Chapter 8


Aeris and Cloud reached Junon, and both gasped. It had been almost totally destroyed, and

was totally abandoned. (Syreen certainly did a number here) Cloud thought.

"Do you think Syreen is still here?" Cloud asked

Aeris didn't answer immiedietly, so Cloud asked again. "Do you think Syreen is still here?"

"Wha-? Oh, right. Ummm...I guess so. I don't really know," said Aeris.

(She seems really distracted) Cloud thought. (I wonder about what?)

Very softly, almost so Cloud couldn't hear her, Aeris spoke. "I sense something...someone

trying to stop us...me...again. What is it? What is going on?"

Aeris moved with blinding speed, throwing herself on the ground. Cloud only had a split

second to wonder why, until a knife whizzed by where Aeris' head was a second earlier. Before he

could react, a girl in all black jumped out from the shadows.

"Death to you, Aeris! I wouldn't allow Sephiroth to destroy the world, and I sure as hell

won't let you, tratior!"

Aeris seemed stunned by the attackers quickness, and was frozen in place. The girl stabbed

Aeris in the neck. Aeris lay on the street, bleeding.

"Damn God-wannabe's. Think they can just screw the world all they want. Well, maybe if I

wasn't here they could-"

Cloud had recovered himself enough to speak, and he recognized the girl's voice. "Yuffie,

no! That wasn't Syreen!"

Yuffie turned, "Who? Who the hell's Syreen?"

Cloud was becoming increasingly agitated, "It wasn't Aeris at the wedding. It was her

connection! She came back after 3000 years, and she killed you and- and-"

"Get ahold of yourself man! What the hell are you talking about? I didn't die over there."

(It's worse than I thought. Aeris must of done something to him)

Meanwhile, neither of them noticed Aeris was recovering, and got up. "Yuffie, you are fool,

to mess with me!"

"Screw you! I'm going to nail your head to a wall, you bastard!"

"Would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Cloud asked.

"Aeris kidnapped you after she attacked the wedding. I heard the shit she told you in Gongaga

and it's all lies. There is no Syreen, it was her all along!"

"Don't listen to her Cloud. She's obviously one of them now."

"Oh yeah? Well, if you such a honest, truth telling person, how come I'm still alive? You

said I was dead along with everyone else!"

"Obviously Syreen wouldn't kill such a LOYAL servant as yourself."

"Cloud, who's story makes more sense? The one she told you at Junon, where you SAW her try and

kill you, and Tifa, and me? Or her shit story at Gongaga, about some Syreen person who you've never

even seen, let alone heard of?"

"Don't listen to her, Cloud. Only I am your friend now."

"If you're such a loyal friend, why didn't you tell Cloud to duck when I threw the knife at you?"

"I had no ti-" Aeris began to say, but Yuffie interupted

"Don't give me any shit, Aeris. You were always in it for yourself, you used Cloud just like

you said at the wedding."

"DON'T LISTEN CLOUD!!! SHE LIES! SHE LIES!!!!"

Cloud was speechless. (I don't know what to say. I don't know who to believe. I don't know

anything)

He took a step. Then another. Then another, until he was standing at Yuffie's side. "I'm

sorry, Aeris."

"Oh thank you, Cloud! I was afraid she had you!"

Cloud braced himself for Aeris' wraith. But it never came.

Aeris laughed.