Author's Note: Sorry this one took a while. There was a lot that I really wanted to make sure was addressed in this chapter, because as I move into Part II of this story I wanted to make sure that all of the groundwork was firmly established, and as a result this chapter ended up being pretty long.

Once again, I want to thank all of you who've been taking the time to read this. It's been really fun so far, and I can't wait to share more with you. I have no firm idea when the next chapter will be finished, but I'd like to think it'll be done in roughly a week's time. I'm also going to be going back over some of the earlier chapters and making some minor revisions. The changes won't be anything major. Just a few small tweaks like changing references to Cloud's 'Buster Sword' into the 'Fusion Sword' instead, and fixing a few typos that made it past revisions.

I hope you all enjoy!

The rhythmic beep of various monitors filled the void of silence in Shinra Manor's basement. With no clear way to calm her down, there was no choice but to have Lucrecia sedated. With the medical team outside tending to the injured WRO personnel, Vincent remained by her side, gazing upon the scientist's still form.

"Sorry they had to put her under like that," Cait Sith said, hopping up on a counter and taking a seat next to Vincent as the former Turk leaned against the wall.

"It was necessary," he said, his arms crossed and his eyes unmoving. "The doctors said they'll ease her into consciousness tomorrow to see if she'll be able to tolerate it."

"Do you think she'll be able to stay awake without, well, ya know?"

"I don't know," his uncertainty didn't inspire much confidence for Cait. "Regardless, she'll have to stay here for now. She won't be safe back in the cave."

"But will you be safe down here with her?"

Vincent's posture stiffened. He reared his head with a furrowed brow and a stern glare. "What do you mean by that?"

"You know what I mean, Vincent," the animatronic said. "She has more Jenova cells in her than any SOLDIER ever had."

"Not every SOLDIER," Vincent corrected.

"Laddy, I don't know how to tell ya this, but ya ain't buildin' a good case for yourself with that comparison," Cait Sith shook his head. "My point is, as much as I want to trust Dr. Crescent, you have to look at the situation objectively is all I'm sayin'."

Vincent turned his gaze away from the cat and looked upon Lucrecia once again. "You never really knew her like I did." His tone carried a sense of reminiscence behind it as he gently laid a gauntlet over Lucrecia's soft hand. "She was kind to a fault. She'd never hurt anyone."

"Vincent," Cait Sith replied. "I wanna believe you. I really do, but you've seen what rampant Jenova cells do to a person. Don't get me wrong, I know she means a lot to you, but…"

"You're out of line, Reeve."

"Maybe I am, but I'm tryin' to keep everyone's safety in mind, including yours."

"Noted," the former Turk replied, not even dignifying them with a look.

"I'll just leave ya be, then." The cat frowned and hopped down from the counter. They headed for the exit, stopping at the door to look back at Vincent once more. "Just remember, she went into that crystal cause she never wanted to wake up again. So don't be holdin' out that she'll be jumpin' up and down to see ya again, is all I'm saying." Pulling the door shut behind them, Cait Sith left Vincent to his own devices while the monitors continued to beep in a slow, steady rhythm.

After heading up the spiral stairs, the animatronic saw Yuffie and Barret piled up to the bedroom window, peeking outside.

"Now what's going on here?" Cait asked.

"Cloud is acting weird," Yuffie replied, turning to meet them. "He's talking to himself or something."

"Is he now?"

"Yeah," Barret walked away from the window and sat down on the bed, the entire frame groaning beneath his weight. "Looked like he was having himself a hell of a time, too."

"I see," the cat scratched at his fuzzy chin. "Well as long as he can keep swinging that big sword around, we've got bigger things to worry about."

"Okay, so we're just going to ignore the guy who's last mental breakdown almost destroyed the world?" Yuffie chirped. "Got it!"

"Tifa'll be coming here soon," Cait replied. "Maybe she can talk some sense into him."

"Wait, Tifa's coming?" Barret leaned forward.

"Mhmm," they nodded. "We picked her up earlier today, and Cid is grabbin' Red and a few others as well. They should all be here by tomorrow mornin'."

"Shit," Barret chuckled. "Gettin' the whole team back together for this one?"

"That's the plan," Cait replied, waddling over to the door. "So you two might want to get some rest while you can. No idea what's gonna happen tomorrow."

"What about Vincent and Cloud? Should we go grab them?" Yuffie asked.

"Cloud'll come back when he's ready," Cait answered. "As for Vincent, I think he may just want to be left alone for a while."

The ninja's expression lowered a bit before turning toward the passageway leading to the basement. Though Lucrecia's screaming had finally stopped, an eerie aura of despair still lingered.

"When does Vincent not want to be alone?" She murmured.

XXXXX

Tifa peered out the window as Junon came into view, the light of the setting sun shimmered off the ocean's surface, draping the city in an orange hue as the VTOL prepared to land and refuel. Once the aircraft touched down on the landing pad, Reeve stood up as a WRO trooper slid open the door.

"Go ahead and stretch your legs for a bit," he said, gesturing for her to go outside. "It's a long flight from here to Nibelheim."

Tifa gave Reeve a small nod and hopped out onto the landing pad, locking her fingers linked together as she stretched her arms overhead. Fuel handlers scurried about around her, hauling a long hose and bringing it to the VTOL. The seabreeze cut against her cheeks, and the scent of salt filled her nostrils as she took in a deep breath. Letting out a soft sigh, she felt something suddenly vibrate in her pocket. Reaching into it, she retrieved her phone and glanced down at the screen.

"About time," she huffed before answering. "Hey, Cloud. Finally decided to give me a call?"

"Yeah," he replied. She didn't need to see him to be able to tell he winced at her words. "Sorry about that. I kinda got distracted, I guess. Did Reeve fill you in on what's going on already?"

"He did," she nodded, stepping toward the railing overlooking the city below. "Not that he needed to. It's all over the news. Everyone is talking about it."

"Including the stuff that happened at Junon?"

"Yeah, he mentioned that too," she said, resting her elbows on the railing. "We're there now, actually. Stopping to refuel before heading the rest of the way."

"Oh," Cloud replied. "What's it like over there?"

"Seems pretty normal, I guess?" Tifa looked down at the bustling street beneath her. "But I dunno. We're not going to be here long, so it's not like I can go around asking everyone."

"Got it."

"Reeve also said there was something that happened at one of the Shinra storage facilities in Gongaga. Did you know about that?"

"That's news to me." Cloud said. "When did you hear about that?"

"When he picked me up from Edge. He said Tseng and Elena were looking into it, but we're still waiting to hear back."

"It just doesn't end, does it?" Tifa heard the sound of something crunching in the background, like Cloud had fallen back onto an old bed. "So I guess Marlene is staying with Elmyra while you're away now that Denzel isn't around to keep an eye on her anymore?"

"Mhm," Tifa replied. "She didn't seem to mind, though. She loves having Marlene over. Still, we should find some way to thank her."

"I could try doing some yard work for her when I get back?"

"You're going to tend to the flowers?" Tifa giggled.

"And who do you think keeps up with the ones in the church? It sure as hell ain't the kids that hang around there."

Tifa's expression lowered just a bit. "Oh, I didn't know that was you. I just always thought…" she started to trail off. "Nevermind. Anyways, yeah, I think she might appreciate that."

There was a long pause over the phone with nothing but faint white noise coming from the speaker before Cloud spoke up again.

"Tifa, there's something I need to talk to you about when you get here."

"Why not talk about it now? They're still refueling the plane. So I've got time."

"I dunno. It's just not something that's easy to talk about over the phone, is all."

"Cloud," Tifa stood up straight and started pacing alongside the railing. "You know I hate it when you do this. Now I'm just going to sit here worrying until you tell me what it is."

"I know," he murmured. "It's just tomorrow is probably going to be crazy, and I want to make sure I can talk to you," he paused for a moment. "Alone, if possible."

"You don't have to ask me to set aside time for you, Cloud. You know I'm always here whenever you need me," her brow furrowed a bit. "Even if you never answer my calls," she murmured.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she said. "Look, if you want to wait till I get there to talk about it, that's fine, but can you do me just one little favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Before I go, can we talk about something happy? I just don't want the last thing we talk about to be something that'll keep me worried all night."

"Yeah," he said. "Of course." There was a momentary pause on the line before he finally said something. "I found a flower that was about to bloom just a bit ago. It was just outside of town.."

"You're kidding?" Tifa blinked. "I thought they said flowers couldn't grow there anymore."

"That's what I thought, too, but apparently not. There's a few around the manor, too. Not sure if they were put there or not, though."

"How long do you think it'll stay?" Tifa felt a small smile coming to form around the edge of her lips.

"Can't say for sure, but I think it'll stick around for a while."

"Would you mind showing me when I get there?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks, Cloud." Tifa took in a deep breath and exhaled softly, hearing the sound of the fuel hose disconnecting from the aircraft. "I've gotta go, but I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"See you tomorrow," he replied.

"Bye."

"Bye."

Tifa pulled her phone away and ended the call as she turned toward the VTOL. As she approached, she saw Reeve nearing the landing pad with a red haired woman in glasses and a lab coat by his side. Fixing her gaze, Tifa couldn't help but recognize the woman, but was unable to immediately place her.

"Tifa," Reeve said, "Allow me to introduce you to Shalua," he said, gesturing toward the woman. "I believe you two may have already met, but I don't think proper introductions were made at the time."

Tifa's dark red eyes met with Shalua's bright blue, and after taking another moment to reflect, the memories came back as she snapped her fingers.

"Oh, right!" Tifa exclaimed. "You're Shelke's sister, right?"

"Uh, yes, I am," she nodded, appearing to almost go meek at the mention of the name. "Sorry, but I don't think I recall meeting you before?"

"I don't blame you," she smiled. "When your lifepod crashed in Midgar a few years ago, I was the one who found it."

"Oh," Shalua blinked, her posture stiffening a bit as she made a weak smile. "So I guess you're the one I have to thank for that."

"It was nothing," Tifa waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'm just glad I could help."

Shalua brought her single blue eye up to meet Tifa as she reinforced her smile before bringing her gaze back down to her feet. Sensing the awkwardness, Tifa opted to change the subject.

"So are you coming with us to Nibelheim?"

"I am," the scientist fixed her posture and readjusted her glasses. "Without the Jenova sample, my work here is effectively done. So I'd like to help you all however best I can, and if that means going with you all to Nibelheim, then that's where I plan to go."

Tifa gave the scientist a nod as the sound of the VTOL's engines roared to life. The spin of the propellers kicked up wind across the landing pad, blowing their hair back with the powerful gust.

"No time to waste, it seems," Reeve said as he led Tifa and Shalua onto the aircraft. Once everyone was onboard, the bay door sealed shut, and they took to the sky, soaring toward the setting sun as it crawled further and further beneath the horizon.

XXXXX

Cloud laid down on a stiff bed, one hand resting behind his head, the other holding his phone out in front of him. After ending the call with Tifa, he tossed it onto a nearby nightstand and stared up at the ceiling.

Reaching into his pocket, he produced the strange materia with the flowing green swirl, examining it closely. It was teeming with energy beneath his fingertips, vibrating slightly as he fidgeted with it. It wasn't much, but just enough to be noticeable. Cloud considered trying to tap into it, to peer deeper into the memories of the Cetra that lingered within. Yet when he attempted to reach further, the green swirl spun into a chaotic maelstrom within the materia, and flew out of his hand, rolling across the wooden floorboard.

"Damn," he huffed, getting up from the bed and moving to retrieve it. When he squatted to pick it up, the violent lashing of green had already settled back into its peaceful, almost hypnotic flow from earlier. "Guess you're not quite ready yet, huh?"

"Tampering with materia you don't understand isn't something that should be done so carelessly." Cloud's eyes shot to the doorway, where he saw Vincent's tall and slender figure leaning against the frame, his arms crossed and his red coat draping down to his ankles. "Especially indoors."

"How long have you been standing there?" There was a hint of defensiveness in his tone.

"Long enough," Vincent replied, leaning forward.

"Shouldn't you be with Dr. Crescent?" Cloud shoved the materia back into his pocket where its subtle hum persisted just enough to serve as a constant reminder of its presence. Vincent's crimson gaze followed the stiffness and haste in Cloud's movements.

"Lucrecia is fine for now," Vincent stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. "I just needed to ask you something."

"Okay," Cloud replied, sitting down at the edge of the bed with his forearms resting on his knees. "What is it?"

"You've been acting strange since the crash," he said. "The others have started to pick up on it as well."

"Not sure what you mean," Cloud brought his eyes down to his boots.

"First I heard you talking with someone near the lifespring, then you had that episode at the reactor." Vincent took another step forward, his greaves clacking against the wooden flooring. "I also heard you froze up while fighting one of the Deepground soldiers," he fixed his gaze on the SOLDIER who was still unable to meet his eyes. "What's going on with you, Cloud?"

"It's nothing," Cloud stood from the edge of the bed and walked toward the window, turning his back to Vincent.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe whatever you want," Cloud huffed. "I'm fine."

"Keeping it all to yourself isn't going to do you any favors."

"That's rich coming from you."

"Perhaps you're right about that," Vincent started to pace with an even rhythm. "Which is why I should know better than anyone that it's unproductive."

"What do you want me to say, Vincent?" Cloud pivoted on his heel. "That just being near Jenova again made my entire body feel like it was being ripped apart? That at any moment I might not be able to tell if what I'm seeing is reality, a memory, or something completely made-up? What good does me telling you that do? It's not going to suddenly make it all go away. All that matters is that Jenova is still alive, and she has to die! We can worry about my bullshit after that's settled."

"I see," Vincent stopped his pacing and looked over Cloud with an appraising eye. "And do you think you can defeat Jenova as you are now?"

"Honestly?" Cloud fell back against the wall and sighed. "No, but there's not really a choice, is there? It's either her or the planet."

"Then you'll understand why you can't let this fester like last time," Vincent said, taking a step closer to Cloud, his stern gaze burning through them. "We've been through this once already. Don't make the same mistakes as last time."

"I won't," Cloud replied. Vincent continued to stare into Cloud for a long moment before turning on his heel and moving for the door.

"Get some rest, Cloud."

"Yeah," he nodded. "You, too."

"I've already slept enough for one lifetime," he said as he opened the door and passed through the threshold, closing it behind him.

Cloud took in a deep breath and exhaled. Loath he was to admit it, he knew Vincent was right. Just like all the madmen at the asylum, he too had a part of Jenova inside him. For years he thought he'd conquered that terrible bond, but when faced with her presence once again, all that time and progress meant nothing.

Sliding down the wall, the SOLDIER sat on the cold floor. Though he'd harbored his own doubts and hesitations around it, Cloud knew what needed to be done, whether he felt he was ready for it or not. He needed to see Tifa, and he needed to see her soon.

XXXXX

Beneath the starless sky, the planet basked in an endless veil of shadow. Yet to the north, beyond the labyrinthian thicket of the Sleeping Forest, light persisted in its fight against the night, like the embers of a flame clawing at the encroaching darkness.

Trees with bark like moonlight illuminated the coral-like structures of a city forgotten by time. At one time perhaps it possessed a name, but that time had been lost to the annals of history. All that remained were empty seashell-shaped houses and lost memories never to be recalled again.

In the heart of the forgotten city, the light from the vast thicket of glowing trees shimmered off the surface of a massive lake encompassing a lone conch shell shaped structure in the distance while a man with hair as white as the glow of the trees sat along the edge of the lake with an elbow rested on his knee. A motionless figure draped and wrapped in cloth lay on the ground at his side as the man lifted his head, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps behind him.

"It's good to see you made it, brother," Weiss said, looking back toward the long path leading to the lake.

"It appears Azul wasn't so fortunate," Nero replied as they approached, taking their side by their elder brother. "I could sense the moment he returned to the planet once again."

"It's a shame," Weiss said. "However, his efforts weren't in vain," The Tsviet's brilliant blue eyes shifted, fixing themselves on the temple in the middle of the lake. "His distraction allowed us to achieve our true goal," he patted the wrapped-up figure next to him. "Rosso will be here with us soon, and Mother can begin to make herself whole again thanks to his sacrifice. I'm sure our liege will grant him a proper reward once the time of ascension has come."

"On that matter," Nero stepped forward, looking down at Weiss. "Shall we begin?"

"Of course, brother," Weiss said, reaching over and unfolding the wrap around the figure's head, revealing the pale face of a scarlet haired woman. Her eyes were sealed shut, and her expression devoid of any semblance of life as Weiss cradled her limp body in his arms. "Let's not waste anymore time."

The two Tsviets stepped into the lake. As they drew toward the center, they could feel the current stirring around them, like a voracious tide, eager to devour all who dared trespass into its wake. Weiss and Nero however remained steadfast as they journeyed further into the water until it went up to their waists.

"Dear Mother," Weiss said, holding Rosso's body out before him. "We extend to you this offering, a new servant to bear your gift and to scour this wretched planet in your name."

Nero said nothing as he unfolded an arm from its straightjacket-like bonds and extended it, holding a gray finger in his grasp. Once they were both ready, Weiss released Rosso's corpse, letting her splash into the water just as Nero let go of the finger.

The corpse and the finger descended into the lake, dragged down by the current as a whirlpool formed around them, sucking the offerings into the darkest depths of the lake. Swirls of red danced around Rosso's body as the finger descended deeper into the abyss before vanishing entirely.

The red swirls slithered into Rosso's mouth and coursed through their still veins. The corpse's sickly pale flesh warmed. Long dormant cells reawakened to the touch of their progenitor, and demanded the rudimentary vehicle of flesh and bone to which they were bound to do so as well. A still heart started to beat. Blood pumped through the body, and lungs that had once ceased now yearned for air.

Then finally, eyes thought closed forever opened once more.

XXXXX

The light of the early morning sun shone from behind the mountains east of Nibelheim. WRO troops patrolled the streets all through the night, and the morning proved to be no different. Both entrances to the town were locked down and heavily guarded while a task force remained stationed at the remnants of the Mt. Nibel reactor.

Cloud sat atop the water tower in the heart of the town, watching the sky with his Fusion Sword laying down at his side. The most recent report indicated that Tifa and Reeve would be arriving at any moment, but the vast blue before him remained clear of all but a few clouds drifting through the air.

While the SOLDIER waited, he reflected on what Aerith had said about being unable to communicate with the portion of the Lifestream infected by Jenova. Even ignoring the threats of the unknown that lurked within it, he couldn't help but feel a dreadful sense of unease as he pondered over how Jenova could accomplish such a feat.

Cloud was no expert on the inner workings of the planet, but he knew enough to understand that all things born from the planet are destined to return to it. So how did a being from another world fit into that cycle? Cloud placed a gloved hand over the pink ribbon tied to his left arm, recalling the infection that once coursed through his veins, Jenova's parting gift, Geostigma.

But Geostigma was gone, washed away and cleansed. Aerith had seen to it herself. Yet still the planet cried, and still Jenova persisted, unable to truly die. Were they fighting for a doomed planet? An existence damned to perpetual catastrophe, forced to fight back against calamity after calamity until the inevitability that was Jenova finally tore the world asunder?

Those questions burned at the back of Cloud's mind, but he was terrified to know their answer. All he could do was keep moving forward, hoping that tomorrow might bring a hope that he was desperately in need of.

The SOLDIER blinked when he heard a buzz ringing in his ears. Peering up to the vast sky, he saw a WRO aircraft approaching. Grabbing his blade, he stood up and strapped it to his back before hopping down from the water tower, planting his boots into the cobblestone as he landed. Then he headed to the main gate.

The VTOL landed just outside of the town, dropping off its three passengers before departing for the refueling station in Corel. Cloud watched from behind the barricade as the three familiar figures approached. Tifa and Reeve he expected, but Shalua wasn't among those he anticipated seeing. However that thought was pushed to the back of his mind when he locked eyes with Tifa and saw her smile.

"Cloud!" she sprinted ahead of the others and leapt over the barricade. Before the SOLDIER could react, she already had him wrapped in a tight hug with a concerning amount of strength behind it as her arms tightened around his ribs.

"Good to see you too, Tifa," he chuckled before she pulled away from him. He opened his lips to say something else, but all he did was let out a deep grunt when he felt a firm fist slam into his solar plexus. Tifa's punch didn't have enough force behind it to hurt, but it had more than enough to knock the breath out of his lungs, which was all she needed to get her point across.

"That was for waiting so long to call and leaving me worried like that," she huffed, her stern expression lightening up a bit. "But I think that makes us even now."

"Yeah," Cloud gently rubbed his abdomen. "I kinda deserved that one, didn't I?"

"A little lover's quarrel?" Reeve said as he and Shalua approached.

Cloud averted his gaze slightly, while Tifa turned to face Reeve, her expression betraying what appeared to be embarrassment underlined with an inkling of shame.

"It's…" Tifa trailed off before turning back to Cloud. "Anyways, Cloud," Tifa gestured toward the one-armed woman in the lab coat. "This is…"

"Shalua," he replied, finding his composure as he gave the scientist a nod. "We met before."

"Briefly," Shalua said, returning the nod. "I heard Dr. Crescent is here? How is she?"

"She's…" Cloud felt a sudden pang deep in his skull as Lucrecia's words echoed in the recesses of his mind.

"Reunion!"

"She's still out cold last I heard," Cloud replied, shaking off the momentary episode, although not without Tifa's notice. "Vincent is over at Shinra Manor with her if you want to see them, but I wouldn't expect to get much out of them right now."

"Sounds typical for Vincent," she replied before shifting her eye over to Reeve. "Would you mind showing me the way?"

"Of course," he said. "It's just ahead, follow me." As the head of the WRO passed Cloud and Tifa by, he threw a quick glance their way. "Cid probably won't be here for another half hour. So feel free to catch up in the meantime."

Cloud and Tifa both gave a nod as Reeve and Shalua passed through the gates and into the town square. Once they were far enough away, Tifa looked back to Cloud with a small smile.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

XXXXX

Deep within the darkest bowels of Shinra Tower's ruins, a battered and rusted door groaned as the brittle remains of its hydraulics struggled to open the hunk of metal before the former President and the two Turks at his side.

Shinra Tower, once thought to be an icon of power now stood as little more than a husk from a bygone era, a relic cursed by the planet for the hubris upon which it was built. Now it stood as nothing more than a monolith to human arrogance.

Diamond Weapon's barrage destroyed the upper levels of the tower, and the events of Meteorfall saw what remained of it ripped apart piece-by-piece. Then as if to desecrate a grave even further, Omega used those same shattered remains as its seat of power three years later.

Anything that could have possibly been worth preserving was long gone, yet in spite of Reno and Rude's personal doubts, their leader ventured on into the darkest recesses of the tower, hoping to find answers to a question time had long forgotten.

"Don't think I've ever been this far down before," Reno said, looking over the vast, cavernous room. Stepping through the threshold, he peered down to the desolated interior from a catwalk as he leaned over the railing. "So you're expecting to find one of those WAVE things in all this mess?"

"Not really, no." Rufus replied. "If any WAVE devices were here, then I'd wager Deepground took them a long time ago."

"So why come out here, then?"

"Because I want to know how a bunch of dead men managed to claw out of this tomb."

Rufus led them further down the catwalk, descending precarious ladders barely fixed in place by rusted bolts, and leaping across ruined hunks of scrap and rebar. Flying fiends screeched in the distance, seemingly uninterested in the three explorers, instead gathering around the pools of stagnant mako trickling from the damaged pipes.

After a long and arduous trek through the ruins, the three finally reached the bottom. Rude's nose twitched, sensing something lingering in the air. It wasn't the typical sulfuric scent of mako, but rather a smell not too dissimilar to that of dew in the air before a rainstorm.

"I smell water," he said.

"Probably from the reactor cooling pools," Rufus replied.

"No," Rude shook his head, his eyes narrowed behind his dark glasses. "This smells fresh, like springwater."

"You sniff up too much mako, buddy?" Reno replied. "There ain't a drop of clean water for miles around here."

"Actually," Rufus said, sniffing the air. "He might be onto something. Midgar was built over an underground reservoir. Most of it was destroyed during the construction process, but the portion underneath Deepground City was left intact to ensure they had a steady supply."

"No kidding?" Reno said. "You think the Deepground survivors slipped out through those caverns?"

"Possibly," Rufus said, letting Rude guide them toward the source of the smell. "We'll have to dig deeper to find out."

"Here," Rude said, stopping in front of a massive slab of metal. Without another word, the Turk slid on his gloves and carefully placed the tips of his fingers against the surface before curling them into his palm and balling up his fist. Gently inhaling through his lips as he drew back his arm, and fixed his sight on the target. Then with lightning speed he smashed his fist into the slab just as he exhaled. The impact tore through the hunk of metal, blasting a hole clean through it, freeing the aroma of mist and minerals into the air.

"Nice work," Reno said, stepping forward. The massive hole Rude made revealed a passageway into a dank cave that echoed with the sound of trickling water from the stalactites hanging above. The Turk looked down and realized he was standing in a small puddle of running water that flowed in a shallow stream from the cavern, soaking the soles of his shoes. "Guess there's nowhere else to go but forward," he added, pulling out a flashlight to illuminate the darkness ahead. With cautious eyes, the three ventured forward, leaving behind the steel ruins as they descended into the veins of the planet.

XXXXX

Cloud and Tifa walked along the forest trail side-by-side, far from any prying eyes. There was a sense of warm nostalgia as the branches crunched under the soles of their boots and their ears rang to the sound of a lone bird chirping from behind a veil of leaves.

"It's so much greener here than it used to be," Tifa awed at the plant life around them.

"It's kinda amazing what shutting down a mako reactor can do," Cloud replied, watching Tifa press the palm of her hand against a tree trunk.

"It's too bad it'll all be gone soon," she said with a twinge of lament in her eyes, running her fingers along the harsh texture of the bark. "Just a few more years, and the planet'll swallow it up."

"There's still time," Cloud replied. "Anything could happen between now and then."

"No," Tifa shook her head, pulling her hand away from the tree. "I don't think so, but maybe what makes all of this so beautiful is knowing that it'll be gone one day?"

"Maybe," Cloud stood by Tifa's side, reaching up and plucking a leaf from a tree. "But if it could be saved, would that make it any less beautiful?" He started curling the leaf together.

"No, I guess not," Tifa said as she plucked her own leaf from the tree. "You're doing it wrong, by the way. You're supposed to fold it like this." Tifa curled the leaf, brought it to her lips, and blew into it.

When Cloud heard the trumpeting sound that came from her makeshift whistle, he smiled and tried to match Tifa's melody. However, the only sound he could manage was a harsh buzz that was far removed from anything remotely harmonious.

"I always sucked at this," he snickered, flicking the leaf away.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, I think you might've just discovered the H note with that one!"

"Ha-Ha," Cloud said dryly, clearly unamused.

"Oh, come on, you know that was a good one," she said before blowing into the leaf again, playing a short tune to assert her victory. After finishing, she tossed aside the leaf. "So I think we're all alone now. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Oh right," Cloud said as they both started down the trail again. The SOLDIER felt a tightness in his chest as his heartbeat picked up in pace. Now that the moment of truth had come, he was beginning to wonder whether sharing this with Tifa was actually a good idea or not. "Yeah, about that…"

Tifa cocked her head a bit. "Something wrong, Cloud?"

"No," he took a deep breath and exhaled. "I just don't really know how exactly I'm supposed to say this to you."

"It's okay, Cloud." Tifa stepped in front of him and took his hand, running a thumb over the back of his palm. "Just say it," she said. "I'm always here for you." She looked deep into Cloud's mako-ladden eyes, meeting her ruby with his sapphire, and gave a warm smile.

"Alright," Cloud closed his eyes and took another breath. "I've been talking with… Or I guess seeing? Maybe?" he brought his free hand up to his face and rubbed his temples before making a frustrated sigh. Realizing what needed to be done, he just let the words pour out of his mouth without thought. "I've been seeing Aerith."

Tifa blinked. "What?"

"I've been seeing Aerith," he repeated. "Sometimes I see her, and she… well, there's not really any other way to put it. She talks to me."

"Oh," Tifa pulled her hand away, trying to process what she was hearing. "Okay… Wow."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she nodded, running her hands down her face. "I just wasn't quite expecting to hear you say something like that." After regaining a sense of her composure, she looked back to Cloud. "What exactly do you mean you've been 'seeing' her?" she asked.

"Just like how I'm seeing you right now," he replied, his expression betraying the sense of urgency he was trying to hold back.

"Cloud…" Tifa shook her head, her dark bangs falling over her eyes.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy, but you have to believe me that she's be—"

"Cloud, please stop."

"Tifa, I'm not making this up!" he grabbed at her shoulders. "She's trying to help us!"

"I said stop it, Cloud!" Tifa yanked her arms back, and pulled herself away. With watery eyes she looked to the SOLDIER through strands of black hair. "I understand that you hurt, but so do I!"

"Tifa…" he reached out to her, but she took another step back.

"I can't keep doing this, Cloud," she sniffled, wiping an arm across her face. "If you can't move on, that's fine. I don't have to like it, but I can accept it, but every time you try digging her back up again, you keep pulling me down with you!"

"Tifa, you have to understand, I'm not making this up!" Cloud said, holding his arms out to the side. "She's trying to help us!"

"Then where is she, Cloud?" Tifa shot her head around, looking off in every direction. "Just show her to me, and I'll believe you!" she tried to fight back the tears, but they kept coming. "Please, god, I'd love nothing more than for you to show her to me right now!"

"It…" Cloud's arms fell limp with dejection. "It doesn't really work that way, I don't think." His gaze lowered, and his tone went flat.

"Cloud," Tifa's voice softened, but still held the choking of tears within it. "Aerith will always be with us, and I'm sure she's helping in her own way, just like she did before, but she's returned to the planet." Tifa brushed her eyes again. "She's gone, Cloud. Whatever it is you're seeing, it's not her."

"But I…" Cloud's tone lowered as hints of doubt crept in. "I know what I saw."

"Maybe you're just seeing what you want to be true," Tifa said. "Just like before, back when..." she stopped herself. "Nothing would make me happier than to see her again, but someday we all have to move on. I just hope one day you will, too." Tifa started walking back toward town, striding past Cloud. "I'll keep this all between us," she wiped her face one last time. "But I'm begging you, don't bring this up with me again," Tifa bit down on her lip. "I'm always here for you, Cloud, but please, please don't make me bury her again."

"I understand," Cloud said, looking down at his boots as Tifa walked away. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something. When he fixed it into his gaze, he realized it was the same flower he'd seen with Aerith, the same flower he said he'd show Tifa. However, its petals had since wilted and browned, leaving behind a decaying husk of a flower that would never bloom.

A gust of wind blew by, knocking the flower's weak stem over, snapping it as the trees rustled. The SOLDIER looked to the sky as the roar of two mighty engines shook the air. Cloud saw the silhouette of a vast airship soaring above, flying toward the southern edge of Nibelheim where it vanished from Cloud's sight.

"Perfect timing, I guess," Cloud murmured, turning around and heading back to town with Tifa just ahead of him.

XXXXX

Rufus and the two Turks continued the long trek through the winding cavern. Their shoes and the cuffs of their pants were soaked from the chilled water standing in the crevices as they descended deeper into the unknown.

"It's weird," Reno said, breaking the silence as his voice echoed through the cave.

"What is?" Rude replied.

"This place feels so, I dunno, natural?" Reno shot the flashlight all around them, pointing out the rocky formations carved by millions of years of erosion. "Not man made, I guess? Just feels kinda wrong to see a place like this in Midgar."

"That's because we're not really in Midgar anymore, so much as we are under it," Rufus said, coming to a halt as he stepped up to a ledge overlooking a vast expansion before them.

Reno whistled, taking in the sight. Distant waterfalls cascaded into a massive lake where perpetual rainbows formed at their bases. The Turk leaned over the ledge and kicked off a pebble, counting how long it took before it made a splash. The answer was around four seconds.

"About a hundred meters down," he said, leaning back. "So I guess we found where the rest of Deepground ran off to. This cave probably goes on for miles. Must've found a way out and ran for the hills."

"Maybe," Rude said, raising a gloved finger, pointing toward the water below. "But probably not the way you think. Look."

Rufus and Reno peered back down at the lake, appraising it with careful eyes. It was difficult to see at first, but once they saw it, everything started to make sense. Buried deep in the water was a faint green glow that swirled and flowed with its own guidance independent of the water's natural currents.

"Ho-ly shit," Reno said, fixing the flashlight on the glow. "Your old man must be rolling in his grave right now."

"Untapped Lifestream sitting just out of reach of Midgar for all this time?" Rufus snickered. "He'd be furious."

"So they must've used one of those WAVE devices and took a dip?" Reno stepped back from the ledge and stretched out his shoulders.

"That'd be the leading theory," Rufus' gaze remained unmoved. "Rude, go ahead and call in the WRO and have them move in."

"Not worried they'll stumble on any old secrets by coming down here, sir?"

"I'm not interested in keeping the secrets of dead men," Rufus replied. "Not anymore."

"Understood." Rude nodded, reaching for the phone in his pocket when he felt a sudden tremble quaking beneath his feet. Though Rude was the first to notice, it didn't take long for Reno and the former president to pick up on it as well. After a brief moment, it came to a stop just as suddenly as it occurred

"What the hell was that?" Reno looked to the others.

"After everything that's happened in the past few days," Rude said. "Probably nothing good."

XXXXX

The Shera II, much like its predecessor, was a marvel of engineering. Though the chassis of the newest iteration differed little from the original Shera, that was where the similarities ended. The original Shera used a twin mako engine not too dissimilar to that of the late Highwind's. However the Shera II utilized a pair of hybrid electric/mako engines that generated a comparable amount of power with only half the required mako to keep such a massive aircraft afloat.

When Cloud and Tifa first stepped aboard, they were greeted by Cid's trademark smirk as he stood on the loading bay with a toothpick between his teeth, a carryover from his smoking days.

"Well how the hell ya'll been?" he hollered.

"It's good to see you, Cid," Tifa said with what Cloud knew was a forced smile, pushing through the lingering weight of their conversation from earlier.

"Cloud! Tifa!" A youthful voice barked from down the hall. The clacking of claws on metal filled the loading bay as a fiery furred creature with a flame-tipped tail darted toward them, and pounced for Tifa.

Either out of instinct or perhaps a swiftly calculated action, Tifa sidestepped the feline-like creature, causing them to go soaring toward Cloud instead. The SOLDIER fell flat on his back as the full weight of the creature bared down on him, and he was bombarded with the feeling of a wet tongue lapping at his face.

"It's nice to see you too, Red," Cloud groaned, pushing them off of him.

"That son-of-bitch was runnin' himself in circles to see you folks."

"Clearly," Cloud pushed himself back to his feet, not failing to notice Tifa giggling. At least she was genuinely smiling again.

"Don't listen to him, Nanaki," She knelt down. "We're happy to see you, too."

Red sat down and gave a nod to Tifa. "Sorry. I just got a bit excited."

"Well why don't you go and take that excitement of yours and round up the rest of 'em for me?" Cid said, gesturing toward Nibelheim.

"Sure thing," Red replied, shooting down the ramp. "I'll be back!"

"That kid is something else, I'll tell you what." Cid shook his head. "Anyhow, you two come on with me," he said, waving for Cloud and Tifa to follow him through the ship.

The interior of the Shera II was a series of large, open rooms interconnected by long, narrow halls and corridors to accommodate the space needed to house the airship's thousands of tons of machinery and components. It was almost labyrinthian in a way, and even with the signage hanging above them, they could see why Cid offered to guide them himself.

The meeting room Cid led them to was far more spacious than the one on the Highwind. Cloud wasn't certain how it compared to the one on the original Shera, but this one was definitely an upgrade to what he was used to.

"Now go on, sit the hell down."

"Cozy," Cloud said, plopping down in one of the cushioned chairs while Tifa sat across from him. It wasn't long after that when Reeve, Yuffie, and Barret arrived alongside the Cait Sith animatronic that sat on Reeve's shoulder. Some few minutes later, Red returned with Vincent following close behind him.

"Fashionably late, I see," Yuffie chimed. Vincent however gave no acknowledgement.

"So I guess we got everyone?" Barret said, looking to Reeve.

"Not quite," a woman said as she stepped inside. Everyone looked to see Shalua striding into the room, carrying a laptop under her arm as she took a seat at the far end of the table.

"Alright," Reeve stood up. "Now that everyone is here," Cait Sith hopped off of Reeve's shoulder, and scurried over to dim the lights. "Let's take a moment to do a brief recap of events." The projector in the middle of the table lit up, displaying a map of the Corel Region. "It started when we picked up a reading tha—"

"We all watch the news, Reeve," Cid cut him off. "Hell, near about half the people in this room were on it. Why don't you tell us something we don't know yet?"

"Yeah," Yuffie stretched her arms. "Do we really have to go back over all this again?"

"Oh," Reeve blinked, and gauged the expressions of everyone else in the room, sensing that they all shared the same sentiment. "Okay, then. Uh, give me just one moment, please" Reeve rapidly pressed a button on the table, cycling through several slides.

"Damn," Barret murmured. "You had a whole ass presentation lined up, didn't you?"

"It never hurts to be thorough."

"Hell, Reeve," Cid remarked as the slides kept going. "Was this what all your meetings with the big-wigs at Shinra was like? Ain't no wonder you weren't popular over there."

"Very amusing, Cid." Reeve replied, finally settling on the image of what could only be described as an empty metal coffin propped up by a maze of wiring and cables.

"Now we're gettin' somewhere!" Cid chuckled. "Cause now I don't have a clue what I'm lookin' at."

"Whoo-hoo!" Yuffie cheered. "New information!"

"Anyways…" Reeve threw a look to both Cid and Yuffie before turning his attention back to the group. "During the attack on Nibelheim and Junon, there was another attack on Shinra's Site 9 storage facility in Gongaga. Similar to the attack on Junon, it was headed by a single individual. A Turk attempted to intercept them, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. After Tseng and Elena arrived on the scene, they found the Turk alive, but in critical condition. They were however able to give an account of what transpired, and based on their report it's suspected that the attacker was this man…"

The hologram cycled to the next image, displaying a face everyone in the room, and likely everyone in the world was very familiar with.

"Weiss," Vincent murmured, crossing his arms while he leaned against the wall.

"They're just all coming out of their graves, ain't they?" Barret shook his head.

"What's more is what he stole from Site 9," Reeve said, cycling to the next image, this time displaying the visage of a pale woman with blood-red eyes that matched her long crimson hair. "After cross referencing it with classified Shinra files, it appears he took the body of Rosso, The Crimson, a fellow Tsviet of Deepground."

Cloud recalled his brief skirmish with the woman during the Battle of Midgar. She was a fierce opponent, and not one he'd hoped to fight again.

"Sounds like they want to bring her back, too?" The SOLDIER asked

"That is definitely one of our major concerns," Reeve replied.

"So where'd he take off to with her?" Barret asked.

"Likely the same place Nero went with the Jenova fragment," Vincent said.

"And we don't have a clue where that is, do we?" Cloud leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms.

Reeve exhaled through his lips and glanced over to Shalua, prompting everyone else to look her way. Realizing that all eyes were on her, she rested her laptop on the desk before standing and clearing her throat.

"No," she said, making a few keystrokes on her laptop to take command of the holoprojector. "We don't know where they went, but we have an idea of where to start." The projector lit up with a map of the planet. Overlaying it were streams of interconnected green currents flowing all across the world from the distant land of Wutai all the way to the remote regions of the Northern Continent.

"This is a map of the Lifestream's currents as we know them today," Shalua continued. "As you can see, there are certain junction points across the planet where several currents intersect with one another. Most of these are in places you'd expect, like Midgar, the Corel Region near the Gold Saucer, and the Northern Continent, lands known to be rich with mako."

"So you think they're at one of these junction points?" Tifa asked.

"Possibly, but as you can see, there are hundreds of these junction points across the planet. Searching every single one of them would take weeks, maybe even months. That's to say nothing about Jenova's ability to move through the Lifestream. Deepground could very well be moving from one location to the next, never staying in one place for longer than they need.

"I mean," Yuffie scratched the back of her head. "The map looks pretty and all, but I don't see how that helps us, then?"

"I agree," Shalua replied, gliding her hand across the keyboard again. "Which is why I ran it through this," A series of red dots populated across the map. Most of them were largely scattered, except for a densely packed section spreading from Cosmo Canyon to Gongaga, which so happened to be directly over one of the major Lifestream intersections. "This is a map of all reported fiend sightings in the past forty-eight hours."

"Holy cow!" Yuffie shot forward in her chair. "You said in the past forty-eight hours right? So like two days?"

"Mhm," she nodded. "Fiend sightings aren't a particularly uncommon thing, but for so many to be isolated in such a small area leaves me feeling that it can't be a coincidence."

"So we just follow the monsters, and then we find Deepground." Cloud said. "Once we find Deepground, Jenova will probably close by. Sounds easy enough."

"Best lead we got," Barret said.

"At the very least it's a good start," Tifa added.

"Then I guess that's it, folks!" Cid stood up. "Time's a wastin' we better get movin'!"

"Ugh," Yuffie groaned, already feeling the inevitable churning in her stomach.

"I wish you all luck in your search for Jenova," Vincent said, pushing himself back from against the wall. "However, I won't be going with you." Everyone turned toward him with mixed expressions ranging from curious to dumbfounded.

"What the hell do you mean?" There was a noticeable squeak in Yuffie's voice.

"I'm staying here with Lucrecia," he replied. "She was already targeted once. I'm not going to leave her alone."

"I think that's fair," Cloud said, though the opinions of the others appeared to be mixed.

"I understand where you're coming from, Vincent," Tifa spoke up. "But couldn't we just bring her on board?"

"Nah," Cid shook his head. "With all the shit we're about to be gettin' into, I don't want us fillin' up the infirmary beds if we don't have to. Especially with that one over there hoggin' them up all the time."

"Hey!" Yuffie snapped.

"Oh hush, darlin' you know it's true."

While Yuffie and Cid bickered, Nanaki took a pensive expression and walked over to Vincent. "I understand," he said. "If this is where you believe you need to be, then I think you should stay." Vincent looked down to Nanaki with the faintest of nods.

"With that out of the way," he said to the group. "You can all leave without me," he went silent for a moment. Cloud thought he could hear them murmuring something to themselves before speaking up more clearly. "But if something happens and you need me, then I'll find a way to reach you."

"You damn sure better," Barret said.

"Yeah!" Yuffie pumped her fist in agreement, "You better!"

"Just let us know if anything goes down out here, okay?" Cloud stood from his chair and approached the former Turk. "I know you have a cellphone now, so you can't pretend like you're unreachable anymore."

"Wait," Tifa cocked her head. "You have a cellphone now? What's your number?"

"Hey! I don't got it, neither," Barret added.

"I've got it if anyone wants it!" Yuffie jumped up and bounced over to the two.

Vincent rolled his eyes and groaned before looking back to Cloud. "All the same," he said. "If any of you run into any trouble, you know how to reach me as well."

"You got it," Cloud nodded with a small grin. He reached out toward Vincent in a friendly manner, but just as he went to extend his arm, everyone felt the floor shift beneath their feet for a brief moment before coming to a sudden halt.

"What was that?" Reeve asked. "An earthquake?"

"Well it sure as hell ain't turbulence," Cid snickered.

While everyone else chatted among themselves, Cloud shook his head, sensing that something was off. The world around him flickered, coming in and out of existence before his very eyes as it shifted between reality and unyielding darkness.

"Cloud?" Vincent called out as the SOLDIER wrapped a hand around their forehead. "Are you alright?"

The flickers became more violent, and each time the world flashed before his eyes it was like having a railroad spike hammered directly into his skull. Something was stirring deep within the planet. He could feel it. Screams of unseen voices tore at his ears and frayed at the edges of his mind. Once he began stumbling about while doing everything he could to maintain his balance, the rest of the room finally started to take notice.

"Cloud!" Tifa shot up from her chair and ran for him.

"No!" He shoved an arm out to push her away as his boots tripped along the floor, bringing him to his knees as the screams grew louder. It wasn't just a cry of the planet he heard, rather it was the wailing of spirits in anguish, pleading for help as a foul wickedness tore them apart at the seams.

Meanwhile in Nibelheim, the staff of the asylum were tending to their daily duties when all the patients suddenly went still, freezing in place as if time had completely stopped for only them while the rest of the world persisted.

The nurses looked to one another in confusion before one of them dared to approach a patient. They called out to the patient, lightly placing a hand on their shoulder to try to elicit a response of some sort, but the patient gave no such inclination.

"Reunion," a voice groaned from the far end of the room, breaking the ominous silence. The eyes of the staff all turned toward the bed of a patient who hadn't once moved in all the years he'd been committed. "Reunion," Patient Number 10 repeated. Shooting up from the bed, Number 10 slid their legs out to the side and for the first time in years planted the soles of their feet on the floor and began walking.

"Reunion," another patient muttered.

"Re-un-ion," one let out with a hoarse whisper..

"Reunion!" another shouted.

Within moments, the asylum was filled with the cacophonous choir of the patients as they all started moving for the door as though guided by one mind. The nurses tried to restrain them, but the strength of the patients was too much, easily tossing them aside like ragdolls as they all barged outside, herding into the streets where they were met by the WRO soldiers patrolling the town square.

Back on the ship, Cloud gritted his teeth, trying to fight back against the bombardment against his mind, but found he was fighting a losing battle. The terrible force bearing down on him had a message for him, and it wasn't going to let up until he received it.

"Cloud!" Aerith called out to him. It was her voice, there wasn't a doubt about it in his mind, but he couldn't see her, and she sounded so far away. "Please remember that no matter what happens, I'm right here with you!" she shouted, but her voice continued to drift away until it fell silent.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before Cloud on the far end of the room. Tall and clad in black, it vanished just as quickly as it appeared before emerging again right next to him. Brilliant green eyes burning with malice pierced Cloud's soul as he gazed upon the visage of despair.

"I already told you before, Cloud…" the figure cooed with a voice that made the very fabric of the SOLDIER's being howl in agony as it leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I will never be a memory."