Wishes Come True

By: Angelic Visions (Cherry)

~*~

After eating some soup, Ruka told Elmyra, Aeris' mother, that she was going to the church in the slums. Elmyra waved goodbye and watched her daughter leave.

Ruka slowly walked inside the Slum's Church and looked around. There were some broken pews, woodfloors, and right in the center was a beautiful garden, right there! Ruka couldn't beleive it. 'It's so pretty!' She kneeled down next them and touched a flower petal, finding that it was velvety to the touch.

'How and why did I end up here? I mean, it would've been okay if I was anyone else...but, I'm Aeris for crying out loud! I hate that girl, and now I'm her!' Ruka thought to herself. 'Well, since I'm here...and don't seem to have a way out...might as well play with the story. I know every line to this game!'

She found bag of seeds and began to sow them into the soft soil, when something from above caught her attention. "Oh my god! The roof's caving in!" Ruka said, jumping up to take cover.

She heard more cracking wood,followed by the yell of a young man. He feel through the ceiling, landing on the flower bed inside the church.

Ruka peered around the corner of the pew she was hiding behind, and noticed that the one who fell was none other than Cloud Strife, the main character of Final Fantasy VII. 'Eep! Ok, yea, this proves I'm actually in the game!' She walked back around to the flower bed and kneeled down by Cloud's motionless figure.

"Oh! It moved!" Ruka said happily, remembering this part of the game very well. She'd only played this part 100 or so times..."Hello,hello!"

Cloud's sapphire eyes fluttered open to see a girl with long brown hair and emerald eyes starting at him. His back hurt like hell, and he could barely move at all...

"This is a church in the...Sector 5 Slums." Ruka paused, trying to remember the conversation from the actaul game. "It suddenly fell on top of me. It gave me quite a scare..." Ruka sighed a little, and mentally patted herself on the back. 'So far so good...'

".......I came crashing down?" Cloud said, standing up, holding his back. "The roof and the flower bed must've broken your fall. You're lucky." Ruka said, trying to keep an 'Aeris-smile' on her face at all times. "Flower bed....is this yours? Sorry about that." The Ex-SOLDIER said, half frowning.

The flower girl smiled. 'Oh my gosh...what else did Aeris say..? Oh yea...' "That's all right. The flowers here are quite resilient because this is a sacred place. They say you can't grow grass and flowers in Midgar. But for some reason, the flowers have no trouble blooming here. I love it here." 'Yes! Go me! Just a little more...I know I can do this' "......So, we meet again. ......Don't you remember me? You do?" Ruka smiled at her memory of the game, and patiently awaited Cloud's answer. She wanted to ask him how to get out of here, but, she figured it might mess the whole thing up. She didn't want to take any chances.

"Yeah, I remember... You were selling flowers. " Cloud said calm and cool-like. "Oh! I'm so happy! Thanks for buying my flowers. Say, do you have any Materia?" Ruka said, putting her hands together. 'I can't beleive I'm so good at being Aeris, although, it is hard to keep an innocent tone in my voice...' Cloud pulled a circular object out of his bangle. It was dark green and very shiny. He saw the flower girl's eyes light up, and said, "Yes. Some. Nowadays you can find Materia anywhere."

Ruka smiled, running through the game in her mind. "But mine is special. It's good for absolutely nothing."

"Good for nothing? You probably don't know how to use it."

"No, I do...... it just doesn't do anything. I feel safe having it. It was my mother's...... Say, I feel like talking." 'I might be able to get out of here...' "Do you feel up to it? After all, here we are meeting again, right?" Ruka smiled at him.

"I don't mind." Cloud said, taking in the scenery.

"Wait here. I've got to check my flowers. It'll just be a minute!" Ruka walked over to a bunch of flowers and began to pat the dirt down and think.'If I tell him who I really am...it could cause big trouble. Maybe I should just be Aeris...But I hate Aeris! Oh what should I do...'

Cloud walked over to the flower girl again and she said, "Just a little longer." 'Yea, that'sexactly what I'll do!' "Oh! Now that you mention it...... We don't know each other's names, do we? My name is......Aeris, the flower girl. Nice to meet you."

"The name's Cloud. Me? I do a little bit of everything." The blonde said, slightly boasting to Aeris.

"Oh...a jack of all trades." She said, giggling.

"Yeah, I do whatever's needed. What's so funny? What are you laughing at?"

"Sorry...... I just..." Ruka stopped, gasping a little. 'Reno! Maybe he can help me! Wait! Crap, I'm not me anymore...I'm Aeris...' Ruka sighed and turned to Cloud. "Say, Cloud. Have you ever been a bodyguard? You DO do everything, right?"

"......Yeah, that's right."

"Then, get me out of here. Take me home."

"Ok, I'll do it... but it'll cost you." Cloud said, remembering that Barret didn't get a chance to pay him for the last mission.

Ruka smiled a bit, then replied with, "Well then, let's see...... How about if I go out with you once?"

~To Be Continued!~