-1Chapter Six
Cloud and company all boarded Cid's successor to the Highwind; the Sierra. It was truly a magnificent ship, and the children absolutely loved it. Cloud brought along his motorcycle too. Some of the kids were brave enough to ride on the backseat with Cloud. Denzel always rode though, he was quite a brave little boy, and Cloud was his hero. He had asked Cloud to marry Tifa once, but Cloud said his heart was buried under water and couldn't come back. Denzel had no idea what this meant, but Cloud knew it all too well. For years he had thought that he died in the beautiful crystalline city with Aeris. Today was different though. Cloud couldn't put his finger on it, or understand why he felt so good for once. He thought he had finally regained some sort of closure from Aeris and Zack but there was more…something big was going to happen today…something miraculous.
"Am I doin alright Cid?" asked Barret.
"Doin great big man, keep up the good work!" Cid said.
Cid approached Cloud, who was watching from the sidelines, keeping an eye on all the children. "So how you been there Cloud?" Cid asked.
Cloud just looked at him.
"Hey, I'm talking to ya punk!" Cid shouted.
"What Cid? I'm fine, just dandy. I felt great, perfect, absolutely amazing, and then you came up to me! Heh, I'm just messin with ya buddy."
"Are you still getting the visions?" asked Cid.
"No, I'm not. They weren't visions. She's gone Cid. Now please, don't make me feel like this."
"Just wanted to check up on ya Cloud. We never get a chance to talk anymore, and after all the bullshit that's been goin down lately, I just wanted to make sure you were still all together."
"Well thanks for your concern, but sorry to disappoint you and everybody else. I've moved on. I'm tired of feeling sorry for myself and I'm not gonna freak out like everyone seems to think I am."
"Well yaFUCKINhoo then! Glad ya decided to come up today. Just look at that sky!"
"Yea, it's beautiful."
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Back in the Lifestream, Aeris was with her parents.
"Now, are you ready Aeris?" Ifalna asked.
"I'm ready mom."
"I'm going to miss you so much. I'm going to be watching over you too."
"I hope you don't see everything."
"Now, now Aeris." Her father said.
"You must realize what an incredible gift this is Aeris. Nobody has ever been granted this before." Ifalna began crying. "You deserve this. Make the best of it. I love you Aeris, and I know I will see you again. I know it won't be for a long, long time though. I'm so proud of you!" She said while embracing her daughter.
Gast stood behind them and put his arms around the both of them. "Be careful Aeris. I love you." He said.
Aeris was overcome with emotion as well. "I love you both so much. Dad, it was great to finally meet you. I will never forget our time together. I just wish that we could have had some more. I promise you both that I will make every second count. I promise that the Cetra will live on. I will see you both again someday." She sobbed.
It is time.
Aeris wiped the tears from her cheek and Gast wiped the tears from Ifalna.
"I must go now…I'm scared and excited at the same time. I've never felt this way! I love you both very much. Goodbye dad, goodbye mom."
"Goodbye Aeris, I love you." Ifalna said.
"Until we meet again sweetheart. I love you too." Gast said.
Close your eyes, give yourself to me.
As Aeris closed her eyes she began to withdraw to her Promised Land. The Lifestream was all around her, and was now bringing her back to her watery grave. Aeris was nonexistent in this process and to her, it could've been an eternity or a second.
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The Forgotten Capital. The mysterious Vincent Valentine was watching the activities of Yazoo and Loz from high atop the trees. Vincent would come here from time to time to meditate. Once Yazoo and Loz appeared back here, Vincent stayed to study them. They had not been fully returned to the Lifestream. His body of thoughts still remained.
I will not become just a mere memory.
The two remaining silver haired men were now completely lost without their leader Kadaj. Defeated and left to fend for themselves, they returned to their former headquarters.
"We failed Mother. We failed him!" Loz cried out. "What the fuck are we supposed to do now? The cells are gone. Kadaj is gone. We are done for!"
"Why don't you just relax?" Yazoo reasoned. "Brother has become too powerful for us. We need to harness what power we have left and take revenge on him."
A green slithering light began to circle the two men and the City.
"What the hell is that?" Loz asked.
"Maybe its Mother coming to take us home!"
"No…this feels pure…it's going into the water!" Loz screamed.
The Lifestream made its way down deep into the translucent waters. The whole city was engulfed, and as it reached the bottom, a great green and white light deluged the whole City in a short and awesome flash.
Open your eyes.
A pair of bewildering green eyes opened to sheer panic.
Now hurry!
Aeris was awake and at the bottom of the freezing, cold lake. Without thinking, she sprung up and tried desperately to make it to the top. She was out of breath halfway there, but she kept on. Her legs and arms were so weak, but she couldn't give up. Almost there. She can see the welcoming light from above. Her heart was thundering. Almost. The beats were becoming farther and farther away from each other. Almost. BEAT…BEAT. She made it to the top and exploded out of the water, gasping for air as much as her fragile and feeble body could.
"Mother!" Yazoo exclaimed.
"Mother?" Loz asked.
Aeris made her way to the rocks on the bank to rest on them, still halfway in the water, she was heaving desperately for air.
"No…this isn't Mother…it's…it's HER!" Loz yelled as he made his way over to Aeris.
Vincent was watching; completely awe inspired. Not yet. Wait until the bastard is closer. He thought.
"How can this be! Brother destroyed you!" Loz said as he was now standing over Aeris. He grinded his left boot into her small hand that was grasping onto the bank. Aeris looked up. She was incoherent and in complete shock.
NOW!
Two shots came from out of nowhere striking the ground next to Loz. Yazoo immediately began firing back, but at no target.
"It's the vampire again. That Red Devil from before! Be careful, this one is fast. Hurry up and finish her!" Yazoo screamed while blazing into everything in sight.
Loz looked into the now terrified eyes of Aeris and rose up his Dual Hound. He smiled. CRACK!
"Fuck! Did you see that? Yazoo? What are you shooting at!"
Before he could plunge the Hound into Aeris' horrified face, a red blaze came down as if from nowhere and the girl disappeared. The loud noise from the force of Loz hitting the rocks instead, almost broke his hand. And just like that, Vincent and Aeris were gone.
"Aeris! Aeris are you alright? Can you breathe?"
Her limp arms were wrapped around Vincent as he took her to a secluded shell house on the outskirts of the City. He lay her down on a bed and began to remove her drenched clothes. The gentlemen never took his eyes off her face, making sure she was still breathing. He took off his long warm cloak and completely wrapped it around the girl. Her body was shivering. Her usual pink and inviting lips were now an icy cold purple. Her body was in shock from the freezing cold waters and she was in a low level state of hypothermia. She was alive though, and with Vincent's arms wrapped around her, her body temperature began to rise.
"You'll be okay Aeris. I gotcha."
Back at the capital, Yazoo and Loz were still arguing with each other.
"My fucking hand! That bitch! What the fuck were you shooting at anyways! You almost hit me!"
"You try and hit that god damned thing! He isn't human!" Shouted Yazoo. "Let's go look for them."
"No! The only way out is though here, they won't be heading north. They have to come through here." Loz said as he went to take out his cell phone. "What? Shit, I lost my phone. Gimme yours!"
Yazoo reached into his pocket and threw his phone to Loz. "Who are you calling?" he asked.
"The President. I think he may have some interest in this."
Vincent took out Loz's phone while the other hand was on Aeris' weak pulse.
"You're doin fine. Don't give up. Keep breathing."
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Back on the Sierra, Cloud's phone began to vibrate. He took it out and looked at the number. He didn't recognize it, and put the phone back into his pocket.
Probably just someone who wants a delivery, he thought.
It began ringing again. He immediately pulled it out this time to answer it. "Yeah, Cloud Strife here, I am currently not accepting any requests right now but if you leave me a mess --"
"Cloud! It's Vincent. Look, I can't explain everything right now but I need your help."
"Vincent, what the hell are you doing on a cell phone?"
"LOOK! I am very serious! I need you at the City of the Ancients right now!"
"What's going on?" Cloud asked.
"I don't have time to explain, this is something I cannot explain over the phone. When can you make it here?"
"Uh…twenty minutes maybe. Maybe a little longer. What the hell is going on Vince?"
"Come alone, and come in swinging. All will be explained when you get here." Vincent said as he hung up the phone to tend to Aeris.
Her eyes opened. Confused and distressed. "Vince…ent?"
"Save your strength Aeris. You need to keep breathing."
"Am…I…back?"
"Oh yeah Aeris, you're back and you're already in trouble. Look, Cloud is on his way. We're gonna get you out of here and get you some help."
"Cloud. Did you tell him I was here?" Aeris could barely muster anything from her breath.
"No. Now look, I have to leave you here. It's too dangerous out there."
"I'm scared. I'm so cold. I can't stop shaking."
"Try to move your arms around your body. Try to warm yourself up. You'll be safe here I promise."
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"What do you mean take you there?" Barret asked. "You're supposed to take Denzel out on the Fenrir!"
"Barret just do it! I can't explain. Vincent said he needs me and I am not going to lose another person I care about! Now get going!"
"Okay, it should be about a half hour. Damn, just when I was getting the hang of things too!"
"Listen here pilgrim, I'm comin with ya!" Cid said.
"No Cid, whatever it is, I can handle it. I don't want anything to happen to the children. Stay and look after them." Cloud was serious.
"No fuckin way am I lettin you go in there alone!"
"JUST DO AS I SAY! I can handle myself! Hurry Barret!"
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Vincent left Aeris in the bed. She was safe there and Vincent was nearby. Yazoo and Loz were pacing around the Capital. Loz was still holding his hand.
"I'm gunna put so many wholes in that fucking thing and that stupid bitch too!" Yazoo said.
"No, Rufus wants her alive." Loz said as he saw something approaching from the distance. "BROTHER! How good of you to come!"
Cloud had arrived.
Author's Notes: Whew! That was a long one but so far it was one of my favorite ones to write. I told you things would heat up and believe me, it's only gonna get better! I have posted this on the Advent Children Forums as well and as I said before please R&R. I wanted to make things a little bit complicated for Cloud and Aeris. Come on, did ya think she was just gonna come back and everything would be as easy as apple pie? Ok that was gay, but hey, at least I spiced things up a bit. Anyway, chapter 7 will be up soon!
NazMan
