The Dark Phoenix
By Aerith/Daphne Sy
10/1/99-??
E-mail: sephiroth_x@ameritech.net
This story is especially dedicated to my best friend Jane, a.k.a. Sephirah, who so graciously allowed me to use her screen name for my star in this fic.
I am also dedicating this to Cirrus and Rinoa's Man, who gave me their aid with this story during its origin, and to my beloved boyfriend, who the character Jordan is modeled after.
Thanks to all of you who read this and gave me such generous compliments and review that inspired me to work hard on this!
Part 1 (Prologue)- Rebirth
Chapter 1- To the Settling of Everything
The Lifestream flowed freely, unchecked and unhindered, the cherished blood of the Planet. The precious green substance surrounded and enveloped all within its power, following the drum-beaten rhythms and sweet melodies of life. All existence began and ended with it, nurtured carefully until they could be recycled into new lives; new souls to replace those that were lost. The dead merged into one channel, a river of life within death. All but one soul. The figure of a young woman could be recognized through the seemingly tangible fog of the stream. Her face was hidden within her youthful hands, the salty taste of tears fresh in her mouth. The flowing gown she wore shimmered as it was bathed in delicate light, a soft baby pink that displayed the vibrant color in her cheeks. It was low and long, sweeping behind in a graceful train of pure silk as she moved about. Her long chestnut hair was removed from its restraining ribbon, framing her gentle face as it spilled delicately over her shoulders and down her back like silken torrents of water. She was not part of the Lifestream- or was she? The Planet had honored her for sacrificing herself, so as the Planet's final "daughter," she ruled and controlled the Lifestream from within, forever watching, forever waiting... forever loving.
Cloud's eyes blazed with fury unmatched as he brandished his mighty sword, the blade garishly reflecting the image of Meteor from above. The brilliant blue sapphires locked furiously with the aquamarines... Sephiroth smiled cruelly at his opponent as if to taunt him, his long silver locks flying back with the coming Meteor's power. Images raged through Cloud's thoughts as he stared deep within his foe, finding the answers he had so long never understood within himself.
"Tifa, Mother, my friends..." They all raced through his mind wildly, uncontrolled in the budding fury as his anger rose, staining his entire world a brilliant crimson. It all ended with one last picture... a scene he would never forget. Her smile. Aerith's smile. She loved him. He loved her! It was beginning again... he swung the sword over her helpless figure, unable to control his own movements. Her blood had almost stained his hands... but in the end it did, for he held her in his arms that day, even if it was too late.
The red began to fill Cloud's vision, a deep crimson shade of blood, as he swung the sword above his head screeching, "OMNISLASH!!!"
Before he realized it the ordeal was over, and it was not her blood that was beginning to crust upon his sword; it was Sephiroth's!
His foe fell limp to the ground in death, a surprised Cloud victorious. The blood-strained blade dropped from his trembling hands, the tempered metal clattering upon the rough terrain that was now bathed in crimson. He fell to his knees onto the rocky surface in the depths of his mind, every remaining ounce of energy seemingly drained from his body. She was finally avenged; his quest was at an end.
As his tearful eyes looked forth to the hazed and darkened sky, a familiar hand reached from the heavens, blessed with youth and beauty. From within the misty haze, he thought he could hear her voice... a sweet tinkling laugh as he reached his hand out to meet hers...
***
From the Lifestream, Aerith cried out with joy, ever reaching for his hand, his loving embrace. She could see him, hear him, love him... She laughed in ecstasy as she leaned out towards him, falling through the image and into his waiting arms...
***
From the haze emerged Lifestream, the bright glowing mist that represented hope. Aerith moaned in pure anguish as she realized that she was nothing but a soul... no body to embrace him with, only a series of cloudy emerald wisps that floated delicately on the heavy winds. All she could do was surround him, healing and transferring her love through her touch... He knew her presence instantly; tears slid slowly down his cheeks as she caressed him with love.
The tender scene was interrupted when the ground began to shake violently underneath Cloud's feet. Aerith gasped with fright at the abrupt intrusion and fled swiftly back to her station within the Lifestream, ready to protect her Planet with all of her power. Cloud was shaken out of his dazed state, finding himself face to face with the beautiful Tifa, who was leaning dangerously over the ravine, screaming his name in desperation. She shrieked in dismay as the ground beneath him began to crumble to dust, the fragments of rubble falling deep into the Lifestream below. Without warning, the unstable cliff below her collapsed and she screeched as she plunged, the echo of her voice reverberating throughout the crater:
"CLOUD!!"
"Tifa!!!" Cloud dashed to her rescue like a bolt of gold and navy lightning, bounding off fallen rocks in his mad rush. With all of the strength in his frenzied body, he took a giant leap... Time seemed to stop as he soared through the air, caught Tifa firmly in one arm, and grabbed frantically at the cliff edge in what seemed to be one fluid movement. Tifa gasped with fear, her slender arms wrapped tightly around her savior's body and her long black hair swinging wildly over the ravine. They could hear the faint splash of the rock face far below them... Tifa buried her face into his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat through the heavy fabric of the SOLDIER uniform. Cloud pulled himself up onto the cliff, boosting Tifa up gallantly before himself.
"If I go to the Promised Land... maybe she'll be there! I must see her again..." Cloud murmured to himself, his radiant eyes seeming even brighter as they rejoined their friends and fled to the Highwind. Relieved that everyone was still in good health, Cloud barked the order to depart from the crumbling crater.
"If we stay here much longer, Holy will toast us... Aerith or no Aerith..." His face was grimly set as the Highwind's rockets flared as bright as the intense noon sun on a clear afternoon, the heavy winds caused by the pressure howling past their ears. They blasted off quickly... yet not quickly enough. Holy had arrived!
The Highwind's sturdy frame began to crumble within Holy's powerful wrath as the spell purged the Planet with its fury. "Damn!" cursed a desperate Cid as he strained for the emergency handle on the deck with his fingertips. In a flash of blinding light, the Highwind shed its propellers and huge bulk, morphing into a sleek jet plane that blasted off into the sky with a powerful flare of its engines. They had escaped Holy... for now.
But Meteor was yet to arrive. Its gigantic mass loomed threateningly in the sky, blocking the even the sun's most powerful rays like an eclipse... The midday darkness was eerie and frightening to everyone, from the townspeople to the heroes themselves. A cold chill danced down Tifa's spine suddenly, causing her to shudder with fear and apprehension.
Holy shot up high into the atmosphere, to the delight and relief of the heroes. With the help of the great white magic, Meteor would surely be defeated in one decisive blow. However, Holy soared like a majestic white dove of justice towards the darkened Midgar, ransacking the defeated city, destroying what remained of the battered Shinra headquarters. Completely neglecting Meteor, it would first wreak its revenge!
Aerith observed the scene of devastation from within the Lifestream, and with a scream of utter dismay, she gathered the souls of the dead with the power of her aura. "We have to help!" she muttered decisively, directing the Lifestream towards the fallen Midgar and the approaching Meteor. "We must protect the innocent!" she thought grimly, determined to see the destruction of Meteor and the salvation of the Planet.
A green mist arose from the dying land, the living also contributing their strength to the stream as it thickened and pulsated magically. Gathering over Midgar, it began to form the only barrier powerful enough to deter both the white and black magic; a shield made from dreams, hope, prayer... and life.
Meteor neared Midgar, looming frighteningly close and forcing the citizens to turn and attempt to flee for their lives. Its battle was nearly won... but then with surprising subtlety Holy turned upon its foe, and shooting violently into the sky, it penetrated Meteor with awesome amounts of power. It faded slowly away, the eerie glow disappearing from the horizon. The sun beamed radiantly over the land, which appeared to everyone as if it had been suddenly reborn, blossoming with new life. Joy reigned supreme in each of their hearts as life began to return to normal. The entire Planet had remained mostly unharmed except for the destroyed Midgar, which lay in ruins, forever to remain a symbol for future generations not to make the same mistake.
--- One week later
Aerith sighed from within her lonely post in the Lifestream, victorious, yet somehow uncontented. She watched her friends celebrate their triumphant achievements, Tifa clinging to Cloud's side incessantly. Jealously boiled in her heart as she imagined them married, Tifa bearing Cloud's children... She turned away, her eyes burning with the sting of tears.
"Will they... forget me...?" she wondered aloud, miserable in the loneliness of the role she still had to play, even after death. She was unable to prevent a single tear from sliding down her cheek before she sensed the presence of someone else behind her. She whirled around angrily at being interrupted in her mourning solitude, but gasped slightly as she recognized the figure before her.
It was she! The witch! The cause of everything... the source of pure undiluted evil. Aerith's eyes burned fiercely with hatred as they settled upon the distorted and mutilated form of Jenova, her stomach turning with queasiness in her body as she absorbed the horrid abnormalities of her figure. Jenova smiled crookedly at the pretty girl, her dull eyes reading her thoughts, her fears. Her eyes were so clear to her... too clear. Jenova hissed sibilantly, the serpent that tempted Eve...
"My dear, you look so glum," Jenova sweetened her voice, the syrupy stickiness of the tone disgusting Aerith completely. "What is wrong, Ancient? Perhaps I can make is better..." a cruel smile appeared on her face, causing the truth of the matter to stare Aerith in the face. She was the cause... the cause of it all!
"Why should you care?! Go away!" she yelled harshly at the apparition, her emerald irises afire with righteous rage.
Jenova cackled, her evil aura destroying even the beauty of simple laughter. "Because... I think I can help you..." she began with an air of amused distraction.
Aerith's heart jumped wistfully but her sensible mind took over before she said anything she would regret. "I don't need your help!" she hissed furiously under her breath before turning to flee before she lost her temper.
"Oh, yes you do, my dear, if you ever want to be with that spiky-headed lover of yours, Cloud..." Jenova chuckled cruelly, sending compulsive shivers down Aerith's spine. "Death is the one thing you cannot counter... alone that is."
"No!" shouted Aerith in distress, her bleeding heart betraying her mind. She clutched frantically at her shoulders for security, wishing he was there to defend her like he always used to...
"We can make a deal... You can have another chance at life. That is, IF you're willing to help me with the task at hand..." Jenova accentuated the word "if" with a luxurious hiss of her breath and chuckled as she morphed quickly into Cloud's image, a hauntingly thorough transformation, causing Aerith to choke in stabbing pain.
She cried out, a sob rising from deep within her throat. "W-what do you want from me?"
"Not much..." Jenova's attitude seemed relaxed and casual, almost impassive. "I'd like to plant a few of my cells into you. That's all! I assure you, Ancient..." Jenova's convincing tone was too much for Aerith's broken heart to bear.
"B-but..." Her voice steadied as images of Cloud filled her mind, her heart. She choked back another sob as she realized that she was betraying her Planet- becoming just like Sephiroth. But... it was a small price to pay... to be with him. Jenova smiled evilly, her work almost complete. She effortlessly finished the torture by transmitting an image of Tifa and Cloud at the alter of marriage, her lips brushing his, bound in holy matrimony... Another image of the happy life they'd have together, their children, grandchildren...
"NO!!!" Aerith gave a strangled sob from her throat, and fell to her knees with the mental agony, tears cascading down her cheeks. "All right! I-I'll do it!!" she gasped painfully for breath, heart torn apart. She sobbed wildly, her head buried in her hands as she admitted her weakness to the greatest of her enemies. "I'll do anything... for him..."she whispered, head bowed in shame.
"Good... good..." Jenova sinister hiss was triumphant. Laughing cruelly, she reached towards Aerith's neck, her sharp claws penetrating her delicate skin. Aerith cried out in agony and collapsed into a deep darkness...
Chapter 2- Rebirth
Cloud climbed the walls of the crater with unexplained strength and determination. The Promised Land... something in his soul told him to go there. He ceased his steady ascent for a moment, surveying the rock cliff intently, seeing her face in the jagged stones with every step.
"She died before I could tell her..." he whispered, "Before I told her that I loved her..." A tear brimmed within his brilliant eyes and splashed without warning down his cheek and neck. "I have to tell her that I'm sorry."
Soon Cloud had reached the peak of the crater so he stopped to survey the land before him, searching for answers in the cold mountain air. Turning slowly, he stared at the setting sun, which seemed to shine an even more magnificent vermilion than normal through the crisp air of the cloudless night. Perhaps it was because he was so high in the atmosphere...? Nevertheless, it had been a long time since he had seen such a glorious sunset, so it stunned him temporarily. Its vivid colors surrounded and enveloped him, setting off his hair to a fiery hue and glinting fiercely off his blade. Suddenly, the sun gave a bright flare... and then darkness. A sudden and quick darkness, a blackness of night that penetrated his mind and body. Cloud shivered with a deep internal cold, apprehension filling his heart. He heard a sudden cry from the crater, a scream of pain and terror that sounded savagely inhuman, yet somehow... familiar. Drawing his sword skillfully from its sheath, he scaled down the inside of the crater at a surprisingly quick pace. "Could it be...?" Cloud thought, mind racing wildly at his feet stumbled over the loose rubble and stones which barred his descent.
Cloud emitted a cry of pain and surprise as he approached the center of the crater. With frenzied speed and agility, he leapt down the remainder of the shallow cliff and raced towards the shadowy figure that lay unmoving in the center of the mist...
"Aerith!!!" he shouted, tears coursing uncontrollably from his blurring eyes as he dashed to her side. Her eyes were still closed in death... She looked just like she had when he had last left her side, sunken in the Ancient's lake so long ago. But something about her seemed... different. Perhaps it was the fact that the gown was no longer her normal attire...? But he was sure it was her... he knew it deep within his heart! He raced to her side with joy and dove to the ground beside her limp body, but she did not stir to greet him. Tears began to cascade freshly down his face, the bitter taste flooding his mouth and dripping over hers as he slid his arms under her, picking her up carefully. He cradled her limp yet beautiful head gently against his heaving chest as he wept, each sob wracking painfully through his body.
"What do you want from me, dammit?! Why are you torturing me like this?!" His screams of rage and anguish reached to the sky, reverberating around the crater powerfully. He sobbed wildly as he buried his head against her chest, his arms wrapped tightly about the body with passionate love... The faint throb of a heartbeat could be felt from within her stiffened chest! Cloud's heart raced with joy as he pressed his ear closer, searching...
"It can't have been my imagination! It just couldn't have..." he murmured to himself as the beating grew faster and more frequent. The joints began to loosen and warmth slowly returned as the body began to reverse from death. The pale dead flesh of the beautiful lips filled with blood, brightening to their normal lush pallor. Her gently closed eyes, which had once been dimmed and darkened in the shadows of death, began to twitch slightly with life as her long eyelashes fluttered delicately like the thin wings of a butterfly in flight. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking in surprise as her eyes focused and rested upon his face... She managed to weakly gasp out one word from her tortured lungs before her eyelids dropped in exhaustion and her body fell limp and faint once again.
"Cloud!!"
Tears ran freely from his eyes, flowing onto her face as he bent over her. He clasped her to his chest gently, joyously, praying that it wasn't a dream... that she was really here, with him, in his arms... "My Aerith..." he whispered lovingly. He rose to his feet with the girl still cradled in his arms. "I've got to take you somewhere safe!" he said, a determined look set solidly into his features. Grabbing the PHS that had been left in his pocket from their journeys, he barely managed to dial the emergency AVALANCHE number that connected directly to the Highwind with shaking fingers.
Tifa's melodious voice answered the phone, knowing whom the caller would be even before his familiar voice met her ears. "Cloud! What's wrong?! Where are you..."
The Cloud's urgent whisper quickly interrupted her, "Quick! Come to the crater! Bring the Highwind! There's no time to explain, but hurry!"
Tifa was confused and her gentle eyes lit up with fear and concern. "Okay, Cloud, we'll be on our way ASAP!" Her mind was filling rapidly with thoughts. "What if he's hurt?!" she thought as she hung up the PHS in a rush. She shouted towards the forward cabin. "Cid! It's Cloud! Go to the crater, and hurry!!!" She sat down with a tired sigh as the Highwind changed course and blasted off towards the crater. "Oh Cloud... please be all right!" she whispered under her breath.
***
Aerith woke from her deep faint tucked securely into a soft feather bed. The sun's rays danced in shyly through the crystal frosted windows of the best guestroom in 7th Heaven during the cold morning. Although many thick layers of blankets had been wrapped around her formerly unconscious body, she still shivered with a deep internal cold. She tried to muster enough strength to move her arms and pull the covers tighter around her body, but found that she couldn't through her exhaustion.
Her head lolled weakly to one side against the pillow, facing the closed door. She yawned painfully and observed the room around her with tired eyes. Cloud was sitting quietly in a chair near the bed, his chin resting on his chest, snoring softly. "Poor guy..." she thought with a tender smile, "He must be so tired..." Her eyelids drooped slowly as she fell once again into a deep slumber.
--- A Day Later
Tifa stared unhappily at the baking oven, waiting impatiently for her famous sourdough bread rolls to finish rising. "He hasn't left her side for days... he hasn't even eaten, and he won't speak to me or anybody else!" her tone rose with a slight sob as she spoke to mirror nearby in dismay. Her reflection was beautiful... a slim and dark figure, with velvety eyes and a creamy complexion. She sighed in exasperation as she turned from her image and back towards the oven. The oven timer buzzed, seemingly in remorse and compassion, as the rolls finished baking. Slipping a thick oven mitt over her callused and powerful hand, she withdrew the steaming tray from the oven. A sudden tear splashed without warning onto the hot metal, vapor hissing up from the drop. Efficient as ever, she slid the rolls quickly onto a smaller plate a carried them to the guest bedroom where Cloud was waiting for his "sleeping beauty" to awaken. She entered the room through the heavy wooden door, wedging her slim foot into the thin crack and nudging it open with her slender shoulders. Aerith lay still on the bed, pale and tired in appearance, breathing shallowly in her turbulent sleep. Cold beads of sweat lined her forehead, attempting to cool the wild fever that burned fiercely within her veins. Cloud knelt by the bed as he always had, waiting anxiously, his silence intense and unrelenting. Tifa's lips trembled with sorrow as she approached him, her footfalls heavy and tentative.
"Please, Cloud... eat something! You'll starve!" she begged, her dark eyes flooding with concern.
He turned and looked at her, eyes bright with fever and delirium, the sparkling sapphires emitting pain through their glance. "Please Tifa... I can't lose her again! Not again..." he mumbled. "I lost her once, I can't lose her again..." he repeated drowsily as Tifa burst into passionate tears.
"Cloud..." she managed to gasp through her tears, "You love her, don't you...?"
He stared at her, feverish eyes calming as he gave her a gentle but grim smile. He sighed deeply as he replied,
"Yes, Tifa, Yes I do..."
Her heart ripped asunder, Tifa took one last teary glance at Cloud and Aerith then dashed from the room, flinging the door open wildly. Cloud's eyes misted slightly at the sight of the deep pain within his childhood friend, then shifted to resume his vigil over the unconscious girl.
---- The Next Day
Cloud was now very worried. Tifa hadn't returned yet from wherever she had run off to the previous night, not even to sleep. He felt very guilty about what he had said... he had known that it would hurt her. But she did ask for the truth, and the truth was what he had to give her, no matter how painful it was to face. He sighed sorrowfully at the romantic memory of his childhood friend perched on top of the Nibelheim well under the star-studded sky so many years ago. But things had changed since then. Aerith had come to cross his path, and even he himself had changed so much in the past year. Aerith had taught him so much... about himself and about life.
A small moan of pain arose from the bed, snatching Cloud's thoughts away from Tifa and back to Aerith. Cloud leaned over her, fully concerned, as the light of day began to pour into the dark room, brightening it with an air of cheeriness through the dark shadows that lurked hiding within the corners. The sun sneaked in stealthily, resting upon the gentle face of the sleeping Aerith with a joyful bound. Stirred from her slumber, Aerith groaned slightly, her long eyelashes batting away the gentle rays with delicate fingers. Her eyes opened slowly and apprehensively absorbing the new day as they gathered courage and strength. They glowed with their usual luster and splendor, the rich emerald green sparkling brightly in the low light. Her eyes rested upon Cloud's weary but grinning face, and she smiled happily.
"So it wasn't just a dream..." she whispered, a joyous smile crossing her features.
For the first time in many years, Cloud blushed and smiled back genuinely. "No, it wasn't...."
Chapter 3- A New Beginning
That night, Cloud carried Aerith proudly into the Highwind, her arms wrapped tightly about his neck with love and joy. The entire party rejoiced as they saw their friend who had given her life so they could live, except for one lone person. A bedraggled and exhausted Tifa sat huddled in the corner of the deck, watching the celebration with her normally kind brown eyes filled with utter disgust. It was here that she had taken refuge after the previous night's flight. She had been crying all night, and her beautiful face showed it. Her mouth was drawn into a tight and angry line, and her eyes burned with a feverish fury. The rings under her eyes were swollen and puffy from lack of sleep and exhaustion. It didn't help that her eyes, nose, and cheeks were a bright pink from her stinging tears of anguish either. Setting down Aerith in a nearby cushioned chair they had set up especially for her, Cloud approached Tifa gingerly in apology.
"Tifa... I'm sorry about last night..."he began slowly, unused to and unsure of his words. He was greeted by a cold and angry stare from the traumatized girl.
"Hmph! Apology accepted," she said in a mocking voice, turning him away scornfully.
Cloud sighed unhappily for it was obvious that she was still badly hurt. "The wound may sting for a long time," Cloud thought to himself. "So I better be careful..." he murmured quickly under his breath.
Tifa snapped around angrily. "What was that?!" she screamed. All activity aboard the ship stopped momentarily to stare. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" her voice rose to an angry screech.
"Tifa, I..." Cloud never got to finish that sentence.
"Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone! I don't need you! I don't need any of you!!!" she continued to rant, her eyes narrowing in anger. She rose suddenly, knocking over her small wicker chair in her rage. She rampaged through the deck, knocking things over, dealing powerful blows with her fists. She whirled about, arm upraised to destroy whatever was behind her with a smash of her fists... then stopped.
It was Cloud, his blue eyes filled with concern as he laid his ungloved hand gently upon her shoulder. Tifa broke down and wept, hiding her face within her metal-studded gloved hands. "I-I just-t wa-ant t-to be alone!" she sobbed. Cloud turned her gently until she faced him. He took her hands from her eyes and met her hiccuping gaze with a stern and steady expression.
"Why don't you go home and rest?" he suggested gently. She nodded in silent agreement and turned to leave the ship. Taking a single look back, she glanced painfully at Cloud and then dashed from the ship.
"Gawd..." whispered an astonished Yuffie, "I've never seen her so upset..." Yuffie's stunned expression was worn by all the people in the ship as they watched Tifa's figure retreat into the darkness of the night. Cloud sighed sadly, returning faithfully to Aerith's side.
"There's not much we can do... She needs some time alone." he said grimly. "But for now, let's try to celebrate; it's supposed to be a joyous day!" he bellowed into the decks. The others cheered in unanimous agreement as Aerith stared triumphantly off into the distance. Her eyes flashed bright as a cruel smile appeared on her delicate features... then shone again with their regular light as she shook her head in confusion.
"You ok?" Cid asked casually as he reached across the long table for more helpings. Aerith's gaze wandered off into the distance as she replied.
"Yeah, sure..." A bright smile came over her face as she stood, her long brown hair waving its coiled length in the light zephyr. She giggled softly like a schoolgirl as her cry rang clear and sweet across the deck:
"Let's party!"
The group of friends nodded in agreement as the night of festivities continued. Elmyra smiled proudly at the young woman that she had raised from a child as her own. Remembering the long hard day that she had found her, alone and sobbing fitfully by the train tracks, she recalled a dying mother pleading her desperately to care for her young daughter. She had taken her in tentatively, not sure whether she could keep her with her husband at war, and not knowing the child or her mother in the least. But she felt compassionate towards the orphaned child, and welcomed her in her home. "I couldn't have made a better choice for a daughter," Elmyra smiled to herself. "I'm so glad she's okay!"
---- Several hours later
The light ring of metal tapping against glass interrupted the laughter and gaiety of the group. Silence fell gradually over the crowd as they saw the normally silent Vincent rapping his wineglass with a fork for attention.
"My friends," he began, gazing around the room at his allies. "It has been a long time since I've felt so happy just to be with people... Let me toast our honored friend." He beckoned Aerith to stand. "Most of you know that I'm not good with speeches..." his head ducked in embarrassment, "But this woman gave her life for us, and for the benefit of our Planet... just as Lucrecia wanted to do with her research..." A tear sparkled in his eye as he continued. "And so each of us owes our life to her, even the Planet itself. To Aerith!" he said, raising his glass to the sky. Cheers of approval followed along with the tinkling of glass and crystal goblets. Aerith blushed deeply, her eyes meeting the floor shyly. Suddenly, Cloud's chair flew back as he stood up at the main table, and he hit his glass with a ladle, creating a loud bell-like ping which resounded through the cabin. Clearing his throat nervously, he began to speak in a shaky and uncertain voice. He approached Aerith slowly with his hand tucked in uniform and knelt to the deck humbly. Unused to creating such displays of affection and unsure of what to say, he felt awkward as he kissed her hand, producing a small ring from the folds of the heavy cloth. The friends gathered present gasped in surprise.
"Aerith... my love, I can't live without you! The pain of knowing that you wouldn't be there anymore, to gaze upon me with those eyes, to smile at me... it was too much to bear." his head bowed as his eyes began to sting with the pain of the recollection. "But now you're here with me... all I want is you, forever! I love you! Will you marry me...?" he blurted out.
Aerith's cheeks flushed deeply, joyously as she met his steady gaze with tears in her eyes. "Of course!" she cried. "I love you, my Cloud..." she fell into his arms happily, feeling his strong embrace, his love and passion as his lips touched hers, the wild cheers of their friends as they stood watching. The couple beamed, embarrassed, but she wore his ring willingly and happily as she clung to his side, unwilling to be parted from her lover. His arm wrapped around her waist securely, his heart afraid that lest he let go, she would be gone, that she would disappear again and leave him alone once more...
By the end of the month, the couple was planning their wedding. Aerith was joyous, but deep within her heart, that pinpricking, nagging feeling of cruel triumph would surface. She'd press it down, burying it deep within her emotional system, trying to forget... Instead, she spent her time enjoying being close to her love, his arm about her waist as she leaned her tired head against his muscular chest.
The wedding took much preparation, and guests from the world over were invited. Elmyra made her foster daughter's wedding dress herself, cutting and tucking the fabric into the latest styles, laboring painstakingly over every individual stitch, every embroidered blossom. Finally, she produced a dress fit for royalty, tucks of satin ribbons and silk trims lining the gown elegantly. She presented it to Aerith modestly, with a small but pleased smile worn on her face. Aerith's expression lit up with rising joy as she saw it, and she embraced Elmyra tightly with love, just like she used to so many years ago in her youth. Elmyra couldn't help but cry tears of pure happiness as she held the girl in her arms, for she would always be her little Aerith that she cared for.
After few more months passed, they were married with much splendor. It was one of the world's greatest events and was declared a worldwide holiday in honor of the two warriors. The church in the slums of Sector 5 was completely restored to its former glory, the radiant blossoms sprouting from the center of the aisles glowing with pride from their silky petals. The flowers decorated the church, spread amongst the pews and the seats, in the aisles, fragrant garlands streaming from the ceiling, marking the hole from which Cloud had first fell through the roof on that fateful day.
The couple strode down the aisle beaming with pride. Hardly a soul noticed the abnormal frailty of the bride's figure, as well as the fact that she had lost weight and her flesh had paled considerably to a rather ghostly pallor. Nevertheless, the vows were soon recited and the couple was joined in holy matrimony, sealed by a passionate meeting of lips to the cheers of the company. Rice and flower petals were thrown in the path of the newlyweds, providing a lush carpet for them to tread upon. Aerith laughed girlishly and threw the bouquet among the women present and screams ensued as they all dove for it. Yuffie stood to the side casually, watching the frantic fighting with a humored wry smile. Her mind was deep in thought, but her sharp eyes caught an object flying towards her, and naturally, her hands reached up in reflexes to catch it. It was the bouquet! Yuffie blinked in wide-eyed surprise.
"Oh GAWD!" she muttered in shock as she stared wide-eyed at the object resting in her hands. She dropped it fearfully and dashed away from it as if it were a live rattlesnake...
Aerith chuckled at the commotion as she watched the bewildered Yuffie beat a hasty retreat into the underbrush.
--- About one year later...
"Come on, Aerith! You can do it!" Cloud cried encouragingly as he watched his wife's thin figure writhe in agony. She screamed in pain and her bony hand clutched his tightly, her nervous coaching falling upon deafened ears. "Just push!" he cried over the clamor of the room. He was vastly worried... her labor was taking quite some time, and he was wondering whether she'd last through it in her condition.
"Just a little more!" said the doctor patiently. She screamed as she put all of her remaining strength into one last desperate push, one last chance...
"That's it!" cried the doctor. With a few quick snips, it was all over. "Congratulations! Here is your new baby daughter..." he said, gently handing a delicately wrapped bundle into Cloud's open arms. The tiny lungs wailed furiously as Aerith smiled ruefully. She held one of the tiny fists weakly in her own as it waved about. Her arm fumbled to stay upraised, but slid off the soft flannel blanket and onto the bed covers as she was drained of every ounce of strength left in her frail body. Then all became black....
"Aerith!" Cloud cried out, kneeling at her side. As she wailed pitifully, the baby opened her eyes... her glowing aquamarine eyes...
By Aerith/Daphne Sy
10/1/99-??
E-mail: sephiroth_x@ameritech.net
This story is especially dedicated to my best friend Jane, a.k.a. Sephirah, who so graciously allowed me to use her screen name for my star in this fic.
I am also dedicating this to Cirrus and Rinoa's Man, who gave me their aid with this story during its origin, and to my beloved boyfriend, who the character Jordan is modeled after.
Thanks to all of you who read this and gave me such generous compliments and review that inspired me to work hard on this!
Part 1 (Prologue)- Rebirth
Chapter 1- To the Settling of Everything
The Lifestream flowed freely, unchecked and unhindered, the cherished blood of the Planet. The precious green substance surrounded and enveloped all within its power, following the drum-beaten rhythms and sweet melodies of life. All existence began and ended with it, nurtured carefully until they could be recycled into new lives; new souls to replace those that were lost. The dead merged into one channel, a river of life within death. All but one soul. The figure of a young woman could be recognized through the seemingly tangible fog of the stream. Her face was hidden within her youthful hands, the salty taste of tears fresh in her mouth. The flowing gown she wore shimmered as it was bathed in delicate light, a soft baby pink that displayed the vibrant color in her cheeks. It was low and long, sweeping behind in a graceful train of pure silk as she moved about. Her long chestnut hair was removed from its restraining ribbon, framing her gentle face as it spilled delicately over her shoulders and down her back like silken torrents of water. She was not part of the Lifestream- or was she? The Planet had honored her for sacrificing herself, so as the Planet's final "daughter," she ruled and controlled the Lifestream from within, forever watching, forever waiting... forever loving.
Cloud's eyes blazed with fury unmatched as he brandished his mighty sword, the blade garishly reflecting the image of Meteor from above. The brilliant blue sapphires locked furiously with the aquamarines... Sephiroth smiled cruelly at his opponent as if to taunt him, his long silver locks flying back with the coming Meteor's power. Images raged through Cloud's thoughts as he stared deep within his foe, finding the answers he had so long never understood within himself.
"Tifa, Mother, my friends..." They all raced through his mind wildly, uncontrolled in the budding fury as his anger rose, staining his entire world a brilliant crimson. It all ended with one last picture... a scene he would never forget. Her smile. Aerith's smile. She loved him. He loved her! It was beginning again... he swung the sword over her helpless figure, unable to control his own movements. Her blood had almost stained his hands... but in the end it did, for he held her in his arms that day, even if it was too late.
The red began to fill Cloud's vision, a deep crimson shade of blood, as he swung the sword above his head screeching, "OMNISLASH!!!"
Before he realized it the ordeal was over, and it was not her blood that was beginning to crust upon his sword; it was Sephiroth's!
His foe fell limp to the ground in death, a surprised Cloud victorious. The blood-strained blade dropped from his trembling hands, the tempered metal clattering upon the rough terrain that was now bathed in crimson. He fell to his knees onto the rocky surface in the depths of his mind, every remaining ounce of energy seemingly drained from his body. She was finally avenged; his quest was at an end.
As his tearful eyes looked forth to the hazed and darkened sky, a familiar hand reached from the heavens, blessed with youth and beauty. From within the misty haze, he thought he could hear her voice... a sweet tinkling laugh as he reached his hand out to meet hers...
***
From the Lifestream, Aerith cried out with joy, ever reaching for his hand, his loving embrace. She could see him, hear him, love him... She laughed in ecstasy as she leaned out towards him, falling through the image and into his waiting arms...
***
From the haze emerged Lifestream, the bright glowing mist that represented hope. Aerith moaned in pure anguish as she realized that she was nothing but a soul... no body to embrace him with, only a series of cloudy emerald wisps that floated delicately on the heavy winds. All she could do was surround him, healing and transferring her love through her touch... He knew her presence instantly; tears slid slowly down his cheeks as she caressed him with love.
The tender scene was interrupted when the ground began to shake violently underneath Cloud's feet. Aerith gasped with fright at the abrupt intrusion and fled swiftly back to her station within the Lifestream, ready to protect her Planet with all of her power. Cloud was shaken out of his dazed state, finding himself face to face with the beautiful Tifa, who was leaning dangerously over the ravine, screaming his name in desperation. She shrieked in dismay as the ground beneath him began to crumble to dust, the fragments of rubble falling deep into the Lifestream below. Without warning, the unstable cliff below her collapsed and she screeched as she plunged, the echo of her voice reverberating throughout the crater:
"CLOUD!!"
"Tifa!!!" Cloud dashed to her rescue like a bolt of gold and navy lightning, bounding off fallen rocks in his mad rush. With all of the strength in his frenzied body, he took a giant leap... Time seemed to stop as he soared through the air, caught Tifa firmly in one arm, and grabbed frantically at the cliff edge in what seemed to be one fluid movement. Tifa gasped with fear, her slender arms wrapped tightly around her savior's body and her long black hair swinging wildly over the ravine. They could hear the faint splash of the rock face far below them... Tifa buried her face into his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat through the heavy fabric of the SOLDIER uniform. Cloud pulled himself up onto the cliff, boosting Tifa up gallantly before himself.
"If I go to the Promised Land... maybe she'll be there! I must see her again..." Cloud murmured to himself, his radiant eyes seeming even brighter as they rejoined their friends and fled to the Highwind. Relieved that everyone was still in good health, Cloud barked the order to depart from the crumbling crater.
"If we stay here much longer, Holy will toast us... Aerith or no Aerith..." His face was grimly set as the Highwind's rockets flared as bright as the intense noon sun on a clear afternoon, the heavy winds caused by the pressure howling past their ears. They blasted off quickly... yet not quickly enough. Holy had arrived!
The Highwind's sturdy frame began to crumble within Holy's powerful wrath as the spell purged the Planet with its fury. "Damn!" cursed a desperate Cid as he strained for the emergency handle on the deck with his fingertips. In a flash of blinding light, the Highwind shed its propellers and huge bulk, morphing into a sleek jet plane that blasted off into the sky with a powerful flare of its engines. They had escaped Holy... for now.
But Meteor was yet to arrive. Its gigantic mass loomed threateningly in the sky, blocking the even the sun's most powerful rays like an eclipse... The midday darkness was eerie and frightening to everyone, from the townspeople to the heroes themselves. A cold chill danced down Tifa's spine suddenly, causing her to shudder with fear and apprehension.
Holy shot up high into the atmosphere, to the delight and relief of the heroes. With the help of the great white magic, Meteor would surely be defeated in one decisive blow. However, Holy soared like a majestic white dove of justice towards the darkened Midgar, ransacking the defeated city, destroying what remained of the battered Shinra headquarters. Completely neglecting Meteor, it would first wreak its revenge!
Aerith observed the scene of devastation from within the Lifestream, and with a scream of utter dismay, she gathered the souls of the dead with the power of her aura. "We have to help!" she muttered decisively, directing the Lifestream towards the fallen Midgar and the approaching Meteor. "We must protect the innocent!" she thought grimly, determined to see the destruction of Meteor and the salvation of the Planet.
A green mist arose from the dying land, the living also contributing their strength to the stream as it thickened and pulsated magically. Gathering over Midgar, it began to form the only barrier powerful enough to deter both the white and black magic; a shield made from dreams, hope, prayer... and life.
Meteor neared Midgar, looming frighteningly close and forcing the citizens to turn and attempt to flee for their lives. Its battle was nearly won... but then with surprising subtlety Holy turned upon its foe, and shooting violently into the sky, it penetrated Meteor with awesome amounts of power. It faded slowly away, the eerie glow disappearing from the horizon. The sun beamed radiantly over the land, which appeared to everyone as if it had been suddenly reborn, blossoming with new life. Joy reigned supreme in each of their hearts as life began to return to normal. The entire Planet had remained mostly unharmed except for the destroyed Midgar, which lay in ruins, forever to remain a symbol for future generations not to make the same mistake.
--- One week later
Aerith sighed from within her lonely post in the Lifestream, victorious, yet somehow uncontented. She watched her friends celebrate their triumphant achievements, Tifa clinging to Cloud's side incessantly. Jealously boiled in her heart as she imagined them married, Tifa bearing Cloud's children... She turned away, her eyes burning with the sting of tears.
"Will they... forget me...?" she wondered aloud, miserable in the loneliness of the role she still had to play, even after death. She was unable to prevent a single tear from sliding down her cheek before she sensed the presence of someone else behind her. She whirled around angrily at being interrupted in her mourning solitude, but gasped slightly as she recognized the figure before her.
It was she! The witch! The cause of everything... the source of pure undiluted evil. Aerith's eyes burned fiercely with hatred as they settled upon the distorted and mutilated form of Jenova, her stomach turning with queasiness in her body as she absorbed the horrid abnormalities of her figure. Jenova smiled crookedly at the pretty girl, her dull eyes reading her thoughts, her fears. Her eyes were so clear to her... too clear. Jenova hissed sibilantly, the serpent that tempted Eve...
"My dear, you look so glum," Jenova sweetened her voice, the syrupy stickiness of the tone disgusting Aerith completely. "What is wrong, Ancient? Perhaps I can make is better..." a cruel smile appeared on her face, causing the truth of the matter to stare Aerith in the face. She was the cause... the cause of it all!
"Why should you care?! Go away!" she yelled harshly at the apparition, her emerald irises afire with righteous rage.
Jenova cackled, her evil aura destroying even the beauty of simple laughter. "Because... I think I can help you..." she began with an air of amused distraction.
Aerith's heart jumped wistfully but her sensible mind took over before she said anything she would regret. "I don't need your help!" she hissed furiously under her breath before turning to flee before she lost her temper.
"Oh, yes you do, my dear, if you ever want to be with that spiky-headed lover of yours, Cloud..." Jenova chuckled cruelly, sending compulsive shivers down Aerith's spine. "Death is the one thing you cannot counter... alone that is."
"No!" shouted Aerith in distress, her bleeding heart betraying her mind. She clutched frantically at her shoulders for security, wishing he was there to defend her like he always used to...
"We can make a deal... You can have another chance at life. That is, IF you're willing to help me with the task at hand..." Jenova accentuated the word "if" with a luxurious hiss of her breath and chuckled as she morphed quickly into Cloud's image, a hauntingly thorough transformation, causing Aerith to choke in stabbing pain.
She cried out, a sob rising from deep within her throat. "W-what do you want from me?"
"Not much..." Jenova's attitude seemed relaxed and casual, almost impassive. "I'd like to plant a few of my cells into you. That's all! I assure you, Ancient..." Jenova's convincing tone was too much for Aerith's broken heart to bear.
"B-but..." Her voice steadied as images of Cloud filled her mind, her heart. She choked back another sob as she realized that she was betraying her Planet- becoming just like Sephiroth. But... it was a small price to pay... to be with him. Jenova smiled evilly, her work almost complete. She effortlessly finished the torture by transmitting an image of Tifa and Cloud at the alter of marriage, her lips brushing his, bound in holy matrimony... Another image of the happy life they'd have together, their children, grandchildren...
"NO!!!" Aerith gave a strangled sob from her throat, and fell to her knees with the mental agony, tears cascading down her cheeks. "All right! I-I'll do it!!" she gasped painfully for breath, heart torn apart. She sobbed wildly, her head buried in her hands as she admitted her weakness to the greatest of her enemies. "I'll do anything... for him..."she whispered, head bowed in shame.
"Good... good..." Jenova sinister hiss was triumphant. Laughing cruelly, she reached towards Aerith's neck, her sharp claws penetrating her delicate skin. Aerith cried out in agony and collapsed into a deep darkness...
Chapter 2- Rebirth
Cloud climbed the walls of the crater with unexplained strength and determination. The Promised Land... something in his soul told him to go there. He ceased his steady ascent for a moment, surveying the rock cliff intently, seeing her face in the jagged stones with every step.
"She died before I could tell her..." he whispered, "Before I told her that I loved her..." A tear brimmed within his brilliant eyes and splashed without warning down his cheek and neck. "I have to tell her that I'm sorry."
Soon Cloud had reached the peak of the crater so he stopped to survey the land before him, searching for answers in the cold mountain air. Turning slowly, he stared at the setting sun, which seemed to shine an even more magnificent vermilion than normal through the crisp air of the cloudless night. Perhaps it was because he was so high in the atmosphere...? Nevertheless, it had been a long time since he had seen such a glorious sunset, so it stunned him temporarily. Its vivid colors surrounded and enveloped him, setting off his hair to a fiery hue and glinting fiercely off his blade. Suddenly, the sun gave a bright flare... and then darkness. A sudden and quick darkness, a blackness of night that penetrated his mind and body. Cloud shivered with a deep internal cold, apprehension filling his heart. He heard a sudden cry from the crater, a scream of pain and terror that sounded savagely inhuman, yet somehow... familiar. Drawing his sword skillfully from its sheath, he scaled down the inside of the crater at a surprisingly quick pace. "Could it be...?" Cloud thought, mind racing wildly at his feet stumbled over the loose rubble and stones which barred his descent.
Cloud emitted a cry of pain and surprise as he approached the center of the crater. With frenzied speed and agility, he leapt down the remainder of the shallow cliff and raced towards the shadowy figure that lay unmoving in the center of the mist...
"Aerith!!!" he shouted, tears coursing uncontrollably from his blurring eyes as he dashed to her side. Her eyes were still closed in death... She looked just like she had when he had last left her side, sunken in the Ancient's lake so long ago. But something about her seemed... different. Perhaps it was the fact that the gown was no longer her normal attire...? But he was sure it was her... he knew it deep within his heart! He raced to her side with joy and dove to the ground beside her limp body, but she did not stir to greet him. Tears began to cascade freshly down his face, the bitter taste flooding his mouth and dripping over hers as he slid his arms under her, picking her up carefully. He cradled her limp yet beautiful head gently against his heaving chest as he wept, each sob wracking painfully through his body.
"What do you want from me, dammit?! Why are you torturing me like this?!" His screams of rage and anguish reached to the sky, reverberating around the crater powerfully. He sobbed wildly as he buried his head against her chest, his arms wrapped tightly about the body with passionate love... The faint throb of a heartbeat could be felt from within her stiffened chest! Cloud's heart raced with joy as he pressed his ear closer, searching...
"It can't have been my imagination! It just couldn't have..." he murmured to himself as the beating grew faster and more frequent. The joints began to loosen and warmth slowly returned as the body began to reverse from death. The pale dead flesh of the beautiful lips filled with blood, brightening to their normal lush pallor. Her gently closed eyes, which had once been dimmed and darkened in the shadows of death, began to twitch slightly with life as her long eyelashes fluttered delicately like the thin wings of a butterfly in flight. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking in surprise as her eyes focused and rested upon his face... She managed to weakly gasp out one word from her tortured lungs before her eyelids dropped in exhaustion and her body fell limp and faint once again.
"Cloud!!"
Tears ran freely from his eyes, flowing onto her face as he bent over her. He clasped her to his chest gently, joyously, praying that it wasn't a dream... that she was really here, with him, in his arms... "My Aerith..." he whispered lovingly. He rose to his feet with the girl still cradled in his arms. "I've got to take you somewhere safe!" he said, a determined look set solidly into his features. Grabbing the PHS that had been left in his pocket from their journeys, he barely managed to dial the emergency AVALANCHE number that connected directly to the Highwind with shaking fingers.
Tifa's melodious voice answered the phone, knowing whom the caller would be even before his familiar voice met her ears. "Cloud! What's wrong?! Where are you..."
The Cloud's urgent whisper quickly interrupted her, "Quick! Come to the crater! Bring the Highwind! There's no time to explain, but hurry!"
Tifa was confused and her gentle eyes lit up with fear and concern. "Okay, Cloud, we'll be on our way ASAP!" Her mind was filling rapidly with thoughts. "What if he's hurt?!" she thought as she hung up the PHS in a rush. She shouted towards the forward cabin. "Cid! It's Cloud! Go to the crater, and hurry!!!" She sat down with a tired sigh as the Highwind changed course and blasted off towards the crater. "Oh Cloud... please be all right!" she whispered under her breath.
***
Aerith woke from her deep faint tucked securely into a soft feather bed. The sun's rays danced in shyly through the crystal frosted windows of the best guestroom in 7th Heaven during the cold morning. Although many thick layers of blankets had been wrapped around her formerly unconscious body, she still shivered with a deep internal cold. She tried to muster enough strength to move her arms and pull the covers tighter around her body, but found that she couldn't through her exhaustion.
Her head lolled weakly to one side against the pillow, facing the closed door. She yawned painfully and observed the room around her with tired eyes. Cloud was sitting quietly in a chair near the bed, his chin resting on his chest, snoring softly. "Poor guy..." she thought with a tender smile, "He must be so tired..." Her eyelids drooped slowly as she fell once again into a deep slumber.
--- A Day Later
Tifa stared unhappily at the baking oven, waiting impatiently for her famous sourdough bread rolls to finish rising. "He hasn't left her side for days... he hasn't even eaten, and he won't speak to me or anybody else!" her tone rose with a slight sob as she spoke to mirror nearby in dismay. Her reflection was beautiful... a slim and dark figure, with velvety eyes and a creamy complexion. She sighed in exasperation as she turned from her image and back towards the oven. The oven timer buzzed, seemingly in remorse and compassion, as the rolls finished baking. Slipping a thick oven mitt over her callused and powerful hand, she withdrew the steaming tray from the oven. A sudden tear splashed without warning onto the hot metal, vapor hissing up from the drop. Efficient as ever, she slid the rolls quickly onto a smaller plate a carried them to the guest bedroom where Cloud was waiting for his "sleeping beauty" to awaken. She entered the room through the heavy wooden door, wedging her slim foot into the thin crack and nudging it open with her slender shoulders. Aerith lay still on the bed, pale and tired in appearance, breathing shallowly in her turbulent sleep. Cold beads of sweat lined her forehead, attempting to cool the wild fever that burned fiercely within her veins. Cloud knelt by the bed as he always had, waiting anxiously, his silence intense and unrelenting. Tifa's lips trembled with sorrow as she approached him, her footfalls heavy and tentative.
"Please, Cloud... eat something! You'll starve!" she begged, her dark eyes flooding with concern.
He turned and looked at her, eyes bright with fever and delirium, the sparkling sapphires emitting pain through their glance. "Please Tifa... I can't lose her again! Not again..." he mumbled. "I lost her once, I can't lose her again..." he repeated drowsily as Tifa burst into passionate tears.
"Cloud..." she managed to gasp through her tears, "You love her, don't you...?"
He stared at her, feverish eyes calming as he gave her a gentle but grim smile. He sighed deeply as he replied,
"Yes, Tifa, Yes I do..."
Her heart ripped asunder, Tifa took one last teary glance at Cloud and Aerith then dashed from the room, flinging the door open wildly. Cloud's eyes misted slightly at the sight of the deep pain within his childhood friend, then shifted to resume his vigil over the unconscious girl.
---- The Next Day
Cloud was now very worried. Tifa hadn't returned yet from wherever she had run off to the previous night, not even to sleep. He felt very guilty about what he had said... he had known that it would hurt her. But she did ask for the truth, and the truth was what he had to give her, no matter how painful it was to face. He sighed sorrowfully at the romantic memory of his childhood friend perched on top of the Nibelheim well under the star-studded sky so many years ago. But things had changed since then. Aerith had come to cross his path, and even he himself had changed so much in the past year. Aerith had taught him so much... about himself and about life.
A small moan of pain arose from the bed, snatching Cloud's thoughts away from Tifa and back to Aerith. Cloud leaned over her, fully concerned, as the light of day began to pour into the dark room, brightening it with an air of cheeriness through the dark shadows that lurked hiding within the corners. The sun sneaked in stealthily, resting upon the gentle face of the sleeping Aerith with a joyful bound. Stirred from her slumber, Aerith groaned slightly, her long eyelashes batting away the gentle rays with delicate fingers. Her eyes opened slowly and apprehensively absorbing the new day as they gathered courage and strength. They glowed with their usual luster and splendor, the rich emerald green sparkling brightly in the low light. Her eyes rested upon Cloud's weary but grinning face, and she smiled happily.
"So it wasn't just a dream..." she whispered, a joyous smile crossing her features.
For the first time in many years, Cloud blushed and smiled back genuinely. "No, it wasn't...."
Chapter 3- A New Beginning
That night, Cloud carried Aerith proudly into the Highwind, her arms wrapped tightly about his neck with love and joy. The entire party rejoiced as they saw their friend who had given her life so they could live, except for one lone person. A bedraggled and exhausted Tifa sat huddled in the corner of the deck, watching the celebration with her normally kind brown eyes filled with utter disgust. It was here that she had taken refuge after the previous night's flight. She had been crying all night, and her beautiful face showed it. Her mouth was drawn into a tight and angry line, and her eyes burned with a feverish fury. The rings under her eyes were swollen and puffy from lack of sleep and exhaustion. It didn't help that her eyes, nose, and cheeks were a bright pink from her stinging tears of anguish either. Setting down Aerith in a nearby cushioned chair they had set up especially for her, Cloud approached Tifa gingerly in apology.
"Tifa... I'm sorry about last night..."he began slowly, unused to and unsure of his words. He was greeted by a cold and angry stare from the traumatized girl.
"Hmph! Apology accepted," she said in a mocking voice, turning him away scornfully.
Cloud sighed unhappily for it was obvious that she was still badly hurt. "The wound may sting for a long time," Cloud thought to himself. "So I better be careful..." he murmured quickly under his breath.
Tifa snapped around angrily. "What was that?!" she screamed. All activity aboard the ship stopped momentarily to stare. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" her voice rose to an angry screech.
"Tifa, I..." Cloud never got to finish that sentence.
"Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone! I don't need you! I don't need any of you!!!" she continued to rant, her eyes narrowing in anger. She rose suddenly, knocking over her small wicker chair in her rage. She rampaged through the deck, knocking things over, dealing powerful blows with her fists. She whirled about, arm upraised to destroy whatever was behind her with a smash of her fists... then stopped.
It was Cloud, his blue eyes filled with concern as he laid his ungloved hand gently upon her shoulder. Tifa broke down and wept, hiding her face within her metal-studded gloved hands. "I-I just-t wa-ant t-to be alone!" she sobbed. Cloud turned her gently until she faced him. He took her hands from her eyes and met her hiccuping gaze with a stern and steady expression.
"Why don't you go home and rest?" he suggested gently. She nodded in silent agreement and turned to leave the ship. Taking a single look back, she glanced painfully at Cloud and then dashed from the ship.
"Gawd..." whispered an astonished Yuffie, "I've never seen her so upset..." Yuffie's stunned expression was worn by all the people in the ship as they watched Tifa's figure retreat into the darkness of the night. Cloud sighed sadly, returning faithfully to Aerith's side.
"There's not much we can do... She needs some time alone." he said grimly. "But for now, let's try to celebrate; it's supposed to be a joyous day!" he bellowed into the decks. The others cheered in unanimous agreement as Aerith stared triumphantly off into the distance. Her eyes flashed bright as a cruel smile appeared on her delicate features... then shone again with their regular light as she shook her head in confusion.
"You ok?" Cid asked casually as he reached across the long table for more helpings. Aerith's gaze wandered off into the distance as she replied.
"Yeah, sure..." A bright smile came over her face as she stood, her long brown hair waving its coiled length in the light zephyr. She giggled softly like a schoolgirl as her cry rang clear and sweet across the deck:
"Let's party!"
The group of friends nodded in agreement as the night of festivities continued. Elmyra smiled proudly at the young woman that she had raised from a child as her own. Remembering the long hard day that she had found her, alone and sobbing fitfully by the train tracks, she recalled a dying mother pleading her desperately to care for her young daughter. She had taken her in tentatively, not sure whether she could keep her with her husband at war, and not knowing the child or her mother in the least. But she felt compassionate towards the orphaned child, and welcomed her in her home. "I couldn't have made a better choice for a daughter," Elmyra smiled to herself. "I'm so glad she's okay!"
---- Several hours later
The light ring of metal tapping against glass interrupted the laughter and gaiety of the group. Silence fell gradually over the crowd as they saw the normally silent Vincent rapping his wineglass with a fork for attention.
"My friends," he began, gazing around the room at his allies. "It has been a long time since I've felt so happy just to be with people... Let me toast our honored friend." He beckoned Aerith to stand. "Most of you know that I'm not good with speeches..." his head ducked in embarrassment, "But this woman gave her life for us, and for the benefit of our Planet... just as Lucrecia wanted to do with her research..." A tear sparkled in his eye as he continued. "And so each of us owes our life to her, even the Planet itself. To Aerith!" he said, raising his glass to the sky. Cheers of approval followed along with the tinkling of glass and crystal goblets. Aerith blushed deeply, her eyes meeting the floor shyly. Suddenly, Cloud's chair flew back as he stood up at the main table, and he hit his glass with a ladle, creating a loud bell-like ping which resounded through the cabin. Clearing his throat nervously, he began to speak in a shaky and uncertain voice. He approached Aerith slowly with his hand tucked in uniform and knelt to the deck humbly. Unused to creating such displays of affection and unsure of what to say, he felt awkward as he kissed her hand, producing a small ring from the folds of the heavy cloth. The friends gathered present gasped in surprise.
"Aerith... my love, I can't live without you! The pain of knowing that you wouldn't be there anymore, to gaze upon me with those eyes, to smile at me... it was too much to bear." his head bowed as his eyes began to sting with the pain of the recollection. "But now you're here with me... all I want is you, forever! I love you! Will you marry me...?" he blurted out.
Aerith's cheeks flushed deeply, joyously as she met his steady gaze with tears in her eyes. "Of course!" she cried. "I love you, my Cloud..." she fell into his arms happily, feeling his strong embrace, his love and passion as his lips touched hers, the wild cheers of their friends as they stood watching. The couple beamed, embarrassed, but she wore his ring willingly and happily as she clung to his side, unwilling to be parted from her lover. His arm wrapped around her waist securely, his heart afraid that lest he let go, she would be gone, that she would disappear again and leave him alone once more...
By the end of the month, the couple was planning their wedding. Aerith was joyous, but deep within her heart, that pinpricking, nagging feeling of cruel triumph would surface. She'd press it down, burying it deep within her emotional system, trying to forget... Instead, she spent her time enjoying being close to her love, his arm about her waist as she leaned her tired head against his muscular chest.
The wedding took much preparation, and guests from the world over were invited. Elmyra made her foster daughter's wedding dress herself, cutting and tucking the fabric into the latest styles, laboring painstakingly over every individual stitch, every embroidered blossom. Finally, she produced a dress fit for royalty, tucks of satin ribbons and silk trims lining the gown elegantly. She presented it to Aerith modestly, with a small but pleased smile worn on her face. Aerith's expression lit up with rising joy as she saw it, and she embraced Elmyra tightly with love, just like she used to so many years ago in her youth. Elmyra couldn't help but cry tears of pure happiness as she held the girl in her arms, for she would always be her little Aerith that she cared for.
After few more months passed, they were married with much splendor. It was one of the world's greatest events and was declared a worldwide holiday in honor of the two warriors. The church in the slums of Sector 5 was completely restored to its former glory, the radiant blossoms sprouting from the center of the aisles glowing with pride from their silky petals. The flowers decorated the church, spread amongst the pews and the seats, in the aisles, fragrant garlands streaming from the ceiling, marking the hole from which Cloud had first fell through the roof on that fateful day.
The couple strode down the aisle beaming with pride. Hardly a soul noticed the abnormal frailty of the bride's figure, as well as the fact that she had lost weight and her flesh had paled considerably to a rather ghostly pallor. Nevertheless, the vows were soon recited and the couple was joined in holy matrimony, sealed by a passionate meeting of lips to the cheers of the company. Rice and flower petals were thrown in the path of the newlyweds, providing a lush carpet for them to tread upon. Aerith laughed girlishly and threw the bouquet among the women present and screams ensued as they all dove for it. Yuffie stood to the side casually, watching the frantic fighting with a humored wry smile. Her mind was deep in thought, but her sharp eyes caught an object flying towards her, and naturally, her hands reached up in reflexes to catch it. It was the bouquet! Yuffie blinked in wide-eyed surprise.
"Oh GAWD!" she muttered in shock as she stared wide-eyed at the object resting in her hands. She dropped it fearfully and dashed away from it as if it were a live rattlesnake...
Aerith chuckled at the commotion as she watched the bewildered Yuffie beat a hasty retreat into the underbrush.
--- About one year later...
"Come on, Aerith! You can do it!" Cloud cried encouragingly as he watched his wife's thin figure writhe in agony. She screamed in pain and her bony hand clutched his tightly, her nervous coaching falling upon deafened ears. "Just push!" he cried over the clamor of the room. He was vastly worried... her labor was taking quite some time, and he was wondering whether she'd last through it in her condition.
"Just a little more!" said the doctor patiently. She screamed as she put all of her remaining strength into one last desperate push, one last chance...
"That's it!" cried the doctor. With a few quick snips, it was all over. "Congratulations! Here is your new baby daughter..." he said, gently handing a delicately wrapped bundle into Cloud's open arms. The tiny lungs wailed furiously as Aerith smiled ruefully. She held one of the tiny fists weakly in her own as it waved about. Her arm fumbled to stay upraised, but slid off the soft flannel blanket and onto the bed covers as she was drained of every ounce of strength left in her frail body. Then all became black....
"Aerith!" Cloud cried out, kneeling at her side. As she wailed pitifully, the baby opened her eyes... her glowing aquamarine eyes...
