Chapter 40

Cheryl hadn't made it halfway to the flowerbed before Aerith had closed the distance and wrapped her in a tight hug. It lasted a few seconds before the girl pulled back with bright eyes. "If you came all the way out here, that has to mean you're here to visit me, right? Does that mean you got your memories back?"

A chuckle escaped Cheryl's lips despite her nerves. Aerith's perceptiveness never ceased to amaze her. "I am here to see you, and yes, I have my memories back."

Aerith let out a happy squeal before she hugged Cheryl again. Although, she was frowning slightly when she pulled back. "Is everything okay? Something seems different about you."

Well, that's one way to put it. Cheryl repressed a sigh as she said, "Actually, that's part of why I'm here. I needed to speak with you about something important."

Wariness crept across Aerith's features as she took a few steps back, but Cheryl tried her best to look at ease. "Actually, would you mind if we sat by the flowers? I kind of miss seeing them, as this is one of the few places they grow."

The teenager watched her silently for a few seconds before she nodded slowly. Afterward, she turned to go back to the little bed she had been near when Cheryl walked in. Though she obviously kept her distance.

Cheryl didn't blame Aerith for her wariness, so she pretended not to notice as she followed. She thought they might sit and talk, but Aerith just stood there and watched. Well, things were undoubtedly going worse than Cheryl had hoped. A sigh did escape that time as she decided to just get it over with. She closed the distance between them.

It looked like Aerith would back away, so Cheryl stopped before getting too close. They were both within the edges of the flowerbed, but she didn't want to make things more difficult than they already were by pushing Aerith's boundaries.

The two of them stood there in silence for several seconds before Cheryl finally decided there was no point in putting it off. Although, as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she caught movement from the corner of her eye. When she turned to look, she saw it was raining, but something about it seemed off. It wasn't until she heard Aerith gasp that she realized the rain was falling up.

Both women stepped closer to each other to avoid getting caught in the steadily increasing stream of droplets. Cheryl had a feeling it wasn't water and didn't want to test that theory. However, as soon as the two of them were closer to the center of the ring of flowers, the rain seemed to stall for a moment. Any relief Cheryl might have felt was erased when instead of falling, the droplets began to form a whirlwind around them.

Aerith watched with wide eyes as the whirlwind quickly increased in both speed and opacity. It was not long until both women were encased in a wall of glowing green filled with stray flower petals that had gotten caught up in the deluge.

Neither one of them was touched by any of it, but the girl reached out to Cheryl anyway. Aerith clasped Cheryl's hands and raised her voice to be heard over the whistling of the wind. "What is happening?"

Honestly, Cheryl had hoped Aerith would have known. She had no idea how to respond, but she still pulled Aerith into a hug. At least it didn't seem that either of them was in danger—yet.

Cheryl tried to keep her anxiety from showing as she attempted to look everywhere at once. It was almost ironic that she was less afraid of the supernatural happening and more worried about why it had happened while she was with Aerith. After having her soul swapped and a couple of conversations with deities, being nonplussed wasn't too shocking. She was just grateful that her voice didn't shake when she answered. "I don't know, but I'm sure there's a reason."

That reason manifested before she had even finished speaking. The image of a familiar female face formed from shadows and flower petals rose from the surface of the wall of mako. Aerith gasped when she noticed it, but Cheryl was too busy staring at it dumbfoundedly to do more than stand there mutely.

Cheryl was frozen until the face in the mako spoke. "I cannot hold this image for long. Interacting with this plane directly takes much energy, so listen well, my daughters."

"Daughters?"

Cheryl hadn't meant to speak aloud, but the eyes in the mako flicked in her direction before the voice continued, "Yes, child. Your choice to remain on Gaia may have come from the heart, but your will to protect those you hold dear brought you to this place. To the one person that can help. Only together will you have a chance to succeed."

Aerith stepped away from Cheryl to stand in front of the face. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, and her voice was hesitant but reverent. "Succeed? I don't understand. What am I expected to do?"

Despite the fact that Minerva's face consisted of mako and flower petals, the sadness was visible as she said, "There is no time for me to explain. All I can tell you is that your power will be needed."

Cheryl hadn't moved from the spot she was rooted to when the mako eyes turned in her direction. "I have little time to explain but know that despite the danger you are to face, it is better that your link to the guiding voices remains closed for now. We dare not open you to the pathways of the lifestream while your soul is still incomplete. The voices from the innumerable planets where the rest of your soul resides would destroy you as you are now. My silence toward you is only what is best for you."

Those words concreted something for Cheryl that she had been afraid to find out. She had not wanted to believe that she was a Cetra, or something like them, but she could not avoid the truth any longer. It wasn't until Aerith touched her arm that she was able to shake off her fear of what that meant for her. Now wasn't the time to worry.

Instead, she nodded toward Minerva. "I understand."

That was all she could get out, but it seemed to be enough for Minerva to continue, "While I cannot speak with you, I can allow you to be more attuned to the will of the planet. It will not get you through the temple, but perhaps it can ease your burden. You are not alone."

Minerva paused and looked at Aerith before she said, "Neither of you are. Not anymore."

It looked like Aerith was as much at a loss for words as Cheryl. When neither of them said anything, Minerva gave them both a sad smile as she said, "I wish you luck. The race for the fate of Gaia has already begun, but know I will do what I can to help. Even if you cannot hear me, I am no more than a prayer away."

With that, the swirling green came to an abrupt halt before it all splashed back toward the flowerbed. The sudden movement made Cheryl jump, and she would have fallen if Aerith had not been beside her to grab her arm. Both women stared at each other silently before Aerith whispered, "What just happened?"

Cheryl took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she tried to convince all her muscles that it was ok to unclench. When she finally felt able to move without falling again, she gestured toward the broken pews. "Maybe we should sit down first."

Aerith nodded slowly as the two of them shakily made their way toward the pews. Before they could make it, they were intercepted by Tseng. The furrow between his brow showed how difficult it was for him to keep from frowning. It only got worse when Cheryl tried to send him a reassuring smile. She couldn't see herself, but she had a feeling it wasn't as reassuring as she wanted it to be.

To make matters worse, Aerith finally noticed the Turk in their midst and froze with wide, terror-filled eyes. Before the girl could try and bolt, Cheryl tightened her grip on Aerith's arm. "Wait. I give my word that he isn't here for you. He's here for me."

Aerith looked anything but convinced, so Cheryl didn't try to hold on when the girl pulled her arm away. Trying to hold her by force would only make things worse. Thankfully, Tseng spoke up before Aerith got far. "Miss Gainsborough, please be at ease. I am only here to guard Miss Valliere. As it stands, the Shinra Electric Power Company has no more interest in pursuing you after the change in management."

His words seemed to do little to assuage Aerith's fears, but he didn't bother trying to continue. Instead, he closed the distance to Cheryl and took her arm to lead her to the nearest pew. His voice was as flat as always, but Cheryl could hear the tension he was holding back as he helped her sit. "Are you unharmed? It looked as though a surge of mako enveloped both of you."

A sound similar to laughter escaped as Cheryl shook her head. "Maybe? I think I need a minute."

Cheryl was answering his second question, but she realized too late how it probably sounded to Tseng. He had his PHS out before she even finished speaking. His voice was clipped and ice cold. "Yes, have a medical team on standby and—"

Thankfully, Cheryl jumped up and cut him off before he got any more out. She tried to keep her voice to a whisper, but the otherwise silent church seemed to amplify the sound. "Wait! I'm fine. There is no need to worry. I was just shaken up a little, that's all. Promise."

Tseng's eyes narrowed slightly, but his voice was audibly less tense as he continued. "There will be no need for backup, but we will be returning shortly. Please notify the President that Miss Valliere will be routed to the medical team before she is released back to regular duty."

The PHS snapped shut with a sharp click as soon as Tseng was finished speaking. His frown had become more pronounced as he gently took Cheryl's arm and helped her sit again. "Take a moment to calm down. You can explain what I just witnessed once you are no longer shaking."

Sheryl hadn't realized how much her body was trembling until he pointed it out. Not that it didn't make sense. Her brain was still trying to process the meaning behind Minerva's presence and her words.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem as though the universe was going to give her time to sort it out, either. Aerith stepped closer, and her voice held both unease and curiosity as she said, "What is going on? Why is the president expecting you?"

Cheryl looked away from Aerith's wide eyes to where her hands lay in her lap. Her fingers curled into fists so tight that her knuckles turned white. Tears shimmered in her eyes when she finally looked up, and she had to swallow twice before she could speak. "I don't have much time to explain it all, but—" She paused and looked over at Tseng before she said, "I am a Cetra, and I need your help."

As soon as those words were out of Cheryl's mouth, Aerith fell onto the nearest pew. Her eyes had widened further, and her jaw was slack. Cheryl realized in an offhand way that her words were probably far too dramatic, but she wasn't exactly thinking straight. Having her fear confirmed that she was, in fact, a Cetra took a toll. Finding it out by Minerva appearing before her again in a rainbow of flowers and mako was just the icing on that shit cake.

Despite feeling a tad sorry for how it came out, Cheryl was glad when Tseng knelt by her side so he could be closer to eye level with Aerith as he said, "I would be happy to give you time to think about everything later, but Miss Valliere is correct. Each minute we waste here is another that allows our enemy to get closer to obtaining a weapon that could destroy the world."

Aerith's mouth closed, and her eyes narrowed. "Your enemy? As in an enemy of Shinra? Why should I help?"

Thankfully, Tseng's words to Aerith had also kicked Cheryl's mind into gear. She shook her head at the girl's question as she said, "Not just an enemy of Shinra, but of all life on Gaia. If Hojo succeeds, then nothing will escape annihilation."

"Hojo?" The fear in Aerith's eyes grew, but her frown lessened as she said, "But I thought Hojo worked for Shinra?"

Cheryl didn't bother to hide her grimace. "Hojo was supposed to have been detained with the other directors during the coup, but he escaped with a contingent of enhanced warriors and god knows what else. But even if he hadn't escaped, his activities would have been stopped by the new president. The scope of his experiments came to light, and no one in the new regime wants any part of them."

Those words might not be entirely truthful, as Cheryl wasn't sure Rufus would have stopped them all if she hadn't given them news of what might happen if they didn't. However, Aerith didn't need to know that since the outcome was the same.

Cheryl made sure to look Aerith in the eyes as she added, "I know exactly why you have always run from Shinra. I am well aware of just how sick Hojo is. Given what you just saw, do you really believe I would be here with Tseng if that was still going on? If Rufus hadn't changed policies, I would be in one of Hojo's cells to poke and prod at his leisure. It is probably difficult to believe that you aren't alone, but I promise you that I am not here to force you to do anything. All I want is to ask for your help."

Aerith looked like she was torn between hope and horror. She kept looking back and forth between Tseng and Cheryl for several seconds before finally whispering, "I can't take you to the Promised Land. I can't help with any of that."

As inappropriate as it might seem at the moment, Cheryl almost laughed. Somehow she managed to swallow the sound but smiled as she said, "That isn't what I'm here for. I already know what the Promised Land is, and there isn't any way for anyone to be led there. Not while they're still alive, at least. Our place in the lifestream has already been explained to those now in charge. It won't be a question again."

If anything, Cheryl's easy response only seemed to confuse Aerith even more, but she no longer looked like she wanted to bolt. Instead, she leaned a little closer before she glanced back toward the still-mussed flower bed. She then turned back to Cheryl with a furrowed brow as she said, "I recognized that voice. From the planet."

Cheryl nodded as her expression sobered once more. She was still rattled by the conversation but couldn't afford a breakdown. Instead, she focused on Aerith. "I imagine so. That was Gaia's avatar—the goddess Minerva."

Aerith sat back with a gasp, and one hand covered her mouth as her eyes darted to look everywhere but back toward the flowers. Finally, she slowly lowered her hand as she said, "You've spoken with her before."

That wasn't a question, but Cheryl nodded anyway. "Yes, but as you heard, it isn't something I can do under normal circumstances."

The furrow on Aerith's brow only deepened as she took a few sharp breaths as though she had something to say but couldn't find the words. Finally, she focused on Cheryl. "Why is that? It doesn't make any sense. And if you are a Cetra, why are you just now saying something to me? Why was I alone?"

Those last words broke Cheryl's heart. It was a question she wished she had an answer to. Instead of trying, she said, "It is a long story, and I promise I will tell you as much as I can, but now isn't the time. You heard what Minerva said too. We are racing against a ticking clock."

For several seconds, Aerith didn't say anything else as she turned to watch the small pool of mako that had formed in the middle of the flowerbed. It didn't seem like it was going to go away. Finally, she turned to Cheryl with another frown. "Whatever you want me to help with—it's going to be dangerous, isn't it?"

Cheryl wished she had any other answer. Her lips pursed for a moment before she sighed and said, "Yes. I wish I had someone else to ask, but you are the only person I know of that can hear the voice of the planet. We need that to navigate the Temple of the Ancients. I can guarantee the two of us will have a heavy guard, but it will still be difficult."

Aerith's eyes widened momentarily. "Us? So you are going too?"

A scoff escaped before Cheryl could stop it. "It has been made clear that my presence is not negotiable. I will be going even if you don't."

That response didn't seem to put Aerith at ease, but the girl still stood. "I think I need to hear more before I can give you an answer. Besides, I need to let my mother know. Why don't we go to my house, and you can give me the details."

Cheryl saw Tseng's eyes narrow slightly. She wasn't sure if he was upset because he knew Rufus and Veld would be impatient about the delay or because he couldn't get her examined immediately. It could feasibly be either, but they couldn't force Aerith, so the rest would just have to wait.

She didn't give her boyfriend a chance to try and aggressively convince Aerith to come with them. Not that she felt he would hurt the girl, but force would not be conducive to cooperation. Instead, she stood as she said, "I understand. I will reiterate that we don't have much time. The team slotted to leave is supposed to be ready to go as soon as everyone is gathered and briefed. But I can't expect you to just leave with us without understanding."

One of Tseng's eyebrows rose as he said, "Do you plan to disobey orders?"

Cheryl's nerves were still not entirely recovered, but that didn't keep her from rolling her eyes and smirking at Tseng. "I am not a Turk, remember? But I know you are worried. You don't need to be, I promise. I am fine."

Tseng's response was interrupted by Aerith. "Um—" Once Cheryl and Tseng looked at her, Cheryl noticed the girl staring at the hand Tseng had not yet removed from Cheryl's arm when he helped her stand. Aerith's head tilted slightly before she looked up with wide eyes. "Wait—is he the one you were supposed to meet last time?"

Cheryl could feel her cheeks heat, and she had to try and keep her grin from taking over as she said, "That is another long story. Why don't we table it until later?"

Both of Aerith's hands came up to cover her mouth. A soft "wow" escaped.

Before more could be said about the nature of Cheryl's relationship with Tseng, the man stepped back and gestured toward the door. "Since it has been established that we do not have much time, we should hurry."

Cheryl nodded, then held out her hand toward Aerith. "You have my promise that I will do all I can to keep you safe. Here or during our travels, if you go with us. So let's go discuss what we need."

Aerith didn't take Cheryl's hand, but she did give her a tentative smile as she said, "Mom should be home, so let's go."

The trio was still tense as they all left the church, but at least Aerith didn't keep her distance anymore. It was a small thing, but Cheryl hoped it was a good sign of what was to come.

A/N: Yes, I am alive! I am so sorry for the super long hiatus, but RL has been running me ragged. I can't promise an update schedule, but I can say that I am back to working on stuff when I have time. Again, I wish I had a direct brain transcriber, because I have all the ideas, just no time. All that said, I hope you like the chapter. It had a couple of interesting revelations, but we will be building on all of that soon. I will say we are in the last arc, but I have a feeling it's still going to be another dozen chapters at least. I suppose that's good news for readers. Anywho, thank you all for reading, and cheers!