Chapter 313: To Find Your Way in the Omni Opera of Ragnarok.

While Ezan, thanks to the arrival of Bahamut and the others, was able to repel Diablos and Ultima's invasion of Cosmos Canyon, their success was not unnoticed by those who launched that invasion in the first place.

At the moment we are in the Executive Office of a massive building, the head office of the Shinra Electric Power Company. The Shinra Building was a colossal tower at seventy stories tall that loomed over the surrounding city, Sector 0, at the heart of Midgar, the capital of the planet.

It was an almost entirely metal construct, with a bulky lower portion connected to its surrounding pipes, a middle portion with a cylindrical structure on the front, and a slim upper tower for the highest executive floors.

The executive office itself sported a red carpet leading to the President's desk in front of tall windows at the back. The room had wooden black pillars and electric candle lights hung on the side. The President's black metal desk was elevated and had a golden Shinra logo at the front, and blue screens in front of the President's chair.

Sitting in the chair was the current owner of the building, and Shinra itself, Rufus Shinra.

He had platinum blond hair that went down to his neck. He donned a double-breasted white business suit resembling a trench coat over a charcoal gray dress shirt with a black tie. He wore baggy white pants similar to a hakama, with white belts resembling himo straps draped around his waist, black fingerless gloves, and black leather boots.

At his side was a hound, and Rufus looked at the report on his screen before he cleared his throat. "Everyone…I was assured that our new resources would make losing an impossibility. And yet…that seems to be the reality. So…what happened?"

As he swerved around the first person to respond to him was a massive and "menacing" man that was the director of Public Security, Heidegger. He had a muscular build, fair skin, brown eyes, a scar across his right eye, short and slicked graying black hair, and a bushy beard. He wore a dark green military tunic with maroon and yellow accents, a black dress shirt, a red tie, gold cufflinks, black buttons, black slacks, and black boots.

Heidegger saw Rufus's stare and just laughed. "GYAHAHAHA! It's simple! Our 'new partners' were lying to us! If what they brought to us was as great as they said, then they never would have lost to a pile of sewer rats!"

Rufus cleared his throat. But before he could respond a cocky female voice cut in with, "KYAHAHAHA! You're even more of a fool than I always knew if you think that's the case Heidegger. The quality of the materials we got was authentic; the testing of their fire power proved it. It was just those using those weapons that were defective."

Rufus swerved his chair to see the voice came from a woman with a slender figure, fair skin, blue eyes, and tied up blonde hair resembling a French twist. She was clad in a long dark red satin dress with a plunging neckline and slits on both sides, black thigh-high stockings, dark red high-heels, a gold necklace, and ruby earring.

The woman flicked her hair back before she smirked. "Entrusting things to chaotic demons was a good way to get some tests, but it's clear they are not to be trusted. And that General Leers was quite…passionate but he clearly did not have the spirit of a true Shinra ace as he thought."

Heidegger snickered before barking back, "Alright then Scarlet, what does the director of Advanced Weaponry think the problem is?"

Scarlet smirked before she looked at the recording of the battle over Cosmo Canyon and had it freeze on Bahamut. "Clearly they supercharged their materia to amp up there summons and spells! They caught us off guard this time but it's an easy trick to counter!"

As both her and Heidegger started to laugh a new male voice cut in with a sharp, "If you keep thinking like that you're all going to be dead before the next round even starts. You are right though that no matter the level of tech it can't make up for incompetence."

Everyone turned around to see a man in a black raincoat with a hood over his face that almost looked like a member of Organization XIII. Heidegger saw the man had a beard and grit his teeth. "Damn it Hojo! I told you to stop letting the captured Sephiroth clones run around the building! Get the Turks to put him back in the damn drum!"

Rufus saw the man pull the hood back to reveal someone with short blond hair before he put up his hand. "Wait, he's one of our advisers. Col. Glenn Lodbrok…I take it you're not wasting our time?"

Glenn clapped his hands in a mocking manner as he snickered. "If your pressed for time, then let's cut to the chase, eh Mr. President? Unlike you at the top, I'm not just seeing things from the data, but in action. That's why I know you're all far off the mark here. AVALANCHE is not just supping up their materia. They got reinforcements from the stars themselves…an alliance of rebels across every world that won't stomach company policy, eh? But your father had big plans and I assume you still want to carry them out despite this, eh?"

Rufus saw Glenn smirk before he shrugged and uttered a blunt, "Correct."

Glenn saw the sharpness in the man's eyes before his smile widened. "That's good to hear. Some people just don't have the stomach for war, yah know? And making a profit out of this is going to require…commitment."

"Thank you but I'm aware…Iwasat the briefing Glenn."

"Heh, you always did prefer to march to your own drum, eh Rufus? But don't forget you made a pact with those who are so much richer than Shinra that they make you look like a bum, eh? You Shinras…you take and you take and you never give back. Up to you all alone the bottom line would only be an empty husk. But that's why we are making sure that this war we are on will put things right. After all…it begets anger…desolation…and hatred. And in its wake there will be new, perfect unity that will be the true Promised Land-grander than you and your father could ever dream of. You just got to know…how to truly master the "art of the deal." "

"Now listen..."

"No, you listen." Glenn uttered sharply. "No more playing the ideal heir. You all have obligations to fulfill so let's give the people what they deserve, eh?"

"Who are you…really?"

"Oh come on. You know me, right 'buddy'? It's because we are such 'good buds' that I know you, Mr. President, and your fears! Despite all the pose you're still just a child-a pigheaded, pathetic, daddy-hating child! And under that bratty exterior? Loneliness!"

"I don't deny that." Rufus answered flatly. "Why would I? It brought me all this."

"Now that's the spirit we are looking for! We really need more people like you at the upper levels of the Infinite Victory and Conquest Corporation! But if your too arrogant to see how to win that promotion is going to pass you by."

"And just what do you know that we don't?"

As he waited for Glenn to answer, a female voice cut in with, "The question is, what do we not know Rufus? Because we know everything."

The door opened before a woman walked in. She was a woman in an exotic white dress with a veil over her face. She saw Rufus and the others look at her before she looked like a stern teacher evaluating her students. "You may call me Lady Nil, an executive of the IV in charge of making sure everything around this Gan Knot World F goes according to are timetables.

Humanity is innately prone to corruption by darkness. And us Lufenians know how to manage them. It's clear that agents of the Multiversal Rebel Alliance are trying to interfere with are grand design. But they have no chance. Even if they somehow breach the Tuner Fork…I'll just reset time with this."

She put out a dark crystal before Scarlet raised an eyebrow. "What kind of materia is that?"

"Oh dear child…this is far beyond any materia. Perform well and I might let you get the data on it. This is a dimensional crystal matrix. It will let me create a time loop to ensure destiny goes our way."

Rufus eyed the gem in Nil's hand before he raised an eyebrow. "So that one crystal can reset time itself?"

Before Nil or Glen could answer an unhinged male voice cut in with, "It's more than just theory, Mr. President; its genius, pure genius! I've seen it for myself!"

Rufus saw the door open and narrowed his eyes as the new arrival entered. He was an older man with round glasses, a gaunt frame, hunched posture, lightly tan skin, gray eyes, and long black hair tied in a ponytail. He had a facial stubble and wore a black oxford-style shirt under his lab coat, navy blue slacks, and black dress shoes.

Rufus saw the zeal in the man's eyes before he sighed. "So then all this is as they say, Professor Hojo? As smart as you are, I did not think you would adapt so quickly. "

Hojo just snickered before he tapped his head. "There are so many frivolous things in this world, but my eye has always been on what matters. Thankfully I been able to see things that I never thought would be possible and it's been so, utterly fascinating. It's been a lot to become aware of, but that's made my assistants have a use for once, eh Hollander?"

Another man walked up behind Hojo. He was an older man with a heavyset build. He had tan skin, medium-length graying black hair with a widow's peak, a beard, and dark grayish brown eyes. He wore a white lab coat over an orange tee-shirt with a red Banora White juice logo, brown trousers, and black open-toed sandals. Hollander saw everyone looking at him before he gave an anxious nod. "Yes, Professor Hojo. I am…very grateful for the chance to prove your genius to the…to the Multiverse! I-I'm also grateful for the others helping to get the project done on time like Dr. Lugae, Dr. Cid, Sir Lezard Valeth, and the others to be lucky enough to make a breakthrough."

A few more scientists entered the room. The first was an elderly man who sported disheveled white hair and a beard. He was dressed in a lab coat and wore glasses or goggles. He was gaunt and had a thin hook nose and had various accessories attached to beaded chains.

He looked around before he shrugged. "Press my luck!? Gah - the outrage! The belittlement! Do you have any idea to whom you're speaking? I'm Dr. Lugae! I may not be one of...them, but Golbez made me his chief strategist for a reason!"

The next man to enter was a man with silver hair, beard and mustache and wore silver, oval eyeglasses. He wore a typical Archadian nobleman's attire. He had silver shoe-leggings with gold designs, and a deep red and purple coat, also with gold ornaments, and white elbow-length gloves.

This man was casually pressing buttons on a datapad but has he entered he shrugged. "It's not just Cid…its Cidolfus Demen Bunansa.

But I suppose there are priorities at the moment, like the ultimate breakthrough. Yes, The Reins of History, back in the hands of Man. See what the Stone of Man is capable of! Witness its power with your own eyes! I suppose I must thank the elf for catching that overflow of energy in the crystal before the whole reactor might have been at risk though."

A new man entered the room. He was a tall ashen-skinned elf with dark gray hair and piercing red eyes. There were strange dark vein-like markings on his cheeks and his hands. He wore a horned circlet on his head, a dark gray tunic with a pointed hood and a collar decorated with spearheads, black trousers and black knee-high boots. He has a necklace made of thorns and decorated with purple flowers and purple earrings.

The Dark Elf looked at Dr Cid and sighed. "I'm Astos, the King of the Dark Elves, Doctor. Someone so smart should be able to tell the difference, yes? But, I must admit, even I was not seeing the error till Miss Selena Maritza saw the instability in the Lifestream."

Rufus and the others looked behind the new arrivals, expecting her to walk in almost as if on cue. However, there was nothing for a moment or two but an empty hallway—all before the sound of distant running footsteps began to quickly get louder. Soon after, panting all the way, a woman rounded the corner running forward at full speed.

Her brown hair was longer, thicker, and wilder than most, spreading down to her shoulders and fanning about. While she had apparently thrown on a tunic and a beret that matched the colors and designation of the late General Leers' "New Shinra Army", she also was clad in work boots and overalls and dangling a dozen different tools from her sides—some conventional and some apparently unique. She slowed to a halt as she took her place among the others, bending over and panting and holding up a hand to signal everyone to let her catch her breath.

When she finally looked up, her expression had an oddness about it. Much like Astos, she seemed to be no older than her twenties yet somehow had a look of far more experience and age on her. Unlike Astos, however, she had a look in her eyes. A wild and vibrant one—practically as mad as Kefka's.

"Sorry…was on the toilet…lost track of time…" she said before exhaling and standing up. "What were we saying? Instability in Lifestream? Yeah, yeah…that's me all over. Phew, well…first time seeing my new co-workers."

She glanced about a moment before reaching into one of her overall pockets and pulling out an index card. She started to look around. "Ok, we've got Astos…we've got Lugae…and that must mean you're C…" She trailed off on looking at the Dr. Cid and his name; smirking and pursing her lips to stifle a snicker. "No, seriously, what's your name? This is a joke, right? Oh man, and I thought my parents hated me… I'll just call you 'Cid 12' from now on since you're the twelfth one I've run into. Easier for me to remember and easier for you to cling to your dignity…"

Hojo let out an irritated groan. "Really now…do we need this one? She reminds me of Gast's obnoxious, know-nothing, underperforming college students he called lab assistants. I'd rather not have unnecessary annoyances distracting me."

Hollander, in spite of his nervous state, looked up slightly at Hojo's words. Meanwhile, the woman stuck out her lips in a clear childish pout. "Well, you remind me of a buzzard without its feathers. Check it… See the tools? The overalls? The grease monkey aesthetic? These are from things those of us who cross-disciplined in science and engineering like to call 'applied sciences'. It's where we take the incomprehensible chicken scratches you guys with your nice big brains ralph all over whiteboards and turn them into something useful. Remember those nice big toxic waste generators you helped cook up called mako reactors?

One of my materia drainers gets more bang for your mako buck than those oiler generators could ever get. And who made a nice big invincible aircraft carrier worth an entire navy?" She stuck her thumbs at herself. "This gal. Oh, and Miss Scarlett? You know what's better than a Sister Ray? How about a Sister Ray on a turret? Got yourself an ICBM shooter designed to shoot more than once! Come on, you got to give me some love for that!"

"As I said, a distraction," Hojo sighed. "Useless for anything except making outdated weapons."

"Well, at least I always know what I'm doing. I don't waste money just throwing people into mako pods and seeing what happens."

Dr. Cid cracked a half smile at this, letting out a small snicker.

"See? Cid number…twelve agrees with me! That's why I like you better than almost half the Cids, Cid "12.""

He responded by glancing to one side, seemingly to empty air, and then nodded. "…Yes, I thought as much. Thank you."

This puzzled the woman for a moment, causing her to glance to the same spot, then back to him. "Ooo…I get it. Imaginary friends! I got one too!" She gestured to the empty air at one side. "This is Henry. He's an eight-foot chinchilla who loves cigars. I'm trying to get him to cut back, though."

"How lovely for you. My own 'friend', however, had something a bit more useful to say to me. He said you're one of those types who likes to hide her deception behind fake mania and bubbliness. So my assumption is you plan to eventually backstab us for your own ends."

The woman formed an exaggerated hurt expression. "Oh, Cid 12! That is so like you! Now I know you're probably used to having those nice authority figures over you who let you do whatever you want, but I'm from one of those universes where they pretty much put a gun to your head and say produce results or we kill you.

And now they're even bigger authority figures with even bigger guns and even itchier trigger fingers. Buuuuut...there is one thing they've got that my old bosses haven't got! And that's entire universes worth of guinea pigs to try out my latest stuff on! I can really get creative now that I don't have to worry about anything accidentally melting off my own face!"

Cid ignored her and turned to Rufus. "I have to second the professor…she's unnecessary at best and a liability at the worst. Her 'materia drainer' contributions are irrelevant compared to what we can give you and the IV&C.

I finally have the means to truly develop botched nephicite to its full potential after being hampered my entire life by crude technology. I'm on the verge of making something that could change not just the world but the entire multiverse.

And the last thing I or anyone else here needs is some crummy, irritating, childish, unfunny clown whose greatest achievement was being a second-rate conventional weapons developer for a military that lasted less than twenty years annoying us with her excuses for jokes."

Maritza was left standing with a dumbfounded look on her face, before she finally balled her hands into fists. "Yeah, well...what's your biggest achievement? Making a bomb that's bigger than normal? Oh yeah…never seen one of those before. And your gloves are stupid! Seriously! Who wears white gloves? They'll get stained and oily and everything!"

Before any could argue further, Rufus cleared his throat to signal his boredom with the bantering. "I am grateful Shinra's capacities are now so much more expanded, but what I want to find out now is what to do with all that to make things the most profitable."

Nil snickered before she held up her hand. "It's clear now that we must escalate are hold on this world. But with this becoming a singularity of overlapping dimensions, this is the perfect conduit to send him to finish the job. Our technology eclipses the divine. It's time for these rebels to learn that. But…it will still take time before the advent.

Kefka Palazzo, can I entrust you to see the lesser maggots eradicated in an efficient manner?"

Everyone heard a deranged cackle before the response was, "Oh come on don't make it sound like it's going to be boring! Hee-hee-hee! But what's the fun in destruction when there are no 'precious' lives lost?"

A male that looked like a clown suddenly warped right into the room. He was red and orange robes with a green belt, purple boots, and his cape had green spots along the edge and a larger green pattern along the back of his neck that resembled leaves. As Kefka unleashed a laugh that unsettled most in the room Nil cleared her throat. "We gave you some leeway for your chaotic nature but there is no room for error in this operation Kefka. We can't let anyone get away because you're too distracted."

Kefka raised an eyebrow before uttering, "You think I'm going to be showing mercy, lady? Read my lips—mercy is for wimps! There's a reason 'oppose' rhymes with 'dispose'...If they get in your way, kill them! I heard things went to hell because the boys could not handle a few espers or something? I killed every esper in my universe so I don't mind getting a few more rubbed off before the game's over!"

Nil sighed before waving her hand. "It's not just espers, Kefka. There are fighters that we are not aware of, and we don't want surprises."

The screen showed Ezan, Garland and a few others. It briefly switched to Krystea taking part in the destruction of the Proud Clod, causing Maritza's face to suddenly change. Her eyes widened, but the madness was supplanted by shock.

Lezard eyed Krystea and Aeris before he looked intrigued. "How wonderful, I'll have a few more samples to perfect the goddess after all."

"They are not for your research."

Not just Lezard but several others snapped to Maritza when she abruptly called out with what sounded like wild violence on her voice. However, no sooner did they look at her when they saw her hack and cough, clutching a hand to her throat.

"Ugh…stupid frogs in my throat…hopefully the IV&C can get rid of those… But like I said, they're not for your research. They're for squishing. Unless you like the idea of using subpar half-breed natural born Cetra as opposed to the more exclusive samples we've been working on in the lab. They should fit your bill a lot better."

Nil shrugged before she widened her hand. "I know you will be thorough in the carnage, Kefka, but there is more at play here so we will have…specialists on stand by to ensure no kind of interference will get through. That should be right up your alley…right Ultimecia?"

A woman suddenly appeared next to Nil. She was a woman in a modest black dress with little jewelry, that wore a purple skin-tight dress with a plunging neckline and feathers around the collar, a headpiece adorned with jewels and a metallic half-circle frame on her back with two long strips of sheer fabric hanging down each side.

She had two black angel wings coming out of her back, and had glowing eyes before Ultimecia snickered. "But of course. No matter how hard these rebels try, they will find out that time... It will not wait... No matter... how hard you hold on. It escapes you. With my new apprentices, we will see the end of the old together. What do you think Xande? Are they already their true destiny?"

A man with white hair and dark blue skin with bright yellow eyes entered the office. He appeared with great muscle mass shown by his exposed upper body, he wore a white cape orange pants, an orange and blue sash wrapped around his waist with what appears to be a cat-shaped buckle at the top-center of it, and brown boots.

Xande nodded at Ultimecia before sneering out, "They are ready to prove their worth. Is that not right Veriguno, Cybus, Faerio, and Mianyl?"

Another flash of light went out near Xande. When it cleared, quite the crowd had assembled. While they all bore golden crests wrought into different emblems along the backs instead of wings, from the look at their own attire, headpieces, and trains of fabric, it was clear beyond any doubt that they were all sorceresses like her.

The first was a towering mountain of a woman; rippling with muscle and appearing to be more than a match for most other hulking men any of the group had ever encountered. Her look was hard, chiseled, and weather-beaten…clearly a person accustomed to living in hardship. Her emblem behind her back bore the likeness of a towering peak rising among other rugged mountains. Her arms were crossed and she stood as impassive as granite; giving the group only a short nod.

"Sorceress Veriguno…the Mountain."

The second was far more delicate, with far more attention to looking prim and proper. Her hair was done up, her eyes were soft behind a pair of reading glasses, and her own dress was very conservative and form-concealing.

She looked almost more like a schoolteacher or governess than a spellcaster. Her own crest shimmered with a dark iridescence that mimicked the form it took of a rolling, gentle stream. She greeted everyone in the room with a soft and composed smile as she politely folded her hands and gave a dignified bow.

"Sorceress Cybus the River, at your service. It's an honor. I look forward to working with you all."

The third was a polar opposite of Veriguno. She was much shorter, younger, and thinner framed. Her own dress and trains seemed almost oversized for her body. Nevertheless, she had more spunk and vivacity to her than any of the others. She seemed energetic and almost impatient or even bored to be standing around there. Her own crest gleamed in such a way that it almost seemed to be a continually burning fire behind her.

"Sorceress Faerio the Dayspark. And do we really need to do introductions? Can't we just go get rid of those guys and be done with it?"

However, both Veriguno and Cybus gave Faerio a side-eye when she spoke. Veriguno's hands tightened while Cybus cleared her throat and looked to the last one. "Lady Mianyl, ahem…it would seem-"

"There's nothing to be worried about, Lady Cybus. This isn't the Faerio we shared a universe with. This one is far wiser and reasonable."

The final sorceress most closely resembled Ultimecia, especially in regards to the power in her eyes, the etchings along her face, and the fact that, like her, she had clawed hand and feet concealed under large sleeves. She had a mildness about her that was hard to distinguish between civility and decorum or mere apathy, but at any rate she definitely carried a look about her that made it clear she had more power than the other three combined.

Her own lavender eyes belayed that mixed with an emotional passion that far surpassed even that of Maritza, even if her face was as expressionless as an elegant porcelain doll's. Her own crest depicted a never-ending, churning whirlwind of vapors spread across several golden radiating shafts from her back.

She folded her hands in front of her, concealing them under her sleeves, and gave the most polite and grandest bow to everyone yet. "Greetings to you all. My name is Sorceress Mianyl the Wind. I have no words with which to express how grateful I am for the opportunity to be here today. You are making the dreams of my sisters and I come true. However, I do have one small request before we go farther."

She pointed a clawed digit at Xande.

"Please do not allow this mage's apprentice to talk down to myself or my sisters again. We are of Hyne's Descendants, and that should count for something."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me…?"

"Our powers and actions will speak quite clearly for themselves. Our race is the successors not only of the espers but of the WEAPONs. I will not condescend to myself or them that we in any way need to prove ourselves to a prestidigitator of a forgotten time. He is the one who needs to prove that his outdated craft still has any use here."

Xande's teeth gnashed as he balled his hand into a fist. "How dare you! Do you not know to whom you speak?! The greatest of the apprentices of the Great Sage Noah!"

"Who is this 'Noah' that I should feel impressed by his name being invoked?"

" I know you all came from Hyne, and Hyne, or Hine, was my servant!"

"Did it occur to you that are Hyne was vastly superior to your version, and you, a mere petty fool?"

This caused the blue-skinned man to practically sputter, but before he could snap back Nil simply uttered. "Enough. The time for you all to prove your worth is fast approaching.

For now we must all do our parts properly to meet Mr.V-day's expectations. Louis Guiabern, Dux Aldric, Gongora, Indalecio, Wilhelm, you will all be expected to fulfill your roles in the defense."

Holograms appeared of other of the major figures acting on behalf of the IV&C. On the lower left was a young man with long, wavy light-blond hair, blue eyes and a pair of clemar horns on his head. He wore a suit of white, ornate armor decorated in the Euchronian state army logo, and wore a white cape around his neck.

This Louis Guiabern smirked before he nodded." I desire but one thing! A universe without inequality! And I shall gladly offer my shield to all of those who follow this ideal. Those who do not, however, will be slain without mercy or regret. It could not be simpler! Zorba told me about these new rebels, and with the feedback Idaeus gave me, such curs will not stand in are way!"

The hologram on the lower right of a man with armor and a beard, Dux Aldric nodded before adding," They can say their piece, but they will know that if they insist on standing between the world and its future, we will end them."

The hologram on the upper right, Gongora, a man with blond hair and a goatee nodded before adding," Death is too good for some of them. Yes, let's take away their memories and have them suffer as walking corpses for a while eh?"

The hologram of the man in the upper left, the red haired man and leader of the " ten Wise men" Indalecio nodded to." The ten wise man will see this operation through so that the true Symbol of Annihilation can rupture this foolish Multiverse."

In the center the hologram of yet another man appeared, Wilhelm Head of the galactic Hyams Group, and many others. He had sliver hair in a business suit and glowing eyes and looked amused." People always try to live a life of choices between 'good' and 'evil.'

They make pessimism their foundation, and praise misfortune and sorrow. And then they try to seek a pure heart. Yet this is nothing more than their individual view, born out of comparison with others. Is she who thinks of others 'right'? Is he who opened the door 'wrong'?

Only those who stand in a place beyond that point can comprehend the true essence and gain knowledge of absolute truth. In any case, the intermission is over and the players stand upon the stage.

All that remains is to wait for the knight to appear. And for that, it is necessary that someone play the role of the villain. Do you object? The greater the suffering, the more exciting the drama."

"Just make sure it gets results." Rufus uttered bluntly." I don't care where you're from, that goes for everyone."

He was talking about yet another person to enter the room. He was an older man with a short and portly build, fair skin, grayish blue eyes, and thinning gray hair. He wore a light brown suit with a white dress shirt, a yellow bow tie, and dark brown dress shoes.

He laughed as he drank some tea." After all this time, my job as the Director of Shinra's Space and Aeronautics Division is not a joke after all! Oh this is great! Does anyone want tea?"

Rufus narrowed his eyes before hissing out," Palmer…you botch this in anyway and all the blame will be on you."

As Palmer winced. Rufus cleared his throat." Now that everything is " organized lets at last begin the operation. Kefka will go to the temple of the ancients to make use of the Keystone we retrieved from the wreckage of the Gold Saucer."

Kefka snickered before he looked around." So where is that momma's boy Sephiroth anyway eh? This is all his home turf right? And as much as I love destruction, I did read the memo and the rock in that temple summons a meteor to smash this planet right? I'm the last person to want to hold up on smashing things but its just, if this meteor smashes are toys, then that stops the even greater destruction right?"

Glenn saw Kefka and some of the others confusion before he smirked." It's true that was the original plan, but it's just part of the process to make sure we all reach the true promised land. The despair will break all the fools still trying to fight fate like that Cloud Strife. That boy is just playing a game, but I think it's time he wakes the hell up. Heh, in the end, I have that right to set him straight."

Hojo laughed as well before he looked at the sky." My masterpiece is busy being what he was supposed to be…god! All the pretenders will know their place once and for all. No fools will defy are genius, not now."

Nil snickered before she closed her eyes." Yes, no weakness will be tolerated. Speaking of that, time to clean up your mess Rufus."

She snapped her fingers before two guards dragged in a middle-aged man with an average build, fair skin, brown eyes, slick and medium-length dark brown hair, and a goatee. As a Shinra executive, he wore a navy-blue suit ensemble, a white dress shirt, a patterned dark red tie, and black monk shoes, and looked stressed as he was hurled in.

Scarlet had her eye twitch before she spat out," Reeve Tuesti…you really think we would not be aware you were sending information to the sewer rats with all are new allies? You and the Mayor's petty defiance was amusing, but the game's over."

Reeve looked around tensely before he spat out," Damn it Rufus, don't you see where this all ends? I know how much money they promised us all but no amount of capitalism is worth this price! They will never keep their word they will, GUH!"

Rufus took out his shotgun and shot Reeve in the chest. As the bearded man coughed up blood Rufus grasped his gun tightly." That's not the place of a mere Director of Urban Planning to try and meddle in. You thought too much of yourself, but your entire role will be replaced by AI at this point Reeve. See? "

On the screen behind Rufus before the monitor showed Chandley appearing on the screen. He waved before uttering," It's all good Mister President…it just took me ten seconds to file where all the people in new Midgar will be housed!"

Scarlet then laughed as she spat in Reeve's direction." Come now Reeve its not just Capitalism, Mr-V Day showed us the glory of the Hyper-Commodified Casino Capitalism life!

We already controlled most things but now the world will become more casino-like: gamified, commodified, quantified, monitored, and manipulated and more elaborately tiered between the haves and have nots, its everything we deserve! But if you can't handle it, get out of are way you wuss!"

Rufus saw the others were looking at him sharply before he smirked and gave Reeve a mocking shrug." Those who are obsolete will be thrown out. You were always too weak to truly think like a winner Reeve, so you can fall with all the losers."

He shot Reeve in the head, before Nil smirked." Glad your taking care of corruption once you're aware of it. He won't be the last fool who thought justice mattered. But by the end of this, every last one of them will get what they deserved. Its time, the whole Multiverse learns what heroics really amounts to."

Rufus saw everyone preparing to go out before he closed his eyes." I always told father that fear sends a better message then anything else, so time to end the final fantasy of the fools."

As Rufus, the agents of Shinra, and their many new allies go to see the next phase of their plan realized, those trying to stop them are reacting to seeing what someone that seemed to be close to them was seeing just what justice seemed to amount to.

And with that we return to where we left Ezan, Aeris, and Daigo last time, looking at horror at what might be Ben, a man so broken and mutated that he had to be closed off from the other patients.

Daigo saw the man that looked like his long-time partner looked like every breath he took was that of agony before he grit his teeth. "No, after all this time, it can't just end like this! We can't just let him suffer like this!"

The nurse who was their sighed before she looked down." I'm sorry but this man has been like this for as long as he's been here. He's beyond what any magic or medicine can fix."

Aeris closed her eyes before she took a deep breath. "Maybe for what you might have at hand, but my own healing arts have come a long way. I made sure that no one would have to suffer like Cloud and so many others. This time, I won't be too late. Can't say for sure it will work but it can't get any worst right?"

Ezan saw the resolve in his lover's eyes before he nodded." If anyone besides Lacus could fix Auro, it's you dear."

"Thanks. Hear it goes. Great Gossip!"

The Cetra woman unleashed her Limit Break and formed a healing pulse around the deformed man. The one named "Benji" screamed at first, before he looked frozen. While Ezan and Daigo looked alarmed Aries looked determined." It's ok, he's just in shock. I think, I think it's working!"

The two men saw that her magic was seeming to have an effect, as the tumors on his body were slowly reversing. It took a minute, but he looked like a normal man, with blond hair.

Ezan saw the man in front of him blink in shock before he cleared his throat." Auro…can you hear me?"

The man in front of him looked at his now working eye and yelled in shock before yelling out," Benji! AHHH!"

Aeris saw his shock before she closed her eyes." I'm sorry, I restored his body physically but, restoring his mind is a whole other ball game. That means that the damage is coming from more than just Mako poisoning or a wound Sieg gave him. The mental pain, might have caused him to break or something."

Ezan saw his wife's dismay before he put his hand on her." It's not your fault, you did what you could."

Daigo saw the man in front of him just looked around like a lost child before he looked more and more dismayed." What, what are we going to do?"

Ezan closed his eyes before uttering," If, if we can't repair the damage then, all we can do is go on from here. It's all we can do to atone for our failure to not get here in time. This makes are odds of success even lower perhaps, but all we have left is to fight as hard as we can."

While the group looked dismayed an older woman retorted with," I don't understand, unless you got hear years ago it would have been already too late to help Benji, if you could have ever helped him."

The three saw an older nurse walk in before Ezan raised an eyebrow." Excuse me…he's been here for years?"

"Yes. The other woman was just helping today but I been here for a while. Benji, has been isolated from others for a long time now, but we do what we can, at behalf of his mother."

Ezan paused before retorting with," What? Mother? Someone acting as his mother, or his biological mother?"

The older nurse paused before she sighed." Of course I meant his mother. Benji Burton lived in Modeoheim, and always wanted to be a member of SOLDIR to be a hero. He had the strength, but not the mental fortitude to pass so all he could be was a Shinra security guard. He thought if he proved himself he could get promoted, but trying to push himself just made it worst. He was labeled a coward for running from a monster and ended up like this."

Daigo saw Benji moan before he grit his teeth." I heard Shinra sucked but being mad at him for being attacked is just horrible!"

The nurse sighed before she looked down." It's worst. He was not attacked by a monster, but by a terrorist named Genesis. He fought as well as he could but Genesis was a former First Class soldier and blasted him into a Mako Stream. Shinra did not even want to admit Genesis was around so they blamed Benji.

His mother took him to us because we were the only one who would treat someone like him. We did what we could."

Ezan paused before he sighed." So…he's not Ben, but a counterpart from…never mind. Well…this changes things. He's not who we thought, but we still need him for the Tuner Fork. Though, solving his mental trauma might be required to get him to function enough to do the job."

The Nurse paused before she cleared her throat." I don't know what you know but, it's not what you might think. Benji had issues even before his injury, he's autistic if you must know.

He, was functional enough in some areas but, was limited in other ways. This was likely why he never was going to be accepted into SOLDIRE and why Shinra blamed him, blaming " The retard" for being allowed to secure their property in the first place because of foolish locals being" soft". He, he did not deserve what happened to him, I'm glad you could fix his tumors miss.

But the damage is deeper than that. He could talk, fight, and do other things in the past, but the trauma destroyed his mind. With the tumors he could not move and few even wanted to look at him so sadly he was all but locked away for years, that, that shuts down even the most sound minds."

Aeris saw Benji looking around like a dazed animal before she sighed." Then sounds like more than anyone he needs a really good therapist."

Ezan winced as he grasped his hand tightly." I feel for his situation, but the blunt truth is that we don't have time for that right now in a planet under war. Maybe…the Tsukuyomi or even the Izanagi could affect his mind? But he's not under any illusion, and I admit, I never used those spells like this so it could make it worst."

Aeris smiled before she grasped the sliver haired man's hand." No offense sweetie but for all your skills this might not be what you're best suited for. You said his mother helped him? Is she hear? Do you know where she is? Cause even if she's on the other side of the planet we can move real fast."

The Nurse sighed before looking down." Sadly…Ester died two years ago. She was overworked trying to pay for her son. That's why he's gotten worst, no one but the staff would visit him for some time now and the isolation got to him."

Daigo rubbed his head before he looked around." Even if he's not Ben, we got to get this guy to know he's not alone. Hey maybe some of the others with us are good with this kind of thing?"

Aeris nodded as she looked back." We made all these new teammates so, might as well give it a shot right guys?"

Her two long-term friends nodded before figuring out who to ask. As they did, there new allies were trying to figure out a lot to. One of them was Ragnar.

Ragnar was just getting use to his master being alive before his master's oldest friend, Leviathan walked up and saw Ragnar was troubled and walked up." Is something the matter?

Rangar saw Leviathan, now in his human form, looked sincere before he shrugged." Oh, uh...no...nothing. Nothing at all. Just...just still adjusting to this multiverse thing, I suppose.

"Oh yes. Lots to see around here. Lots of bizarre sights for folks like us. Seeing places if they were never destroyed. Foes if they had succeeded in their plans…Loved ones if they had...married someone else, perhaps?

Rangar remembered the brief moment he saw Aeris looking at Ezan fondly before he groaned. It's stupid, I know. That's not the Aerith I remember. Her name isn't even Aerith...it's Aeris. She might as well be a stranger. If this is jealousy, then I'm an idiot...

" I don't think it's the fact that you saw someone else with her face with another man that's upsetting you, young man. It's the fact that you see someone with her face that is clearly very happy with someone who is such a sharp contrast to you.

Rangar was motionless before Leviathan sighed." I admit we only seen a little of are new sliver haired ally. He's brave, like you, but he's also self-confident. Collected. Rational. Tempered by more extreme circumstances, no doubt, and far greater tragedies that left him that much stronger. He's seen far more things than either of us ever have.

Reached heights we never dreamed were possible. He is, by all measures, a literal god incarnate. I think you'd be hopelessly naive if you DIDN'T feel just a little bit of jealousy for all that." It's just...seeing people like him...makes me have to wonder.

Did she 'settle' for me? If both me and him were in the same universe, and I was to come up and talk to her...would she even give me the time of day? And if she wouldn't, does that mean...we were never really meant to be together? I was just the best option available?

Leviathan let out a dark chuckle in advance before Ragnar winced."What's so funny?

"You remind me of me."

"Huh?"

"Oh, use your head, boy. I was married to the most beautiful and angelic of all of the espers. The one the Cetra named Lakshimi. She had the power of the lords of dragons on one side and the gallantry and might of the first of the knights on the other. Why would she ever want to be around a big briny serpent like me? What did I give her? What was I worth compared to her?

"Did you ever find out?"

"No, and I didn't need to. Because true love isn't about one partner worshipping the other as some untouchable goddess. It's about partnership. It's about actively working to support each other. It's about being there for one another at your lowest and working through your problems and difficulties.

It's about fully devoting each other to the welfare of each other-not out of some servant and master relationship but because you're now one unit instead of two. Lakshimi knew I was the only esper that understood that...so I suppose that's why she chose me in the end.

Ragnar hesitated a long while, and then smiled." Thanks. I needed that. A long pause, as he turns his head out again. His smile faded" Although...that's not quite it. Right there.

Leviathan looked and saw he's looking at Aerith.

"As weird as all of this is...it's kind of like a dream come true. I always wondered what it would have been like if I could have run around with Cloud and the others back before I met them. I...always wondered what it would have been like to see her before everything happened...

"Lord Leviathan...if this world...this universe...is before Meteorfall...before the end of Shinra...before...the Forgotten City...then maybe-

"Stop right there, boy."

He turned to Leviathan, who regarded him sternly. I know exactly what you're thinking, and you had best push those thoughts from your head.

Why? She doesn't have to die here. They don't have to suffer through losing her-

" You're being a fool."

"Wh...what?"

Leviathan sighed as he walked back. You're talking just like Diablos...thinking that the only use for pain and loss is a whip to torture others.

Ragnar was about to follow up before Ezan cut in with," I understand the desire to save her, truly. But you must understand how this all works before you make things worst by accident."

"I understand the desire to save her…truly. But you must understand how this all works before you make things worse by accident."

He turned, and quickly grew uneasy on seeing Ezan and Daigo walking up. He almost looked like he wanted to shrink when Ezan stopped before him and sighed. "I wanted to thank you for protecting people. I admit, you're not someone I know. You're…not a variant of Zack Flair with white hair, are you? It's just…based on that speech I heard, it…would explain a few things."

Ragnar couldn't help but groan, as Ezan had already answered the one question he had for him: How much of that did you just hear? However, he did look like he was trying to be diplomatic, so he took a deep breath.

"No, I…I never knew Zack, although Cloud talked to me about him."

"Cloud? You knew Cloud Strife?"

"Well, I knew a Cloud Strife. I'm General Ragnar Vice of the Planet Protec-" He cut himself off, for the first time in his life truly experiencing embarrassment of his name. "…I'm Ragnar Vice. I guess the best way to describe my universe is a possible future of the one we're in.

I'm not sure if there's a version of me running around here in Icicle Inn, but where I was from, I was another one of Shinra's failed experiments. Nothing as big or bad as SOLDIER, though. After losing track of Aerith and her mother back when they murdered Gast, they did some experiment to try and artificially make a Cetra by modifying cells during conception."

He winced.

"I…don't want to go into the details of how that went, but somehow I was born and the Planet reached out to me like it would have to a real Cetra when I got old enough. That's why Bahamut found me and taught me how to fight.

On my world, the Shinra military force that was supposed to deploy on the Great Northern Crater after the Sister Ray broke Sephiroth's barrier got left without orders after Diamond WEAPON destroyed Midgar. So after Meteorfall, since they were the only major military force left in the world, they thought they'd make their own world-covering power called the New Shinra Army. Well…I may only be a fake Cetra but I lived under enough Shinra plus heard enough real Cetra voices in the Forgotten City that I wanted to do something about it. So I ended up accidentally tracking down Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and all the others and asked for their help, and…well, the rest is history."

Ezan looked at him a little more critically. "I suppose I can understand that chain of events, but correct me if I'm wrong…wouldn't that mean you didn't even meet with Cloud until after Aeris had passed on?"

"Yeah, about that…" he half-muttered, starting to turn red. "Well, between the deaths of the espers, the Collapse, the mako reactors, the WEAPONS, Jenova, Sephiroth, Aleron-"

"Who?"

"…Long story. The point is the planet was growing unstable and violent. We feared something a lot worse than the Geostigma was coming and it was going to start with the destruction of Edge. Master Bahamut came to us with a way to raise someone from the dead using an artifact that had raised him from the dead a Thousand Years earlier.

We used it to try and resurrect Aerith. We succeeded, but…it kind of triggered a lot. The return of magic to our world, for one. Aerith being reborn as something new called a 'Sorcea-ceatre' as another…although we just call it 'Sorceress' now. Looks like one thing we both have in common is the Aerith we know is immensely powerful. Sometimes enough to scare people. I only hope our kids don't inherit it…"

Now Ezan really did look at him critically. "Did you just say our kids?"

Ragnar went still, swallowing a lump.

"…I guess the cat's out of the bag. We both had a personal stake in this besides trying to save the Planet. The Shinra still wanted us both as Cetra, even if I was kind of a 'hacked-together' one. Jenova wanted us both dead so it could be free. And we could both commune with the Planet. We talked…we went on a couple dates…we found someone in each other we could relate to…and it just kind of went from there."

"I see," was all he responded. "So if I understand…you decided to fight against an entire army more or less by founding a one-man militia? And without magic or any metahuman abilities?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess saying an ancient dragon encouraged me to do it probably doesn't help my case…"

"I won't say if it was brave or foolhardy. I want to know why."

"Excuse me?"

"Why would you do all that?"

He blinked. "Well…because someone had to. I admit I got impressed into labor by them for a couple years and it ended up killing my mom, so I kind of wanted revenge… But what I really wanted to do was save the world.

After I could start hearing the Planet and the Ancients and I found out about everything the Shinra had done and everything that Cloud and the others went through…I couldn't just sit around and wait for it all to happen again. I couldn't just let the Planet stay in danger. And Jenova couldn't just be left to pop out in some new way either. Someone had to make a stand. I have Cetra blood in me. No matter how it got there, that makes me a Cetra. And a Cetra defends the Planet. To the death, if need be."

Ezan took in this last part like it was an assessment of a sort, but by the end of it he nodded. "You fought with honor and pride. If you were in our universe you would have made a fine Enji and I'm sure my friends like Auro would have gotten along fine with you."

Ragnar smirked a little. "I…don't really know what an Enji is, but the way you said it makes it sound like that would have been a real honor." He paused, once again looking uncomfortable. "If…if you don't mind me asking something that may be a bit personal…how did you meet Aerith…uh, Aeris?"

The silver haired man let out an uneasy chuckle. "Oh, we were hardly soul mates. To be honest, I think she sensed that Sephiroth's soul was inside me and was more worried that I was a threat at first."

Ezan saw Ragnar's face turn to shock. Perhaps even more shock than he might have expected.

He sighed. "That's a long story. I'll get to it later if you want. But the truth is that at first I thought she was a distraction. I admit for a long period of my life I was raised to think that I was a soldier whose only worth was bringing glory to the nation, and the man I thought was my father, even if he really was not.

It was because of her kindness and compassion, along with a few others, that I was able to see clearly. She was patient with me, and I'll always love her for it. I know the impact she had on me so if she had the same impact on you then I am sorry she's not here right now. But I do hope if the mission is successful that you can be reunited with her."

Ragnar had calmed by now, and managed a small smile. "Yeah…thanks. I'll admit; that's the thought that's keeping me moving forward right now. Well…her and the kids, of course. Besides, I got a job to do besides taking care of this Planet as well. People she cares about are still here, so I've got to be here to look after them for both her and myself."

"General! There you are!"

Ragnar and Ezan alike both looked up and saw that someone had spotted the former, and was now waving at him. This man was a bit rugged in appearance. Definitely someone who had a feel for machinery and a dose of military discipline, but also a cockiness and braveness on his square jaw and black, messy hair.

He was wearing what appeared to be some form of almost homemade flight suit, and one bearing the same insignia as Ragnar's own outfit. Soon after he started to run up to his side.

He wasn't alone. Far more composed but just as attentive was a young man scarcely in his teenage years. His silver hair was quite close to that of Ezan's, although cut short around the nape of the neck. His eyes were vivid and green, but not the same natural vivacity as Aerith's. And if one looked close enough, they might detect just the tiniest hint of a tapering on the top and bottom of the pupils. He wore no uniform like the previous man, however. His clothing was more contemporary and civilian, with inner t-shirt rising up to his neck, and outer button-down shirt, longer trousers, and casual boots all in shades of black and gray.

"I'm not really a 'general' anymore, Mack."

"Well, you're certainly dressed the part. Sorry we're late. Those Alliance members bringing us here took us off a side path. There were some other Shinra moving through a different part of the canyon. They looked like just relief to me but he…" he gestured to the young man nearby, "…insisted on taking a closer look. Just wish I had something to fly around here… I feel naked being stuck on the ground."

"I know how he works," the young man explained. "He always slinks through the shadows…moves where no one is looking. I had to make sure it wasn't him trying to get around us. I'm still getting use to feeling for enemies aside from those with Jenova cells to be honest."

Hulkenberg was the one that escorted the two, and she took what the youth said before looking bitter." That sounds like Zorba. You did well to elude him young man, he's a rather fanatical follower of my enemy Louis so he would have done anything if he saw you."

Ragnar stiffened a little at that. "More on that later. Can you sense where…he is, Azure?"

The young man frowned. "Everywhere. He's much stronger here than he was back on our world. What about you?"

He gave a shudder. "All I hear is the Planet endlessly screaming…along with thousands of others…"

Daigo smirked a little at the new arrivals, especially the one with silver hair. "This your kid or something, Mr. Vice? He looks almost like he could be Ezan's…"

Ragnar hesitated. "Well…this is Azure Strife. Cloud adopted him along with Denzel after the war. He's…very special."

Azure closed his eyes and let out a sigh before opening them again. "It's alright, Mr. Vice. I'd rather more people know the truth so they know to cut me down if anything happens."

"Azure-"

He ignored him as he looked Ezan square in the eye. "I'm sure all of you guessed it, so I'll just come out and say it. Yes…I'm a Sephiroth 'Larva'. Probably the last of them. And yes, I was possessed by Sephiroth for months and basically gave him the body that he used to almost kill Ragnar and Aerith and destroy our world."

"He's fine now, though," Ragnar quickly inserted. "Jenova's gone on our world. He fought it off himself. He's fully free of it."

Azure's eyes turned to the ground. "Only because you and my father risked their lives fighting me to the death. Only because Ms. Gainsborough and my friends nearly got their spirits eaten by her trying to save me."

"And then you saved me, so we're even."

Ezan grimaced at the boy. "You and I don't seem to be precisely related, but it's something I know all too well."

This caused Azure to look up again.

"The Sephiroth of my own universe took advantage of my weakness and nearly made me a monster if not for my comrades not giving up on me. I'm glad you seemed to have friends as well so you also avoided that fate, but now we must make sure Sephiroth can't do that to anyone else."

Azure nodded back after a pause. "You're right. Just…just keep in mind that I've got Jenova cells in me too. And they've 'woken up' since I got here. If I act strange…if I get the slightest bit out of sorts…don't hesitate and don't wait for me to get any worse."

"Azure, that's crazy-"

"I'm not going to be his puppet again, Mr. Vice. I'm not going to be used to hurt anyone else for him. Not anyone. And while the last thing I ever want to do is talk to Mot…Jenova again, if she decides to start talking to me she's going to do it when I'm weak and I don't know it's really her. If you all can't promise me you'll stop me, then-"

"Alright, alright," Ragnar cut off with a sigh. "I promise."

"You promise you'll stop me."

"I promise I'll stop you."

Azure exhaled. "Then I'm in."

Ezan nodded before anyone could say anything else. " Don't worry Azure, I know enough spells that will free you even if you are possessed. But for now, I don't mean to cut your reunion short, but I need to talk with your master. We must try and understand things clearly if we are to succeed."

As Ezan went to get up to speed, he was not the only one dealing with the Multiverse.

Dael was doing her best to make herself useful. Having stashed her weapons, she had shifted toward exerting some of her power to heal a few injured. She stayed focused on task just as solidly as she would have when she was still a soldier, and as a result she mostly gave only passing, cursory glances to evaluate folks one by one.

Yet that changed when the suited woman walked up to her. As soon as Dael looked up to her, she gave a start. Not only from the appearance and odd sidearm, but from the evaluation of her on considering her bearing, her suit, her gait, and even the look in her green eyes.

The woman in a Turk outfit cleared her throat. "Um...hello."

Dael smoothed herself out soon after, quickly pushing the moment aside. "Hello. You're...from my universe as well?

"More or less. I think I'm from your past. Anyway, I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to be sure I heard you right before. I overheard what you said about your world, and… Did you say the Sorceresses are evil in the future?"

"Not all of them, but...some, yes."

The woman paused, her face growing grim. "Things end badly for most of them, don't they?"

"Yes."

"But...they deserved things to end badly for them, didn't they?"

Dael was quiet for a moment. "...Yes."

This made the woman slump, letting out a long exhale. She almost looked ready to fall to the ground, before she looked up and out in the distance. Dael did the same. While she had never interacted with her in person…at least, not in a manner of speaking…she knew the person they both espied. This world's version of Aerith. The one who, on her world, would one day become the first Sorceress.

"I was afraid of that..." Krystea went on. "If I get out of this alive and ever get back, I'll never tell her the truth, but...Aerith doesn't deserve that. That it's her family that will nearly destroy the world she died saving. That...that they'll become almost as bad as Jenova."

Dael had little comfort to give. Even if it wasn't the truth, the fact she had endured it personally left her feeling cold.

"Why did that have to happen? She was always so good and sweet and kind...nothing like...like..." The woman trailed off, unable to say any more. The pain it was causing her was too strong.

"You really care about her, don't you?

"Yeah...it's just...I never got the chance to really show her that. Not really..."

After a moment of regarding her and how troubled she looked, Dael exhaled and rose from her place. Walking up behind her, she put a hand on her shoulder.

"If it's any encouragement, I don't think you have to worry. Mianyl wasn't her descendant."

The suited woman looked back. "Excuse me?"

"There was this...woman...who told us the truth. I didn't believe her at first…not until I manifested as Bart…ugh, as Eden, but I sense it was true. Not all of the Sorceresses descended from Aerith. There was another one...a heretic one...that Mianyl came from. She said she was named Sorceress Krystea the Shadow. She had to be the one that…"

Dael stopped. The color had drained from the suited woman's face. Her mouth hung open in breathless horror.

The esper matriarch looked on for a moment, puzzled…before she started to notice it. The green eyes. The brown hair. The face. That face. The same face.

Her own eyes widened. "You..."

The woman realized Dael had seen something. She closed her mouth and started to recoil.

"Your name... What's your name?"

She said nothing. She took a step backward.

Dael's deep blue eyes lit up with energy. She nearly advanced to seize her."What's your name?!"

Before she could escalate things Aeris' voice cut in. "Hey gals…can we just take a time out for a second?"

If it had been any other woman, Dael might have ignored her. Yet hearing the voice of Minerva incarnate was the only thing that could give her pause at that moment. She spun to see the woman walking toward them, and forcefully clamped her mouth shut and lowered her arms. The reaction from the suited woman, however, was far more strong. In a moment, her horror seemed to be forgotten or at least pushed aside. Suddenly, she looked away as if she was a kid trying to find a place to hide.

Aeris let out an uneasy chuckle. " Did not mean to ease drop, was healing this poor guy who was in SIN's body. He was like, the "core" of SIN but Diablos was still calling the shots. He may have made a mess but he did not deserve to suffer for what he did not want to do. After all, your thinking clearly now, right sir Jecht?"

The other two ladies saw the man she healed staggering behind her in a daze. He was a dark-skinned muscular man with long, unruly black hair and red eyes. He wore a pair of black shorts with an orange and red sash covering his right leg, a red headband, and a metal gauntlet and pauldron covering his left arm. He was barefoot and does not wear a shirt. His outfit appears to be a Zanarkand Abes jumper, and he had a Zanarkand Abes' tatoo symbol on his chest. Jecht grasped his head as he staggered around." I don't know about being ok, you sound like my pal Braska 's kid Yuna."

"Oh, I'm just her freind sir. Your still recovering from being double hijacked so try and get some rest ok?"

Jecht grumbled out a response before Aeris saw the others before she winked." Just, trying to save everyone I can I guess. Far to many lives have been ruined as it is.

Sorry, I know that was random to you two, this Multiverse stuff is tricky but I know I'm a gal that can talk too much at times. So on behalf of my Turk Multiverse version just wanted to say sorry."

Dael frowned and looked away herself. However, the suited woman winced as she grasped one of her arms with the other.

"…I'm not a variation of you."

This made Dael look back, the light blazing in her eyes again; but Aeris, by now, was fully focused on her. "Pardon me?"

"My name's Krystea, Aeris. I'm…your sister."

Dael's teeth barred. As for what Krystea just said, one would have sworn she was a child admitting to breaking a lamp; as downcast and quiet as she had spoken.

This was a complete opposite from Aeris' own reaction. She widened her eyes in shock before she smiled. "Oh my god, seriously? I always wanted a sister! This is like the first real good thing the Multiverse has given us in a while!"

Krystea's lips turned a little at that. As if she felt she should be ashamed but couldn't help but be happy.

Aeris turned to Dael next. "I'm sorry miss, but please don't be mad at her. Unless she's a version from the Negaverse she can't be a bad person."

Dael held for a few moments before exhaling. She turned to Krystea momentarily, who didn't meet her gaze. "So it turns out fate made our paths cross after all. Well…you can stop cringing like a wounded bird now. That woman agreed to help me on one condition: that I never render your lineage extinct. I keep my promises. And since killing you would kill every last one of your descendants, that means you're in the clear."

Krystea hardly looked comforted by that, but Dael turned to Aeris next.

"It's not her that I'm angry at…it's her descendants. The Sorceresses in my world used to form the Order of Hyne. They were gentle, kind, sagacious, and respected. Then their matriarch, Mianyl, went insane. She corrupted the other Sorceresses into a megalomaniacal death cult. She killed millions, including some of my friends. She tried to kill me and my sons and enslaved my other children against me. She wanted to destroy everything because she thought existence and creation itself was a mistake. Even when we stopped her…one more of my friends still had to die to undo everything she did."

Aeris winced at the news before she sighed. "I…I'm so sorry you went through that. But, please don't fight. People are stressed out as it is. And…if you don't mind I had a question. Are you Goddess Minerva? I know that's a rude thing to just say out of the blue but…the energy coming from you, it reminds me of her, the person who brought me back from the dead in my universe."

Dael stared back silently for a moment, before she actually smirked and snickered.

"I might have asked you the same question. I could have sworn I was talking to Minerva. Oh boy…who am I? If I try and tell you the whole story, I don't know how much will go over your head. You can think of me as 'the Planet', more or less. I was accidentally given a physical body and true individualistic sentience when the Sorceresses tried to dispose of the Eternal Guardian Force. Instead, they brought me into being. As for Minerva…well…"

She scratched the side of her head.

"The Planet had three Aspects to it. Minerva was one; but when I was incarnate, I took the third Aspect: Eden. That was the Aspect responsible for humanlike thoughts and feelings, which is why I incarnated and grew up in a human body. On one hand, I feel the hate and anger the Planet has to those who attack it, so a part of me is like the WEAPONs in that regard. On the other hand, all the maternal connections and feelings of love and friendship also come from that, so I sympathize and identify the most with human frailties and weaknesses. It is also why I'm not exaggerating when I say I completely see Bahamut and Leviathan as my dear sons."

Aeris widened her eyes. "Oh wow…that's…a bit more complicated than my world. But well, that's the Multiverse right? I'm sorry that all happened, but please don't blame Krystea for that. Even…even if people from her bloodline did horrible things, please don't blame her for that."

Dael was quiet for a while, but finally frowned and crossed her arms. "I know. It's just…it was a raw nerve." She exhaled and turned to Krystea. "Look…just…forget I said anything. I know that's easier said than done, but…but please. It was a shock, that's all. I overreacted. I'm sure you're perfectly fine."

Yet this only made Krystea wistfully smile. "Then maybe it's a good thing you don't really know anything about me…"

Now Aeris looked puzzled. Krystea finally managed to turn to her, still looking ashamed, but weakly grasped the lapels of her suit jacket and spread them a bit.

"Aeris…you said the word yourself, so…you can see it. I'm a Turk. Through and through. You know what that means too, don't you? It means I took jobs like a Turk did. Including ones from Shinra. And even the New Shinra Army. Jobs that weren't always nice. And just like a Turk, I got them done. Without hesitation. Without pity. Without thinking about anything else other than doing my job. But…yeah. That's not so bad, I guess. I mean…it's not like I almost destroyed the world, right?"

She grew even more despondent after saying that.

"Oh wait…yeah, I guess I did that too, didn't I?"

Aeris looked stunned, but Krystea went on.

"Hojo…or what was left of him…still wanted to make the perfect 'Ancient'. He wanted something that was fully Cetra and fully Jenova. But he only had two 'half-Cetra' to work with, so he planned to put me, my sister, and a clump of Jenova cells all into one body. He got stopped but…but not before part of the Jenova fused to my own cells. And before I knew it…" She let out a weak half-chuckle. "I was turning into a female Sephiroth. Aleron is what she called herself. She liked scythes over long, curved swords. She also liked using her body as a weapon in more ways than one… As for me? I got to feel her grow like a cancer inside me and slowly take me over mind and body until I was a prisoner in my own flesh and blood. And guess who had to come bail me out?"

She exhaled.

"My sister. The one who already got killed by Sephiroth once. The one Aleron wanted nothing more than to murder as a sacrifice to Jenova. The one I should have been protecting."

Aeris saw the sadness in her sister from another universe's eyes before she smiled. "Wow, sounds like my version of me in your universe could get a bit wild, eh?"

Krystea looked up with a start. For a moment, she showed nothing but surprise.

"Wh…what?"

"I mean, I had thoughts like that at times but my friends were already dealing with a lot of drama from my friend's future wife Lacus Raystar, so I figured I did not want to add to the mess, eh?"

"That…that's it? I…I told you all about what I did…who I am…and that's-"

"There's a lot more to that but that's for future girl talks. For now…I am sorry for all that, but I refuse to think that you're a bad person. A flawed person, yes, but not one that is damned. Call me overconfident after 'getting out more' in my universe, but after seeing a lot of worlds I seenallkinds of people. There are those who are made to be monsters, and those who choose to be monsters. The ones that choose to be monsters, and make others be monsters for their amusement, are the ones we have to fight, right?"

Krystea didn't answer. Rather, she couldn't answer. For a moment, Aeris would have seen her eyes start to shimmer, before she quickly turned away and rubbed at them. Even then, she heard her sniffle once. Again, the corners of a smile began to form on her face.

"I think I can answer for her," Dael spoke up again, a hint of a smile on the corner of her own mouth. "Right. I'd probably do best to keep that in mind myself."

Aeris nodded. "I'm not going to lie and say everything's going to be paradise if we just beat a few more bad guys…I seen too much to believe that anymore. But I know that this future that Shinra is forcing on us is one we can't accept—any of us. After hanging on this long and coming back from being dead, I, I can't let men like Hojo, Sephiroth, and that horrible Sieg and his bully sidekick Homelander get the last laugh. It…it has to be more than this."

Krystea's mood shifted when she said this, especially when her sister from another universe's cheery resolve looked like it was about to collapse. She turned to her fully at last, finally forgetting her own guilt and uneasiness and focusing on her. "Oh…oh Aerith…Aeris, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about that. Don't...don't tell me. You died like my Aerith did? Does…does that mean you're a Sorceress now like her?"

Aeris smiled sadly. "Oh right, you gals would not know. I did die like your sister vie being stabbed by Sephiroth. But I came back, and then I died again. Truthfully, it was my choice that time, though I now regret it."

She saw the two woman's shock before she sighed.

"There's no way you two would know. See, we were in a long war with the devil of our universe, Chaos Zannacross Necron. Ezan, my universe's Cloud, Ben Auro, and the rest of the Warriors of Light won. But…that was not the end, it was just the start. Ben's teammate Doug Fitter resented what peace was. We were not blameless; we got greedy. But Doug resented that society did not respect him, so he broke it, when he broke heaven, and utterly destroyed the afterlife, wrecking the Lifestream in the process.

"I lost most of my power and became very weak. Ezan, Cloud, they were all there for me but seeing things like the Death Stranding became too much. I, I did not kill myself or anything but, I did lose the will to keep fighting. I, I did not want to leave Ezan though, so my soul became bound to the special materia Ezan and my other friends made. Trust me, it was better than becoming a BT ghost. I thought, I could be with Ezan as long as he thought and that would be good enough. But…the past few months I realized how wrong I was.

"This Sieg, and all the other people in this Infinite Victory and Conquest corporation make all of Shinra look like school kids just being bullies. I came back to life when my husband fought to keep the last spark of hope alive in are universe. I and many others were able to get one last chance at life, but as I left to come here I could sense that everyone across my entire universe were dying by the billions by the second. I just…wanted to do what I could to stop this. Because everyone but the most horrible monsters suffering can't be what life is all about, it can't be. Otherwise…otherwise-"

Aeris wasn't able to continue. At that point, not waiting for another word, Krystea had stepped forward and embraced her. One would have thought it was a different woman entirely from the one who had been there only moments ago. It was as if Krystea's resolve had returned and redoubled. She almost had the same warm life and vivacity in her eyes as her counterpart did. Yet as she hugged Aeris, te latter felt more resolution than ever in the woman. As if she was trying to push her resolution into Aeris to make her stronger.

"I'm sorry, Aeris," she finally stated, although no longer weak and timid. "I'm sorry you're wasting your time trying to help me stop wallowing in my own self-pity when you're going through everything else. Ever since the day I met you in my universe I wanted to protect you…but I failed. One of Aerith's friends always had to bail me out. Or she ended up being the one saving me. I don't know what I'm doing in this universe when I'm just some woman with a big handgun. I don't know what I can do about people who can literally break heaven and hell. I don't know what I can do against people who just snuff out universes like candles. But…but…"

She practically grit her teeth for this next part.

"Somehow…someway…I am going to protect you this time. Even if it kills me. No matter what happens, you're getting through this alive and you're getting a happy ending."

A pair of claps rang out. Krystea looked up, and saw that Dael had once again extended her hands and placed them on either woman's shoulders. They were no longer just simply offerings of comfort, however, they were more focused as well.

"Ms. Aeris…as incredible as my life has been, I still haven't had half of your experiences and I am not your equal in power. But as one who has seen evils take many forms and has the advantage of a military background, I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty…"

Her eyes burned again as she looked straight into Aeris.

"No matter how much they boast…no matter how much they mock…no matter how much they scoff or gloat…no matter how much they laugh and shrug off…there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that evil hates in this universe or any universe than someone who won't give in. It can't stand it. It can't abide it. It can't even comprehend it. It doesn't want a reality where everything is a bug for it to step on. It wants a reality where the bugs crush themselves at the sight of it. And that goes for this Sieg as well. Because if he didn't, why are we all still here?"

She reached out and ran her hands along both Aeris and Krystea's faces.

"This…this. This is what he wants. Fear. Despair. Hopelessness. Surrender. It's the only thing he can't take. He has to get us to give it to him. That's what my so-called comrades wanted from me the day I bested them at Esthar's Hawk after they found me, beat me, and began to strip me. They wanted me to just lie there and take it. They wanted me to just accept defeat and make it easier on them."

She was flushed a little now, but her hands moved back to their shoulders.

"I never gave it to them, and I'll never give it to him or to anyone else. That's one thing he can't take from us no matter how strong he thinks he is. And so long as he can't take it from us, that means he'll never be all-powerful. Remember that. Just like I'll keep remembering who our real enemies are."

Even without Dael's personal experience, her words seemed to at least alleviate some of Aeris' depression along with Krystea's encouragement. Enough to where Krystea was able to release her and step back.

"Thanks, you two. Sorry, trying to keep it together but it's just…been a lot to deal with when I have time to think about things more than ten seconds from now. But it's not all bad, I'm glad I can meet a sister and badass gods from other universe's and all. Just, got to stay positive right? Let's…let's do what we can right? Oh, and, do me a favor and try and keep other me from knowing what happens right? Trust me, she's overwhelmed before all these other enemies across the Multiverse started making things worse."

Dael nodded. "Alright."

Krystea was more hesitant, but sighed. "I guess I can't say no if you're the one asking," she shrugged.

Aeris nodded. "Thanks. Despite everything, I know we can figure this out once we understand each other. Hopefully won't be too hard but, well, Cloud was rather confused at this point so let's go help the boys see things clearly."

As she went with the two to try and get things together, in another part of the canyon it was not just the men who were not understanding things, but at least some of the women—mostly Yuffie.

Yuffie had saw Carbuncle and instantly wanted to capture him. The green summon creature kept trying to jump out of the one-track mind Ninja's way before Yuffie came out, "I never saw you before! That gem on your head is the Materia right there! The materiahasto be mine!"

"It's part of my skeleton, you miserable little thief! Keep your grubby mitts off of me or I'll show you how bad squirrel-sized bites can go!"

In spite of the fact he was on the verge of going postal, Yuffie was oblivious. "Oh man the more you act up, the more you have to be mine! With a reflect shield like that no Shinra goon will ever tag me again! There is only one of you and a whole lot of , UGH!"

She was so fixated on running into the green creature that she failed to see Gammamon walk her way, and trip over him. The Digimon tripped to and the other Digimon with him, Angoramon and Jellymon helped him up before the white reptile rubbed his face. "Hey watch where you're going, lady! That hurt!"

Yuffie paused before she squealed in delight. "OMG there are even more of you! I got to catch them all!"

Carbuncle saw the Digimon look at him before his eye twitched.

"What're you lookin' at?" A pause. "Oh wait, I get it. Never seen a real-live Guardian Force in all his glory, have you? Well, I do take the extra time to groom my fur and keep myself trim…"

Jellymon rubbed her head. "Wait there are more Digimon on this world? Cool!"

If it was possible for a green-plushie to look ready to blow a gasket, Carbuncle pulled it off. "What in the name of a Tonberry's rancid armpits is a 'Digimon'?!"

"Wait, they're with me!"

Daigo came charging in yelling before Carbuncle could blow up any further, just keeping the little fluffball from turning rabid. As he came to a stop, he saw everyone looking at him before he let out an uneasy chuckle. "Sorry, Digimon are Digital Monsters. Um…short story is that they come from the Digital World, a parallel universe that originated from planets' communication networks linking between worlds and crosssing over thanks to a lot of tech stuff I still can't remember centuries later. There is a lot of us…in our universe at least."

Carbuncle snorted. "Well, to clear things up, I'm not a Digimon, Pokemon, Doremon, Goemon, cinnamon, backgammon, or any other mon from any other universe!"

Daigo winced and turned to the others. "Hey guys, what are you even doing here? You were supposed to stay on that House of Hope ship."

Gammamon rubbed his head before bowing. "Sorry boss, some of them seemed nice enough but we wanted to stick with you! No place is really safe anymore so, might as well protect each other, right?"

Daigo sighed before he looked around. "Yeah, but this world has no idea that you're not just more monsters, you know? I don't know anyone here either." He paused again, looking back at Carbuncle. "Wait, I think I know you though! I think we fused once!"

Carbuncle stared open-mawed at Daigo for a few moments. "…Do people from your universe lack hearing or just long-term memory? I. Am. A. Guardian. Force. And I wouldn't junction to you if your life depended on it!"

Daigo laughed again. "Sorry, but I fused with someone just like you to beat two witches that fused together."

The little black dot eyes blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ah right, sorry if it's confusing. But I'm a human Digimon hybrid now! It's…a long story but I became this to protect my friends. I guess you're the leader of your race too?"

Carbuncle hesitated, before looking a tad smug. "Well, now that you mention it, I-"

"I am," the voice of Bahamut echoed from behind him.

"…Right, he is. Exactly what I was about to say."

At that point, the king of dragons, still in human form walked forward and up to Carbuncle's side before halting. "Well, second-in-command if I want to be precise, although mother doesn't usually take an active role. I overheard some of that back there, and…" He took a moment to look over the Digimon. "Very peculiar. It seems some form of espers exist in other universes as well. Or…as you called them…'digital monsters'? As in…electronic? Imaginary?"

Daigo sensed Bahamut to see his true nature behind his human front before he smirked. "Oh sorry, a lot going on. But before I forget are you good at mind stuff? We need someone that can fix people like that real quick."

Bahamut mused over that for a moment. "I have some experience, but even if I didn't we have someone even more qualified among us. Can I take this to mean you found who you were looking for?"

"No, it's not the person we thought we found but it is someone that might be key to seeing this mission completed successfully."

Bahamut and Carbuncle alike turned at the sound of Ezan's voice. It seemed he had already gathered some with him. Ragnar and Azure were following along behind as well as Leviathan and a few others. On joining them the silver-haired man sighed.

"I know it's complicated, but we did not find my friend Ben Auro. But we did find his counterpart Benji Burton. It's…not the same but he can help us if his mind can recover in time."

As the others looked at him in confusion Ezan sighed.

"The short story is Benji is someone whose mental state is fractured from years of trauma. We can only pull this off if his mind is sound enough to be able to perform the task that is expected of him."

Ezan looked to Bahamut expectantly. The esper crossed his arms and exhaled. "As I said, we might be able to assist in that regard. Leviathan has studied these sorts of things before and Eden is able to connect on levels beyond the cerebral. Yet even if time is a factor, I'm afraid I'll have to decline momentarily."

Ragnar and Azure looked a little surprised at that, but Leviathan was just as composed as Bahamut was.

"The truth is everyone from my universe has just arrived on this world, and we have very little understanding of what is going on aside from the fact that if we do not fight everyone will die. And while that is an urgent problem that demands everyone's attention, I am a little confused as to how saving this particular world in this particular universe is supposed to enable us to defeat our true enemies…let alone how repairing the mind of a single individual in a particular universe would help."

Ezan saw he was polite but clearly frustrated before he sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't even have time to ask what you all knew. You have my thanks for what you did just now, and you have the right to know the full picture. But…let's take this somewhere private. If the wrong people see the full scale of this then they will just panic. I believe we are near the canyon's planetarium. If you don't mind I'll give you the full debriefing there."

Bahamut gave a single nod. "As you wish."

"I'd like to be present as well, if you wouldn't mind," Leviathan added as he stepped forward. "My brain is always put to better use when all of the facts are there for it to ruminate on."

Daigo then took a deep breath. "I'll go too. There were some parts Ezan was not around for, and you need to know everything. Too many have died as it is. We…we can't lose anymore."

Gammamon patted Daigo on the back before he smiled. "Don't blame yourself, boss man. It was those creepy universal Church of Truth guys that corrupted you! We will get our planet back! They can't block the sun forever!"

As Bahamut looked shocked at the statement, Daigo smirked and nodded. "You're right…no matter how many ships are blasting our universe, we'll get it back. We have to. You guys came this far and I'll make sure it's for something ok? Just…hang out with the others while we explain things to these guys, ok?

As the Digimon nodded Ezan and Daigo led Bahamut and Leviathan to the Cosmo Canyon planetarium. After arriving in the room that had the holograms of the planets in the solar system, Leviathan removed his hat to get a better look. "Oh, this is quite the impressive work. Better than any of my own attempts at a decent planetarium. And so big, too…"

Bahamut didn't seem to be quite so astonished. "You should have seen the ones the Ettecan races made. You felt like you were among the stars themselves."

Ezan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you're really from the Ettecan world?"

The dragon-turned-man spun to him, looking taken aback. "You…you know of Planet Etteca?"

"I do."

"Is it…in your universe?"

"Yes. I defended that world from being invaded by a space faring humanoid species named the Breen on behalf of a commander of the Zeon Federation, Haman Kharn who thought the best way to "negotiate" was to launch a " Operation British" which involved there most loved tactic, hurling asteroids at planets to change people's minds.

Ah yes, the United Federation of Zeon was a galactic army being led by a man called Weil Zabi…who was like Shinra as well, though his greed paled compared to Sieg's sadly."

Bahamut paused, but slowly nodded. "I'm glad. The…Etteca in my universe was…destroyed."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But the last time I checked the world was around. Well, I can't say that's for certain when I last left my universe. Honestly, I'm not sure any planet in our universe is left."

Bahamut kept staring at Ezan after he said that. In particular, he noticed the dismay on his voice, in spite of his exterior and military-esque and authoritative demeanor.

"That saddens you, doesn't it? It truly does."

Ezan looked a little puzzled, but Bahamut continued.

"Even in just one universe there must be more worlds than anyone can hope to visit in a hundred thousand lifetimes. Yet I can look through you. Even the loss of one of them is unacceptable. Even if you never meet a single person from those worlds. You truly do care about protecting others. This role you have given yourself…the title of Enji…you believed in it, didn't you? You took it all seriously."

After a pause Bahamut nodded. "You make me glad. I admire truly strong humans."

Hearing this caused Ezan, after a moment, to nod. "Thank you. The Enji Knights were an order of Warriors of Light led by are former leader Grand Master Myers. Now, officially they are commanded by my comrade Ben Auro, though the order may not really exist anymore. Still, I'm trying to see its ideals followed to the end. I…that is, most of us Enji truly believed in helping the greater good. It…it was not enough though."

Leviathan turned his head at that. Bahamut looked like he might have wanted to respond, but he didn't get the chance.

"Alright, now to honor my word. I can give you the information in a quicker manner if you're willing to trust me. My eyes are not different just for show; they are called the Rinne Sharingan, their most basic level at least. Let me give you a basic summary.

The basic Sharingan wielder of this kekkei genkai experiences a powerful emotional condition with regards to a person precious to them, their brain releases a special form of chakra that affects the optic nerves, transforming the eyes into Sharingan; for that reason, the Sharingan is described as an 'eye that reflects the heart'.

"The Sharingan grants the wielder two broad abilities: the 'Eye of Insight' and the 'Eye of Hypnotism'. Via the 'eye of insight' the user can see chakra, or however you call magical energy, giving it color in order to distinguish it by its composition and source. The user is also granted incredible clarity of perception, enabling them to read lips or mimic something like pencil movements.

"Under the 'Eye of Hypnotism', while there are various manifestations and purposes of the ability, the better known one is to, through eye contact, suggest thoughts and actions to a target, coercing them to divulge information or act in a particular way, potentially without the target's awareness.

"In extreme cases, the Sharingan user can take complete control of the target's body, forcing them to do exactly as the controller wishes; this control is visually indicated by the Sharingan's design appearing in the target's eye. While not an ability per se, the Sharingan user can appear as if they are able to 'see the future'.

First, the user must perfectly mimic every move their opponent makes and possibly their thoughts and words through careful observation. Then, they suggest an action to the opponent such as hand seals for a technique that the opponent and Sharingan user already know and copy that. With these things done, the user can complete the action even before the opponent does, possibly using the Sharingan's genjutsu to confuse or delay them.

"And this is just the basic level. In addition to these abilities, the Sharingan can also enhance the user's combat power through channeling their strong emotions. The Sharingan can be evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan by experiencing the trauma of loss, granting unique, user-specific jutsu in addition to the Sharingan's standard abilities.

"Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan will automatically fully mature a Sharingan if it isn't already. I myself awakened my Mangekyō Sharingan after the Sephiroth of my universe nearly devoured my soul and took over my body to revive himself, and it finalized when I had to fight a woman who thought she was my sister, Xion.

"A Mangekyō Sharingan is distinguished from a normal Sharingan by its appearance, which changes the form of the tomoe seal.

"Lastly, the final form is that of the Rinne Sharingan you see hear. It is said that in times of disorder, one who wields the Rinnegan is sent down from the heavens to become either a 'God of Creation' who will calm the world or a 'God of Destruction' who will reduce everything to nothingness.

"It's awakened when a strong enough user obtains divine energy and was at a near death experience. I unlocked mine when I nearly died from my own stepfather's sabotage of my body's very genes expiration date to control me even after death.

"With the Rinnegan, I now have the 'dōjutsu' power to use many divine arts known as the Sage of the Six Paths… One who wields the Rinnegan can utilize six abilities collectively known as the Six Paths Technique: controlling attractive and repulsive forces with the Deva Path; mechanically altering one's body with the Asura Path; extracting souls through the Human Path; summoning various creatures through the Animal Path; absorbing energy through the Preta Path; and access to the King of Hell through the Naraka Path. A seventh ability, called the Outer Path, is said to allow the user to preside over life and death, granting them the ability to revive the dead. The Outer Path also allows the user to transmit their chakra into black receivers to control others.

"There are a few more spells but that's a lot enough as it is. Sorry, it's been a while since I explained my powers."

Leviathan let out a chuckle. "Well I'll be. We espers truly are outdated." He looked at Bahamut and smiled as he indicated to Ezan. "This fellow's basic Sharingan already puts himself above our normal mental manipulation tricks we used on humans. I wonder how good his conjuration skills are."

Ezan cleared his throat. "The short version is the dōjutsu kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan. It…can let me do many things many others can't. One such thing is let me cast the Tsukuyomi genjutsu or spell. It will allow me to alter my targets' perception of time. This way you can see what we are up against in a much quicker time than just watching recordings. I promise on my honor that while the images might be troubling no harm will come to you."

Bahamut was silent and showed nothing. After a moment, he glanced to Leviathan.

The man held a finger to his lips. "There's no lie or deception in anything he's said…but, of course, if he truly has all of those powers he just mentioned he might already be making us cluck like chickens for all we know and we'd never realize it. Suffice to say, Bahamut, if he wanted to use it to attack us, he would have done it by now."

"I won't argue with that logic," Bahamut answered as he crossed his arms. "I fear no mere illusions. You may proceed."

Ezan nodded. "Understood. Brace yourself, Tsukyomi!"

The super elite warrior cast his spell at those before him and those from another universe saw all that Ezan saw, how Sieg introduced himself to him and Ben by showing his son's dead corpse, by killing so many of their comrades, and everything up to Ezan escaping the Prime universe.

It must have taken only a moment of real time, but that moment was more than enough to make Leviathan burst out in a gasp and heave as if he had been holding his breath. Even Bahamut, who had already prepared himself following what he saw back on his homeworld, found himself staggering back a step and letting his arms fall back to his sides. When he recovered enough, he looked back to Ezan—seeing him as grim as a tombstone.

"Well, I wanted to know what we were up against…" Leviathan said once he caught his breath. "Be careful what you wish for indeed…"

"If you curse yourself for not being able to defeat him, Ezan Zeon, don't," Bahamut spoke once he regained his own posture. "There is no nightmare or worse-case fear that would have been enough to prepare you."

Ezan sighed. "You're too kind, but it's not that simple. We did not create Sieg but our failure to see things properly may have led to the creation of the Negaverse."

"There's that word again... 'Negaverse'. What does it mean?"

Ezan saw the confusion and sighed. " Sorry, forgot you did not have time for the memo once more. It's like the" Dark" part of the Multiverse, also known as the Nth World, and a shadow under the primary Multiverse, one formed of every fear and bad decision ever made or dreamt. Worlds in the Dark Multiverse are fragile and constantly deteriorating, inevitably doomed to destruction by their own malformed construction.

The exception to that rule is the one where Sieg, otherwise known as Jigen Gortah Yuuzhan, Davoth zos Odio and other names, but insists on making it clear that above all else, he always wins. But to how we got to that point, is a complicated story but I'll try and condense it as best as possible.

After we defeated Chaos Zannacross Necron, the devil of our universe that Sephiroth, Kefka, and every other villain was bound to, we thought we created a new era of peace. But…we were afraid of losing that peace.

It was not entirely a fear unbound by facts. Zannacross was sealed by the previous chosen hero and humanity quickly went back to fighting among themselves. We did not want history to repeat itself, so we…we did not want to have as much blind faith.

"I should explain a bit more about my friend, and rival, Ben Auro. He and I came from very different backgrounds. I was raised for most of my childhood to think of myself as a warrior, nothing else.

But he, he came from a very different background. The man who I assumed was my father, Garma Kaiba, was from one of the most established families in our entire universal society. The truth was he hid the truth that my true father was Ansem Zeon, and abused my mother out of resentment. He only cared about ensuring that the Kaiba name was seen as the most powerful in the universe.

"But Auro…he came from a low-class family. In the Lylat Kingdom, things like discrimination and classism are not endorsed, but I'm sure you seen how human nature cannot always be held back by the law.

He was not the most socially graceful person, and did not have that much money and did not fit in so he was mostly shunned even by those who were once his friends. He was not poor enough to be on the street, but not rich enough to be able to have the acceptance of those around him so he felt like he belonged nowhere. Furthermore, he saw some of his relatives had spent their lives alone and did not want that to be his future.

This made him hell bent on becoming an Enji Knight, and becoming a hero. While at first he just scrapped by because those chosen before him in the entrance exam were kicked out for cheating, everything changed when he found the Star Sword, the holy blade of the angels.

"Ben did not learn skills easily at first. Later on it was revealed that the crystal shards of the Star Sword were like the job classes given to other warriors of light and helped him learn faster. But even that was not enough on its own.

He was driven by his own will to prove himself. It's true that part of it was just wanting to be somebody, but he did care about wanting to help the innocent. He just wanted the power to help more as a hero.

"I myself thought of him as nothing but a fool and a clown for a long while, till he proved his conviction when he…forced me into a tie in our match. He forced me to open my eyes about my own beliefs, and I found out the truth about myself in the process, including who my real father was.

"Together, with the other Enji and heroes, we in time defeated Chaos Zannacross Necron, but the flaw was thinking that the hard work was over when it was just starting. During the war Ben was betrayed many times.

First by a childhood friend that became a gangster, then the harsh son of our leader Grand Master Myers, Kira Myers, who ended up being a double agent to Zannacross because he loathed humanity. The one who hurt Ben the most though was Brad Fowltror, the man who caused billions to die, including Ben's cousin Max Bruder who was like a close brother to him.

"Brad caused the universe to erupt into war just so he could gain power for himself, and he also forced Ben's childhood friend Lacus Raystar to become his slave because he loved her power more than he loved her. Ben was able to kill Brad and save Lacus, but only after Brad had done many horrible things, and it scarred both Ben and Lacus deeply.

"After the war, Ben never wanted someone like Brad to be able to hurt him, Lacus, or anyone ever again. That's why he, and so many others were so alarmed that so many were embracing people like Brad. See, when Zannacross fell, he absorbed the souls of every person in the universe whose heart had more darkness than light in it.

Our Sephiroth, Kefka…everyone. But that just meant the people whose hearts had that balance at that time, not those whose balance could change in the future. Ben, truly cared about respecting different cultures, as long as they respected others. Those who did not respect others, who only cared about themselves, got little sympathy from him. To him if someone insisted on acting like a savage, he would treat you as one.

"We all knew that people were not going to forever remember the Cosmic War, but Ben got so alarmed, and disgusted that in less than a year people were already acting like the war was a fairy tale and did not want to change at all, and just accept the reality of whatever local con-man would rant about.

"Ben most of all was becoming more discouraged at the true shallowness of most people. He saw that in countless worlds that did not have electricity or magic, worlds were those who were not part of the elite and not physically strong had little options but to be at the mercy of the strong.

He saw that in many primitive worlds people like him who were not part of the 'in-crowd' suffered the most.

Sadly, Benji, the counterpart to Ben in this universe that I just saw might prove this theory he had. This Benji, his life is clearly one without lady luck's blessing, a life of suffering and I now have a better understanding on what drove Ben to risk everything to try and be a somebody.

That's why Ben wanted to make the universe be a place where he and people like him belonged. After all, why did people have to suffer just because a few more people decided they did not care about anything but themselves? It was one thing if people wanted to waste their own lives, but why did others have to suffer because those around them don't care about them?

When he joined the Enji, he truly believed in being someone that inspired others, and he did inspire others. But we all saw how so many just got resentful by " role models." There were many that resented being told to" Be better to others" and instantly went for the first slick talking populist type that told them it was fine to not want to give up what they deserved no matter who tried to" guilt trip" in their terms to be "better".

The grim truth was we saw that even when pepole had the means to know every fact in the universe, that did not translate to wisdom, because pepole would just filter out whatever they did not want to know and sink deeper into there delusions.

Sadly, we saw again and again that many who meet someone who will allow them to be their worst self, will never willingly go back to someone that tells them to be a better person, and that many did not care about honor, ethics, compassion or anything other then having as much privilege and dominance over those they don't like as possible.

Regretfully, we saw that as much as we wanted to believe in the faith of the common man, it was clear that without the promise of heaven or fear of hell many would choose to be there worst self. Ben most of all felt that even if it meant drastic measures was taken, anything was better than just waiting for everything to just repeat itself."

But….he did not want to force people like Kira did, so with the advice of some angels he came up with the Homeostasis Matrix Axiom Connection plan. It was our delusion, a plan to use, well, many terms you're likely not aware of, but the end goal was to change the universe peacefully to a better tomorrow.

The ability to be able to understand another's pain so that they would not be hurt by misunderstanding, the ability to experience what trauma people went through in the past so it would not be repeated, the ability to know when your ideas are wrong before others are harmed by them. To Ben that sounded like only good things.

"I admit, we got cocky and played god, but to Ben…he truly thought he was honoring his grandfather's wish. "

A unusually reserve Daigo just nodded as he sighed." I admit, something about the boss's plan seemed off to me but he and Lacus were so happy to be able to make the universe better and what did I know?"

Ezan nodded before he pat his comrade on the shoulder." I, I know I should have done something, but I did not think it was my place either. On some level, it was clear that while Ben was talking with all the leaders of the universe the common people were not even considered. Ben just dismissed it, saying they would not understand anyway.

Even as that made me uneasy, this was also the direct will of Cosmos, the Supreme Queen of Light and the majority of the angels so even a radical idea seemed better than having everything we fought for amount to nothing.

Only one person truly opposed this plan that mattered to Ben: his other teammate, Doug Fitter. I admit for a long while I thought Doug was nothing more than a clown, even more than Auro himself.

He was as good with martial arts as the likes of Tifa, but only thought in the moment most of the time. Only later did I realize how wrong we all were about Doug. No one thought he would cause a problem because he did not care about the bigger picture nearly ever. At the end of the war he went off with his girlfriend Aqua to make a life out of delivering things to people and that seemed like that. But we all underestimated how much resentment a common man could have.

"Doug wanted to keep things simple, but when he saw no one respected him he resented…everyone. It was made worst when, by a very complicated manner the soul of Brad Fowltror with the help of the son of Zannacross, the Beyonder, took over his mind, but Doug's resentment was his own, the resentment that nearly destroyed the entire universe until time itself had to be rewound to stop him from breaking the universe as the 'Chaotic Comedian'.

"When we stopped Brad once and for all we thought it was over but Doug was not done. He hated society so much for making him feel inferior that he wanted everything to break. So…he broke heaven itself. Nothing was ever the same after that. Ben was betrayed by the man who used to be his best friend, and he never really trusted people again and always assumed the worst.

Honestly, it became clear that as much as people want to be happy, people as a whole rejected the idea of perfection and wanted a certain amount of struggle in their life. They're full of what some called" Thymos" a word for " spiritedness." Most possessed the term Isothyima, the desire to be recognized as equal. But they vary more in their megolothmia, the desire to be recognized as superior.

After that, Ben just wanted to protect those who he still believed in, and he never really believed in anything else but keeping the 'savages' back, seeing history as a never ending struggle between the simple minded savages always burning everything down out of envy and hate that he wanted to end once and for all.

But when Doug broke heaven and Cosmos died, the one above her, the one that seems to be the " True God" of the Multiverse that goes by the" Source" "Truth" The One Above All" and a few other titles appeared to declare that Cosmos and the Angels were out of his favor for he tired of there naïve stance on life.

With everyone seeing that angels were officially out of God's favor, they were turned on as failures by the masses, leading to a truly chaotic era where ideas had little value. As much as Ben cherished things like history, laws and more, all of that was thrown away in favor of getting power over anything else.

"In the process Doug gained the power of Zannacross, but while he gained the power of the devil, he did not attack anyone directly. He just caused people to be more and more angry at Ben. It was not like a war, it almost felt like someone at school trying to turn the school against his former friend. Only, it was the entire universe and he did it by making everyone's life worst.

He did not want to kill us—he wanted to make Ben admit he was wrong, that everyone was right and that he knew what was best. The order that Zannacross wanted to impose on the universe was evil without a doubt, but at least it was order.

Doug, he resented that society rejected him so much that he wanted to destroy the very possibility for a state to exist so no one could judge him.

And while he was not out to wage a war, he was not being passive either. Some of are universe's greatest champions like" Superman", Wonder Woman, Goku, and more tried to stop Doug but he outwitted them all and did kill them to send a message to Ben about no matter who came after him he was not going to stop and that" we just had to deal with how things were."

To him stance on those who could not live in the world he created was" Debrouille-vous, in other words deal and fend for yourselfs.

He did not want to rule a Empire, but an alternative type of rule built on personal loyalties, more or less what is called patrimonialism.

My own true father Ansem spent most of his life rallying against the Lylat Kingdom and wanted a more decentralized universe, and in some ways he got his wish. But even he knew there had to be some order because unlimited freedom, is just the freedom for the strong to take whatever they want from anyone weaker then them. But to Doug, that was just" keeping it real."

Doug spent lifetime's saying he wanted to make people be free, but despite how he tried to make it come off, his actions made it clear that he just meant he wanted strong men to be free of having to answer to weaker men's rules.

In essence, Doug saw anyone that needed society to live as a " fake person" that did not deserve He did more and more radical things as time went on to " Make us break." He gave power to others like the vicious Viltrumite clan, the psychotic Homelander and the rest of the Vought Clan, and more.

While they made life hell for everyone that got in their way, to him those clans were in paradise since they did whatever they wanted, and that freedom did appeal those who were frustrated. It wore Ben down. To be honest I don't think he really laughed in a century.

"At times I wondered if he could ever " step down" from being the leader of the Bethal Kingdom he scrapped together to have a more peaceful life. But he knew there was nowhere to go. Not even death could bring peace since the enemy 'clans' now controlled the very afterlife.

Just before we met, I fought to rescue Ben's son from the 'Reapers Games' where the souls are only rewarded based on how they amuse their masters like a sick game show. There was nowhere to go but to win, and it was wearing us all down. I myself resolved to keep fighting to atone for my own failures, but most of our friends and family have been gone for some time making Ben more and more isolated.

"He grew more and more desperate to find a solution from the never-ending war with Doug. That desperation was what led to a transmission across the Multiverse that was picked up by Sieg in the Negaverse.

Sieg loathed Ben even more than Doug. He saw him as an 'Inferior knockoff' and wants our universe to suffer just for existing.

"Maybe we brought this on ourselves for assuming to much. One of Sieg's many powers, is the power to alter a target's memories, if not there very history to however he sees fit. He's fond of making his targets kill those they formally loved just to show what Sieg can take from them.

Its, the extreme outcome of what Ben sought to do, but maybe we were just deluding ourselves about are intentions and Sieg is just those desires made clear. But even if we sinned...there are still trillions that did not deserve this fate.

I want you to know that while we made mistakes, we were always trying to help people. It was just we lost sight of how to help them the best. Now, all we can do is try and keep people alive after making mistakes."

Bahamut and the others took in all that Ezan said. Bahamut had resumed his former pose but focused on every word. Leviathan was much the same, albeit with a more sagacious look.

"Well, Ezan Zeon," Leviathan finally spoke, "as you well know, the scope of what you have been through far surpasses our own. However, as you may know, we know a thing or two about grudges that last centuries and the damage they cause. Lord Bahamut here knows it only too well."

"I…have a brother," Bahamut slowly spoke up. "From the moment we were born, we were closer than any of our other siblings. We were so much alike that somehow the planet must have had 'twins'. We were inseparable.

We did everything together. He was the more outgoing and misbehaving one, while I was the quiet and obedient one. For a time…I believed there was nothing we couldn't do together. No goal we couldn't accomplish working hand in hand. And I thought he believed that as well.

"Then came our fight against our fell sibling: the mad Esper Griever. The Esper who was our matron and who we believed to possibly be our parent. In truth, Griever was the one Esper born at the pinnacle of its potential and knowledge, while the rest of us were left to grow into it as normal children do.

That power and knowledge drove it mad. It looked upon the human race in much the same way I wager that your friend once saw the people of his universe, and it believed they needed to be commanded and controlled. Yet if there was ever any nobility in that goal, it was soon lost.

"Griever realized it had the power to dominate all sentient life and wielded power far above and beyond all that had life breath. And it began to admire that. Then it began to pride itself on it. Lastly, it began to hate anything that could possibly rival it…including us.

It had dominion over the world and even the world's Crystal, and it grew more fearful and angry by the day that something could take it from it. It took me the longest time to accept that the Esper we once thought of as a mother had long since abandoned that side of itself and wore it only as a mask. I did at last…and so that's what made what happened next painful.

"To fight Griever, my brother and I, and all our siblings, had to awaken to our own potential. As we did, we began to discover that we had powers and might of our own. Ones that, like Griever, made us greater than all living things and confirmed us as a race of gods. But my brother…"

His eyes lowered.

"When his power awoke…I saw the change in him. The delight he had. The pride. The arrogance. How we went from being the closest of siblings to him using our relationship as a way to unlock even more power. How he lorded it over our weaker siblings and how little he thought of them. Most of all, I saw it on the day that we defeated Griever…when I defeated Griever. That look on his face.

He wasn't happy that Griever was gone; he was upset because I was the one who had done it and not him. That I had ascended to my full power but hadn't made sure he had done the same before me. From that day forward, I knew…even if I didn't want to admit it…that he would eventually become another Griever. And in my youthful impertinence…perhaps even a bit of my own smugness and ego…I broke our relationship off.

"That was the stupidest thing I could have done. It did nothing but fuel his anger. All of his own pride and admiration for his own power now turned to jealousy and envy of mine. Every thought in his mind bent now toward wanting to surpass me by any means necessary.

His only desire was to have supreme power and worship by all for the same—coveting it like a miser wanting gold. And so he became strong and he challenged me for the rule of all espers. And he broke whatever foolish pride of my own had ever led me to believe I was beyond all other espers in the process.

"And he challenged me again. And again. And again. Through the centuries, through time and space, through human races, Cetra races, and alien races, and through death and life itself. We fought…we killed…and we were reborn stronger only to fight again and repeat the cycle. Ever did he want to prove himself the greater of the two of us. Ever did he want ways to humble me and humiliate me.

Even if it meant killing innocent people to draw me out. Even if it meant joining with his enemies to tyrannize the humans I admired. Even if it meant going after all those I loved. Even if it meant bringing me back to life just so I could bow down to him in humble gratitude. Even if it meant killing an entire world and nearly doing the same by helping the New Shinra. In the end, he existed only to hurt me. Only to make me suffer. Only to prove that he was always the strongest. Eventually, he no longer cared for the adoration or prestige of ruling a world. The rivalry became all he knew. The need to surpass me and destroy me. It became all he was."

He inhaled deeply, and looked back up again.

"Even now…I'm not entirely sure it's forever behind us. How can I? When death thrice over failed to stop it? I will tell you, Ezan Zeon, I most certainly know what it's like to live centuries fighting an unending grudge."

Ezan chuckled bitterly. "Sorry if I gave the impression that I expected you to know what I did not, I guess. I needed to explain it to myself as well…all that's happened. Just one thing though. I am curious. Your world had the combined history of those like Terra, Cloud, Squall and more, right?"

"Indeed."

"Does that mean you also went through the genocide Kefka gave to Terra's world in my universe? Does that mean, you were able bring your people back and that humanity at last accepted your kind?"

Leviathan let out a sigh. "Oh, if only it were so simple as that. There was a time where we finally reserved ourselves to the annals of history. We figured our time was over and that the world would continue without magic in the hands of humans—our successors. Destiny had other plans in mind. Our world itself did not accept the death of its children that well. First the espers, then the Cetra, and even the WEAPONs. So it first manifested itself again in the way of a new life form: the Sorcea-ceatre, or Sorceresses. Not long after, that's when the Shrine of the Guardian Forces were found.

"I don't know what its true purpose ever was, or even if finding it was truly an accident or was part of a greater design, but the essences that were contained there had the power to draw powerful spirits back out of the Lifestream and give them flesh and bone to claim—eventually allowing the spirits to live again as Guardian Forces.

The last remnants of Shinra, DeepGround, tried to seize on this for whatever twisted designs they had in mind, and they ended up restoring several entities to life—some of which were former espers—that wanted revenge on the world and everything in it. A new age of Chaos and darkness in a world that no longer had magic or belief in the monsters of old to prevent it. And that's where I came in. Both myself and several other espers were reborn to stop them. Yet it wasn't until the Sorceresses themselves turned to madness centuries later than the last of the Guardian Force essences were consumed and Bahamut returned to life.

"Humans know of us now, more or less, but…there's no more Terratopolis. No more Land of the Eidolons. No more caves behind any Sealed Gates. We're old now. Many of us are still missing those we loved in our former lives. We've made our peace with what we have and we're content not to have any more children. Humans are still the ones who are in charge of their own destinies. We're simply there to lend a hand when the occasion calls for it."

Ezan took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm sorry if I misunderstood. I just have one more question. How…how did you have faith in people after they drove your people to extinction? Sorry if I'm being too crass. I admit, I…I just had to make a mission to rescue Ben's son Mike, at the expense of doing nothing as the universe, and every world in it, was attacked by the forces of the IV &C . I did not have time to see the lasting damage but…trillions were dying and…I had to focus on the mission. I have to keep everyone focused on surviving this, but the truth is, for the first time, I'm not sure what future we will have, if there is anything left of our entire universe. I…I just wanted to know how you had the strength to keep fighting even after your people were killed."

Leviathan and Bahamut were both silent for a time. Yet Leviathan finally crossed his arms and gave Ezan a wistful smile, shaking his head at him as if he were a little hopeless.

"Oh, you dear man…even after all you've seen you've never realized it. How completely and totally…human." He snickered. "But I suppose that's what I like about your species. Ezan…may I call you Ezan? Tell me this. If everything was exactly as you said…if most people were shallow and selfish…if they could not be purged of their evil…if your universe was doomed to be one of nothing but suffering…then why did you and your friends bother? Why make a 'Homeostasis Matrix' at all? Why not just destroy them? Glean the universe yourselves? Keep around only the ones who had light in their hearts? What was so worth saving and struggling for?"

" We wanted them to have one last chance to become better people, though truthfully Ben hoped that those who were a problem would just be" patched out like a bug". Not by killing them, but by fading away to move on to a happier era. At the heart of it lies a paradox of human nature: the simultaneous craving for freedom and the comfort of authority. It became clear that Ben was thinking of what was best for people like him, and Doug mostly cared about people like him and the two more and more saw it as a zero sum struggle for dominance. It became a bitter personal struggle that dragged the entire universe into it. Sadly, I only realized this to late and that's why, to atone I have to make sure my failure did not just damn my universe, but all universes."

Daigo let out a uneasy chuckle before he patted Ezan on the back." Hey C'mon Ezan its been centuries so don't keep thinking its just you who could have done better. We all just assumed that the angels saying it was good meant we did not have to think about anything else and did not even think that they were just as messed up so, we are all in this together."

Bahamut nodded before throwing in, "You are strong and seasoned, Ezan, but you must understand…the thoughts and worries and concerns you and Ben Auro had are the same that countless men and women have had before you, and countless more will have afterward. They've all tried to find the 'perfect solution'.

Something that would finally rid everyone of injustice and evil. And they all failed. Not for lack of trying. Not for lack of good intentions. It's simply the price we all have to pay to be the wonderful creatures that we all are. The only way any of us can ever prove that we are good, noble, and just is if we have a bit of darkness in our hearts telling us to be evil, cowardly, and unjust…and we say 'no' in response.

"But there is more good in this universe than you or Ben can see, Ezan. I think you spent so long trying to purge it of its remaining filth that you stopped looking at the places you've cleaned. Or perhaps you've seen so many grand scales of evil that the Palamecian Emperor, Zeromus ,Sephiroth, Kefka, or even ones like this Sieg have done that it has overshadowed everything else.

All of the little, wonderful acts that fill our lives. Single parents working three jobs to support their children, and yet still finding time to read them bedtime stories and watch them play on their Chocobos.

Teachers seeing a neglected child who everyone else dismisses as slow or a lost cause, and giving of their time and effort without reward just to make sure they succeed. People stepping over the edge of a bridge to end lives they thought were not worth living, only for a crowd of strangers to wrap their arms around their chest and legs and refuse to let go.

"People can be selfish. They can be weak. And they can give in. But I firmly believe that the will of evil is the minority in this universe and every universe. That we are more than our failures. That we want to be more than our failures. And I believe that most people want the kind of universe you and Ben wanted.

That they'll try to make it so, if you let them. If you give them the occasional 'nudge' in the right direction when they wander too much. If you shine a light every once in a while when things get too dark. If you can remind them to see past themselves from time to time.

"When you see that, Ezan…when you see that people aren't all that different from you…that they laugh and cry and love and hate and mourn and rejoice like you…that they have the same fears and the same worries and the same struggles with themselves, even if they don't have it necessarily as hard or even as easy…then you'll start to see why someone like me can still love them and care about them. Yes…even be willing to die for them. As much as if they were my own race. Even my own family."

Bahamut inhaled deeply, leveling a much firmer gaze on the silver-haired man.

"Do you know what it means to worship at the Altar of Power, Ezan Zeon? It means you accept the greatest and most unchanging rule of life. 'The Strong survive—the Weak die.' It's not grotesque…it's not harsh…it's not even moral. It simply is. As much as the sun and the rain, or the sky and the sea. 'The Strong survive—the Weak die.' The rule is not what is up for debate. It's what you do with the rule.

"The shallow—the cowardly—the self-interested—the greedy…to them, the rule is all. The beginning and the end. Their supreme justification for everything. I see it differently. It means it's the duty of the Strong to defend the Weak. It means it's the responsibility of the Strong to have virtue. To lead. To guide.

To protect. Most of all, to drive out evil. And to do that, they must be vigilant. They must be active. They must do. Power that does nothing to stand up against injustice and wickedness is not peacefulness; it's harmlessness. This is the code all those who desire Power for righteousness must abide. This is the yoke they take upon themselves...and what the truly strong embrace wholeheartedly."

Bahamut hesitated again, exhaling and growing quieter.

"Ezan Zeon, I do not know if I can win against these foes. And I do not know, even if you somehow strike Sieg down, if you will ever get the future that you long for. I don't know if this is just another spot on a road of unending battles for both of us. And I don't know if we'll end up having to abandon more people than we save before this is done. But the truth is it does not matter either way. We are those blessed with Power. It is our responsibility…our mandate…our duty as those who claim to hold things like love, peace, and freedom dear to fight for them on behalf of everyone who cannot.

"And I will fight even if this is a battle I can never win, because some battles are worth fighting because there is no way to win. Because some things are worth fighting for even if every last voice in the entire multiverse screams back that they are not. And if my struggling and toil buys the multiverse even one more second of life that otherwise would not have been, then I will gladly endure it."

At the end of all of this, Ezan chuckled bitterly. "I guess I should thank your father for giving you such ideals. Wait…to be honest I have no idea if you have a father. The truth is that the many Bahamuts in my universe had very different life styles. Known as the Dragon King, the Hallowed Father, the First Sire, and countless others. Some were sadly just mindless beasts to summon, some were the king of dragons on their world. Some were robots, some were dreams made reality, Astral gods and more so, just curious if you could fill in which of those you fit in as?"

Bahamut again looked to the ground slightly. "There was no father. Even Griever was just our 'older sibling' in the end, although it helped me know what it was like to have a parent—at least for a short time. Our mother was the Planet, but she had neither voice nor face nor true awareness until she incarnate as Eden. Sometimes we have to learn to trust our own judgment."

"I understand…trust me. As I said, the man who I thought was my father, Garma Kaiba, just used me for his own glory. My true father was Ansem Zeon, the man who I thought was my enemy but was just fighting back at those who wronged him and was manipulated by Weil Zabi and the others. I had to decide for myself what I believed in, and at least in that case I chose correctly. We can't pick who we came from, but we can choose our family. That…that's what I'm trying to do now for as long as possible, my final mission."

Bahamut smirked back at that. "That sounds more like it. Do not fear death, Ezan Zeon, for we cannot escape it no matter how hard we try. Instead fear not using your power while you have the chance. There will be time for all other fears when you're in the grave."

"I won't be quite as morbid as that," Leviathan spoke up, rolling his eyes a little, "After all, we're not dead yet. And we're not about to just roll over and make it easy on them either. You're not alone in this fight, Ezan. We may not all have such splendid ocular in our own heads, but you'll find we're just as stubborn and determined if not more so."

This actually caused Ezan to smirk. "Thank you. Truly. Let's rejoin the others. It's time to figure out our next move."

The group left the Planetarium and joined the others, who were meeting at the Starlet Pub. Bahamut and Leviathan took the opportunity to quickly telepathically update their closest comrades with everything they felt was necessary, but only Carbuncle and Dael were brought fully up to speed. Dael looked visibly shaken for a moment, but ultimately swallowed it down. Carbuncle, on the other hand, mouthed a few choice words in Bahamut's direction; which thankfully were hard to lip read from his tiny face.

Ragnar himself was present and saw Clive and Cloud interact, and was seeing Red XIII go up to Torgal before the talking dog cleared his throat." So…are you the last of your kind in your world to?"

Torgal just sniffed Red XIII and barked before Clive chuckled." Sorry if you misunderstood but Torgal is just a normal frost wolf in our world. In body at least, he's the best friend a man can have though."

As Clive pet his friend, Aerith talked to Jill before going over to try and pet Torgal as well. He saw the Frost Wolf let her pet him and nearly began to try and find a way to reroute himself, before someone poked him on the shoulder. "Hey, sorry but do I know you?"

Ragnar swerved around and once again suppressed a groan on seeing he had failed to avoid the inevitable yet again. There was Aeris, dressed in her Goddess Minerva Armor of all things to not get people confused between her and Aerith. He felt himself almost flush the moment she waved at him.

"It just…really feels like you know me since you seem to be looking at me like you know, er, us. Did I sell you a flower you did not like? Sorry…all sales are final."

"Uh…er…" he coughed. "N-N-No…not exactly. Uh…um…" He rolled his eyes, cursing himself for blithering like an idiot. "That's, um…that's some really impressive duds…I mean, armor you got there. I mean…wow. That's as impressive as Ragnarok."

She gave a victory sigh. "This is my casual armor I got from Goddess Minerva. Normally it's a drag to wear around but…makes people less confused with other me so I'm putting up with it. Sound like you know me a bit more. Since you're hiding from both me and other me, sounds like you're avoiding something, eh? That means either we are enemies…or something a lot closer?"

Ragnar wanted to facepalm. For crying out loud…every version of her can read me like a book, can't she? Just get it over with…

"Well, uh…er…you might say that. Um…here."

He held up his hand, pointing to a band on his ring-finger.

"My universe's Aerith has…one that matches this, if you get my drift."

It was a surprise, as well as a load off of his mind, when Aeris giggled in response. "Heh, I'm glad it was that and not the other thing. I could see myself falling for a guy like you."

Now Ragnar really did turn red.

"What was the pick-up line?"

"Hmm? Huh? Oh, er…well…um…it wasn't…like…as formal as that. I…I kind of met your corpse." Instantly, his eyes shrank to pinpricks and he slammed a fist into his own forehead. "Oh god, why did I just say that…?"

She looked mortified. "Wait you found me as a corpse? I did not think I was going to do the zombie lover thing but…I guess it's a big Multiverse."

"No! That's not what I meant! Well…it is, but…ungh…" He swallowed and composed himself as much as he could. "Look, um…I don't want to say anything else to shove my foot into my mouth, but…the fact of the matter is…well…I'm kind of a Cetra myself, you see. Not…not a 'real' one like you…uh…that is… Guh…it's a long story so I'll just say I guess I'm kinda, sorta, what might have happened if they had used actual Cetra cells instead of Jenova cells when they made Sephiroth. Only the…well…experiment, for lack of a better word, went wrong and they never knew about me.

When the NSA took over Icicle Inn, I eventually escaped a labor camp and wound up in the City of the Ancients. And while I was there, I tried reading some of the orbs there and it hurt my head, but…but there was a voice…a woman's voice…that told me to kept trying and I did until I could start reading everything and hearing everything. And one day I went for a swim in this pool near this big shell house and…uh…well, there you were."

Growing more anxious by the second, Ragnar managed to state the rest. Including the part how he participated in her resurrection and how they eventually realized each other's shared nature. By the time he was done Aeris looked intrigued.

"I was wondering where that energy was coming from… You…you're really like me? That is really cool. Damn, would have been cool to have a you in my universe too."

Ragnar, unfortunately, didn't have any reflective surface handy. Or he might have realized the rather dopey-looking hopeful smile on his face at that.

Aeris, seeming to realize what she had just said, blushed. "But still…I don't want to steal another me's man. And…Ezan's become a lot more flexible than he used to be but I don't think he's really big on stuff like Mormonism or other stuff involving multiple spouses. Sorry."

"Wh-what?" Instantly, he went white. "Oh…oh no! No-no-no! Of course not! I…that…you just happened to really look like her. I'd never…never suggest that, of course…"

"But, for what it's worth, I can see how I could be happy being married to you. You…you have a whole family with her?"

"Yeah. The twins…Samoa and Simoa…they're great. Although, heh, some days I think being a dad is scarier than fighting Sephiroth… And they love Denzel, Azure, and Marlene to pieces whenever they come over. Things get so lively.

And the first time I could tell they were talking with the Planet? It was so amazing. I ranted about it for a week non-stop to every stranger I ran into. I must have sounded crazy. I still remember when they tried to make me breakfast for the first time. It was right before I lef…"

He trailed off. A cold feeling went through him. Aeris wouldn't have to be a mind reader to know why. What he had to have seen right before he was picked up to come to this world.

She grasped his hand. "No…they are still there, Ragnar. Your family, we will get you back to them. And then…we will have a multiverse party to celebrate…I know the other me would totally love that. Maybe it bends a few rules but if we save the Multiverse we can get some perks right? So, let's just focus on seeing this through so we can all get back to the people we belong to, right?"

It took him a moment or two, but he managed a smile. "Yeah…yeah, you're right. Of course. That…that all sounds real nice. She can show you this goofy dancing game she took me on for our first date. Our first real date, that is."

Ragnar was then forced to nearly pass out again as Aeris gave him a hug before departing, but he managed to keep it together until it was over.

Not long after, Ezan and Bahamut joined the crowd formally. Barret saw them enter before he cleared his throat. "Yo superman, I sure as hell am grateful for your guys' back up but what the hell is the deal? Shinra's busting giant monsters out of nowhere just to be dicks so how do we deal with it?"

Ezan nodded before he responded with, "We deal with it, Barret, by knowing where they are heading…and stopping them. Thankfully we have an idea. Based on…data, we know what Sephiroth is after: the Temple of the Ancients."

Cloud paused before he nodded. "Yeah… I was getting an idea of that to. We just, need to find out where to go."

Aeris cleared her throat before looking up. "So…I'm having a hunch that…if we look for a Weapon Seller around oh…the northeast corner of the Gongaga Area then we will find the key to the temple. We better hurry though…I heard that Dio guy might buy it and I don't think we have time for all the games right now."

Before Cloud's group could reply a new voice cut in. "Sorry, things have already advanced past that."

Everyone saw it was Angeal that came in, along with the Warrior of Light before Cloud widened his eyes. "What the…you, have the same uniform?"

Ezan cleared his throat before responding with, "It's ok; he's another one of us. Angeal…you're saying the situation changed?"

"Yes…it's gotten worse sadly. Shinra is not playing games anymore. While we were fighting here, they attacked, and destroyed, the Golden Saucer."

Tifa was one of the many who looked horrified at that. "What? Why? That place was just an amusement park!"

"Shinra wants to show that anyone that defies them at this point will be shown no mercy. That and whoever they got to lead the attack took…extreme delight in killing."

He showed a hologram recording that showed Kefka directly blowing up the Golden Saucer, and laughing madly as he used various magic to kill the people inside.

Carbuncle's little button eyes widened to the size of quarters. "Oh, f- no… Not him…"

Ezan looked enraged. "Damn it…of course they would have a variation of Kefka here as well."

Cloud looked confused before Ezan sighed. "Kefka Palazzo…a very different madman then Sephiroth but in his own way was just as murderous. Short story is he was the court mage of the Gestahlian Empire. Kefka was their first experimental Magitek Knight, giving him the ability to use magic. However, the process was not yet perfected and the infusion damaged Kefka's mind, transforming him into a maniacal harlequin with an unquenchable thirst for blood.

"Chaotic and unpredictable in his drive to cause destruction, Kefka eventually turned on his master, Emperor Gestahl and seized control of a godly power called the Warring Triad to become the god of magic, and used their power to leave his world ruined."

Leviathan exhaled. "I was already dead by the time he made his move, but that man is solely responsible for the extinction of the esper race on my home world. The fact he was able to best all of us together is a testament to what kind of foe we're dealing with. I'm just saying that as fair warning, Baha-"

The sea serpent went silent. He looked at Bahamut, and saw that his teeth were barred…and sharpening. His fists were tightening so much that the fingers were letting out audible cracks that echoed through the bar.

"He's mine."

"Now…take it easy, Bahamut. Remember, this isn't even 'our' Kefka. And we can't afford to-"

"Leviathan."

Again, the sea serpent was quiet, as Bahamut's eyes flicked toward him. They were fully reptilian.

"He. Is. Mine."

Ezan saw his resolve and nodded. "Just be mindful of how chaotic Kefka can be. With him here, it's clear things are escalating so we have to make sure we know their next move."

Angeal nodded before adding, "Thankfully I do have some insider info. Cissnei, a former member of the Turks gave us this intl."

Ragnar looked uneasy. "I'm not an expert on this world but it seems like it's set during the time in history when the Turks were in Shinra's pocket. Plus they had a version of Leers and Diablos here so they're obviously picking whichever times give them the most manpower. I'm not sure if any Turks here can be trusted."

Krystea crossed her arms and winced…just large enough for Ragnar to catch. He grimaced.

"At least…I'm not sure if most of the Turks here can be trusted."

Angeal nodded. "Well, I would say they were more of Shinra's personal agents than mercenaries, around here at least. But anyway, I can understand your hesitation but she did not just recently leave them. She's been disgusted with Shinra for a while, and moved to Gongaga to assist with relief efforts following the mako reactor explosion. She became captain of the Gongaga Youth Coalition, and pretended to keep serving Shinra to keep them from bothering the town more."

Ezan was shocked to see the hologram of a young woman with a slim and athletic figure, fair skin, wavy shoulder-length red hair, and golden-brown eyes before he shrugged. "Well, that's…a bit different than my universe, but as long as she's true to her word. We have to be careful though. We're not sure who's been compromised."

Before anyone could answer an older sultry woman cut in with, "Oh calm down honey. We all know who our friends really are, right, Cloud?"

Ezan raised an eyebrow as a young-to-middle-aged woman with a slender physique walked in. She had light skin, black hair pinned up with elaborate golden hairpins, dark brown eyes, and sported purple eyeshadow and red lipstick.

She wore a black kimono with a golden flower pattern secured by a patterned orange obi tied in the front, rather than the traditional way. She left one shoulder bare, wore a pair of black geta sandals, and carried a fan that matched her kimono.

As she casually batted her accessory Ezan narrowed his eyes. "Who the bloody hell are you? Some envoy from Wutai?"

Aerith let out an uneasy giggle before she shrugged. "Oh don't worry, I know her! She's Madam M! She's the proprietress of a hand-massage parlor in Wall Market that's part of the Trio—a group of high-profile figures who act as scouts for Don Corneo's nightly bridal auditions, approving candidates. She helped us get into the Don's um…'Funhouse' to help rescue Tifa!"

Aeris looked at her counterpart before she rubbed her head. "Seriously? You did not get it from the nice dress maker?"

Aerith looked confused before she shrugged. "No…we had to win her 1,000,000 gil for her at the Corneo Colosseum before we could get the dress made."

"Wait what? You guys fought at his colosseum and he did not know who you were?"

"I guess he was really drunk the whole night?"

"Cloud never mentioned any of that…" Ragnar muttered to himself.

Ezan cleared his throat before uttering. "That's all very…interesting but what I want to know is why are you here?"

Madam M just laughed before shrugging. "Why, just looking at places for expansion."

Everyone just stared at her for a few seconds before Ezan had lighting crackle around his hands. "Damn it she's another plant!?"

Before she could answer another younger female voice cut in with," Oh come on, anyone can clearly see we are best buds!"

A younger woman ran in to the room. She was a young woman with long, black hair with bangs and striking brown eyes inherited from her grandmother, Mireille Dudley. Being a tomboy, she wore sporty clothing: a cropped gray double-breasted vest with six buttons and a gray cropped undershirt; cutoff denim short shorts with black biker shorts underneath; long gray and black striped stockings; and black lace-up calf-high boots.

She wore various unique accessories, including burnt sienna gloves, three wallet chains attached to her shorts, and a belt with a crescent moon-shaped buckle like the pin on Evan's hat. As she took some heavy breaths Tifa raised an eyebrow." Kyrie…you followed us all the way hear?"

Cloud saw Ezan's weary look before he sighed." She's Kyrie Canaan, delinquent from Midgar's Sector 5 Slums."

"Hey, former delinquent!" Kyrie replied." And also a detective! Five gil apiece—cough it up! The truth ain't free, you know!"

"That's fine enough but again, why are you hear?"

"I mean, got a job for you guys."

Cloud sighed and uttered a deadpanned," You mean you want us to do another job for you?"

"Hey it works out in the end right?"

"Not really since you're lying and con artist skills always get us in trouble."

"Ok but this time its for real. Just ask Jenny!"

Another woman young woman with short orange-brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a red cropped shirt under a black leather jacket, and denim shorts with a black belt. She also wears a black spiked choker necklace and matching wristband. She took a few labored breaths and gave a thumbs up." Yah seriously if we don't do this then Jonny is in real trouble!"

A red-haired man walked up and gave a few labored breaths." I mean I'll be fine but I'll never get out of debt without this favor bro!"

Tifa had her eye twitch before she spat back," Seriously Jonny why are you hear? I thought you were still in Costa del Sol, starting anew by settling in a rundown hotel provided by Mayor Kapono!"

"Yah but I seriously need you to help me out with this thing Tifa!"

"Oh that's it your all clearly just spy's." Ezan uttered sorely. Aeris got in front of her lover before she let out an uneasy chuckle." Wait I remember Jonney Ezan! He was some idiot who was trying to hit on Tifa but he's to stupid to be a spy!"

Cid walked up before raising an eyebrow." Wait I just got a call from a Jonney to ship him some stuff to his inn!"

Jonney saw everyone look at him before he chuckled." Its cool that's my clone I'm just speeding things up man!"

Ezan had his eye twitch before he uttered a exasperated." That's it…I see the situation clearly hear. Amaterasu!"

Madam M saw Ezan widened his eyes before she jabbed his fan at him."

"How dare you! I am without a doubt an real organic member of the, GUH!"

In an instant she and the other three new arrivals were suddenly consumed with black flames.

Carbuncle's eyes remained expanded as he saw the four running around screaming in pain, before leaning in toward Dael. "Remind me never to piss him off."

Ezan saw some troubled looks before he sighed." I assure you I'm not normally this trigger happy but those four are not just spies, they are unnatural."

To everyone's shock, as the four fell to the ground as brunt corpses, they saw Whisper like ghosts come out of the broken bodies of Madam M and Jenny before Whisper ghosts flew out of both of them.

Ezan widened his eyes and the ghosts become consumed with black flames. As they vaporized the sliver haired man looked around." What are these ghosts? A new monster of Shinra?"

Aerith looked uneasy before she looked down." We, seen these ghosts at times. When I first met Cloud they guided me out of the church."

Barret snickered before spitting out," They were messing around in the Shinra Tower to. They don't talk, they just mess around and then go poof!"

Angel cleared his throat before answering," We had reports of them Ezan, these" Whispers" are agents of the IV&C to make things go down the most " profitable" path for them. There powers can vary but, they never lead to anything good."

"Just another thing to watch out for in the end. As I was saying, we are not sure the extent of how many spies so we best move before they can fortify their position."

Aeris sighed before adding, "With it being located in a jungle on an island to the south of the world's eastern continent, it is rather isolated."

Angeal cleared his throat before cutting in with, "Er…maybe on your world it was there but in this universe it's located on the northern continent, near Icicle Village."

Aeris had her eye twitch before she spat out. "Seriously? Geeze this world keeps getting more and more different every time I look. But it's the heart that counts and all so let's save that heart!"

Daigo paused before he looked at Ezan. "Wait what about Benji? Is…anyone able to help him?"

The sliver haired man sighed before he looked down. "A Dr. Aki Ross is currently overlooking him and trying to help with more coming to aid her. Its unclear just what it will take to get him mentally ready, but honestly its a moot point if its not secure for him to do what he has to do. One way or another we have to secure a path to get him to the tower so let's do just that. We will prepare to get to the temple swiftly. Everyone, it's time for the next operation to begin."

Bahamut cracked his neck. "The rest of you can focus on your goal. If the clown shows up, leave him to me."

Dael looked at him with a small frown. "I've never seen a 'vengeful' side of you, Bahamut. Don't lose your temper. Leviathan's right. Killing him isn't going to bring any of the espers back."

"I owe him for more than just that," he half-growled. "He made my wife suffer."

With that, the others of the alliance prepared to launch an all-out attack.

Authors Notes: Got a lot of guys and gals to go through today so lets get started. Xande is from Final Fantasy 3

Astos is from Final Fantasy one, but this version is how he acts in Strangers of Paradise, Lady Nil is also from that.

Doctor Lugae is from Final Fantasy 4

Kefka is from Final Fantasy 6, to set him apart from the Kefka I had in Vol 3 he has his alternate outfit from Dissdia

Ultimecia is from Final Fantasy 8, but as with Kefka to set her apart from the previous one I had in Vol 3 I'm having her use Edna's body this time.

Jecht is from Final Fantasy 10

Cidolfus Demen Bunansa is from Final Fantasy 12

Hojo, Rufus, Scarlet, Palmer, Reeve, and Heidegger are all from Final Fantasy 7

Hollander is from Crises Core, while the clone of Jonney, Jenny, Madam M, Kyrie Canaan, and Glenn Lodbrok are from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth…I suppose I'm making it clear what I thought of all the extra side quests lol.

Lezard Valeth is from Valkyrie Profile one and two.

Gongora is from Lost Odyssey, Indalecio is from Star Ocean 2, and Wilhelm is from Xenosaga.

And...Dr. Aki Rossis from Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Sure it may have been the movie that broke Squaresoft and was not very Final Fantasy like but STILL part of the franchise's legacy lol.

Mack, Azure, Veriguno, Cybus, Faerio, and Mianyl, and Maritza are all from Sky's Servant story. A lot to go over but hope you liked the interactions, and don't worry, we will be getting to the next part real soon so stay tuned, thanks for the reviews, and as always see you next time.