Part
Eleven: The Last Ancient
I was in my usual position watching Cloud in the lifestream. Cloud and the others had taken Highwind, which now sported a heart with a lock on it in place of the ShinRa logo, so the trip to Cloud's destination took only a few hours. Cid piloted Highwind to the North continent where they landed right outside their destination, the Forgotten City.
Cloud led everyone down the center path and up the giant shell. They took the crystal staircase all the way down the stone altar. Once they had reached the stone pillars that led to the altar Cloud removed his armor.
"Watcha doin'?" Yuffie asked Cloud.
"Not telling." Cloud responded evenly.
Everyone laughed, for that was the same response that Yuffie gave everyone if they asked her the question "Watcha doin'". Yuffie only crossed her arms and frowned.
Cloud took off his shoes, his shirt, and his belt, leaving only his pants on. Without a word to anyone Cloud dove into the water surrounding the altar.
Cid was sitting on a rock in one corner with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. At Cloud's rash action the cigarette fell from his mouth. In his shock he didn't notice that it had fallen into his lap until his pants began to smoke and he felt a painful burning in his lap. Cid jumped up shouting
"HOLY SH…" Cid started but Tifa shot him a look that made him change his choice of words. "…MONKEY, HOLY MONKEY!" Yuffie giggled a bit.
"UM… how long do you think he's gonna stay down there?" Cait Sith asked Barret.
"Don't know. Boy's not real right in the head. He could be down there for a couple minutes."
"What do you suppose he's doing?" Tifa asked.
"Don't suppose I know." Cid said still grabbing his hurting groin in pain.
Several minutes later Cloud surfaced and gasped for air. He swam over to the shore and collapsed on the sand. He had a glowing white orb in his hand. Yuffie was the closest to him and helped him up. After a few seconds he caught his breath and Yuffie backed away from him.
Cloud looked around at everyone. "Okay, people. This is what we're gonna do." He lifted up the hand with white orb to find it empty. "What the… where is it?"
For a moment Cloud looked around suddenly stopped looking at Yuffie. She saw his eyes coming her direction. Her eyes shot up towards the ceiling as though she was trying to hide the pupils of her eyes.
"Yuffie, give it here." Cloud demanded. Yuffie paid no attention to him she kept her eyes up and stared at the ceiling.
"Look at me."
"Hmm? OH, did you loose something. You should retrace your steps. I always find something when I do that.
"Give me the White Materia."
"What, I don't have it!" Yuffie protested loudly. "I don't even know what that really-expensive-valuable-super-pretty-shiny-white-thing in your hand was."
Vincent walked up to her and said in a warning tone. "Yuuuffiiie!"
"I didn't do it, honest."
Vincent frowned and looked at her. He gazed into her eyes searching for the truth. He smiled, took her by the shoulders, and kissed her deeply. Then he held out his hand and glared at her again.
"OOOOOOH! That's NOT FAIR!" Yuffie pouted. Vincent raised a single eyebrow and smiled. Finally, Yuffie begrudgingly dug into her pocket and pulled out a shining white orb and handed it to Vincent.
"It's about time." Cloud muttered. "NOW… OH forget it, I'll explain later, just watch."
Cloud took a deep breath in and sighed in concentration. He cupped his hands around the White Materia. It began to glow brighter and my eyes widened.
"He's going to do it. He's coming. I can hold him again. I can kiss him again. I can… I…" I became so engulfed by my emotion that I could no longer speak. My voice no longer had any effect and my eyes poured tears.
He's SO close to me. I thought. My words no longer controlled. Please come to me. I need to hold you, the real you, not in a dream dance, but… OH! I brushed my tears a breathed deep trying to control my emotion.
I turned back to the portal. I saw Cloud holding my White Materia. As he closed his eyes I saw a tear run down his face. Cloud's face tightened and I could tell he was concentrating. The White Materia glowed so bright it filled the entire room with a soft white light.
The air in front of Cloud rippled and waved as though hot steam was rolling in front of it. The rest of the group ran up to Cloud to watch the phenomenon. Cid was still sitting and dropped his cigarette again. This time the joint fell a mere inch from his lap as it was stopped by Cid's hand. He had moved his hand over a few inches to catch the joint.
Soon Cid was up with Cloud as well and everyone was watched intently with hope. A scene appeared, a scene of green fields of grass and flowers with a river of lifestream running through the valley. The sun was bright and welcoming.
A familiar voice was heard. No one could quite place the man's voice, but knew it was familiar. I knew it, for it was the same voice that comforted me every day. The voice said. "Welcome heroes. You may enter the Promised Land. You may not bring weapons or evil devices. You may choose to stay or leave. Do not take anything from the Promised Land save for her, the Last Ancient. Enter now through this portal."
I thought Cloud was going to be the first in, but he hesitated for a moment. He began breathing heavily. Tifa gently pressed by him seeing his struggle. "I'll go first."
She stepped forward, but Cloud placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, let me." With that he vaulted himself into the portal and disappeared.
The others followed him all leaving their weapons behind. Barret had to unscrew his gun arm. Cid was the last to enter while Barret was half way through, pushing Marlene through the portal. Cid set down his spear with the others weapons and tried to step through the portal. He could not go.
The voice spoke again. "You must leave behind your cigarette."
"Oh HELL no! I didn't know this was gonna happen. I can't. Give my regards to Aerith, Barret." Cid protested stepping away from the portal.
Barret, still only halfway in the portal, reached out and tossed off the goggles and cigarettes case on Cid's head. He also tore the joint right out of his mouth and tossed him in.
Barret said to Cid as he tossed him in the portal. "This 's for Aerith, ya jackass, now go."
"NO, Please, no! I hate you BARREEEEEEETTTTT!" Cid was tossed in the portal.
I stood as the lifestream river went forever blank. My hand came up to my mouth and I suppressed a gasp. Tears came to my eyes. I darted my head around searching desperately for Cloud and the others.
"Aerith! Aerith!" Cloud is calling my name.
I spun around to see eight figures about three hundred feet from me. They began running towards me and I stared for only a heartbeat.
"CLOUD!" I shouted and ran to him, my arms aching to
embrace him. For more than seven months I had yearned with all my soul to be in
his arms.
OH, THANK YOU, SEPHIROTH! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It had been more than seven months since I had seen Sephiroth. I missed him deeply and the reason I was so close now was all because of him.
He had put aside his own feelings to help me find my true love. I loved him for it. I whispered to his voice that was always with me. "I told you had good in you."
He only whispered back my own silent words. "Thank you."
Cloud was a few feet away now. I jumped into his arms and he into mine. He held my head and caressed my hair. Tears flowed freely from our eyes as we exchanged dozens of kisses up and down the others neck and shoulders. When our lips finally met we savored the moment for all eternity. We held each other still in time.
I gently broke the kiss and set my chin on his shoulder holding him closer to me. I can feel his breath against the nape of my neck. I closed my eyes and just gave into my emotion falling into him. He was the only thing holding me up as I wept into his shoulder.
"I love you." Cloud said brushing the tears from his face and gently bringing a hand up to brush away my tears. Our tears finally stopped, as did the tears of the others who had gathered around us. I heard them talking and asking questions.
Cloud and I kissed again, not weeping this time, but smiling. The noises around us suddenly stopped. I felt a hand lie gently on my shoulder and saw a black-gloved hand on Cloud's. I turned to see a familiar white haired man with a hand on my and Cloud's shoulder. He wore a smile on his face peace in his eyes. Sephiroth.
Cloud jumped in front of me and glared hatefully at Sephiroth. Cloud took up a battle stance and the others did the same. Even without their weapons they looked intimidating.
"Touch her and I kill you." Cloud snapped at Sephiroth, glaring at him.
I said nothing to Cloud. I smiled to Sephiroth and brushed past Cloud. I stepped up to Sephiroth and embraced him tightly. Another tear ran down my face, but this was another a tear of joy.
"I see you found your peace and helped me find mine while you were at it." I said to Sephiroth as he returned my embrace and smiled down at me. "Thank you, dear love."
Everyone loosened and although they were extremely confused they knew Sephiroth was himself.
"Don't tell me you're on good terms with Sephiroth!" Cloud said unable to come to terms with what happened.
"I forgave him a very long time ago." I said gently kissing him on the cheek.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Yuffie said. "Cid, this is the LAST time you call me kissing someone 'disturbing'!"
"Now THAT'S… just… DISTURBING!" Cid shouted covering his mouth. "I did NOT… need to see that."
I looked up at Sephiroth and smiled. "Looks like we have a few stories to tell."
"Damn straight!" Barret said.
"I'll explain at my house." With that I walked up to Cloud whose jaw was nearly touching the floor. I placed my finger at the base of his jaw and gently closed it. A sweet kiss followed.
"Only you, Aerith, only you." Was all Cloud managed to say.
"I know." I whispered.
"I can't believe it." Tifa said approaching me. "You're here."
I smiled and embraced my friend. Cid ran up to me and pulled me into a giant bear hug that lifted my feet off the ground. "I… love you too, Cid, but can I breathe now?" I managed to choke out.
"Sorry, Aerith." He said putting me back down on the ground. He looked over at Barret with a puzzled look followed by a smirk. "Are you…CRYING Barret?" He said in a confused tone.
"Not telling!" Barret said pretending to pout and in the process managing to look like a huge teddy bear.
"Would every one just leave me ALONE?!" Yuffie shouted and ran to Vincent. "Vinny's the only one who really cares about me. Right, Vinny."
"Not telling!" Vincent said and kissed Yuffie roughly before she could start wailing again.
"You just keep kissin' me to shut me up huh?" Yuffie said looking up at Vincent, he only smiled and kissed her again, this time softly and sweetly.
"I gotta talk more often." Yuffie smirked and nearly blinded Vincent with her smile.
I greeted each of my friends in turn. We all exchanged our share of hugs and tears. Finally, I came to Cloud and said. "Let's go."
So, off I went, my arm around Cloud's waist and my friends bustling with questions around me. We strolled over to my home. Sephiroth opened the door for us. Cloud glared at him as we walked inside. I kicked his foot and he winced forcing a smile to Sephiroth.
We conversed and discussed all that had happened since my death. I spoke mostly with Sephiroth adding a few things here and there. I told them about my adventures and trials and they listened with great interest. My stories lasted well into the night. Everyone was ready to sleep and we were deciding who should sleep were.
"I have an idea." Sephiroth said. Everyone turned to him and listened expecting a horrible idea. "Come with me." Everyone surprisingly followed, mostly out of exhaustion, I think.
He led us out the front door and under the night sky. Sephiroth closed his eyes and his face tensed. He was concentrating. Within a few seconds six bedrolls with equal quilts and two pillows for each appeared scattered around in front of the flowers on the side of my house. Everyone looked completely confused, but I knew and I smiled.
Sephiroth gazed into my eyes and mine alone. I gazed back just as intently as he said. "Why don't we sleep under the stars?"
"What a wonderful idea." I said smiling at him and him alone. Through the gaze we shared we exchanged loving thoughts and regrets with one another. I now understood that he still loved me as only a brother could. He truly understood that I loved him as only a sister should. We were at peace.
And so it was, that we slept out under a blanket of stars and cosmos, Tifa with Cid, Yuffie with Vincent, Red XII and Cait Sith (as nothing more than friends and fellow animals), Barret with Marlene, I with Cloud, and Sephiroth alone. The animals, Red and Cait Sith, slept in quiet slumber. Marlene rested peacefully in her fathers' lving arms.
As for the lovers, we did nothing more nor less than hold each other in a sweet embrace. We gazed at the stars spin in a harmonious dance that set the cosmos in motion. Sephiroth also gazed at the stars before he, along with the other stargazers, fell into a most peaceful slumber and would not wake until the sun set it light upon their outfit.
For now, I lay in Cloud's arms, dreaming of, everything. I dreamt of the past and what would have been. I dreamt of sweet summer nights in a condo at Costa Del Sol. I dreamt of future happiness. I dreamt of a secluded house in the Ancient forest, little children ran around and played while a tall man with blonde hair rocked with me on the porch swing. I dreamt of many a great things and many a time wondered if I dreaming all the occurrences from my death, if I was truly in the Lifestream dreaming peacefully.
These thoughts were pushed away from my mind. For I knew that what had happened over the last year was true. I knew that the people around me were truly here, I don't know why or how, but I know beyond a doubt that these friends I have come to call family are the only true things in my life. My only true brothers and sisters, and Cloud my only true love. The only true things in the life of the Last Ancient.