Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters, and I'm
not making any money from this.
Promises
At the entrance to the City Of The Ancients, a young man stood. Brassy strands of hair swayed in the cold breeze, glowing blue eyes seemed to stare through everything in their path, seeing only that place. That crystalline lake which held her, which held a fallen angel.
'Why, Aeris? Why did you fall? You......you promised me you'd come back....'
Promises. At one time, the word had such meaning to it. But now, it sounded hollow, insincere. Cloud walked forward, hesitantly. Even though he hadn't returned here in a while, still, he sensed it. That sick, eerie feeling he had felt when he first came to this place.
But there was a reason then. Him. Sephiroth.
'What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me that you have feelings too?'
The words had cut him like a knife. A frown crossed over Cloud's features, and he continued on his way. The whole place had an aura of death around it, a cold, lifeless feeling. It was completely silent, apart from the sound of his breathing, and his booted feet as they made clicking noises on the stony ground. He couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Ahead of him was the largest building, the shell house that still held that glowing green orb, far below, in the shimmering water right in the depths of the city. The white materia. Holy.
He could remember it so clearly, the way that the Holy magic and Meteor fought it out over the heads of the people in Midgar. He remembered that sinking feeling he had felt as he realised that if Meteor was triumphant, then Aeris would have died for nothing. And all the people on the planet...
Then how his eyes had widened at the glowing green ribbons of light, suddenly appearing, dancing across the horizon, a shimmering swell of energy, filled with all the souls of the Planet. The Lifestream had saved them all. And he could have sworn that he had seen her smiling face as Meteor was finally overcome. He'd realised, then, that Aeris was the true saviour of the planet. He and Avalanche had simply helped her along the way.
Even though he was tired, he willed his body to carry on, taking a last look at the scene in front of him, and then going right at the crossroads. Here there were more shell houses, but these were smaller, and not in as good condition. The nearest was empty, but the other one housed a few beds, where he had slept last time he had come here.
"Aeris."
He murmured her name softly as he approached the spiral building.
That chance meeting with her, crashing through the splintered wood, the roof of the church in the slums of Midgar, soft pink flowers breaking his fall. How he had opened his eyes to see hers smiling back at him. How he had stared into those emerald green eyes, almost able to see her soul.
Sighing, Cloud sank to the ground, leaning against the wall of the house for support. He was exhausted, and his breath came out in ragged, short gasps. Resting his sword against the wall, he closed his eyes.
A young woman knelt on the marble altar of the City Of The Ancients, her hands clasped together in prayer. Reflections of the water below moved slowly across her features. Her honey brown hair fell around her face, a couple of strands fluttering as she breathed. Her eyes were closed in concentration, and a look of serenity was on her face. She was unaware of her surroundings now, so deep was her concentration. The blonde man climbed up the stepping-stones, one by one, making his way up to her, a feeling of dread clutching at his heart with icy fingers with each step closer to her he took. Stopping on the ledge in front of her, his brow suddenly furrowed in confusion, and he took a step back, shaking his head. Time seemed to slow as he took up his sword and ascended the final steps, and with just a few more strides was in front of her.
"Some day we'll look back on these hard times and laugh."
The woman did not stir; her eyes remained closed as she concentrated on willing her prayers to reach the Planet. Her lips moved almost imperceptibly as she silently mouthed the words. The blonde man raised his sword high in the air, a blank look in his eyes. He was just a puppet now, a being controlled by a higher power. The sword faltered in the air for a fleeting few seconds, then began its descent.
"Some day I'll get out of Midgar...and find my Promised Land. That's what mother said."
Still the woman did not move. Even as the blade made its way for her head, she did not move.
"Cloud!"
"Stop it!"
His eyes suddenly became bright again, the life restored to them. He was a puppet no longer. Realising what he was doing, he hastily stopped the sword just short of the woman's head, stepping backwards and scraping the tip of the blade along the marble ground.
"Wh..... what are you making me do?"
Only then, did she stir, raising her head and opening those brilliant emerald eyes. She stared directly at Cloud, her hair shifting slightly with the movement. He looked back at her; the feeling of dread more prominent than ever now, almost stopping him from breathing by the way it tightened his throat. She smiled gently, not moving from her position, not taking her eyes from his. And then the reason for Cloud's dread manifested itself.
An angel of death, his Mako green eyes glittering with malice, his long, silver hair whipping around his face, and the hilt of his Masamune clasped between his palms.
He flew down, aiming the shining blade at just the right angle. The light played across the metal, almost giving it an unearthly glow.
"Then, I'll be going now. I'll come back when it's all over."
And still, the flower girl smiled.
The buster sword slipped sideways, falling to the ground with a clatter, and its owner was jolted out of sleep. Cloud drew in a sharp breath, his eyes wide with shock.
'Just a dream. So often I have that same dream.'
His surroundings were now dim, darkness had fallen across the city, and night was upon him.
He stood up shakily, looking around, a little disorientated from his slumber. Leaving the shell house, he began walking to the entrance again. This time, he would go to see her. So many times he had come here, but he had never been able to bring himself to pass that lake, go into that building and down those stairs, never been able to go into the city and stand on that altar. But now, he would go.
He looked forward, a determination in his eyes that he had not shown since that final encounter with Sephiroth. Then he took a deep breath and continued on his way. The buster sword, which had roused him from sleep, lay on the ground, forgotten.
It had been a miserable day. As soon as Cloud opened his eyes he had known it was raining. The room he had booked in the Kalm Town inn had been dingy when he had awoken, and as he turned to the window, he could see nothing of the outside world. It had been only a haze of blurred colours, the showers running down the window - panes distorting it. The rain had lashed down violently, stinging his hands and face as he left the inn. Storm clouds veiled the weak rays of sunshine that had managed to get through, casting a dark shadow over the landscape. He had not even noticed it; his only thoughts were those of the City of the Ancients, wondering if he would summon up the courage to enter. Why did he feel so averse to going there? Was it guilt? Guilt over something beyond his control, Tifa had said.
When he had arrived at Bone Village, the excavators were nowhere to be seen, maybe because of the weather. If they had been there, what would they have thought upon seeing him? A well-built man, his dark blue clothes clinging to his muscular figure, soaking wet, his blonde spikes drooping around his face. And eyes of the strangest shade of blue, glowing, almost. A huge sword strapped to his back. Most people would have tried not to meet his gaze; so intimidating was his appearance today. His expression was emotionless, blank, almost detached. But there was a reason. If only they knew.
"I'm here, Aeris" Cloud whispered. He was walking down the crystal staircase now, into the depths of the city. With each step, he wanted to turn back, to leave the city, to return to Kalm Town and pretend that none of this had ever happened. But somehow, he found the strength to keep going. The marble altar was now visible, the unearthly light still shimmering on it, with no indication that anyone had ever knelt there praying for the planet. No indication that anyone had stood and only been able to watch as...
Cloud pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He had now reached the bottom of the stairs, and was standing in front of the stepping-stones. Down here, the air was sweet and fresh, he found it a lot easier to breathe. And surprisingly, the aura surrounding the place was not that of death, as Cloud had feared. It was that of peace, of hope. There was silence here too, but it did not make him uneasy as it had done above. He felt as if someone was with him, by his side, as he ascended the stepping-stones once again. A veil of light illuminated the altar as Cloud arrived on the ledge, and he took a few breaths as he walked onto the marble surface and leant on the small fence encircling it.
He looked down into the calm water, remembering how he had faintly heard Holy splash into it. Something caught his eye as it floated downstream. A pink ribbon.
Aeris' ribbon.
His eyes widened as he watched it, moving slowly on the surface of the water.
It began to float out of sight, and Cloud leapt up, his eyes wide, racing down the steps to meet it. He knelt by the water's edge and reached out his hand, drawing out the ribbon as it drifted by. Crystalline droplets of water splashed onto the ground as Cloud stared at the shining material in wonder.
'It's still here.'
Standing on the altar seemed to give him a strange feeling of peace now. The last time he had been here, peace had been the furthest thing from his mind. But now...was Aeris doing this? Calming him? Was she here right now? She couldn't be, could she?
A breeze, seemingly from nowhere, played with the few strands of his hair that had fallen into his eyes thanks to the rain. Cloud looked around, confused. He could have sworn he'd heard her then, her voice in the wind, only a whisper of his name, but still, he had heard it. He looked down at the ribbon in his hand, and slowly, realisation dawned on him. Aeris. She was here. She had never left his side in the first place.
"Cloud?"
Tifa's voice echoed around the walls, and Cloud turned to face her. She stood a little way away from him, holding his sword in her right hand, her eyes downcast.
"I was worried about you, Cloud," she said quietly.
"Tifa..."
"Cloud, you have to.... you have to let her go" Tifa said hesitantly. She stared at Cloud, trying to gauge his reaction.
Cloud looked over at her. He could see the pain in her eyes, and the way she glanced at the altar every now and then made him realise something.
'She feels the same as I do' he thought. 'She misses Aeris just as much as I do, and I haven't even noticed. She's tried to comfort me, and I accepted that, but I didn't realise that she needed my comfort, just like I needed hers. I've only been thinking about myself.' He smiled gently.
"I'm sorry, Tifa."
Tifa gazed at him in surprise.
"Cloud? What do you mean?"
He walked over to her, holding out the ribbon, which was fluttering slightly in the breeze.
"Here. I think...I think that Aeris would want you to have this."
Tifa's hand shook as she took the ribbon from him, and tears welled up in her deep brown eyes.
"Tifa, come on. Let's go."
"But Cloud...what made you change your mood so suddenly?" she asked, smoothing down her dark hair.
"I realised something. Aeris has come back. She told me she'd come back when it was all over, but I was too blind to see it"
He took his sword from her and put it back in its sheath.
"In fact, she never even left. She's always been here in spirit. With me...I mean, with us. Can't you feel her, right now?"
Tifa nodded, the tears finally spilling down her face. She'd kept them bottled up for weeks, trying to be strong, to be strong for Yuffie, to be strong for Cloud. Holding the ribbon tightly, Tifa closed her eyes.
'Thank you, Aeris' she said silently, entwining the pink material around her fingers.
Cloud turned back to the altar, smiling properly for the first time in months.
"Aeris, I'm sorry I didn't see you until now." he murmured, lowering his eyes. He glanced at Tifa, who simply gazed back at him in wonder. Turning around again, he closed his eyes, thinking of the young woman who had won his heart, even though they had only spent a short amount of time together.
"Strange, what fate does to a person isn't it, Tifa?" he said quietly. She nodded, understanding.
Smiling, he ran a hand through his golden hair, and took one last look at the peaceful scene in front of him.
"I'll always love you, Aeris. And I'll never forget you again. I promise."
As she watched her two friends leave the city, the flower girl smiled.
"I know, Cloud. I know."
A/N: Well, I hope you liked reading the story, I really enjoyed writing it and I'd love to know what everyone thinks of it. So please could you review for me? I don't mind criticism, as long as it's constructive and helps me to improve on my work. Anyway, yeah, I'd really appreciate any feedback you have. Thank you!
Promises
At the entrance to the City Of The Ancients, a young man stood. Brassy strands of hair swayed in the cold breeze, glowing blue eyes seemed to stare through everything in their path, seeing only that place. That crystalline lake which held her, which held a fallen angel.
'Why, Aeris? Why did you fall? You......you promised me you'd come back....'
Promises. At one time, the word had such meaning to it. But now, it sounded hollow, insincere. Cloud walked forward, hesitantly. Even though he hadn't returned here in a while, still, he sensed it. That sick, eerie feeling he had felt when he first came to this place.
But there was a reason then. Him. Sephiroth.
'What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me that you have feelings too?'
The words had cut him like a knife. A frown crossed over Cloud's features, and he continued on his way. The whole place had an aura of death around it, a cold, lifeless feeling. It was completely silent, apart from the sound of his breathing, and his booted feet as they made clicking noises on the stony ground. He couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Ahead of him was the largest building, the shell house that still held that glowing green orb, far below, in the shimmering water right in the depths of the city. The white materia. Holy.
He could remember it so clearly, the way that the Holy magic and Meteor fought it out over the heads of the people in Midgar. He remembered that sinking feeling he had felt as he realised that if Meteor was triumphant, then Aeris would have died for nothing. And all the people on the planet...
Then how his eyes had widened at the glowing green ribbons of light, suddenly appearing, dancing across the horizon, a shimmering swell of energy, filled with all the souls of the Planet. The Lifestream had saved them all. And he could have sworn that he had seen her smiling face as Meteor was finally overcome. He'd realised, then, that Aeris was the true saviour of the planet. He and Avalanche had simply helped her along the way.
Even though he was tired, he willed his body to carry on, taking a last look at the scene in front of him, and then going right at the crossroads. Here there were more shell houses, but these were smaller, and not in as good condition. The nearest was empty, but the other one housed a few beds, where he had slept last time he had come here.
"Aeris."
He murmured her name softly as he approached the spiral building.
That chance meeting with her, crashing through the splintered wood, the roof of the church in the slums of Midgar, soft pink flowers breaking his fall. How he had opened his eyes to see hers smiling back at him. How he had stared into those emerald green eyes, almost able to see her soul.
Sighing, Cloud sank to the ground, leaning against the wall of the house for support. He was exhausted, and his breath came out in ragged, short gasps. Resting his sword against the wall, he closed his eyes.
A young woman knelt on the marble altar of the City Of The Ancients, her hands clasped together in prayer. Reflections of the water below moved slowly across her features. Her honey brown hair fell around her face, a couple of strands fluttering as she breathed. Her eyes were closed in concentration, and a look of serenity was on her face. She was unaware of her surroundings now, so deep was her concentration. The blonde man climbed up the stepping-stones, one by one, making his way up to her, a feeling of dread clutching at his heart with icy fingers with each step closer to her he took. Stopping on the ledge in front of her, his brow suddenly furrowed in confusion, and he took a step back, shaking his head. Time seemed to slow as he took up his sword and ascended the final steps, and with just a few more strides was in front of her.
"Some day we'll look back on these hard times and laugh."
The woman did not stir; her eyes remained closed as she concentrated on willing her prayers to reach the Planet. Her lips moved almost imperceptibly as she silently mouthed the words. The blonde man raised his sword high in the air, a blank look in his eyes. He was just a puppet now, a being controlled by a higher power. The sword faltered in the air for a fleeting few seconds, then began its descent.
"Some day I'll get out of Midgar...and find my Promised Land. That's what mother said."
Still the woman did not move. Even as the blade made its way for her head, she did not move.
"Cloud!"
"Stop it!"
His eyes suddenly became bright again, the life restored to them. He was a puppet no longer. Realising what he was doing, he hastily stopped the sword just short of the woman's head, stepping backwards and scraping the tip of the blade along the marble ground.
"Wh..... what are you making me do?"
Only then, did she stir, raising her head and opening those brilliant emerald eyes. She stared directly at Cloud, her hair shifting slightly with the movement. He looked back at her; the feeling of dread more prominent than ever now, almost stopping him from breathing by the way it tightened his throat. She smiled gently, not moving from her position, not taking her eyes from his. And then the reason for Cloud's dread manifested itself.
An angel of death, his Mako green eyes glittering with malice, his long, silver hair whipping around his face, and the hilt of his Masamune clasped between his palms.
He flew down, aiming the shining blade at just the right angle. The light played across the metal, almost giving it an unearthly glow.
"Then, I'll be going now. I'll come back when it's all over."
And still, the flower girl smiled.
The buster sword slipped sideways, falling to the ground with a clatter, and its owner was jolted out of sleep. Cloud drew in a sharp breath, his eyes wide with shock.
'Just a dream. So often I have that same dream.'
His surroundings were now dim, darkness had fallen across the city, and night was upon him.
He stood up shakily, looking around, a little disorientated from his slumber. Leaving the shell house, he began walking to the entrance again. This time, he would go to see her. So many times he had come here, but he had never been able to bring himself to pass that lake, go into that building and down those stairs, never been able to go into the city and stand on that altar. But now, he would go.
He looked forward, a determination in his eyes that he had not shown since that final encounter with Sephiroth. Then he took a deep breath and continued on his way. The buster sword, which had roused him from sleep, lay on the ground, forgotten.
It had been a miserable day. As soon as Cloud opened his eyes he had known it was raining. The room he had booked in the Kalm Town inn had been dingy when he had awoken, and as he turned to the window, he could see nothing of the outside world. It had been only a haze of blurred colours, the showers running down the window - panes distorting it. The rain had lashed down violently, stinging his hands and face as he left the inn. Storm clouds veiled the weak rays of sunshine that had managed to get through, casting a dark shadow over the landscape. He had not even noticed it; his only thoughts were those of the City of the Ancients, wondering if he would summon up the courage to enter. Why did he feel so averse to going there? Was it guilt? Guilt over something beyond his control, Tifa had said.
When he had arrived at Bone Village, the excavators were nowhere to be seen, maybe because of the weather. If they had been there, what would they have thought upon seeing him? A well-built man, his dark blue clothes clinging to his muscular figure, soaking wet, his blonde spikes drooping around his face. And eyes of the strangest shade of blue, glowing, almost. A huge sword strapped to his back. Most people would have tried not to meet his gaze; so intimidating was his appearance today. His expression was emotionless, blank, almost detached. But there was a reason. If only they knew.
"I'm here, Aeris" Cloud whispered. He was walking down the crystal staircase now, into the depths of the city. With each step, he wanted to turn back, to leave the city, to return to Kalm Town and pretend that none of this had ever happened. But somehow, he found the strength to keep going. The marble altar was now visible, the unearthly light still shimmering on it, with no indication that anyone had ever knelt there praying for the planet. No indication that anyone had stood and only been able to watch as...
Cloud pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He had now reached the bottom of the stairs, and was standing in front of the stepping-stones. Down here, the air was sweet and fresh, he found it a lot easier to breathe. And surprisingly, the aura surrounding the place was not that of death, as Cloud had feared. It was that of peace, of hope. There was silence here too, but it did not make him uneasy as it had done above. He felt as if someone was with him, by his side, as he ascended the stepping-stones once again. A veil of light illuminated the altar as Cloud arrived on the ledge, and he took a few breaths as he walked onto the marble surface and leant on the small fence encircling it.
He looked down into the calm water, remembering how he had faintly heard Holy splash into it. Something caught his eye as it floated downstream. A pink ribbon.
Aeris' ribbon.
His eyes widened as he watched it, moving slowly on the surface of the water.
It began to float out of sight, and Cloud leapt up, his eyes wide, racing down the steps to meet it. He knelt by the water's edge and reached out his hand, drawing out the ribbon as it drifted by. Crystalline droplets of water splashed onto the ground as Cloud stared at the shining material in wonder.
'It's still here.'
Standing on the altar seemed to give him a strange feeling of peace now. The last time he had been here, peace had been the furthest thing from his mind. But now...was Aeris doing this? Calming him? Was she here right now? She couldn't be, could she?
A breeze, seemingly from nowhere, played with the few strands of his hair that had fallen into his eyes thanks to the rain. Cloud looked around, confused. He could have sworn he'd heard her then, her voice in the wind, only a whisper of his name, but still, he had heard it. He looked down at the ribbon in his hand, and slowly, realisation dawned on him. Aeris. She was here. She had never left his side in the first place.
"Cloud?"
Tifa's voice echoed around the walls, and Cloud turned to face her. She stood a little way away from him, holding his sword in her right hand, her eyes downcast.
"I was worried about you, Cloud," she said quietly.
"Tifa..."
"Cloud, you have to.... you have to let her go" Tifa said hesitantly. She stared at Cloud, trying to gauge his reaction.
Cloud looked over at her. He could see the pain in her eyes, and the way she glanced at the altar every now and then made him realise something.
'She feels the same as I do' he thought. 'She misses Aeris just as much as I do, and I haven't even noticed. She's tried to comfort me, and I accepted that, but I didn't realise that she needed my comfort, just like I needed hers. I've only been thinking about myself.' He smiled gently.
"I'm sorry, Tifa."
Tifa gazed at him in surprise.
"Cloud? What do you mean?"
He walked over to her, holding out the ribbon, which was fluttering slightly in the breeze.
"Here. I think...I think that Aeris would want you to have this."
Tifa's hand shook as she took the ribbon from him, and tears welled up in her deep brown eyes.
"Tifa, come on. Let's go."
"But Cloud...what made you change your mood so suddenly?" she asked, smoothing down her dark hair.
"I realised something. Aeris has come back. She told me she'd come back when it was all over, but I was too blind to see it"
He took his sword from her and put it back in its sheath.
"In fact, she never even left. She's always been here in spirit. With me...I mean, with us. Can't you feel her, right now?"
Tifa nodded, the tears finally spilling down her face. She'd kept them bottled up for weeks, trying to be strong, to be strong for Yuffie, to be strong for Cloud. Holding the ribbon tightly, Tifa closed her eyes.
'Thank you, Aeris' she said silently, entwining the pink material around her fingers.
Cloud turned back to the altar, smiling properly for the first time in months.
"Aeris, I'm sorry I didn't see you until now." he murmured, lowering his eyes. He glanced at Tifa, who simply gazed back at him in wonder. Turning around again, he closed his eyes, thinking of the young woman who had won his heart, even though they had only spent a short amount of time together.
"Strange, what fate does to a person isn't it, Tifa?" he said quietly. She nodded, understanding.
Smiling, he ran a hand through his golden hair, and took one last look at the peaceful scene in front of him.
"I'll always love you, Aeris. And I'll never forget you again. I promise."
As she watched her two friends leave the city, the flower girl smiled.
"I know, Cloud. I know."
A/N: Well, I hope you liked reading the story, I really enjoyed writing it and I'd love to know what everyone thinks of it. So please could you review for me? I don't mind criticism, as long as it's constructive and helps me to improve on my work. Anyway, yeah, I'd really appreciate any feedback you have. Thank you!