So I believe this has the most additions so far, but I felt it was necessary to give more details on how Aerith and all of her friends had come to this point and how she feels about being constantly separated from a certain blond. :) Hopefully you will enjoy the new details. As always thanks for taking time to read the story!
Disclaimer: I still do not own KH and it is still the property of Square Enix.
Darkness...Aerith found it ironic. She wanted to be able to close her eyes and see nothing but black. Then again, it was because of the darkness that she was in this situation right now, fighting to regain possibly forbidden memories and still be happy with her new life. She realizes now that the first time the darkness came it gave her a new beginning, a true new lease on life. She had been given a past where she was happy. It was a good life growing up with Yuffie, Leon, Cid. Of course he had been there as well and she had the chance to be with him throughout their childhood. Aerith and the rest of them now know, thanks to Aerith's memories that when the darkness came and put them in Traverse Town, it was actually the second time it had appeared.
The aftermath had been insane. Thousands of people desperately searching for their lost loved ones, being thrown into new worlds they never even knew existed. It had been no different for her group. Each of them searched tirelessly for each other and others from their group. Eventually the four of them were reunited. Aerith had been so happy but the feeling of joy soon passed, sorrow taking joys place. After months of searching, he was still missing. Fate seemed like it was playing a cruel joke, no matter the reality, place, or time; the man she loved was always separated from her.
Thinking about how and why all this happened would probably make anyone go insane. She decided to stay focused on the present as much as possible and just look at the other memories a gift. Aerith figured that there must have been a reason for her being able to retrieve those old memories, so she embraced them and was determined to use them to her advantage.
"Aerith."
She looked up to see Yuffie standing halfway between her and the door. Yuffie spoke very softly and paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Aerith, Sora is here, we should probably go see what news he has for us."
The light was extremely bright as it broke through her curtains; she had actually slept through the night. Aerith tried to gather her thoughts and put together what was going on. She thought of the boy who was thrown into his fate of fighting against the darkness. It was because if his brave actions that she had been given the opportunity to see him again. While she and her friends were in Traverse Town, Sora was brought into her life, along with the key blade. She remembered back to when she first met him and how she was able to feel and understand his pain right away; she knew what it was to be searching for someone, not even knowing where to look. He had been so brave and at one point it appeared he had defeated the darkness. And it was because of what Sora accomplished that those who had been separated from each other were given a chance to be reunited.
Aerith closed her eyes and smiled to herself thinking back to when she had been reunited with him. He had looked somewhat different with a long red cape that looked as though it had seen to many battles. As they moved toward each other, she had wanted to look into his eyes so she leaned down to look under his lowered head. Once their eyes had met she had become so overwhelmed with joy that she embraced him, holding him as tight as her strength would allow, unable to speak. And when she had felts his arms wrap around her hugging her back so tight that she could barely breathe; she had felt complete.
But now as she started to think of what happened after that perfect moment she could feel the anger filling her heart. Sephiroth. Even in this new reality he had found away to torment him. He had been so happy to have found all his friends again but he had been left without closure. He had fought Sephiroth and Sephiroth had disappeared but the battle between them was not over. Because of the threat of Sephiroth he had left almost as quickly as he had arrived. Aerith never even had a chance to tell him how she felt about him, there was never an appropriate time. And after he left again the only proof that he had even returned at all was the red cape he had worn and a letter to the group telling them all of his departure. Every once in a while Leon would tell them all that he had checked in always asking if everyone was alright and to say once again that he wasn't coming back yet. Aerith had always known his actions were done in effort to protect her and the others from Sephiroth. And once her memories of the time before started coming back Aerith understood his fear even more. Sephiroth was already taking his light; he wanted to make sure Sephiroth didn't take anything else. But even with all her understanding of the situation; her knowing that the journey he was taking was one he had to do alone; everyday he was gone Aerith felt like a little more of her soul had died inside.
Aerith forced her eyes opened, hoping by seeing Sora her pain would subside for a time by being swept up with whatever was happening in the present. After getting ready she walked into the meeting room and looked at spiky brown haired young man and smiled. He turned and smiled back at her. "Back so soon Sora? I guess you just can't get enough of us" Aerith playfully said.
Leon then turned and began to brief her but she put up her hand, "Fill me in later, you are already deep into strategy and discussion, please forgive me for interrupting. I'll be with Marlene if you need me."
Yuffie, Leon, Cid, and Sora all nodded and with that she walked outside. She immediately had to put her hand up to shield her eyes, the light was so bright. But she kept moving, it's not like she really had to see all that clearly anyway, Aerith was just a few blocks from her destination and she wanted to speak to Marlene some more about their previous evening discussion. She was lost in thought when all of the sudden she was frozen, almost falling due to jerking to a stop so fast. There in front of her was a silhouette of a person standing right outside where Aerith was headed. It was a man, with spiky blond hair, wearing black with only one arm covered by a sleeve. He hadn't even turned around yet but it didn't matter, it was him. After all her senses were back working together she finally was able to open her mouth as he began to turn around. Aerith half whispers out loud, "Cloud?"