That Fateful Moment: At First Glance

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the final fantasy characters though I wish that I did.

The group and I had walked all day heading north to Nibelheim. The sun beat down heavily on us as we sat there in the field taking a short break from the long walk we had just been on. Cloud handed out the provisions as we all ate to regain some of the lost energy. There were seven of us all together. Barret Wallace, a very rough looking man. He was about 35 years old and quite large; he came from Mount Coral and had a previous bad experience with Shinra back then. Because of this, he ended up having a gun put in the place of where his right arm should be. He then had then moved to Midgar where he became the leader of a group called AVALANCHE. However, because of Shinra, AVALANCHE was wiped out and now here he is, travelling with us. Nanaki, or better known to us as Red XIII was a previous experiment of Hojo a Shinra scientist in Midgar. Red is about 48 years old...in human years but only a teenager in his years, for Red was a tiger-like creature who came from Cosmo Canyon. His grandfather is a human called Bugenhagen though when you think about it, it doesn't really fit. His father was a mighty warrior before he was turned to stone while he was still a pup. He's very wise for his age and knows many things of the world. Then there's Yuffie Kisaragi. She's a young spirited ninja/ thief from Wutai of about 16 years old. She loves materia and has, in the past, gotten in trouble because of her love/need for it. Shinra has turned her village into a tourist attraction and so she fights along with us. Then there's Cait Sith, a robotic cat on top of a mog. We met him at the Gold Saucer, though, no one knows too much about him. The next would be Tifa Lockheart, a childhood friend from Cloud. She's about 20 years old and her hometown was Nibelheim. Then of Course there's Cloud Strife. He was once in SOLDIER before joining with AVALANCHE. He's about 21 years old and was also born in Nibelheim with Tifa. He had a huge Buster sword sheathed on his back. And then there's myself Aeris Gainsborough, I'm a flower girl from Midgar and I'm age 22. I'm half Cetera, half human. A Cetera is also known as an ancient a tribe that existed long, long ago who could speak with the planet. I had met Cloud in my little church by sector 5 in Midgar. All of us had some kind of tie to Shinra. After awhile, Cloud finally stood up and brushed himself off.

"Alright Guys, before we head off we need to split into three groups again. I'll divide us." I desperately hoped that Cloud would place me in his group. I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. "Barret, Yuffie, and ...Cait, you three to a group" I waited patiently for Cloud to say the next group. Oh please Oh please! Put me with you Cloud. "Then...Aeris with Red and Tifa with me and that should be good." Damnit! I thought why I get myself worked up so much, I'll never know. He always chooses Tifa. I seen Tifa give me a crude smirk and then run up to Cloud and put her arms around him. "Aeris and Red can go first followed by Barret, Cait and Yuffie, and Tif and I will follow behind." I got up reluctantly and began to walk off north with Red. I couldn't help but think to myself I'd rather be with Cloud even though Red was my best friend. After a little while of walking and having put the rest of the group far n the distance behind us thoughts of Cloud and Tifa flooded my mind. Why does he always choose Tifa? Doesn't he realise that I like him too? Why won't he just give me a chance?!

"WHY!" I had realised that I had spoken aloud and Red looked at me suspiciously for a moment. "Sorry... I'm thinking aloud." He sat there for a minute and then finally he broke the silence

"About what? Cloud and Tifa?" I hung my head, was I that easy to figure out? If so why didn't Cloud figure it out? I had to remember it was wise old Red I was talking too.

"Yeah...Cloud...he...he always..."

"Don't worry about it Aeris. I'm sure he'll be fine with Tifa." I couldn't help but give Red a small smile. "Sooo...I was thinking, would you like a ride? We'll get to where we need to go a lot faster that way. I don't mean to be rude but you humans are pathetically slow." I laughed and nodded and got onto Reds back. "Now normally I wouldn't do this, but you're in some need of some fun to get your mind off things, so hold on ... and ... don't tell the others."

"My lips are sealed!" and the next thing I knew we shot off and sped into the distance.

Not too long after we arrived at Nibelheim at the foot of Mount Nibel. I got off of Red's back and we walked into the town. It was quite a small town with nought more than a few small shops and a small pub inside the inn. I opened the door to the inn and Red and I reserved rooms for everyone. I sat down in a chair and Red sat on the floor next to me. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't stop thinking about Cloud and Tifa. Did Cloud even like me? Did he even know that I was there ready and willing to give him all of my love? Why wouldn't he give me a chance? He ALWAYS chooses Tifa over me. I felt what little hopes I had left shatter. Why did I even bother? After some time Red looked at me.

"You know...if you wish to go outside and explore a bit you can."

"But Red, We have to wait for th-" Red interrupted me before I could finish.

"I'll wait for the others...go explore, it'll take your mind off things." I nodded to Red my thanks and left the inn. I began to walk around and look at the shops. There really wasn't much to the town except for one place that caught my eye. There was this mansion at the other side of the town. It looked as if it was old and run down but something was drawing me to it. I walked across the town and to the gates of the mansion. I looked in awe at the sight that stood before my eyes; it was like nothing I had ever seen before.

Curiously, I moved towards to where the gate opened and to my surprise it wasn't locked. I pushed it open and stepped into the yard. The grass and trees were all dead and the cobble-stone walkway that lead to the door was covered in mud and dead leaves. I walked up to the door. I don't know what came over me, but I wanted to go inside the mansion, I wanted to open the door. I put my hand on the door knob and began to turn it when I heard a sound coming from inside. It startled me and I let go of the knob and stepped back from the door. I began to step back a bit from the mansion when I glanced over to my left to a window. My heart stopped at the sight that I beheld. I saw a pair of deep crimson eyes looking directly at me. They showed as much shock and disbelief as mine had. I turned around and began to walk to the gate as fast as I could and when I turned to look back for a second, the eyes were gone. Was I dreaming or were they really there? I walked to the gate and looked down the street to the other side of town. I saw the rest of the group walking into the inn. So I stepped out of the yard and closed the gate carefully. I took one last look at the mansion before I ran back towards the inn.

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I sat there in the living room, in the old dusty lounge chair, staring at the piano over in the corner. It had been about two hours since I had first sat down and began to atone for my sins. After awhile I decided that I should at least change the scenery so I rose out of the chair and began to walk around the mansion starting from the far left and moving to the right. Back and forth I walked thinking about the past situations I had been through. I sighed to myself as I began to think of her. It was so long ago yet the memory burned in my mind like it happened only hours before. I couldn't save her, how I wished at the time I could...it was my fault, if only I hadn't... the thoughts clouded my mind. It was then when I heard the gate of my mansion creek open.

Currently, I had stopped in the foyer. I normally never had visitors so such an intrusion was not welcome. I filled up with fury as I thought that one of the silly little village boys may be on a dare. I walked over to the window, knocking over a small pillar as I did. I glared outside with the hatred burning in my eyes, however, when I glanced at what was standing in my yard, the fury changed to pure shock. She was the very definition of beauty. Her long, braided, brown hair went down right past her slender waist. She wore a long pink dress that was unbuttoned from the knees down. I found myself breathless at the sight of her and felt my friend below begin to rise. She turned to look at the window. Time stopped as her beautiful Emerald green eyes met mine. I must have startled her because she turned and walk towards the gate of my mansion.

I snapped back into reality and quickly turned and stood behind the wall. I tried to catch my breath when I looked down to find myself fully aroused. Shit!!! I thought as I tried to regain my composure. After a while, I looked back out the window to see if the vision was still there. I found her running down the street, probably towards her friends. I sighed as I began to walk to the grand staircase. What were you doing? I said to myself...you were supposed to be filling the intruder with fear not gazing in awe at the sight. Slowly, I began to remember exactly what it was that I was doing before that fateful moment, before she had walked up to my door. I sighed and walked down the hallway and into a room; I moved over to the wall and pressed a button that opened a secret door that lead to a staircase leading down into the very basement of the mansion. I began to walk down them, monsters that were in the mansion stepped aside as I moved quickly and silently...they knew not to mess with me. I walked over to the room where my coffin lay. I closed and locked the door behind me and crawled into my coffin that I had put in the middle of the room. I pulled the top over my coffin and closed my eyes. Nightmares of the past began to flood my memories once again and for the moment, I had forgotten completely about the Emerald-eyed goddess that was at my door steps only minutes before.

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And that is chapter 1... I'm currently typing up the second chapter and will have it posted as soon as possible! This is the first time I've gotten brave enough to post something I wrote so if its not the greatest please...be gentle.