Author note: This chapter happens in the time of the "special ending" of AC (when Cloud rides his bike and passes Aerith who watches him from a flower field). I'll eventually make it an AeriSeph, trying to create an original one (which is hard, since there's a lot of it…). So enjoy this first chapter and review, heh. By the way, I'm normally speaking French, so I'm practising my English here. Tell me if there's some things I can improve.
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Some time after Sephiroth's second defeat, Cloud was back to his delivery job, riding his bike since a couple of hours now, his cell phone by his side even if he didn't leave it open. Then, a strange feeling overwhelmed him and he decided stop on the side of the road, neatly parking Fenrir before walking off to a magnificent field of bright yellow flowers. For some reasons, he had felt a familiar presence there…her presence… and couldn't stop himself from reaching to that distant, yet nice feeling.
Then, standing in the middle of the field, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his skin and dark clothing, he looked around, unable to see anything else than flowers and grass.
"She's not there…" he told himself, lowering his eyes to the ground and letting out a small sigh.
"But still…I can feel her…" he whispered before deciding to take some time off to sit on the ground, looking at the cloudless, sunny blue sky, hoping that maybe…she would show herself to him, grace his lonely day with her radiating appearance.
All around him smelled of flowers, reminding him even more of his one true love, who gave him one last goodbye when he woke up in her church after destroying Sephiroth and his puppets and nearly getting himself killed…
"In fact, I would have died, if not for her…" he reminded himself.
Feeling a wave of sadness drenching his senses, he briefly closed his glowing blue eyes, reminding himself that Aerith didn't want him to let his guilt control him. After all, he was forgiven. He remembered then the way she had smiled at him, saying...
"You see? Everything's…alright".
Seeing her beautiful, flawless face with the eyes of his mind, he allowed himself a slight smile, thinking about how perfect she was, glowing in the shining white light, innocent and caring, juste like he remembered her. But, even if her nice rosy lips were curled up in a comforting smile, the happiness never reached her eyes, betraying the sadness that lingered in the greater depths of her selfless soul.
"She was always like that" Cloud thought, knowing that Aerith faked happiness to comfort others, to make them feel good, while she herself wasn't happy at all.
That time was no different. Her emerald eyes didn't shine with the beauty of her smile, no matter how hard she wanted to show that things were well for everyone…Yes, everything was well…except for her.
"I'd kill Sephiroth a thousand times just to see her eyes shine with true happiness" he thought to himself, knowing that even the painful deaths of that man wouldn't change a thing, for it was already too late.
She was dead, her pure soul and gentle mind had been hurt by that oversized sword…her body had been slain, but the blow reached far beyond that. Shaking his head slightly to get rid of those depressing thoughts, he stared at the sky, feeling the familiar presence approach him, even if his eyes still couldn't see a thing. Then, he felt a small breeze caressing his skin, and a soft whisper reached his ears, like the voice of the wind...
"Don't worry…I'll find my promised land…".
Immediately recognising the voice of the only angel he ever knew, the swordsman smiled and nodded, realising that maybe, she would be able to leave this planet and join the rest of her race, and never feel alone again…
"I hope you'll be happy, then…Aerith…" said Cloud, his voice barely a whisper.
Then, he got up and picked some flowers for Tifa, Marlene and Denzel, ready to go on with his life…and let go of his memories.
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Sitting in the middle of the glowing green swirl that was the Lifestream, Aerith's consciousness slowly left the flower field from which she had been watching Cloud, smiling slightly has she saw him get on his bike and go on with his life.
"I think he'll be able to get over me, now…" she told herself, caught between relief and regret.
Even if she wanted him to be happy, Aerith still couldn't stop herself but regret that he had to forget her. Sighing softly, she let her fingers run along the glowing slime that surrounded her, wishing that the words she told him could be true. In fact, for a reason that went beyond the flower girl's understanding, her wandering mind still hadn't been accepted in the Promised land.
"I'm beginning to wonder if it even exists at all" she thought bitterly.
The more time she spent in the depths of the planet, surrounded by living energy, the more she felt lonely and separated from the rest of the world. After all, as a Cetra, she couldn't melt in the Lifestream like other living things, and had nothing to do but watch over the loved ones she left behind and welcoming to new souls who returned to the planet. Even if she accepted her fate and never regretted her death, Aerith wanted to be free from this world of emptiness.
More often than she liked to admit, she called Zack to spend some time with her, never allowing him to have his own rest. She smiled softly at the thought of him, knowing that if she ever left the planet, he would be one of the things that she'd miss. Being forever separated from his cheerful laugh and glowing eyes, never hearing his silly jokes and enduring his never ending compliments would be strange indeed, now that she was used to it. But, his life had ended, and she had no choice but to accept that and let him fade away…
"I cannot continue like this" she thought, shaking her head sadly.
Then, she got up and raised her gaze upwards, calling out to no one.
"Please, why can't I leave?"
As if she expected someone to answer, the half-Cetra stood still, her hands clenched into fists as she stared into nothingness. Naturally, only the never-ending noises from the Lifestream answered her call, making her feel even more alone and abandoned.