Summary: A year has passed since Aries died and the team is feeling the loss. How will each of them cope with their grief?
Author's Note: I'm a big fan of Final Fantasy but frankly, I think the movie hat just came out in America pretty much sums up everything so I'm kind of afraid to touch it. However, I felt (after watching the movie) that the grief over Aries is kind of a big deal. So I wrote this. I haven't put any of the characters names on each of these thoughts, but I think I made it obvious enough to guess who they are (if you're a fan of the game anyway). If you have any questions about which statements belong to which characters, you can ask me in a review and I'll gladly answer. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Happy Reading!
Where Do We Go From Here?
Looking at a cold night sky through Mako eyes: It isn't fair. I know that. But life isn't fair. Isn't that what everyone says? But why is it not fair? Why does the world have to come crashing down just when things were starting to look up? I guess that's how it goes. Fate just can't stand it when good begins to succeed. It just has to butt in. But why her? What did she ever do to deserve this? All she ever did was good. Why did she have to leave? Why did it have to end? Why?
From the terrace out of a strong woman's heart: It's been a year, and still I can remember her face. It was so calm. I sometimes wonder if she even knew she was dead. The smile never left her face, not even when she fell. How did she do that? I don't know if I would have handled it that well. Where did she get her strength? I wish I could understand it. But she was special. I may never understand. But that doesn't make it any easier to cope with. But she was so calm…
In the Darkness from a cold but gentle soul: She just stood there in prayer. I have to respect her for that. Despite the trials in her life, she never gave up hope. Not even in the end. I truly believe that was her in the end. I truly believe that we would never have triumphed without her. And I truly believe that she is still with us, watching over us and caring for us. The world may never know what she did for them. But I for one will never forget.
From a man with a steel cold fist: I may not have seen it, but I didn't have to. It was enough to just know it happened. I owed her. Much more than I can explain in words. My daughter is alive because of her. I will never forget that. Never. I just can't believe she's gone. I never got a chance to thank her the way I should have. And now I'll never get the chance. I can only hope that somewhere, somehow, she can hear me and know that I'm grateful.
In the sky with a cigarette: I never really knew her, not as well as I should have. Hearing the stories from the others makes me wish I did. From what little time I spent with her, I knew she was different. Almost like she knew what was going to happen before it did. A little #$# up if you ask me, but I think it worked for her. It's strange not having her. She was always the hopeful one in the group. The one who brought pep to the rest of us. Where does our pep come from now?
From the shadows through the eyes of a teenager: She was like a big sister really. She was always really nice to me. You know, I'm actually glad she wasn't around to see me betray the others. Yet somehow, I think she knows. I wonder what she things of me? I wonder if she thinks me a fool. I'll never forget how she and I would talk. Sometimes I felt like she could see right through me. Why did she have to go? I'll never find someone like her to talk to. What am I supposed to do?
Four cold walls and the eyes of a puppet: I've studied her kind for years. But I never really made the connection to a real life. She was nothing but a creation in a book. But then I met her. She was different than I ever imagined. She was the only one who accepted me into the group without question. The truly sad thing is, I think she knew my true identity all along. I can't be sure. But something tells me she never believed my lies for a moment. She's a smart one…a very smart one…
Though the eyes of the old yet young: She was so kind. It isn't fair! I didn't want her to go! She was the nicest woman I had ever met. And she was so wise. I felt like she knew everything. It's so sad. I wish I could have said goodbye. I really miss her. It just isn't the same without her around. The others are great and I love them all…but she was different. She had an agedness about her. Like she had seen many things in her life but never told a soul. I miss her…