Summary: When Cloud attacks Aeris, unprovoked, outside the remains of the Temple of the Ancients and she leaves is, in my opinion, the most shockingly underrated moment in FF7 history… and as such deserves a story. One Shot.
I don't own FF7
Second to last line is taken from The Dark Moon Series of books
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What happened?
Another death on his hands.
But He would've sacrificed anything, anyone, to get the Black Materia. I had to do it.
Would he have really? Was it a test?
Oh Planet, I hope Cait wasn't lying when he said he couldn't die because he was a robot. No, no, robots don't die.
Then why was it so sad?
If we didn't have Cait, who would've stayed instead? Someone had to...
No, not another death by his hand. More deaths. More deaths on his hand. How many silent Guardians had lived in those walls when the temple fell?
Would I have stayed? Would I have asked someone to? Who could I have asked?
Did anyone even try to get them out?
Did anyone even tell them to leave?
Did anyone warn them?
He couldn't remember
How many old comrades had he seen cut down?
How many had he cut down?
…had He cut down…?
It was His fault. Everything always came back to Him.
Cloud lay in the bottom of the temple's crater, mind swirling with accusations.
Confusion.
Guilt.
Anger.
Relief?
A numbness so powerful it hurt.
An overwhelming hole so dark and vast that it physically hurt to breath, to think, that made him want to be sick, and rip at his face in horror. That made every moment seen like a hopeless void. That made it all so pointless.
Dust started to settle; the remains of a once mighty City and its Temple reduced to a few walls and ash.
What did Cait's prophecy mean back in the Gold Saucer? What will I gain? Was this what I was supposed to loose? What more could He take from me? Hes taken everything already
Green eyes appeared above him blocking the dust filled sky.
Hate
Cloud stood up, green flooded his vision.
It filled the void.
What more could Hetake?
His sword lay forgotten in the mud. Abandoned in the destruction.
He could take it all.
The high walls surrounding them, where a temple older than man had laid moments before, slowly crumbed down to the crater's centre like sand sliding down a hastily dug hole.
Why isn't he? Why doesn't he just end it now?
A green eyed smile framed by long hair. A soft voice.
Lies, its all lies, the whole world is lies. Don't trust the voice
Gentle pink floated over the dusty scenery and settled next to his feet
(Am I loosing my mind?)
Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies
A smile
A hand came out to touch, to comfort
Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies Lies LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES DON'T TRUST IT!
…To hurt?
The sky and sun seemed to float overhead in a haze.
Watching
The voice spoke of worry and concern, laced with love and the promise of life
…its all lies…
The hand touched his face
NO
Panic
A fist stuck out.
A foot
Oh Gaia, the green has to go away. Quickly, before its too late.
An elbow
Make it go away, please. Planet, please. Why won't you help? Please. Its too late, its always too late. Please go please go pleasegopleasegopleasegopleasego …
The green was the real danger, the real threat. Not Mako. Not Shin-ra. Not Hojo. Not needles. Not deforestation or the Black Materia. Why didn't anyone understand that?
A punch to the floor
Fists. Feet. Elbows. Knees.
Dust swirled around them
Wait … Needles? What?
A crunch
Softness
He must be stopped
Glistening red danced to the sound of screams in the air.
How long had they been going on?
A crack
A snap
A thud
The screams wont stop, why won't they ever stop?
The air abruptly left his lungs.
Brown
The mud was in his face. His mouth
He spat it out, gasped for air, dragged in more dust and coughed again
What had happened?
Red? Nanaki?
His head turned back to the green.
To the green eyes full with horror.
To blood seeping down a face too trusting
Tears dotted the earth floor
Brown hair fanned out in the earth
…What have I done?
The red animal stood between him and the eyes; teeth gleaming, snarling.
The animal charged. Black tattoos rippling over muscle.
It called, it howled, it shouted, it screamed Cloud's betrayal.
What have I done?
Darkness filled his vision, creeping from the sides.
Why did it always go so wrong?
.
.
.
(…Sometimes... I hate the world so much I wish I could destroy it all…)
.
.
.
And the green eyes went away.
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