What Lies Beneath

Chapter 4

The Stunning Aftermath

The sun was setting. Cloud had not left his apartment since he got home sometime before noon. Instead he was too busy wondering what in the world happened. The memory of the battle played in his mind repeatedly. A crazy silver-haired man attacked him while he was defenseless. He he most certainly would have been killed had it not been for someone. He was sure that someone was Aerith. The entire ordeal bothered him so much that every time he tried to unpack his belongings he would drift off and things would just remain in boxes. It reminded him that he also forgot to call the moving company about his broken dishes.

At the very least he got out some of clothes and placed them in drawers and his closet. He found another one of his blankets which had been lying on top of old photographs. However, the issue with that is it scattered some of the loose pictures all over the floor. He tried to pick them up but found himself continually drifting off. He could not keep his mind focused. Cloud finally gave up when he noticed how dark it was becoming in his apartment. He sat on the edge of his bed and continued to ponder what happened earlier in the day.

The wound on his shoulder, which was not as bad as he thought, was now bandaged up after he applied antiseptics. He was lucky he had them lying in a miscellaneous box but he was also sure he would have to go out and purchase more bandages in the morning. Cloud brought his hands to wound, touching the white gauze along him.

"If it wasn't for her… I'd be dead." He whispered to himself.

Cloud's thoughts were interrupted however, by a brief knock and the door to his room opening. Cloud looked up to see Reno in the doorway and his friend standing out in the hall.

"Hey new guy," Reno called. "You got a visitor."

Reno moved out of the way to reveal Aerith. She smiled, still wearing the same sundress she wore earlier. She walked in silently thanking Reno for giving her entry to Cloud's apartment. Reno turned around and closed the door behind him loudly. Cloud looked at Aerith who was still smiling. She looked around his apartment, noting the scattered photographs on the ground. She carefully tiptoed her way around them before settling next to Cloud on the bed.

"How do you like your new apartment? Are you getting settled in well?"

Cloud shrugged at the small talk.

"Did you just move here?"

"I just moved here from Nibelheim," he explained.

"I see… " She said. "So that's why Reno kept referring you to the new guy. Not just because you're a new tenant but because you are new to Midgar itself. Do you like it here?"

Cloud shrugged again. How would he know if he liked it or not, it was his first day living here and he had one of the strangest things happened to him? Not to mention everyone he has met so far seemed odd as can be. Aerith turned to look away from Cloud humming softly, almost like a kid who got bored. Cloud tilted his head to look at her.

"So… how long have you lived here?" he asked. It was not the question he wanted to ask. He wanted to ask why Kadaj was attacking her. Why did he and Kadaj fight for her and why did she seem not to be bothered by it at all.

"Hm?" she responded. "Oh, I've lived here all my life."

She continued to hum, staring at the wall in front of her as it was the most interesting thing.

"Can I ask you a question?" Cloud asked.

Aerith turned to him smiling, "You already have but if there is something else you wish to ask me then go right ahead. I'm obligated to answer your questions."

As odd as the sounded, Cloud shrugged it off. "Why are you here?"

"You won the fight with Kadaj, so now I am yours."

Cloud arched an eyebrow. "Are you trying to say that I own you?"

"Anyone who wins the game wins me. I am after all why people play the game."

Cloud stood up from the bed and glared down at Aerith. How could being treated like an object mean so little to her. What was so special about her? Yes, she was pretty and nice but for people to literally be fighting for her for possession as if she were some esteemed trophy was beyond insane.

"I never wanted to be a part of any game!" Cloud snapped.

Aerith gasped and looked shocked at Cloud. She looked down and then got up. Cloud watched her take a few steps before stopping in front of him. She stared at the ground for a moment.

"Everyone has a reason," she then looked up at him, "Whether they know it or not."

Cloud let out a soft gasp and then noticed Aerith looking at the ground again.

"Hmm… you shouldn't leave your photographs scattered on the floor. You might ruin them." She picked up a random picture. "Who is this? She is very pretty."

She looked at the picture, eyes softened. She handed Cloud the picture and gingerly took back.

"Good night." She said before taking her leave.

Cloud watched as the door closed. He stared for a moment at the door before looking down and seeing the picture in his hand. It was of a beautiful girl smiling. Cloud swallowed hard, feeling a sadness take him. He slumped back onto his bed and stared at the single picture for a long time.

When he finally laid down to sleep, Cloud's mind was so full of thoughts that he found himself tossing and turning. He never wanted to own Aerith but at least he would not abuse her, not like Kadaj. Cloud rolled onto his side staring at his door. He wondered what made her like this. If she had never left this city, did something keep her here? Perhaps it was Kadaj who kept her locked up in this city. If that was so, maybe he should tell her it was alright to go on with her life and adventure out of this city. There is a world out there to see. It was too puzzling.

Cloud sat up in his bed. He could not sleep. He felt somewhat bad for snapping at Aerith. After all, he was sure it was her who saved him. He got up and headed over to his window. He could see the church clearly, even in this night. The moon illuminated it enough. Maybe if he headed over there in the morning he could see Aerith and apologize… or maybe right now.

Cloud's eyes spotted the young woman walking the dark streets alone. Slung over one arm was a brown basket. She was wearing a long green dress with a golden trim, a white blouse over it and a green head scarf. He wondered why the sudden change of clothing when she was still wearing the sundress when she came by previously.

The blond haired man wondered why she would be out so late and in such a neighborhood. He easily deduced where she was going because of the direction she was heading. Turning on his heels he headed for the door, grabbing the sword he had obtained earlier to take with him.

It did not take long to get to the church. Cloud headed up the front door and pushed the door open. He almost expected the church to be dark but instead it was bright. Lanterns hung throughout the church and Cloud was curious to know if they were always there and he had not seen them the first time or if Aerith had hung them up upon her return. He looked around the church and spotted the girl at her flowerbed. She was crouched over carefully tending to her flowers. Cloud watched her for a moment and then began to approach her.

His footsteps across the floorboard alerted her of his presence. She got up and looked behind her to see Cloud. Cloud stopped in front of her. Aerith averted her eyes from him.

"Hi Cloud," Aerith said.

Cloud stared at Aerith. She looked less cheerful in such an outfit, almost if she belonged in some different time period where knights and princesses existed.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. "If there is… please tell me. I promise to not annoy you."

Cloud looked up. "You're not annoying me. I guess I just am startled by everything."

Aerith looked down. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," he assured. "I'm just a bit confused. Can you explain what's going on?"

Aerith nodded. "Whatever you want, Cloud, I am yours to do with as you wish."

"I don't want to own you!" Cloud snapped. "Stop acting like you're a slave and not a human being."

Aerith flinched. "I'm sorry!"

Cloud let out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you again… please just don't…"

Cloud looked up at her, "Don't do what?"

Aerith looked up frightened, "hit me…"

Cloud looked horrified. "Why would I hit you?"

Aerith turned her gaze away from him. Realization hit him. The abuse she put up from Kadaj, did she believe all guys were abusive? Why did she even put up with it? Was her mind so warped by Kadaj that she actually believed that he owned her now that he defeated him in a fight?

"Aerith, I would never hit you," Cloud said. "But can you explain what is exactly going on here? What is this game all about?"

Aerith opened her mouth to answer when a gunshot rang through the church. Cloud jerked forward, before falling to his knees. He looked over at his left arm and saw a line of blood coming down.

"CLOUD!" Aerith's horrific yell echoed.

Cloud looked back as he heard a sinister laugh. Coming from the entrance of the church two men with silver hair, one cut short and the other long past the shoulders, began walking toward them. One was holding a gun in his left hand with smoke coming from the barrel.

"We've come for the girl," the one holding the gun said. Cloud's eyes widened with concern as he held his bleeding arm.