Chapter 4

"…Aeris, are you okay?" Tifa asked, nudging me at the side.

I slowly opened my eyes. My clothes were soaked from the wet, dirty floor. To make matters worse, my entire body felt numb from the cold. "Where are we?" I squeaked trying to get up. I flinched a little as a horrible smell entered my nostrils.

"I think we're in some kind of sewer," Cloud answered as he looked around.

I noticed that Cloud and Tifa had already changed into dry clothes. So I frowned as I took out the ones I had stuffed inside my dress. "I want to get out of this wet dress. So it would be nice if you guys turned around while I changed."

Cloud and Tifa nodded, turning around.

I hastily changed into my comfortable clothes and tied my wet hair into a braid. "Okay, should we go now?" I asked, finishing my braid.

Cloud looked around. "We have to get out of here. I think the exit's farther north," he said pointing north.

Tifa and I nodded. "Alright then, let's go," she said walking to where Cloud was pointing.

Suddenly, I heard a strange noise. I stopped for a moment and looked around. "W…what was that?" I asked, looking around.

Tifa and Cloud looked around also. Cloud drew out his sword from its sheath. "I don't know, but I know it's not good," he answered while keeping his eyes peeled.

Suddenly, Tifa shrieked as something grabbed her leg, and tried to drag her onto the floor. But she struggled away, somersaulting into the air. By doing so, the thing that grabbed her leg let go.

I drew out my staff, twirling it slowly at first. I walked closer to Cloud, unsure of what to do.

Then, before we could react to it, the monster attacked. It used its powers to summon a huge wave at us. But by doing so, it hurt itself.

I felt myself being thrown across the room and onto the wall. Despite my pains, I got up and began to focus my energy on my staff. As I did so, a strong wind began to blow in the air.

Cloud launched his sword swiftly at the monster, while Tifa did her limit break. After Tifa was done with her limit break, she then threw her fists of fury at the monster, not giving him a chance to attack.

But the monster soon recovered, and attacked the two of them at once.

Placing my staff onto the air, it began to float mysteriously. Then, I suddenly did my limit break. I casted Healing Wind at Cloud, Tifa, and myself.

Cloud then used his Fire Materia at the monster, finishing it off.

I gasped for air as I leaned on my staff. I was usually exhausted when I used my powers.

Tifa shivered. "C'mon, let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps," she told us, walking faster than before.

Cloud and I followed her. We then climbed up and out of the sewer. This led us to the Train Graveyard. The Train Graveyard was a place full of broken or no longer used trains on old tracks. Ghosts and monsters haunted them.

I shivered as I walked through this place. Elmyra had warned me about not going here. But did I listen? Noooo! I never do, I thought sulkily to myself as I walked. I covered my nose, as I smelled something foul in the air.

The three of us walked in silence. We continued walking until we were at the sector seven-plate support. There was a big commotion going on. Gunshot firings were heard from the huge tower above us.

Suddenly, a chubby man fell from the top. He landed onto the floor right in front of us.

I ran towards him, and bent down to see if I could help. I surge of pity suddenly overflowed through me. I felt the chubby man's pulse, and shook my head sadly. He was going to die whether I healed him or not.

Tifa glanced at me. "Aeris!" I looked over at her. "I have a bar down in sector seven. You can't miss it! There's a little girl there!"

I nodded, knowing what I had to do. I ran towards sector seven as fast as I could. As I spotted Tifa's bar, I flung myself inside and saw a cute little girl in front of the counter.

"May I help you?" she asked as she saw me coming towards her.

"Hey, it's not safe here anymore," I said taking her hand. "I need you to come with me now. A friend of yours told me to get you here."

She frowned at me, grabbing her hand away. "Daddy says that you should never go with someone you don't know," she told me.

"Listen, I may not know your dad, but I know Tifa. And I know that she's the owner of the bar here. She asked me to take you someplace that's safe. The plate ere is going to crash soon," I explained in a rush.

The girl looked fearful, and took my hand. She nodded at me, and so I led her towards my house at sector six.

I ran towards my house and threw open the door. I saw Elmyra giving me a startled look as she saw me. But I pushed her aside with the girl and ran towards the stairs. "Sorry, mom, I'd love to sit and chat, but I can't right now!" I said as I ran. I quickly hurried into the bathroom, took a quick shower, got dressed, and then grabbed my staff. I ran downstairs and headed towards the door, but someone blocked my way.

Two Turks and a lot of Shinra soldiers pointed their guns at me. One of them, one who I had recognized all my life, came up to me.

"Tseng," I said as I saw him.

Tseng came towards me calmly. "Aeris, I finally have you. President Shinra will be most pleased," he said with a cold smile on his lips.

"What is going on here!" Elmyra demanded angrily.

Tseng put a hand up to stop her. "I wouldn't move if I were you," he warned as some Shinra soldiers loaded their guns.

I said nothing, but glanced at Elmyra and Marlene who were sitting in a chair in fright. I then glanced at the backdoor.

Tseng laughed as he saw me looking for an escape. "Don't even think of it. There are more Shinra soldiers waiting for you out there. Even if you did get out somehow, we'd still have your two friends here hostage."

My eyes hardened into a glare. How I wished I could blow him up. But I was powerless to do anything. Loosening my grip on my staff, I slowly walked towards Tseng.

"Aeris…" Elmyra began.

I glanced at her and shook my head. "It's all right. Don't worry, I'll be fine." I walked towards Tseng, who shoved me onto a helicopter. I gave Elmyra one last smile. "Everything's going to be alright!" I called out to her.

Elmyra looked at me, trying to be brave. But as I looked back at her, I knew. I knew that deep down inside, she was deeply hurt.

I watched her and my house fade as the helicopter flew away towards the very top of the sector seven plate support. There I saw Tifa, Cloud, and another guy watching as Reno hopped on board.

I smiled at them all. "It's all right, she's safe!" I cried out to Tifa.

Tseng slapped me hard across the cheek. "Shut up," he snarled.

I flinched at the impact. My cheeks stung, and were now a deep red. Tears began to form in my eyes as I felt the sting on my cheek. But I forced them away as I watched Tifa, Cloud, and everyone else disappear. Suddenly, I saw a huge explosion coming from sector seven. I watched as sector seven crashed down with everyone still in there. "CLOUD!!! TIFA!!!!!!!!!!!" I cried out in distress.

"Shut up!" Tseng snapped slapping my other cheek.

I fell to the floor sobbing in pain and in grief. I've lost everything. Everything! I thought lying on the helicopter's floor. I closed my eyes, letting the tears stream down my face. My body felt limp. I didn't care. I didn't care anymore, whether if I died or lived.

As the helicopter landed in front of Shinra Building, I felt myself being pulled onto my feet. I was then pushed off the helicopter with my hands tied up in front of me. Slowly I walked towards the building and into a lab where Tseng shoved me into a huge tube–looking cage. The walls were made of bulletproof glass, so it was unbreakable.

I stumbled onto the cold floor with a hard shove. I didn't bother getting up. I just stayed there in my lifeless form.


After awhile, I finally woke up from my little sleep. But I had not bothered to move. I was aware of the stares from a mad man named Hojo.

He looked at me as if I were some kind of animal inside a zoo.

I didn't give him any satisfaction. I just stayed the way I was.

My plan must have worked. For after a long moment, he left with a face full of disappointment. But in his place were the Turks, not including Tseng.

One of the Turks, a woman, tapped on the glass softly.

I glanced at the Turk, not bothering to get up. After a moment, I looked away and curled myself into ball.

I heard the Turk sigh frustratingly. She opened the door to my "prison" and stepped in, followed by Reno and the other one I had not recognized.

"Hey, I know you're awake. I suggest you get up and eat. Professor Hojo doesn't want his specimens to die out on him before he has experimented on them," the woman said carrying a tray.

I opened my eyes but didn't bother to look at them. "What do you want from me?" I asked softly.

Reno grinned. "You're very lucky. It seems the old doc's taken interest in you and wants to study you for some time."

"I see…" I closed my eyes, ignoring the Turks.

Elena frowned. She slowly placed the tray in front of me. After she was done, she and the others left my cell.

I stared at the food Elena had given me. I pushed it aside despite my hunger. I didn't want anything to do with them.