Chapter 6
I SHOULD NOT MEET YOU… ( BUT I WANT TO )
Cloud is walking down on Midgar street. He has no destination. Cloud just wants to take a walk around Midgar. He whistles cheerfully. Almost everyone on the street notices him, but he does not care about that. He just walks on and sometimes smile to people around the street. He looks so happy, and he is really happy, indeed. He will get married to someone he knew for so long. He recalls his childhood times, where he was in crush with her. Actually, that was her that made him join SOLDIER. He wanted to impress her. Now, he is in his dignity. He has won her heart, as well as her love. She has agreed to be his wife, and it means everything to him. Feels like a real man, he thinks.
After some turns, Cloud reaches a flower shop. Seeing a flower is arranged neatly on shop's display case triggers something inside him. He smiles.
Maybe I should pay her a visit, he thinks. I want to thank her, and tell her what I have done…
With that, Cloud turns his course to Midgar church. It is only few blocks from his standing position. As he walks, his mind is playing around.
She must be proud of me…At last, I can prove to her that I can make her happy by letting myself happy too…It's strange, even though she's not here anymore, I still feel her presence around us…At least, she is still present inside our hearts.
After ten minutes, Cloud reaches church's frontyard. He stares at the building in front of him like he did some days ago. It is still quiet but peaceful there, gives him a relaxing sensation. Slowly, Cloud walks on the church footsteps to reach inside building. After he reaches in front of church's main door, he takes a look inside.
What !!!???
Cloud's heart suddenly jumps and stops a moment after that, as his eyes meet a petite figure kneeling on flower bed inside the church. His mouth is opened as his jaw is dropped. He cannot believe what he sees and he wants to deny himself that the figure is very familiar to him. Cloud shakes his head with closed eyes and bites his lower lip to make sure that he is not daydreaming.
No, it can't be…It is not real…He slowly opens his eyes and still sees the figure he saw before, still kneeling on the flower bed. The figure does not seem to realize Cloud's presence and still plays around with the flowers. Still with disbelief but amazed look, Cloud moves a step inside the church. His boot makes an echo when it steps on the church's floor. The sound is now distracting the kneeling figure, and making the figure's head slowly faces to the source. As the figure's eyes reach their destination, Cloud becomes petrified. He now sees the figure's face completely and it makes him more shocked. It is a face of young woman, yet it is very familiar to Cloud. From the figure's side, she is also in shock to see the person that walks inside the church. From her expression, it can be told that she cannot believe her very eyes. Their eyes meet each other.
She is here…Cloud thinks to himself, still in disbelief.
He is here…the figure thinks to herself in amazement.
"A…Aer…Aeris ?", Cloud's throat feels rough when he speaks. Aeris, the figure, does not reply him. Instead, she stands up from her kneeling position and rushes toward Cloud. At that moment, Cloud feels time stops to tick. He only sees his surrounding as blurred image with Aeris' sharp image runs to him in slow motion. He feels his heartbeat thuds his chest loudly. As Aeris rushes to Cloud, she feels a hesitation rises inside her heart. Her actions were driven by her heart before, yet now she has a bit of worried feeling. She wants to inquiry her own heart if she really wants to do this, but she just cannot do that. She already knows the answer of that question. She really wants to do this, no matter what.
Will he catch me ?…or just walk away from me ? Those questions bother her, but her other part of heart tells her to go on. Aeris hesitation clashes with her deep missing to Cloud. When it happens, she feels like moving nowhere even though her body is moving closer toward Cloud. At a time when her hesitation comes over, she wants to step back and run away, but at last moment, her feeling to Cloud occupies her heart. With that, she lets herself runs toward Cloud. She has passed the point of no return. She only has one dream, one hope, and she has given her everything to a bet of uncertainty. She needs to know the answer.
It's now or never….
Cloud, on seeing Aeris' arrival, has mixed feeling about her too, but he has to make a decision. He needs no second thought whether he wants to see Aeris or not. At last time, he catches Aeris in his arms. He then holds Aeris tightly as if he would lose her again. He puts his face to Aeris' head, sweeps her hair with soft touch. Aeris feels delighted to be treated like that. She puts her face to curve of his neck, and sighs softly. She cannot hold her tears of happiness longer, so she lets herself cry. Aeris, the last Cetra, pours all of her emotions in form of tears. Happiness, hope, joy, miss, love, fear to lose, all are expressed in her tears and hugs. She has been longing for this moment since she fell in love with Cloud. She even never think to have this moment since her death, but now her dream comes true. Reality. No doubt about that. There aren't any words that suit to describe her feeling clearly. She only wants to be in his arms for eternity.
"Aeris….I…", Cloud murmurs.
"Shh…don't speak now…", Aeris cuts off his word with soft voice. She sinks her head deeper into his chest. Cloud responses her with tighter hug. Somehow he is relieved to see Aeris again, in her living form. He tries very hard to fight back his tears, but he cannot lie to himself. His tears start to flow in his cheek. Aeris rises her face to see Cloud. Her cheeks are still wet. She smiles to him lovingly and slowly kisses him on his cheek. Cloud stares at her with content look. He then kisses Aeris' forehead gently.
"I miss you every time…", Aeris whispers to Cloud in tender voice.
"Me too….", Cloud replies and continues, "I often went here to visit you…that was the least thing I could do. I never imagined that someday I would find you, the real you, in this place".
Aeris giggles. Cloud feels lighthearted to see Aeris giggling. He sees his angel is back, like those old times. Sweet, caring, innocent…and a lovely one. Cloud smiles to her. He wants to ask her how she can be revived, but at this time, he doesn't care about that. He can ask about it later. Aeris giggles more and says,
"Now what are we supposed to do ?".
Cloud only shrugs his shoulder. "I don't know", he replies," maybe we should let the others know that you came back".
"Well…so be it", Aeris agrees. She remembers there is other thing to tell to Cloud and others, but at this time, she wants her private time with Cloud.
"Let's waste no time", Cloud pulls Aeris' hand and bring her outside church. They then walk hand in hand to Neo 7th Heaven course.
"Where are the others ?", Aeris asks a question to Cloud.
"They are in Neo 7th Heaven, not too far from here. It is Tifa's bar, named after the old 7th Heaven", Cloud replies with explanation.
"Well, Shera has mentioned that", Aeris says. Cloud's right brow rises.
"Shera ? What's the matter with her ?", he asks.
"I came here by her help. I will tell everything when we reach this Neo 7th Heaven. I hope Shera knows the way…she must know it, I'm sure", Aeris replies.
"First things first, Cloud", Aeris continues," and first thing in my mind is….spending the time with you, like this….", Aeris giggles. Cloud only nods to her as agreement. He really wants the same thing as Aeris, but deep inside his heart, a guilty feeling toward Tifa emerges.
They walk outside church together, hand in hand. They don't have conversation on their way to Neo 7th Heaven. They communicate with unspeakable words, by holding each other's hand, and sometimes take a look to each other. Everytime Cloud sees Aeris' smiling face, he, at one side feels a peace, but the other side of him tells him that he has done something wrong, and it relates to his feeling towards Tifa. Cloud tries to imagine Tifa's figure to ease his guilty feeling a bit and tries to pretend that his "incident" with Aeris does not affect him, but still he cannot lie to his heart that he is really happy to see Aeris is back, and he feels something different that he keeps secretly and deeply in his heart.
Aeris, being very happy at this moment, does not notice Cloud's hesitant eyes. She lives in her own world now, where she is alive again and finding her love again. She is more delighted to know that she has no reason to be afraid for longer since she knows that Cloud accepts her. Shera was right. Aeris feels like on the top of the world.
Inside Neo 7th Heaven, Cid, Barrett, Yuffie, and Cait Sith are sitting on a table together. The others are scattered around the bar. They watch the bar mistress for all day. They notice a difference on Tifa.
"Hey…what's da matter with Tifa ?", Barrett opens a question.
The others take a look again on the conversation subject. Tifa, for all day, is greeting all of her customers with happy face. She always smiles, and sometimes takes a look on her finger.
"Gee…you are right, Barrett. She looks more cheerful now", Cid agrees with Barrett.
"Does it have something with Materia ? Maybe she has a unique one…", Yuffie asks, innocently.
The others are looking at Yuffie now. Barrett only shakes his head, he thinks that Yuffie cannot let her mind go away for Materia things. Yuffie only grins as if she knows what the others are thinking about her.
"You may be goddamn right, kid…", Cid says and takes a cigar from his pocket. Before he ignites it, he adds, "It may not be related to Materia, but she looks like has received something precious..". Cid ignites his cigar and takes a deep suck on it.
"I wonder if it relates to him…", Cait Sith joins with his hand makes a sign of spike above his head.
Tifa, being talked about, now turns her face to the others. She blushes slightly knowing that she has been watched by her friends. She only smiles after that and turns her face to a newly arrived customer.
"I know now…dat blush, is her blush when she remembers da spiky-blondie !", Barrett exclaims with loud voice. Cid rubs his chin. His rugged visage tells the others that he is really curious about something.
"Hmmm…a few days ago Tifa and Cloud came home together from that church, and last night, she had been out with Cloud for hours…", Cid speaks.
"Hey…do you think Tifa is like 'that' ?", Cait Sith cuts off Cid.
"Ya better clean yer dirty head, old man !", Barrett gives Cid a sharp look.
As they argue, Yuffie slowly moves closer to Tifa. Tifa is smiling to her when Yuffie comes to Tifa's side.
"What's the matter Yuffie ? I don't have new Materia…", Tifa teases Yuffie. Yuffie grins to her with innocent expression and watches her from her hair to her toe. Tifa's face turns into crimson red being watched like that.
"Aww..come on…Yuffie..", Tifa chuckles softly. Yuffie's eyes sparkle when she notices something on Tifa's finger. An engagement ring. She wasn't wearing that ring yesterday, Yuffie thinks. It rings the bell inside Yuffie's head. She quickly turns to the others and yells in surprised tone,
"Tifa has been engaged !!"
Barrett, Cid, and Cait Sith stop their conversation at once. They take a surprised look at Yuffie who is standing beside Tifa, then turn their eyes to Tifa. If Tifa has been engaged, it means…
"Tifa is getting married ??", they ask in unison.
"Is that right, Tifa ??", Cait Sith asks Tifa, still in rather disbelief.
"Umm..you can say that…", Tifa replies with low voice. She manages herself not to be seen blushing again, but she cannot help herself on that.
As the others hear Tifa's reply, they clap their hands with grin stick on their faces. Tifa's eyes widened in their full form. She never thinks that the others will act like this. She becomes very shy, and it is clearly seen from her face. However, she feels really happy to know that the others are happy about her engagement too.
"Congratulation, Tifa !", Red XIII, who was not in conversation now joins the others.
"Come on guys….come on…don't make me blush again", Tifa chuckles, still in her shyness. The hand claps gradually fades out, but those happy face are still shown.
"Congratulation, Tifa !!", Cid finally speaks as he stands up from his chair. He walks toward outside bar. "I can't wait for that day. Just don't forget to invite this old man !", Cid's face turns to Tifa as he reaches the door. He doesn't watch his way when he is about to reach outside bar when suddenly someone rushes in. They are ramming.
"Ouch !", Cid is forced to step back. The rushing person is just doing the same.
"Just what the ^#$*&* hell are you doing !? You don't have your *&$%@# own eyes !? Can't you see that I was walking &$#(*@^ out !!!". Cid curses with all of his anger. He sees a woman in front of him.It was her that rammed him before. Cid's mouth is opened widely to recognize that woman.
"My $%#@&*….I am cursed…Shera !!! What the &#$(^ are you doing here ???", Cid yells with top of his voice. Shera only smiles to him as if nothing was happened.
"I'm sorry, Captain…I didn't mean to break you…", she says with nice smile.
"Awww….I thougt you were in Rocket Town…", Cid mumbles to her.
"Right, I WAS in Rocket Town until this morning…but now here I am..", she speaks to Cid with an innocent look.
"But…what about Highwind ??", Cid asks Shera, still on top of his voice, with worried tone. He left Highwind to Shera in Rocket Town, but now Shera is here.
"It's okay, and it's safe outside Midgar. I left the crew there, Captain", Shera cuts off Cid. She is looking around the bar to find someone.
"So she's not here yet…", she mumbles to herself.
"What's the matter, Shera ?", Tifa now walks toward her. "Oww..where's our manner ? Welcome to my bar, Shera", she finally greets Shera with smile. Shera replies with her nice smile.
"Thank you, Tifa, you are not changing much".
"Don't mention that, please have a seat, suit yourself", Tifa says to Shera.
"Shera, you haven't answered my question yet", Cid cuts off the conversation. "Just tell me what the *&#(*@ are you doing here ? I didn't tell you to &^%(# come here ! I even didn't tell you to take Highwind here !!".
Shera only looks at Cid with a calming look without any words. Cid cannot stand for her look. He gives sigh and fixes his spectacle position.
"Just tell me if anything goes wrong", Cid's voice becomes softer.
"There is nothing wrong. I got a guest yesterday, a special guest. My guest needed to come Midgar as soon as possible, and I could not resist on giving help, so we together came here by Highwind", Shera explains.
"But…where is your guest, anyway ? He…or she should be with you here, too", Yuffie joins the conversation.
"When we reached Midgar gateway, my guest…she…said that she had…some business to do and she would go here after that", Shera speaks.
"Okay, I got it, Shera", now is Cid's turn. He cannot hide his madness. "You got a guest, and you took your guest here with Highwind without my permission, and let your guest roamed around in Midgar while yourself let your $#$%&^ sits here and you still said there is nothing wrong ???", Cid takes a breath and continues with loud voice,
"Shera ! What do you think of Highwind ? A travel agent ? A commercial plane ?? Just what did you think at &^#$(& that time ? You didn't contact me at all !!".
Shera stands up from her chair and speaks sharply,
"I DID contact you, Captain, and what else can I use to contact you other than PHS ?", she puts her hand on her waist. She continues her words, "I guess you are the one who should check your PHS out !".
Cid becomes quiet at once. Shera is right. She could only contact him via PHS, which he just screwed his up.
"I guess it's okay, Shera, Cid..let's have no argue", Tifa ceases them. "Could you tell me who your guest is ? I think Cid still needs to know".
Shera nods and says, "I'll make it short. My guest is no other than…"
"Hey, Cid ! You got your voice heard from outside !"
Suddenly someone comes inside the bar. He is Cloud. Everyone now takes a look at Cloud and short time after that, everybody except Cloud and Shera are amazed to see who is coming with Cloud. They cannot believe what really happened.
"AERIS ???!!!"
All of The Avalanche members, except Cloud, spit their word in unison. They are shocked and standing still on their position for some seconds. Even Vincent, who was standing quietly at the corner, cannot hide his shock.
"Hi, everyone, nice to meet you..It's been long time…", Aeris greets the others with her innocent smile. The others still gaze at her with confused look.
"A..Aeris…??", Tifa breaks the silence. She has managed herself to remain calm. "How…how could you…be here ?".
"Aren't you just her…ghost ??", Yuffie adds Tifa's words with pale face.
"We saw ya…lifeless there…in Ancient Temple", Barrett's gruff voice comes up, trembling.
"Oh my &*&#$($$, I just cannot understand this…", Cid scratches his head.
"Geez…you are…alive…", Cait Sith says in astonishment.
"Merciful Heaven…", Vincent whispers slowly.
"I was surprised at first, but realizing that you are a Cetra, I think it makes sense", Red XIII's wise voice gives the other reasonable thought.
Aeris nods, and speaks, "That's right. I will tell you the whole story. It is rather long….". Aeris takes a chair near her and sits on it. The others do the same. They really want to know what happened. Then, Aeris' story begins.
After the story comes to end, everybody takes a deep breath. They now know that there is still a menace out there, the same menace. They have to face the reality. They have to fight their way again.
"So…The Planet revived you because it needed your help ?", Cloud suddenly asks a question.
"Perhaps…yes", Aeris replies.
"But…what will happen to you if we…say, do this successfully ? Will Planet…take you…again ?", Cloud's tone shows worried.
Aeris looks at Cloud with a sad look. She sweeps Cloud's hair softly. This makes Tifa's eyes widened.
"I…I don't know…I have no idea right now, Cloud…Whatever happen, I will fight to survive", Aeris says to Cloud. She hopes that her words can ease Cloud a little, but she herself is not sure about that. Cloud notices hesitation and sadness in Aeris' words. He only sighs after that. If Aeris does not even know what will happen, then he will not know, too.
Watching how Aeris still cares about Cloud very much triggers a jealousy inside Tifa's heart. When she saw Aeris alive again, she felt happy that her best friend existed again, and a worried feeling that her toughest love-rival has come back. No doubt about it : Tifa's love rival. Even Cloud has proposed Tifa for marriage, she still has that worried feeling.
Aeris Gainsborough.The last of Cetra race. Grew up at slums area, yet she was still beautiful, sweet, innocent, cheerful, and caring. Her attitude enlightened people around her. She only wanted to make other people happy, even it must be paid with her sacrifice. She meant a lot for The Avalanche, too. If it wasn't because of her, The Planet would have been destroyed. For that, surely, she deserved the best thing : her true happiness, and that could only come from one man : Cloud Strife. She loved him very much. She had prayed for Holy and Lifestream before to save people, but deep inside her heart, she did it for Cloud's sake. She wanted him to stay alive. She prayed for him, for his happiness. She loved him so much that she had sacrificed her heart to lose him. Now, Aeris is back, still in the same form, the same caring attitude to others, and the same feeling toward Cloud.
I don't know if I can stand this circumstance like those old times…will she regain Cloud's heart ? Tifa thinks in her uneasy mind.
"Tifa ? Are you all right ??", Aeris' voice surprises Tifa that is still in her daydreaming. Tifa looks at Aeris and she sees a caring green emerald eyes watch her. Tifa feels a bit guilty to Aeris for thinking about her.
"Umm…I am alright…I was just…thinking…to…overcome this Sephiroth matter…", Tifa replies groggily.
"Tifa's right", Vincent joins. "We must think the way out of this trouble. Do you have solution, Aeris ?".
Aeris shakes her head. "Unfortunately, I have no idea yet…."
Barrett cuts off on top of his voice, "Man ! We got dis Sephiroth guy chases us again ! Unfortunately, we don't even know where is his butt right now, and even for tomorrow ! We have no clue ! We have to move from here quickly !"
Cloud replies with cool tone, "Say…if we were about to move from here, where should we go ? And what should we do ? At least, we have to do something for preparation, then, either we find Sephiroth or he finds us, we will settle this thing once again".
"You're right, spikey-kid !", Cid responses. "We don't know f@(*#$(* Sephiroth whereabout, but from Aeris' story, there is a chance that Sephiroth can find us ! It means we cannot just wait for his @$$ to come. We must prepare ourself !"
"Aeris, what else The Planet said ?", Red XIII inquiries Aeris.
"It said I must find my knowledge to save Planet again….", Aeris replies. As she gazes at Red XIII, she suddenly knows something important. Her emerald green eyes sparkle brightly.
"THAT'S IT !!", Aeris exclaims and stands up from her chair. The others are startled to see Aeris like that.
"We can go to Cosmo Canyon and try to find a clue from Bugenhagen's library !! How about that, Red ?". Aeris says to the others.
Red XIII closes his eyes, thinks for a moment, and then says, "All right. You are right. Bugenhagen has a lot of old books in his library. I remember that one day he ever told me that he had a lot of Ancient books. I didn't understand what he said that time, but now, I hope his books could give us hope".
"So be it !", Cloud concludes. "We'll go to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow ! We have this remaining day to prepare ourself. We must fight Sephiroth again, and we will win again !". Cloud clenches his fist and take a look at the others. The others nod their heads for agreement. They have no choice but to fight again.
"I will go to check Highwind to see if Shera has done any harm to it. I cannot trust anyone if it's about Highwind !", Cid stands up from his chair and walks to outside. As he walks across Shera, he smiles faintly to her, a caring and grateful smile, but Shera and the others does not notice. For his sake, it's better to be that way.
"Thank you, Shera…", Cid whispers to Shera almost with inaudible voice as he walks farther from Shera. As Cid walks outside building, Shera gazes at his back and whispers,
"You are welcome, Captain…". She smiles.
Night has fallen into Midgar. Cloud is in his room, preparing his equipment for the next journey. Everything is ready. He stares at his Ultima sword, hopes that his weapon will help him in next battle. He recalls his past, the previous battle.
So many things came, so many things went, like Aeris, she has come, she has gone, and she has come again…, Cloud lets his mind wanders around.
Cloud falls himself on his bed. He gazes to room ceiling. He recalls what happened this day, and still he cannot believe it. He was in his track to be with Tifa, and suddenly Aeris came into life again. Surely, Aeris came with a serious problem, that was Sephiroth, but Cloud does not bother it too much. He never thinks that Aeris will be revived, and still with her old lovely attitude. The others seem to be happy with her revival, too, even Tifa. Remembering about Tifa, Cloud feels sorry for her since he has not explained to Tifa personally about Aeris. Tifa has accepted him for granted, not much complaining, and still nice to him. Cloud thinks that he is supposed to treat Tifa better since she is his fiancee now. He does not have any doubt that he loves Tifa so much that he proposed her, but after Aeris' revival, Cloud has an unknown feeling toward Aeris which he must interpret. He has no idea how, but he has feeling that his personal matter will grow far complex than he ever thinks. Aeris Gainsborough, a simple flower girl. Even though she has a same place with the other Avalanche members in Cloud's heart, she is the one he secretly, but deeply loves.
AUTHOR'S POST-CHAPTER NOTE :
Wheww…at last I wrote this chapter. This chapter tells the meeting of Aeris and The Avalanche, including that spiky-blondie Cloud. I have tried hard to exploit the love triangle interest in this chapter. I tried to capture Tifa's happy and worried feeling to see Aeris again, and also to capture Cloud's "seamless changing of heart". I guess this is not the right time for Aeris to know that Tifa has been engaged with Cloud. Personally, I think she's still happy that she finally found Cloud and it left no room for her to think that she had come into love triangle (again). I'll tell it little by little in next chapter. Anyhow, sorry if this chapter does not kick ! ^_^, but please R & R, okay, okay ?
