Aeris sighed ruefully as she threw the chances that could affect the planet which was her destined role, yet she found
that she was not entirely unhappy with Zach, Elmyra, Cloud, and the slum kids being in the physical aspect of her
could hug the children, hear their day, and embrace Elmyra. Some of the simplest delights were those dearest to her heart,
she loved being with Zach, simply when he called to check in with her or discuss the complications of his life in Soldier.
He relished how his simple honesty had won over Sephiroth to now engage as his honor guard, accompanying him throughtout
his travels in Gaia. Sephiroth found his enthusiasism infectious, and he found his optimistism refreshing. Zach found he
was able to travel alongside Sephiroth with greater ease to include Aeris in his visits. They visited the North Cave to
see the dark dragons mate and raise their brood. Once, Aeris and Zach were even able to visit Costa del Sol, splashing
playfully around in the water, laughing carelessly despite the news that Shinra officially declared Sephiroth dead. Zach
had gotten so tan that Aeris joked he should model swimwear. Zach in turn had made sure she was covered with sunscreen to
avoid sunburn on her irristible freckles. They romped in the beach like a pair of teenagers from Midgar Academy on season
break. Zach had packed sandwiches, fruit drinks, and pudding in a cooler as they strode back to their holiday cottage.
Gazing at the vast Ocean of Planets overhead, Zach pointed thoughtfully as he saw a crescent moon tip with blood as
an eclipse passed for a few hours. Aeris threw her arms around her slender legs, and glanced as spiral maps of stars
unfurled. She shuddered a bit, as her breath escaped into the now chilly night air.
" Hey, what's wrong Aeris? "
" Nothing, I was just thinking about what where will you go now your rank's changed.."
"Hey, nothing will..I can transfer to a nearby base or Fort. Yeah, hope he finds peace wherever he is in the Lifestream."
" You really think he will? He never seemed content unless he was in a war."
" Yeah, but that's what happens when you join Shinra Forces, Aeris."
" Reno never explained to much.."
" Corporate levels never really do "
Zach playfully guffawed into his arm, so that Aeris arose annoyed to hurl the skin peels and pudding trays at Zach.
He smiled as he leapt to his feet, as he threw his arms about her, and she started to laugh with him. He felt her worry
and tension despite this ideal bit of a vacation on Costa Del Sol. Aeris cupped her hand as that last memory slid from
her, manifested as a gray, smoky billow that slowly dissolved into the air. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she
considered what it meant to be the last living squinted as she felt her questions answered as she cupped her
hand over a dragon bonsai that Tifa had sent when Sephiroth was sighted at Nibelheim.
" He's alive when he shouldn't be here...Somehow he desired limitless, forbidding that side of the veil of the
afterlife, and he just past it like a Wutai waterfall. What cost? I can't even commune with the lost souls that wander. Of
course, Zach is grateful for the upgrade of living in Sector 7, and the floral shop is spacious enough to say it's one of
Midgar's most prosperous. If Sephiroth has a purpose before it was simply Soldier's end goal, now it's Tifa and theirs .
I don't think he went to the planet quietly, his restless spirit is corroding it from what hate or blame? What did Cloud
do? He couldn't even dignify him with Fenrir. "
Aeris blinked back her continuing confusion over her lack of ability to connect as before his death. She heard a soft
patter of slippers that shuffled to her door. Aeris crunched her nose as she smelt buttery pasta waft in as she saw Elmyra
pass her door. Aeris paced back thoughtfully, her fingers intertwined and clasped in agitation. When she had questioned
Tseng about the state of Soldier upon Sephiroth's death, he dismissed it with a shake of his head as inscrutable as ever.
" Some things just happen that way? Who knows? The Wutai War ended..maybe his purpose was filled? "
" I don't believe that at all! I will find it even if you can't disclose it, Tseng."
" Suit yourself, Aeris. Best let it go."
Aeris had met with Cloud just a few days after he left Nibelheim after petitioning for Fenrir unsuccessfully. He rode
in a second-rate motorcyle that had seen better days in the Wutai War. Cloud removed his helmet, and then his blue scarf
from Soldier. He smiled back with a wide, friendly grin as he nodded to Aeris. She ran forward to greet Cloud as he came
closer to her home.
" Hey, there! Did Zach tell you he is moving closer to me in Sector 7? "
" Yeah, lucky him. He got promoted to be with Sephiroth. As if he needs any defense."
" Did you tell her about how you feel? "
" Oh, Tifa? I tried but her dad said she was with Sephiroth at Shinra Manor. I mean, why would he buy that place when the
Shinra Building is in Sector 7? Zach told me how elegant and modern it is. The Manor seems ancient next to it."
" Oh, Cloud! I am sorry that is awful. What did your mom say? "
" She said it was for the better. I should try for another girl. She said Tifa always plays games to lure people into
traps and worse. She said she met her match in Sephiroth..how they deserve each other. She won't let Tifa live that down."
" Wow, that is harsh! You were both kids, and kids just play any game for any reason. Zach did say something I find
odd..."
" What? "
" Sephiroth had refitted Hojo's old labratory into a hospital suite, complete with a nursery. Zach even met a doula. "
Cloud blinked hard for a few moments, and then lowered his head to turn away as he cleared his throat. He bowed his
head, rose, and coughed awkwardly into his glove as he exhaled softly.
" Well, I hope she's happy. He is busy every second with Shinra and Soldier. His eyes are glued to that cell with texts
from Lazard. "
Cloud and Aeris walked into her garden as they looked over the new additions of tulips and dragon roses. Cloud and she
felt the groud rumble with arising dust from the dirt road. They both looked up as a convoy of heavy military trucks
departed from the Shinra Building to Nibelheim's direction. One of the truck tarps flapped open in the breeze, as if to
taunt Cloud, Fenrir flew past them, and Ronnie waved in their direction.
" Hey you two."
" Hey, where you going with all that? "
" Well to Shinra Manor, they have auctions from time to time to the locals to clear space. Where junk from Shinra Building
gets sold off sometimes. "
" Hey, can you toss me a catalogue of the auction goods? "
" Sure, catch! "
Ronnie tossed a catalogue to Cloud as he caught it expertly in his gloved hands. Ronnie waved them off as Cloud gave a
smart salute back. He tore threw the pages, searching for Fenrir. Aeris came trotting up alongside to Cloud as she bent
to glance at the neat lists of ordered items.
" So what's your plan now mister? "
" Well, I am going to bring Fenrir back home. "
" How? You told Zach and me you got your severance pay, and you haven't paid off that bike yet. "
" Cloud if this is to impress Tifa, you may not want to shock her if she is with Sephiroth's child. What would he do if
any harm came to her from you? "
" Zach said I live off in his old apartment which has a fixed rental rate that is low for Shinra military. I can save on
the rent to pay off this bike, resell this for Fenrir."
Cloud shrugged nonchalanatly with his shoulders rolling back as he paused thoughtfully. He looked morosely over to
stare back at Aeris. With that last exasperated sigh, Aeris glanced to take in how much pain Cloud was, quivering with ire
of losing so much to Sephiroth in so short a time. Maybe, Claudia was right. Cloud and Tifa always has some great space
between them from parental disapproval, and every villager had divided opinions, and mostly simply went on about their
daily business. Aeris stooped down to the now kneeling Cloud, who opened and closed his fists in hapless circumstance. She
waved her hand quickly in front of his face, thick, golden bangles jangling. Aeris tried to distract his miserable mood
with a more hopeful belief. Cloud let out a shaky sigh as he confessed his deepest unhappiness to Aeris.
" My mom, Claudia , thinks Sephiroth doesn't know that Tifa auditioned at the Honeybee Inn as a dancer. Tifa is so unsure
about her looks, and she just wanted to prove some of her friends she could. I don't know if she did but she didn't turn
to work there. There's a worse rumor, she went off to Don Corneo's as a bridal contestant. If Tifa is pregnant, then it's
his."
Aeris sighed disparagingly at what she felt could have been the most damning consequence of that last relevation from
Cloud. She felt that Sephiroth who was renoun for being on those few, particular times to rage in such a battlelust; he
could have easily lost his sanity for a slight to his name, a slur to his manhood. Aeris felt that an ominous destiny hung
over the child and her sire. Aeris then waved her slender hand over the bonsai again. She tried gleaning for every mood,
emotion, or mental plateau by the small tree grown by Tifa. Aeris recalled the plant was given to her by Tifa as a
gift from a small ceremony she performed for her in her church.
The sky was overcast, with thick serpentine rolls of fog that blanketed the church walls. Aeris was tending to the
lilies that spread out as a natural carpet in the church. She had heard footsteps that clearly were not from the slum
children or Zach. A tall, robed figure in a black thick cloak with paisley patterns on the sleeves and hem appeared with a
smaller robed figure. The smaller had thrown her hood back to reveal Tifa's brownish maroon eyes, that were welling with
tears. She let the cloak to fall off to reveal a shapely, willowy frame clad in a ebon wedding kimono draping her heavy
bosom, small waist, and long athletic legs. The obi was rose, embroidered with plum blossoms, and the same intricate
pattern on the inner neckline of the kimono. Tifa's long, silky dark hair was parted with a headband which had dangles
of Sephiroth's mon of a floating feather with several feather chains linked,and the left side of her hair was split with
plum blossoms in lavender, pale and dark pink silk trailing down her blushing cheeks. The obviously masculine cloaked
figure quietly produced an envelope with a considerable sum as to indicate approval of a union. Tifa then turned to Aeris,
choking back tears as she whispered to her.
" I care for this man."
Aeris nodded as she took the envelope that would aid the local displaced children as she turned to officate their
union. She turned her face upward to the taller of the pair as he said in Sephiroth's distinct baritone.
" I will do everything in my power to protect and preserve Tifa and our child. "
" Anyone against this union? Speak your piece now. Any protests? You may kiss the bride. "
The cloaked man dipped lower to slide the hood off with scant space, enough to reveal his long, silvery mane swing down
his neck as he embraced Tifa passionately, kissing her very deeply that clearly left Tifa breathless. Aeris's eyes goggled
as she saw a long, elegant gloved hand slide the fabled Amor Diamond on Tifa's ring finger. Tifa left, gazing ardently at
the hooded soldier who strode quickly down the aisle to vanish into the mist.
That particular evening, a blood red crecent moon sailed over Midgar, Aeris snapped her head back as her coppery
strands fell back, she couldn't shake the shadowy aura of black intertwined with silver, dark crimson to raven dark orbs
swam past as she entered the Lifestream as she sensed an apparition, not familiar, yet not hostile.
" i can ease your passage, please show yourself if you may."
"..."
" Please don't be afraid, I wish no harm to you or anyone with you "
" Please tell me why you are here, I can bear a message if you need one. "
"..."
Aeris was frustrated now that she had tried every avenue of communicaton, yet she was certain she felt the Silver
Soldier in that swirling tide of the Lifestream, and another much like him, not connected by flesh or a friendly aura like
Zach. Was it Sephiroth's former friends, Angeal or Genesis? Was it someone closer, perhaps Tifa or her child?