White Flower
my fragile tears f a l l i n g like petals onto water
chp. I
resurrection
*
Such an inky blackness hid her from the world, dulled senses barely managing to hear the whispered words amongst other souls. Everything seemed such a pure green.; her eyes barely rivaled the color. Naught but a memory was left on The Planet of this young woman; such a sad fate had befallen her.
Her scroll of destiny was unfinished, dropping off abruptly at her 'death'. Maybe she was to continue her life, she mused, twirling around. She cupped the green liquid and flung it off to be swallowed back with its others. She smiled.
She was going to go back.
*
A small group was gathered at a particular place, bowing their heads in remorse. They consisted of a blonde young man, a busty young woman, a lithe teenager, a shadowy-looking man, an odd cat-like robot, a lion-like animal, and a dark, stout man. They all looked rather mournful, especially the blonde and the brunette beside him. Their hands were clasped together, as if they felt they would sink into the holy waters around them if they let go.
The blonde removed something from his pocket: a pearly, white orb, which he kissed gently. It was of much importance to this group; the brunette woman began to weep in silence. Without another thought, the man did what the group had come to do; he threw the Holy Materia back into the waters whence it came, creating a graceful arc of water to come out from where it sunk.
With only a sad look, the group turned their heads, aside from the vampiric youth. He observed the waters as his companions stalked out silently, and he alone noticed the subtle glow from the area. He dared not to tell his allies though; they'll find out soon enough, he thought as he marched back to them.
The water bubbled as he left.
*
She awoke to find herself just where she had been last. Her clothes were heavy with water, and her hair hung like wet rope on her back. With all this weight on her, her knees buckled and she fell forwards. She managed to brace herself, and pull herself up again. The haunting emptiness of the temple troubled her. Weren't her friends here? Hadn't they known she had been brought back?
She sat down on the steps, tilting to her head to rethink her situation. She was alive and well, aside the persistent pain in her chest and lungs, and she was the same as before. She stood up. "Time's a-wasting," she proclaimed to herself. "I best start searching for my comrades."
She began to walk out of the temple. Her thoughts on only one though: a certain, melancholy ex-SOLDIER who had managed to grasp her heart and never return it.
*
Rain fell heavily upon Costa Del Sol. Cloud looked out at the bleak weather with distaste, trying to drown out the sounds of drunkards yelling gleefully. Bumbling fools, he thought acidly. Don't they ever think of how harsh reality is? Don't they realize their greatest comrade is DEAD? He glared briefly at Cid and Barrett, both drunk as heck.
"Cloud," a silken voice said from behind, and he turned to Tifa. She was as beautiful as ever, he admitted. He had always known Tifa was beautiful, perhaps even more so than Aeris. He was even bold enough to acknowledge he was attracted to her. But attraction was passion; love was . . . well, love.
Tifa bent down playfully, cleverly pulling back the thick strands of hair behind her in a loose ponytail. She had changed her clothing since the destruction of Meteor; she wore a black shirt, looser than the one before, even though they were of the same length. Her mini-skirt had been exchanged for denim shorts, which were beginning to thread at the hem. She smiled cheerily, her crimson eyes sparkling.
"Want a drink?" she asked, causing him to scowl. He didn't want to believe even SHE didn't notice the date. It had been exactly one year since Aeris was . . . dead. He fought back a cry, and an animal noise, some sort of strangled gurgle, escaped his throat.
Tifa looked at him amusingly, then grinned. "Oh, come off it, Cloud," she chortled, lazily placing a hand on his shoulder. She had that grin on; the one that said "oh, cloud, for me?" and she continued to keep that expression, boring a hole through the thick wall Cloud had put up that night. He looked at her with a softened gaze, and nodded. "Just one shot, though," he muttered as she poured him some alcohol.
"Whatever you say," she responded, and she left him as he sipped that glass of pure forgetfulness and sin. Cloud didn't want to care anymore, but he did. It's not like he had a choice.
You don't choose the one you love.
*
She sat in the church, watching the living flowers with surprised eyes. She had thought they would be dead, but it seemed as if someone had been taking care of them. How curious, she mused, stroking a petal with a ghostly white finger. How very curious indeed.
A crash from above alerted her attention, and she felt de ja vu sink into her like a dead weight. A pair of twenty-somethings fell from the ceiling, obviously falling from the large hole in the roof. One had long, brown hair, and scrunched up her face to brace herself for the fall. The other had untamed blonde locks, and he fell down quickly, and landed neatly on his feet. He turned.
She gasped.
The brunette screamed.
"What in the..." the blonde managed to say. "Tifa, is that...?"
"It can't be," Tifa responded, her throat sore from her scream.
The flower girl didn't know what to do. "Cloud? ... Tifa?"
"Aeris?" Cloud responded in the same questioning tone. "This isn't a dream, is it?"
"...No, it isn't," Aeris replied softly, reaching out to touch him, any part of him, to show she was alive and well, aside from her amazing paleness.
He shrunk back from her caress, and narrowed his eyes. "... No. You're not Aeris. Aeris is dead."
"Cloud-" Aeris began, before Tifa cut her off. "You are not Aeris. Aeris died right in front of us!"
"You filthy, lying impostor," Cloud seethed, glowering. "How dare you impersonate her! How dare you!"
Aeris felt small and weak, and she subconsciously sat on the flowers, hugging her knees to her chest. She looked confused; why aren't they believing me, she wondered.
"I'm leaving. If I see you here again, I'll personally kill you," he muttered, brushing himself off. Tifa mimicked, and glared at Aeris.
"So get out as soon as you can," Cloud advised without a second glance as he left, Tifa on his side.
Aeris was left to collect in the crushed flowers, and to cry silently as the people she missed the most left her alone again.
*
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER: Aeris is still alone, but one night at a bar changes everything. It seems one part of the team believes she's alive, but he is not willing to help her. How is Aeris going to talk him into it? And what if Cloud manages to believe her? Will his trust make the others believe her too?
Author's Note: Wow! First chapter is done. I personally like this story. It's original; I mean, all those Aeris resurrection stories have her immediately welcomed. Don't you think they would be suspicious? I do. I mean, it's only human nature. Sorry for making Tifa and Cloud seem so mean; believing someone is posing as one of their dead best friend's is actually quite straining, especially if that person was someone extremely special.
my fragile tears f a l l i n g like petals onto water
chp. I
resurrection
*
Such an inky blackness hid her from the world, dulled senses barely managing to hear the whispered words amongst other souls. Everything seemed such a pure green.; her eyes barely rivaled the color. Naught but a memory was left on The Planet of this young woman; such a sad fate had befallen her.
Her scroll of destiny was unfinished, dropping off abruptly at her 'death'. Maybe she was to continue her life, she mused, twirling around. She cupped the green liquid and flung it off to be swallowed back with its others. She smiled.
She was going to go back.
*
A small group was gathered at a particular place, bowing their heads in remorse. They consisted of a blonde young man, a busty young woman, a lithe teenager, a shadowy-looking man, an odd cat-like robot, a lion-like animal, and a dark, stout man. They all looked rather mournful, especially the blonde and the brunette beside him. Their hands were clasped together, as if they felt they would sink into the holy waters around them if they let go.
The blonde removed something from his pocket: a pearly, white orb, which he kissed gently. It was of much importance to this group; the brunette woman began to weep in silence. Without another thought, the man did what the group had come to do; he threw the Holy Materia back into the waters whence it came, creating a graceful arc of water to come out from where it sunk.
With only a sad look, the group turned their heads, aside from the vampiric youth. He observed the waters as his companions stalked out silently, and he alone noticed the subtle glow from the area. He dared not to tell his allies though; they'll find out soon enough, he thought as he marched back to them.
The water bubbled as he left.
*
She awoke to find herself just where she had been last. Her clothes were heavy with water, and her hair hung like wet rope on her back. With all this weight on her, her knees buckled and she fell forwards. She managed to brace herself, and pull herself up again. The haunting emptiness of the temple troubled her. Weren't her friends here? Hadn't they known she had been brought back?
She sat down on the steps, tilting to her head to rethink her situation. She was alive and well, aside the persistent pain in her chest and lungs, and she was the same as before. She stood up. "Time's a-wasting," she proclaimed to herself. "I best start searching for my comrades."
She began to walk out of the temple. Her thoughts on only one though: a certain, melancholy ex-SOLDIER who had managed to grasp her heart and never return it.
*
Rain fell heavily upon Costa Del Sol. Cloud looked out at the bleak weather with distaste, trying to drown out the sounds of drunkards yelling gleefully. Bumbling fools, he thought acidly. Don't they ever think of how harsh reality is? Don't they realize their greatest comrade is DEAD? He glared briefly at Cid and Barrett, both drunk as heck.
"Cloud," a silken voice said from behind, and he turned to Tifa. She was as beautiful as ever, he admitted. He had always known Tifa was beautiful, perhaps even more so than Aeris. He was even bold enough to acknowledge he was attracted to her. But attraction was passion; love was . . . well, love.
Tifa bent down playfully, cleverly pulling back the thick strands of hair behind her in a loose ponytail. She had changed her clothing since the destruction of Meteor; she wore a black shirt, looser than the one before, even though they were of the same length. Her mini-skirt had been exchanged for denim shorts, which were beginning to thread at the hem. She smiled cheerily, her crimson eyes sparkling.
"Want a drink?" she asked, causing him to scowl. He didn't want to believe even SHE didn't notice the date. It had been exactly one year since Aeris was . . . dead. He fought back a cry, and an animal noise, some sort of strangled gurgle, escaped his throat.
Tifa looked at him amusingly, then grinned. "Oh, come off it, Cloud," she chortled, lazily placing a hand on his shoulder. She had that grin on; the one that said "oh, cloud, for me?" and she continued to keep that expression, boring a hole through the thick wall Cloud had put up that night. He looked at her with a softened gaze, and nodded. "Just one shot, though," he muttered as she poured him some alcohol.
"Whatever you say," she responded, and she left him as he sipped that glass of pure forgetfulness and sin. Cloud didn't want to care anymore, but he did. It's not like he had a choice.
You don't choose the one you love.
*
She sat in the church, watching the living flowers with surprised eyes. She had thought they would be dead, but it seemed as if someone had been taking care of them. How curious, she mused, stroking a petal with a ghostly white finger. How very curious indeed.
A crash from above alerted her attention, and she felt de ja vu sink into her like a dead weight. A pair of twenty-somethings fell from the ceiling, obviously falling from the large hole in the roof. One had long, brown hair, and scrunched up her face to brace herself for the fall. The other had untamed blonde locks, and he fell down quickly, and landed neatly on his feet. He turned.
She gasped.
The brunette screamed.
"What in the..." the blonde managed to say. "Tifa, is that...?"
"It can't be," Tifa responded, her throat sore from her scream.
The flower girl didn't know what to do. "Cloud? ... Tifa?"
"Aeris?" Cloud responded in the same questioning tone. "This isn't a dream, is it?"
"...No, it isn't," Aeris replied softly, reaching out to touch him, any part of him, to show she was alive and well, aside from her amazing paleness.
He shrunk back from her caress, and narrowed his eyes. "... No. You're not Aeris. Aeris is dead."
"Cloud-" Aeris began, before Tifa cut her off. "You are not Aeris. Aeris died right in front of us!"
"You filthy, lying impostor," Cloud seethed, glowering. "How dare you impersonate her! How dare you!"
Aeris felt small and weak, and she subconsciously sat on the flowers, hugging her knees to her chest. She looked confused; why aren't they believing me, she wondered.
"I'm leaving. If I see you here again, I'll personally kill you," he muttered, brushing himself off. Tifa mimicked, and glared at Aeris.
"So get out as soon as you can," Cloud advised without a second glance as he left, Tifa on his side.
Aeris was left to collect in the crushed flowers, and to cry silently as the people she missed the most left her alone again.
*
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER: Aeris is still alone, but one night at a bar changes everything. It seems one part of the team believes she's alive, but he is not willing to help her. How is Aeris going to talk him into it? And what if Cloud manages to believe her? Will his trust make the others believe her too?
Author's Note: Wow! First chapter is done. I personally like this story. It's original; I mean, all those Aeris resurrection stories have her immediately welcomed. Don't you think they would be suspicious? I do. I mean, it's only human nature. Sorry for making Tifa and Cloud seem so mean; believing someone is posing as one of their dead best friend's is actually quite straining, especially if that person was someone extremely special.
