Inheritance (Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth)

꧁ XLIX ꧂

A/N: I have DRAMATICALLY changed the ending of the game (hopefully I can work with it when part 3 comes out). I wanted to throw out that warning in case some people aren't fans of altering canon events. I'm sooo sorry if that makes some of you upset. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Cloud pointed them in the right direction through the Sleeping Forest after seeing the corrupted Whispers between the trees. Once they were set on the right path, they began their trek to the Forgotten City.

Not far along, Yuffie broke the silence. "So, Cloud... I heard something from Aerith. She said Sephiroth kicked the ever-livin' crap outta you back in the Temple of the Ancients after he hurt Lailah."

"You heard wrong. Didn't go down like that," Cloud remarked, knowing there was no battle due to being controlled by the silver-haired man.

"Okay... Then how exactly did he get the materia from you?" She questioned, not buying his response.

"Uh..."

"You don't always have to play the badass, y'know," she told him.

Cloud decided to go along with what Aerith told the others. "All right, fine, you win. He beat the shit outta me and took the materia. It's my fault."

"It's kinda mine too. I shoulda been there for you, but I wasn't," Yuffie dejectedly said just above a whisper. "If I had, maybe...maybe Lailah wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Cloud wanted to ask about the snowy-haired girl. He remembered her clearly from the other world and the forest in the void. He knew she was the daughter of Yggdrasil who had the power to connect worlds, but it was Aerith who had taken them to the parallel world. He didn't know how she did it or why, but he was able to see the shapeshifter's condition. The gemstone was cracked and on the verge of shattering, which was a source of unbearable pain for her. He hoped they would arrive at the Forgotten City before it was too late.

Cloud was pulled out of his thoughts when Barret spoke to him.

"Musta been some dream you were havin'," Barret commented. "Judgin' by the way your eyes were twitchin'."

"Don't know if I'd call it a dream..." Cloud replied.

"Either way, somethin' happened to you and the little lady, didn't it?"

"Yeah. Got sent to another world—a parallel one. Remember when Lailah told us about other worlds?"

Barret sighed. "'Course I do. Thought maybe she hit her head and was talkin' crazy... Guess I shouldn't've doubted her when she told us 'bout her daddy even when it sounded crazy."

Cloud smiled fondly as he thought about Lailah. "No way she could make something up like that. I would know because it's easy to tell when she lies. She's a terrible liar."

Barret chuckled. "She's one helluva girl. We won't lose her. She's tough like her momma and daddy!"

The boy's smile faltered. "Yeah..." Even though she was a god, he knew she wasn't invincible. Time would not take a toll on her body, but she still has her weaknesses. One of which was her gemstone. He didn't know how Sephiroth learned it was her heart, but he was more worried about fixing in. After they got both Aerith and Lailah back, he needed them to return to Tellus to see what the gods could do to save their daughter's life. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her forever.

Further into the Sleeping Forest, Red spoke up. "Is it just me, or...is there something weird about this mist?"

"There is," Cloud answered.