This is set 10 years later.

Chapter 10: Forgetting The Past

Aeris walked through the castle to Yuffie's room. She was humming to herself as she pushed her braided hair over her shoulder. She had grown into a beautiful, young woman and just as nice as she always was. She knocked on Yuffie's door but heard no noise and gently pushed it open. Yuffie was nowhere to be seen, but the whole room was a mess so it was always a possibility. Aeris sighed and picked up the dirty clothes and placed them by the door to take to the cleaning room later. She made the bed and proceeded out of the room, wondering where the Princess was. It was then that a card caught her attention. It was lying on the floor, open and tearstains evident. Frowning, Aeris picked it up.

To my brother,

I think you're the best brother in the whole wide world

Love Yuffie xx

Immediately, Aeris' normally glowing green eyes became sad as she remembered her old friend. Now she knew exactly where Yuffie was. Forgetting the washing pile she had made, she walked out of the castle onto the streets. She looked up and around in sadness. Midgar was in ruins and Sephiroth didn't give a damn. He had built slums and built a plate above the city blocking sunlight. Only the castle had any light and only certain people were allowed in there. His excuse was that there was a difference between royalty and normal people and so should be treated differently. Aeris walked on until she reached the edge of Midgar. Sure enough, the Princess was sitting there. She waited a moment before she walked over to her. Yuffie looked up suddenly.

"Oh, it's you." She stated softly. Aeris sat down next to her.

"Are you ok?" The older woman asked. Yuffie sighed.

"No." She replied honestly. "I just can't accept that he's gone. Not until we find his body."

"After ten years, we won't find anything now." Aeris answered.

"I know but I just…" She stopped for a moment to stare at the flowers that she had brought. "I come out here every year on the day that it happened, and I still can't feel that he's gone." She finished. Aeris nodded. She knew that Yuffie did that.

"It's not fair." The Princess snapped. "Why did he and dad have to die and I only get a little injury?"

"Little?" Aeris replied with a slight laugh. "Mum took hours to get you conscious again. Not to mention replacing the blood you lost and healing your broken bones. It took months for you to recover."

"Well maybe I didn't want to recover."

"Yuffie!"

"What?" She responded. "It's the truth! I don't see any point in carrying on. I've felt that for the last ten years."

"But what about your mother?" Aeris reasoned. Yuffie was silent.

"Mum just isn't the same since it happened. She goes all weird sometimes."

"That is why she needs you. And you need her. Yuffie, when you turn twenty-one, you will be old enough to take the throne. You are the rightful heir. Please, let go of the past."

"I won't be Queen." Yuffie replied softly. Aeris frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I signed the abdication."

"What? When?"

"Ten years ago, when I was still recovering."

"Why?" Another voice asked before Aeris could. The women looked up to see a tall, red-haired man.

"Reno." Yuffie's eyes lit up slightly at the sight of him.

"Aeris, can I speak with Yuffie alone?" Aeris nodded with a smile as stood up and left. Reno sat down next to the Princess.

"Why did you sign it? You are a Princess, the true heir."

"I know. But I don't think I can let go of them."

"Yuffie, you know, when I saw you lying there, and thought you were dead, I thought my whole world had been ripped away." Yuffie looked up at him.

"Coming from Midgar's lady's man?" She joked. Reno smiled slightly.

"Retired now babes." He replied. "Only one girl for me."

"And who would that be?" She asked flirtatiously. Reno smirked as he leaned over and kissed her. As he pulled back he continued.

"But you're alive, and I realised that you can't take life for granted. Yuffie, don't let your father and brother's memories be forgotten. Cloud would want you to take the throne." Yuffie looked at him.

"I'm so confused!I signed the abdication. I don't know how to go about getting the throne." She muttered. Reno took her hand.

"If you lead them, the people of Midgar will follow you." He reassured her. From the shadows, Aeris smiled slightly.

"Maybe Reno will make her happy again." She said to herself as she walked away.

Cloud let out a belch as he leaned back on the grass. Cid laughed, causing him to choke slightly on his cigarette.

"We taught you well kid." He joked. Cloud glanced at him with a smile before they looked up at the sky again. Barret sighed.

"What's so great about stars anyway?" He asked. Cid stubbed out his cigarette.

"They're just there to make the sky look pretty." He replied sarcastically. "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"Just a question. What do you think Cloud?" Cloud's eyes widened slightly as he remembered words from long ago.

"They are the eyes of the Great Royals of the Past, looking down on us."

"Really?"

"Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember, they'll always be there to guide you. And so will I."

"Cloud?" Cid waved his hand in front of his eyes. The blonde jumped slightly.

"Huh? Oh, well…somebody once told me that, the great Royals of the past, look down on us from those stars."

"You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?" Cid asked. For a moment, there was silence before the two older men burst into laughter.

"You're killin' me Cloud."

"Heh, yeah pretty dumb huh?" Cloud replied softly. Cid continued to laugh.

"What idiot made that up?" Cloud looked back up at the sky and down at the ground as the two continued to laugh.

"Yeah." He muttered quietly before he sighed and stood up, walking away. Cid and Barret looked at each other.

"Was it something I said?" Cid asked. Barret shrugged as they watched Cloud disappear.

The blonde sighed as he stared across the sea. Just peeking above the mountains on the other continent, he could see Midgar. He leaned against a tree as he stared at it. Aeris and his mother were there as well as his father and sister's bodies. Everything he ever cared about was across that water. He closed his eyes as he remembered their faces flashing through his mind. He slammed his fist into the tree, causing the leaves to flutter away, across the ocean.

"You can't change the past. And there ain't no stopping this train we're on." He replied coldly as he turned his back on Midgar, for what he hoped, was the last time.

Nanaki sighed to himself as he lay in his cave. He walked down to the stream to get his drink, looking over to Midgar. He sighed at the sight. The ground around the city was dark and dead. Inside, the streets were littered with vermin and the stench of the deceased. Slums were the only available housing. The wise wolf sighed before he took a drink. As he straightened up and shook his mane, a few leaves fluttered by. Normally, he wouldn't have cared. But that scent on them, he knew it somehow. Raising his head, he sniffed. His eyes widened.

"Cloud?" He whispered before he broke into a smile. "Cloud! He's alive!" He raced inside the cave to the picture of Cloud, howling with happiness as he pawed at the wall, creating a crown above Cloud's head. He stood back, a wide grin on his face.

"It is time." He whispered.