Chapter Three

Through the door came a chocobo drawn carriage. In the back stood a tall girl with long black hair, as long as Aeris', tied towards the bottom. She was in a formal purple dress, wearing make-up and in high heels.

"Tifa!" Cloud called out.

Aeris looked at him suddenly. He knew this girl?

He leapt off the slide and began running for the carriage, which had stopped.

"Cloud!" The girl climbed off the carriage and ran to him and hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"We thought you were dead...you fell so far..." she looked as if she were going to start crying.

Aeris watched them from her spot on the slide and saw Cloud holding her.

"Aeris here saved my life." Cloud said, leading Tifa back to the slide to meet her.

Aeris slid down and shook Tifa's hand. "I'm Aeris Gainsborough. I didn't save Cloud's life, my flowers did." she said.

Tifa nodded and hugged her. "Well, thank your flowers then for me. I am Tifa Lockheart." she said.

Aeris nodded and smiled. "Cloud, after you fell, Barret had to drag me out of the reactor. Wha happened?" she asked.

Cloud shrugged. "I remember falling, then waking up on something soft. Aeris was there. She told me where we were and promised to take me to Sector 7 if I was her bodyguard. The Turks were there Tif...they want Aeris for some reason." Cloud said.

Tifa looked at Aeris when Cloud said bodyguard and watched her closely.

"The Turks have been after me for some time. I have been able to elude them most of the time, but they have never invaded my church. Until last night." she explained.

Cloud nodded. "It was a good thing I was there because otherwise Aeris' would probably in their hands right now." he said.

Tifa watched him, then shifted in her dress. "So Tifa... why are you so dressed up?" Cloud asked.

Tifa sighed. "We heard a rumor that President ShinRa knows our hideout is in the Sector 7 Slums. And he plans to do something about it. Don Corneo knows what that is. He is looking for a wife, and women from all over are coming. But he is going to choose three, then choose one from those three. I am determined to be the one, and then force the information out of him." she explained.

Cloud shook his head. "It's too dangerous. No." he said.

Aeris looked at him. Then she looked back at Tifa, who had a look of anger on her face.

"Tifa, you said Don is gathering three girls? Why don't I enter in with you? Two out of three is a better chance for one of us to get in... Look at it this way, Cloud. If Corneo picks me, then you won't have to worry about Tifa." Aeris suggested.

Cloud shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous for both of you. No way." he said.

Tifa sighed. "Two against one. We are going in. Now, you can stand outside if you like, but we are going in." she said.

Aeris nodded. "C'mon Aeris, we need to find you a dress." Tifa grabbed Aeris' arm and they got on the carriage. Cloud sighed and got on too. The carriage brought them in to Wall Market, the biggest town in the Sector 6 Slums. They went in and out of stores, and finally, Aeris was in a long red dress, her hair was taken out of the braid and wavy, and Tifa's hair was down.

When they were ready, they went in, leaving Cloud to stand outside. Aeris kept a walkie talkie in her hand, to signal for Cloud to come in. Tifa had one too. Finally, Aeris and Tifa stood before the fat man in red, who walked back and forth between Aeris, Tifa and some other girl. Finally, Don stopped in front of Tifa.

"You." he said.

Tifa smiled to Aeris, who nodded. Tifa followed Don away. Aeris and the other girl looked at each other as a black guy stood before them. About six other guys were in the room too.

"Now, guys...the Don said we can have these other girls. Have at her." he said.

Aeris gasped as the black guy grabbed her and drug her away. He dragged her down a long staircase into a dark room.

"Let's have some fun..." he said. Aeris screamed against his grip, but he was stronger than he looked. He bent down and kissed her but she kicked him in the balls and began to run away. He chased her around the room, finally grabbing her and throwing her up against the wall and pinning her there.

"No!" Aeris screamed. The walkie talkie she had dropped broke into a million pieces. The black guy tried to rip her dress, but she hit him. He didn't fall back though, he kept his balance.

Suddenly he yelled in pain and fell dead to the ground. Aeris screamed and closed her eyes, scared to know what just happened. She suddenly remembered Sephiroth, and how he said he would always save her when no one else would.

She opened her eyes and saw Cloud. He dropped his sword and reached out and grabbed her, and pulled her to him and hugged her. She hugged him back and closed her eyes, wanting to forget about what the black guy had just tried to do. Cloud let her go and looked at her.

"Are you ok?" he asked. Aeris nodded.

"Where's Tifa?" he asked.

Aeris gulped. "Don chose her." she said softly.

Cloud grabbed his sword and ran up the stairs.

"Aeris hurry!" he called. Aeris stared down at the dead guy and nodded, the rushed past him. Suddenly, she saw an arsenal of weapons on the wall. She grabbed a mythril staff and followed after Cloud. They ran up the stairs and Cloud went in where Don chose Tifa.

"Wait!" Aeris called out. Cloud stopped and turned to her.

"The other girl..." Aeris trailed off. Cloud looked at her.

"You go after Tifa. I'll save the other girl." Aeris said finally.

Cloud nodded and continued on. Aeris ran down the hallway and opened the door.

Six guys were crowded around the other girl, who was backed up against the wall.

"I suggest you all stand down now." Aeris said, gripping the staff.

The six guys turned to her and smiled. Aeris realized they wouldn't be afraid of her and she froze. What next? she wondered.

"If I were you, I would listen to the girl." a deep voice rang out from behind Aeris.

Her blood pressure rose as warmth filled her fear-filled body. She wasn't scared anymore.

Sephiroth was standing behind her.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt her. "Step away from the girl." Aeris said.

The six men stared in awe at Sephiroth standing behind her. "Sephiroth..." one said in horror. They all scrambled to get out of the way.

The girl ran to them, and ran out the door behind them.

Aeris turned to Sephiroth, who just smiled down at her. She closed and locked the door after they left, leaving the six guys to sit in awe.

"You came..." she said softly.

Sephiroth nodded. "I would've killed that stupid black man, for what he was trying to do to you, but Strife was already on his way. I couldn't risk being seen." he said.

Aeris nodded and hugged him.

Sephiroth hugged her back and kissed her forehead. "Hurry Aeris. They are going to collapse the Sector 7 Plate. They are there right now, trying to do it. But the remainder of AVALANCHE is fighting them. You need to go. They will need your help." he said.

Aeris gasped.

They are collapsing the plate!

Aeris stared at him, and he nodded.

"Wait! When will I see you again?" she asked.

Sephiroth just smiled. "You will. Tell no one you saw me." he said.

Aeris nodded, and turned to leave. She turned back and ran to him, hugging him one more time.

"Thank you." she said.

Sephiroth nodded and she ran off.

She reached the room and saw Tifa and Cloud standing at the end of the bed, Don on the bed looking scared.

"They are collapsing the Sector 7 Plate!" Aeris exclaimed.

Cloud and Tifa both looked at her in surprise.

"Is this true!" Tifa demanded.

Don nodded and laughed and pulled a lever, dropping the three down a tube and into the Train Graveyard.

"They are collapsing the plate! But everyone will be killed! Hundreds of lives will be destroyed!" Tifa exclaimed.

"C'mon, it's this way." Cloud said gravely.

They followed him through the maze of trains, Aeris thinking only of Sephiroth. Finally, they reached the plate column. People were gathered there, a ShinRa helicopter flying high above, ShinRa soldiers firing off guns everywhere.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a body came crashing down to the ground. Tifa gasped.

"Wedge!" she screamed, running to him. Cloud and Aeris ran to him too.

"Barrett...needs your help...says...save...Marlene..." Wedge said.

Tifa let a tear fall as all life left him. Cloud slammed a fist into the ground.

"Marlene... Aeris, can you go to my bar, it's that way. A little girl named Marlene will be there. Please. Take her to safety. Please." Tifa asked.

Aeris nodded and ran off.

Cloud watched her leave. "I am going up." he said. Tifa grabbed his arm. "I am going too." she said.

He nodded and they ran up the flights of stairs, killing all in their way. Halfway up, a girl lay bleeding on the ground.

"Jessie..." Tifa whispered.

Jessie smiled. "Save them. Barret...fighting..." she coughed and stopped breathing.

Tifa nodded and closed her eyes before running after Cloud.

They reached the top after running up the stairs for about twenty stories and found Barret firing his gun arm at a helicopter.

"Bout time y'all got here! They are tryin' to collapse the plate!" he yelled.

Tifa nodded. "We noticed." she said gravely.

Suddenly, Reno jumped off the helicopter and ran to the bomb on the pillar and pressed a button.

"NO!" Tifa screamed. Reno just laughed.

"I wouldn't try to disarm this one. It will blow up at the first sign of tampering." he laughed and jumped off the edge.

Tifa gasped as a helicopter came up, Reno standing beside Tseng, who laughed maliciously. Barret aimed his gun arm, but Tseng held up one finger.

"I wouldn't. You might harm, or cause me to harm, our little friend." he said, reaching down and garbbing handful of a girl's honey brown hair and yanking her head back to show them all. She yelped in pain.

"Aeris!" Cloud yelled. Tseng nodded.

"That's right. I would hate to have to harm her." he said.

Barret brought down his gun arm. "Who's she?" he demanded.

Tseng laughed and shook his head. "Our little Ancient friend will be a big find to Hojo." he said.

Aeris leaned forward. "She's safe, Tifa. She is safe." Aeris said.

Tseng grabbed her and slapped her and she fell to the ground. "Goodbye. And happy falling!" Tseng said.

The helicopter flew off. Cloud glared after the helicopter. Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep..Beep. The bomb began beeping faster.

They all looked around frantically, knowing the plate's falling was inevitable. "Over here!" Cloud yelled.

Cloud unhooked a cable and the three got on and swung off the rail and the pillar blew up behind them.

They managed to make it through the opened Sector 6 doors to safety before the plate collapsed, closing the opening with debris and killing any who remained.

Cloud looked up and realized they were in the playground. Debris was everywhere. Barret ran to the wall of debris and began pounding on it.

"Jessie! Wedge! BIggs! Marlene! I'll kill ya! I'll murder ya ShinRa!" he yelled.

Tifa sat up. "Marlene is safe." she said softly.

Barret stared at her. "How do ya figure?" he asked.

"Before we went up, I asked Aeris to take Marlene to safety. She told me she was safe just before...before they took her." Tifa said.

Barrett watched her. "That girl...saved Marlene?" he asked.

"I know where she lives. We'll go ask her mother if she stopped by there." Cloud said.

Cloud led the way through the paths Aeris had shown him, and Barret and Tifa followed him solemnly.

They got to her house and knocked on the door. Ifalna answered, and let them in silently. Cloud hung his head and sighed.

"The Turks...they got Aeris." he said.

Ifalna nodded. "Yes, I know. They came here." she said.

Instantly, all eyes were on her. "She came, not ten minutes ago, with a little girl. Marlene was her name. But the Turks came also. Aeris gave herself up so that Marlene would be safe. They took her and I haven't seen her since." Ifalna said.

Barrett's eyes widened, as did Tifa's. "Aeris...she gave herself for Marlene's safety?" Tifa asked.

"Yes." Ifalna said solemnly.

"Marlene. She is my daughter. Is she here?" Barret asked.

Ifalna nodded. "Marlene, you can come down now. It's safe." Ifalna called.

A little girl of no older than 9 came running down the stairs. "Daddy!" she called, hugging Barret.

"Daddy, The flower girl was so nice...but they took her. The bad men took her." Marlene said.

Barrett nodded. "Cloud, Aeris told me to tell you not worry about her. She is safe. Don't come after her." Marlene said.

Cloud stared at the child, thinking of Aeris and her bravery. Ifalna sighed.

"There is something you need to know about Aeris. She is an Ancient, the last of a dead race. She can speak with the Planet, the Elders of our race speak to her. That is why the Turks have been after her for so long. They have been after her since we came here. Hojo has been longing to run tests on her. They will do unspeakable things to her there. For so long, she has had the ability to know things before they happen, to know of deaths when they happen, even in they are across the world. She is one with the planet." she said.

Cloud nodded. "Most importantly, she is my friend. I am going after her." he said.

Ifalna nodded. "She would not want you to, but I am glad you are." she said.

Tifa nodded. "She helped me to get the information we needed. She saved Cloud's life. I am going too." she said.

"She saved Marlene without ever having met me. I am going too." he said.

They all nodded. Barret set Marlene down and walked to Ifalna.

"I am eternally grateful of your daughter. But, will you watch Marlene until I come back. Please?" Barrett asked.

Ifalna nodded. "Just remember to come back." she said softly, before escorting Marlene upstairs.

"Save her daddy. Save the flower girl." Marlene said.

Barret nodded. Cloud looked at Tifa and Barrett. "Let's go." he said.

They left and made their way to Wall Market, and found a cable that went up and led to the ShinRa HQ. They made their way up to the top and snuck in through a back staircase. Steathily moving through out the building, they finally reached a part of the building stacked with boxes. In the center was large glass dome. Aeris lay unconscious on the floor in the center. Cloud ran to the glass door.

"Aeris!" he exclaimed, pounding on it. Aeris did not stir. Cloud slammed his fist into the glass. Tifa grabbed his arm and tugged on him.

"Cloud stop... we'll find a way to open the door." she said. Cloud turned towards her, then nodded.

"Good choice." a voice rang out.

A short man dressed in a white lab coat with long black hair stood there, watching them. He snapped, and twenty soldiers came out of the doorway and surrounded them. Hojo laughed.

"You were stupid to think you could steal my specimen. Think twice." he said angrily.

Cloud glared at him, then glanced at Aeris, who was getting up.

"Aeris!" he exclaimed softly.

Aeris rubbed her head and looked at them. Her eyes widened. She ran to the window and pounded on it.

"What are you thinking! I told you not to come!" she exclaimed.

Cloud shook his head. Suddenly, the guards grabbed them and tied their hands and feet together.

Tifa struggled, but they bested her and tied her up.

"Aeris!" she exclaimed.

Suddenly, the door opened again and Tseng and Reno came in. Reno laughed.

"I should've known you all would've come for her. Oh wait. I did!" he exclaimed, laughing. He pulled out his stun baton and walked over to Cloud.

"Are you going to try to run? I wouldn't." Reno said.

He shoved the end of his stun baton into the small of Cloud's back. Cloud yelled in pain and his whole body shivered as electricity pulsed through it rapidly, making a buzzing noise.

"Cloud!" Aeris and Tifa both screamed at the same time.

Reno pulled the baton back and Cloud fell to the ground, his body still reacting to the electricity. Reno laughed and Tseng grabbed the baton from him.

"Do not do that again unless you have my orders." he said angrily, yanking baton around and giving Reno a jolt.

It was enough to bring Reno to his knees, but he just laughed, drinking in the adrenaline like water. Tseng threw the baton back at him and Reno stood, holding it again.

"Confine them into separate cells. Do it now." Tseng said.

The soldiers dragged them away and left Aeris alone in her glass prison. What were they thinking? Why did they come after her? She told them not to. Aeris sank to the far wall and cuddled into a ball.

She was alone again. She hated being alone. She covered her head in her arms. She was glad Cloud came. He would've saved her if he had the chance. She desperately wished someone would save her. She heard Hojo tap on the glass as he had done so many times and she ignored him.

Finally, it grew quiet and Aeris looked up.

No one was there.

Suddenly, the lights went out and she was left in complete darkness.