...Death Caught in Between Reality...
...Life Caught in Between Hearts...


"Ooo, it moved!" a voice constantly echoed in his head. Voices, little talking voices. Distant voices..."Hey---are you okay?" Cloud's eyes slowly opened, as he shielded them away from the seeping sunlight, from what seemed to be a hole in the ceiling of a peculiar setting. He slowly sat up, suddenly, seeing a warm smile to greet him.
The young woman was dressed in a short miniskirt, her long legs covered halfway, with a pair of brown boots. Cloud couldn't help but notice the resemblance, something he'd realize even before he had a chance to open his mouth. She reminded him a lot of Aeris. From her long brown copper hair, to her elegant emerald eyes. He could have sworn he was seeing things.
Her long hair pulled back in a loose braid, as inches of her bangs hung solemnly before her eyes. Everything was there...everything that he had remembered her by. But words couldn't escape.
"You're finally awake...," she uttered, slowly standing up from his side, from where she previously sat. Cloud's eyes laid matted on the young woman, before he could find anything to say. Her emerald eyes slowly gazed up, as one hand rested on her hip and the other pointed up at the ceiling.
"It was actually pretty loud, but you're lucky the flower bed broke your fall," she replied, gazing back at him, with a friendly smile.
He turned his head, staring at his surroundings, "Where am I?" The young woman slowly kneeled down, her long braid, falling over one shoulder of her red jacket.
"The Gospel church," she replied, reluctantly. Cloud shook his head, trying hard to remember the last thing he was doing, or where he was...and this was definitely not the place.
"...the church in the slums...," he muttered, his eyes closed, as his gloved hands pressed firmly against his forehead. She shook her head, giving a confused expression.
"Slums?" she began, "There's no slums around here...you must be from out of town..." Cloud licked his bottom lips, as his hands stayed rested on his head, he slowly gazed up. Suddenly, meeting her emerald eyes. She smiled, a smile that seemed so real. But she was real, she was standing right before him. But he didn't know who she was, where she came from...all he could remember was that name that repeated so endlessly through his mind, ever since then...
"Are you okay?" she questioned, suddenly interrupting his thoughts, "The impact of the fall must have been hard...you're bleeding." Cloud quickly gazed down as to where the girl's slender fingers were pointing to. "You should really get it tended..."
He quickly stood up, pushing all his weight to one side. She watched him, as he walked wearily, holding tightly onto the open cut, that was nearly dripping with blood. Must have been a little scrap, Cloud thought, searching around the emptied Church. If it wasn't the church in the slums, what was it? He slowly began to tread down the long aisle, when she suddenly called out to him.
"Well," she called out, "the least you could let me do, is help you out...or show you out of here...after all, you seem to not know much of this place." Cloud's blue mako eyes, slowly gazed over his shoulder, as he noticed her standing still, only a few feet behind him. He slowly reached for his buster sword, something he'd had for the longest, as he made way out of the church.


"Why are you following me?" Cloud muttered, nearly grunting. She smiled, as she kept her hands behind her back, with a cheerful expression.
"What's your name?" she questioned, causing him to turn back to her. Cloud sighed, as he stared helplessly at her, a serious look.
"That's not the point...," he uttered, staring at her innocent expression. He took in a deep breath, "....Cloud...Cloud Strife."
She smiled, "I'm Aeris." He hesitated, for a second, staring blankly at her. How could she not know? How could she be someone who had been dead for so long? So many thoughts ran through his head, as the name repeated constant in his mind.
"Cloud, hmmmm," Aeris stated, as she circled around him, "Sounds familiar...although, I don't think I ever heard that name before." Her eyes locked onto his face, as she leaned closer to him, studying his frail features. Causing Cloud to take a step back, before she came too close.
She giggled, even her voice sounded the same, "You sure do look a lot like my......boyfriend."
"....Zack," Cloud uttered, thinking at a confused turn. Aeris gave him an odd look, as she stood up straight, gazing at the tall young man.
"How do you know?" she questioned, confused. He quickly glanced up, then shook his head.
"It's nothing...," he replied, then, taking a few steps, and he hadn't attempted to wait for her. Aeris smiled, as she immediately followed close behind him.
"So where are you from?" she asked, "Out of town? A traveler? I mean you look like it...there's not that many that come here, anyway. You look different enough."
He paused, a thought suddenly entering his mind. Cloud came to a sudden stop, as he gazed seriously at Aeris, "What City are we in?"
"Cetra," she replied.