Aftermath
It's been just a little over two years. Two years since the sheer power of Meteor and Holy left me speechless. Two years since I heard Sephiroth's voice. Two years since I saw Aerith's smile. I wonder what she'd say if she could see me now. Most likely she'd chide me for acting the way I do. For being so defeatist, for feeling so miserable. We saved the planet two years ago, and I always thought that staring death in the face would lead me to some great epiphany regarding life. And this, the aftermath, would be the part where that happened.
I'm still waiting.
But then again, perhaps I was just naive, back then. I always thought that after we saved the planet, we'd all live happily ever after. Maybe we'd carry on travelling around together, maybe we'd drift apart - Vincent would return to Nibelheim, Nanaki to Cosmo Canyon, Aerith to her church. I never thought she wouldn't be there to see the end of our journey. Sometimes Barret will ask me about Cloud. I always let him know how the courier service is going, trivialities like that. But I know what he's really asking me, and he knows what I can't bring myself to say. She wouldn't have wanted it this way, I'm sure, but Aerith will always be there.
"Where's Cloud?"
I scan the room for a moment before I realise.
"...He's not here."
I don't know why it even surprises me any more.