It's not Death…

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and all associated properties and characters are property of Square Enix. Kingdom Hearts and all associated characters are property of Disney and Square Enix.

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Nanaki let out a sigh as he stared up at the moon. The last day had been…crazy. Facing the Gi, discovering the truth behind his parent's demise, meeting Gi Nattak, learning the history of the Gi, and promising to bring him the Black Materia.

Sometimes, given how insane all this was, the terrible thought that he was still locked away in Hojo's lab wormed its way into his head. His life was just that absurd.

He let loose a sigh and lay his head on his paws. Brooding at the moon wouldn't solve anything. Besides, he had friends to help him along this perilous journey.

His ear pricked up at the sound of creaking floorboards. A calming, sea-salty scent wafted through the air.

And speaking of friends…

Nanaki got up, stretching and yawning before exiting his room. "What're you doing?" he asked Sora, who froze mid-step.

Sora chuckled. "Oh, hey, Nanaki. Lovely night, huh? I just wanted to get some fresh air." Nanaki just stared at him. "…I was going to go down to the Gi."

Nanaki's hackles raised in alarm. "What?" he winced as Sora shushed him. He padded forward, and whispered, "Why would you do that?"

Sora frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I just…I need to talk to them. Without everyone hovering over my shoulder."

"…Again, why?"

"I…get the feeling they'll be more open without a crowd." Sora's lips spread into a sardonic grin. "Gi Nattak liked me the best, after all." That was true. Gi Nattak had been cordial with all of them—even Aerith, shockingly enough considering the bitter blood between the Gi and ancient Cetra. But he was positively bubbly around Sora. Probably due to the fact that, like the Gi, Sora was technically an extraterrestrial creature stuck on the planet. Misery loves company, and all that.

"Okay then." Nanaki moved ahead of Sora. "Let's go."

"Oh, no, Nanaki," Sora shook his head. "You don't need to come with." That was probably true. Sora was a powerful warrior, bearing, literally, abilities that were out of this world. But Nanaki would be a poor guardian, and friend, if he let Sora go alone into potentially hostile territory.

He chuckled. "No can do, Sora. Besides, if the Gi tell you something new, I'd like to hear it first-hand."

Sora's face scrunched as he thought up ways to deny Nanaki. But when he couldn't come up with anything, he sighed. "Alright, let's go." Nanaki smiled and led Sora outside.

"It's late, so we'll have to sneak past any guards," Nanaki said as Sora closed the front door behind them. "I mean, as a guardian, I can go wherever I want." And didn't that just tickle Nanaki pink now. "But I imagine you don't want anyone asking any questions."

"I do not." Sora smirked. "Race you down the cliffside?"

"Oh, you're on!" Nanaki loved that about Sora—he was as agile as he was! Nothing against the others, but it could get tiring limiting himself to their slow, almost plodding steps through the wilderness. Sometime tomorrow, Nanaki had to take Sora racing around the canyon. Really let loose!

But just before they could go off, Nanaki stilled as quiet, if urgent, footsteps sounded behind them. He sniffed the air—flowers. Too many to count. "We've got company," he told Sora as he turned around. As expected, Aerith quickly slid out the door, hair disheveled and her clothes hastily put on.

Sora grunted and clasped his hands behind his head. "Let me guess, the Planet told on me?"

Aerith lightly glared at him. "Don't get short with me! I don't like this either." She yawned and rubbed her temples. "I was sleeping like a baby when it suddenly started screaming that you were trying to conspire with the Gi."

"I'm not 'conspiring'," Sora drawled as he struck the ground with his heel. "Yet."

Aerith winced. "That's not reassuring."

"Well maybe I don't want to reassure the entity that's locking thousands of souls out of the afterlife."

Aerith and Nanaki frowned. "That's not fair, Sora," Nanaki gently admonished. "The Gi aren't from the Planet. They were never part of the Lifestream to begin with."

"So, what, the Lifestream is so limited that it can't take on a few extra souls?" He held up his hand when Aerith made to speak. "Forget it, we don't have time for this." He grumbled under his breath; something about someone called Hades seeming reasonable.

He walked over to Aerith and scooped her up. "C'mon," he said over her protests. "Time's wasting." Sora ran forward and leapt off the nearest cliff. Nanaki shook his head with a sigh and followed.

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Nanaki whimpered in sympathy as Aerith bent over the cliff facing the statue of Seto, his father.

"There, there," Sora said gently, patting her back.

"I'm fi—urgh!" Aerith clutched her stomach, her cheeks bulging as her face turned an ugly shade of green. "Didn't feel this when we fought Sephiroth in Midgard. Gravity went all w—urp!—wacky. We were flying everywhere, and I never got the urge to throw up."

"Oh, well I ignore gravity," Sora supplied. "It just…isn't a thing when I'm leaping around like that. And then, you know, use the wind to give myself a boost when needed."

Aerith pressed a hand against his lips. "Please stop." Sora snapped his jaw shut.

Nanaki padded over and sat beside Aerith. "Take all the time you need." She glowered at him. Thankfully, she didn't need all that much time, and soon they were walking down the path to the Gi resting grounds.

Once they arrived at the noxious crimson sea that marked the beginning of the Gi lands, Gi Nattak appeared before them in a massive plume of smoke. "Sora," he said genially, his lips almost twitching up into a smile. His frown returned as he shifted his gaze to Nanaki and Aerith. He turned back to Sora, addressing him alone. "To what do the Gi owe the pleasure?"

"I want to know more about the state of your people," Sora said.

Gi Nattak let out a bitter laugh. "You wish to learn more about the hell the Planet will subject you to?"

"Not quite." Sora shook his head. "And, no offense, I'm not gonna let that happen to me."

Gi Nattak huffed. "I would wish you luck, but it would be a fruitless endeavor." He waved his hand, and a frightful looking boat appeared to ferry them across the red sea. "Come."

"Let's go," Sora said to Nanaki and Aerith. Gi Nattak grunted as they all entered, staring hard at Nanakir and Aerith, but nonetheless rowed them across.

"Sora," Aerith began a few minutes into the journey. "Whatever you want to talk about, why didn't you do it when we were all here before?"

"You mean other than the fact that we were kicked out? Because of Cloud's bond with Sephiroth," he answered simply.

Nanaki flinched at the acknowledgement of the elephant in the room they all ignored.

Aerith frowned defiantly. "He doesn't have a 'bond' with Sephiroth."

"He keeps having visions of him and was possessed by him in the reactor in Gongaga," Sora countered. He fixed Aerith with a look. "I know you don't like it when I call it a bond, but that's what it is! And I agree, Cloud needs to be able to handle it on his own. I don't' like it, but I'll agree to that. But ignoring it won't make it any less impactful on Cloud's Heart."

"Stop saying it like that!" Aerith scolded. "You're making it sound like it can help Cloud."

"Believe me, if he can't learn how to at the very least handle his inner Darkness, it'll swallow him whole. Facing the problem will hurt, but in the end it will help."

"Guys, enough," Nanaki calmly, if forcefully, stated. "This isn't the time." This was an old argument between Sora and Aerith, whispered and hissed behind closed doors. Nanaki honestly couldn't say who he supported. Aerith was of a mind of slowly helping Cloud through this issue. Sora believed it needed to be tackled head on.

At the end of the day, all Nanaki knew was that Cloud would suffer.

Gi Nattak hummed lowly. "Sephiroth…You speak of Jenova's heir."

Aerith and Nanakir gasped, both whirling around to stare wide-eyed at the spirit. "You know about Sephiroth?!" the former shouted.

"The Gi have been trapped here for countless millennia," Gi Nattak said, hollow and bitter. "Though denied by the Lifestream, we are not blind to its ebbs and flows. And this Sephiroth." He chuckled cruelly. "He is the cause of much strife. But don't worry. He is not here, not now." He nodded at Sora. "As you say, he is bonded with Cloud. Where one goes, so does the other." Sora nodded grimly, and they continued the rest of the journey in silence.

The boat landed soon after, and immediately, Nanaki felt the undying, hateful glares of the Gi upon him. Aerith hugged herself and bent down, staring at her feet. Sora, however, just looked around sadly.

"Aerith, honestly," he said, despondent as Gi Nattak floated forward, leading them to the massive Gi statue deeper in the cave. "Why does the Planet kick the Gi out? Can't it feel their Hurt?"

"Yes, Cetra," Gi Nattak mocked. "Why does your illustrious Planet torment only the Gi?"

"I don't know!" Aerith spat, tired. "I can't answer for what my ancestors did. But"—she glared at Gi Nattak—"I'm not them. What they did to your people, what they allowed to happen, was wrong. And I do want to help you."

"Can you allow the Gi into the Lifestream?" Aerith grew silent. "Then until you bring us the Black Materia, your words are less than wind."

"About that," Sora spoke up. "What does the Black Materia do, exactly?" He stared hard at Gi Nattak. "You never told us that."

"It shall bring us salvation."

"How?" Sora pressed.

"By ending our suffering."

"Again. How?"

Gi Nattak did not answer, and the air around them grew oppressive. On sheer instinct, no doubt, Sora's right arm tensed, and his weapon appeared in his right hand in a flash of light.

The Keyblade—specifically the Kingdom Key, as Sora told them. An odd weapon. It was as named, a silver key in the shape and size of a sword. The 'teeth' of the blade looked like a crown—the same crown necklace Sora wore. Like a sword, it had a guard, though blocky and yellow. And attached to the guard on a silver chain was a token; three conjoined circles.

This was the reason the Planet was so cautious of Sora. He had been upfront that Keyblades were ancient weapons of great power, capable of terrible destruction if its wielder so desired. The others might have been skeptical of the true scope of Sora's tales, but Nanaki believed it. He also trusted that Sora wouldn't do anything bad. He knew Aerith did too, but with the Planet regularly screaming in her ear to keep an eye on Sora, she could unfortunately be a little short.

Given the way Aerith's face scrunched, the Planet was currently screaming at her in warning. The Gi surrounding them also grew more and more restless. Gi Nattak and Sora stared each other down, neither moving an inch. Things could go south real fast.

Swallowing his nerves, Nanaki stood between Sora and Gi Nattak. He frowned at the spirit, and said, "It's something bad, isn't it?" Gi Nattak stared down at—contemptuous and dismissive. "It's good for the Gi but…terrible for the rest of us." His lips curled, showing off his fangs.

Gi Nattak was silent for a long while. After far too long, he relaxed, the Gi surrounding them dropping their oppressive air. "The Gi would save all from the Planet's death grip."

Sora snorted as he dismissed his Keyblade. "If you say so." Gi Nattak nodded slowly, before turning around and leading them forward once more.

Nanaki padded back to Aerith. "Hey, you okay?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Yeah. The Planet's not happy, though."

"Big whoop," Sora dismissed.

"Oh, enough!" Aerith spat. "Stop blaming the Planet for everything just because it doesn't like you!"

"Look around us, Aerith!" Sora gestured to the red miasma surrounding them. "Can't you feel it? All the pain, and sadness, and sheer exhaustion that these people have been forced to endure for eons. Cursed, and for what? They didn't steal anything; they didn't try and conquer this world. They were stranded here, died, and punished for it." He shook his head. "I don't care what the Planet thinks about me. But what it did to the Gi—what it keeps doing? That's just cruel."

Aerith softened. "…Well, you're right about the Gi." She hugged her shoulders. "I don't like or trust the Gi as they are. But back then? The Cetra should have helped them, at least. Pushed to allow them to join the Lifestream." They shared soft smiles, and Nanaki let out a relieved sigh before they all moved forward once more.

Gi Nattak stared up at the massive stone statue of the Gi, before turning back to them. "What else would you know of the Gi?"

Sora sighed and crossed his arms. "…There's really nothing else that can bring you all peace? You've only come up with, and decided on, the Black Materia, whatever it does?"

"Yes." Gi Nattak grew somber. "The Gi sought many different paths that we might know peace. We even allowed the Cetra to proselytize us that we might earn the Planet's favor." He snarled. "A wasted effort! Nothing we did worked, and the Planet's favored people simply washed their hands of us."

"…But that's all your people want, right?" Sora asked, face creased in a heavy frown. "Peace? The ability to finally pass on to the next life?"

"The next life. Oblivion." Gi Nattak shrugged. "Anything, other than this hell we endure."

Sora was silent for a long moment, before he nodded. "Alright, then." He looked over his shoulder at Aerith. "Sorry about this, but the Planet's gonna freak out." Before Aerith or Nanaki could question that, Sora turned back around, and held out his right arm. The next instant, a burning, golden light shone from his hand.

Nanaki looked away to avoid being blinded, but even then, the light burned against his retinas. And when the light vanished, there was a certain weight in the air. A form of…pure energy that overwrote everything else. Even the Lifestream.

After what felt like hours, Nanaki opened his eyes. And despite his best effort, he couldn't help but drop his jaw at the sight before him. In Sora's hands was an entirely different weapon. The hilt, oddly enough, was made up of two crossing Kingdom Keys. And from the conjoined point grew a gleaming, sharp set of crystals that formed wings, and jutted up and out to form a hollow blade. The token at the end of this new weapon—some kind of Keyblade but brimming with power beyond even the mystical weapon—was another set of crossed Kingdom Keys overlayed a black, red-outlined Heart.

Aerith just stared wide-eyed at the weapon—if the Planet was freaking out, she was finally able to ignore it. Gi Nattak, and the rest of the Gi, were similarly slack jawed.

"What," Gi Nattak finally said, "is that?"

Sora held the weapon in both hands in front of him, the tip pointing to the sky. "This, is the X-Blade," he intoned. Even the name spoke of nothing less than absolute authority. Sora took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Slowly, he thrust the X-Blade to the sky. Nanaki followed the weapon, looking up to the stars. But faster than he could blink, dark clouds covered the night sky from sight. Then, a light shone from behind the clouds, golden and gleaming. The clouds parted in a swirling pattern and revealed the source of the light.

It was a moon, in the shape of a Heart. It shone down upon the Planet, and Nanaki could feel…something deep in his bones. An ancient acknowledgement of some supreme power far beyond him.

"And that, is Kingdom Hearts," Sora said, equally parts reverent, yet tired.

Gi Nattak stared up at Kingdom Hearts in awe. "W-What is this? What have you done?"

Sora smiled at Gi Nattak. "I've opened a new path." As he said that, he twisted the X-Blade in his hands. Kingdom Hearts pulsed with energy, a shimmering wave dancing across the sky.

What happened next, came slowly. One by one, the surrounding Gi coalesced into individual bodies. Young and old. Strong and weak. They surrounded, Nanaki, Sora, and Aerith. Then, as all the Gi stared up at Kingdom Hearts, some gained a golden glow. Their bodies vanished once more, but instead of dissipating in red mist, they shrunk down into orbs of golden light. And those orbs slowly rose up, towards the sky, towards Kingdom Hearts. Soon, all but Gi Nattak has changed, forming a gleaming, golden pillar leading to the sky.

Tears flowed down Gi Nattak's face as he watched his people ascend. "…Salvation," he whispered.

Sora smiled sadly at the spirit. "I don't know what's waiting for you all up there. But I know it's better than this." Slowly, Gi Nattak turned to Sora. Then, with a look of utter reverence, he dropped to the floor, and prostrated himself before Sora.

"There are no words," he said through his tears, "that can express the sheer gratitude I feel."

Sora's smile grew wider. "Well, don't waste time trying to think of any. Your people are waiting for you." Indeed, though the spire of orbs swirled and churned in the sky, they did not make that final stretch to meet Kingdom Hearts.

Gi Nattak rose, staring up at his people. "…A meteor," he said, startling them. "That is what the Black Materia shall do. Summon a meteor to destroy the Planet." He rose in the air, a golden light enveloping his form. "The Gi leave it to you, Sora A poor gift, I admit, in exchange for this."

"Don't worry about it," Sora assured him.

Gi Nattak smiled—a happy, blissful thing—and finally transformed into golden orb. He joined his people, and they all coalesced, forming a golden beam that shot into Kingdom Hearts. Only when it vanished, did Sora lower the X-Blade and dismiss it. So too, did clouds cover Kingdom Hearts, banishing its golden glow, before dispersing, revealing the Planet's regular night sky.

As it vanished, however, a star fell from the sky, shrinking until it was little more than a pinprick of light. It landed right in front of Sora. He bent down and picked it up. He held it out and revealed it to be a token of the Gi's sigil on the end of a black chain. Sora smiled at it, before placing it in his pocket.

Nanaki slowly padded up to Sora. "Sora, that was…" he trailed off with a huff. "I mean, I get why you didn't want to show that off in front of everyone."

"Yeah." Sora rubbed his nose and chuckled nervously. "And I'd appreciate if you didn't tell the others." Nanaki nodded resolutely—he'd take this to his grave.

They turned to Aerith, who was still staring up at the sky. "Aerith," Sora said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

She jolted, and slowly turned down to them. "Sora," she began, "the Planet—"

"Yeah, sorry." Sora rubbed the back of his head. "But I had to help the Gi. If the Planet has a problem with how I did it, tough."

"Not that." Aerith said with a soft chuckle. "The Planet wants to thank you." Sora arched a brow. "Not only for helping the Gi move one but for…allowing it to bask in the Light of Kingdom Hearts once more."

Whatever Nanaki thought that meant, it was of much greater worth to Sora. The young man let out a breath. "Wow…The Planet was there in the beginning? In the Age of Fairy Tales?"

"Sure?" Aerith shrugged. "It's being quiet now. Resting, I think, for the first time in a long while."

Sora clasped his hands behind his head with a smile. "Well, I'm glad I could help! Now, let's get back to Cosmo Canyon." He grimaced. "Hopefully we didn't wake anyone up."

"I'm positive we did," Nanaki said, prompting a dramatic sigh from Sora. "And it's almost certain everyone knows we're missing."

"Don't worry, Sora." Aerith smiled. "We'll all cover for each other."

"Right." Sora smirked and clenched his fist. "Next stop, the Temple of the Ancients, and the Black Materia!"

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A/N: Of course, every man, woman, and child on the Planet saw the light show. And, of course, every man, woman, and child on the Planet is freaking out.