By: LGStrife
One year later...
Shinra Mansion, Nibelheim
"It's very nice of you to visit me here, Cloud."
Cloud Strife looked up from his couch and smiled at Vincent Valentine who came down from the bed room. The Mansion is now his and has been given more life. There is already a living room, pictures of the past are everywhere. Expecially Lucrecia's. But the Mansion still looked haunted. "I thought I'd check everyone if they're fine." Was Cloud's reply.
Vincent came down with a cup of tea and sat down besides Cloud. "How are you doing?"
"Great." Cloud replied taking a sip of his tea. "I've never felt better ever since I was created."
Vincent merely smiled.
"How 'bout you?" Cloud placed his cup on the little saucer and faced Vincent.
"Good. Lucrecia's soul is finally at peace."
"Yeah, she'll finally be seeing Sephiroth, her son."
Vincent closed his eyes while he was smiling looking at the ceiling. "Yes, finally."
"Say, Vincent. Do you ever think that you maybe Sephiroth's father?"
Vincent was interrupted from his moment and faced Cloud. "Excuse me?"
Cloud shrugged. "I don't know, it's just that...it's possible, isn't it?"
"How?"
"Let's say...when you were altered, you forgot what happened as well. Maybe...you and Lucrecia had a son and..."
"Do not invent, Strife." Vincent smiled at him.
"Sorry." Cloud scratched his head and looked around. "No monsters, huh?"
"None anymore. I've also given the Shinra a better burial and locked their crypt."
"And the library?"
"I destroyed all the scientific materials in it and made it a mere library. I have also burned the books that Sephiroth read." Vincent searched in his pocket. "But I thought I'd save this for you. Though it is not the picture." Vincent handed two pieces of which were once part of a glass pane with carvings on it to Cloud.
Cloud took it and read the message. *Feeding time, that's our chance. Let's go.* Cloud smiled. "Zack." He took his handkerchief and wrapped the pieces with it then returned it to his pocket.
"Wouldn't it break?"
"Nah, I don't think so." Cloud's watched beeped. He looked at it and stood up. "Well, Vincent, I'll have to go now."
"Are you going to visit the others?"
Cloud nodded. "Yeah, and I don't have all day."
"Let me show you out." Vincent stood up and opened the large door and gates for Cloud."
"Bye, Vince."
Da-Chao, Wutai
The sun was already setting, Cloud can see it from the top squinting his eyes and continued his walk to the very top where aYuffie Kisaragi is waiting for him. "Why'd you have to pick this as our meeting place, Yuffie?"
Yuffie turned to him from the scene of the setting sun. "Cause I want to?"
Cloud shrugged. "Whatever you say."
Yuffie sat on her spot still holding her Rising Sun.
Cloud sat beside her. "How's life?"
"Good." Yuffie replied still looking at the sun. Then faced him. "Hey! Where are the Materias? I thought you'd give it to me?"
"I didn't signed the contract, Yuffie."
"Come on now!"
"Yuffie, if you're doing it for the sake of renovating this town, well, it won't do any good. You'll have to do it manually." Cloud looked down and saw the peaceful town of Wutai. "'Sides, I think the people are doing a good job."
Yuffie twitched her lip and returned to her view.
"And I'd be a fool to give up the Knight of the Round Materia to you. Not to mention, Bahamut. You have Leviathan anyway."
"And I've already mastered it."
"Really? That's great." Cloud's watched beeped again.
"Huh? What's that?"
Cloud stood up. "I'll be going now. See ya."
Cosmo Canyon
Cloud climbed the long stair way and was welcomed to the town. He approached the candle and sat beside his old friend. "The candles' still up, huh?"
Red XIII looked at him. "Yes. The people of Cosmo Canyon would never let it die."
Cloud nodded. "I noticed that. How are you?"
"I've become the watcher of the Canyon."
Cloud smiled. "The AVALANCHE really has changed. If you visit the Shinra Mansion now, Vincent's there. It's already his mansion and he did a big change of it already."
"I couldn't visit him. I promised my people that I won't go anymore."
"You just miss your hometown a lot, don't you?"
"But he promised he will come and see me."
"That's good."
"How about you?"
"Good, too."
Then they silenced down. Red XIII finally stood up and faced Cloud. "I already ahve two sons."
Cloud was startled by the news and faced him. "Really?"
Red XIII nodded with a smile.
Cloud smiled. "Wow! I mean...I never thought you are...a woman..."
"I am of both gender."
"...Really?"
Red XIII nodded. "Elder Hargo, please get my sons." Elder Hargo nodded and entered his home. Then returned with two sleeping cubs.
Cloud can only look at them. "They are...perfect..."
"I'm very proud of them."
"What are their names?"
"I named them after Grandpa. This Bugen. And this is Hagen. Bugen is the elder one." Finally the eyes of the cubs opened as they yawned.
Cloud smiled. "Their really cute." But then his watch beeped again.
"Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah, I have more to do."
"Like what?"
"Being the general of the SOLDIER army." Cloud left him and waved. "Bye!"
Kalm
"Papa, Papa! Mr. Cloud is here!"
Cloud entered their home in Kalm and smiled at Marlene. "Heya, I thought I'd give you this in your 8th birthday. Sorry I was a week late." Cloud handed over a purple orb to Marlene.
"Wow...thank you Mr. Cloud! I'll call Papa!" With that, Marlene jogged off.
Cloud watched the child leave.
"She's such a nice girl, isn't she?"
Cloud turned around and saw Tifa Lockhart wearing two gloves as she carry a tray of cookies.
"Yeah, Barret must really be lucky." Cloud replied.
"Sit down." Tifa offered him a seat and sat beside him removing her gloves and revealed a ring on her fourth finger.
Cloud was surprised. "Your..."
"Engaged with Barret. He just proposed to me last month."
Cloud shook his head. "You guys really are so unpredictable. First Red XIII, then you."
"What happened to Red XIII?"
"He's already got two sons."
Tifa smiled at him. "Really? That's great. Maybe Barret and I can come visit it. Besides, I think Marlene would be happy, too."
"I think that's a great idea."
"Cloud, what did you just gave Marlene?"
"A Chocobo Lure Materia. I have another one anyway." Cloud showed a purple orb and returned it to his pocket. "When's your wedding with Barret?"
"Next year. Don't worry, we'll invite you, where do you live anyway?"
"Nibelheim. In my old home."
Tifa nodded. "I see. I still know the address very well."
"So, you believe Barret can really be good for you?"
"Yes. I thought I'd experience true happiness with him and Marlene."
"Honey!" Barret Wallace entered the living room with Marlene on his shoulder. He was wearing his sailor suit. The one he wore in the Cargo box. "Cloud! Nice ta see ya!"
"Heya, Barret! I see you really like that thing, huh?"
"It's my pajamas."
Tifa joined their conversation with another topic. "Barret, Red XIII already has two sons, I'm thinking if we could go to Cosmo Canyon with Marlene."
"Yeah? We'll do it tomorrow! That fine wit' ya Marlene?" Barret replied
"Yay!!!" Marlene exclaimed very loudly.
Cloud's watch beeped again. He sighed and stood up. "Well, I'll have to go now. Bye guys!" He left the door after waving to them.
Shera's home, Rocket Town
Cloud entered the tea smelling home and entered the garage seeing Cid Highwind fixing the Tiny Bronco. "Is she fixed?"
Cid smiled at him. "After a year, yeah! Plus! This baby's good for flyin' and swimmin'!"
"I'm glad, how are you?".
"Still known as the best pilot and the first man in space!"
Cloud laughed. "And Shera?"
The name made Cid stop and sigh.
Cloud approached him and touched his shoulder. "Cid?"
"Shera's gone. While I was wit' ya savin' the Planet, she already has a leukemia. She was already feeling pain. I didn't knew until I cam back here. I got mad at her for the first day. She reasoned that she wouldn't want me to worry about her and the Planet so she decided to shut up. The next day, I decided I should give my best shot while she lives. Until she died...yesterday."
"Just...yesterday?" Cloud couldn't believe what he heard.
Cid nodded solemnly. "The worst part is, when I was helping her live, she already has no cure. That's what the doctors in Mideel said. And just then did I realized how important she is to me."
"You...loved her?"
Cid nodded. "Yeah...So, when I decided I should propose to her yesterday, she's gone. She died in her sleep. But I was glad she didn't felt her death. She didn't felt the pain." He revealed a golden ring from his pocket. Carved under it is 'Cid and Shera'.
Cloud closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I...know what you mean..." Then he opened his Mako eyes. "Where...is she?"
"Right here." Cid lead Cloud to the east of the garage and revealed a grave with Shera's name. "I thought I shouldn't bury her that fast, but seeing her would only hurt me more and make me feel lonely and guilty. At least, her memory still remained."
Cloud knelt down beside Shera's grave. "I'm sorry." His watch beeped again. "I have to go now." Cloud stood up without even looking at his watch and left without any words.
Cloud stood on the cliff where he can see Midgar. Flowers are beginning to bloom in it. He remembered how it all happened, the escape, the trip, what they would be...Zack's death. He took the glass panes again and read the messages. At least he would have something to remind him about Zack. He returned them again and thought that it was time.
The Forgotten City, outside the altar
Cloud knelt down looking at the deep water. There he saw his angel. His sweet, young angel who died just for the Planet. She never changed. She still has her beautiful locks shining and her body sleeping in peace in the water. She still wears the smile on her face. Cloud sighed and started.
"Heya Aeris,
I just want you to know that we were victorious. Sephiroth is dead. Your death has finally been brought to justice. I guess your having the time of your life there with Zack. Finally. I'm already the general of the SOLDIER army. Reeve's the president. We still don't know if we should change the name of the company. But that doesn't matter. Reeve's in Junon. But I take the train to go back to Nibelheim. My old town. The AVALANCHE is doing great. Vincent is living in the Shinra Manison. Yuffie is still the same. Red XIII already has two sons who he named after BugenHagen. Tifa and barret are engaged and Marlene is already 8 years-old. Shera's dead and it really affected Cid a lot. He just realized that he loved her. Just like me. On you. Aeris, ever since your death, I've changed. I thought that, when you died, a part of me came with you. I never thought this would happen. I guess I wasn't prepared for this. Like the world was. I don't know why I didn't told you this, Aeris but...I love you. Maybe...because I didn't what I am feeling for you before. I was a fool then. Being controlled by Sephiroth and giving him the Black Materia. Not even knowing how a date goes. I was so blind, but you made me see, Aeris. Aeris...I miss you so much."
Cloud sighed closing his eyes and took a deep breath. A tear rolled on his cheek and dropped on the water.
"Me too." An echoing voice replied.
Cloud immediately opened his eyes and saw Aeris in front of him.
Aeris giggled and bowed and spinned disappearing into thin air. Pink glitters showered all over the place.
Cloud caught some and watched it disappear. He clenched his hand into a soft fist and stood up looking at where Aeris was. The glitters are still everywhere. Cloud can smell her sweet scent. *Aeris...I miss you...wait for me...* With that, Cloud turned away from the pool with a heavy heart and left.
Aeris appeared as a spirit on the water with her hands clasped on her heart.
~I love you too...Cloud...~
Disclaimer: The things I only created here is the plot, Vincent's new home and the names of Red XIII's sons. The rest is Square's.
Note: I've finally overcome my writer's block! Yes!! Anyway, thanks to the reviewers, and...I think that's about it. To thos who wanna conatct me, my AIM is Livstah.