A Tribute to Aerith

Her tresses flowed long, brown to the waist,

A single pink ribbon knotted with care,

Eyes a steam of light—aqua run deep,

Passing unnoticed though such beauty was rare.

Her step was light, she danced the path,

Though the houses were crumbling, orphans on the street,

Her boyfriend was missing and thus she did tread,

Slightly discouraged, her soul incomplete.

In her hand a basket, weighted with tulips,

Her thoughts were aimed inward, silent and long,

But who was that coming? He seemed in a rush,

At the sight of his eyes she nearly leapt into song.

He looked much like him, quiet and strong,

But blonde spiky hair covered his face,

His eyes glowed with energy, piercing blue,

Muscly composure, appearing quite out of place.

She approached out of interest, curious and shy,

'Excuse me, um...sir, care to buy this here flower?"

They exchanged gold and petals, then she turned and left,

Noticing a sword slung on his back, rippling with power.

He followed to maiden to a collapsing old church,

When soldiers in blue rushed in from the door,

With sword and staff they defended each other,

The battle was quick—the soldiers beat to the floor.

"Why were there soldiers? Why did they come?"

Quoth he as they fled from the city chaotic,

"I am the last of the Ancients, an extinguished race,

The first humans on Earth…"Her tears flowed thick.

"When a soul moves on to the clutches of death,

It returns to the plant, a cycle ongoing,

They want me to lead them to the 'Promised Land'

To obtain golden resources for their own using".

A journey we shared to save our planet,

With aid from our friends; Ideals the same,

But part was through I lost something,

—someone precious, myself I do blame.

Being the angel that she was,

She could not help but intently listen,

To the plea of the planet—painful despair,

As it's undecided future ebbed and glistened.

He came down from the cloudy sky,

His silver hair and sharpened sword,

The ghastly metal sliced her flesh,

From her the Ancient's blood did pour.

Aerith will ne'er laugh, scold or cry,

The goddess of nature—wishes unfulfilled,

My Aerith, Oh Aerith, the flower girl,

You loved me once, but I love you still.