Chapter 3: Taken by Surprise
The next morning Cloud and Tifa set of for the City of the Ancients. The plan was that
Cloud would get Aeris from the lake and Tifa would obtain the Holy materia by the altar. Once
they reached the city, they went their separate ways to complete their part of the mission.
When Tifa found the altar, she hopped put on the extensive scuba gear to dive underwater. She
jumped in the icy water and was in hot pursuit of the Holy materia. She swam furiously and
looked for that pale green orb. Tifa was just about to give up when something glimmered in the
corner of her eye. She turned around to find the "orb of savior" lodged between two rocks. This
was going to be difficult to pull out. Grabbing on to the materia, Tifa pulled and pulled, but
no avail. Finally, she held on the the orb and put both of her feet on the boulders nearby. She
pushed off with her feet and the Holy materia came out easily, perhaps too easily. Tifa used
too much force and was flying backwards. Without stopping herself, her back crashed into a sharp
wall. The pain was enormous and the sharp rocks put a deep cut on her back. She struggled to get
back to the surface. Splotches of blood were visible and that made her even more determined to
reach the top. Once she did so, she saw Cloud at the altar with Aeris in his arms. Another
pain shot up through Tifa, but it wasn't from her back. She got up and removed the scuba gear
from her body. Blood trickled down her back, but Tifa ignored it and brought the Holy materia
to Cloud. She watched him ready everything for the ceremony and continued to watch until he
chanted the words. After this, everything seemed to be in slow motion. Aeris's body stirred and
Cloud's eyes widened in happiness when she opened her eyes.
"Aeris!" he cried. Her, still weak from her "long rest", gave only a long sigh of relief.
Both of them, too caught up in the moment of seeing each other again, were oblivious to the dark
figure that walked behind Tifa. It was only when Cloud looked up to see Tifa's reaction, did he
finally see what was behind Tifa.
"Tifa, look out!!" he shouted, but he knew it was too late.
A powerful arm became wrapped around her neck, and a large and sharp sword pressed against
her stomach. Tifa spotted a lock of silver hair behind her and instantly knew who it was.
"So we meet again," said that all too familiar cynical voice.
"Sephiroth," Cloud said grimly.
"It's been too long. Now that you have Aeris, I'm sure you won't have any need for this
little mynx here, now do you?" he questioned with a sneer.
"Let her go, or I'll slice you in two," Cloud threatened.
"You're in no position to make threats, after all, I do have, oh what's your name? Oh, Tifa
that's it. I'm sure you don't want to make me injure your little friend here, isn't that right
Cloud," he laughed maniacally. Normally, Tifa would be able to get out of Sephiroth's hold
easily, but due to the cut on her back, the pain was tremendous. She had succumbed.
"Okay, I'll be leaving now, and you can have your friend back, if you find her that is!"
Sephiroth laughed, his voice filled with malevolence. He threw something at the ground and
disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Cloud kicked himself over and over again for letting his guard down and letting Sephiroth
take his best friend. He heard a low whimper, and looked behind him. He completely forgot about
Aeris. Cloud was just not having any luck with the ladies lately. Aeris was still a little weak
from the revival and needed to be put somewhere safe so Sephiroth couldn't take her too.
Cloud traveled back to his villa and placed Aeris on a bed there.
"Cloud, I want to help you find Tifa," she said.
"I'm sorry Aeris, but you're still very weak and I couldn't bear it if I lost you again,"
he replied.
"Oh come on, don't give me that! I've been in danger for quite some time!" she protested.
"Yeah, and that's what got you killed! Please Aeris, just for once, could you listen to
me?" he pleaded. Aeris looked at him and realized what pain he was going through now.
"Fine, I guess I'll stay here," she said disapointed.
"Okay, good, don't worry I'll get her back and then we'll all be safe again," he said
reassuringly and gave Aeris a kiss on the forehead.
"Bye Cloud," she said, not sure if this was going to be the last time she will ever see
him.
"Bye Aeris, I'll be back soon," he salutated. They both nodded and Cloud left the villa.
The next morning Cloud and Tifa set of for the City of the Ancients. The plan was that
Cloud would get Aeris from the lake and Tifa would obtain the Holy materia by the altar. Once
they reached the city, they went their separate ways to complete their part of the mission.
When Tifa found the altar, she hopped put on the extensive scuba gear to dive underwater. She
jumped in the icy water and was in hot pursuit of the Holy materia. She swam furiously and
looked for that pale green orb. Tifa was just about to give up when something glimmered in the
corner of her eye. She turned around to find the "orb of savior" lodged between two rocks. This
was going to be difficult to pull out. Grabbing on to the materia, Tifa pulled and pulled, but
no avail. Finally, she held on the the orb and put both of her feet on the boulders nearby. She
pushed off with her feet and the Holy materia came out easily, perhaps too easily. Tifa used
too much force and was flying backwards. Without stopping herself, her back crashed into a sharp
wall. The pain was enormous and the sharp rocks put a deep cut on her back. She struggled to get
back to the surface. Splotches of blood were visible and that made her even more determined to
reach the top. Once she did so, she saw Cloud at the altar with Aeris in his arms. Another
pain shot up through Tifa, but it wasn't from her back. She got up and removed the scuba gear
from her body. Blood trickled down her back, but Tifa ignored it and brought the Holy materia
to Cloud. She watched him ready everything for the ceremony and continued to watch until he
chanted the words. After this, everything seemed to be in slow motion. Aeris's body stirred and
Cloud's eyes widened in happiness when she opened her eyes.
"Aeris!" he cried. Her, still weak from her "long rest", gave only a long sigh of relief.
Both of them, too caught up in the moment of seeing each other again, were oblivious to the dark
figure that walked behind Tifa. It was only when Cloud looked up to see Tifa's reaction, did he
finally see what was behind Tifa.
"Tifa, look out!!" he shouted, but he knew it was too late.
A powerful arm became wrapped around her neck, and a large and sharp sword pressed against
her stomach. Tifa spotted a lock of silver hair behind her and instantly knew who it was.
"So we meet again," said that all too familiar cynical voice.
"Sephiroth," Cloud said grimly.
"It's been too long. Now that you have Aeris, I'm sure you won't have any need for this
little mynx here, now do you?" he questioned with a sneer.
"Let her go, or I'll slice you in two," Cloud threatened.
"You're in no position to make threats, after all, I do have, oh what's your name? Oh, Tifa
that's it. I'm sure you don't want to make me injure your little friend here, isn't that right
Cloud," he laughed maniacally. Normally, Tifa would be able to get out of Sephiroth's hold
easily, but due to the cut on her back, the pain was tremendous. She had succumbed.
"Okay, I'll be leaving now, and you can have your friend back, if you find her that is!"
Sephiroth laughed, his voice filled with malevolence. He threw something at the ground and
disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Cloud kicked himself over and over again for letting his guard down and letting Sephiroth
take his best friend. He heard a low whimper, and looked behind him. He completely forgot about
Aeris. Cloud was just not having any luck with the ladies lately. Aeris was still a little weak
from the revival and needed to be put somewhere safe so Sephiroth couldn't take her too.
Cloud traveled back to his villa and placed Aeris on a bed there.
"Cloud, I want to help you find Tifa," she said.
"I'm sorry Aeris, but you're still very weak and I couldn't bear it if I lost you again,"
he replied.
"Oh come on, don't give me that! I've been in danger for quite some time!" she protested.
"Yeah, and that's what got you killed! Please Aeris, just for once, could you listen to
me?" he pleaded. Aeris looked at him and realized what pain he was going through now.
"Fine, I guess I'll stay here," she said disapointed.
"Okay, good, don't worry I'll get her back and then we'll all be safe again," he said
reassuringly and gave Aeris a kiss on the forehead.
"Bye Cloud," she said, not sure if this was going to be the last time she will ever see
him.
"Bye Aeris, I'll be back soon," he salutated. They both nodded and Cloud left the villa.
