The thin line between Sacrifice and Suicide…

Now, I want you all to know that Aeris is my least favourite character in Final Fantasy VII. So why would I write a fanfiction about her? Easy, I felt that this idea needed to come across.

(redone 27/02/05)


Everything is crystal. The water, the buildings, even the stepping stones are translucent and glittering. It is a beautiful place, My ancestors must have been very happy living here. It's a shame I am not. Why am I even here? Trying to save the world that abused my race, killed my people, sought my lands to use for their own profit.

Why am I helping them?

Sure I thought Cloud cute the first time I laid eyes on him in that church. But what made me ask him to take me home? If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have bothered with all this saving the planet business.

Of course I had a conscience, and that stupid thing made me feel the need to help my adoptive mother. But in doing so I am helping ShinRa, I am praying for Holy to stop that bloody meteor killing us all.

Why bother when I know I am going to die?

Yes. I know that Sephiroth is above me, my real mother told me whilst praying. She is begging me to stand up and run, to save myself and try and save the Planet some other time. She thinks I am being noble as I continue to clasp my hands together and bow my head.

The truth is that I am just using this to wait for Sephiroth, I don't want to live anymore. Being the last Cetra is the most terrible burden for anyone to carry, I alone will be responsible if ShinRa get their hands on the Promised Land, for I alone know how to get hands on the Promised Land. It would be easier for my entire race if I left this Planet and joined them, its not like there isnt an afterlife. I'm not giving up living, I'm just moving on from this life.

Theres a difference.

I don't even need to pray for Holy anyway. I already have it. I have had it since I was a small child, do you remember me telling that blonde swordsman about my materia my mother gave me? I had it tied up in my hair, no one would ever think of looking for a materia there. I always knew what my Holy was, just never felt the need to tell anyone, plus now I can die and make it look like I have a worthy, noble reason for doing it.

I have a reputation to keep.

I can hear some people approaching. It sounds like Cloud, Nanaki and the ninja, above me Sephiroth is whispering, he knows I know he's there. He knows I want him to kill me, yet he still wants to inflict torture on the chocobo haired man in front of me. Cloud unsheathes his sword and makes to slash me, the tips of my lips curl upwards as the tip of his sword looms closer.

Only the yells of Yuffie and Red stop him, my heart gives a slight jolt. I do not want the girl to witness death, still, there is nothing I can do about that now. Sephiroth shifts far above me and I know it is time.

Soon...

I lift my head to lock eyes with Clouds. My lips form a smile, it is mainly for maintaining my reputation. I want them to think that I am oblivious to the silver haired killed lurking high above us. I don't want them to know that I planned this. Hopefully they will get the Holy materia and no-one will be any wiser as to why it was in my hair, to enforce this I loosened it considerably. All I have to do left is wait until my killer…no, my saviour leaps down then throw my head forward to dislodge the materia.

Soon...

There is a whoosh and I know Sephiroth has jumped. I gaze into Clouds eyes as he torments himself for what he almost did. They widen considerably as he notices his original but is too late to do anything. I feel a piercing in my back and hold my breath as the masamune impales me, pain above pain shoots up my spine and I see the blade protruding from the front of my dress.

I am hard pressed to keep from smiling wider.

Externally I hear the young ninja yelling at Sephiroth and internally I hear the rest of the Cetra race gasp in shock. I whisper a small prayer, barely moving my mouth then throw my head forward onto my chest, successfully dislodging the holy materia.

My life force ebbs as I hear Sephiroth pull his beloved sword back out of my back then fly off laughing. I close my eyes and mentally grin as my mortal body collapses onto the alter in the city of Ancients. My soul leaves and I fly off to rejoin my mother and relatives in the Promised land. I can watch over Cloud from there.

Just goes to show how thin the line is between Sacrifice and Suicide.