The Promise...Fulfilled! - By: LGStrife
The Promise...Fulfilled!
By: LGStrife

*Plok!*

Is all Cloud Strife can hear in Mideel. The breeze was silent. The time was pass midnight and he couldn't sleep.

*Plok!*

There it goes again. Cloud picked another pebble sitting on the dock.

*Plok!* *Ting!*

*Now that's a different sound.* Cloud thought and looked to his right. He saw a woman bending down to pick up and green peg. *Green peg?! That's not green peg! That's, Holy--* Cloud's jaw dropped upon seeing the woman stand up and fix her long brown hair. She looked at Cloud with her large emerald eyes and smiled at him. She walked away the scene and faded.

"...A, Aeris?" Cloud stood up still looking at the place where Aeris was. His mouth still left ajar. He immediately shook his head.

*It's just a hallucination.* Cloud thought with a sigh. How much he wished it was true. He exited Mideel and took his Gold Chocobo from Mideel. He stopped the Chocobo at Fort Condor seeing the same woman he saw in Mideel. She was studying the broken egg at the side of the Condor. *Cloud! Don't let here get away! Go!* Quickly, he got off his Chocobo and went inside Fort Condor to the top of it.

"Aeris, wait! Aeris!" Cloud followed her behind the Condor. But when he reached it, she was gone. "Dammit! Stop hallucinating, Cloud! You're making yourself look like a fool!!" He hit his forehead with his fist and saw a woman in pink run inside a cave leading to the swamps.

*I can't let her go now, can I?* Cloud jumped from Fort Condor landing on his Chocobo. "Hiya!" With that, the Chocobo ran to the mountains, down to the swamps, to the Chocobo Farm. Cloud saw Aeris went there. He got off the Chocobo and went in the ranch. There he saw Aeris feed the Blue Chocobo with Sylkis Greens. The Chocobo smiled at her. Aeris turned to face Cloud. She was smiling ever so sweetly to him.

~Cloud...~ She finally said. But she didn't opened her mouth. Cloud realized she was beginning to fade again.

"Aeris! Wait! Don't go!" Cloud ran to Aeris and was able to touch her soft hand. But it slid away from his fingers and disappeared. *No, I'm not hallucinating. She's real! But, why is she...* He is getting very confused now. *...Why is she fading? When she's...real?* He walked off the farm and saw Aeris running to Kalm. He decided to run there by himself. His Chocobo returned to the farm. The way there was smooth. He didn't encountered any monsters.

Kalm was silent as usual. He saw Aeris enter a house. She didn't closed the door. She must have known that Cloud is behind her. He entered the house quietly knowing it to belong to Elmyra and Marlene. He entered a room where he saw Aeris covering a Elmyra with a quilt while she was sleeping in a rocking chair. Aeris looked at her for awhile touching her hands them moved on to Marlene. She covered Marlene with her quilt and kissed her at the forehead. Then she disappeared again. But Cloud knows where she is now, the Highwind.

Cloud was right, knowing that the Airship is parked near the town, he knows Aeris will go there. He saw Aeris looking at the Airship. Cloud approached her quietly and touched her shoulder. Aeris looked back at him.

"Aeris," Cloud started. "Remember when we were in the Cargo Ship heading to Costa del Sol? I promised you that you'll ride the Airship. Or just see what's in it."

Aeris nodded. Cloud offered his hand. With excitement, Aeris accepted it. They both entered the Airship. Aeris silently toured around with Cloud at her back. She visited the AVALANCHE as well. Lastly, Aeris was leaning Cloud's chest while she was standing on the deck. Cloud's arms were around her. She saw the sun beginning to rise. Aeris looked back at Cloud. He can read that he has made her really happy. This time, she spoke to him opening her mouth.

"Thank you very much, Cloud. Thank you."

"Aeris....not now...please." Cloud knew she will have to go now. He can imagine the Chocobo's warking now. A sign that it is already morning. Aeris looked at his Mako eyes deeply. Cloud closed his eyes and bowed his head letting his lips touch Aeris'. Aeris fell for the moment. She didn't broke it as Cloud was slowly lying on the floor. She stayed there for a couple more minutes still not letting go. Until she had to leave hearing Cid's loud yawn.

~Good-bye, Cloud. Thank you for keeping the promise.~ With that Aeris left fading away in the sunlight.

~End~

Disclaimer: Ha, ha! My first serious Cloud and Aeris story! *rejoices* Anyway, The places you've read here in this story is from Squaresoft. So are the Chocobos, Cloud, Aeris, Cid, the AVALANCHE, Marlene and Elmyra. They are just used for entertainment purposes. (And to let you know that I am a Cloud and Aeris fan)