A Few Plans

Cid stared in confusion as he saw Eric emerge from the forest with a large chunk of rock. He scratched the back of his head and walked over to him.

"Where have you been?" He asked. Eric looked up and blinked as if noticing him for the first time. Cid's eyes wandered to the large rock.

"What's that?" Eric sighed.

"It's from a meteor. The one that Ifrait sent." He answered. Cid frowned.

"That was two weeks ago. Why are you still going there?" Eric sighed again as he glanced back at the forest.

"I met a woman." He replied. "She appeared on the night that the meteor fell." Cid raised an eyebrow.

"A woman huh?" He teased with a small smirk. Eric smiled back a little.

"She was amazing. She had this brown hair like the earth and eyes like emeralds."

"Sounds like she's a pretty one." His father commented as he turned around to the piles of swords by the smithy. "So when are you seeing her again?" He asked as he stated putting the weapons in the sacks. Eric watched his father for a moment and didn't reply. Cid stopped what he was doing but didn't turn around, he was waiting for Eric to continue.

"I don't think I will." He said eventually.

"But you sound like you're in love." Cid argued.

"I am." Eric assured him quickly. "But…she's a Queen. How can I be with her?"

"There are many tales of blacksmiths who became King you know." His father said with a small pat on the shoulder.

Eric nodded and stared at the river, watching as it glistened in the light. He frowned a little, remembering Aerith's words.

"You need to find out."

He turned back to his father who was back to sorting out the weapons.

"Father take me on your trip to Midgar this year." He said suddenly. Cid turned to him.

"Why?" Eric stared again at the river and sighed.

"Maybe the river holds an answer to what happened before and who I was?"

"It never bothered you before." His father replied with a small frown. Eric looked up at him.

"It never really mattered before. Now, I feel that I must know." Cid nodded in understanding.

"If that's what you want." He replied. "What's the rock for then?"

"I'm going to make my own sword using it." He answered with a bright smile. Cid laughed a little.

"Well, you deserve your own weapon after making so many." He said. "Now, if you're going on this journey with me then you can help me pack."

On a continent on the other side of the sea, a small greasy-haired man scurried across the ground. His eyes were a dark black colour, scanning the place suspiciously. His head snapped up suddenly as he heard a chocobo's footsteps galloping towards him and as he turned, he saw the black chocobo and the rider. He smirked as he saw the silver-haired man with piercing green eyes. The rider dismounted and stared at the man before him.

"Hojo." He greeted eventually. Hojo's smirk grew.

"Lord Sephiroth." He responded. Sephiroth sighed as he leaned against a tree, a bored expression painted across his face.

"I see you have not changed." He stated, looking Hojo up and down. Hojo sniggered a little.

"Nor have you." Sephiroth rolled his eyes at the comment and sighed again.

"Why did you call me here?" He asked eventually.

"Bahamut has awakened." He explained. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, willing Hojo to continue, which he did. "You must convince the King to take his best men and kill the dragon." Sephiroth snorted.

"Why would I risk my life and theirs? I care nothing for the dragon."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew what it was guarding." Hojo replied teasingly.

"Go on," Sephiroth urged eventually.

"Materia." Hojo breathed. "More materia than you have ever seen in your life." Sephiroth suddenly laughed.

"So this is how you waste the mortal curse they put on you. You dream of getting the materia that was responsible for your downfall." He said with a small smirk.

"That's funny."

"It would drive you crazy also my son." Hojo replied coldly. Sephiroth's eyes widened as he turned to Hojo with a snarl.

"Don't ever call me that!" He cried. Hojo ignored it and carried on.

"Will you destroy the dragon then?"

"Materia would be useful." Sephiroth contemplated aloud. Slowly he raised his eyes to Hojo. "What's in it for you?"

"I want half the materia." Hojo stated simply. Sephiroth scoffed but nodded.

"Fine, I'm sure there will be plenty anyway." He sighed as he mounted his chocobo.

The ship travelled down the river slowly and Eric took the opportunity to look over the land. The forest and the smithy were just little dots in the distance now and before them was the open sea. As his eyes glanced across the landscape, he frowned at a sight. The remains of what seemed to be a small village but he could see that it had been newly set alight.

"Father." He called. Cid walked up beside him and knitted his brows. Eric turned to him. "Is it a war?" He asked. Cid nodded slowly.

"It sure looks like it, but who is the enemy?" He replied. "King Rufus has been at peace with the Saxons for a long time." Eric stared at the village and saw flashes in his mind.

The whistling sound cut through the air as the arrows flew across the bank

A woman drifted away, three arrows showing from her back.

"What's wrong son?" Cid asked. Eric snapped out of his thoughts and gave a reassuring grin.

"Nothing Father." He replied.

"Good, we'll be in Midgar soon." Eric nodded to show he had heard and turned back to the village. It seemed the river really did have some answers. If only he knew, who the woman was and why they were in the river.