-START- [MARLENE] Lifestream. That is what goes around in the Planet and it's the source of all lifeform. It is the origin of everything. The ShinRa Company found a way to use the lifestream as a major resource. And thanks to that, our lives have become better. But there are those who think that by sucking up the lifestream from the planet, it'll reduce the lifespan of it. ShinRa responded by severely suppressing these people whom they think will be a threat to them in their opposition. And from that, Shinra made soldiers who were infused with the cells of the "Calamity from the Skies" that has fallen to the Planet, many years past. And the most outstanding one among them all, was the one named Sephiroth. However, Sephiroth found out that he was borne out of experimentation and thus began his hatred for ShinRa. Before long, he came to hate everything. ShinRa and those who oppose them... ...Sephiroth, consumed by hate, and his quest to bring about the destruction of everything... ...and finally, those who want to put a stop to Sephiroth's plans, all became embroiled in bitter conflict. And from that, the age of sorrow began. The person I have come to like very much sadly became one with the Lifestream. And then came the fated day when the Planet, with its own powers, attempted to put a stop to the vicious cycle of conflict. It used the Lifestream as its weapon. The Lifestream gushed forth from below ground and swelled up with it were strife, ambition and sorrow. "All these sadness shall bring about the end of everything." That was what I was told 2 years ago. But it seems the Planet...is a LOT angrier at us than we first thought. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Seventh Heaven) [Marlene] Geostigma... [Denzel] Marlene...what's going on? [Marlene] Please, don't take Denzel away from us. [Tifa] He's not here anymore. [Denzel] Cloud? Where's Cloud? [Tifa] This is Strife Delivery Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Cloud, toughing it out in the great outdoors xD) [Tifa, voice recording] There was a call for you regarding a job. By the way, are you doing ok? [Voice recording service] Message ends. [Loz] Where's mother? [Yazoo] You've hidden her from us, haven't you? [Kadaj] Don't tell me you were deceiving us all along? Mother's actually there, isn't she? C'mon, you don't have to sound so panicked. [Tifa, voice recording] There was a call from Reno again. He's asking you to hurry. He sounded kind of strange to me, though. Take care, k? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (meeting between WCM, Turks and Cloud) [WCM] We're investigating the influence Sephiroth has on the world. And what do you think we found? ...nothing at all. We found nothing at all. So, you don't need to worry. However,something unpredicted happened and that threw the proverbial wrench into our plans, so to speak. I'm talking about Kadaj's group, the ones who attacked you. [Cloud] Kadaj...? [WCM] Kadaj's troupe are young and they're fierce. They're not really a huge threat as of yet. Here is where our official conclusion of hiring an able bodyguard comes in. [Cloud] I /deliver/ things, I don't-- [WCM] No one else but you can do this. Please,'EX-SOLDIER' Cloud. [Cloud] That's just a calling. [WCM] I heard you've been living with the orphans. Wouldn't you like to put the smiles back onto their faces? Our ultimate objective here is the restoration of the world, Cloud. [Cloud] ...what's this about "Mother"? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (church scene, presumably) [Marlene] Is Cloud living here? [Tifa] Tifa: Seems like it to me... [Marlene] This is the same as Denzel's...! Is Cloud sick, too?! [Tifa] You could've told us... [Marlene] Was it 'cos he's sick that he left? [Tifa] He plans to fight alone... [Marlene] ...fight? [Tifa] No, that's not it. He's not going to put up a fight at all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (scene with WCM, Turks and Kadaj) [Kadaj] I hate being lied to... [WCM] And I'm sorry about that. I'll be frank with you this time. It seems like it got lost somwehere along the way while you guys were on the run. That's what I heard, anyway. [Kadaj] ...is that true? [WCM] Well something along that line, anyway. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Revisiting Aerith's church) [Loz] Where's Mother? Hey, I asked, where's Mother? [Tifa] There's no one here! [Loz] Then let's play. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (back to WCM and Kadaj's so-called "discussion") [WCM] What is it that you want? [Kadaj] We need the power "Mother" has. We need it for the Reunion, no matter what. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (sound of fighting, I'm thinking it's Tifa and Loz duking it out in the Church) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Kadaj] Things were going steadily according to plan... ...but you see, someone hid 'Mother' away from us. The 'stigma, I'm sure you know exactly what that is right, Mr. President? This is all thanks to Mother's genes working hard within the Lifestream. And yet, we don't even know where she is. Just some diagrams and the 'stigma alone is barely enough. For the actual Reunion, that is. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (church, sound of feet approaching) [Marlene] Cloud...! [Tifa] RUN!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Girl] You have the 'stigma, too, right? They said they'd heal us... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (back at church, sound of boots clomping on the wooden floorboards) [Cloud] Tifa...! [Tifa] *moaning* [Cloud] Tifa! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (back in Seventh Heaven, presumably) [Cloud] Reno and Rude are looking for them. [Tifa] Geo...stigma, you've got it, too, haven't you? 'It's fine if I were to just die like this'. Is that what you're thinking? [Cloud] ... [Tifa] I knew it [Cloud] There's no cure for it. [Tifa] But Denzel's fighting it. Don't run away anymore and fight it, why don't you? Everyone's here for you if you ever need us! [Cloud] I don't think I can save anybody...not family, not comrades...no one. [Tifa] Lament, lament, lament. ...all you do is lament, lament and lament! (TL note: I imagine she's exasperated) [Reno] How long do you guys plan on dragging this out already, geez. [Tifa] You found them? [Reno] They got 'em. But there's been a witness, 'seems. [Cloud] So what was their destination? [Rude] They're at the Forgotten Capital...Ajito -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Forgotten Capital, Water Shrine. Kadaj addresses a speech to the kids.) [Kadaj] I have a special power bestowed upon me by "Mother". It's a power that enables us the ability to fight against this Planet and the sufferings of its people. In truth, everyone holds this power within themselves. But the Planet wants to stop us. In doing so, it's trying to stop our growth! That's the whole reason why your bodies are hurting and your minds are breaking! However, I can save you all. So, let us all go to where Mother is! Fight with us and "Mother" all together as a family, to bring this whole stinkin' Planet DOWN TO ITS KNEES!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Aerith's voice] So you've come, huh? Even though it pains you incredibly to do so, right? It must've been no small effort on your part. Question! Why'd you come, anyways? [Cloud] I...think I want to be forgiven. That's right, I want to be forgiven. [Aerith's voice, with a slight giggle] By whom? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (endless forest) [Kadaj] I knew you'd come! [Cloud] I'm just here to get the kids... [Kadaj] This person here...he's actually our brother! But then... ...regretfully, he turned traitor on us. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (somewhere else in the Endless Forest) [Cloud] Looks like I really can't save anyone to save my life, huh? (TL note: Yes, pun intended, that's EXACTLY what he meant.) Vincent, what's going on? [Vincent] 'Geostigma' is when your body has overworked itself purging wicked substances from within itself. There's something that resembles the lifestream flowing within our bodies, and that's what's fighting the evil substances that have intruded within. [Cloud] Wicked substances... [Vincent] Sephiroth's mark or Jenova's genes, call it what you like. [Cloud] So the "Mother" that Kadaj was looking for is... [Vincent] ...once the Calamity from the Skies, but is now simply decapitated, Jenova. As long as that's around, it's possible that a second Sephiroth can be created. [Cloud] Marlene! [Marlene] Cloud! Denzel's...Tifa's...! [Cloud] Vincent, could you take Marlene back with you to the Seventh Heaven? I have something to talk about with those ShinRa buggers.... [Vincent] I cannot agree with that. [Cloud] But--! [Marlene] Cloud, that's enough! Why won't you ever listen to us? [Cloud] Marlene, please wait for me a little while more. A huge fight is about to break out. But it's not just a /fight/ fight. You do know what that means, right? [Marlene] No, I don't know what that means!! [Cloud's flashback] ---[Tifa] Stop running away already! I know already! Even if we do find the kids, there may still be nothing we can do for them! Maybe we can't get them back at all, even! That's what you're scared of, right? [WCM ~I think~] Cloud...is this about you fighting again? [Tifa] ...were we overcome by our memories? [Cloud] But I just stood by and let her get killed. [Aerith's voice] You and your laments... How about if I say, "I forgive you"?--- (back to present) [Cloud] Do you think a sin can be forgiven? [Vincent] I've never tried. [Cloud] Try... C'mon, Marlene! Let's go home. (To Vincent) I want to see if I can be. Will inform you if there are results. [Aerith's voice] I've never laid any blame on him. Ever. He came, didn't he? That's really all I could ask for. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Midgar) [Tifa] Denzel! Denzel... ~ [Barret] Marlene's OK, isn't she? HUHHN?! ~ [Yuffie] Who's been messing with my Materia?! ~ [Cid being all that] ~ [Denzel] Those people are... [Tifa] Everyone's a friend. ~ [Kadaj, screaming] ~ [Reno] We're all just having fun here, aren't we all? Yeah, it's all frickin' fun and games! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Aerith's church) [Kadaj] Mother! Mother... MOTHERRRRR!!!!!!! Oooooooh.... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Zack] Hey, Cloud, what do you plan to do when we get to Midgar... ...friends...right? Cloud, RUN FOR IT!! [Aerith] Let's go...Cloud... [Tifa] The strong feelings that we had 2 years ago during the final battle, feels like they have dulled somewhat now, 2 years down to road. But now, it seems as though they have been reignited within Cloud. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Kadaj commences to scream like the girl that she--er, i mean, he is xD] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Sephiroth] I... ...won't be just a memory. -END-