This Bitter Earth
We Are The Fallen
Aeris's red jacket laid forgotten somewhere on one of the broken, old church pews. She wore nothing save her pink, spaghetti strapped dress. A few buttons near the top were undone, exposing her white, lacey bra. As usual, the bottom buttons were undone, exposing her long, creamy white legs. She was barefoot, but she didn't mind that her feet were getting dirty. Her hair fell down her back in waves, stopping slightly below her waist.
However, her brilliant green eyes lacked its usual cheerful glow. Her eyes seemed dull, almost tired. Aeris had her eyes glued to the back of a silver haired General who was quickly disappearing down the road. He was such a puzzle to her. What was the real General Sephiroth like?
"You leave so soon, Sephiroth," Aeris said to the wind, childishly hoping that it would carry her words to him, "A quick kiss on the forehead and then you're gone, as if you never existed. Do you exist? Are you real? Am I real?"
Aeris closed her eyes, not concentrating on the mental pain, as the Planet shouted inside her head.
[reality. how unpleasant.]
"Unpleasant indeed. For I am the one who must bear the sins of humanity. Just like Jesus."
[jesus. no. unlike. many ways.]
"Of course. Many ways." Aeris ran a hand through her loose hair. Sephiroth had been very infatuated with it earlier. She remembered the shivers that ran down her spine when he undid her braid. "Oh yes, Planet. Many ways."
[illusion. good? reality. better?]
Aeris didn't understand what the Planet meant, so she ignored it. She stopped trying to figure out the Planet years ago.
The form of Sephiroth had long since disappeared, yet she remained glued to the spot. It was getting pretty chilly, and she knew her mother would be getting worried, but she couldn't move away from the church door if her very life depended on it. "What happened between us, Sephiroth? Did I make you feel something? Is that why you hate me so? Because I make you feel things you don't want to feel, or perhaps things you've convinced yourself you're incapable of feeling?"
[AVATAR will DIE. you will DIE.]
Aeris frowned in distaste. She knew her future. She didn't know how it would happen, or even when it would happen. When Aeris' mother died, she knew her fate would be the same. The Planet told her. It scared her and she hid in her room for days, afraid to go outside for fear that she would die before she actually had a chance to live. It wasn't fair. "Life's not fair, isn't that right, Planet?"
[correct.]
"Why?"
[once born life unpredictable. dice roll good. dice roll bad. but survive and live. keep faith. faith saves all. do good to remember that. yes?]
"Faith saves all, huh? Will it save him?"
[the AVATAR never had faith. guilty by birth. innocent in theory.]
"Avatar, huh? Why do you refuse to call his name?"
[name sacred. AVATAR infected. never. defile and desecrate holy.]
"I don't get it. I doubt I ever will. At least not now that is."
[sorry.]
"It's not your fault. It's not your fault at all, dear Planet."
[favor him?]
Aeris smiled. Was it really necessary for the Planet to ask? "Favor him, huh? That I do."
She waited a moment, wondering if the Planet would respond. Minutes ticked by, and no response seemed forthcoming. So Aeris continued her monologue, watching as the false lights of Midgar flickered and then dimmed almost unnoticeably.
"The Planet says you're guilty by birth, Sephiroth. But guilty of what? What crimes have you committed? Or rather, what crimes will you commit? I don't think I'll be there to stop you when it happens."
Finally, she turned around and walked down the aisle. She sat in the middle of her flowers. Aeris tried to pretend she could feel the heat of the sun on her skin, but the task was unfulfilling. She had never seen the sun. All her life, she'd been trapped inside the metal walls of Midgar. In fact, she envied Sephiroth because he had so many opportunities to leave the city and see the sun... smell fresh air.
It didn't seem fair the guilty were to be given such opportunities. "Guilty?"
[his fault.]
Aeris closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the flowers. As she smiled, she felt herself going inside of her mind, to a place that only existed to her. She tried to reach out and find Sephiroth's subconscious mind, but it was difficult. He had so many mental barriers... and ... and IT was there! It was some sort of creature whose presence radiated pure evil. Thankfully, the creature was sleeping, but somehow, it was managing to protect his subconscious from all intrusions. It alone had access to his mind. There was no way she could get inside Sephiroth's head.
"The Planet says it all your Sephiroth! The Planet says you're guilty by birth. But it's never, ever your fault."
[innocent in theory.]
Never. Never. Never.
Aeris jumped. Though the creature inside of Sephiroth's mind was asleep, it was still fully aware of everything. But Aeris wasn't cowardly. She spoke to Sephiroth's mind, hoping that maybe he'd somehow hear her voice. "You're a victim. So much hurt and pain. So much innocence and hatred. Stay by my side and wield power that flows abundantly inside you."
TRAITOR!! LEAVE THIS DOMAIN NOW!!
Aeris gasped in pain. The creature was stirring, angry at the intrusion… angry that someone else dared to reach out to him, but Aeris would not leave yet.
"I know you hate me because of what I do to you. I make you feel human, something that's always bothered you it seems. But the day I looked into your eyes, I saw my own reflection. We are the same, Sephiroth. You and I are the same."
Foolish. Foolish. Foolish.
"They say the purest hearts and souls are the ones who suffer the most. We are like angels fallen from Heaven into a melting pot of demons. Do you suffer, Sephiroth? Do you feel that constant ache? Sometimes, it's dull and other times you feel as if you can't breathe. Do you feel it?"
Aeris paused as if waiting for an answer, but she continued on. "Do you suffer as I do? Stay with me, Sephiroth. And let's prove our existence."
Aeris opened her eyes, panting for breath. She started to panic a bit as she tried to remember where she was, but as soon as the scent of fresh flowers hit her nostrils, she felled back into the flowerbed. She let out a small cry of surprise as her back hit the ground.
She smiled. "I wonder, now, what will his next move be?"
A/N: Whew… It's been a long while since I last wrote something. Well, actually, this was written a month ago. But I keep adding and taking away stuff. I know there's a mistake or two in this fic, but I just haven't caught them yet. Anyway, I hope everyone liked it.