Aeris Gainsborough: Birth to Death
By: LewannaAngelChild
Prologue-The New Baby
Iflana WaterCrest stared at the small newborn girl in the cradle next to her bed. After hours of intense pain and labor, it was finally over. The child was pink, perfect, and very healthy. A small crop of fine chestnut curls covered the top of the baby's small head. Large emerald eyes surveyed its surroundings, as the infant wiggled slightly in the white blanket it had been wrapped in. Her husband, Johai Gast was standing next to her, his dark brown eyes filled with relief and joy. The infant let out a small bleat before rolling over in her blankets and falling asleep. Iflana smiled at her, as she turned her dark blue eyes upon her husband. She gave him a wan smile before she drifted off into sleep.
When she awoke Gast was working on the video camera he had used to tape the interviews with her.
"What are you doing Prof- I mean honey?"
"Oh I'm thinking of taping our lovely daughter, but the video's not working right." Her eyes shifted to the small baby sleeping in the crib.
"And when she sleeps, her face looks like an angel." She whispered. Immediately he straightened and turning to his wife said
"We'll think of a name for her first, the video can wait till later." She nodded before he said
"Aeris, will name her Aeris. Aeris Iflana Gast." She smiled and said
"Oh you are SO selfish, but Aeris is a good name, especially coming from that forgetful head of yours." She giggled and turned to the infant before whispering
"Aeris, that was the name of the High Priestess Princess who first came to this Planet. Princess Aerith." He nodded and said
"Also your ancestor I believe." She nodded before lifting the infant into her arms. She stared at her for long while before setting her back down into the crib. As she undid the ribbon in the back of her hair, the small white materia fell out into her hand. Gently she tied the materia and ribbon onto the small amount of the baby's hair.
"This is my gift to you little one…"she whispered softly into the baby's ear
"I only wish it were more." Kissing her forehead she straightened and said
"Well now what?"
"Oh yes the video." He stuttered.
******
Iflana cradled the infant in her arms as she wiggled and cooed, trying to grab a strand of her mother's long chestnut curls. She grabbed the baby's finger playfully and said in a soft, scolding voice
"Now, now we don't grab mommy's or anyone else's hair now." Gast crouched in front of them both, video camera in hand, as he captured it all on video.
"My lovely daughter's childhood. I get it all on tape. Then when we're old, we'll be able to replay and admire it." Iflana shook her head and said
"Keep doting on her like that, and she won't grow up o be strong." Her face turned solemn,
"Aeris, she is different than other children, I wonder what dangers await her throughout life?" Gast set down the camera, embraced his wife and said
"Never say that! You and Aeris are my treasures, I'll never let any harm come to you!" she smiled and said,
"Thank you darling if I hadn't met you I don't know what I'd." she stopped as the leaned closer together, their lips almost touching…
Knock, knock, knock
Gast looked up abruptly, and said
"Argh, I was just about to…" He banged his hand on the nearby table
"DAMN!" then he turned to Iflana and said
"How dare they intrude on our private time together." She giggled and said
"I'll send them away at once." She lay Aeris in her crib and whispered
"Who the devil?" As she opened the door, she was face-to-face with a man about her height, with short, greasy black hair, his cold, dark eyes narrowed through his thick glasses. Behind him were three ShinRa Guards. She gasped, stumbling backwards into the house, landing on the floor with a thud.
"It's them!" she shrieked. Gast rushed forward, placing himself between Professor Hojo and his family. Hojo laughed and said
"So I finally found you Iflana, or should I say Cetra?" He met Gast's cold gaze and said
"Long time no see Professor Gast." Gast clenched his fists and said through his teeth
"Hojo, how did you know?" Shaking with laughter, Hojo responded
"Oh believe me I had to turn over a stone or two find you. That's how badly I wanted this new sample." Gast barked
"You don't mean Iflana and Aeris?" He said grasping the other man by the collar. Hojo pushed him away and said
"Aeris, hmm, what a nice name, guards take them away." Iflana got on her knees before Hojo and said, tears in her eyes
"Please it's just me that you want, right? Leave Aeris." She ignored Gast's pleads as Hojo glared down at her. He laughed again and said
"I'll need you all for my experiment." He glanced over at the video camera that had been left discarded in the corner.
"Hmmm what a funny looking camera, guard destroy it." Without hesitation a shot rang out and the camera blew into a thousand pieces. Hojo laughed as he said,
"Be careful with her." His laughter was cut short as Gast's fist made contact with his jaw. He fell to the floor stunned and said
"Pro-Professor what are you doing?" Gast turned to his wife and said
"Iflana take Aeris and run!" A shot rang out, causing Aeris to cry and Iflana to faint. The bullet ran through Gast's shoulder and he collapsed to the floor. Hojo spit on him before walking outside with one of the guards carrying Iflana in his arms. He paused as if remembering something and said
"Oh and don't forget the child."
Gast lay on the floor, bleeding as he whispered one last word before falling unconscious
"Aeris…"
End Prologue.