Our Fairytale

In honor of Cloud and Aeris.

For all CloAer fans.

Enjoy

As always

Mysterio000

p.s. the almighty one!

~

A tiny young girl stepped into the small yet tidily furnished room, her cheeks, as usual, were rosy and pink after the hours outside picking flowers again. Ariel, sweet and loving with her honey-colored hair plaited adoringly, bounced into the strong, muscular arms of 29-year-old ex-SOLDIER, Cloud Strife. A sugar-coated smile teased Ariel's lips as she held opened her small hands, fists clenched childishly.

"Quick! Tell me another story today!"

Her girlish voice rang out like tiny silver bells across the room as Cloud, still with one supportive arm around the child, placed her down on solid ground. There was an unmistaken emotion flickering in his eyes as he stroked his thumb across Ariel's cheek, "What story would you like?" A pure, almost magical smile, lit on Ariel's face as her fingers playfully nipped on Cloud's ear, "Anything that is nice."

Instantly, a wistful smile tugged on the Mako-eyed soldier. What was it about this girl not to love? Ariel was, to him, a child like no other. No, she was never too social with the kids in school but her golden heart had caused herself to earn admiration from any teachers in the school she attended. She was a child Mother Nature would love, a child whom which will not fail to brighten up those around her, a child whom truly appreciated the every petal, every leaf and every living thing that existed. At only a tender age of 6, her heart was already one showered with endless warmth and concern for the people around her.

"Alright then." Cloud couldn't help but smile, "Do you believe in the existence of fairytales, Ariel?" Those curious ocean eyes glittered and Ariel nodded. She was thoroughly intrigued. "Yes! Can you tell me one?"

For a moment, something Ariel had not seen in Cloud before fleeted past his eyes. Sorrow? Regret? Despite her age, she was sharp and instinctive. She waited for the older man to speak. Cloud drew a breath slowly and a small smile met his lips once more, "Alright then. I will tell you a story about love, hope…and faith."

"Yes. I'd love to hear that." Her eyes spoke of aroused curiosity. Surely she had not seen such powerful emotions quavering in his eyes before. As she snuggled safely in Cloud's arms, she waited in anticipation. What was this story that could hold such power? Her pools of marine lingered on his for a moment, noticing that he had quietened down for the story to be told. Did it require such strength to tell a fairytale? Ariel could not grasp the feelings she was seeing in the aquatic waters in those eyes.

Cloud drew in a breath, his face unreadable.

"Once upon a time, there lived a solder who desperately wanted to be noticed," He started, "He longed to be welcome, longed to protect something. In the hometown where he lived, he was an outcast among the people he wished to play with. Try as he may, he was never invited with open arms. He was shunned, cast away." Something stirred in those Mako orbs, "He was called a failure back there."

Ariel looked up, a mixture of amusement and the curiosity to know more, "Why?"

Cloud's lips set in a straight line, "There was this girl who was with him one day. She fell down the bridge and he couldn't save her. The people blamed him." His eyes dropped, "Ever since then, he longed to be somebody else. Somebody who was not a failure. Somebody…who could be looked upon."

"Then did he become one?" Her innocent eyes bore into his.

"No…Not until some time later," He drawled, "Some time later when an angel stepped into his life."

Surprise showered upon Ariel, "Angel?"

"Yes." He affirmed, eyes suddenly glistening, "She was an angel."

"How did she look like? White and pure?"

"More than that." A smile melted his expressionless façade, "Pink. She was always in pink. Yet her heart was gold. The soldier came crashing down into a church's roof one fateful day. A flowerbed broke his fall, though. Those flowers…She grew them. When he regained from his unconsciousness, his eyes gazed into those emerald seas. At first sight, he thought he could be lost in them forever."

"Wow…" Ariel leant forward with interest.

"But no, the soldier refused to be in love. He had more things to deal with in his hands. He was with a resistance organisation against a company. He had a mission; he had a dark goal ahead to finish. But yet, there was something about this lady that attracted him, pulled her to him, made him drawn to her like a fly to a honey."

"Was she that powerful? Did she have magic?" Ocean eyes rounded with amusement.

"Oh no, no," Cloud's eyes twinkled, "It wasn't magic, Ariel. It was love. The symptoms of love. How his heart fluttered whenever she was around…How his breath would came to a halt…How his thoughts could only concentrate on that petite figure of hers. However, she was the last remaining Cetra and there were many greedy people after her. The soldier promised to be her bodyguard and to lead her out of danger. In return, she owed him a date."

He paused, his breath coming slower.

"He was happy for the first time in his life. Somebody had come to him for help. Somebody so beautiful had approached him and asked him to be her bodyguard. Being labelled as a failure for his whole life, he was flattered and overjoyed. Successfully bringing her out of harm, he could not feel even better." A smile painted his face, "In time to come, he realized that the more she wanted to know him, the more enticing she became to him. As of that, he tried to open up more to her and yes, he no longer deny he was in love."

"Geez," Ariel lifted a palm to cover her heart, "That was beautiful."

"She joined his resistance organisation on the upcoming battles. He was always there to protect her and she was always there to lift up his pain and bring him joy." A small hint of joy flickered in his eyes, "Still remember the date I mentioned to you?"

"Yes."

"Well, on this evening where he was in his room thinking of something, there was a knock on his door."

"It was her, wasn't it!?" By this time, Ariel was squealing delightfully.

Cloud laughed and pulled Ariel closer in his embrace, rocking her gently, "Yes, yes. It was her. He was pleasantly shocked of course, though he tried his best to keep his calm and collected self. She came to him and asked for a date. At first, he was uncertain about it since…well…" He thought for a moment, "I think he was shy."

"Aw, why should he be? The girl loves him, too!"

Cloud's expression suddenly darkened as silence drifted in.

"Anyway," He continued, the normal color returning to his cheeks, "He agreed with persuasion and the both headed for the amusement park. They were very fortunate for they were the 100th couple to step in. That meant they were to play the lead roles in the upcoming play on stage."

Ariel's fingers curled with excitement, "That is so cool! What happened next?"

"He was to play the role of a knight who was supposed to save the fair lady. She…she was the fair lady, of course," A dreamy gaze cast upon his features, "It was like a dream for the both of them when he bent down to kiss her hand. The soldier himself thought he was living a dream…but then again, it felt very real."

"Awww…" Stars sparkled in Ariel's eyes.

"After the play, the both went up on a ride. She started saying a lot of things that he found it hard to understand but…that was typical of her, anyway. She was one who spoke words that sounded magical, yet mysterious. She said something about…wanting to meet him."

There was silence when Ariel caught another unknown expression lingering on his handsome face.

"He was a fool for not knowing what it meant at that moment…" Cloud trailed off.

"But what did that really mean? I don't understand, too." Her eyes clouded with curiosity.

"Love." He answered simply, yet the single word alone allowed the first tear to scratch at his eyes, "She loved him. He never knew until…until…"

Cloud adverted his attention to the misty window where the afternoon sun was beginning to beam in. It created an ethereal mixture of golden and yellow laced into one as the blue-eyed boy watched in wonder.

"Until…?" Ariel prompted.

Cloud let out a sigh, "One night, he dreamt about her. The both of them were in this forest. She…she started saying a lot of weird stuff. It was as if…she didn't have a tomorrow."

Ariel let out a gasp, "Is that true?"

Solemnity appeared in his eyes, "She promised she would be back after everything. She wanted to handle the villain alone. She ran away after that. The soldier tried to chase her, tried to run but he was frozen into one place."

"It is only a dream, right?" Ariel looked hopeful, totally entranced by this fairytale.

Cloud stopped for a long moment before a sigh escaped his lips, "When he woke up, she was no longer with the rest of his friends."

"Oh gosh," Ariel covered her mouth with her palm, "That's terrible."

"He knew where she was. She had told him in her dream. With his friends, they went to find her at the temple," His lips pressed tighter, "She was there, praying feverishly. Praying for the planet, praying for peace. Praying…just praying…"

At this moment, Cloud had his eyes closed momentarily. Ariel could sense the pain ripping through this man. She wanted him to continue, wanted him to tell more. But it seemed as though the story was bringing him grievance, misery and…

Was this fairytale a true story?

Ariel eyed Cloud carefully who now continued his story.

"Then the villain arrived. He controlled the soldier who could only carry out his order without protest. The soldier was a puppet. A puppet. Nothing but a puppet."

"Oh…" Ariel didn't know what to do when she noticed Cloud's fingers cramped in a tight grip. What was going on? She could not apprehend his feelings.

"The villain wanted the flower girl killed…so he made the soldier do the job for him." His eyes closed again, obvious pain flooding through his veins.

"D-Did…Did he?" Ariel asked, a fearful look clinging on to her young girlish features.

"No…" Cloud shook his head slowly, "He almost did but…but when she turned to look at him, her emerald eyes woke him awake. She was smiling…smiling even though he had tried to kill her."

At this point, Cloud was trembling as Ariel held him still, wanting to do anything to comfort this man. Anything.

"The soldier was angry with the villain for wanting him to do something so despicable like this. He wanted to pour out his anger, his hatred for this man but…in the end, it was only grievance that covered everything else."

"Why?" The honey-haired child asked.

"The villain swooped down with his sword that killed so many. The sword that took away the soldier's hometown, his mother…and soon, the only love of his life he held so close to his heart…so close…so close…" Those words lingered on before disappearing into a thin whisper as Cloud heaved over, a blend of emotions held in his eyes. A blend of emotions so strong…so powerful…so much.

"Did she die? The love of his life…Was it her?" By now, Ariel was overcome with a look of fear and worry.

Silence. Overbearing silence.

"Yes." Cloud gave a heavy sigh, as though it had taken all his strength to say this single syllable, "Yes, it was her. The man swooped down and drove his sword right in her heart. The heart that melted the soldier's façade. The heart that touched the lives of so many. The heart…the heart that saved not only the soldier itself…but the heart that saved the people all."

"Oh my…" Ariel looked horrified, "Did he cry?"

"He…He…" Cloud's voice went hoarse for a moment, unable to find the right words that were choking at his voice. He cleared his throat before continuing, "No, he didn't cry. He…he loathed crying. He hated crying. Crying was only an emotion for the weak. He wasn't weak…He wasn't…"

He closed his eyes in grief.

"But his heart was pierced like hers when the villain took her life away. His heart was cold again. His heart was full of vengeance, hatred and the pure taste of revenge. He hated the man to the core. The man had taken everything he was living for. The man…deserved to die." Cloud's eyes wandered to the window again, "And he did die later when the resistance organisation took him down. The soldier was the one who unleashed his finishing moves. Three slashes for three reasons. His mother, his hometown…and his love."

"I…I see." Ariel felt a small blow hit her heart. The story was so tragic! Don't all fairytales have a happy ending?

"He could only watch her as he placed her into the blue waters. Her eyes were closed. She had this serene look on her face…but she was gone. He couldn't accept that. He couldn't live a day without her. For the first time in his life…" Cloud paused for a moment. Ariel looked on as a single tear welled in his eye. "For the first time in his life, he broke down crying. He couldn't take the blow. He only needed one thing, wanted one thing. It was love. Love had stepped into his life, claimed his heart and then flew away, tearing apart his every living soul."

There was brief silence when Ariel spoke into it, "You said it was a fairytale. Fairytales have a happy ending." She tried a hopeful smile, "Did they end up together?"

"Well," Cloud leant in to ruffle the little girl's braided hair, "What do you think, Ariel?"

"I think," She lifted a adorable fist, "I think they will meet again one day and be reunited. Then the soldier will bring her to his home and live happily ever after." Ariel giggled, "Isn't that right?"

A small smile twisted his solemn lips, "As you wish, Ariel."

"But I thought you said the lady was an angel? How could she be an angel while being a fighter and a flower girl?" The child frowned, "It can't be possible."

"And why is that?" Cloud smiled, "The heart is capable of doing a lot. The flower girl is not an angel physically but," He brought his fingers to Ariel's heart, "Here in the heart, she is a pure angel. An angel with the capability to set anybody on flight, an angel with a heart so true, an angel herself. You understand my point, Ariel?"

Ariel let out a merry smile, "Yes! I will prove to you that I am an angel no less!"

"That's wonderful, my little angel." Cloud let out a chuckle.

"Thank you for the story. I enjoyed it."

"You're welcome, as always. Now go play." Cloud lifted Ariel in his arms before dropping her on the ground. Ariel could only happily obliged as she ran out to pick flowers again.

Cloud sighed, leaning back on the wall as he watched Ariel skipped away.

The way she loved picking flowers…

The way her eyes always rounded in an adoring way…

The way she skipped in such a way, she was pratically flying…

She resembled somebody perfectly.

"Ariel told me she heard a beautiful story from you."

Cloud turned to the door where the feminine voice spoke. Instantly, his eyes glowed with happiness as he crossed the room with three quick strides, engulfing the lady in a tight embrace. A hearty laughter sounded like music to his ears as he released her, his eyes never tired of staring into the same orbs each and everyday. He loved every moment he was beside her. He cherished everything about her.

"A soldier and a flower girl, huh? How come you never ever told me about that fairytale? I would love to hear it someday, Cloud." Her eyes sparkled with love as she leant into his arms.

"Oh, I don't have to tell you. The both of us actually lived through it not too long ago." When Cloud said this, he leant forward to place a light kiss on her forehead. It was still sweet, nonetheless.

"Not too long ago? It has already been 6 years since we actually wed, Cloud."

"Oh, remind me again. I still feel young with you."

"Really? I should feel honoured, Cloud."

"You should be. You were the main heroine in that story."

She nuzzled her nose against his, "Flattery, flattery. There must be something you want from me, isn't it?"

"Hmmm…I should have guessed. You knew all my strategies already. Flattery no longer works for you, huh?" He brushed a thumb over her petal-like cheeks, his eyes equalling the love in hers.

"You were smart in catching on." She let out a giggle.

"How about taking our daughter out for a walk then?"

"Oh you're terrible! Using Ariel for your devilish plans!"

"But that is why you love me, isn't it? I'm devilish." He couldn't help but tease.

"Alright, alright…You win."

"As always, Aeris."

And as that, Cloud leant forward and sealed their love with a kiss meant to last longer than eternity, a promise that could not be broken no matter what, a love that could not be forbade even with distance and time itself.

A love that could truly conquer all odds.

A love of a soldier and a flower girl who had found each other in the end.

*

END

Hope all of you enjoyed it! RnR!

As always

Mysterio000

p.s. the almighty one!