Chapter 5
JOURNEY OF HEART
Cloud and Tifa are having their dinner together at a restaurant in Midgar. They haven't talked to each other yet since they came to restaurant. This makes Tifa feel uneasy. She takes a look at Cloud who is munching his food.
Why is he like this ? He's not very talkative, but he's not also very quiet person…Tifa's thought tries to interpret Cloud's condition.
"Cloud..?", Tifa calls him.
"Hmm…yeah, Tif ?", Cloud answers, still munching his food. He avoids Tifa's eyes.
"What's wrong, Cloud ?", ask Tifa. She stops her dinner and now gazes at Cloud.
"No..nothing's wrong…", Cloud replies, nervously. He puts another meal into his mouth.
There must be something wrong about him, I'm very sure of that. Tifa still holds her thought.
He looks so nervous, that was very unnatural of him…
"I disagree with that. You really look different tonight…Cloud…please tell me…", Tifa looks at Cloud with caring look.
Cloud keeps quiet for a second, then he says, "Hmmm…first things first, Tifa. Let's finish our dinner and then we…could take a walk to…more…private place", Cloud finishes his words, also their conversation with hesitant tone. He still seems nervous.
Tifa gives sigh as reply, but she does not say anything. She gives up.
"Well..here we are…", Cloud takes a sit on a big rock on opening area outside Midgar. Tifa sits next to him. After having their dinner, they walked to outside Midgar. It is quiet there.
"Um..Cloud..are you sure this place is safe ?", Tifa asks Cloud," We are outside Midgar…".
"Indeed we are, but we are close enough to city, we'll be safe", Cloud cuts off Tifa's words. "Trust me, I often go here when I need my time", he continues.
Tifa only nods to him and does not say anything. Cloud is just the same, he keeps quiet like the way he did at restaurant, but he does not seem very nervous like before.
"Cloud…", Tifa whispers softly. She slowly leans to Cloud and gazes at stars in the sky. "The stars…they are beautiful, aren't they ?". Tifa rests her head on Cloud's shoulder. Her eyes are still wandering to those stars. Cloud still does not say anything. He just hangs his head up, letting his eyes to meet the sky. Quiet. Wind blows them softly, plays Tifa's hair.
"We had been like this before, under Nibelheim sky, do you remember ?", Cloud suddenly asks Tifa.
"I thought you forgot that, Cloud", Tifa replies faintly.
"How could you ever think like that ?", Cloud gives Tifa a wondering look.
"Umm…because….", Tifa tries to reply, but she looks hesitate. "Because you've changed a lot !", she then speaks her words clearly.
Cloud eyes widened. Slowly, his grin paints his face.
"So you don't like if I change ?", ask Cloud to Tifa.
"Only if I can not understand it, like you did before…at our dinner", Tifa looks at Cloud meaningfully. Cloud stares at Tifa's eyes. He can see that Tifa is really worried about him. Cloud takes a breath.
"I am sorry, Tifa, I didn't intend to make you worry about me…", he whispers softly,"…that's because I was very nervous at that moment".
"I know it, Cloud, but for what reason ? You don't have to be nervous with me…you can tell me anything…a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g…", Tifa lets her words. She feels her patience toward Cloud is running out. She always feels mad if Cloud acts in the way she can not understand.
"Tifa…", Cloud tries to ease her with soft voice. "Please…do not push me harder…I…um…", Cloud does not continue his words. He scratches his head.
Goddammit, Cloud ! How can this be happened !? Come on, man… Cloud shouts to himself inside his mind.
"I am tired of this, Cloud ! Just tell me what happened !", Tifa speaks rather harshly. Actually she does not have a heart to do that to Cloud, but she really wants to know what exactly happened.
Tifa then jumps down from her spot and stands in front of Cloud firmly. She folds her hand and gives Cloud a sharp look.
"Um..err…Tifa...please don't go mad..", Cloud begs her. Tifa is still in her position, stands still. Cloud sighs.
"All right, all right…", he jumps down and stands in front of Tifa. They are now facing each other. Cloud gives Tifa a surrender look.
"Tifa…",Cloud's hands reach Tifa's shoulders,"...I'm gonna make this short…I hope you're not mad anymore. Tifa…I…love…you…", his sound trails off, but his look is meaningful. He really means his words.
Tifa's look now changes from a sharp look to an unreadable one after hearing Cloud's words. Her mouth is opened. Cloud bites his lower lip, he holds Tifa's shoulder tighter.
"That's true, Tifa…I love you….", he repeats his words," but it's not only that ! I…I…". Cloud's face goes pale. He gulps. Tifa is still gazing at him.
"I want to get married with you !!". Cloud says these words with top of his voice.
The wind blows again. Quiet. Cloud feels as if he is petrified. He stands still with his hands hold Tifa's shoulder while herself is only looking at him with mixed expression. His heart feels stopped. He feels like to take a cover from Tifa's look, but his words were already thrown out. There is no point of return for him.
Cloud watches Tifa's eyes. Slowly, he notices that her eyes start to tear. With that, her eyes reveal a true happiness that she can not hide. Tifa's lips form an upward curve. She smiles nicely. Tears that once is gathered in her eyes, now flows down through her cheeks. Groggily, Cloud pulls out something from his pant pocket. It is a red small box with an engagement ring inside. He then opens it, takes the ring, and carefully shows that ring to Tifa.
"Tifa Lockheart, will you marry me…?", Cloud finally proposes Tifa with trembling voice. Tifa sweeps her tears, looks at him carefully. She looks into his eyes to find out if the man is real Cloud. After some moments, she finds the answer, and with a smile on her face, she replies,
"Yes…I do…and…I love you too…from bottom of my heart…".
She giggles after saying that. Cloud feels like flying to the sky. He did it. At first, he thought that he screwed it, but finally he made a successful proposal to Tifa. His face looks delighted now. Carefully, Cloud puts the engagement ring to Tifa's finger. Tifa just watches him.
"Wheww…I finally made it….", Cloud sweeps his sweat from his forehead. "This is why acted strangely, Tifa…or should I call… 'fiancee' ?", Cloud teases Tifa. Tifa only blushes, and then she falls herself into Cloud's arms. Cloud laughs a little and holds her tightly.
She never thought that Cloud will propose her. Actually, she had never thought that Cloud loved her, too. Now, she has proven that her thoughts were wrong. Absolutely wrong. Cloud do loves her, and he wants her to be his wife. She feels like a perfect woman, love and being loved by man of her dream.
What else could be better than this ? She thinks about her happiness.
She wants to be in his arms for eternity. She wants to feel his love. She wants him. Cloud kisses Tifa in her forehead and strokes her hair gently. He has decided to move on before, and he has learned to love. Now, he wants to conclude his learning by laying his heart to the woman she loves, hopefully forever.
Tifa hangs her head up and stares at Cloud who is staring at her too. They feel their heart flooded with joy, hope, and love they share to each other.
"Love me always, Cloud…don't leave me…", Tifa whispers to Cloud. He nods and pulls her back in his arms.
…………….
Aeris spins her body left and right on her bed. Sweats form on her face. Her blanket is removed from her body because of her rough motion. She is physically asleep, but her mind is not. She looks uneasy in her slumber.
I will come to you….I will come…Those words suddenly rings inside her head over and over. Weird feeling creeps Aeris' heart. She is frightened as that feeling swallows her slowly. She wants to wake up, but she can not. Her mind is tied to something she doesn't know. She tries to release her mind, but the tie that holds her mind is too tight to break.
Prepare for the damnation….
Aeris' body is strained in her sleeping state after hearing those words. She tries harder to overcome it, but still no luck. She somehow feels dejavu.
I will come to you….Ancient….
Aeris is startled to hear that voice again. The words now seem so familiar to her. The word 'Ancient' strikes her. There is only one that calls her with it.
"SEPHIROTH !!!", Aeris screams and suddenly wakes up. She quickly takes a sit from her sleeping position. She is sweating very much. She breaths in quick pace. Her emerald green eyes are opened with horror. After realizing that it was just a dream, she then takes a deep breath to calm herself down.
What was that ? A dream ? She starts to think in her confused state. I hope that really was…but that voice…it was so…real….
Aeris closes her face with her hands. She shakes her head.
No, that was just dream, Aeris….that WAS just a dream ! She drives her mind.
But if it was a dream, how could that voice rang on my head as it was…real ? She hesitates.
Aeris sighs. She gets off from her bed and walks toward bathroom. She is still not feeling well at all. As she walks, she realizes that dawn has already come. The sun shows a little part of itself through Aeris' room window. After some morning-wash, Aeris sits on the bed's edge and tries to remember something. She cannot ignore her feeling about her dream before.
I am so familiar with that dream…that voice…but there is something more…I ever have this feeling before….
Suddenly, she feels that something inside her rings the bell. Aeris quickly stands up, grabs her belongings, and dashes outside her room in hurry. In the middle room, she finds Shera is preparing breakfast. She is still in her sleeping dress.
"Shera !", Aeris calls her. It is not much like a morning greeting, yet Aeris doesn't mean to greet her at this moment, and it makes Shera give her a questioning look.
"What's the matter, Aeris ?", Shera's face turns to Aeris. She raises her brow to see Aeris is fully loaded with her equipment after suddenly dashed out from her room.
"Shera ! Let's get out of here….quick !", Aeris orders Shera. Obviously Aeris seems so in hurry to Shera's eyes. "For our shake, Shera ! We have to leave right now !!", Aeris looks at Shera with serious look. "I can feel him…I feel his presence….", she explains to Shera in a brief with desperate tone.
Shera becomes more confused. With her brow still raised, she asks Aeris
"You mean….Sephiroth ??". Shera only guesses what Aeris means by looking at Aeris' frightened face. Aeris nods and adds her words,"Yes, I can feel his presence…I have had this feeling before…and that was true ! Trust me !".
Shera puts her breakfast on the table. Her face turns into serious expression.
"All right. I trust you. Better leave here while we can. I will gather aircrew right now. My equipment is already inside Highwind. We will depart to Midgar now". Shera speaks wisefully. She is really careful and well-planned woman. Aeris nods for agreement.
"Let's go !", Aeris says.
They both leave the house and run toward Highwind. They wake up every aircrew who are sleeping in Highwind and arrange them for departure. After some preparation, The Highwind is ready to take off. Its engine is turned on, gives noise to its surrounding. Slowly, Highwind leaves the ground. As it floats higher, Aeris, who is standing at Highwind's deck, takes a look on ground below. She still looks worry about something. She only thinks what she must do in case the worst thing comes. She grabs her trusted weapon, Princess Guard, tightly. Only after Highwind reaches a particular altitude and turns to its course, Aeris feels lighthearted. She then walks into Highwind control room.
"So..here we are…inside Highwind…", Shera greets Aeris. She now sees Aeris in more relaxed condition. "Welcome aboard, Aeris", Shera smiles at her. Aeris, after the tense is over, is more cheerful now. She looks at her surrounding with awe. Her eyes traverse every inches of Highwind control room. She walks everywhere like a little kid who is amazing on something. Finally, Aeris gives Shera a grateful look.
"Thank you Shera, for taking me with Highwind", Aeris says to Shera.
"Don't mention it", Shera replies. Smile is still on her face. "Take a look around, suit yourself. You may want to go to deck, it has very beautiful view from there", she continues.
"Sure, thanks for your advise". Aeris then walks back to the deck where she stood before. As she reaches the deck, she cannot hide her surprise to see her surrounding. She cries shortly in amazement. For all of her times, she has never got a chance to stand at her spot right now. Surely, she was at the deck before, but she was thinking another matter. Now, she can have her time to fully watch the view from above. Wherever she lays her eyes are bright morning blue sky with some clouds decorate it, and when she looks down below, she can see a beautiful view that she has not ever seen before. Aeris really enjoys her time. She recalls her first time when she saw Highwind.
/* begin flashback */
"Ooohh…how nice that thing !", Aeris pointed her finger at Highwind. "I wonder if I could take a ride on it !", she exclaimed. She then turned to Cloud.
"Cloud, promise me that someday you'll take me on ride on that !", she expressed her curiousity to Cloud with puppy-dog's eyes. She didn't know why she acted like that, and more, she really didn't know why she told her curious feeling to Cloud, a person that seemed so cold and selfish. She really had no idea, but she really did act like that. Her heart told her to. After realizing whom she was talking to, Aeris started not to hope a good response from him. Her face grew rather sad as her hope faded out.
"Sure, I'll take you on a ride someday !"
Aeris was surprised to hear those words. She was even more surprised that they came from someone she expected at least. Cloud. She never thought that he really said those promising words to her. She could not believe it, but it was undoubtable fact : Cloud gave her his promise. Knowing that, Aeris was relieved again. She took a look on Cloud, trying to figure him out. There, Aeris found a pair of his eyes told the truth. Cloud really meant his words, as well as his promise.
/* end flashback */
Aeris giggles to herself.
Cloud, at last, I am taking a ride on Highwind ! I'm so glad, my dream comes true ! I hope that you could be here so you could fulfill your promise to me…do you remember, Cloud ? Do you remember your promise to take me to Highwind ? I hope you do….
Here I am, Cloud, on the way to meet you….my dear, Aeris smiles to herself. She is on the way to Midgar now, to meet The Avalanche and warn them about Sephiroth, but she has also another intention, a private one.
Back to Shera's house, there is a man walking toward the house. After reaches it, he watches around the house and finds it is empty. Knowing that, he just smiles. Strange smile. He then walks to different course as the wind plays his long silver hair and his black cape.
