Author's Note: Congratulations! You have reached the end! I'd like to thank those who have supported me through this little project for poking and prodding me onward. I couldn't have managed it without ya! Lots of love, ya'll!!!! ^.^
Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own…Like my nice fluffy blanky that I like to cuddle! ^.^
Epilogue…
Birth, life and death come and go in a never ending circle. It is something that will never change, especially if each heart is bound to the Lifestream…
498 years later…
Standing upon a cliff overlooking a metropolis over taken by vegetation and life, a graying-red wolf like beast unleashes a roar that reverberates across the blessed land. At his flanks, are his descendents, both quite young and curious about the world they live in.
From the depths of the forest, first emerges a man with spiky blond locks and brilliant green eyes. He glances up to the visitors and waves.
"Hey, Red! What's up?" he called and the graying beast leaps down to greet him.
"Senkai…I trust you've been well these past 500 years?"
"Actually, it's been like…" the blond began as he ticked off his fingers. "Almost 496 years for me."
He grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, then glanced at the cubs at Red XIII's side.
"Oh…Great Grandchildren further down the line, huh?" he mused and Red XIII nodded.
"Of course…Are the others around? I was hoping the boys would get to meet the so called 'Five Guardians'. Consider it an educational field trip."
Senkai snorted and laughed.
"Isn't it always? Well, hold on."
He turned away briefly and from his own throat came a roar that matched the thunder.
The cubs looked at him in surprise and one piped "Grandfather, he sounds like you!"
"Yes, yes, yes. You see, his mother, the one we call the Great Spirit or Goddess of the Lifestream, bore Senkai and within him, resides the past soul of the one called Shibuki."
Suddenly, a song like chirping rang out from the sky and a blonde woman dropped from the sky. She adjusted her light blue sundress and waved.
"You called brother, dear?" she chattered excitedly. Senkai put his hands behind his head and smiled smugly.
"We got ourselves another batch of young'uns…Er, Katanna…where are the others?"
"Present…" called out a soft spoken masculine voice.
From the bushes stepped forth a silver wolf and before everyone's eyes, this one transformed into another spiky haired youth, but this one's eyes were a lovely sky blue.
"Okay, Haru and Katanna are, so where are Zeek and-"
"YAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! HANG ON SANO!!!!!!!!"
From the trees sailed another young man with wild spiky black hair spilling down to the middle of his back and right behind him was a wide eyed man with long silver hair.
"ZEEK, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!" The silver haired man yelled as they flew through the air and landed daintily on all fours. The black haired youth, known as Zeek, trotted over to Senkai and playfully pulled him into a head lock.
"What's up Spiky?!" He chirped happily, ruffling the golden locks. Senkai wrenched himself from his best friend's grasp and shoved him off.
"Tch, some Guardians we are! Well, that's immortality for you." Haru mused as he took a seat on the lush grass. Meanwhile, Katanna sauntered over to Sano and gave him a quick kiss.
"Now, what did Zeek do?" she cooed sympathetically and Sano held out his braided hair. At the end was a pink ribbon.
"The bastard got me while I was sleeping." He muttered and though he was a head taller than Katanna, she stood on her tip toes to put her arms about his broad bare shoulders.
"Oh Sano…Don't get mad…Get even…" she mused devilishly, but an agitated sigh from her older brother, Senkai reminded them as to why they were there.
"Alright, folks gather round and let the story telling begin!" he declared with a clap of his hands.
They all sat in a circle and watched Senkai patiently.
He smiled and glanced up at the sky before saying "my mother once told me that the people of old use to say 'the Lifestream is the spiritual energy that circles the planet, giving and taking life during its time.' However, little did they know that it had a heart. And to my mother, Cloud Strife, my father, was her own personal heart and soul."
From high in the heavens, the Goddess of the Lifestream and her mate watched over them.
As they watched the small band, she finally turned to him and whispered "Because life is a terribly beautiful thing it makes me happy that I can give life to the world…to the universe…I'm glad I could share it with you…Cloud…"
Their hands met and both faded into the heavens.