Cloud finally found Aeris after an hour of searching. She was at an altar, and he could see her. He jumped on a barrel suspended in the water, and five more that followed to reach her. She was standing at the edge, staring into the crystal waters below.

"Aeris..." he said gently. "Aeris, are you all right?"

"I don't believe he done it," she said. "At least I was going to leave for true love, and not to be unhappy. He was just in for a good time! And he wouldn't have told me!" She turned to Cloud. Her features softened, and she smiled. "But at least now I can be with you." She walked forward, away from the edge of the altar. Cloud took her hand as she started walking.

"What is this place?" He asked, looking round.

"This is where the Cetra come to pray," Aeris explained. "Pray for the Planet." She stopped, untying the ribbon in her hair, and taking the Materia out. "This is the White Materia. When the Planet is in danger, the Ancients would pray for Holy."

"What kind of danger?" Cloud asked as Aeris walked back to the edge of the altar, looking over the edge somewhat sadly.

"The Black Materia." Cloud joined her, leaning on the elegantly engraved railing. "If an Cetra used the Black Materia, a Meteor would be summoned to the Earth." She sighed. "An Cetra summoned Meteor 2000 years ago, thus wiping out many of the remaining Cetras. But first the Crisis from the Sky inflicted a terrible disease..." Aeris paused, tears filling her eyes. "My mother told me how their minds were manipulated, and how they saw things that weren't there. Their dead relatives..." She stopped, looking down into the translucent waters. Cloud put an arm round her.

"What was the Crisis from the Sky called?" He asked gently.

"Jenova," Aeris whispered. Cloud's eyes widened.

"Jenova..." he repeated. "Cid and I, we're fighting Jenova as well as Sephiroth." Aeris turned sharply, looking at him.

"The Planet has been uneasy," she told him. "I wondered why. It said 'the evil has returned' and I didn't know what it meant. I did think of this, but I..." she tailed off, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't want to think that it could happen again."

"It won't," Cloud said. "We can stop it. Sephiroth thinks Jenova is his mother, and he wants to rule the world. He said he wanted to take over, as a God. If he got the Black Materia, he could."

"Only an Ancient can use the Black Materia," Aeris reminded.

"But if Jenova is his mother..."

"...and he found the Black Materia..." They exchanged a glance.

"Where's the Black Materia being kept?" Cloud asked.

"The Temple of the Ancients." Cloud looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I thought that was only a myth." Aeris shook her head earnestly.

"It exists!" She insisted, pulling Cloud away. There was a silence for a moment, before Aeris spoke again. "Do you understand how Sephiroth will be a God?"

"No..." Cloud said as he began his descent over the barrels in the water.

"If he summons Meteor, it will inflict a wound on the Planet," Aeris explained. "The Planet will gather Spirit Energy in order to heal it."

"The Lifestream?" Cloud questioned.

"Yes, but the Cetra prefer to call it Spirit Energy. The Planet will gather the Spirit Energy, and if Sephiroth is in the wound...he can absorb it."

"Absorb it?!"

"Yes. That makes him powerful, because he'll have the souls of the Lifestream inside of him. He will have the knowledge of the Cetra at his own disposal." They landed at the bottom, and began walking back into the city.

"What about Shinra? They're absorbing Mako for energy."

"Then they are just using the souls of those departed," Aeris stared sadly. "The Lifestream is the Planet's blood."

"Without it, the Planet will die..."

"Cloud, we have to stop them!" Aeris said, breaking into a run. Cloud ran by her side.

"How?" He asked.

"We have to go to the Temple of the Ancients."

"You couldn't find an aircraft to take Cid and I home," Cloud reminded her. "The Temple's on another continent, down south somewhere." Aeris smiled faintly.

"I thought you said it was a myth."

"I've heard of the location," Cloud explained. "Now, about an aircraft...?"

"Cloud, we won't be using an aircraft." Cloud just looked at her blankly as they came up to the Palace gates. "Do you remember what Yuffie, that thief, said?" Catching Cloud's look, she added, "about her means of transport?"

"I can't say I do."

"She said she had a Gold Chocobo," Aeris explained, walking through the front doors of the palace. "So that's what we'll take."

"How are we supposed to get Gold Chocobos?" Cloud asked doubtfully.

"There's a man on this continent called the Chocobo Sage. He breeds Chocobos." Aeris stopped outside the throne room, taking Cloud's hand. She smiled, and entered.

"Ah, Aeris!" Reeve said. "You have returned!"

"We were worried about you," Elena added. She noticed her daughter's grasp on Cloud's hand. Aeris caught her gaze.

"Father, Mother...Zack and I aren't together anymore. He was in town, cheating on me," Aeris said, her voice shaking. Elena gasped, and Reeve looked astounded.

"Well, I see. And how does this young man fit into the picture?" He gestured to Cloud. Apparently, he had seen them holding hands too.

"Cloud and I are together now."

"Oh," Elena said. "I see."

"But that isn't important right now," Aeris said quickly. "Father, there is a man who seeks the Black Materia. I have to stop him."

"Only an Ancient can use the Black Materia, Aeris," Reeve said. "You know that. He'll have no luck."

"Father, he is an Ancient. The Crisis from the Sky is his mother!" At that information, Reeve and Elena both paled. "So I must go. I can't say how long I will be, or even if I will survive. But this is something I have to do."

"And I'm not leaving you," Cloud told her. "It's something we both have to do."

"All three of us, you mean." They all turned to see Cid in the doorway. "You're not getting rid of me that easily!" He entered and stood by Cloud's side.

"First we must get Gold Chocobos," Aeris told him. "And then we shall be on our way."

"Gold Chocobos?" Cid questioned. "Why do you need them? I can build an aircraft and get us out of here!"

"Really?!" Aeris asked.

"Yeah! I would have mentioned it before, but with your wedding..." he cast a gaze at their joined hands. "Which, I'm assuming, is no longer taking place, I have the time necessary."

"How long would it take?" Cloud asked.

"If I could get all the necessary materials, which I'm sure between here and Bone Village, shouldn't be a problem, it could take about three days. Maybe less, if I worked with help."

"I think Reno is quite skilled in mechanics," Reeve said. "I'll have him help you."

"Greatly appreciated, Sir," Cid said.

"Father," Aeris said. "Could...could Cloud and I be married?"

"I don't see that as a problem."

"I mean, tomorrow." Cloud looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Relax Cloud, I have a dress. We have a lot of arrangements already made. We can just bring them forward. I'll send Reno out with you to get a tux." Reeve smiled.

"Certainly!"

"I'll get started on getting materials for the plane," Cid said. He smiled at Reeve and Elena. "Later." He walked out the room.

"Oh, and Cid?" Cloud called. Cid turned.

"Shall I pick out a suit for you?" He asked. "You're gonna be my best man." Cid smiled.

"Sure Cloud." With that, he exited as Reno entered.

"Ah, Reno!" Reeve said. "Just who I wanted to see. Go with Cloud, into the town. He and Aeris are to be married tomorrow." Reno just stood there, looking at him in shock. "Now!"

"Y-yes Sir!" He turned to Cloud, who was looking bewildered.

"What's going on?" Reno asked.

"Everything is going so fast," Cloud said. "One minute, I'm just a guest at the palace. The next, I'm getting married to a Princess." He shook his head. "Tomorrow." Realisation dawned on him.

"What?" Reno said. Cloud shook his head.

"Aeris and I are getting married tomorrow, and then we're going to save the Planet." He shook his head, sighing. "Why me?!"