Me: (sigh) I found out my last day at North is Friday and for Central it's Monday, for real classes that is. Graduation sure snuck up on me…

Lloyd: geez! If I were in your shoes I'd be happy!

Me: I am happy but it all happened so fast, I mean, it seems like it was only a few days ago that I was lost in the hallways as a freshmen, now I'm walking down familiar hallways, saying good bye to some of my best friends and favorite teachers.

Lloyd: It's hard to give up friends.

Me: I know but I already promised everyone that I'd come back on an extreme sugar high and bug them. That and I want to assistant coach the girl's swim team cause most of my friends are swimmers and Lonny would probably also let me practice with them.

Lloyd: I surprised they haven't banned you from sugar yet?

Me: Me too! But I'm trying to give up ALL pop and energy drinks so I feel sorry for everyone who has to deal with me without sugar.

Lloyd: right.

Me: Its true. One the other hand, I can truly say I have a new friend now! Thanks Valian!

Lloyd: so that's why you're in a good mood, because you have new friend?

Me: you must enjoy the pleasures in life Lloyd, and friendship is one that I value greatly.

Lloyd: that was really cheesy.

Me: (shrugs) oh well, its true. And you're one to talk about the value of friendship.

Lloyd: oh yeah…

Me: Oh and Valian, I will thank for yet another idea. I have made some modifications to your original idea but it is overall the same. I'll tell, it's definitely unique as the components are not those that compose of a normal version of the weapon. And I've even thought of how it's going to fit into the story since I've been playing with the idea of the Portals. (sigh) geez that's a lot. Lloyd please start the story.

Lloyd: Jen Rem doesn't own ToS, FF, of Ash.

Kratos was on night guard with Rith, both sitting quietly as they watched in opposite directions. Kratos sighed as he could here the music from Tiamatt's GS clearly, with his angelic hearing. Each song seemed to change styles, from Japanese, to country, and even to rock.

"Looking out a dirty old window
Down below the cars in the city go rushing by
I sit here alone and I wonder why

Friday night and everyone's moving
I can feel the heat but it's moving
Heading down
I search for the beat in this dirty town

Downtown the young ones are going
Downtown the young ones are growing

We're the kids in America
We're the kids in America
Everybody live for the music-go-round

Bright lights, the music gets faster
Look boy, don't check on your watch
Not another glance
I'm not leaving now, honey
Not a chance
Hot-shot, give me no problems
Much later baby you'll be saying never mind
You know life is cruel
Life is never kind

Kind hearts don't make a new story
Kind hearts don't grab any glory

We're the kids in America
We're the kids in America
Everybody live for the music-go-round "

"America?" Kratos asked himself and then remembered Madison saying that that was the name of her country. "So strange." He muttered, returning his attention to the job of night watch while the music continued. Within a few minutes, the song changed and for some reason, Kratos' attention was focused on the words.

"Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
Chasing after you
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me now...

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you
I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you

There's nothing else to lose
There's nothing else to find
There's nothing in the world
That can change my mind
There is nothing else
There is nothing else
There is nothing else

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
Chasing after you... "

"…" Kratos closed his eyes, finding the truth that was sung. It was strange how true it seemed to him but he accepted it.

Something ruffled behind him, grabbing both Rith and his attentions but when they looked at the source, they merely sighed as they realized it was Madison. She had sat up suddenly, eyes partially open as she searched for a fresh sheet of paper and immediately began scribbling on it. After about five minutes, the girl just set the notebook aside and laid back down.

"What was that about?" Rith asked, curious to what had just happened.

"I'm not sure, but I believe she was asleep the entire time." Kratos answered, standing up and looking at the still open page. His eyes widened as he saw what the sleep drawing Madison had, well, drawn. "A sword?"

He picked up the notebook and looked at the detail in the picture carefully. Madison had put small notes of the color of the hilt and the blade and put a small amount of information. It also had its name, Ryukinogami written near the top with a translation.

"Spirit Breaker." Kratos muttered reading through the small amount of information. "Infused with a small amount of Origin's power, the blade forces the soul from the body, where it can then be absorbed by the blade itself." He read out loud, confusion and awe striking him at the same time. "How can she know about Origin?"

"Kratos, is something wrong?" the Seraph looked down at surprise at Madison who had woken up. "Why do you have my sketch book?"

"It appears that you drew something in your sleep." Rith answered, now looking at the picture of the sword. "Is this the weapon that will be used against Jenova?"

"What are you talking about?" Madison asked. "Let me see it!' Kratos handed the book back to the human girl who gasped in shock. "How did I…?"

"Can you please keep it down!" Terran yelled angrily, muttering to himself as he rolled over and fell back asleep. Madison snickered as Kratos sighed and Rith nodded.

"How did I do this?" Madison asked again, looking at the picture before looking up as the shape of a Shadow revealed itself in the light of the campfire, fangs bared with it's spiked tail whipping around madly. "Hell no!" Madison screamed, jumping to her feet.

"Rith, wake Eria, Oblivion, and Terran!" Kratos yelled, pulled the Flamberge as Madison hid behind him.

Within moments, the small group was ready to fight but hundreds of Shadows threatened to tear them all to shreds. Even Terran had a weapon, which consisted of blades of energy that shot from his wrist.

"This is the group I was sent to kill?" A Remnant laughed, stepping forward from the crowd of monsters. He was griffin like in shape but walked upright. He also had an extra pair of arms, each of which carried a sword. "How pathetic! No wonder Mother wanted you destroyed!"

"What did you say?!' Oblivion snapped, tightening his grip on Lunar Punishment.

"I was ordered to kill the two girls and the traitor and then capture the rest." He laughed, raising an arm before dropping it quickly, signaling Shadows to attack.

The wave of monsters rushed forward, threatening to over take the group even as Oblivion's wolves arrived. Madison cowered in the middle of the group, clinging to her pack and the notebook as everyone else fought their hardest. At first the group seemed to make progress but with each Shadow that was killed, two more seemed to take it's place.

The small group stood, out of breath, watching the Shadows pace around them as they kept their weapons raised. No one was without injury, even Madison had managed to get a cut down her arm from the tail of a Shadow.

"There's too many of them." Oblivion sighed, missing his beloved Odin Materia take he had used during the Apocalyptic War. "We can't kill them all."

"We can't give up either." Terran snapped, angry that everyone who was trying to help his daughter would now die before they even got a chance to find her, let alone see her one more time. "Still, you're right and we're exhausted."

"…I'm sorry…Tiamatt…" Kratos muttered, raising his sword once more as the circle of Shadows closed in on the entire group…

"Dragon's Flame!" a flaming sword ripped through the monsters, sending ash scattering everywhere.

The wielder of the blade raced forward as another group of Shadows launched itself at Kratos and Eria's group and the sound of battle intensified. Madison peered out from behind Oblivion and watched in amazement as people in blue and gold uniforms tore the monsters apart. A lone Shadow raced at Kratos, who raised the Flamberge to counter the monster but a different sword came down upon the monster's head. Kratos looked at his ally and his jaw dropped as blue eyes peered at him sternly.

"Move it you fool!" She yelled. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"T-" Kratos was too shocked to speak but Eria looked absolutely thrilled as she joined a man with brown hair and two swords in defeating another Shadow.

Within moments, all that remained were a dozen out of the hundreds of Shadows and the lone Remnant. His eyes were filled with fear as the blue eyed woman put her sword to his throat and in a single movement, removed his head from his body as the rest of the blue uniformed people finished off the last of the Shadows.

"Geez, I never imagined so many Shadows would gather in one spot like that." A black haired woman sighed. Kratos noticed she looked and sounded familiar.

"It is unusual." A silver haired man said, standing beside the brown haired man Eria had helped.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Kratos asked, eyeing the entire group cautiously.

"I'm surprised you do not recognize me, after what we had, Kratos Aurion." The blue eyed woman sighed, turning to face the swordsman who gasped. Eria giggled and ran up to the woman.

"Mom!" Eria cried happily, hugging her mother, who returned the embrace.

"Tiamatt?!" Oblivion asked slowly, sword still ready incase it was all a trick.

"Yes, Oblivion, it is me, and just me." Tiamatt laughed. "I've come with a squad to retrieve Eria. I never expected to see Oblivion, a Sephiroth clone, nor a part of my own mind, which reminds me. I have something for you."

Madison blinked in surprise as the black haired woman revealed herself to be Kayla and handed her a long case. The girl just looked at it, not even opening it to see what was in side.

"Open it Imoto." Kayla urged. Madison nodded slowly before setting the case down and pulling off the lid. The human teenager's eyes nearly doubled in size as Kayla grinned proudly. "Made it myself you know. I call it, Ryukinogami. In dragonic it means,…"

"Spirit Breaker…" Madison muttered, pulling the blade from the protective case.

The sword was three feet long, its hilt made of silver with emerald at the tip that eventually trailed down to the pure diamond blade. It was lightweight and easy to carry. Madison also noticed that as she accidentally slid her hand on the edge of the seemingly sharp blade that it didn't cut her skin.

"Um, yeah. How did you know that?" Kayla asked, looking confused.

"She drew a picture in her sleep of this very sword and it's main ability." Kratos explained. "She was trying to design something to free Tiamatt from Jenova."

"I feared as much." The future Tiamatt sighed. "I thought something was odd about this dimension and didn't realize it till Lloyd had already thrown Eria through the Portal."

"I said I was sorry!" the older Lloyd whined.

"Then you should have been a responsible brother and have gone after her!" Tiamatt snapped. "You could learn a few things from Alcana and Mica."

"…"

"As you can see, not much has changed besides age." Tiamatt sighed. "We shouldn't stay much longer, otherwise we could screw everything up for this dimension."

"Like it's not already screwed up." Oblivion snorted.

"Oblivion you truly have not changed at all." Tiamatt sighed once again, signaling the people behind her as Genis fiddled with a strange watch like device and a blinding light revealed a shimmering portal. "Come Eria. Let's go home."

Eria nodded and took a step towards the portal but paused looking over her shoulder at Kratos and then Rith. "…I know Dad needs to stay in this dimension but what about Rith?" The clone looked at Eria in shock, and then happiness.

"Rith?" Tiamatt looked at the clone and then down at her daughter's own pleading eyes. "I suppose it won't hurt anything."

Rith looked like he was going to cry in happiness as he ran to join Eria. Kratos and Terran shuffled their feet in nervousness as Eria looked back at the small group and waved before walking through the portal with Rith right behind her and a suspicious Lloyd following closely behind the teen young teens. Genis went next, after which Kayla went into the portal, leaving only Tiamatt.

"That sword is special. Use it wisely otherwise you could ended up making things worse instead of better." Tiamatt warned, taking a step towards the portal home.

"Tiamatt…" Kratos mumbled. The woman stopped and looked at the Seraph, waiting for him to speak. "Is everything we do, is it worth it?"

"If I told you that then what would happen if I was wrong? You'll have to find the answer to your question yourself Kratos." Tiamatt smiled. "Adios!" Tiamatt disappeared into the portal and in another flash, the group from the future was gone.

"She's gone…" Terran muttered. "Both of them now gone…"

"Eria wasn't from this time Terran. You knew she'd have to go home something or other." Oblivion pointed out looking up from examining Ryukinogami or Ryu as Madison now called it.

"It doesn't lessen the pain…" Kratos sighed. "I too, will miss Eria."

"And Rith." Madison added. "And even though we lost them, we did gain the weapon we need to stop Jenova."

"True." Kratos agreed. "It is of fine make. Kayla did an excellent job of crafting us this weapon."

"Now we just need to find where Jenova is." Oblivion noted. "Then the real hard part starts."

Me: again thank you Valian for the idea. I spent half of ROTC drawing the Ryukinogami and even drew a second version of it in English. I hope you liked it! Umm..Read and review please!