A/N: This chapter is very sentimental. It has some info about the past lives of each of the Dissidia characters. This should be perfect before the ultimate battle against the warlock. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 7
The warriors made camp and later only Lightning, Firon, and Cecil were talking to each other. Firion looked at the wild rose in his hand with a grim face.
"What's wrong, Firion?" Lightning asked.
"Ah...It's the wild rose. I can't stop looking at it."
His face lit up as he asked Cecil to leave him and Lightning alone. "I need to speak with Lightning personally, if you don't mind."
"Not at all. I'll see you two when we awake." Cecil stood up and walked to the slumbering warriors and settled down.
Thoughtfully, Lightning looked at her friend and asked, "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Why don't you just spit it out."
He sighed. "Lightning, you know about the wild rose that Laguna found?"
"Yes."
"The reason I became obsessed with it is...I knew it had some kind of meaning. I've been thinking about my dream, about ending the conflict and a world blooming with wild roses. That no matter what we've lost, we would still have hope, that even the wind and the rain could provide us with strength. But...it seems like there was more than that. I've realized what I have forgotten." he paused.
"And that is...?"
"The words 'wild rose'. It was named after a rebellion I once belonged to, along with my best friends. It was an organization that fought against the Palamecian Empire and brought peace to the world...just like my dream."
She smiled. "I knew that memory will come back to you eventually."
He looked at her. "And what about you, Lightning? Have you found out about your vision of the rose petals, dancing in the wind?"
She gasped at her revelation. "Yes, I have! It reminded me of someone I loved very much."
She hesitated and in a few seconds she went on. "His name was Snow. He was at first in love with my younger sister, Serah. But he also had a connection with me. I was mad when I found out that he was in love with her and promised to be by her side, no matter what it cost. A few years later, she'd been crystalized and eventually...his determination rubbed off of me. He made a promise that we will find my sister soon. At that time, he proposed to me. I was afraid to accept it becuase I thought he was still in love with Serah. But after we reunited, I decided to take that chance. And during the ceremony, that was when I saw rose petals swirling in the wind. It was so beautiful..." She started to reminisce of the event.
"Light...so it really does have a connection after all." Firion said. "Oh! You want it back, dont you?" He handed her the rose and she thanked him.
She stood up and walked away but before she reached her friends, she turned. "Oh, by the way, my real name isn't Light...It's Claire. I've changed my name so that I had the determination to save my sister...since she was all that I had."
She thought about the loss of her parents. With her head bowed she left Firion, sitting alone next to the skull.
In the farthest corner of the room, Cloud looked at the Buster Sword while he rubbed his fingers over the blade. All of his memories were starting to come back to him.
During a flashback he was laying over his best friend's, Zack's, bloody body after he willingly took his own life to save him against Shinra soldiers. He said that his legacy will live on upon his passing as he gave him his sword. His memory ended as he looked at it glumly.
Suddenly, he couldn't stop thinking about him. He couldn't believe that all this time, his dreams and honor were passed down to him. He felt some comfort when they've been justified after he'd beaten Sephiroth, and then Chaos.
Some footsteps were heard walking towards him. A shadow loomed over him, he looked up, and it was Tifa. "Quite in a pensive mode, aren't we, Cloud?"
"Hmmm...Yeah."
She sat down next to him and stretched out. "You know, we should get some sleep before we face the warlock. You think he's behind that door?" she asked as she pointed to the skull.
"Perhaps. But can we beat him?"
"Hehe, of course. It would be just like old times. Remember how you saved me from Sephiroth and you told me that you felt like it since you were on Chaos's side?"
His head bowed with his face even more glum.
"Hey, what's with the long face? You do remember me, don't you? I certainly did when we had our first mission together."
He had a flashback of a younger Tifa playing in the grass when the sun was shining in a cloudless sky. Cloud was watching from a dark room at the top floor of his house. He admitted that, even though they weren't close, he became jealous as she played with her friends. During their childhood, she was Cloud's next door neighbor in their hometown, Nibelheim. Her first adventure was travelling to Mt. Nibel to find her mother after she died.
"We got ourselves in big trouble that day." she giggled. "But I haven't seen you since...until I joined AVALANCHE and met you at Midgar. You once told me that you felt sad after you joined SOLDIER as an infantryman. However, you were acting very strange because you were injected by the Jenova cells and you had Mako poisoning, so I decided to keep an eye on you. Speaking of which you were once manipulated by Sephiroth and your mind just completely...shattered, you know. "
She remembered travelling inside Cloud's mind to restore his memories of the burning of their homeworld, his determination to join SOLDIER to impress her, and her childhood event climbing the mountain. He started to remember her attempts to explain the truth behind Sephiroth, Zack, and how he was defeated to begin with in the Lifestream.
"Yes. I'm starting to remember now. But what I found out was...Sephiroth wasn't always like this. He was a member of SOLDIER, just like me. It was Professor Hojo who explained to him that Jenova was his mother, but truthfully, it was Lucrecia Crescent. She was injected by the cells like us and he became insane from them. He once believed that Jenova, an extra-terrestrial, was his ''real' mother."
He also remembered of him wanting to become a 'god' and his attempts to destroy the world. Cloud and Tifa both became astonished as they discussed the information.
After a long pause, he reassured her that she shouldn't worry about Sephiroth anymore, since he and Chaos perished when the war was over.
"Cloud...I just...couldn't thank you for all you've done. But I guess I should show you...how grateful I am." she whispered.
She turned his face toward her and they slowly drew closer and closer until their lips touched.
While he watched them kiss, Zidane reminisced about his past.
His first memory was a "blue light" during his birth. After all that time, he still couldn't remember what it meant. He was created as a Genome from Terra by a scientist, Garland, and remembered fighting him after he revealed his purpose as an "Angel of Death.". It was his attempt to destroy the people of another world, Gaia.
He also had his memories of Kuja who was also a Genome, and thought to be the true "Angel of Death." At first Garland wanted it to be Kuja, but since he was created as an adult, he wasn't fully developed. So, in Kuja's jealousy, he created Zidane who was younger and more capable than his rival. And then Garland was killed by Kuja, and he and Zidane have been bitter enemies ever since.
He then saw the inhabitants who looked exactly like him with blonde hair and monkey-like tails. He supposed that if Zidane fails, there would be other "Angels of Death" to do his job of genocide. He then thought about saving Kuja from dying and being swallowed by an enormous tree.
Before being full of grief of what he was truly created for, he remembered a beautiful woman he once met during a performance from the Tantalus Theater Troupe; he realized her name was Princess Garnet and the place they met was Alexandria. He felt remorseful as this was where he was supposed to abduct her; fortunately, he didn't.
As he looked up at the ceiling, he then wishes to see her upon his return.
Laguna and Squall were found discussing about their memories. Squall had just remembered, though Laguna knew, that he was raised in an orphanage by a woman named Edea. He once dreamt of her being possessed and he immediately realized it was Ultimecia.
He then saw another girl, Rinoa, in a field of flowers and recognized her as one he cherishes the most. He began to see his friends who helped face the sorceress in the past: Quistis, his former instructor as a SeeD student, along with his classmates Zell, Selphie, and Irvine.
He then had a short nightmare when he faced his rival in a bloody duel, Seifer. As he awoke, Laguna told him that everything he dreamt was real. He questioned him and explained that they first met at the Lunatic Pandora together putting a stop to Ultimecia and her Time Compression. He was once a soldier himself, along with his friends, Kiros and Ward. He told him that his dream was to become a journalist, documenting every event in the world.
While he was fighting against Esthar soldiers he was seperated and later met Raine and her daughter, Ellone. He also told him when he proposed to Raine, Ellone was captured by Sorceress Adel. He tells him that they were watched over at the same orphanage Squall was at. He then tells him that Squall was his son, which he denied it.
Kain couldn't wait to return to his homeworld, Baron. He just recollected all of his deep memories, including those he spent with his friend, Rosa, and even all the events that happened during his betrayals.
The first thing he'll do as soon as he returns home is to reunite with his people and head to Mt. Ordeals to atone his sins. But something else was bothering him. He remembered destroying the portal to the Rift. He wanted to help his allies end the war between Cosmos and Chaos. He thought all he did was for nothing. The war may have ended, but why was he revived and brought here?
Cecil answered that it was what Cosmos wanted to do. It's what Cosmos said before they went to Stormhaven, then to Shadowgate. She made a promise that when they defeat the warlock lord, they'll return home, together. Everyone in their homeworld will be waiting for them. Even he got his memory back after he arrived to this dire place of death.
Because of the vows he made with his friends, he's very confident that together they'll defeat the warlock and return home safely, along with his brother he'd hoped.
Eavesdropping on everyone's conversations, Vaan remembered of his homeworld, Dalmasca, and how he was living in the Lowtown slums. He wishes that when he returns, he wouldn't have to live in these poor conditions. As his dream of being a sky pirate, he can live wherever he wants and become a free man. He will also reunite with his childhood friend, Penelo, and maybe live a new life together.
Shantotto wishes to return to her people in Tarutaru, where she will make plans for her vacations during her retirement. She also wishes to write her memoirs about her life and, most of all, her many adventures. Especially those on protecting Cosmos and now.
When Prishe returns home, all she wants to do is have a feast of her favorite foods and pig out at the Cathedral. She also hoped that she would be immortal again after defeating the warlock, and after a few minutes of reverie, she was disappointed that she can only return home instead of being granted eternal life.
Yuna was looking at the sleeping ace, snoring loudly. She remembered the first time she met him, when she was able to become a summoner and use Valefor as her first Aeon in the Besaid temple.
Their times together flashed before her eyes, even the times when they discussed about their parents facing Sin ten years ago, and when they laughed together at Luca. It was quite embarassing but at least she cheered him up, after all she wanted the world to be full of laughter, rather than sadness.
Her relationship with Tidus and her determination grew stronger amongst her pilgrimage. She also reminisced of the sad times, like when she found out that Tidus was only a dream of the Fayth. He dissipated at the airship, Fahrenheit, after they destroyed Sin at Zanarkand.
Even the time when she saw Jecht and Tidus confronting each other, she wished that Tidus would recognize her and that she could restore his memories.
She hoped by the time they head back to Spira, she wold reunite with him and start a life anew. She was the last one to stay awake and then she eventually went into a restless slumber, along with the other warriors.
"Okay! Are we all ready?" Tidus cheered as soon as everyone faced the skull where the warlock lurked.
"Yes, but we must stay on high alert and...there is always strength in numbers." Squall informed.
"Now you're talking!" Laguna grinned as he loaded his bazooka.
"What're we waiting for?" Vaan asked with glee.
"This should be fun!" Zidane beamed.
"We should pay attention to Squall but I can't wait to see this through." Bartz shrugged and ran to catch up with the others.
"Our hearts shall not waver." Cecil said with determination.
"We should see this through to the very end, until our strength is no more." Kain jumped toward the opening.
"I will use my powers and courage to defeat this evil, once and for all." Terra covered her heart and walked with her head held high.
"I'm not so upbeat about this conflict..." Cloud muttered.
Tifa looked at him with gentle eyes and held his hand into hers. "But...what choice do we have?"
He faced his best friend and she smiled. Together, they stepped inside the skull.
Tidus took a deep breath and spoke from the bottom of his heart. "Yuna..."
She looked at him with fear on her face.
He layed his hand on her shoulder and whispered. "I'll always be with you, in body and spirit. Until death does us apart. And if you whistle for me, I'll come running."
She tried to hide her tears and she nearly choked on a sob. "Tidus! You do remember!"
He nodded with a big smile. "Let us fight this thing together...like we did with Sin!"
"Yes! Let's!" The two stepped forward and disappeared into the darkness.
"Well, kid, it's time to put your smarts to the test. You up for it!?" Prishe said with excitement.
"I will fight with everything I have." Luneth nodded.
"Hm hm. Isn't it swell. You know what they say: All's well that ends well." Shantotto wobbled toward the skull's maw.
"I'll fight you..to the very end!"
"I'm with you, Firion." Lightning smiled at him, then she shot out her pistol and marched with a stern face.
He drew his Ragnarok out and he was the last one to not look back.