Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Seven or The Story "The Darksword
Trilogy" which I got the Darksword from.
Chapter 7: Momma, I'm coming home!
For Aeris the next five months felt magical. Almost everyday, after training, Rueben and her were almost always together. Even on Fridays, Rueben helped her tend her garden. A week after Rueben told her everything, she broke threw the materia's barrier. When it did she almost hurt herself. The power surged so suddenly that her muscles doubled in size, taking in all the energy. Rueben almost panicked but she gained control and reformed the loop to draw energy. Ruben had warned her that taking all the energy give them incredible power, but slows them down considerably.
"And what good is power if you can't catch your opponent?" he questioned. Aeris agreed, and reformed the loop. She eventually learned how to break any materia barrier and soon, she and Rueben were training using full power. And yet she still felt Rueben was holding back. She learned that he could will the change from man to werewolf and maintains control over both forms. He only lost control on the night of the full moon.
It was about two weeks away from the anniversary of her death when the package came to the town box. The man who was in charge of delivering packages to the store and people from Planet (Aeris thought his name was Bill, she still couldn't remember them all), rushed to Rueben's house where she and Rueben were sitting on the porch drinking iced tea. He came running up and handed it to Rueben. Rueben snatched the package, and tore it open. Inside were twelve blank envelopes, numbered one to twelve. Rueben glance at Aeris and read a small letter inside with the envelopes.
"Tell Steve Hubert, in the newspaper office to print flyers telling the people we will open the envelopes of who goes back a week from today. And we meet outside the well. Understood?" Rueben asked. The man nodded, (Aeris was almost positive his name was Bill) and ran off to the newspaper offices. Rueben went inside and locked the envelopes. He came back outside and looked around. For the first time he noticed the snow was almost gone and it was almost March. He was fully aware that the first person would be going back of March 1st. The same day Aeris died a year ago. Aeris looked at him with a puzzled expression. He smiled and sat back down, and took her hand. They sat there in silence for a while, and then Aeris brought up a subject that had been bothering her lately.
"Are you going back?" she asked quietly. Rueben looked at her, and then back to the setting sun.
"I don't think so. I've been here too long as it is already. Besides, before you I was resentful to the planet. Now I'm thankful. See, about half the people here have already gone back, and the other half have not. Marie's boyfriend, Johnny, already went back. As long as you don't try to destroy the planet, you are guaranteed to come back. You will eventually go back, but that may be thousands of years from now. I can wait fifty or so years for you to come back." He said. He leaned over to her and kissed her. She felt a flash of heat, and pulled him closer. He stopped and drew away. He stared into her eyes, and smiled. She smiled back at him, and they turned back to watch the sun set.
*****
Tifa let out a long sigh as they set their bags inside their house. It was good to be home. After their wedding, she and Cloud took a two month long honeymoon. They had skied in Icicle Town to swimming in Costa De Sol. Their vacation had been a gift from their friends. After the wedding, Cid had announced they could use the now repaired, Tiny Bronco. He had given Cloud and Tifa both lessons, and he trusted them implicitly. Everyone soon moved to live permanently in Corel. Only Cid, Shera, and Red didn't move into town. Red usually stayed at Cosmo Canyon, but with his help, they had even planted a forest outside Corel. The city was now twice as big as Kalm, but it was just as clean. Cloud groaned as he dropped the last of the luggage inside. His sunburn still gave twinges of pain and he was scheduled to start as Police-Chief tomorrow.
"My aching back." He groaned and plopped down on the couch. He closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep. Tifa growled and kicked him.
"Hey! Tiff, what's the big idea?" he groaned. She grinned at him.
"Do you think I'm going to unpack seven suitcases my self?" she said. Cloud groaned again, and got up. He glanced at the calendar on his way up stairs and froze. His face went pale white, and he dropped the bags. Tifa glared at him and then saw the note on the calendar for February 28th.
VIST ANCIENT CITY ON MARCH 1st. That was two weeks from today. Tifa gently put an arm around him.
"We're all going remember, Cloud? Even, Vincent." Tifa gently prodded. He nodded, and shakily picked up the suitcases and headed for the bedroom. Tifa watched him, and knew it would never get easier for Cloud. He failed as her bodyguard, and had to live with that the rest of his life. She was glad he could just move on. She sighed, and picked up the other suitcases following him.
*****
The week seemed to fly by to the ceremony of name announcements. The night came, and Aeris was thankful the full moon was the night before, for Rueben's sake. They all gathered around the sealed well which held the only way back to the Life side as people called it. It restored your body and brought you back to exactly where your body lies. If you are in water it takes you to the nearest dry land. When everyone had gathered, Rueben cleared his throat, and spoke.
"People of the Promised Land! Every hundred years we gather here, at the base of this well. We open the sacred envelopes to let us know who will be returning to live on the Planet's surface once again. Remember you may respectfully decline (this had never happened in anyone's memory), and give it to another. Now as custom we open them from last to go, to the first to go." Rueben pauses for a moment and draws the envelopes from his inner pocket. He then picks the envelope twelve. He opens it to find two smaller envelopes inside. He looks at the crowd again and sees Aeris smiling face waiting.
"It seems that there is an additional award for who is going back last. Some great item that he or she can take with them. I will read this envelope first." Rueben then takes a small knife and slowly cuts them seal on this envelope. After he reads it he turns back to them.
"This person may take their home!" he announces. Murmurs sweep threw the crowd. It very rarely happened that someone could take their entire home with them. It must be some one who has been here for a long time indeed. Rueben then slowly cut the seal to show he had not sneaked a peek, or tampered with the envelopes. He then passed the now opened envelope to a man named Mikhail Spectdoc. He was suppose to take over for Rueben if he ever went back. Mikhail had all but forgotten about it. He had only been in the Promised Land for three hundred years, and he had saved the Planet by accident. He sighed as he pulled out the paper. His eyes widened when he read it and he glanced at the crowd and then back to the paper. The crowd began to grow impatient, and people began to whisper. Rueben frowned at him and elbowed him in the ribs. Mikhail cleared his throat, and in a shaky voice said, "Rueben Tocnar."
A hush fell over the crowd. Everyone glanced from Mikhail to Rueben. Rueben had gone pale, and his hands had tightened on the envelopes so that they were practically crushed. Aeris had put her hand up to her mouth, and whispered, "No.."
"Let's move along shall we?" Rueben said evenly. He wanted to scream in rage. After all this time when he was finally happy the Planet now chooses to send him back. He uttered a silent curse to the Planet. Damn it to hell! He was aware off the great honor and would not turn it down, and Aeris knew that. She wanted to cry, but she would later at Rueben's home tonight. When they would get back there tonight they will see the new Watchmen's home standing beside it.
They moved quickly threw the last few remaining envelopes. They reached the last, which was the first person to go back. Everyone held their breath, hoping for himself or herself or for a friend if they had already gone back. Rueben cut the last seal. He was starting to lose his composure, and his hands shook with rage as he cut the seal. He watched as Mikhail read the last letter. His expression became the same as when he read Rueben's. Mikhail couldn't believe his eyes! Not her! He narrowed his eyes at the woman when he said her name, "Aeris Gainsborough."
This time there were no awes, and applause. Quite the opposite. Shouts of rage erupted in the crowd , and people immediately drew away from her. Only Marie stood by her, and she gazed at wonder at her. Mikhail noticed a piece of paper in the envelope with the other. He handed it to Rueben. Rueben read it (concealing his extreme joy), and then spoke to the crowd.
"My friends! Calm yourselves! The Planet has explained why she will go back so soon!" he shouted. The crowd hushed as he read the paper.
"I now quote this piece of paper! ~Aeris will be returning to be with her friends. Her death was not warranted. She still must complete the to bring plants and animals back as she was chosen to do. Her death was a grave mis error which I could not stop. Planet~" Rueben quoted. The crowd sighed knowing the planet had made no mistake. People began to disperse and make their way home, the chosen ones rushing to the store to pick up a bag in which to take their things with them. Marie let out a cry and hugged Aeris in joy. Johnny made his way over to them. Aeris hugged Marie, and looked at Rueben over her shoulder. He grinned at her and she grinned back, both very much pleased.
Chapter 7: Momma, I'm coming home!
For Aeris the next five months felt magical. Almost everyday, after training, Rueben and her were almost always together. Even on Fridays, Rueben helped her tend her garden. A week after Rueben told her everything, she broke threw the materia's barrier. When it did she almost hurt herself. The power surged so suddenly that her muscles doubled in size, taking in all the energy. Rueben almost panicked but she gained control and reformed the loop to draw energy. Ruben had warned her that taking all the energy give them incredible power, but slows them down considerably.
"And what good is power if you can't catch your opponent?" he questioned. Aeris agreed, and reformed the loop. She eventually learned how to break any materia barrier and soon, she and Rueben were training using full power. And yet she still felt Rueben was holding back. She learned that he could will the change from man to werewolf and maintains control over both forms. He only lost control on the night of the full moon.
It was about two weeks away from the anniversary of her death when the package came to the town box. The man who was in charge of delivering packages to the store and people from Planet (Aeris thought his name was Bill, she still couldn't remember them all), rushed to Rueben's house where she and Rueben were sitting on the porch drinking iced tea. He came running up and handed it to Rueben. Rueben snatched the package, and tore it open. Inside were twelve blank envelopes, numbered one to twelve. Rueben glance at Aeris and read a small letter inside with the envelopes.
"Tell Steve Hubert, in the newspaper office to print flyers telling the people we will open the envelopes of who goes back a week from today. And we meet outside the well. Understood?" Rueben asked. The man nodded, (Aeris was almost positive his name was Bill) and ran off to the newspaper offices. Rueben went inside and locked the envelopes. He came back outside and looked around. For the first time he noticed the snow was almost gone and it was almost March. He was fully aware that the first person would be going back of March 1st. The same day Aeris died a year ago. Aeris looked at him with a puzzled expression. He smiled and sat back down, and took her hand. They sat there in silence for a while, and then Aeris brought up a subject that had been bothering her lately.
"Are you going back?" she asked quietly. Rueben looked at her, and then back to the setting sun.
"I don't think so. I've been here too long as it is already. Besides, before you I was resentful to the planet. Now I'm thankful. See, about half the people here have already gone back, and the other half have not. Marie's boyfriend, Johnny, already went back. As long as you don't try to destroy the planet, you are guaranteed to come back. You will eventually go back, but that may be thousands of years from now. I can wait fifty or so years for you to come back." He said. He leaned over to her and kissed her. She felt a flash of heat, and pulled him closer. He stopped and drew away. He stared into her eyes, and smiled. She smiled back at him, and they turned back to watch the sun set.
*****
Tifa let out a long sigh as they set their bags inside their house. It was good to be home. After their wedding, she and Cloud took a two month long honeymoon. They had skied in Icicle Town to swimming in Costa De Sol. Their vacation had been a gift from their friends. After the wedding, Cid had announced they could use the now repaired, Tiny Bronco. He had given Cloud and Tifa both lessons, and he trusted them implicitly. Everyone soon moved to live permanently in Corel. Only Cid, Shera, and Red didn't move into town. Red usually stayed at Cosmo Canyon, but with his help, they had even planted a forest outside Corel. The city was now twice as big as Kalm, but it was just as clean. Cloud groaned as he dropped the last of the luggage inside. His sunburn still gave twinges of pain and he was scheduled to start as Police-Chief tomorrow.
"My aching back." He groaned and plopped down on the couch. He closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep. Tifa growled and kicked him.
"Hey! Tiff, what's the big idea?" he groaned. She grinned at him.
"Do you think I'm going to unpack seven suitcases my self?" she said. Cloud groaned again, and got up. He glanced at the calendar on his way up stairs and froze. His face went pale white, and he dropped the bags. Tifa glared at him and then saw the note on the calendar for February 28th.
VIST ANCIENT CITY ON MARCH 1st. That was two weeks from today. Tifa gently put an arm around him.
"We're all going remember, Cloud? Even, Vincent." Tifa gently prodded. He nodded, and shakily picked up the suitcases and headed for the bedroom. Tifa watched him, and knew it would never get easier for Cloud. He failed as her bodyguard, and had to live with that the rest of his life. She was glad he could just move on. She sighed, and picked up the other suitcases following him.
*****
The week seemed to fly by to the ceremony of name announcements. The night came, and Aeris was thankful the full moon was the night before, for Rueben's sake. They all gathered around the sealed well which held the only way back to the Life side as people called it. It restored your body and brought you back to exactly where your body lies. If you are in water it takes you to the nearest dry land. When everyone had gathered, Rueben cleared his throat, and spoke.
"People of the Promised Land! Every hundred years we gather here, at the base of this well. We open the sacred envelopes to let us know who will be returning to live on the Planet's surface once again. Remember you may respectfully decline (this had never happened in anyone's memory), and give it to another. Now as custom we open them from last to go, to the first to go." Rueben pauses for a moment and draws the envelopes from his inner pocket. He then picks the envelope twelve. He opens it to find two smaller envelopes inside. He looks at the crowd again and sees Aeris smiling face waiting.
"It seems that there is an additional award for who is going back last. Some great item that he or she can take with them. I will read this envelope first." Rueben then takes a small knife and slowly cuts them seal on this envelope. After he reads it he turns back to them.
"This person may take their home!" he announces. Murmurs sweep threw the crowd. It very rarely happened that someone could take their entire home with them. It must be some one who has been here for a long time indeed. Rueben then slowly cut the seal to show he had not sneaked a peek, or tampered with the envelopes. He then passed the now opened envelope to a man named Mikhail Spectdoc. He was suppose to take over for Rueben if he ever went back. Mikhail had all but forgotten about it. He had only been in the Promised Land for three hundred years, and he had saved the Planet by accident. He sighed as he pulled out the paper. His eyes widened when he read it and he glanced at the crowd and then back to the paper. The crowd began to grow impatient, and people began to whisper. Rueben frowned at him and elbowed him in the ribs. Mikhail cleared his throat, and in a shaky voice said, "Rueben Tocnar."
A hush fell over the crowd. Everyone glanced from Mikhail to Rueben. Rueben had gone pale, and his hands had tightened on the envelopes so that they were practically crushed. Aeris had put her hand up to her mouth, and whispered, "No.."
"Let's move along shall we?" Rueben said evenly. He wanted to scream in rage. After all this time when he was finally happy the Planet now chooses to send him back. He uttered a silent curse to the Planet. Damn it to hell! He was aware off the great honor and would not turn it down, and Aeris knew that. She wanted to cry, but she would later at Rueben's home tonight. When they would get back there tonight they will see the new Watchmen's home standing beside it.
They moved quickly threw the last few remaining envelopes. They reached the last, which was the first person to go back. Everyone held their breath, hoping for himself or herself or for a friend if they had already gone back. Rueben cut the last seal. He was starting to lose his composure, and his hands shook with rage as he cut the seal. He watched as Mikhail read the last letter. His expression became the same as when he read Rueben's. Mikhail couldn't believe his eyes! Not her! He narrowed his eyes at the woman when he said her name, "Aeris Gainsborough."
This time there were no awes, and applause. Quite the opposite. Shouts of rage erupted in the crowd , and people immediately drew away from her. Only Marie stood by her, and she gazed at wonder at her. Mikhail noticed a piece of paper in the envelope with the other. He handed it to Rueben. Rueben read it (concealing his extreme joy), and then spoke to the crowd.
"My friends! Calm yourselves! The Planet has explained why she will go back so soon!" he shouted. The crowd hushed as he read the paper.
"I now quote this piece of paper! ~Aeris will be returning to be with her friends. Her death was not warranted. She still must complete the to bring plants and animals back as she was chosen to do. Her death was a grave mis error which I could not stop. Planet~" Rueben quoted. The crowd sighed knowing the planet had made no mistake. People began to disperse and make their way home, the chosen ones rushing to the store to pick up a bag in which to take their things with them. Marie let out a cry and hugged Aeris in joy. Johnny made his way over to them. Aeris hugged Marie, and looked at Rueben over her shoulder. He grinned at her and she grinned back, both very much pleased.