"You don't have to go if you don't want to, you know," a sleepy voice beside him said.

Cloud turned to see Tifa, the love of his life, still under the covers, smiling at him. "It's not that I don't want to. The workouts do me good, and I do like the training with our son."

"You don't like the bruises he hands out."

He grinned sheepishly. "True, true. But one must make sacrifices."

"Well, that's a small sacrifice, giving up just one day of working out," Tifa yawned. "Let him do it with the others today. He and Lucrecia are doing splendidly as a team, have you heard?"

Cloud smirked. "I seen it. They both fight as if they were just one person with two bodies. It's amazing just watching them. The understanding between them... It's just incredible."

"They're really meant for each other, aren't they?" Tifa said wistfully.

Cloud caressed Tifa's cheek with the back of his fingers. "Just as we are," he said softly.

She smiled. "Good. Are we meant to stay in bed late today?"

He almost laughed, but then she added, "Don't say no."

Cloud blinked. He sat at the edge of the bed, not knowing what to do, for a few minutes. Finally, he smiled. "I guess... missing one workout wouldn't hurt." With that, he pulled the covers over himself and his wife.

 He scowled when he saw Simon and Blazer leaning on either side of her on the railing, smiling and trying to flirt. Slowly, he stumped his way to them with his walking stick. Actually, Cid Highwind didn't need his walking stick. He simply brought it along just to have something at hand to thump the unruly boys with.

"Someone's getting too close," Cid growled as he approached the three young people.

"Aw, c'mon, Dad," Magdalena said without looking up from her map.

"C'mon nothing. Can't ya *#$)ing see when I don't want you hanging out with these #$*&ing boys?"

Magdalena only nodded. "But," she then smiled and turned. "If they weren't here, who would you have to beat up?"

Cid scowled at his daughter's logic, but he gruffly acceded. "Good point. Bloody hell, I hate it when you have a good point."

Akiranni was bouncing up and down in excitement. Yuffie had decided at the last moment not to join the expedition, and somehow her younger daughter had managed to put aside her air-sickness for this one trip. Vincent, standing off to the side, was scowling at Erratic in particular.

"Join the #$)(ing club," Cid grumbled as he approached the man with dark aura.

"What club?" Vincent grumbled in reply.

"Worrying about daughters," Cid replied, jabbing a finger at Magdalena, then at Akiranni.

"Oh. That one." Vincent winced. "I hope Yuffie doesn't kill Erratic first."

Lucrecia and Storm were standing close to each other in a corner, speaking softly to each other. Politesse and Runner were in one of the lower decks, possibly in a smoking section.

"When are we getting there?" Akiranni asked again, for about the tenth time. Vincent was keeping count.

"Soon," he replied noncommittally.

Akiranni pouted. "Everyone says that!" she complained.

"There's no reason to say otherwise."

The teenager pouted, then ran off to chat with Erratic, much to Vincent's chagrin. Erratic had less scruples than he had cash in his wallet, and he rarely had cash on himself. Politesse kept their allowance, since he was liable to waste it all in just a day. Politesse was much more frugal.

"Cid," Vincent murmured to the dirty looking blond man. "Do you think I could borrow your walking stick?"

Cid grinned. "Sorry man, but this one's reserved already."

"That's all right, then. Which one?"

"That goateed schmuck."

The schmuck happened to be Simon, who was now leaning forward towards Magdalena with a persuasive smile on his face. Magdalena smiled and waved him off dismissedly, her blue eyes still on the meter. She calculated something, then went to one of the lower decks, Simon and Blazer trailing on her heels.

Cid mumbled something under his breath.

"Now that they've moved out of your sight, could I borrow your stick?" Vincent asked.

"Hell, no. I'm going after 'em!" Cid exclaimed before heading off to follow his daughter.
 

Storm was watching Lucrecia. She was smiling into the wind, her eyes closed as she let the breezes blow her black, soft hair wildly about. Storm smiled when a soft lock brushed against his face. It felt good. He reached out with a hand and tried to tuck some of the unruly curls behind her ear, but it was useless, since the wind only blew it out again.

"It's such a lovely day," Lucrecia said, her soft, gentle voice caressing his ears. "Mother says that the City of the Ancients resembles a city made of crystal. Funny, isn't it, how no one has ever been there since Aeris' death?"

"It would have been great injustice if that place were to be turned into a tourist attraction," Storm murmured in reply. "If it's as beautiful as Father says it is, then it deserves to be left in peace."

Lucrecia turned to him, smiling. "I was just thinking of that."

"We understand each other, then," Storm answered, gazing at her in utter adoration. Hesitantly, he held out a hand in between them, his eyes plainly asking for permission. Lucrecia smiled shyly, then held out hers. Grinning, he held her hand, bringing it up to kiss it.

"When do you think we'll get there?" Storm asked.

Lucrecia turned her amber eyes to the horizon. "Less then an hour."

"Ah. So I see I have less than an hour to hold your hand."

She turned to him. Staying around him always made her smile. "We'll have plenty of time to do so. After the expedition."

Akiranni burst in on the moment then. "Lu!!" she began whining. "When are we getting there??"

"Soon."

"When soon??" Akiranni insisted.

"Less than an hour," Storm answered a little sullenly. Why did they have to bring along Lucrecia's baby sister?

"Good!! Because I wanna see the city too!!"

Storm looked a trifle alarmed. "Did she just say-?" he almost gasped. Lucrecia nodded. "But..." he said weakly.

Lucrecia patted his cheek. "It's just a simple archaeological trip, Storm. Put a lid on it."

Storm did, but Vincent didn't. They were just hovering over their destination, and Storm was dividing the group.

"Each team will have two Avalanche members and two Turks. Lucrecia and I with Erratic and Blazer, while Maggie, Simon, Runner and Politesse will be part of the back-up, watching our back in case there're any monsters lurking about... not that I think there're any, but just in case. Each team'll have a PHS that'll connect to each other and this ship."

"Me!!!" Akiranni demanded, tugging on Storm's sleeve. "I wanna go too!!"

"Definitely not," Vincent said.

"Why not?" Akiranni looked a little hurt.

"You're too young, Kira," Vincent replied calmly, checking Death Penalty casually.

Akiranni stood firm with her hands on her hips. "So was Mom!"

"She's got a (#*$ing good point," Cid grinned.

"Don't encourage her..." Vincent gritted a little belatedly.

"Uncle Cid agrees!!" Akiranni continued loudly.

"I'll get you for that," her father said sourly to Cid. "Lucrecia, can you keep Kira out of trouble?"

"No problem, Father," Lucrecia replied.

Storm gave her a 'do-we-really-have-to?' look.

"She can be in my team, so I can keep an eye on her."

Storm looked defeated. His mournful look conveyed 'looks-like-we-really-gotta-after-all'. The others snickered.

"What were you expecting? A honeymoon getaway?" Simon asked.

"Shut up," Storm muttered. He sighed and said out loud, "Shall we go now?"

"Yeap!!" Akiranni ran joyfully to her elder sister's side.

"Here, take this," Lucrecia handed her younger sister a large shuriken.

"What? Mom gave you this, Lu!" Akiranni was shocked to see that Lucrecia had handed her Conformer. It had been Yuffie's best weapon during her days before Meteor, and she'd given it to Lucrecia on her sixteenth birthday.

"Yes, but it doesn't quite suit me well."

"Got Storm and his big sword to protect you, huh?" Akiranni said with a knowing wink.

Other members tried their best... they tried so hard to keep the guffaws from coming. Storm looked tired of the whole business and waved his hand. "Move out!" he called. He straight away started climbing down the rope. He looked up and seemed satisfied that he was directly beneath Lucrecia.

"Down into the City of the Ancients!" Blazer and Erratic tried singing dramatically in their best tenor voices.

"Doesn't do it justice," Politesse commented dryly. "Try harder and put more air into it."

"Will you just shut your ##*$ing traps and get (#*$ing down already??" Magdalena, still at the top with Simon, demanded Erratic and Blazer.

"Right, right, right. We're moving."

"After you, lovely lady," Simon said graciously. Magdalena ignored him and went right down.

"I hope everything goes well down there," Vincent said quietly.

Cid looked serious as he watched the younger ones disappear into the depths beneath. "Me too."

"Oh-kay, this is already giving me the spooks," was the first thing Blazer said when he got down. "Whoooaaaa...."

The new generation of Avalanche and the Turks at first walked off in different directions of the room they'd landed in, looking around in awe and wonder.

"Will you check it all out?" Runner whispered reverently.

"Ummm..." Politesse replied absently. "Simply beautiful."

Akiranni was absolutely taken in, too. Lucrecia carefully observed the platform they had landed on. "Storm, look," she said quietly. "Footprints."

Storm took one glance. "Are those footprints what I think they are?" his jaw dropped in wonder. Everyone gathered around to have a look.

"These look like your dad's, Storm," Simon said, pointing to a set. "This... this looks like the Moogle tracks my dad's spying machine rode on."

"Father's," Akiranni observed, one of the rare moments she showed her watchfulness. She was looking at a set of barely there prints, with waving curves following them. "His cloak," she said to Lucrecia, who nodded in agreement.

"Shall we follow them?" Magdalena said, shifting her father's spear from one shoulder to another. Her most useful weapon was actually her Singing Bow, but she also liked carrying around her father's weapon just in case.

"Split up," Lucrecia instructed. She pointed to another pathway. "Simon, your group will go that way. Mine will go to the main destination. PHS us if you see anything interesting."

"Hell, this entire damn place is interesting."

"Leaving us off the beaten track?" Magdalena asked.

"Behave," Lucrecia teased as she grabbed Storm's arm and began leading the way for her team.

"Well, that leave just four of us," Runner sighed. "Shall we?" he motioned. "We'll probably see something that no one else has ever seen before."

"Let's go," Magdalena nodded. "Guys at the back. Ladies first. Come on, Lita."

"Of course," Simon bowed graciously.

Following the winding path was quite unnerving for the four of them, and it showed. Politesse smoked faster than usual, and Simon let out a breath every now and then. Magdalena anxiously kept on shifting Venus Gospel from one shoulder to the other while Runner held his gun at ready...

Politesse froze when she saw something glowing run past by. "Did you see that?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Runner looked ill. Gulping, he asked with a shaky vioce, "Do we really have to go on?"

Simon tried to boost up his machismo. "Man, there is nothing here to be afraid of. If someone as physically frail as the great Aeris Gainsborough could walk through these passage ways unafraid, why can't we?"

"Good thinking," Magdalena muttered. She led the way into a small chamber. It appeared to look like a bedroom, what with that large slab of rock in the middle looking like a bed. On the other side of the room from where they were standing, a small pool in the corner was fed by a tiny waterfall. There was something glowing on the bed... a little girl, really.

Magdalena screamed, clinging onto Simon's shirt.

"Maggie! Maggie! Get a grip!!" Simon shouted at her. "It's just a kid!!"

The little girl was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the waterfall, her back towards them. She turned, eyes twinkling in innocence. She glowed entirely white, ghostly white, in fact. Her eyes appeared dark, however. But those dark eyes still glowed somehow. She looked like she was just a cloud, her wispy hair sitting on her shoulders like mist. The aura about her a soft blue; as she moved, it curled about like fog.

"Just... a... kid..." Politesse breathed. "Yeah Simon... you're right... It's just... a kid..."

"Who are you?" Runner, surprisingly, asked the little girl.

The little girl, still glowing eerily, approached Runner. She looked wondrous in her incandesence, her wide eyes awfully gorgeous as her glow bathed the four of them in white light. At first, her expression registered confusion, then slowly, her little mouth curling up into a beautiful smile. She held out a hand, as if to touch Runner.

Politesse pulled down her sunglasses a bit, to see the little girl more properly. Runner noticed, then she quickly put them back in place.

"Who are you?" Runner asked again. His voice was commendably calm.

Magdalena fumbled into her pocket for the PHS. "Lu...?"

"What is it, Maggie?"

"We have... this here little girl who glows all white..."

"Sorry?"

"You heard me."

"Maggie..."

"No, seriously. She's a frigging ghost!"

The little girl looked hurt at Magdalena's words. The young woman noticed immediately and amended, "Like a spirit."

There was silence from the other side.

"Who are you?" Runner was getting frustrated.

Those huge dark eyes turned once more to his. And like mist, the little girl evaporated. Her presence and aura still lingered in the air for a while more, both freaking out and soothing the young members of Avalanche and the two Turks with them.

"That was... weird," Simon finally said.

"Yeah..." Runner murmured. "She didn't tell us who she was." He winced a little. "Will you stop crushing my arm already, Politesse?"

Politesse drew back her hands quickly, having been totally unaware she'd been hanging onto Runner's arm. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Let's get back to the others," Magdalena sighed. "C'mon."
 

Akiranni was strangely silent as she walked ahead of the others, her eyes alternating between her surroundings and the footprints she was following on the floor. Conformer was ready in her hand, and she couldn't shake off a predatory feeling within herself.

The silent group, Erratic and Blazer quiet for once, made their way down a set of crystal stairs. They stopped at a platform, which had another set of stairs going down to the side of a lake. In the lake, there was another dais... one which felt strangely familiar to them.

"This... Is this what I think it is?" Erratic asked, his voice hushed.

Lucrecia wordlessly went down the stairs, then up the raised stones to the dais. She was slightly taken aback when she saw the dark stains on the floor. "We've found it," she said softly. "Look."

They did.

"This was where Aeris died," Akiranni whispered, and she started to whimper tearfully. "That's... that's her blood, isn't it?" she looked around for an answer, though she already had it.

Blazer nodded somberly. He bent to touch the stains.

"Thirty years ago, a young woman gave up her life to save the Planet," Lucrecia whispered.

They all bowed their heads in prayer. "If it hadn't been for her, we wouldn't be here," Storm said quietly. "Thank you, Aeris."

"Why not try resurrecting her?" Erratic suggested. "Has anyone tried that?"

Storm nodded. "My parents tried, but it failed. It would appear they were never meant to do so... her death was... simply fated."

"Couldn't we at least try... now?"

"Now?" Storm's eyes widened at the possibilty.

"Yup," Erratic said, confident that it would work. "C'mon, Storm. Let's just try."

"Well, before you start trying, I'd like to investigate this place first," Lucrecia interjected sternly. "I want to test those waters..."

"Go swimming?" Blazer asked, eyebrows waggling. "Ouch!" he winced when Storm elbowed him. "Geez, I was just joking. Of course I know she's your girl!"

"Somebody's gotta go diving under those waters?" Erratic asked, eyeing the lake. "What're we supposed to be looking for? Treasure?"

"Heck, I wouldn't mind finding some treasure in there!" Blazer said, already taking off his blue coat. He rubbed his hands. "Well?"

"I wanna dive too!" Akirannia interjected. "What do we do under the water?"

"I want to know how deep it is. And what you can see. Are you ready?" Lucrecia turned to her little sister, who was hastily taking off her armour.

"Right," both Akirannia and Blazer said. Blazer winked. "First one down gets free dinner!"

"You bet!" Akiranni dived. She'd taken off her boots as well, so was under the water with more ease than the Turk. Lucrecia waited, gnawing her lower lip in anticipation.

"She'll be fine," Storm told her.

"Hell, both'll be fine," Erratic put in. "Blazer'll always be fine. And from what I see, that kid's gonna be fine, too." They gotta be, he added mentally.

"Up first!" Akirannia announced, surfacing. "Lookie what I found!! Materia!!" she exclaimed as she threw down the small beads of magic. "I lay first dibs on this one, this one, and these!! I found them, after all!"

"Amazing," Erratic murmured, bending to pick the materia up. "Are these...?"

"Let me see," Lucrecia held out a hand. "Oh, yes. You can actually feel it. It's like... the Lifestream's presence here gives them more power..."

"Well? Anyone wanna take up my suggestion?" Erratic asked.

"Yo guys!!" Simon hollered, his team coming down the stairs.

"SSSSHHHHHH!!!!" the five of them on the platform hushed him.

"Heard that?" Politesse asked. "This is a holy place, not a bar."

"Oh... right." Simon smiled sheepishly. The four of them approached the other team on the platform. "Well?"

"Erratic wants to resurrect Aeris," Blazer answered as he hauled himself up from the water.

Simon let out a low whistle. "Blazer, why the heck are you wet?"

"I went swimming, duh."

"Whatever for?"

"Look Simon!!" Akiranni showed him the materia she'd found proudly. "I found these underwater!!"

Runner stepped forward to pick up one of the beads. "You can actually... feel the power..." Awed, he rubbed the bead with two fingers absently.

"Okay, what's this about resurrecting Aeris?" Magdalena asked.

"Erratic's idea," Akiranni pointed at the mentioned Turk. "He thinks it's possible, even though we couldn't thirty years ago."

"It has merit," Storm said thoughtfully. "We've loved Aeris through the stories our parents told us, and... she did play a part in getting my parents together... And it's been thirty years. Why not?"

Lucrecia was staring at him as if he'd grown two heads. "Aeris is at peace... and you want to bring her back?"

Storm sighed. "You're right... it does sound kind of selfish and silly..."

"Kira!" Lucrecia scolded Akiranni sharply. "Stop fooling around with those items on the altar!"

"Too late," Runer said quietly when the air around all of them began to glow.

"But I didn't touch anything!!" Akiranni cried. "I was just standing here!"

"I second that," Blazer surprisingly came to her aid. "She was barely close enough to the altar!!"

"Then what the hell is going on??" Storm shouted as the air swirled about them in a myriad of colours. "Lucrecia??"

"I don't know!!"

"Oh, *(#&ing )(#*!!" Magdalena yelled.

The Turks drew out their guns and weapons. Storm quickly grabbed Lucrecia's slim waist to keep her by his side and drew forth his father's Ultima Sword. Simon took out his Sliding Rifle, adjusting it on his shoulder and preparing to aim at... anything at all. Magdalena figured it was the best time to let loose some choice curses.

The air was blindingly white, and that was about all they could see besides the forms of each other. They could actually see the shape of the wind that was blowing about them as if they had been caught in the midst of a tornado.

"Urrrmmm, Storm!!" Erratic yelled. "Why does it sound like there're people chanting in this damned place!!"

"It's not damned!!" Storm shouted back. "What the hell are you talking about??"

"Listen!!!"

"Now, this is doubly spooky," Blazer was trying to hold back Akiranni who looked like she wanted to bolt.

Then they heard what Erratic was trying to tell them about. The air was chanting, like a chorus of people. Ultima... Ultima... Ultima... Ultima...

"That's the name of Storm's friggin' sword!!!" Magdalena yelled. "Storm, what did you do??"

"Absolutely nothing!!" Storm screamed back. "Why's everyone pointing fingers at me??"

"Because the wind's shouting the name of your father's #$*(ing sword!!"

"Storm... maybe you ought to put down your sword..." Lucrecia suggested. "On the altar."

Storm couldn't believe what he was hearing. The chants continued. Ultima... Ultima... Ultima... Ultima...

"What good is that going to do?" Storm asked.

Lucrecia shrugged. "Maybe they see your sword as something of a threat, and... laying it down will pacify them."

Ultima... Ultima... Ultima... Ultima...

"What do you want?" Storm shouted, approaching the altar. "Who are you?"

Help it... help it... someone sobbed.

"Help who? Help who??"

The Planet... Help it... the same someone sobbed.

"What's wrong?" Storm breathed. As if he'd suddenly became lighter, he felt himself being lifted up into the air. He knew it was something of utmost importance. "What is it?"

"STORM!!" Lucrecia screamed, holding up her arms.

The Planet... Help it...

"How can I help it if I don't what's the problem?" Storm asked, suddenly quite rational. His eyes widened. Someone was approaching him, as if flying down on wings. "No..." he whispered. "It can't be."

"Yes it can." Suspended in the air with him, her soft hands cupping his face as if he were a little boy receving instruction, was the angelic form of Aeris Gainsborough. "Anything is possible."

"Aeris...?" Storm felt his voice being choked. "What... How...?"

"You came seeking the past," she whispered. "Now you have to help the future."

"I don't understand."

"You will in good time."

"How?"

Storm watched in fascination as two pathways of tears rolled their way down Aeris' cheeks. "Someone was born with the purpose to destroy, and that he will, but not what he had once intended to. Help him, Storm."

"Help who??" Storm was geting more and more exasperated, but he had a suspicion of who she was talking about.

"Will you help?"

Storm's blue eyes grew uncertain. "I... I don't know... he has done much to hurt others..."

"Within every warrior is a scarred soul."

When Storm didn't reply, Aeris stroked his cheek gently. "I chose you because I knew you would be more forgiving of the past and that you would be able to reach out and help someone who desperately needs it. That's the way you are, little Storm. Don't tell me otherwise."

And she was right. All his life, Storm had felt himself so drawn to helping others occasionally it alarmed his family. "Why me and not someone else who could do it better? Like Lucrecia?" he asked softly.

"Because he needs someone who can not only help heal himself, but lead him back to the rightful path. You can do it, Storm. I am placing my trust in you."

Storm nodded, tears stinging his eyes. "I am honoured to be so praised by you, Great Aeris," he said very quietly.

"And I you. Thank you."

"Thank you for gracing my life with your presence, even for a moment."

Aeris smiled, and Storm thought he'd been temporarily blinded. Then the angel lifted away and he felt himself on his back. His vision was kind of misty, and there were a lot of people gathered about, hovering over him. Not only that, he had absolutely no idea of what was going on.