I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Final Fantasy 10

Okay some of you have forgotten the note I placed at the first chapter. That I took a challenge acceptance set by one of my favorite authors James D Fawkes.

This is what the challenge states word for word, which I did not constantly want to retype. I am doing it this once getting it all out so you understand...the story itself is me...the idea is his.

Ultima Challenge: As the last remaining SOLDIER, Cloud Strife has discovered that he is ageless. The Lifestream rejuvenates his cells and keeps him from age and death. Nearly fifteen hundred years have passed since the death of his beloved, Tifa, and all of his friends. Now, the Planet, given the name Spira, is threatened by a beast known as Sin. He must wake the sleeping Vincent and join the new Summoner, Yuna, in her quest to destroy the cursed beast.

Pairings: Tidus/Yuna; Wakka/Lulu. The rest are pretty much free reign (no yaoi or yuri!), but I'd prefer it if Cloud and Vincent were single.

Powers: Everything they could do before. Perhaps add in a new skill or two for Cloud since he's been pretty much stationary for the past 1500 years. Materia should still work.

Time at start: Anytime after Tidus and the gang leave Besaid. The best place for them to appear would be during the Fiend attack on the Luca stadium.

Enough said...

Smiling at all the happy eager faces waiting for what is to come next, she eeps as she is glomped. Waving for help, she manages to escape long enough to hit the send button before being swamped....

Chapter 14

Mushroom Rock Road 2

The door opening, as it did, Cloud saw as the hall lit up the dank and dusty corridors. The light flickering, it was as gray and as dank as most labs went in the past. Sighing softly, he reached into his bag and brought out a small round ball of pulsing green energy.

The other guardians watching, he held it in the palm of his hand and whispered simply one word.

"Aero..."

Winds spilling forth from the ball, Lulu are in shock as it was a spell thought lost to many a black mage is sent out to clear the smell and the dust. Enabling the ability to breathe, it is Cloud who takes the first step within its firm confines. Lulu wanting to follow, to ask him how, she is held back by Auron who shakes his head.

"Let him be."

By now others approaching from behind them as the clean up and the hope to find survivors among the ruins is done. Auron nods his head to Kimahri, Wakka, and Lulu to stay out where they are, himself, Tidus, and Yuna would be following the older blonde man inside.

The Ronso reluctant to trust his charge to be safe out of his sight at first, the cat like man nodded his head though as he knew that with Auron and Cloud there that Yuna would be safe.

Tidus...well that was another story. He did trust the youth now as he has proven himself time and time again recently to protect Yuna from harm. Yet, even now he can tell that the younger man has issues as of yet he needs to work through.

Issues right now that could be harmful to their small little group.

Therefore watching them vanish into the grey hall. Yuna clutching tightly onto Tidus as Auron takes the guard from behind. Kimahri wonders as they follow the old one down the hall, if his charge and Auron's were ready for the truth.

That Cloud is a legend all on his own..

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Walking as they were for fifteen minutes, Yuna and Tidus were admittedly puzzled at what they were seeing. Tidus recognizing some of it from Zanarkand, the younger blonde was puzzled to say the least as what he knew these things were...

Well these things were considered historical objects from even before his time!

Pausing, it is the young man who causes them all to stop in their tracts as he comes across a logo that is quite familiar to Cloud. The symbol of the SOLDIER units... "I recognize this symbol from a museum... One that Auron would take me to when I was little. I remember...I remember that these...these are from the Shinra Corporation aren't they? That company that was destroyed by their creation...what was his name...."

"His name was Sephiroth." Cloud said simply as he paused only long enough to finish the younger man's thoughts. "He was one of their generals."

Yuna and Auron both now pausing as does Tidus, they look at Cloud who once again stops. His head bowed down as the three of them look at him with a mixture of understanding, confusion, and disbelief.

"Him...but...he's a legend." Yuna said softly in confusion. "He couldn't have been real...could he? And how...how did you know that?"

"As much as I wish that was true Yuna." Cloud stated quietly. "As much I wish that...I am sorry to say he was very much real. And how I of all people should know..." He stated softly as his hand goes to a spot on his upper chest. "I was there."

Startled, Yuna and Tidus both look to Auron, who remains silent. "It is not my story to share. It is his. But I trust him. He has not let us down since he has become one of us has he Yuna?" The former guardian and Yevon monk stated calmly.

"No he has not...but I do not understand. How is this possible?" She asked with confusion. "The legends of the One winged ones and those who fought them are over 1000 years old..."

"Shinra..." Tidus said softly. "It's all to do with Shinra isn't it? I remember reading in my school books that when Shinra existed...they had their hands in everything. They...they did something to you didn't they."

"Yes... Remember the sending, I had asked Yuna to perform on the Mi'hen high road? It...it is part of it. It is why I try to live so far from life. What they did...all the mako...it created a lifestream in me. One that is connected to the planet itself, I will never die...I will never grow old. This world...it...it won't let me. No matter how much I want to die. I can't. Instead fiends are drawn to me, and every so often, so are the souls of those who have gone before. Only a summoner, even if for a little while can put me at peace when it becomes to much."

"My god..." Yuna stated with pain and sorrow. Tidus in shock as well, it is Auron who remains undisturbed as even now as he listens. Having understood the story from before, to hear as it is told in a place that existed then was different. He could feel...and see the memories these items, these walls invoked.

"He believed he was. That is Sephiroth believed he was a god as did many back then, including myself. He was a hero, he was a man of honor, and he was a leader that anyone would die to follow. Many in fact would and did...myself included had wanted to be such a person." The former SOLDIER said quietly.

"But after what he did...and then all the times I had fought him afterwards when he came back again and again. I always had those who would back me up as we back up Yuna on her journey. To a degree, some of you even remind me of them." He stated softly. "Especially now, because this...journey brings back memories for me. Both good and bad..."

"Memories...are good though are they not?" Yuna asks tentatively. Her voice soft and delicate, she approaches with Tidus beside her. "My father once told me when my mother died...that through my memories I would never forget her. That those memories would reside in my heart, til I needed them to chase away the loneliness. It was to remind me that although she was gone and I was not. She would always be with me."

The older blonde male smiling, he looked at the young woman who tilted her head with a kind look about her dual colored eyes.

"Your words...thank you. Of all the people in my life that I have met Yuna, Tidus, Auron, all of you most of all remind me of those who meant the world to me."

Smiling brightly, the young woman nodded her head simply in response. "I am glad." Tidus and Auron echoing the same thing, the young woman is thoughtful now as she looks to him. "May I ask why we are here?"

"For one of those friends that I spoke of..." Cloud said simply. "He sleeps right now. But when he awakens, he will come if I ask. He will prove a strong guardian as we have for you."

"Is he like you?"

Thoughtful now himself, the older blonde finds it hard to explain the gunman. "He is unique to himself. I can not explain his past, for even now after all these centuries I have lived. I do not fully understand him myself. But he is an honorable and good man."

Smiling, Yuna nodded her head. "Then once we find him if it is all right with Sir Auron, I will be happy to accept him as my guardian."

"I have already given Cloud my consent." Said guardian replied.

Tidus listening he seems thoughtful for a moment as he smiles brightly. "Hey Auron! Does that mean Yuna and I can have a vacation?"

Yuna protesting immediately, she can see the smile crossing his features with impishness. Said young woman flustering as he winks down at her, the blonde whines as the expected answer is given,

"No..."

"AAAaaaa come on you old man! We are going to have an extra hand soon. What do you say?"

Cloud watching as the younger man pesters the other, as the lone female with them looks on with a giggle crossing her lips. He can not help but smile as they continue on down the hall of this long forgotten facility.

The laughter coming from his three companions, it alone in this place helps to keep the familiar and painful memories at bay. As he could see a foolish younger version of himself walking halls quite similar to these in another life...

Reaching the correct section he turns as he sees the door pulsing at the end of the hall with a brilliant green light. Auron and the others silent now, the four approach and once again Cloud sees the same pad as before.

His hand still free of the glove from earlier, he places it on the pad.

The door sliding open without a sound, Cloud enters and gestures for the others to follow him. Tidus taking point with Yuna and then Auron behind, the three find themselves in a room that has seen better days. Machina covered in centuries of dust, even now as Cloud and Tidus both approach, they could see that it works.

Wires going every which way, the four follow the trail to a system connected to two tubes of pulsing green energy. Noticing the tube in between them that they seem to be connected to, the look to Cloud with questions in their eyes, save for Tidus.

"Is that a cryogenic tube of some sort?"

Nodding his head simply in response, the others approach the tube that rests between them. Dusty as well like most of the other machina in the room, before they could get any closer, they couldn't help but listen as an alarm of sorts began to go off.

Backing away in confusion, they stop as Cloud comes beside them. Silent and standing there, they could see the green tubes pulsing...once...twice...then stopping completely. And then one by one, they could the lights on the tube come on, and the locks of it spinning as if someone was doing it from the inside.

A gap emerging with every light and every spin on that center tube, that as it lefts and the smoke from the releasing energy pours out. Yuna and the others watch as a golden clawed hand is the first thing they see.

A lean muscular figure sitting up, Yuna and the others see it vanish in a flash of red. Cloud vanishing as well seconds later. The clear sounds of a fight could be heard going around them in the halls.

The three rushing out to see what was going on, as it all of a sudden stops. They find their blonde friend looking at another man with something of a smile on his lips. An honest and true smile, unlike others they had seen him try to give without pain, this was fully filled with joy.

Taking the other figure in themselves now, they could see the man was of a lean muscular build. Wearing all black on his body saves for his gold hand and feet, he wore a cloak of scarlet that seemed ragged.

While at the same time feeling alive to Yuna who can sense the magic emanating from it...

His hair a rich black, it was almost as long as Lulu's was, in the eyes of the young woman who approaches the figure with curiosity. Her presence sensed, she sees the darkness of his eyes within the pale skin. His aristocratic features, that like Cloud's, tells of much he has seen and endured, the young woman somehow knows she can trust him.

Bowing before him in respect, she speaks from the bottom of her heart. "I am Yuna; I am pleased to meet you. And I will be honored if you will become my guardian."

"Name is Vincent...Vincent Valentine and you have my thanks."