sees his bed untouched. He's standing by her nightstand, resting down a fresh cup of hot coffee for her. He tries to smile, but she sees the exhaustion shadowing his eyes. There's a slight tremble as he brings his cup of coffee to his lips. She wants to tell him he doesn't need to hide from her, but suddenly she's not so sure she wants to see what's just beneath that surface.