Chapter Twenty One: Awakenings
Tifa and Red remained with Cloud over the next half hour, sitting beside him and watching as he seemed to struggle to regain consciousness. His expression changed between relaxed, worried, and even pained, and the muscles in his limbs were tense as he occasionally flexed his fingers or tried to move his legs. Tifa noticed that a short distance away, Sephiroth finally seemed to be coming around as well. Though his progress was a bit slower, Aeris looked relieved as she stayed at his side with Vincent close by. It seemed he would awaken again after all, though Tifa wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.
When Cloud's eyelids finally fluttered, then slowly opened, Tifa broke into a wide grin, already feeling several tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. His gaze was unfocused and confused, but after he blinked a few times he looked up into her eyes with recognition.
"Cloud!" she cried, leaning down to hug him when he, too, began to smile. He looked stunned, but awkwardly hugged her back, briefly closing his eyes again. Tifa held him as tightly as she could for fear that he would lapse back into a coma, then realized she was probably strangling him and released her grip, pulling back and blushing with embarrassment. "I'm so glad you're okay! What happened?!"
Cloud blinked again as if his vision still wasn't quite clear, then slowly shook his head as he managed to sit up with Barret's assistance. The others gathered around, but remained a bit farther back, looking on with curiosity and relief. They knew enough to give Cloud some space, and Tifa was grateful beyond words.
"It was... something with Jenova," he muttered as if he'd been sleeping for centuries, rubbing at his eyes as he looked thoughtfully at the tall blades of grass. "I'm not sure what she did, exactly. But she had Sephiroth and I trapped in her mind somehow... Did you kill her? And that man?" Cloud spoke quickly as he voiced his questions, troubled by his lack of knowledge of the events that occurred while he was unconscious. He looked wildly between Tifa and the others for answers.
"We caused she and Zack to retreat," Red said calmly, his tail flicking behind him every few seconds. "But we failed... Zack got the Black Materia."
"Damn," Cloud muttered, looking distressed. Then, suddenly, he turned his head to the left as if he had forgotten something desperately important. Tifa watched as his eyes focused on Sephiroth, who still had not awakened. He frowned briefly at the way Aeris was caring for him, then turned back to Tifa with concern.
"Is he all right?" Cloud asked, surprising her immensely. She never would have expected him to bother asking, much less seem so concerned about the answer.
"I'm not sure," she answered, careful to keep any emotion from her tone. "He's been unconscious like you were."
"He was with me, where Jenova trapped us... and I thought we found the way out together. He was right behind me!" Cloud exclaimed, frustrated. "If he lied to me and decided to... to..." He paused, shaking his head as if deciding not to complete the statement and ignoring the stares he received. "He better wake up," he finished flatly, blinking away his remaining dizziness as Tifa continued to support him.
Aeris turned away from Sephiroth to smile at Cloud, relief evident on her face. "I'm so glad you're all right, Cloud," she said quietly. "I was really worried... We all were."
Cloud nodded his thanks, then climbed to his feet with Tifa's help. Slowly, he made his way over to Aeris and Sephiroth and stood above them, looking down with a deep frown. Tifa was baffled over his sudden concern for Sephiroth's well being, but said nothing and allowed him to lean on her, trying not to think about how wonderful the closeness was. As Aeris turned back to Sephiroth, still holding his hand, he suddenly turned his head to one side, muttering something under his breath that no one could make out. Aeris' eyes went wide, and Tifa noted that Cloud's entire body relaxed. She herself was a bit fearful and would have taken a few steps away if she hadn't had Cloud's arm around her.
"Sephiroth?" Aeris asked quietly, tilting her head to study him.
"What do you want?" he said quite distinctly after a brief pause, his tone annoyed as if he had been awakened from a particularly pleasant dream.
"You're awake!" Aeris exclaimed, leaning over to embrace him much as Tifa had done with Cloud. Sephiroth's eyes opened with a start, and he looked so stunned that it was almost comical. He did not return Aeris' show of affection, but did seem to relax as he visibly attempted to regain his bearings.
"So I am..." Sephiroth muttered, looking up at Aeris with a bit of embarrassment as she pulled away, blushing when she realized that everyone had been watching. Off to her right, Tifa swore she almost saw Vincent smile before he quickly turned his face into the high collar of his cloak.
Sephiroth gradually managed to sit up on his own, holding his head in his hands and frowning as if in pain. But after a moment, he hopped to his feet without assistance and looked back in the direction of the Temple. He appeared surprised to see it gone, but did not question what had happened. Instead, he turned and looked at Cloud, who met his gaze without his usual burning anger. Tifa was stunned, wondering what had happened between them while they were with Jenova.
"I trust you are well?" Sephiroth asked, briefly looking him over. Cloud nodded sharply, almost like a soldier facing his superior.
"I am. And you?" Cloud asked, surprising Tifa even further. She decided that they would have to talk later, in private. Besides, there were a lot of things she'd decided she needed to tell him now, having come so close to losing him. The thought of him being gone from her world terrified her, and Tifa was ashamed for having kept so much from him for so long. No matter how hard it was, she was determined not to waste any more time. She could only hope it wasn't a decision she'd come to regret.
"I am fine. And... thank you, Cloud."
If Cloud's attitude toward Sephiroth hadn't been shocking enough, Sephiroth's offer of thanks stunned everyone speechless for well over a minute. Tifa had no idea to what he referred, but his tone was genuine, and the emotion actually shone through in his eyes. She also noted the way he'd glanced at Aeris when speaking the words, which further troubled her. Yes, she and Cloud definitely needed to talk, and not just about their own awkward relationship...
"Well," Cloud finally broke the tense silence, looking around to make sure each member of the group was unharmed. He seemed pleased to find them all in one piece, though with a few minor injuries here and there, then turned back to look at the place where the Temple had once been. "Shin-ra is sure to notice this, especially since Tseng was here and got attacked. They'll be coming to investigate soon enough, and I don't want to be here when they arrive."
"So... what da hell are we gonna do? The chocobos left when we got here," Barret said, trying desperately to hide his relief that Cloud was all right and back to leading the group. As much as he hated taking orders and still thought he should be in charge, Tifa knew he had grown to respect Cloud, even if the two would most like never be close friends.
"Return to the coast and catch new ones, dumbass!" Cid exclaimed between puffs on his cigarette, an angry black and blue lump standing out on his forehead.
"What, and go back to Mideel?!" Yuffie shrieked in horror. "I hate that place! They only have crappy Materia! And pleeeeease, no more boats!"
Cloud sighed heavily as if remembering how difficult being leader could be after his brief break, then shrugged his shoulders. Tifa remained closer to his side than she needed to now that he was standing on his own, unable to shake the protectiveness she felt toward him. "We won't make it back to the coast by dark," he said, glancing up at the late afternoon sky. "Let's get as far from here as we can, set up camp for the night, and worry about the rest in the morning."
No one argued with the decision, and soon the group was walking through the woods again, this time headed away from the crater where the Temple of the Ancients had once stood. They moved slowly at first, allowing Cloud and Sephiroth a bit more time to recover, but they were able to pick up the pace before long. Tifa tried to enjoy the beauty of the woods in the humid afternoon, but with so much on her mind all she could think about was reaching a camp site and finally being able to talk to Cloud alone.
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Later that night, a few hours after Avalanche had stopped traveling and set up camp, Tifa and Cloud sat outside of their tents together, the rest of the group having retired for the evening. Cloud wasn't sure why Tifa had asked him there, since he was exhausted from his ordeal and knew that she had to be tired as well, but he'd been too nervous and excited to refuse the invitation. Besides, it had been far too long since the two of them had really talked, too caught up in their adventures to spend time on their friendship as of late. Sitting there beside her in the grass, a full moon shining down over the woods and crickets chirping in the background, Cloud did his best not to worry and simply enjoy the time with her.
He wanted badly to ask her why she'd wanted to meet so late at night, but couldn't force himself to form the words. Instead, he periodically glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye, trying not to be obvious about it. Each time, he found she was looking somewhere else, as if her thoughts were miles away. Finally, after almost ten minutes of the same, Cloud shook his head and sighed, frustrated with himself.
"Cloud?" Tifa asked, turning her body to face him. He blushed, not realizing how loud the sound had been, and finally managed to meet Tifa's eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay? I mean... after everything that happened today."
The concern in her eyes made Cloud's heart leap with joy, though he felt guilty for making her worry. Still, he wasn't quite sure how to answer the simple question, fearing he didn't yet know the answer himself.
"I guess so," he said with a shrug, hating how uncertain he sounded. He saw Tifa frown, studying him so intently that it made him squirm.
"Well," Tifa said, her voice quiet. "Do you... umm... want to talk about it?"
Cloud thought for a minute, part of him wanting to tell her everything, all of his fears and worries, while another part wanted to run away and hide. Still, she was his friend, and he knew he could trust her. He felt like he needed to talk to someone about the events of that day, and there was no one else he felt comfortable with. Sighing again, he propped his chin up in the palm of one hand and looked off into the trees.
"It was weird, Tifa," he began, his voice quiet and thoughtful. "Jenova showed up, and there was this awful pain in my head, like someone trying to force my skull open. Then I must have passed out, because when I woke up again, I was with Sephiroth on this island." He paused, looking over and finding her a bit puzzled, yet interested in what he was saying. Knowing that she cared relaxed him a bit and allowed him to continue.
"Jenova asked us to serve her... and she kept saying she was our mother. It was Sephiroth who told her we wouldn't help her, which surprised me. I was afraid she was going to win him over again, and then they'd kill me or something. She got really mad when he told her she wasn't his mother, and attacked him. That was when we ended up trapped in a dungeon."
"Jenova thinks you're her son, too?" Tifa asked, sliding a bit closer to Cloud as he related the story. "Why?"
"I don't know... She kept saying Sephiroth was her first born, but that we were brothers. It really made me mad." Cloud shivered at the thought of having such relatives. "I told her that my mother was dead, and that I had nothing to do with her. But she didn't seem to believe me..."
"But you were able to get away from her?"
"Yeah... Jenova gave up trying to win us over and seemed ready to kill us, or at least me. She was holding me way up in the air, and Sephiroth somehow got out of his chains and made her let me go. He... well, he saved my life, as much as I hate to admit it."
"Really?" Tifa asked in surprise, her warm brown eyes widening. "Sephiroth did that?" Cloud nodded, still having trouble believing it himself.
"Then the dungeon started to collapse, and we were knocked out by falling rocks. When we woke up again, we were in this beautiful field, by a lake, and we could see images of everyone back in the woods. Even our own bodies... It was so peaceful that I didn't really mind staying until I realized what would happen if I did."
"You... you saw me…? When I was trying to wake you up?" Tifa asked, and Cloud noted the nervousness in her voice. He smiled slightly, reaching over and softly placing a hand on her shoulder. The memory was fresh in his mind, warming his heart as he recalled how she'd stayed by his side.
"I did. And I wanted to thank you for standing by me. You didn't have to do that for me, Tifa." Cloud wasn't used to people sacrificing for him, and the thought of it made him distinctly uncomfortable even though he was warmed by her concern for him.
"Don't be silly! That's what best friends are for," she said with a smile. Cloud's stomach came alive with butterflies, unable to stop thinking about how beautiful she was in the moonlight. Finally, he forced himself to look away, a faint smile still playing across his lips.
"I wasn't sure we'd make it back for a while there," he went on a moment later with a much more serious expression. "I didn't know how to get back to reality, even though I wanted to and I could see how upset you were. But Sephiroth knew how. Only..."
Cloud's voice trailed off, and he looked down at the ground. For some reason, he wasn't sure if he should continue the story. It seemed very personal for some reason, and he wasn't sure why he was protecting Sephiroth by not telling Tifa what he had almost done.
"Only what?" she asked when he didn't go on, leaning forward with interest. "You and Sephiroth seemed... less angry with each other after you woke up. What happened, Cloud? You can tell me... I promise to keep it to myself."
Cloud looked up and met her eyes, finding genuine concern and honesty there. He would have expected no less, and smiled despite the doubts raging in his mind. "All right... I just don't think everyone needs to know this. But I trust you, Tifa... When we were unable to get back to our bodies, Sephiroth knew that we just had to focus on why we should return and will ourselves to wake up. He told me how, even encouraged me to do it. But he... Tifa, Sephiroth wasn't going to wake up."
"You don't mean that he was going to... kill himself, do you?" Tifa nearly whispered in disbelief. He dared to look up at her again and nodded miserably.
"He decided he had nothing to go back for, so he was going to intentionally stay there and allow his body to die. He said it was safer for everyone that way, and that he didn't want to live as a murderer any more. But I... told him that he had to wake up, because I wouldn't leave him and be responsible for his death. He was so different in there, Tifa. More like he used to be when I served with him, only a lot more relaxed. Even his eyes, they were more human somehow. It was so strange. I still knew what he had done, but I just... I couldn't leave him there knowing he was committing suicide. I'm so sorry..."
Cloud felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders when he spoke those words. He had said it, admitted to his best friend that he'd saved the life of a mass murderer and their worst enemy. When the opportunity for revenge had presented itself, he was too weak to take it, and allowed him to get away again. Cloud hung his head, unable to face her, fearing the disappointment he'd see on her face.
"Sorry?" Tifa said, reaching out and draping an arm around Cloud's shoulder. He was so upset that he almost didn't notice, staring at the ground in shame.
"Yeah," he whispered. "I brought back the man that took everything from us when I had the chance to end it. You should hate me, Tifa. I failed you again, just like in Nibelheim."
"Cloud, no! You've never failed me. And I certainly don't hate you!" Tifa nearly exclaimed, then looked around with worry when she realized how loud her voice had been. "In fact...," she went on in a much softer tone, "I'm proud of you."
Cloud looked up with disbelief, his mouth dropping open slightly as he saw the admiration and open affection in her eyes. "F-for what?" he stammered, finally realizing how close they were sitting, his cheeks flushing red.
"For doing the right thing, just like you always do," Tifa said with a fond smile. "You're always so selfless and willing to sacrifice for someone else, no matter what your personal feelings are. That's just one of the things I... like so much about you. I know how you feel about Sephiroth, but you were a big enough person to help him when he needed it."
"Really? You... you mean that...?" Cloud asked, absently leaning in a bit closer to her. The night was a cool one, and Tifa's arm around him was warm and reassuring.
"Of course, you dufus!" Tifa said affectionately, grinning widely. "I'm honored to call you my best friend, Cloud Strife."
Cloud smiled even as he blushed more fiercely, relieved almost to giddiness that he hadn't let her down after all. He could only hope that Sephiroth would keep his end of the deal and never hurt another person. Because if he did, Cloud felt he would be just as much to blame. Thinking of the one person he was most concerned about, Cloud took a deep breath and looked to Tifa again.
"It was hard, talking him into coming back, especially given my feelings about him," he said quietly, unsure of how to phrase what he wanted to say. "But I thought of the people who really would care about him if he were to die. I told him Vincent would be upset, for one, and that his real mother wouldn't want him to give up so easily. And... then I showed him how concerned Aeris was. That was what persuaded him to live, I think..."
"Aeris?" Tifa asked with a mixture of concern and amusement. "You think that she… likes him? As more than a friend...? I've noticed that she's been talking to him an awful lot, but I thought she was just being polite because no one else wants to be around him. But she did seem awfully upset when he wouldn't wake up." Tifa shook her head, still trying to digest the possibility. Even still, Cloud thought she definitely looked as if the suspicion had already crossed her mind. "That would be so strange... What if it's true?"
"I dunno," Cloud said with an awkward shrug. "It seemed to matter an awful lot to him what she would think of his death... I don't like the idea at all, but they do seem to be getting a little... too close. I'll have to talk to Aeris about it, before it's too late. She could be placing herself in danger."
Tifa frowned thoughtfully, then finally lifted her free arm in a show of helplessness. "Unfortunately, they're both adults with the right to decide things like that for themselves. It's probably nothing but a bit of a friendship because she feels sorry for him. But even if it is something more I'm not sure it's any of our business no matter how much we hate the idea..."
"Unless he hurts her," Cloud stated firmly. "If he does, I'll make him regret it."
"I think Aeris can take care of herself, Cloud," Tifa said with a crooked grin. "Her judgments of character are usually pretty accurate. Even if I agree that this time she might be a little off…"
"I guess..."
"I don't think we should worry about it too much," Tifa assured him, yawning as she looked up into the starlit sky. "I don't think there's really anything going on between them, anyway. I can't see Sephiroth being interested... and Aeris is everyone's friend, you know that. Especially the people who need it the most."
"Yeah... Besides, now we have to track down this Zack before he uses the Black Materia, in addition to worrying about Shin-ra. I think that's enough to deal with."
"Agreed," Tifa said, finally removing her arm from around Cloud and climbing to her feet. She offered him a hand up, which he accepted, then suddenly stepped forward to hug him tightly. Cloud held her for long moments, resting his head on her shoulder before they hastily pulled apart. He felt the heat coming off of his skin and knew for certain that his face was bright red, though he noticed that Tifa's was, too. "Good night, Cloud," she said, smiling as she walked away.
"Good night, Tifa," he replied, though inside he was cursing himself for again not admitting his feelings for her when he had the chance.
I love you…
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Aeris awoke with a start, throwing off her sleeping bag and bolting upright. She was soaked in sweat, her body trembling as her heart raced in her chest. She struggled to slow her breathing, lifting shaking one hand to her forehead.
"Gods..." she whispered, the images from her dream still all too clear. She had seen Zack's face and heard his laughter as he used the Black Materia to summon a disaster strong enough to destroy the Planet. Aeris knew it not simply a dream, but a vision of things to come if someone didn't stop him in time.
As quietly as she could, Aeris gathered her few belongings into her backpack, sure of what she had to do. She had a past with Zack and knew him better than any of the others, and she was the last Cetra. The Planet had cried out to her for help, showing her the impending danger and the pain that would result. It was her responsibility to find Zack and stop him before it was too late and anyone else got hurt. Even at the cost of her own life, Aeris knew she had to prevent any further suffering. The mission would be a dangerous one, and part of Aeris suspected that she would not be coming back. Still, the thought was preferable to losing all of her teammates, her mother, and perhaps the Planet itself to Jenova and her latest servant.
"May the power of Holy protect me," Aeris whispered, slinging her pack over one shoulder and creeping out of her tent and into the night. There was not time to risk taking it with her, as she did not want to alert any of the others. A cool breeze blew through the woods and she shivered, wishing she hadn't packed her jacket so far toward the bottom of her bag. There was no time for that now, though, as she took one last look around the camp and silently apologized to her friends for all the worry she knew she'd cause them. She wished she'd had something with which to leave a note, but she knew they wouldn't have understood anyway. As she prepared to turn and leave, her eyes paused longest over the tents of Cloud and Sephiroth.
Aeris had grown to think of Cloud as her younger brother, a sibling she had to protect from the evils of the world as well as his own self doubts. He was shy, awkward, and insecure, but at the same time so strong and willing to sacrifice for others. She hoped her actions wouldn't hurt him too badly, and that he wouldn't take it personally. She was doing this to protect him, after all, and those he loved. Thinking of Tifa and smiling, Aeris hoped that they'd admit their feelings for each other soon. She only regretted that she wouldn't be around to see them happy together, or to meet their children someday. Knowing that Tifa would be there to care for Cloud made leaving him a bit easier, and Aeris was reassured that he would be all right.
Looking at Sephiroth's dark, silent tent, Aeris bit her lip and frowned. For some reason, leaving him behind was going to be the hardest of all. She had felt an indescribable loss when she thought he might never awaken again, but at the same time didn't know why. There was a connection between them that had drawn her to him from the beginning despite his cold, distant exterior, and Aeris was sorry that she'd never get to further explore what it was. The kiss they'd shared remained fresh in her mind, filling her with a nervous excitement along with the great sorrow of parting ways. Sephiroth didn't have any one else, aside from Vincent… and he was too distant and wounded to be much help most of the time. She wished she could have done more for him as well, but her time had run out.
Aeris felt a surge of protectiveness toward Sephiroth, wishing with all her heart that she could take him with her but knowing she couldn't. It was too dangerous, and he had other things to take care of in his life. He would be needed in the war against Shin-ra once she took care of Zack and Jenova. He was still too mentally fragile to be drawn back into that battle, and it would only place him in danger of losing his tenuous hold on his sanity.
Sighing, unsure of why she felt as if her heart was breaking, Aeris fought back tears and turned toward the dark woods, heading away from the warmth and security of the camp and into the night. Her weapon clutched in both hand, she desperately hoped she would live long enough to find Zack and end his plans. Steeling herself against the frightening sounds of the night, Aeris made her way through the blackness and didn't look back. She never heard the stranger in the darkness creep up behind her until it was too late.
A strong arm reached out and wrapped around her neck, a large hand firmly covering her mouth. She froze in place, terrified, never having a chance to utter a sound. The hand was gloved, she noticed as she fought her rising panic, desperately trying to struggle free from her assailant's grasp.
"Aeris... Please do not scream if I release you."
At the sound of the familiar deep voice, the tone as flat and serious as usual, Aeris allowed herself to relax a bit, though she still wasn't sure what his intentions were. His grip on her was firm, almost painful. She nodded her head as best she could, surprised when he actually removed his arm a moment later. Shakily, Aeris turned and found herself looking up into the glowing emerald eyes of Sephiroth.
"What are you doing?!" she hissed, frowning in annoyance as she continued to tremble with fear. He had scared her half to death! Still, she knew she should have been more alert and heard him coming. If she'd let herself be taken off guard within the first minute of her journey, how could she expect to get very far?
"I was wondering the same of you," Sephiroth replied, his deep voice quiet. He studied her intently, and she noted that he didn't have his weapon with him. "I heard you pass my tent, and when I looked out I saw that you were carrying some of your belongings..."
"So what if I am?" Aeris asked, feeling unexplainably defensive and a bit annoyed. Perhaps it was the importance of her mission, or the rough way he'd restrained her. If she didn't leave now, the lives of everyone on the Planet would be at stake. But Sephiroth couldn't possibly know that, and she hoped to keep it that way.
"Where are you going?" Sephiroth asked, his tone demanding. Aeris frowned, not feeling obligated to answer him even as she wished that she could.
"I… have something I must do," she said as casually as possible, looking off into the darkness and hoping no one else at the camp had been awakened. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Wait," Sephiroth said, reaching out and taking a hold of her arm. Aeris winced at his strength, her limb throbbing where his strong fingers dug into her flesh. Sephiroth seemed to notice and released her, muttering an awkward apology. "You are leaving..." he said a moment later, and Aeris swore that he looked hurt, even sad. She swallowed hard and nodded.
"Yes... I'm sorry, Sephiroth, but I have to."
"You are going off to find Zack and Jenova by yourself, aren't you?"
"How...?!" Aeris stammered, not even bothering to deny the accusation. Their eyes met for several long, intense moments before Aeris looked away, staring down at her feet. "How did you know that?" she whispered, wanting nothing more than to be on her way again and out of his scrutiny.
"I had a suspicion that you would attempt such a mission," Sephiroth said, shaking his head. "It is foolish, and you will only get yourself killed."
"You don't understand," Aeris pleaded with him, taking a step backwards. She felt intimidated by him even though he was unarmed, his eyes appearing more cold than usual.
"No... I do. And that is why I am coming with you."
"What?! No, Sephiroth... You can't! I have to do this alone."
"Aeris, I am not asking your permission. You are not leaving without me. I know of Jenova's motives. I was once in Zack's position, and I may be of assistance. At the very least, I will be able to protect you." Sephiroth suddenly looked away, the confidence in his eyes briefly replaced by embarrassment.
"You would stop me from leaving, then?" Aeris asked with a hint of anger, annoyed that he thought she needed his help. If she allowed him to come with her, she'd be putting him in danger as well, and for some reason the thought deeply troubled her.
"I would prefer you did not force me to do that. I know that what you are doing is necessary, but I do not think you can accomplish it alone. Besides, I am not wanted here... Please, Aeris," he asked, his tone and expression growing softer. "Let me come with you."
Aeris looked into his eyes again, her mind racing. He appeared almost desperate now, she thought, pleading with her to accept his offer. His earlier threats and demands were just a familiar cover, an attempt to hide his feelings and desire to be a part of the mission. Seeing how genuine he was, and admitting to herself that assistance along the way might be nice after all, Aeris sighed and slowly nodded her head. He wasn't exactly giving her much of a choice, she told herself, trying to deny just how much she hadn't wanted to leave him behind.
"All right... All you had to do was ask politely," she said, managing a playful smile. "Now hurry up and gather your things before they hear us! I can't have anyone else coming along. It's just too dangerous."
"Of course," Sephiroth said stiffly, trying to hide his pleasure at her change of heart and turning to retrieve his belongings. "And do not attempt to sneak off while I am gone… I will only follow you."
Aeris waited as he disappeared from sight, her heart racing with new possibilities. Their mission would be a difficult one from which neither may return, but at least she wouldn't have to do it alone after all. Sighing, annoyed with herself for bending for him while not entirely understanding why, Aeris silently prayed to the gods to protect she and Sephiroth on their journey.