Final Fantasy VII and all characters belong to Square Enix.
The full moon lit up the entire thick forest. The evergreen trees glittered and sparkled in the silver moonbeams, gracefully bending and dancing in the wind. The soft grass on the path whispered a chant in the breeze, a soothing sound. The babbling of a nearby brook complimented it beautifully. The forest was alive, a symphony of sound and magic. Vincent failed to hear or see any of the beauty around him. His mind was in chaos.
He went through the forest at a fast pace, almost jogging. A bulging backpack tottered precariously on his back, stuffed carelessly with his cloak, which he had shed long ago. He slowed down briefly to peel off his black t-shirt, balancing the backpack on one shoulder, then switching it over again. His pale, muscular back seemed illuminated in the moonlight, gleaming with perspiration. Shaking some of the sweat off of his body, he threw the shirt aside into the brush without hesitation. Feeling the cool air on his skin invigorated him, and Vincent began to run through the beautiful Sleeping Forest, heading towards the City of the Ancients.
In the center of the city, the normally calm and clear pool in front of the shell building was bubbling and frothing wildly. Waves built up in the center of the pool and broke on the edge, cascading across the green grass. A pale green glow of light created a cylinder pointing to the sky from deep beneath the water, and it glowed brightly in comparison to the night sky. Deep below, beneath the wild waves, a body preserved in a translucent green barrier stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, and green orbs peered out into a green tinted world. A small moment of peace and silence went by. The water was stilled, and the surrounding forest went quiet. Abruptly, the green bubble shattered, leaving the pool dark, and the woman closed her eyes against the harsh sting of the invading water. The pool once again turned turbulent, and the woman tried to take a surprised breath. Water flooded her mouth. She tried to cough, frantically trying to kick up to the stormy surface. The whirlpool of water was throwing her frail body in every direction, tossing her to and fro in the water like a ragdoll. Her oxygen was running out. Everything was slowly turning gray...
Vincent reached the edge of the water, skidding to a quick stop in the muddy grass. He threw his bag to the ground carelessly, knocking his heavy cloak to the water's edge, and dove in, opening his eyes under the dark lake. Searching frantically, his eyes finally stopped on a white, lifeless body suspended in the water. She floated helpless, slowly rising towards the surface. He swam to her quickly, the muscles in his back moving and flexing with every stroke. He grabbed her and held her body to his chest, swimming for the surface. He laid the girl's fragile body on the dewy grass, and checked her for breath. Her chest was still and her skin was a paling gray. Her hair stuck to her face in damp clumps. Vincent took a deep breath and opened her mouth, lowering his own to hers. He pinched her nostrils shut with one hand; gently tilted back her heavy head. He exhaled into her lungs, watching her chest rice. Going back, he proceeded to pump on her chest hard with both strong arms. Sweat and water mingled and dripped onto the woman's naked, lifeless body. He inhaled again deeply, and exhaled into her mouth again. Before he had time to draw away, the woman began to cough and sputter into his mouth. He tilted her head to the side, watching the water dribble out of her mouth. He moved away, watching the girl take her first breath in almost two years. His eyes lingered on her long chestnut hair, her beautiful round face, her soft, luminous skin. The woman turned around and retched up more murky water into the grass.
"Aerith..." Vincent whispered gently, placing his cool hand on her exposed, trembling back. She turned and gazed at him silently with her emerald eyes, clouded with water and tears.