A.N. Hi again^^ Okaaayy~~ I know I said I only continue once I got more reviews...Buuutt~ I got a few good ideas how to continue and couldn't resist...v.v ADDED: And man I'm so damn bored right nowxD I should rather finish the last part of my HopexLight fic, but since I can finally play the HD remake from KH, I kinda like KH and AerithxCloud againx'D
Imashitowareto: Thanks again for your review^^ I'm glad you like it. Although I told you I only continue with it when I get more reviews I just couldn't resist. You know if you have a lot cool ideas and you have to wait for reviews...ouf...That's really...really...*sigh* not good...I hope you know what I mean...'cause I don't get the right word to describe it x'D
Illumi: Wie ich schon sagte, du kannst ruhig auf Deutsch schreiben wennde dich so besser ausdrücken kannst^^ (muss ja nich jeder alles mitkriegen und wenn ja können die's ja übersetzen lassenXD) Ach ja und danke für dein Review (Ich weiß ich hab mich schon bedankt aba...XD) Ich werd mich auf jeden fall mehr anstrengen die Umgebung besser zu beschreiben! ;3 Auch wenns mir WIRKLICH sehr schwer fällt v.v''' Bitte sei nachsichtig mit mir wenn ich ein paar Dinge vergesse...Ich war und bin nicht gut in sowas...
Faded Memories
Chapter 2: Faded Memories
Cloud pulled away from her, his eyes as wide as saucers. „Wh-what...did you say?", he stuttered, hoping he heard wrong. „Who are you?", she asked him again and looked at him confused. Cloud looked to the ground. No...this can't be real...she...she can't remember me...? Is...this the condition Gaia talked about?
Cloud clenched his fists tightly, gripping a handful of dirt, while his heart felt like it shattered into million pieces. Again. Feeling the sadness from this strange man, who hugged her moments ago, she tilted her head to looked into his azure blue eyes. „Are you...okay?", she asked him worried. „...No...", he mumbled and closed his eyes, to not look into her eyes. Aerith looked at him worried and thought for a while.
„Hey, what's your name?", she asked him with her normal cheery voice to cheer him up a bit. „...Cloud.", he replied, still avoiding her penetrating gaze. „Cloud, huh?", she repeated his name thoughtfully, while Cloud quickly looked up to her in hope she might remember him now. „You mean...like the clouds in the sky?", she joked and began to giggle, while Cloud let his head hung again.
„Hey, what's wrong?", she asked this stranger again. „Nothing. Don't worry about me..."
„Cloud! Pull yourself together! Whatever happened to you it can't be that bad!", she said, trying to cheer him up. „It's worse than you think.", he mumbled, while Aerith pouted. „Then tell me."
„No..." Aerith pouted even more and began to pull on Clouds cheeks. „Don't be so grumpy! You have to smile! Smile!", she said to cheer him up and started to giggle. Cloud finally looked at Aerith and felt his cheeks began to heat up. „Come on! Smile, Grumpy!", Aerith pulled even more on his cheeks so that he smiles.
Kinda. Cloud slowly reached up, took her wrists gently and pilled her hands off his face. „I don't want to smile...", he mumbled and looked to the ground again. „Why not?", asked Aerith curiously and leaned in, her face just millimeter away from his, which let Clouds blush grow. „I...don't have any reasons to smile...", he explained, not being able to look away from her beautiful eyes this time.
„Why? There are lots of reasons to smile!", she said and smiled brightly at him, like she used to back then. „Oh by the way...where are we? And how do you know my name?", asked the green-eyed Cetra finally curiously. „We're in the Forgotten City and we know each other already."
„Oh really? But...I don't remember you..." Cloud sighed quietly and got up. „I'll explain everything to you. But for now I should take you back to our friends." He gently took Aerith's wrist — taking her hand would be too awkward — and dragged her with him. „Hey, stop!" Cloud stopped and looked over his shoulder. „What is it?"
„I don't think a lady like me should go with a stranger like you.", she said teasingly and smirked at him. „On our first meeting you didn't care too.", he replied and dragged her with him again. „Really?"
„Yeah. And don't worry. I won't do anything to you.", he said calmly. „Oh, and I shall believe you, because...?"
„I'm your bodyguard.", he replied. „Bodyguard? You're kidding, right?"
„No." Aerith pouted at him again. „You're not that talkative, are you?", she asked the stranger who dragged her somewhere. „Not really..."
„How did you become my bodyguard?", asked Aerith the blonde stranger curious, while he sighed quietly. „Listen, I'll explain everything to you later, okay?"
„Oh I'm sorry for asking!" She pouted even more and freed herself from his grip. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and led the way now. „Hey, wait!" Cloud ran to catch up with her and held her back by holding her shoulder.
„Listen...We have to figure out what you remember first, okay? I mean...", Cloud sighed quietly. „I know you don't know me, but I know you. I swear I wouldn't do anything to you. Ever. Just...Please come with me. I...I Just want to help you to get your memories back, okay?", said Cloud and threw all his pride away. He looked at her with pleading eyes, while Aeriths ones softened and she agreed.
They went side by side to the Sleeping Forest, where he left Fenrir. „Is that yours?", asked Aerith and looked at Cloud frightened. „Yeah. Come on." Cloud held his hand out to her to help her getting on Fenrir, but she took a step back. „Eh? You don't expect me to ride his thing, do you?"
„Sure I do. Is there a problem?", he asked and raised an eyebrow. „S-sure there's a problem! I won't ride this thing!", she said, turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. „I rather walk."
„It's pretty far...", replied Cloud with a sigh. „I don't care.", she said stubbornly and started to walk away. Cloud sighed once again and grabbed her arm, spun her around and placed her roughly but gently on Fenrir before she could even protest. Cloud climbed on as well and Aerith finally realized what just happened. „H-hey!"
„We're faster this way, just hold on.", he said over his shoulder and started Fenrir, while she immediately wrapped her arms around his midsection and held him very very tight. „Hey...Don't worry, I'll drive carefully."
„You better do!" Cloud couldn't hold back a small smile and drove off to Edge.
A few hours later they finally arrived Edge, and were about to enter Tifa's bar, but Cloud stopped at the entrance. Aerith, who didn't expect him to stop so abruptly, went against him. „Hey, Aerith?"
„Hm?"
„Some of these guys might hug you or even jump on you so...be prepared." Aerith looked at him curiously, but before she could ask him what he meant he entered the bar. „Hey, ya spiky ass! Where the fucking hell have ya been?", greeted Cid him as kindly as ever. „The Forgotten City.", he replied and ignored Cid's comment. „Without us?", Tifa said and put her hand on her hips. „You were too slow."
„What happened there?", asked Vincent as calmly as ever. „Did it work?", wanted Red XIII to know.
„Well..." Cloud looked over his shoulder and noticed Aerith hid behind him. He stepped aside to reveal Aerith to the others. Suddenly everyone went quiet, even Yuffie. They all just stared at Aerith with wide eyes and with open mouth's. „Oh my...god...", whispered Tifa, who was the only one who could say something, while Aerith looked at them nervously.
„Uhm...Hel—" Aerith was interrupted by Yuffie, who ran to her and tackled her in a tight hug. Both of them fell to the ground. „Aerith!", exclaimed Yuffie over and over again, while she started cry. Then Tifa ran to them and hugged Aerith as well. She couldn't hold back her tears either. „Aerith!"
Aerith looked at them in confusion and then up to Cloud, asking him silently what to do. Cloud nod slightly to tell her everything's alright and Aerith hugged them back. The blonde man looked amused to the guys, who still stared at Aerith in shock. „Aerith...you're back...! You're really back...!", sobbed Tifa, still hugging Aerith tightly.
A few minutes later Yuffie and Tifa calmed down and let go of Aerith, while the guys finally got over their shock-status and went to her. „It's good to see ya again, Aerith!", said Barret and hugged her lightly. Aerith got a bit frightened when she noticed his gun-arm, but he seemed to be a nice guy. „Yeah, our little flower girl's back.", said Cid, with a smirk on his face. Vincent just nodded in her direction, a small gracing his lips, which was mostly covered though, while Aerith nodded back.
Red XIII approached her too and nudged her lightly with his nose. „I'm glad you're back, Aerith.", he said, while Aerith knelled down and patted him lightly on his head. She was surprised at first as he began to talk, but it's kinda cute. On Red XIIIs back was a black stuffed cat, Cait Sith. „Me too! We all missed you so much!", said Cait Sith happily.
„Yeah, especially our spiky ass over there!", said Cid and pointed to Cloud. Aerith looked to Cloud curiously, while he quickly looked away from her to hide his blush. „That's great, but..." Aerith paused and looked to the ground. „Could you all please tell me..." She looked back up to them with a sad expression.„...who you are?"
Everyone went quiet again and looked at Aerith in shock. „What?!" They looked to Cloud, urging him to explain this. „She lost her memories...", he said and looked away from them to hide his also sad expression. „But...how?", asked Tifa them. „I don't know. I just did everything what I read in this book...Okay, Gaia said something about a condition...but I didn't expect...this..." Aerith's eyes widened when he mentioned Gaia. „You...talked to the planet? How?"
„With this." Cloud pulled the white Materia out of his pocket and held it to her. „Here."
„Eh? You give it to me?"
„It's yours.", he said and Aerith took it and examined it. „...Mine? What's this Materia for?", she asked Cloud curious, who raised an eyebrow. She forgot?, wondered Cloud and then got an idea. „Well, this Materia is good for absolutely nothing.", he said with a very small smirk, while it's Aerith's turn to raise an eyebrow. „Good for nothing? You just don't know how to use it."
„I know how to use it. It just won't work.", said Cloud, copying Aerith's words as they met at her church for the first time. „Well in that case you can give it to me!", said Yuffie immediately and held her hand to them with a giant grin. „No. It's Aerith's. I was just kidding. With this Materia I was able to talk to the planet and you can summon Holy with it too.", explained Cloud calmly, while Yuffie's grin disappeared and was replaced with a pout.
„Holy...", repeated Aerith and tapped her chin thoughtfully. „Do you remember something?", asked Barret her curiously. „...No. It's just a feeling of familiarity...", she said and examined the white Materia again and then her dress, like she's searching for something. „What's wrong?", asked Tifa. „I...have no pockets..."
„You have to tie your hair in a braid.", said Cloud, while Tifa and Yuffie help her best friend with it. Although you look prettier with your hair down..., he added in his head. „And what now?", asked Aerith the blonde swordsman as they finished it, while he went to her and pulled a pink ribbon out of his pocket. It's her ribbon. He kept it since the day she died. Cloud tied the ribbon and with it the white Materia on her braid. „Wow that's...really clever."
„You always wear it like this.", said Tifa with a big smile on her face.
A few hours later, once they all introduced themselves, they thought for a plan. It's almost midnight. „Stop, stop!", Tifa interrupted their arguments. „I think we should ask Aerith what she still remembers, don't you think? Then we can argue what to do next." Everyone went silent and agreed with her. „So Aerith, what do you remember?", asked Vincent from his corner.
„Hm, let's see...I remember my name...my family...that I'm a Cetra...my childhood...Elmyra..." Aerith paused and almost everyone leaned in a bit in hope she'll remember something about their journey. „That's all I guess...", she finished with a sigh and the others joined her sigh. „I'm sorry..."
„Hey, you don't have to apologize...I'm sure you get your memories back, it's just a matter of time.", assured Tifa and smiled sadly. She doesn't even remember Zack?, noticed Cloud noticed and thought for a while. I have to know! „Aerith? Do you...know someone named Zack?", asked Cloud, while Aerith's eyes widened slightly. „Zack...you say...?" Aerith put a hand on her chest and looked down. „...This name's so...familiar...I think...I heard it somewhere before...", she said thoughtfully.
„He was..." Cloud paused and gulped. „He was your first love." It hurt him very much to say this, but she has a right to now. „R-really?"
„Yeah...", he said with a sigh. Aerith thought for a while and gasped. „I remember him!", she suddenly yelled and gained everyone's attention. „You remember him?", asked Tifa, while Aerith nodded rapidly. „I met him when I was...15! He was...a SOLDIER 1st class and...and went off for a mission. But...he never came back...", said Aerith, while Cloud looked to the ground to hide his hurt expression. His heart thumped painfully in his chest, it really hurts him to know that Aerith remembered Zack and not him...Perhaps...their time together was too short for her to remember?
„He died back then...", explained Cloud, who still looked to the ground. „He...he died?", asked Aerith in pure disbelieve. „Yeah..." Guess she doesn't even remember her time in the lifestream either. „We were tracked by Shin-Ra. We were some kind of...test objects."
„Y-you too?", she asked him in pure shock. „Yeah. We were best friends.", he replied with a nod, while Aerith looked worried at him. „Um, hey tell me how we met!", said Aerith then out of the blue with her cheery voice again. She didn't want Cloud to feel sad. „Hey, isn't that the part where you fell from the Mako reactor?", asked Tifa jokingly. „No, um...We met before that. But it was really short."
„Tell me!", she commanded excitedly „Well...You sold flowers and I bought one and that was all." Aerith tilted her head. „I remember I sold flowers...but I can't remember I sold one to you...", she said thoughtfully, while Cloud sighed quietly. „Tell me how we met officially!" Cloud couldn't help but smiled unnoticeable. Guess she really wants to remember me. „I fell from the Mako reactor five and...fell through the roof of your church into a flower bed.", said Cloud, still hoping she'll remember him now.
Aerith hummed quietly and thought hardly for a while. „I remember my church, the flowers...and...wait! I met you the exact same way how I met Zack?"
„Yeah. I guess..."
„Hmm...Ah, I don't remember!", she said frustrated and held her head. „Hey, hey! Maybe you'll remember him when you go to your church?", suggested Yuffie, while Aerith agreed. „Tomorrow!", said Tifa and stopped everyone, who wanted to go out of the bar. „It's too late now. We should go to sleep."
„But I'm not sleepy...", whined Aerith disappointed. „It feels like I slept for years." Which is actually true..., replied the whole group in thought. Suddenly Aerith gasped. „I remember something!" Everyone turned their attention back to her immediately. „What do you remember?", Yuffie asked her excitedly.
„This Materia...My mom gave it to me before she died! I always wondered what it's for...Mom always said it's a really important Materia, I have to protect it the whole time, because it'll save the planet! Now I know...You all said it. I can summon Holy with it and save the planet if something will happen.", she said happily. „Aerith, you already saved the planet.", said Tifa then. „Eh?"
„You already summoned Holy. But...let's talk about it tomorrow, okay? We have to sleep.", said the black-haired martial artist and yawned. „Tifa's right. It's really late and we should be well rested if we want to help you to get your memories back.", agreed Cloud. „Um, and where...?"
„You sleep here of course!", interrupted Tifa the young Cetra quickly. „We won't let you go now that you're back again!", she added, while Cloud went to the front door. „She can sleep in my room. I go somewhere else.", he said and opened the door. „But Cloud!" Tifa tried to stop him, while he just looked over his shoulder. „See you guys tomorrow." With that said he left the bar.
„Say...is he always like that?", asked Aerith Tifa curious, who still looked to the door. „Don't worry he's worse!", replied Cid, while everyone — except for Vincent, Aerith and Tifa — laughed. „Don't believe him! He's very kind and he cares a lot about his friends, you'll see.", assured Tifa and smiles at Aerith. Well...that was before you died..., she added in her mind. „Oh, he cares? You kiddin' me? That spiky ass ignored us for three years!", said Barret a bit too loud.
„Barret, shut up! The kids are sleeping!", said Tifa to shut him. „And he's just frustrated...", she added. „Frustrated? About what?", asked Aerith the black-haired girl. „Uh...I'll tell you later. We should sleep now, come on I show you your room." Then Tifa went upstairs. „We should go too.", said Yuffie and yawned.
The rest of the group agreed and left the bar. „Come on, Aerith.", said Barret said and went upstairs, where Tifa disappeared. Aerith followed him. „You sleep here." Barret pointed to the room on the right. „Good night.", he added and entered his own room. „Good night.", replied Aerith and entered Cloud's room.
As she entered it she stood there in shock. This room's was a total mess, especially the table. Let's say there are so many sheets of paper you can't even see a table...„I'm really sorry, but Cloud never cleaned his room...", apologized Tifa, while she hectically ran around the room to clean it.
„It's okay...Let me help you.", Aerith quickly rushed to her to help her. „No, no! That's not necessary!", said Tifa but Aerith ignored her and helped her to clean Clouds room. About an hour later they finally finished cleaning and got some sleep...They were so tired that they both collapsed on Cloud's bed and fell asleep instantly.
Cloud lied on his 'bed' in Aerith's church. He still couldn't get some sleep. Not after what happened this day. „Aerith...", he mumbled. „Now I know what you wanted to tell me..." Aerith knew that she'll loose her memories, that's why she tried to stop him. It all made sense now...
„I'm sorry I didn't listen to you..." When Aerith told him that she didn't remember him...that she just remembered her childhood and Zack...he felt sadder and even more hurt than ever. Aerith was once again right...Cloud sighed and turned around to his side and blamed himself for everything what happened .
He should have listened to her! But then again...Gaia didn't say she won't remember him in time. Though...She didn't even told him she will forget anything...And even if she didn't remember him now, he still loved her and was the happiest man alive. I mean...She's back and that's all that mattered, right?
He will do anything to help her and protect her of course. Even if he failed her one time...He won't let this happen a second time! And when she finally remembered him — and of course everyone else too — this hard work will worth it! Defiantly! Then he'll tell her what she meant to him. That she was his guiding light. His angel, his...everything. Cloud closed his eyes.
He couldn't help but smiling about this thought. He didn't even consider what he'd do when she rejected him. All he wanted to think about right now was how well everything will turn out. And it didn't take long until he fell into a peaceful slumber.
A.N. Okaaayyy~~ a new chappy's done! I wanted to upload it earlier but I have Easter holidays now, okay till Monday now...v.v'' I visited my parents and was too lazy to write on both of my fanfics, but I didn't do nothing the whole week! I continued with them once in a whileXD I'm home tomorrow that means either on weekend or next week I upload a new chappy. Either the 3rd chappy of "Faded Memories" or the 15th chappy of "Love Triangle at Midgar High". You can look forward to it! See ya later and please review!^^
