Startling was the only word for it. In an instant, two presences disappeared entirely from the Planet. They didn't die, they weren't reborn: they were just gone. And in the next moment, almost as if an afterthought, a third blinked out as well. In the current of energy that flowed under the Planet's crust, Aerith grew alarmed, and she quickly darted through the green river of life in search of answers. She couldn't be surprised that Tifa would follow Cloud wherever he went, but...out of existence? No, it couldn't be!

"Minerva, please, what's going on?" she asked plaintively the instant she had found the familiar figure. The goddess and Aerith had come to speak as equals since she had marshaled the Lifestream's will to push back Meteor, but there was no denying who was deferred to as having the much greater experience between them, two Cetra who had both guided the Lifestream's power to save their Planet.

In Minerva's time, she had been the one to seal Jenova away. Now the old spirit bowed her head in thought, fortunately giving the younger Cetra some time to collect her own thoughts. "The other Cetra sensed something amiss as well. A distant presence, like a Planet torn between two forces... one called for warriors, and the second did the same in response."

"So they think they can just take our Planet's people?! They've got another thing-" A thought occurred to Aerith. A rather curious one. "Wait, but...Sephiroth and Cloud left together."

"Yes."

"Does that mean they were called to the same side? Because whoever's in charge should know they're really not going to get anything done that way."

Minerva paused. "It did seem a rather... chaotic force that called first."

"Oh, brother." And Cloud was cranky when he got yanked out of bed suddenly. Not to mention Sephiroth was, well, Sephiroth. She wouldn't be surprised if their first act on this new, awfully full-of-itself Planet was to pull swords on each other. Someone would have to make sure they didn't get too out of hand or Cloud hurt, and that mess couldn't be shoved onto Tifa-her poor friend had just been yanked out of bed herself, and probably had no idea what was going on!

"And time moves strangely between worlds," Minerva broke-added onto Aerith's thoughts. By now Aerith was used to that little quirk of the Lifestream: while thoughts could be vocalized and heard that way, the truly sensitive didn't need them to be. "They may not all reach the Planet at the same time. But do you really think it wise to go there yourself, Goddess?"

"-You know I don't like that title." Especially used like this, to remind her of her duty to her Planet. She knew she needed to help the Planet! But this was important too. "Sephiroth has been a big concern of the Planet's for years now. Cloud and Tifa are important too. And, as they're my friends, you know I'll worry until they're back, and what good is a worried guardian? That's why we have two of us."

That wasn't the reason why at all. There were two of them because Aerith was a rather impertinent, full-of-herself spirit who cared deeply about the happiness of those she loved, and during Meteorfall and the question of Holy's judgment she would have dragged the goddess herself into the spirit equivalent of a catfight in mud if she'd thought it would help her save them and the rest of humanity from the mess they were in.

Minerva had simply decided, as their philosophies weren't drastically different, to let them both keep their dignity and skip the mudfight.

Aerith frowned at Minerva. "I heard that. I won't deny it, but I want you to know I heard it, clear as day."

The elder's answer was a smile. She'd had her own share of impetuosity once. Backed by a great love and conviction like Aerith's, seeing it again had been a sign to Minerva that it might be time for a new spirit to take the mantle of goddess for a young Planet, a mother to all who wasn't afraid of getting her hands a little dirty for them.

Much as she might require training still.

"I suppose there are two of us. And in light of who has been taken, the outcome of that Planet's battle may affect the livelihood of ours."

Aerith liked this turn in Minerva's tone, nodding along. "Yes, all the more reason to go."

"Yes. But Aerith, you will be an interloper-there are obviously great forces in that world, and we have not been invited by them. It may be you can do nothing more than watch over your friends...and it may be those forces take exception to meddling and cast you out. Forcefully."

"So I won't get caught."

The words seemed flippant, but Aerith's nod was solemn, and Minerva could see from the change in the younger Cetra's appearance that she was mulling over what she might need to do. Though the amount of skin now showing was giving Minerva some cause for alarm. For Holy's sake, why wasn't the girl envisioning a bit of armor-? Oh.

"I doubt infiltrating another world's order will be quite like the time you snuck into a pimp's mansion, young one."

"Huh?" Aerith looked down at herself, noticing now the spaghetti strap dress that had appeared on her, a dark and shimmering red slip of fabric that showed off the curves of her hips and breasts without offering them any protection. "Oh. Oops. I guess I was thinking, if one of them is trying to get Sephiroth and Cloud to fight together for him, how smart can they be?"

Minerva closed her eyes for a moment, willing calm. "You're used to enemies of the Planet desiring superiority through their own order and rule. But some...some spirits who do not desire any order at all, not even their own. Learn more before you judge their thinking."

"...Right." Aerith thought to herself, very quietly, that Minerva was taking the mental slip too seriously. Honestly, she just couldn't help her train of thought sometimes! But the older spirit's words would be helpful to keep in mind.

"And since you will be representing our Planet if seen, perhaps you should go in something more...appropriate?"

The politely spoken but so obviously disapproving words made Aerith respond with a saucy grin. "But Minerva, what could be more appropriate to represent Gaia? Our Planet was blessed with natural beauty." The vivacious young woman topped her statement off by winking and leaning forward in an alluring pose she somehow still had perfect after two years dead.

Someday she might even make Minerva need to remind herself that spirits didn't choke.

"Aerith."

The woman laughed. "I'll take suggestions for wardrobe!"

"...Something more traditional." The red dress was gone with a simple thought, replaced by one of pale pink that might have been seen in Minerva's living days; wearing it, Aerith seemed more like a natural-born inhabitant of the stone and crystal buildings that circled the altar she'd prayed for Holy in. Though still not exactly armor (Minerva could recognize Aerith was a fighter, but not one like herself), the cloth was heavier and more durable, and the workings of metal provided some additional use beyond simple decoration. Its appearance drew a smile from the once flower girl.

"Thank you, Minerva. Really. I'll wear this, then. More importantly, for getting there..."

"The contact between Planets can be traced; you yourself should be able to do it."

"I'll just-ask the Planet for directions then, hm?" Aerith said, smiling with determined eyes. "Nicely."

But insistently, as the doggedly stubborn spirit she was.

"I can still hear you!"

After that last retort, Aerith turned serious and thanked Minerva once more before parting; there was little time to waste, considering how Cloud and Sephiroth got along, let alone what these mysterious other forces might have planned for them and Tifa. She'd have to move quickly to get there as soon as possible. The Lifestream stirred with urgency in her wake, and Minerva reflected that if the girl continued to work as hard as she had in the past two years, this Planet would be truly blessed with her to care for it.

"Hey! AERITH!"

The small smile that had been forming on Minerva's face was wiped off at that call. How could she have forgotten him? The spirit responsible soon appeared, looking somewhat ragged in appearance, but then...he was human. He'd grown stronger by Aerith's side in the Lifestream, but she must have outstripped him tearing after answers when she sensed the disappearances.

"Hey, Minerva-you know where she went?"

The spirit sighed. "I do. Unfortunately, Zack Fair, you will not be following her."

"What?!"

"It's not possible." Aerith had probably realized this herself and so chosen to leave before he could question and delay her further-Minerva could appreciate the thought behind this, but not when she was being left to explain things to a human who believed himself to have bested her.

That fight had been fixed, she'd swear it.