Aeris awoke, groaning. She didn't know what Reno had given her in the helicopter, but it had floored her. She looked round, blinking in the harsh light. She was lying on the floor of a huge glass cylinder, slightly taller then her. A circular hatch was set into the floor, closed at the moment. She gaze drifted out into the lab surrounding her glass cage. Her eyes widened as she recognised the man leering at her from outside.

      "Hojo" she whispered.

      Hojo sneered. "Good. You're awake. I have waited for this for some time. You have been hard to acquire. But now I have you. The last Ancient. It was a pity about your mother. A much superior specimen.."

      Aeris was shocked.

      "Is that all you think of me? A new specimen?"

      Hojo laughed. It was not a pleasant sound.

      "My dear, you are the future of our race. You will lead us to the promised land"

      "No" she breathed.

      "I'm afraid you don't have much choice" he replied.

      Aeris leant against the side of the cage, desperately trying to figure a way out. Hojo had left her here for hours. She had nothing to help her, no materia except for her mother’s..

      That thought made her pause. She reached behind her to her ribbon, carefully undoing it and withdrawing the materia. Unrestrained, her silken hair flowed across her shoulders.

      She held the materia in her hands carefully. It was a brilliant white, the only one of it’s kind. It was her only link to her past..to her real mother. She grew sad thinking of the mother she barely knew.

      Carefully she tied her hair back again, making sure the tiny materia was safely secured. Her eyes were wet with tears. She had escaped them so many times, but now the Shin Ra had her, and there was no escape.

      Hojo strode back into the lab, a look of determination on his face. He spoke to an assistant, saying something Aeris couldn’t make out because of the thick glass. The assistant looked slightly confused, but hurried off to the service elevator.

      Hojo approached the cage.

      “Well my dear, it seems we have been forced to take rather drastic measures to ensure that you can lead us to our goal”

      “What are you talking about?” Aeris said becoming worried.

      “The research we would need to perform would take substantially longer then your life time. Therefore we need to ensure at least some of the Ancient’s genetics carries onto another generation. A much longer lived specimen”

      Aeris’ eyes grew wide. Hojo chuckled evilly.

      “We shall be breeding you with a unique specimen I have acquired..Its lifetime far exceeds anything human”

      Aeris had paled. 

      “You can’t do this!” she protested. 

      Hojo said nothing, turning to a console next to the cage. There was a hiss and the hatch in the centre spiralled open, accompanied with the whir of machinery. Something red rose into view. Aeris backed away up to the wall. It looked like a lion, but it was covered with scars, and a tattoo was visible on one leg: XIII. Aeris pressed herself against the glass as the creature slowly awoke.

      “This is Red XIII,” announced Hojo, watching with interest.

      Red XIII stood; it’s gaze locking on to Aeris. It examined her for a few moments, before its head jerked to the left. Its one good eye widened almost imperceptibly as it saw Hojo. It turned back to Aeris crouching, a low growl now emanating from it.

      “No!” Hojo shouted slamming his hand onto the console.

      Gas filled the chamber. The creature looked up in shock, the fumes quickly overpowering it. Aeris slumped to the floor, slowly sliding down the wall as she watched Red XIII stagger and slowly sink to the floor.

      Aeris’ eyes flew open. How long had she been out? She saw Red XIII sitting perfectly still watching her. She pulled herself to her feet, pressing herself against the wall again, glancing outside to the console. Hojo had gone. There was no one to save her this time.

      “I apologise for that. I was trying to fool Hojo”

      Aeris looked round confused not sure where the voice had come from. Her gaze slowly fell on Red XIII. She looked at him with confusion for a second, before it added, “Yes. I can talk”

      Aeris found her voice.

      “H-how?”

      “It is something my species is capable of”

      “I’ve never even heard of a creature like you before”

      It nodded.

      “Few have. I come from the next continent, from a place called Cosmo Canyon. It is a place of great wisdom. I am its guardian”

      Aeris sat still considering what the creature had said.

      “My name is Nanaki,” the creature added after a pause.

      “But Hojo called you Red XIII..”

      Nanaki nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face.

      “I have been deluding Hojo. He thought I was dumb animal. Red XIII is just a reference he chose”

      “What is your name?” he added.

      “Aeris”

      “How is it that Hojo is interested in you?” he inquired.

      “I’m an Ancient”

      Nanaki’s eye widened at this.

      “The Cetra still live?”

      “Who?” said Aeris confused.

      “The real name of your race is Cetra,” informed Nanaki.

      “There is so much I don’t know” Aeris said shaking her head, “And to answer your question, I am the last”

      “I can understand Hojo’s interest in you. Is it true you can hear the planet?”

      “Yes, but only faintly. It could be because of the city, but maybe it’s because my father was human”

      “I cannot answer this question for you. I am sorry”

      “Any ideas how we could get out of here?” she said.

      Nanaki shook his head sadly.

      “No. We cannot break the glass. The only way we can leave the cage is by Hojo opening the hatches. And I doubt he’s going to let his two most “precious” specimens just walk away”

      Aeris sighed. She had found an ally of sorts it appeared. Someone with a reason to hate the Shin Ra and Hojo. But she was still unable to escape.

      “We can’t do anything for now. We may as well get some rest”

      Nanaki nodded in agreement, lying down on the opposite side of the cage. Aeris watched him for a second, before closing her eyes and descending into sleep.

      Aeris opened her eyes, some extra sense telling her instantly that something was wrong. She glanced around the cage, her eyes widening as she noticed the open hatch set into the wall.

      “Nanaki” she hissed.

      The creature’s eye opened, rapidly waking up.

      “Look” She indicated the hatch.

      Nanaki stood up, padding towards the hatch quietly. He examined the seals.

      “The seals have been cut with what looks like a sword”

      “Who would free us?”

      “I don’t know..” Nanaki broke off, a new scent filling his nose. His head snapped round to stare at the source.

      “What? What is it?” Aeris walked from the cage to where Nanaki stood staring down. She gasped. One of the lab technicians lay on the floor, his body slashed. His blood had pooled around him. A streak of blood led from the body and out of the lab.

      “What happened here?” Aeris said looking round.

      Nanaki ignored the question for now. He followed the blood out of the lab and into the darkened hall beyond. The blood was now in streaks along the walls, dripping down to the floor.

      Nanaki walked on, Aeris following silently behind. The trail led into the stairwell, moving upwards. They passed more bodies, each slashed, their blood added to the trail they followed. At the top the door had been forced open, the lock cut out of the door.

      They emerged from the stairwell into an open plan area, extending across the entire floor. The blood trail still continued, moving up a wide staircase that lead to the next floor.

      “Nanaki” Aeris hissed, afraid to talk louder than a whisper, “That’s President’s Shin Ra’s office”

      Nanaki nodded in acknowledgment, ascending silently up the stairs. Aeris followed growing more nervous. At first glance the room was empty. Aeris followed the trail of blood as Nanaki prowled the edges. The trail led to the desk stood in the centre of the room. Aeris gasped as she saw what was behind the desk. President Shin Ra lay on the floor completely disembowelled. The head of the Shin Ra corporation was dead...

      Then she saw what lay beside the President. It was a sword, about eight feet in length, the blade stained red with blood. She reached down, her fingers closing around the hilt. She tried to lift it, but it was oddly balanced. Who could wield a blade like this she wondered.

      As she was about to drop it, the voices started. They began quietly, soft whispers almost on the edge of hearing. Then abruptly they changed, becoming harsh hisses. She saw a town consumed by flames, the sword taking lives, hellish light surrounding everything. The town faded from her view, replaced by a soft green light. It was strangely calming and there was a sense of familiarity here...

      The vision changed again. The sword took more lives, then paused. She saw herself, asleep in the cage with Nanaki. The sword slashed through the seals, moving as though cutting paper.

      Then icy laughter filled her ears. The sword retreated and moved on. She watched it end the President’s life and then...nothing. The room reappeared around her and she found herself gripping the sword with both hands.

      “Aeris?”

      Nanaki’s words snapped her head round. Her hands were no longer able to support the sword and it fell to the floor.

      “What were you doing?”

      “I found the President” she said looking pale “And the murder weapon”

      She turned back indicating the sword, but it was no longer there.

      “The sword” she gasped, “It’s gone”

      “I do not think we should remain here”

      Aeris nodded in agreement. She took a last glance to where she had dropped the sword, before following Nanaki down the stairs.

      “Where will you go now?”

      “I must return to Cosmo Canyon. I have been away too long”

      Aeris nodded. They moved quickly across the floor littered with bodies.

      “And you?” Nanaki asked.

      “I need to get out of Midgar. I need to get as far from the Shin Ra as possible”

      “You are welcome to join me if you wish. There is much knowledge at the canyon. You would be able to learn the history of your race”

      Aeris considered this. She didn’t want to abandon her adopted mother, but the longer she remained in Midgar, the more danger she put them both in. She reached her decision.

      “I would like to go with you”

      Nanaki nodded.

      “It is a long journey, but I will ensure no harm befalls you and you will be safe in the canyon”

      “Thank you” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

      When they reached the elevators they immediately headed for the ground floor. The devastation was here to, the floor streaked with blood. The pair hurried quickly out the building and into the murk of the Midgar night.

      “How do we get out of the city?” asked Nanaki.

      “It’s not easy,” said Aeris “All the gates have been sealed for years. We need to take the highway”.

      She indicated the arc of concrete that snaked past the Shin Ra building and off towards the edge of the city.

      “Why isn’t it used?” asked Nanaki as they walked along the highway, noticing the complete lack of activity on it.

      “It was never completed,” replied Aeris “The Shin Ra begin projects when they seem profitable, but quickly abandon anything that isn’t”

      Nanaki nodded in understanding. They walked on in silence.

      For two hours they moved across the immense city, passing through expensive, safe sectors: the upper plates. The rich lived here, above the poor, never seeing what they so desperately avoided. For the rich, the plates hid anything undesirable. For the poor, the plates oppressed and constantly reminded them of their lowly status.

      Aeris frowned as they stepped from the highway onto the desert surrounding the city. The ground was black and lifeless. Kneeling she reached out and touched the ground. It was like sand, fine, jet-black sand.

      Nanaki looked around at the desolation.

      “This is the result of mako reactors...”

      Aeris stood brushing sand from her dress.

      “It’s because the mako is being removed from the planet. Nothing can live without mako”

      “Does the Shin Ra know this?”

      “Probably, but they don’t care. It’s the most abundant energy source available”

      “If this continues,” said Nanaki staring round “The whole planet may die”   

      Aeris smiled slightly at this.

      “You sound like Avalanche”

      “Avalanche?” said Nanaki confused.

      “A small rebel group. They’ve been protesting against the Shin Ra for years. But they never took any direct action until two days ago. They blew up one of the mako reactors”

      “I wish them luck. But we must leave”

      Aeris nodded.

      They headed out away from Midgar moving as quickly as possible over the black desert. The desolation had spread for miles around. Occasionally there were patches where even the sand had gone; just patches of barren rock, jet black like the sand.

      Something caught Aeris’ eye far ahead: green. She gasped.

      “Nanaki. Look”   

      “I see it”

      Unable to contain herself, Aeris ran forward. There was life here. As she got closer she could see that it marked the end of the desert. As she stepped from the desolation to the grass, it was like a weight had been lifter from her mind.

      The barely audible whispers she had heard all her life became voices. Thousands of them, speaking to her. She sank to her knees as her sense enhanced, the vast amount of information dizzying. She could feel the planet.

      Behind her was emptiness. The planet could feel nothing there, but the area surrounding it was consumed with pain. She could feel more pain across the entire planet. She gasped, the planet’s pain becoming her own. Tears streamed down her face. She moved on with her mind, searching.

      She could feel an ancient wound slowly healing, far to the north. And to the south: an area where the Life stream flowed so strongly it threatened to burst through the ground.

      “Aeris?”

      She turned looking at Nanaki in a new light. He seemed to her like a constant flame. She could feel honour, patience and loyalty. She could truly trust him.

      “What’s wrong?” he said a concerned look on his face.

      “Nothing” she said smiling, while tears continued to trickle down her face. “I can hear the planet”

      They continued on, Aeris now feeling happier then she had in a long time. Her newfound connection to the planet had affected her. The long terms effects of living in Midgar drifted away. The almost permanent tiredness she had suffered was gone. Her hair had become softer, more silken. Here eyes were brighter and she felt stronger then she ever had.

      Soon they reached a small town. Aeris felt the Planet’s pain again: there was a mako reactor here. She didn’t want to enter the town, but she had no choice. They needed supplies to reach Cosmo Canyon. Nanaki took refuge in a small clump of trees, hiding from view.

      Aeris took a deep breath and stepped into the town. The tiredness descended onto her instantly. She forced herself onwards. Soon she would no longer have to suffer this. Nanaki assured her there were no Mako reactors in Cosmo Canyon. The people there knew the price they would have to pay for Mako energy, and were not willing to pay it.

Author’s notes:      More deviations here. Okay I know some of this wasn’t in the game, but it made more sense for Aeris to connect to the planet outside Midgar then wait for the Temple of The Ancients. And the sword part...well that’s just me letting you know that Sephiroth is still in this story and just as evil as ever. It’s just that Aeris and Nanaki have no idea who he is.

Copyright:      Even though this story is starting to resemble Final Fantasy VII less and less, all characters and places belong to Squaresoft. Don’t sue.