A/N: Yeah, I got lazy with that last omake. I'm glad to see people reading this, even if they don't review. The completion of this story is a challenge for myself more than anything. Thanks to the two guests who've reviewed this story after it came out of the dusty box. This chapter was a bit of a risk that built on an idea that came to me during the last chapter.
This turned out to be a larger chapter than I expected. I suppose that's what happens when I run off with the plot on my own.
Final Fantasy VII – Remembrance
Chapter 13 – 天, 人, 土 (Heaven, Man, and Earth)
"You'll catch flies if you don't close your mouth soon," the brunette teased.
Vincent's mouth snapped shut as he continued to stare at the deceased girl. Aerith huffed in exasperation at this.
"Really, Vincent," She sighed. "You fell into Lifestream. You didn't think there was the smallest chance we'd get a chance to talk?"
The man frowned.
"Am I dead then?" He asked tentatively.
The young woman shook her head.
"No, you're still alive," she corrected. "As powerful as Sephiroth currently is, he still doesn't have quite as much control over Lifestream as he thinks he does. When he tried to take your energy, we managed to whisk you away before too much damage could be done."
Vincent looked confused as he looked himself over once again.
"What did he mean by 'take my energy'?" He asked in confusion. "I don't feel different."
The corners of Aerith's mouth turned downwards into a small frown.
"When Hojo implanted those demons of yours inside you, he did something that resulted in them becoming bound to you. Maybe it was blood, maybe it was Materia. Whatever the case may be their 'energies', if you will, became a part of your own body. I assume that's how you're able to transform," she explained slowly. "Sephiroth tried to weaken you by removing them. Fortunately, he wasn't completely successful."
The gunslinger's eyes widened as she gave her explanation. He turned his attention inwards.
'Chaos?' He asked worriedly.
'It's a bit quieter in here now,' came the weak reply. 'Galian and Gigas are unconscious, Hell looks like he's barely holding on, and I feel like shit.'
'Will you heal?' Vincent pressed.
'Probably?' Chaos groaned. 'We'll be out of commission for quite a while I think.'
Vincent refocused on the Cetra who was looking at him with questioning eyes.
"They survived, though they're weakened," he reported.
Aerith sighed in relief.
"We were afraid Sephiroth might've managed to kill one of them," the girl explained.
Vincent cocked an eyebrow at this.
"We?"
The girl smiled.
"Right, I didn't get a chance to introduce the place."
She stood and gestured for him to follow suit. They walked through the bland white landscape, the pink of her dress and the red of his cloak standing out against a bleak backdrop. There was no vegetation or discerning features in the landscape so it felt more like they were walking on the surface of a massive white table. In the distance, almost undetectable to the eye, was a large city built with a similarly colored material and lined in gold. It looked elegant and exuded a sense of calm, causing the gunslinger to relax ever so slightly. There were no walls. Many of the buildings near the fringe consisted of compact, two-story buildings. In a way, it reminded Vincent of the simple shell buildings they had seen back in the City of the Ancients. Past those houses, he could see taller buildings, but the clearest landmark was a tall, temple-like structure situated in the very center of the city. He turned to Aerith hoping for more information.
"This is the Promised Land, so to speak. It's really just a dimension within Lifestream. Ever since the Cetra began actively fighting Jenova, the Planet has allowed us to retain ourselves here," Aerith explained. "The majority of the Cetra monitor the Planet and its inhabitants while a select few have been focused on Jenova and Sephiroth."
Vincent paused as they neared the first group of houses.
"If I'm not dead, why am I allowed in this place?" He asked shrewdly.
The flower girl gave him a patient look.
"Special exceptions have been made. I was sent to retrieve you from the fields since I was a familiar face."
The man frowned, thinking about the various conversations he had had with both Aerith and Sephiroth.
"So the Cetra are responsible for my… vision?" He growled.
Aerith smiled apologetically.
"I image that will be discussed but, essentially, yes. I don't quite know the specifics, I only got here recently after…" she trailed off as she touched the spot where Sephiroth's broken blade had pierced her heart.
Vincent sighed and held back his frustration.
"Lead on then," he said reluctantly.
They wandered through largely empty streets towards a massive building near the center of the city. Every once in a while, they would pass a person who Aerith would greet politely. A few of them stared intently at Vincent, but he assumed it was due to his unique appearance. Interestingly enough, those leaving the central building seemed fairly tired and those heading towards it were much more alert. It wasn't hard to deduce that the central building housed the Cetra's main activities. After a bit more walking, they reached the street that lead to the front entrance. From their position on the street, Vincent could see artistic spires and sloping roofs that distinguished this building from its blockier, less imaginative neighbors. Its entryway was lined in elegantly textured columns that reminded Vincent of some of the history lessons he'd had as a child. There were a few Cetra chatting on the steps outside the building. They stared at Vincent as he passed, just like the people on the street had.
The interior of the central building was a veritable beehive of activity. The ground floor appeared to be split into four sections, one for each quadrant of the space. The left and right sides of the room contained intricate stairwells that spiraled upwards. In each corner of the room, he could see dozens of individuals dressed in simple clothes sitting in front of projections that resembled screens. They depicted various scenes around the world, ranging from the chaos ravaging different cities to the researchers scrambling to find a solution to Meteor. A large cluster of monitors were clearly reserved for the movements of Shinra. He caught a glimpse of Rufus pacing around his office before Aerith cleared her throat lightly and he continued to follow her.
"There are multiple groups here in the Nexus, each of them monitoring different aspects of the Planet be it civilization or weather patterns. They've been separated into groups throughout different floors. Every so often, delegates from each group will report their findings to the Elders," she explained as she guided him through the sea of people towards the back of the main floor. "It takes a minimal amount of energy to monitor the world, but a much larger amount to affect anything in the world. If someone feels like there's a point in which 'Divine Interference' could drastically alter the course of history for the betterment of the Planet, that person needs to petition for the energy usage."
Vincent's head was on a swivel as he tried to take in what Aerith was saying while simultaneously walking and looking around at the strange sights.
"And that wall of blank screens?" He asked gesturing towards the back.
In the far left corner of the room were dozens of seemingly inactive monitors. The only evidence that they were displaying anything was the large group of Cetra gathered in front of it, conversing and making notes on their observations.
"It's the projected future," Aerith sighed. "They keep inputting proposed models of how things should go against Sephiroth in order to prevent the end of all life on the Planet. Each failed attempt gives them more data on what went wrong. They've been working less due to Meteor's progress, but once the threat is over, they'll passively watch for catastrophic events that could end all life on the Planet."
Vincent frowned.
"That's very… clinical… of them…" he said carefully selecting his words.
Aerith sighed.
"You don't have to sugar-coat it. It's ridiculous for the Cetra to act like they're celestial beings," she muttered quietly. "There's a small group of Cetra that doesn't agree with it, but put up with it due to the impending end of humanity."
A few nearby Cetra glared at the flower girl as they caught snippets of her conversation. Vincent realized then that the Promised Land really wasn't all that it was made out to be.
"Where are we going?" He chose to ask instead.
Aerith pointed ahead to an ornate set of doors just up ahead.
"The… Elders… wish to speak with you," she answered.
The gunslinger fell silent as he wondered what was in store for him. It was now blatantly obvious that someone had pulled a lot of strings to get him an intricate and lifelike vision of the future. There was a good chance he failed his mission and was now about to be punished for it. He took comfort in the fact that Aerith was unlikely to lead him to his death and that the Cetra had apparently interfered to save him from Sephiroth. However, that gave him the uncomfortably feeling of owing them something, a position he had no wish to be in. Vincent snapped out of his thoughts as they approached the doors.
"Well, here we are, Vincent," the girl said with a smile. "Try not to get mad at them. They can be a bit frustrating to talk to."
The man swallowed hard. If a paragon of patience like Aerith was saying the Elders were difficult to deal with, there was a very good chance they would demand something of him for their 'favor'. Taking a breath, he pushed through the doors and stepped into a grand room that resembled a courtroom. Directly in front of him, twelve neutral-faced individuals sat wearing flowing white robes. A few appeared to be female, but bulky robes prevented any other discerning features. Each member of the committee in front of him had a distinctly ethereal look that he couldn't quite place. Their presence seemed to demand respect and compliance, while their faces were eerily absent of any noticeable emotions.
"You wished to speak with me?" He offered when it was apparent none of them intended on starting the conversation.
"Vincent Valentine," a bald man with a short, white beard barked out. "We, the Elders of the Cetra, have requested your presence so that we may discuss your upcoming plans for Sephiroth."
Vincent pursed his lips as they spoke. Something about the authoritative way the man was speaking didn't sit right with him.
"What of it?" He asked neutrally. "AVALANCHE will work towards stopping Sephiroth will they not?"
There was a brief murmur of disagreement throughout the bench.
"Fool," another man sneered. "Did you really think following that vision would so easily lead to a resolution? That vision was the worst possible outcome of many different futures. AVALANCHE takes too long to defeat Sephiroth and the power of the White Materia does little to slow down Meteor. All life is wiped out!"
Vincent narrowed his eyes.
"I died in that vision," he countered briskly. "There was no way for me to know the outcome. It seems like you chose the wrong person to handle this."
The man who had chastised Vincent flushed in anger and embarrassment. But before he could respond a woman on the left spoke up.
"Be that as it may, we have been… disappointed at your lack of effort to save the Planet. You seem content with letting things play out. You didn't really think what you were doing was sufficient to change history did you?"
Her voice was haughty and eerily reminded Vincent of Scarlet.
"You do realize that failure results in the death of Gaia, do you not?" Another person piped up. "The fate of this beautiful Planet lies in your incompetent hands! Perhaps you need a more… direct… method of motivation? We Elders can influence how a soul is treated after death, you know?"
Vincent rolled his eyes at the man's attempt at intimidation.
"If I'm so incompetent, why did you even pick me," he muttered under his breath.
"And on another matter, how on earth did that filthy thief wind up with the Black Materia!" Another nameless Elder demanded. "Thanks to her, now one of the minor gods has gotten involved. Do you even understand the magnitude of your failures?"
As annoying as Yuffie was, hearing her being treated like garbage still rankled him something fierce. Something finally gave and Vincent snapped.
"I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish by telling me things I have no control over. If you're done being useless, perhaps I can get back to trying to save the world?"
The coldness of his voice stopped the other conversations immediately. All eyes were on him now and none of the Elders looked pleased.
"You were given a divine gift, the gift of a vision of the future," one man replied icily.
"A vision that I couldn't see the ending of and therefore had no idea what it was supposed to mean," the gunslinger countered.
"You could've killed Lucrecia or Hojo early on, but you didn't," another one said casually. "We chose you because we believed you would be able to carry out tasks for the greater good. It seems we were mistaken."
"You're a deluded fool if you think Hojo wouldn't have simply chosen another child and created a different 'Sephiroth'," Vincent snarled. "No mere human could've beaten a Hojo enhanced by Jenova."
"You could've killed Sephiroth at North Crater. He was exposed and unprotected."
"And what would've happened to Cloud?"
"Sacrifices need to be made. You hang onto this inability to make crucial decisions. No wonder nothing is going according to plan."
Vincent put on a false smile.
"I guess that's what separates me from you, now isn't it? If we're done here, I have a Planet to save. I'll let you get back to your delusions of grandeur."
He turned and stormed out of the hall.
"Mister Valentine!" The head Cetra called out angrily.
He didn't turn back.
…
Silence reigned in the moonlit rock garden. It was eerily quiet, no insects could be heart and there was a distinct lack of rustling in the trees. Cloud Strife stared incredulously at his teammate and friend as she struggled to collect herself.
"What are you talking about?" He demanded. "You're not making any sense."
The young Wutai ninja still appeared shaken at the presence of the door, but Cloud's words seemed to jerk her out of her thoughts. Yuffie wore a strange expression on her face as she nervously swallowed. It was a mix of resignation and fear. Cloud couldn't fathom what caused this sudden change, but he didn't like it one bit.
"That…" the girl said as she pointed up at the characters written on the door, "that is the sign of Leviathan, God of the Seas. It is the divine being that watches over Wutai and…"
The girl choked up a bit as tears formed in her eyes once more.
"And the one that judges you when you die…"
Cloud felt his stomach drop.
"So are we…" he wasn't sure how to ask the question.
But Yuffie knew exactly what he was asking.
"You're not dead. You wouldn't fall under his jurisdiction," she said shaking her head. "He must be here for me…"
As soon as she said that, the doors creaked open ominously. There was a large unlit chamber ahead, so dark they could only make out a few pillars near the entrance using the artificial moon that hung above them in this strange world within Lifestream. The girl quailed at the impending darkness.
"I guess this is where we part," Yuffie said quietly. "I wanted to be with you a bit longer…"
In that instant, Cloud decided he wouldn't give her up without a fight. His hand shot out, preventing the girl from stepping inside Leviathan's domain.
"Like hell you will! Why are you being carted off into the afterlife while I get to simply leave?!" Cloud demanded. "You helped me through my problems. Now I'm going to return the favor! There's got to be something I can do. Maybe I can reason with Leviathan."
Yuffie looked a bit panicky at this.
"You can't!" She protested. "This is not something mere humans can meddle in! I…"
Her voice was cut off as a large bubble floated out of the darkness and enveloped her. With a yelp of surprise, she sank into the translucent sphere and began floating inside. As she did, the doors began to close quickly.
"HEY!" Cloud shouted. "Give her back!"
Without a second thought, he rushed inside just as the doors closed behind him. The swordsman immediately lost sight of everything.
"Give her back!" He shouted out to the void. "She doesn't deserve this!"
And suddenly, the room lit up. Torches along each painted pillar flared to life bathing the room in an eerie glow. In the distance, the bubble containing Yuffie sat in a holder resembling a dragon's claw.
"Yuffie!" The man shouted as he ran forward.
His instincts screamed out and he immediately leapt back as a massive tail crashed down in front of him. Automatically, his hand reached back and made contact with the textured grip of the Buster Sword. He was sure it wasn't there before, but there was no time to think about it at the moment. He brandished his weapon and looked up. Cloud nearly dropped the sword as he beheld the largest dragon he had ever seen. Its long, scaled body snaked around and between the pillars, leaving the head resting just above where Yuffie was being kept. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the sea god that Yuffie had mentioned. It opened its mouth and hissed.
Hero, leave this realm. Return to your mission. Do so, and I shall grant you my blessing which would more than make up for the loss of this wretched creature.
Cloud stared up at the colossal form of Leviathan. His heart was racing and he felt the overwhelming urge to flee at the mere sight of the mythical being. As it spoke, it revealed a pointed mouth full of small jagged teeth. Its body undulated menacingly, reminding him that the god could just as easily crush him with its weight. Its scales glimmered with the power of the seas, reflecting the torchlight into strange patterns across the floor. A small part of his mind wondered if this was what his enemies experienced when AVALANCHE unleashed the various Summons they had at their disposal. Regardless of the fear he felt, the choice was as clear as day.
"No."
He could feel the god staring at him, judging him. He swallowed hard and turned his head skyward to stare back at the dragon. Its golden eyes regarded him with an air of curiosity.
Why?
It asked a simple yet loaded question.
"She's my friend. I owe her too much to let you take her," Cloud responded defiantly.
There was a low rumble as Leviathan growled. He didn't sound angry at Cloud's response, but then again, the only experience the swordsman had with dragons were one that were trying to kill him. He prayed this one wasn't about to try.
How… interesting. I wonder if you would say the same if you knew who she truly was.
Cloud bit his lip as the dragon's presence pushed on his will once again. His eyes darted to the small figure sitting in the watery-bound cage. She didn't appear to be able to hear their conversation, but her head was down so he couldn't see her face. He shook his head at the dragon.
"Everyone has secrets to hide," he retorted. "I know she's a good person regardless of whatever past she had."
Leviathan let out a rumbling laugh.
Then you are a fool, Hero. This pathetic creature gave in to her greed and used her life to justify it. You would not let a murderer join your team, by would you let this one?
Cloud scowled at the god's distasteful attempt to dissuade him.
"We've all killed people in our journey. Many of whom were simply put in our paths by people in positions of power. Who am I to point a finger?"
The god chuckled again, a low rasping sound like a turbulent wave.
Killing in defense and killing through neglect and selfishness are two completely different things.
The swordsman gritted his teeth as he racked his brains for any kind of excuse.
"Whatever she did in the past, she's changed since then," he replied weakly before looking away.
He could feel the dragon's unblinking stare on him.
Interesting. You truly believe that, don't you?
Cloud stared back unflinchingly.
"I do."
The dragon rumbled again.
Then let's make a wager.
Cloud waited nervously for the god to continue.
The moment this one entered Lifestream, she fell under my jurisdiction. Even if she hasn't died yet, I dictate her return to the surface. I'll give you control of her fate if you make it through the three gates of existence within my domain. For that, you waive your right to my blessings. Originally, this would mean a significant protection against fatal injuries during your mission. By giving this up in exchange for the trials against the three gates, you will no longer receive this blessing even if you don't choose to take this one with you.
The blonde frowned.
"There's no way I'm abandoning her."
The dragon hummed.
We'll see. Are we in agreement then?
Cloud swallowed and sheathed his Buster Sword.
"Of course."
Very well.
Leviathan tilted his head back and let out a screeching roar. To his left, a gate faded into view. Upon it was the character 天. Cloud looked up at the dragon in curiosity.
To pass this gate, you will understand the Will of Heaven as it relates to the guilty.
Cloud glanced briefly at Yuffie, who he noticed had been watching him with worried eyes the entire time.
"I'll get you out of there soon," he promised as he stepped towards the gate.
With a slow grind, the doors cracked open and a stone path was illuminated. Squaring his shoulders, Cloud marched forward.
…
The great white doors slammed noisily shut behind him causing several nearby Cetra to look over at him in annoyance. He glared back at them until they looked away uncomfortably.
"They're a difficult bunch, that's for sure," a voice said lightly behind him.
He turned to find a familiar black-haired man with a cocky grin leaning against the wall.
"Zack Fair," Vincent said blankly. "What are you doing here?"
The ex-SOLDIER gestured at him to follow. As they exited the building, he noticed significantly more glares than when he had entered, this time they seemed to be directed at Zack.
"Aerith sent me to get you after you were done. She figured something like this might happen," Zack explained as they retraced a path through the busy ground floor. "You lasted longer than I did, that's for sure. They tried to interrogate me when I got here. I told them to go die in a fire."
Vincent stared incredulously at the nonchalant way the man was insulting what surely was the most powerful group among the Cetra. Those glared around them only intensified as Zack regaled him with his tale.
"How are you even here?" He chose instead to ask. "You're not Cetra."
Zack smirked.
"The Planet has a certain… fondness… for Aerith," he explained as they exited the building. "It brought me here and let me wait for her. I'll admit, I expected her much later, but it seems circumstances have only worsened since I died."
"Indeed…" Vincent mumbled.
He followed Zack down a few more indiscernible streets and into a small two-story house. How the man found his way was a miracle in itself, all of the nearby houses and streets looked exactly alike. Apparently the Cetra had put their efforts into designing their headquarters and had ignored the residential buildings altogether. The home was as simple as Vincent had been expecting with a couch situated next to a dining table and a few chairs. It was oddly Spartan as there wasn't anything else that one would find in a normal home, such as a kitchen, a fireplace, or even pictures. He figured the dead had little need for sustenance despite their odd need for periodic rest and shift changes. He pushed those idle thoughts out of his head as he noticed another person in the room. Sitting at the table inside was an older woman with a familiar looking face. Vincent pieced two and two together quickly.
"Mrs. Faremis, I presume?" He asked.
The woman smiled kindly in a manner he had seen often from Aerith.
"Ifalna is fine," she said. "I see Zack managed to get you here without any problems?"
Zack wandered over to a couch and slumped down into it.
"Nope!" The swordsman replied cheerfully. "They're too scared that they'll anger Aerith or the Planet again."
Vincent frowned at this.
"What exactly is going on here in the so-called Promised Land?" He asked curiously.
There was the sound of footsteps as Aerith descended the stairs and entered the 'kitchen' area.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "You're done early. Things didn't go well?"
Zack scoffed at this.
"What do you think?" He asked rolling his eyes. "Those fanatics have their heads so far up their collective ass it's no wonder every time they speak more shit comes out of their mouths."
"Zack!" Aerith scolded. "Language!"
Vincent raised an eyebrow at this. There was an odd mix of exasperation and fondness in Aerith's voice, something he rarely heard during their travels. It was clear the flower girl cared deeply for the man, despite whatever flaws he had. While Vincent had never met the ex-SOLDIER personally, he did know he wasn't expecting… this.
"As entertaining as arguing with religious fanatics might be, I believe we still have a very real threat to deal with," he finally said. "Perhaps you can clarify what they did to me? How has any of this come to pass?"
Aerith winced a bit at his tone.
"Let me start from the very beginning, I suppose," the girl said resignedly as she sat down at the table next to her biological mother. "The Cetra are… wanderers, nomads in a sense. But not in the traditional sense. Long ago they fled to Gaia after the planet they had been residing on was brought to ruin. They found a young planet rich with energy and a fledgling race of intelligent beings."
Vincent held up a hand.
"Wait, so you're telling me the Cetra are aliens?" He asked incredulously.
Aerith shrugged a little.
"Essentially," she replied. "When they first arrived many thousand years ago, they were a bit different than they are now. Their bodies were a bit taller, their skin a bit paler, for instance. There weren't many Cetra so they were forced to seek help from the humans. They used that interaction to push the developing humans to greater heights. Over time they gradually integrated with the humans of Gaia and helped civilization grow. Some humans and Cetras eventually had families and the two populations began to mix a bit more. Over time, newborn Cetra began to appear more like humans and less like Cetra. Other aspects remained the same however. Eye color was an obvious one."
She gestured at her vividly green eyes which Vincent now realized she shared with her biological mother.
"Another aspect was various abilities people might consider Magical in nature. For instance, all Cetra have a higher affinity for energy manipulation. It was how I was able to use Materia so readily despite having no combat experience. One important ability that was also retained was a form of foresight. It allows the wielder to glimpse the potential future, though only barely since the future in at all times reliant on an infinite number of variables."
Vincent found himself nodding dumbly as he listened to this fantastical tale.
"Through this ability, the Cetra have survived throughout time. It was that same ability that allowed so many of them to escape when their previous planet was attacked and their race was nearly driven to extinction. It was that same ability that allowed them to retaliate when the thing that destroyed their previous planet chased them to Gaia. You've already met it, of course."
The gunslinger frowned.
"Jenova," he said simply.
The girl nodded.
"It was with great luck that the gift of Foresight developed in a few individuals. Gaia was still young and the humans were in no way capable to defeating such an invader. In the face of another extinction-level event, the Cetra determined where Jenova would land and confronted her in an attempt to gain the initiative. Though many lives were lost in that battle, the Cetra were able to seal Jenova in the ice within what is now known as North Crater. You met a few of those who died in that battle today."
Vincent sighed.
"So even in death, they continued to monitor Jenova to prevent her from destroying Gaia," he reasoned. "Why are they so…"
"Stubborn? Fanatical?" Aerith gave a thin smile. "They're very old and set in their ways. And even when there is overwhelming evidence that humans are stronger than ever today, they still see humans as bumbling children that need to be supervised."
"So this dream I had?" The man prompted.
Aerith leaned back in her chair and looked up in thought.
"I found out about it shortly after we met," the girl admitted guiltily. "I often communed with the Planet and it gave me enough vague bits of information for me to come to a fairly accurate conclusion. Back when you were with the Turks, the Cetra realized that Jenova was becoming more active. Shinra was exploring more and more, which resulted in the discovery of Jenova in North Crater. In that excavation, it became obvious that humans were starting to be exposed to her… influence, so to speak. Unfortunately, there weren't many Cetra left and those that were around didn't have the power of Foresight. So the Elders borrowed energy from the Planet in order to tap into their former skills, projecting onto you a vision of a future. It was a long shot, but it seemed to work."
"Except the vision I had was apparently of the world ending even though I didn't live long enough in that vision to fully understand it," Vincent said bitterly. "Apparently I've been going too slow."
Aerith rolled her eyes slightly.
"You're doing just fine, Vincent," she sighed. "They were being dramatic because they want this entire affair to be over. Now that there's less than a month before Meteor gains enough mass and crashes into the Planet, they're getting nervous about the prospects of your mission."
Vincent sat quietly as he digested this new information. Zack appeared to have dozed off on the couch and the two women at the table patiently waited for him to speak.
"You mentioned some Cetra don't agree with how the Elders are running things here in the Promised Land?" He finally asked.
"I'll take over from here," Ifalna interrupted.
Vincent turned his attention to the older woman.
"There are some of us that think the Elders are pushing too extreme of a solution. They would've had you simply kill everyone involved if it would stop Sephiroth. While that may have been a surefire way to stop the current events from ever taking place, to some of us it felt too close to playing god with the fate of Gaia. The Elders are so dead set on preserving Gaia they don't seem to care anymore about the fate of humanity. There was also the potential that drastically altering the future could result in a completely different catastrophe involving Jenova. By blindly killing off people and crippling the military power of various factions on Gaia, we'd be in a worse position should Jenova break free at a later time."
"Yeah," Zack drawled out indicating that he was actually awake. "As much of a dick as Hojo is, his research, along with the rest of Shinra, have lead to some major developments in military power as well as general technology in the last thirty years."
"Indeed…" Vincent admitted reluctantly.
He had never actually considered it before. What would've happened if he had been able to kill Hojo? The man was single-handedly responsible for many of the scientific and technological advances introduced by Shinra. He even had a hand in aeronautics, albeit only slightly. No, by losing to Hojo all those years ago, Vincent had not only strengthened his resolve to change the future, but he had also gained four powerful entities that he could use against Hojo and eventually Sephiroth.
"How do I proceed then?" He asked after a while. "Even if the Elders' claim that I'm 'behind schedule' was merely posturing, I'd prefer if we didn't have to worry about running out of time."
Ifalna frowned as she thought. It was a small downturn of her lips that eerily resembled Aerith when she was thinking.
"It's hard to say," she admitted. "We don't have the benefit of Foresight or an army of Cetra monitoring the effects of every event on the future of Gaia. Our small group had puzzled over both this and how to relay you messages for some time. In a way, Sephiroth attacking you in Mideel ended up being to our benefit."
She paused as she stared at Vincent.
"We believe you have been doing everything you can to the best of your abilities. Bringing Tifa into the fold was a smart, if unintentional, move. You've been able to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of Jenova and Sephiroth, going as far as forcing him to attempt to remove you permanently in the fear that you might hinder their plans further. Every action those two take against you and AVALANCHE is time wasted from strengthening himself within Lifestream. That failed attempt to drain the demons from your body may actually have weakened him a bit due to the energy cost. When you return, you should continue your task of stopping Sephiroth by preparing AVALANCHE as best as you can."
Vincent sat silently as he listened to Aerith's mother lay out her plans.
"Unfortunately," she continued. "There is only so much we can predict without Foresight. The world may still end if AVALANCHE is unable to stop Sephiroth and allow for Holy to stop Meteor. We're putting our trust in you, and hope that you may move on to do what's best for Gaia and humans alike."
The gunslinger heaved a sigh.
"I see…" he mumbled slowly.
"Sorry we can't give you much more help at the moment," Aerith apologized quietly. "We're doing everything we can to keep the Elders from doing anything drastic, like influence people in power to launch all out attacks against Sephiroth. For what it's worth, I still believe you're on the right track."
Vincent nodded idly as he put together everything he had heard since arriving in the Promised Land.
"I suppose I'd better get back to work then," he sighed as he looked back at the girl. "How exactly am I going to get out of here?"
Zack winced at this. Vincent caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.
"What?" He asked worriedly.
Now Aerith was looking a bit sheepish as well.
"Well…" she drew out looking away. "We sort of have to just push you back into Lifestream…"
Vincent stared at the girl blankly, making her flush in embarrassment.
"What."
"I mean… that's how you got in, so that's how you get back…?" The girl babbled.
Silence filled the room as Vincent thought this over.
"Tell me I can at least get back to Mideel," he said firmly.
His former teammate simply lowered her head even further. Heaving a heavy sigh, the gunslinger stood from the table.
"Let's get this over with then," he groaned. "Every second counts."
…
Cloud flinched at the sudden onslaught of stimuli. The first thing that hit him was the scent of blood and gunpowder. It was slightly foreign to him as he had never been in an actual war. That had been Zack's job. The sky was clear but plumes of black smoke trailed up from various points on a wide battlefield. In the distance, he could see people fighting. He recognized the Shinra uniform and inferred the side he was standing on was that of the Wutain Army. Around him, uniformed men were shouting as they ran back and forth past an elegantly made war tent. Bleeding soldiers were dragged back to the Wutai Camp by exhausted looking medics, each wearing a look of downright hopelessness. Screams filled the air, echoing across the open field until there was nothing but a cacophony of noise. Cloud shook his head, trying to block it all out. He was uncomfortably reminded of the Nibelheim Massacre so many years ago.
[Your Eminence!]
For a brief moment, Cloud wondered why he could understand the words that were clearly being spoken in a language he did not know. Chalking it up to Leviathan's powers, the swordsman looked around and found a scout in broken armor running over. One of his arms appeared to be broken but he moved with a desperate determination. Cloud looked over to where the man was heading and gave a light gasp when he saw who the scout was yelling for.
Godo Kisaragi.
The last time Cloud had encountered the man, he had been meditating in his room. When they had spoken, he had been the picture of a weary ruler, having no doubt spent the years since the war doing everything in his power to keep Wutai from falling apart. He was calm, collected, and fairly reasonable for the leader of the once militaristic island nation. He had only become colder when they had asked if he had seen Yuffie. But even then, he had simply asked them to leave and returned to his meditation, refusing to speak any further.
That was not the man before him now.
This was Godo Kisaragi, the final bastion against Shinra globalization. This was a man who singlehandedly forced the encroaching power company to utilize its most valuable assets just to overcome significantly less enemies. Here was a man who unflinchingly ordered soldiers carry explosives so that if they were captured or fatally wounded, they could take out more of the enemy with them. Using nothing but traditional training, swords and arrows, he had overseen the creation of one of the most disciplined and cohesive armies in the world. And under his command, that army had held off against Shinra for months on end, forcing the President to even considering retreating at one point.
This was the Emperor of Wutai.
Cloud swallowed hard as he beheld the battle-hardened Emperor as the man stared past him at the incoming scout. The soldier fell to his knees, exhausted, and panted out his report.
[Exalted One, they've brought more SOLDIERs! There have been reports of General Sephiroth and his right hand man tearing through our ranks!]
Godo took this information in without any change in expression. He turned steely gray eyes towards the battlefield just in time to see another Materia-induced explosion roar out across the ruined land. For a moment, Cloud almost thought the man would order his soldiers to fight to the death. Even against such overwhelming odds, those eyes still held an ironclad sense of defiance and resolve. However, after watching the smoke drift across the field for a moment longer, he finally closed his eyes.
[Sound the retreat. We cannot continue to throw lives at an endless number of enemies.]
A few aides standing nearby glanced nervously at each other before nodding and leaving to carry out their orders. One of the men left behind turned nervously to his Emperor.
[Sir? What should I tell the council in Wutai?]
Godo stared at the man for a moment before looking back out onto the battlefield.
[Tell them Wutai has lost the war.]
The aide hesitated for a moment before nodding and running off. Godo continued to watch as the men he had addressed ran out to the battlefield to convey his orders. It was a strange experience, watching the man who was renowned for his military prowess and stubbornness finally surrender to a foe who was unwilling to give up. Cloud stood there, waiting nervously until the Shinra troops finally approached the Emperor's tent.
Do you know what happened?
Cloud jumped as the deep voice rumbled near his ear. He turned to find a smaller version of Leviathan hovering near his shoulder. There was no doubt in his mind this was merely a projection of the god and that the divine being was not actually in the memory with him. The god's voice was still deep and commanding despite its current size.
"Godo surrendered the war. Shinra subdued its loudest critic. I learned about it while I was training," Cloud responded blandly.
But it was much more than that. Wutai prided itself for its military prowess and dedication to a traditional way of life. Their lifestyle was in a way their tribute to me as their god. For Godo to choose surrender over an unwinnable war would've required a sacrifice known only to the oldest generation. He surrendered so that Wutai may survive, regardless of how that made him look on the global political scene.
Cloud nodded absently as he watched Godo surrender to Sephiroth, who was at the time acting as the voice of Shinra. A part of him clenched painfully as he saw the silver-haired man, but he quickly shook his head reminding himself it was only a memory. As the shock faded, so did the memory. Cloud looked over to the dragon questioningly, but the god continued staring straight ahead. As the memory faded back in, he found himself watching a young girl running through the streets of Wutai. It was clearly Yuffie, though she didn't seem to be wearing any combat gear like he was used to seeing. The girl rushed into a large manor-sized building, stopping only briefly to kick off her shoes. Her bare feet rang out as she ran across well cleaned wood tiling. She reached her destination and wrenched the sliding door aside.
[What the hell, old man?!] She hissed dangerously.
Inside was a familiar sight. Godo sat meditating at his bed, eyes closed and barely breathing. The man looked older now, there were streaks of white in his hair. While it was slight, he sighed in exasperation as his peace was interrupted.
[Did you need something, Daughter?] He asked calmly without opening his eyes.
The girl's eyes flashed dangerously.
[You know damn well what I'm here for! You moved all my stuff to a storage room on the other side of town!]
At this, Godo's eyes opened slowly, glaring at his daughter as he did so.
[You said you wanted nothing to do with this household, so I merely did as you asked. You can now enjoy life being as far separated from this 'pathetic nation' as possible.]
There was a crunch as Yuffie's hand smashed the intricate bamboo lattice that made up half of the sliding shoji door.
[Don't bullshit me, you coward! You just couldn't stand someone who looks like Mom telling you what a failure you were!]
The room dropped several degrees. Even through the memory, Cloud shuddered at the stare Godo gave his daughter.
[Do not insult Kasumi by comparing yourself to her,] he said flatly. [She would be ashamed that her daughter inherited so little sense.]
Yuffie reddened in anger. As she opened her mouth to retort, Godo cut her off.
[Leave.]
Her mouth snapped shut as she stared at her father.
[Your presence here taints the very soul of Wutai.]
In a blind rage, Yuffie hurled several small throwing stars at Godo who dodged them with ease.
[Me?! Taint Wutai?!] Yuffie screamed. [Who's the one who refused to negotiate with Shinra?! Who's the one who fought back like a rabid dog until he was forced to see his failures?! Who's the one who caused Mom to die?!]
Her voice rang out in the silence. She glared hatefully at Godo.
[I hope you die soon, because when you do, I'll be able to bring Wutai back into its former glory.]
She stormed off without another word. Cloud took a breath, then blinked and closed his mouth, not realizing he had spent the entire encounter in shock.
Do you know what every child born in Wutai is taught from an early age?
Cloud turned sharply in surprise as Leviathan broke the scene. Godo faded from view and Cloud was left standing in an empty room.
"No, what's that?" He asked cautiously.
Respect those who brought you into the world and respect their efforts to provide for you.
Cloud pursed his lips at him.
"Godo sent her to live on the very edge of town," he said calmly. "I've seen her house. No caring father would have done that."
The dragon turned to face him.
Even if it was to save his relationship with his daughter?
The swordsman scrunched up his face in confusion.
"Save?" He asked, perplexed. "How does that even make any sense?"
This was not an isolated case of disrespect, Hero. By relocating her, he hoped the distance would calm her temper. This he prayed for continuously during his daily routine of prayer and meditation. But day after day, that child would listen to those disgruntled by Lord Godo's decisions, bitter grumblings of battle-hardened survivors who thought that with the right strategy Wutai would've won the war.
"So it was the fault of those soldiers that she turned out like this?" Cloud interrupted.
He was beginning to feel a sense of anger and protectiveness at the god's repeated insults to his friend. Unfortunately, being within the god's own realm made him rather vulnerable should he anger the Divine beast. The god seemed to take his outburst in stride though.
No, she merely used those complaints as an excuse to lash out like the spoiled child she was. Shinra does not represent a peaceful nation, you know this yourself. War was inevitable. Those who died for Wutai died knowing what they were fighting for, but some who survived fooled themselves into the idea that the outcome of the war could've been any different. The people knew this, yet they fought for their ideals. By blaming her father for her grievances, she disrespected her family. By latching onto those veterans' grievances, she disrespected Wutai. Through this she insulted the Will of Heavens.
"How can you just condemn her like this?" The swords man argued angrily. "Surely you can see how her father played a role as well!"
Now Leviathan turned to glare at him. The golden eyes seemed to pierce right through him, sending a small shiver down his spine. But the god continued to speak in that same magnanimous tone it had been using since they started viewing the memory.
When Shinra came, Wutai fought to remain independent, to retain its traditions and lifestyle. When Wutai lost, the Emperor took it upon himself to preserve what little remained of his broken empire. A foolish leader would have put his own desire to retain tradition at the cost of his people's wellbeing. By doing what he did, he prevented Wutai from being wiped out completely. By bowing his head, he ensured that Wutai would rise again in the future. Would you trust a child to keep my nation alive? This is the Will of Heavens, Hero, the concept that those chosen to lead must strive to uphold the soul of Wutai through all its trials. Through those repeated actions, she insulted not only the gods responsible for the existence of Wutai, but the people who continue to believe in Wutai as it struggles through the modern day.
"People change!" Cloud shouted. "By damning someone without letting them correct their mistakes, you eliminate any chance of them doing any good for the world!"
You do realize you are defending a thief by trade?
Leviathan sounded mildly amused at Cloud's outburst. The man growled at the mocking undertone.
"If you've truly been watching her, then you'd know how much she's changed since joining AVALANCHE," he snarled. "I, no, WE trust her to have our backs in the fight against Sephiroth."
Even when she tried to steal the very tools that would help you fight the Tainted One?
"She… she apologized for that," Cloud stumbled slightly. "Besides she merely wanted help in making Wutai more than a tourist trap!"
The man flinched when the god suddenly burst into a mocking laughter, its deep voice booming out in the room.
All for the sake of Wutai? More insults to the Will of Heaven. You have much to learn, Hero.
A glow caused Cloud to turn towards the door Yuffie had smashed. In its place was another shoji door of a different design. Printed on the paper screen was the character 人. Cloud looked over at the dragon.
"The next trial, then?" He asked still not quite letting go of his anger towards the god.
Indeed. In her selfishness, the guilty disregarded the Will of Man, that which binds every living being together regardless of their origin.
"This is about her thefts isn't it?" Cloud asked with a frown.
Leviathan didn't answer, merely looked pointedly at the glowing door. With an unhappy expression on his face, Cloud stepped forward and pushed the door to the side. He paused for a second in surprise as he found himself staring into a forest. Stepping through, he felt the air change from the humid climate of Wutai to a cooler, drier environment. In the distance, he saw Yuffie once again. This time she was dressed in battle garb and was accompanying another person. The swordsman jogged for a bit and caught up to the pair as they sauntered through a rarely traveled path, judging by the overgrown flora.
"I still can't believe someone so young offered to escort me to Junon," the man said with a laugh. "But I really needed to get this delivery done."
Yuffie's face remained blank. Cloud shuddered slightly upon seeing such a change in Yuffie's demeanor. There was a grim determination in her eyes and her body was tense, ready to move. In a way, it reminded him a bit of Godo when he was commanding troops to surrender. The man she was traveling with blathered on carelessly.
"Where did someone so young learn to fight like that?" He asked idly.
"Training," the girl grunted out simply. "Since I was young."
"Younger than you are now?" The man joked with a light chuckle. "Well, so long as you can handle yourself, I should be able to fend off any wild animals with your help."
The ninja princess gave a curt nod as she continued to walk. Cloud followed them, an uneasy knot forming inside his stomach. The man tried at conversation a few more times, but as they moved deeper into the forest, it became necessary to remain quiet lest they attract unwanted attention. The pair continued through the heart of the forest, heading in the direction of Junon. Occasionally, Yuffie would attack some wild beast or other, driving them off or killing them depending on how aggressive they were. The man hardly had a chance to contribute as the young ninja efficiently went about her job. Time passed and Cloud began to wonder just how long this memory was supposed to be. Eventually, the trees did begin to thin out and soon the two travelers stepped out into a grassy plain.
"Well I'll be damned," the man said impressed. "That's the fastest I've ever been through that forest."
"Good," Yuffie said tonelessly. "You'll be fine until Junon, then."
The man made to say something but the girl took that chance to attack. She blurred and sank her foot into the man's stomach. He lost his breath in a great whoosh of air as he doubled over. Before he could react, Yuffie was already in motion, stunning him with a blow to the back of his neck. The trader collapsed limply to the dirt. Without a second thought, the girl hoisted his pack and began walking away.
"Wait…" the man wheezed out groggily. "I… I need that… I…"
He lost his grip on consciousness and his head hit the dirt once more. With nary a second glance, Yuffie fled the scene of the crime and vanished into the forest. Cloud swallowed hard as he stared at the unconscious man.
"She just… left him there…" he muttered.
Of course. This was her way. This was how she saw her fellow man, as simply targets through which she could profit.
Cloud shook his head stubbornly but couldn't think of anything to say to justify Yuffie's actions.
"What… what happened to him?" He asked weakly.
This man was simply fired for his failed delivery and charged for the loss of the Materia. It forced him and his family into poverty.
"How is that 'simply'?" Cloud wondered.
At least he was alive.
Cloud felt that knot in his stomach turn to ice.
"She didn't…" he stopped as the dragon stared at him.
She did.
And the scene changed once more. This time Yuffie was seen limping through the woods, her leg and head bleeding slightly. Her clothes were torn from her journey through the forest and her iconic oversized shuriken was missing. She was breathing hard as she leaned against a nearby tree to rest.
"Come out you slant-eyed whore!" A voice rang out behind them.
Cloud whirled in anger as his eyes scanned the trees in the distance. In the distance, a particularly overweight man was crashing through the underbrush with all the grace of a lumbering hippo. He had an automatic machine gun in one hand as the other pushed aside branches in anger. He caught sight of the fleeing girl and opened fire. Yuffie flung herself to the side as the bullets buried themselves in the tree trunk where her head had just been resting. She tumbled for a few feet before pushing herself to her feet with a groan. Looking up, she froze. Her pursuer was standing several paces away, gun aimed at her chest.
"You're gonna pay for tricking me, brat!" The man snarled as he advanced with his gun trained on the injured girl. "I'm gonna make you beg for death before I'm through with you…"
He sighted down the barrel of his weapon and pulled the trigger.
"NO!" Yuffie screamed in desperation as she flung several throwing stars towards the man.
While the she managed to deflect a few bullets, the rest of the burst remained unhindered. She let out scream as several of the remaining bullets tore through her left arm, easily piercing her armguard. She fell to the ground whimpering as she clutched her injured arm. The man approached with a leer but stopped as a second sound joined the girl's soft cries. A low growl echoed from behind him. His eyes widened as he turned just in time to see a large alpha wolf surge from the bushes. It crouched for half a second before lunging, knocking the weapon out of the man's hands and sending him sprawling. Cloud could see a gash across its forehead where a throwing star must have grazed it. The wolf snarled and several other wolves exited the underbrush, surrounding the two. At this time, Yuffie seemed to have gotten her pain under control and she leapt up, grabbing a branch with her good arm before swinging herself higher to safety. What should've been an effortless motion now left her out of breath and in an immense amount of pain. Out of reach of the wolves, she leaned against the tree trunk with a ragged sigh.
"H-Hey! Help me up!"
The girl's eyes opened and she stared down at the man incredulously. He had rushed over to the trunk of the tree away from the approaching wolves. However, his girth and lack of nimbleness was preventing him from scaling the tree.
"Help me up and I'll forget this even happened!" The man called up as he raised his hands.
The girl closed her eyes momentarily and took a breath. Then she opened them and turned away. Cloud watched as the man's face paled drastically.
"Wait! I'm sorry!" The big man screamed. "Come back! Please!"
Cloud watched through the trees as the wolves prowled closer, forming a semi-circle around the man.
"Please… PLEASE!"
Yuffie fled as the alpha wolf snarled out a command. The man's screams echoed through the forest as he was set upon by the beasts. The girl simple squeezed her eyes shut and ran faster.
I wonder, Hero, how you will justify these actions?
Cloud took a shuddering breath and unclenched his fists. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart, but he could still see that callous look on the girl's face as she abandoned the man to the wolves. He could feel the god gazing at him, judging him.
"When she first joined us, I asked myself 'what would've happened if we hadn't been able to fight her?' She was strong and very well trained, that much was obvious. If we hadn't all had combat experience and outnumbered her, she might've easily robbed us blind."
You've seen what happened to those who can't fight. You've seen what happened to those who tried.
"The man was trying to kill her," Cloud said half-heartedly.
Yes, after all travelers were warned about attacks by thieves in the forest. Her wiles could only get her so far. She inevitably met someone who could fight back to some degree. It was through good fortune she was able to escape. The man was hardly as lucky.
Cloud sighed and finally opened his eyes again. The forest clearing had been emptied; any sign of a wolf attack had vanished. Leviathan floated nearby, its golden eyes fixated on him unblinkingly, waiting.
"Yes, I know what she did was unforgiveable. Since the moment she joined us until the first time we visited Wutai, she had been planning on robbing us blind. She likely knew the location of the Shinra patrols and figured it would be easy to get rid of us while escaping with our Materia," Cloud said grimly.
And yet, you let her back into your group, knowing full well she may next try to slit your throats while you sleep?
The man clenched and released his hands momentarily.
"She changed since joining us, I've already said it. Initially, she would barely talk to us and whenever she did, it would be with this false cheery persona. It fooled almost everyone, even me. It wasn't until Aerith mentioned it to me offhand once that I began to see it more often. I didn't want to force the issue; many of us have secrets we don't want the others to know. But over time, she seemed to become more comfortable with us, even initiating conversations more frequently. After what happened in Wutai, I couldn't help feeling like she truly believed what she was doing was right. I found myself trusting her even more. Crazy, right?"
The dragon merely watched him.
"She kept saying it was 'for the good of Wutai' or 'for the restoration of Wutai'."
Indeed. That insult to the Will of Heaven led her to disregarding the Will of Man.
Cloud gritted his teeth and pushed on.
"But why? If Wutai is as traditional as you said it was, she must've been taught these tenants as a child. Why would she do these things if she knew they were wrong? What caused her to become so convinced what she was doing was for the good of Wutai? Why did she think that amassing Materia of all things would help Wutai become anything more than a large target for Shinra? If Shinra caught wind that Wutai was actively building up a sizeable army again, they would've crushed Wutai before it had a chance to retaliate! Wutai would've been destroyed!"
The dragon rumbled in response.
And therein, Hero, lies the crux of the matter, does it not?
"You know don't you?" Cloud suddenly accused, his eyes narrowed. "In your omniscience regarding Wutai, there's no way you don't know the answer. There's no way you don't know what she's been through and her reasons."
The god laughed softly. This time he sounded almost impressed.
How insightful of you, Hero. You state the obvious, however. These trials are not for my sake, after all. However, what would you knowing change? What excuse could possibly justify such treatment of strangers?
Cloud was silent for a long time as he considered the dragon's words. Why did he want to know? While he trusted Yuffie to help them in battle, what would happen afterwards? Leviathan had clearly stated its displeasure at her actions and her relationship with Wutai was tentative at best. If the members of AVALANCHE went their separate ways once Sephiroth was defeated, where would she go? Would she simply resume her former life?
"Ah…" Cloud muttered suddenly. "I want to know if I can still help her become a better person."
His statement was met by silence as Leviathan rumbled idly.
Do you know why the people of Wutai follow the three core tenants of Heaven, Man, and Earth?
Cloud shook his head slowly, simply waiting for the god to continue.
The Will of Heaven instills a sense of respect for the gods and those who protect Wutai. The Will of Man encourages understanding for those who live alongside you. The Will of Earth reminds us that our ancestors are watching over us.
A third and final door shimmered into view in thin air, this time printed with the character 土. Cloud looked to Leviathan for permission to continue.
Through these three tenants, those under my watch represent Wutai. Do you truly wish to know why that girl's actions disgraced the Will of Earth?
The blonde swallowed as he stared at the ominous door. Beyond that was the last portion of what Leviathan wanted to show him. He wasn't about to stop now.
"I do," he said firmly as he pushed the door open and walked through.
He was back in the Royal Palace again. This time, a much younger Yuffie was seen running through dimly lit halls. The moon peeked in through the windows and there was the soft chirp of crickets in the distance. The child rushed noisily over to a door. Then she caught herself and knocked lightly before bursting in like she was originally going to do.
[Come in,] a soft and melodic voice rang out.
Yuffie pushed the sliding door aside with two hands and Cloud was treated to the sight of Yuffie's mother. Neither she nor Godo spoke much about the woman in the present day, but he had managed to get her name from Yuffie in an offhand manner a while back. Sitting there in the dim moonlight, Cloud could now see where Yuffie got most of her features from. Kasumi was a beautiful woman in every way. Her jet black hair flowed gently across thin shoulders, tracing a well developed body. Her eyes were a steely grey, much like Yuffie's, but they were rounder and gentler. Her nose fit perfectly on her face and her pale lips curved up in a natural smile. But Cloud could tell that beauty was diminished. Those lips were just a shade too pale and her skin seemed almost white in the dim lighting. There were shadows under those kind eyes that spoke of an exhaustion not remedied by sleep. The tiny figure of Yuffie ran over and hugged her mom, sniffling as she did.
[I don't like training,] the child said petulantly.
The young woman hugged her daughter gently.
[Your father is only looking out for you. We live in dangerous times,] she replied softly, her voice musical and pristine.
Yuffie buried her head in her mother's chest.
[He's never around anymore, he's always off arguing with Shinra,] the girl groused.
Her words were slightly muffled by the sleeping gown Kasumi was wearing.
[He carries a heavy burden, a burden you'll one day inherit,] came the ever patient response.
The girl shook her head.
[I don't wanna…]
The woman smiled sadly and hugged her daughter again.
[You should go sleep,] she ushered. [You're meeting with Shake in the morning right?]
The girl wriggled a bit before worming her way into her mother's blankets.
[I wanna stay with you tonight,] the child said stubbornly.
Kasumi smiled in resignation as she lay down as well. Yuffie immediately curled up next to her mother. After a few moments, the young woman spoke.
[Yuffie, when I'm gone, you'll need to be brave, okay?] She said softly.
The child's eyes widened in fear.
[But you've been getting better!] Yuffie protested. [You're taking your medicine, right?]
Kasumi smiled lightly.
[Of course,] she replied.
From Cloud's point of view, it was clear that Kasumi was merely telling her daughter what she wanted to hear.
[But my heath has never been the best,] she continued. [The doctors don't think I'll live past thirty-five even if I get over this illness.]
The young girl's face fell. Kasumi stroked her hair calmingly.
[Even if I am gone, I will always watch over you,] she said in an attempt to soothe her daughter's worries. [Leviathan will guide me in death as he has done in life.]
[He shouldn't take you away then,] the child growled angrily.
Kasumi continued to pat Yuffie's head.
[Promise me you'll look after your father when I'm gone?] The woman implored. [He often gets so caught up in his work that he forgets to relax.]
[That's cuz he's too busy doing things for the sake of Wutai.] Yuffie grumbled. [He should be home with you…]
[Yuffie…] Kasumi sighed.
[Fine…] the girl sullenly promised.
Kasumi shifted a bit to look at Yuffie.
[You've grown so much in these last couple years. You're going to be a beautiful woman when you're older,] she commented idly.
Yuffie blushed in embarrassment.
[Only because you're so pretty,] she mumbled.
The young woman leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead.
[I know you'll make me proud,] she said with confidence.
The child responded by hugging her mother tightly again.
[Sleep now,] Kasumi said gently. [You have much to do tomorrow.]
Yuffie nodded as sleepy eyes slowly drifted shut. The memory shifted around Cloud as the night passed. The young girl woke early as children naturally do. Sunlight was filtering in through the windows, illuminating the moderate room. The girl stretched and rubbed her eyes sleepily.
[I'll be back later, mom,] the girl whispered and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.
Then she froze. Cloud's heart clenched painfully, already guessing what had happened.
[M-Mom?] Yuffie choked out softly.
The girl shook her mother lightly and received no response. There was no loud outburst or dramatic weeping. The small girl merely buried her head in her late mother's side and cried silently. Cloud closed his eyes and turned away. When he opened his eyes the scenery had changed once again. He was now standing several paces away from a funeral. Much of Wutai had shown up and the people were seated quietly as a monk recited prayers for the deceased. Off to a side, Cloud spotted Yuffie sitting on a cushion, her face blank. Once the service was over, the people stood and lined up to pay their respects and give the relatives their condolences. Cloud watched as Yuffie looked around briefly. Her face grew pinched as she excused herself from the person that had been speaking to her. Cloud followed as she returned to the Royal Palace, making a beeline for her father's study. She burst into the room noisily.
[Daughter,] the Emperor greeted tonelessly.
He was standing at the window, staring out into the city. Between him and Yuffie a short, wide desk was covered with battle plans and missives. Her face soured further upon seeing the papers.
[People are looking for you,] she said stonily.
[I have much to do,] Godo replied without missing a beat.
The girl's tiny fists clenched by her sides.
[This is mom's funeral.]
[There will be time for mourning afterwards.]
Yuffie took a shaky breath.
[You're still planning on fighting,] the girl observed.
Her father nodded his head once without looking at her.
[Why didn't you just surrender to Shinra?] Yuffie asked quietly.
Godo gave a light sigh before turning around. As he saw his daughter, there was a brief flash of emotion that was quickly quashed.
[You know why,] he replied monotonously. [Wutai can never capitulate to such a cowardly foe.]
The girl's head was now bowed, her shoulders trembling.
[But… they have much better supplies… things that we can't produce here,] she whispered.
[Wutai is a proud nation that will not accept help from bloodied hands,] Godo replied.
Yuffie looked up now, her eyes filled with anger and her face twisted in rage.
[WAS MOM WORTH YOUR STUPID PRIDE?!] The young girl screamed before fleeing the room in tears.
Godo's face was an emotionless mask, but Cloud could see now how deeply his daughter's words had cut into him. The man closed his eyes and slowly sank into a meditative position. A few stragglers came by the palace to pay their respects, having deduced where their Emperor was, but he merely waved them off diplomatically. Soon, the funeral drew to a close and Godo left to join the pallbearers in moving Kasumi's body to her final resting place in a small garden beside the palace. Over the next few days, Yuffie never once showed her face. Eventually though, the memory began to fade. Cloud stood there silently long after the people had vanished leaving Wutai empty.
"So she blamed Godo for not submitting sooner to Shinra's demands in exchange for Materia to help save his wife?" The swordsman shook his head sadly. "Shinra would never have agreed to help. The war was a show of strength. They didn't want anything from Wutai but their subservience."
Grief does not follow reason, Hero.
The man took a shuddering sigh.
"So by disregarding her mother's last request, she dishonored the deceased or something like that?" Cloud finally ventured.
And in doing so brought shame upon the Will of Earth, for all life returns to the Planet. It is both the beginning and the end. Even I will someday fade back into the energy of Gaia when there is no longer a nation to watch over.
Cloud nodded idly as he attempted to sort through the many hardships of his friend's life. After a while, he turned back to the dragon.
"So… what now?" He asked feeling a bit foolish.
Now you choose.
The god said nothing more and simply stared at Cloud.
"I'm not changing my decision if that's what you're asking," the swordsman said firmly.
Indeed. If you had chosen to abandon her, I may have struck you down for it, Hero or not.
"Why do you keep calling me that anyway," Cloud groused.
The god seemed to be poking fun at him. He couldn't help wonder how those memories were supposed to affect his decision. Leviathan didn't answer his question, but continued on as if the blonde hadn't spoken at all.
You carry a heavy burden, Hero, but your comrades help lighten that load. History has its eyes on you whether you like it or not, but I believe you will see your mission through efficiently.
A door marked with Leviathan's symbol shimmered into view. It was easy to guess that this lead back to the main hall of Leviathan's temple.
Yuffie Kisaragi will be an asset to you. Her crimes are extensive, but she is repentant. So long as she stays with your group, perhaps she may one day redeem herself.
Cloud nodded and stepped through the doorway. A nervous looking Yuffie was standing a few feet away waiting for him. He quickly rushed over and hugged the girl.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.
The girl nodded into her chest before pushing away a bit.
"What… what did he show you?" She asked timidly.
Cloud looked down at her. She looked especially small and vulnerable in that moment. He sighed lightly.
"Everything," he said simply.
Yuffie winced at that.
"So… I guess this is goodbye then?" She all but whispered.
Cloud tightened his grip on the girl.
"Not a chance."
She looked up in surprise.
"But…" she started before being cut off.
"We still got a Planet to save," he gave a small grin. "And besides, what kind of person would I be if I went back on my word?"
The girl looked a bit confused.
"Your… word?" She asked.
"I promised to help you fix Wutai did I not?" He reminded her.
Yuffie looked away.
"But… that was…"
The swordsman turned the girl's head back towards his.
"I know," he said gently. "We'll just have to go about it in a different way then."
Tears welled up in Yuffie's eyes before she collided with his chest again, burying her face in his shirt. As the girl cried, Cloud looked up to find Leviathan watching them idly. The dragon seemed pleased, though how he knew it, Cloud couldn't say.
I will leave her fate in your hands, Hero. Guide her well, for if she ever falls to her former ways, I will come for here. And if I am forced to appear before her before her time, I will not grace her with this mercy again.
Cloud swallowed hard and hugged the trembling girl closer to him. The next moment, the temple had fallen silent as Leviathan's presence vanished. He turned down to the girl he held in his arms.
"Yuffie?" He asked softly.
The girl sniffled a bit before pushing away.
"I'm sorry you got dragged into this," she mumbled quietly.
The man frowned before tilting her head up to look him in the eyes.
"I'm not," he said firmly. "I was able to learn a lot more about you. Honestly, knowing your past makes me trust you even more now."
The young princess wiped her eyes roughly and took a few breaths.
"Well…" she started. "I suppose it's only fair. I learned quite a bit about you as well, didn't I?"
Cloud smiled gently.
"I suppose so."
As they stood there taking comfort in each other's presence, the temple of Leviathan began to rumble lightly. The two looked around to find the walls gradually fading back to a familiar green. Each individual stone that made up the walls crumbled away into nothingness as they began to float once again.
"Maybe we'll get out this time," Yuffie said quietly.
They were beginning to rise noticeably now.
"Seems like it," the man replied looking up.
Above them was simply light. The green of Lifestream faded into an inviting portal that was drawing them closer with every second.
"Hey Cloud?" Yuffie asked as they rose.
The man made a noise to indicate he was listening.
"If we have a chance, can we stop by Wutai again? There's something I want to do there," she looked a bit nervous.
"Godo?"
"Kinda. I think I'm ready to face the old man now."
Cloud nodded.
"We'll see if we can make time for it," he replied. "If not, we'll do it after we beat Sephiroth."
They were nearing the light now and it was becoming harder to see. Despite that, Yuffie was smiling slightly. A genuinely happy smile unlike any expression she had made during their journey thus far. And in Cloud's mind, that in itself made the entire journey into Lifestream worth every agonizing minute.
"I'll hold you to that, Cloud," the girl said with a tiny grin.
And with that, the pair gently floated out of Lifestream.
…
Meanwhile, a certain cloaked gunman was experiencing his own departure from Lifestream.
"You're joking."
Nearby, Ifalna was watching with a slightly amused look on her face. Zack was grinning widely and Aerith was looking extremely guilty. The four of them were standing at the edge of what looked to be a massive cliff that dropped down into infinite whiteness. Vincent turned to stare at his former teammate again.
"How does this make any sense?" He asked blandly. "I have to fall in order to climb up out of Lifestream? Just where the hell is this Promised Land even located?"
Aerith's face was as pink as her dress as she stammered out a reply.
"It's… well… that's just how it is… I think?" She ended quietly.
Vincent pointed accusingly at the girl.
"There it is again! Do you even know where this leads?" He growled in annoyance.
Aerith gave a shaky smile.
"Out?"
Vincent opened his mouth again only to gape dumbly as Aerith gave him a very uncharacteristic shove.
"Sorry! Good luck!" She shouted as he plummeted into the emptiness.
He couldn't believe it. Sweet, kind Aerith had pushed him off a cliff without a hint of hesitation. His thoughts quickly turned to panic as he felt his senses fading as he continued to fall. Then his sight dimmed and he saw a flash of green before everything went dark. Next thing he knew, he was awake again and very much under water. He flailed in confusion for a second before pushing his way towards the light filtering in from above. Moments later, his head broke the surface and he took in a massive gulp of air. He looked around blearily, his wet hair distorting his vision.
He was in the City of the Ancients.
As he floated there in the calm lake beneath the city, only one thought passed through his shocked mind.
"The PHS isn't waterproof…"
…
A/N: Oof. That turned out a lot longer than I expected. On a side note, I fiddled around with the timing of the Wutai War and Yuffie's birth. I may have shifted the war forward by a few years because I figured having a kid when you're the commander of an army wouldn't be the smartest idea, especially for someone who clearly cared about his wife. I made it so that Yuffie was born a bit before the war and was maybe five or six when Wutai fought and lost.
Let me know your thoughts on this completely canon-free chapter.
…
Omake 13:
Vincent followed the black-haired ex-SOLDIER out of the Cetra's central building. Zack gestured fervently as he turned into a small alleyway.
"Well?" He asked in expectation.
"Well what?" Vincent replied in confusion.
"Is it true?" Zack continued, once again giving no information on what he was referring to.
"What on earth are you talking about?" The gunslinger sighed in annoyance.
"The orgies, man! Did you see them? Did they mention them? Did they offer you a place as a reward?!" The ex-SOLDIER asked edging closer with each successive question.
"What."
If Vincent cared to look closely, he might have seen an unholy light gleaming within the unstable man's eyes.
"They've got a room, man!" Zack pointed wildly back at the main Cetra Headquarters. "They've got a room where they have orgies!"
Vincent's stare was that of a man who no longer understood how the world worked anymore. The black-haired man continued on with no regards to the other man's increasingly dead look.
"Oh, they like to put on a show for the newbies. The whole 'we're superior beings' deal is good and all. But behind closed doors?" Zack flapped his arms wildly. "Crazy parties! I guarantee it! I mean, do you KNOW how old they are?! You'd think several millennia would make them age a bit, but those women are FINE, if you know what I'm saying!"
Vincent simply stared at a point on the far wall, wondering if maybe it was a good thing that Jenova might destroy this world.
"And you know what they say. With age comes wisdom," Zack nodded sagely. "Who knows what kind of freaky things they come up with in those secret orgy rooms! And Aerith is the Planet's favorite! So I bet they treat her like a queen in there!"
Someone cleared their throat. The alleyway seemed to drop a few degrees.
"Something you wanna tell me, sweetie?"
Zack froze, a look of unadulterated horror on his face. Slowly, he turned to find a smiling Aerith standing at the other end of the alleyway. She strode forwards, her boots echoing loudly in the confined space. The former SOLDIER seemed to be petrified as he trembled where he stood. In no time at all, the brunette had approached the man and grabbed his hand in a deceptively strong grip.
"Let's have a little talk, shall we?"
Almost mechanically, Zack allowed himself to be dragged out of sight.
Then the screams started.
Vincent stared blankly up at the heavens.
"Ah… the sky is so white…"