OF A PURE HEART, A FALLEN KNIGHT AND THE ONE – WINGED ANGELS
----------------------------------------- Disclaimer: ------------------------------------------
To the Reader and the Lawyers:
Final Fantasy VII, and all the characters, including Aeris and Sephiroth, Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Vincent, Yuffie, Red, Cid, Cait Sith (Reeve), Ifalna, Professor Gast, Lucrecia, Professor Hojo Frankenstein, Jenova the Mad, Rufus Schizoprenoid, Don Corneo the Horny (any anyone I may have inadvertently missed out) are property of Square Enix Co, formerly Squaresoft LLC. Tell me if my disclaimer ain't good enough. I will reward you with a few thousand Chibi - Vincents depressed to the nadir with Tranqulisers, and they shall cause a wet blanket to hang over your house and generally expose you to the… darker side of your nature (You know how angsty Vincent can be from the fanfics here, so I'm taking this concept one step further… a Chibi - Vincent would probably behave in the same fashion).
To other Fanfic Writers (This is more important!) Plagiarism Note:
There are a lot of Aeriseph fanfics around here. I've tried my best to stay as original as possible, but it's a bit hard to write this type of story without treading on someone's toes by accident along the line. Please, if you feel that I may have 'borrowed' some of your concepts or ideas by mistake, notify me immediately. Email a "cease and desist" message to me, point out where I have gone wrong, and I will act immediately to remove or modify the offending section(s).
Thank you very, very much for your understanding and tolerance.
Red XIII: It would be fair, just and reasonable to read the following chapter as opposed to deciding on a course of action against the author.
THE TIES THAT BIND
Note: This chapter contains potentially suggestive and offensive language. Don't take them to heart, it's a PG - 13 fic, after all.
Time had passed slowly for the young flower girl. Wounded by Sephiroth's sword, she had lain blissfully unconscious for a week, and when she finally awakened, she had found that she was still stuck between life and death, forced to confront what was left of her past life… and made to see what her future existence entailed. Now the sedatives, a blessing in disguise for her, had finally worn off, and she had been fully awake for only half a day since then, but it seemed to her that she had been staying for another week in this painful cheerless room.
A doctor had come in a while after she had awakened, and he had broken the bad news to her. The damage inflicted by the Masamune was permanent. The blade had punctured her lung, and the surgeons who had treated her were no more successful in stopping the massive bleeding than the man who had stabbed her. They had been left with only one choice to save her life, and now she was left with only one lung to sustain her life with.
The physician had, not unkindly, told her that she would have to avoid all strenuous activity from now on, since she would become exhausted very quickly and easily, and her little heart sank as she considered the restrictions that were now thrust upon her. Did this mean that she would no longer be able to see the world or travel with her friends, do all the things she had ever wanted after she had come back? Would she be confined to this bed forever, treated like an invalid until she died again? It never rains, but pours, it seemed. But the doctor had seen her look down at the thick covers, and he was quick to console her, saying that, given enough time and enough rest, she would be able to adapt to this loss of function, and she might be able to return to what she had been doing before the accident occurred… one day. But as much as the Cetra girl wanted to believe the surgeon's words, hope to her was at a premium, especially after everything that had happened, and she dared not expect anything to turn out right now.
Cloud, too, had been admitted to the Sanatorium, as he had been wearing a pair of hospital pajamas when he visited her the day before, but he had not come to see her since she had chased him away. This was better perhaps. She did not know what would happen if she were to be brought into close contact with her former boyfriend again. She had almost lost it then… she really didn't want to make him sadder than he already was… and she didn't want to be driven to tears again…
Aeris wished for perhaps the hundredth time that she could leave this most unwelcome place. She was doing virtually nothing here, and left to herself, she would turn into a vegetable, unable to do anything but dwell repetitively on the things that she wanted to wall in, divert herself away from… She wanted to do something that could distract her even remotely from what was going through her mind now, but now, she could only think, over and over again without a break, without a pause, about the pain… the sadness… and the angel eyes…
It was then that the door swung aside slowly, and a sister entered, her court shoes making her sound as if she had just floated in. She set about her tasks with great deliberateness and economy of movement, which made her as silent as a soldier creeping up towards his objective, as she, as a young nurse, had appreciated quickly the need to preclude the unhappy accusations of patients who were wrongfully awakened from their sleep and the physical abuse from more difficult people who, by virtue of their conditions and their diminished ability to be reasonable, were exceptionally sensitive to the slightest sound.
She saw that her young patient was awake and sitting up in bed, and had recovered enough of her composure to listen to her. She adjusted her spectacles, and greeted the Ancient good – afternoon with a smile.
"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better, Miss Gainsborough. You were in quite a bad way yesterday, and we felt that you needed a bit of rest. You haven't had anything since you woke up, so I took the liberty to deliver some lunch to you."
"… Thank you," the green – eyed girl mumbled, staring at the eiderdown again. She could not understand the conundrum that was lurking underneath that black cloak, what was driving the mind hidden from view, or what was making the heart hidden beneath it beat. He had acted gallantly to save her life, yet he still behaved like a knave. He seemed so withdrawn, yet the emotions within him were always struggling for release. He wanted to know more about her… but he still didn't consider her as a friend.
The nurse reached under the bed, flipping up a set of hinged boards, unfolding it such that it formed a collapsible table. She adjusted a thumbscrew at the side, lowering the wooden surface until it was comfortably level with the girl's elbows. A tray was placed on the table, and a large bowl, a spoon and a napkin suddenly appeared in front of the white mage. The cover was removed amidst a sudden haze of white heated moisture, and the delicious aroma of cooked meat, lightened with a stock of boiled herbs and spices quickly filled the room. The sister frowned. Good food was hard to come by in a hospital, and every patient she had seen would not hesitate to help himself immediately, but Aeris just stared absently at the bowl, now that the table was blocking her view of the sheets, her hands unconsciously kneading and twisting the covers. No doubt she had taken the doctor's news none too kindly, and it was definitely sad enough for a sprightly, vibrant young woman like her. But help was on the way, and perhaps she would feel a little more encouraged by then.
"You must have some of the soup, it'll make you feel better. Do cheer up, your friends will be visiting you shortly."
The Ancient, shaken out of her momentary reverie, looked up at the sister. She had almost forgotten about them again.
"… My friends?"
"Yes, your pals are dropping by later, and they're all very happy that you're alive and recovering well, so there's no excuse for you to pull such a long face. Don't forget about the food, it's getting cold. I'll be seeing another patient now, so remember to press the button if you need my help."
The nurse slid away like a wraith and the door swung closed behind her almost as if an invisible poltergeist was controlling its movements. She had gone as unobtrusively as she had come.
Her friends were coming. She'd always wanted to see her companions again, but they could not see her like this. A reunion was supposed to be a joyous occasion. It would not be fair to them if she were to be the wet blanket and dampen their mood. She didn't want everything to turn into a bad soap opera. She had to keep everyone happy. So, what else could she do? She would have to mount the stage again. The play would have to go on, whether she wanted or not, whether she was ready or not.
Aeris was not feeling hungry at all, but she had to eat, if only because she couldn't leave any evidence behind. It quickly became a mechanical process, as she fed spoonful after spoonful into her mouth, forcing herself to swallow the soup. Despite the fact that the food was delicious, she did not taste it at all. She was merely eager to get it out of the way as quickly as she could. Her lips crinkled slightly as she tried to practice a few smiles. One eyelid fell shut, rising again slowly as she attempted an emphatic wink. She had to be ready for them… or she had at least tried to reach some semblance of readiness…
She did not have to wait very long before her visitors started filing in. The nurse came in again, removing the crockery and folding away the table before vanishing for good. A moment later, the first member of Avalanche entered the room, his lips peeled back in something that approximated a grin…
An exotic animal rode up gamely to greet her. He was large and four – legged, his shock of striking orange – red fur making him stand out prominently in the dull cream and white décor of the Sanatorium. The lion – creature craned his head, regarding the girl intently. One eye was milky and dull, the light taken away from it by a vicious slash years ago, the other was a bright orange, its light making up for the dimness of the eye that was not. Unbelievably enough, the club – shaped tuft of fur that tipped the beast's tail actually seemed to be on fire, a smokeless orange – yellow flame burning soundlessly, casting a faint, lamp – like glow as it swished slowly from side to side.
The creature stopped a few feet from the Cetra girl's bed, pausing to sample the air around him. The air – conditioning had ensured that the smell of chicken soup would linger for hours to come, but still the aroma of the Ancient remained undiminished. Satisfied that it was indeed his long – lost teammate who was in front of him, he loped across the remaining distance, reaching her bedside, and the animal stood up on its hind legs, extending a large paw the size of a fist towards her. The flower seller quickly grabbed his paw with her sweaty hand, and she patted his head, taking his silver comb and smoothing out his long red mane with it as she had always done long ago to tease him. He snapped and growled at her with mock ferocity, trying at the same time to reconcile the sight that defied all reasoning and deduction.
"We have all missed you sorely, Aeris."
She continued to run her fingers along his rough furry hide. Nanaki, or Red XIII, as everyone else preferred to call him, was the last member of a proud and ancient race, the guardian and protector of Cosmo Canyon, and he did not relish being treated like a common pet. However, he had long realised that it was but a common human trait to show consideration and affection to a friend, and he had eventually allowed her to play with him. Red, like her, had wanted to know more of his heritage and the truth about his lineage, for he had been orphaned when he was very young, and his tutor had known only so much about his kin. However, the sentient beast still believed staunchly that someone else was waiting somewhere out there, and he had refused to give up after all that time alone. But how about her?
The next two guests announced themselves with the bursting sound of vibrating wood and metal as the door was slammed hard against the wall. The hinges shook for a while and bits of plaster were sprinkled all over the shiny tiled floor.
"Hey, watch it, 'foo!"
"Shit you! If you hadn't pushed me forward!"
In spite of her current mood, Aeris could not suppress a smile as the two mismatched men stepped in. Squeezing through the doorway was a lean and dirty – looking aviator, a burly, swarthy man bringing up the rear a little too close for comfort. The latter had an amazingly well – muscled chest and his arms were large and sinewy, toughened from years of work in the coal mines of Corel Village. If Red XIII's paw was huge, his fist was even bigger. He had only one arm, though, for the other had been severed at the wrist during a fight with the Shinra. But Barret Wallace remained unbowed even though he had become an amputee, and he had installed a large gatling gun in the place of his right hand, and continued the struggle to bring down the tyrannical power company. The big man's brows were always creased, his eyes always small and beady, and his lips were always pressed tightly together. However, Barret's expression softened somewhat the moment he saw the young woman known to her daughter as the "Flower Lady", and he cleared his throat, grunting slightly as he tried to find some appropriate words to speak to Marlene's benefactress.
"Yo, flower babe! Great to have ya back!" was all he could scrape together under the circumstances. He went to the other side of the bed, and Aeris quickly found the air squeezed out of her good lung as Barret, himself resembling a human bear, crushed her in one of his trademark hugs that, if he was in good enough cheer and high enough spirits, could cause some mild cracking of his unsuspecting recipient's ribs.
Gasping for breath, she barely managed a chuckle. "I'm glad to be here, too… how's Marlene?" she managed.
"My little girl? She's been beggin' me day and night to let her see ya! She'll be over da moon seein' her dear friend again!" His mouth split open in a large grin, exposing a full set of yellowed teeth, divided at times by a hint of gold or two, or three, or four, or five. Barret almost never smiled, but apparently, seeing the young Ancient again simply made him do so.
"So am I, man! Life was one big freaking @#*,'&~ mess without you around!" Cid Highwind added his two cents' worth and more as he uttered a string of imprecations that sometimes did not fail to make Barret the sailor blush. He adjusted the headband of his aviator goggles, which were sitting tightly above his eyebrows. His chin was bristling with spiky stubble, and his dirty blond hair was oily and unkempt. His shortfall in the personal decorum department, along with his smoking habits and his marked propensity for incessant recitation of multiple – lettered words ensured that the most reasonable and prudent woman would think several times before taking him up on a date, but still (Red was still trying to figure out why, even though it went against the grain of all conceivable logic), he had actually won himself a girlfriend (of sorts), who was waiting back in Rocket Town, albeit with a pot of tea on twenty – four hour standby.
Even as Cid continued his blustering tirade, Aeris noticed a dark shadow lurking at the corner of her vision, and she turned to the left to see… a man dressed completely in black, save for a scarlet cloak and bandanna, standing right beside the "Captain" of Rocket Town. Cid and Barret were not exactly the visitors the hospital staff had been told to expect, but the former leader of Avalanche had merely pressed on, ignoring the nurses' complaints and the hands trying to restrain him, and the gruff pilot had, with a string of derogatory and controversial comments, blazed himself a path too. Amidst the chaos in the Intensive Care Unit, Vincent had simply walked past everyone. He saw that the flower girl had noticed him, and he nodded his head by way of greeting, gazing at her grimly with his permanently reddened eyes.
Aeris found herself creasing the bedlinen, and she quickly withdrew her hands. The two of them had not come yet. She had been expecting them to be the first to arrive… yet somehow she was hoping that they wouldn't come at all.
But they came. Cloud stumbled through the doorway at Tifa's behest. The former barmaid flashed her a loose grin, grasping the limp hand of the flower seller she'd met in Midgar so long ago. However, her hand too, like her wounded friend's, was chill and wet. She was met with a quick nod from her one – time bodyguard. His features were unreadable as they always were, but still his lovely cerulean eyes spoke otherwise. They drew back, standing at the side of her bed, near enough to hear her speak, yet out of her sight. She sighed inwardly. They were so kind, so thoughtful to her. They wanted to spare her further anguish, but they had obligations to fulfill, and they were unable to leave her be, as much as she was unable to set eyes upon those two… lovers…
Amazingly, the rest of Avalanche was so caught up with the sight of Aeris being actually alive that they were totally obtuse to what was going on at the side. In a way that was good. There would not be any… questions then. Questions that all three of them did not want to venture an answer to… much less to have them answered.
The room stayed silent for several moments, and she heard several soft sounds as she heard Cloud scratching his head and Tifa's shoe tracing circles on the floor. Fortunately, Red could contain his curiosity no longer. He stepped back, shaking his head, the orange fur on his shoulders rippling up and down in a vague approximation of a human shrug.
"Try as I might, I can find no way to explain your return from the dead, Aeris. How is it that you live and breathe?"
Her chest complained a little as she took in a deep breath, trying to gather the fragmented figments of her mind together, trying to piece together what had happened in the past year into a coherent sentence.
"After… I died, I stayed behind in the Lifestream for a while… I could watch everyone from afar, but… I'm sorry I couldn't be with you… I couldn't help you at all…"
"Wait… but when Holy failed, you were the one who called up the Lifestream, right?" Tifa interjected, fixing a wide – eyed gaze at her.
The petite little gardener nodded, a slight hint of colour appearing on her cheeks.
"Yes… I suppose so… I didn't do very much…"
"That's where you're wrong, Aeris. You were the one who saved the Planet in the end. You saved us all." Cloud's wife was quick to correct her, and there was nothing but… respect? or admiration? in those wine – coloured eyes…
Aeris pressed her hands to her face, the clammy palms cooling her fast reddening cheeks, trying to continue. Even her worst rival did not consider her as an enemy. Tifa had come here not to bury her, but praise her. The gentle barmaid was merely telling her to be practical, to appreciate fully what she had done. Her best friend was pointing out that none of them would be around if she hadn't died, asking her not to dwell so much on what she had lost, but rather to think about why she had done the deed in the first place. She had at least managed to avert the tragedy and hardship that would have been visited upon everyone had the Meteor struck. Had her death actually served a purpose after all?
"Please, do continue. We are eager to know more," Red urged, his ears pricking up, his tail flicking around faster.
"Once Meteor was gone, I was asked to return to the Planet… I went into the Promised Land, and there, I met Lucrecia… Sephiroth's mother. The Planet had spoken to her, and she was told that I was the only one who could help him atone for his sins… and she begged me to save him. He would have to be reborn, and I had to become his companion and his guide. I… agreed… and that was how we came back…"
"That BLOODY @%^&@!"
"You're kiddin' me!"
Cloud snarled, the green – tinged eyes flaring. "Aeris… you can't be serious! You're putting yourself in danger again… to help that bastard! That monster who murdered you! And what did he do to you the very first moment you come back to life? Do you really think he'll be sorry for what he's done? "
Tifa was silent, yet her hand slid across her tank top, tracing the path of the horrible slash the silver – haired villain had left upon her. Even though six years had passed since the fateful night that had tied her path inextricably to Cloud's, the wound had never fully healed, and it would still hurt sometimes. Her best friend, too, had suffered under the black sword, but she was taking the pain it had caused so admirably… so bravely… like the fine young woman she was. Like the flowers in the church, the girl who grew them did not wilt and die amidst the tragedies she had faced. The flower merchant was so resilient, so tenacious, so bright, so lively, so colourful… she had envied her sometimes. These were qualities she and her husband lacked, and that was perhaps why Cloud had been drawn to Aeris in the first place. She wouldn't admit it, not even to her own husband, but she knew that if her companion had survived, she would have had no chance at all to walk away with the boy whose affections she had once spurned.
"Hmm… positively amazing. Totally unexpected."
Vincent wrapped the cloak about himself, his eyes closed, yet just before his face was obscured in the protective red folds, Aeris could have sworn that she saw him wink at her…
"Cloud… don't hold that against him. Sephiroth is no longer under Jenova's influence. He's just been horribly misguided, that's all. There is still good in him… I can feel it. We should give him another chance. Please trust me."
The man with golden hair was about to speak up again, but he heard the firmness and strength in her voice. He had heard her speak like this only once, in the Sleeping Forest, and then she had inspired perfect confidence in him, made him believe wholeheartedly that she would be able to avert the calamity that hung over them… His faith in her had been well placed, but neither of them had been prepared to ever comprehend what had happened afterwards… was it actually possible to feel both assured and afraid at the same time?
"I don't know, Aeris… I really don't know… you may be right, but I've got a very bad feeling about this," Cloud conceded with a shrug and a grunt, his hands unconsciously reaching behind his bandaged and aching shoulder for an Ultima Weapon that wasn't there. "He was a decent guy before that mission… but I for one find it hard to believe he'll turn over a new leaf so quickly."
"Whoa… kinda strange of you, spikey, actually keeping your head straight and level this time… but I'll skewer that #%&@* if he does so much as water the trees out of my sight." Almost by reflex, Cid reached for his headband, yanking out a filterless cigarette from its rather squashed package. Red glared at him, for Cid had tried several times in the past to light his smokes on the lion – beast's tail (surprisingly enough, even though the tail appeared to be alight, it did not set fire to anything it touched). The Guardian of Cosmo drew the line at being used as a household appliance. The pilot reached into his flight jacket for a lighter, but then he felt an abnormally cold and hard hand restrain him gently.
"… That won't do her any good," Vincent admonished, glancing at the girl's wrapped chest.
The scruffy man realised his mistake, and cleared his throat, coughing and sputtering slightly. "Sorry about that, flower gal," he mumbled hastily. A giggle escaped from Aeris, and she covered her mouth coyly. She didn't feel that tense now, perhaps. That was what she had come back for.
The ding – a – ling of a small bell suddenly interrupted their conversation, and the dull rumble of several heavy footsteps could be heard. An outsized stuffed toy and its monochrome – furred rider appeared, pressing itself through the doorway with a few small grunts, and it began to waddle quickly towards the girl in the bed, Cid and Red having to move out of the way or risk receiving a face full of whitish – pink skin.
This was Cait Sith, a toy cat that always went around mounted atop a giant Moogle doll. While Cait was the speaker and the brains of the outfit, the Moogle was the strong and silent partner. Easily the weirdest member of their company, the cat and his moogle were both robots, controlled by an ex – Shinra employee named Reeve. Cait was the only one among them who did not fear death – he was but a machine, and only Reeve's mouthpiece. It was no secret that the former Head of Urban Development kept several spares ready to replace the robot against the possibility that the original Cait was destroyed, which was the case when the Temple had been metamorphosed into the Black Materia, destroying everything within it.
"Whaddya want, parking yer big fat ass up here?"
Cait had played the role of a double agent, supplying them with inside information about the machinations of their enemies, and at the same time telling his masters about their whereabouts. His cover had been blown when Cloud and Aeris saw him hand to Tseng of the Turks the Keystone, a special item needed to access the Temple of the Ancients. The blond fighter had wanted to kill him on the spot (even though that action would have been of limited utility), but the furry golem had forced them to keep him in the party, as he was holding Marlene and Elmyra hostage. Even though he had repented, freeing their friends, and helped Avalanche unwaveringly for the rest of their adventures, some members of the party still harboured residual reservations about his veracity, citing the oft – mentioned dictum that "a spy was always a spy".
Cait curled his mouth downward at Barret in an expression of fake injury, before turning around and jumping into the flower lady's hands. Aeris wrapped her arms around the animated plushie, and the cat purred softly. The Ancient had been the only person to treat him kindly after his betrayal. He (and his controller) had moped around for a long time after her death, and without her, it had been a long time before the rest of Avalanche finally decided to break the arrow and accept the Shinra spy back into the fold.
"Hello, Aeris… where have you been? They've been bullying me ever since you left!" Despite the fact that he was an automaton, his synthesised voice sounded exactly like a human being's, and in his case, it was nasal, whining and slightly pouting. He was speaking like a little kid who had been chased out of the sandbox by the bigger boys living in his block.
The white mage sighed, rolling her large eyes. "Don't be so mean to him, Barret… you know that Cait didn't have a choice. He helped us right to the end, and that's what really matters."
"Yeah… he's just a dang robot, takin' orders from a yellow ratter who can't fight for nuts," the dark man grumbled below his breath, but he looked at his feet. Despite his misgivings about the reformed Shinra spy, he wasn't about to contradict the girl whom he owed so much to. This moment was far too precious, and this just wasn't the time to be the bull in the china shop and ruin everything.
The room, for some reason, felt a lot colder than before, and the incessant whirring of the air – con was much louder now. Aeris shivered slightly, bringing the covers closer to herself. There was a whoosh as the air above them rushed away suddenly, displaced by something new and unexpected that fell from above, making a perfect entrance, landing on two light feet. Cait hissed, leaping out of the flower seller's arms, landing perfectly on the moogle's broad shoulders. Thanks to the miracles of automation, now he was no longer holding the little hand bell that he carried around to entertain people, but a large megaphone, which he used in combat to stun and clobber the enemy with. Barret pointed his gun – arm at the ceiling, but he would have been too late to open fire on the new arrival, who was already standing below the opened ventilation shaft, a smug expression on her face.
"YUFFIE! You scared the living &*#@% out of us!" Cid blustered.
The ninja impudently spun around to face each of them in turn, jumping and punching the air in front of them in her trademark victory pose. At last she focused her attention on Aeris. She had been told that her former companion had survived somehow, but still seeing a person who had died in front of her in the flesh again certainly startled her no end. A round of imprecations shot out of the unshaven pilot and the former leader of Avalanche as drops of perspiration flew in all directions like the deadly hand weapons she liked to throw.
"Oh my Gawd, Aeris, it is you!" Yuffie exclaimed, her mouth resolving itself into the shape of a big "O".
The girl with chestnut hair chuckled, obviously humoured by her friend's expression of shocked surprise. "Tee hee… oh yes, Yuffie, it's really me all right."
"But you don't have to call her a goddess, though," the red – furred feline added quickly, his wisecrack quickly met with approving smiles from the rest of the party.
"Err… I'm sorry for being late, I was… erm… working! And they didn't let me in! But they weren't a match for me! Yeah!" The materia huntress jumped, swinging from side to side, nearly catching Cloud in the midriff with the hardened leather shield attached to her left arm.
"You've found a job… that's great! I'm so proud of you!" But Aeris didn't really mean what she said, for all of them had learned long ago that almost everything Yuffie said had to be taken with many pinches of salt. The warrior girl was probably up to something far from honest again. Her suspicions were confirmed when a big, innocent grin erupted on the Wutaian princess' face.
Cloud wasn't listening to his former girlfriend now. His sight had strayed to the bedside table, on which all her personal effects had been placed in an orderly fashion by the hospital staff. The cupid's bow was there, as well as the smaller ribbon she used to tie the ends of her braid. A pink handkerchief lay on the table too, held down by her armlets. Next to it, neatly coiled up, was the black cord necklace that she always wore in remembrance of Zack. Her purse lay open, and as he noticed, not without a small tinge of regret, a photograph of himself, still crisp and new, lying among the contents…
But something seemed to be missing. Instinctively, he turned back to the young ninja, scrutinising her more closely than ever. One of Yuffie's hands was now thrust deep into her pockets, and if she wasn't reaching for one of her hidden shuriken…
Cloud looked at the table again, examining the flower girl's ribbon, as well as her armlets. He quickly put two and two together.
"Yuffie, give it back to her," he commanded.
"Give what back? I never took anything," she protested, the disingenuous look still on her face.
"The White Materia. Don't deny it, we know you well enough."
"Her what? I wouldn't dream of it," she protested, her cheerful face never betraying her guilt, yet to those unlucky enough to be familiar with her mannerisms, this was the ultimate expression of culpability.
Aeris shook her head with resignation, yet her smile stayed. Yuffie was not just skilled in the fine arts of ninjutsu and subterfuge, she was also an accomplished thief. She had always coveted one thing above all others, and she wouldn't hesitate to grab it from her neighbours if the opportunity presented itself…
Cloud sighed. As much as he wanted to step forward and shake the scrawny urchin until she gave up her glittering prize, he really didn't want to expend the effort to do so, not after what he'd gone through with Yuffie earlier on. On the way to the Temple of the Ancients, she had absconded with all their materia, forcing the remaining eight members of Avalanche to abandon their quest and embark on a wild goose chase to the capital of Wutai. Eventually, they found her hiding… in a jar of rice wine left outside the Turtle's Paradise bar to ferment (after the Meteor crisis passed, it was rumoured that when the brew in that particular jar was sampled, it tasted totally unlike any vintage the patrons had ever known, and from then on, a new idiomatic expression emerged – "tapping the Lady of Wutai"). Even though she was lured out of the large vat eventually, she still gave everyone the slip, and it had taken the expertise of another criminal to nab her. There had to be another way.
"Return it to her… please."
"At least you asked nicely this time," Yuffie sighed and reluctantly tossed the shimmering crystal sphere back to its owner. She raised her hands to catch it, but it bounced off her fingers, landing softly on the covers.
"You low – down, no – good daughter of a bitch!"
"Yeah, why don't you go after her, and let me off for once?" Cait punctuated his suggestion with the tinkling of his bell. Cloud had decided to leave Yuffie to Don Corneo's tender mercies, but Aeris had begged him many times to reconsider. The mercenary had finally relented, if only because the flower lady was close to tears. Besides, they wouldn't be able to recover their materia if the Wutaian princess became a permanent resident of the philanderer's private harem.
"Aw, come on! All of us fought so hard just to find out more about it! We had to travel in that horrible sub, nearly getting eaten alive by Emerald Weapon! After that we had to kill an overgrown fugu fish and that six – winged dork just to get it to work! And I couldn't even search for it later because that stupid carp was in the way! Can't I even have a look at it?"
That drew a little laugh from Aeris and she pulled away the covers, moving forward on her knees, opening the young kleptomaniac's hand, pressing her hair ornament firmly into it.
"Well, if it makes you happy, you can have this. I hope you like it!"
Yuffie was about to speak, but a terrible pain suddenly shot through her left foot, as if an anvil had fallen onto it. If that was not enough, she felt a set of fangs eating into her shin, and a cold heavy circle of metal the size of a dinner plate pressing hard into the base of her spine. She knew instantly that this was one materia they wouldn't allow her to have.
"Err… never mind… Forget I ever asked! Ow! Ow! Ow!!!" She gingerly stepped forward and placed the White Materia back onto the bedside table.
"What's wrong?" The Ancient was quick to ask, seeing the princess' face suddenly pale and stretched. Tifa merely smiled, gently pushing Aeris back onto her pillow, drawing the sheets back over her. "Relax… that's nothing."
"It's just that time of the month for her again, you know…" Cait supplied, sticking out his tongue at Yuffie. The ninja felt tempted to skin the cat with the throwing knives she carried, but it was useless, simply because the man who had cracked the joke was elsewhere in town, far from her reach.
"Cait!" The martial artist glared at him.
"Your attempts at subtlety fail to impress at best," Red snickered at the robot's ribald humour.
Cloud's gaze had not strayed from the little thief. "You're not finished yet… what about the rest of her materia?" She groaned, and reached into her pockets again, removing her multicoloured booty, putting them into his waiting palm. The SOLDIER promptly took the flower girl's wristguards, fitting them one by one into the linked slots before leaving the armlets in their original place.
"Okay, okay… are you done with me now?" She bent down, rubbing her bruised legs, muttering phrases that were somewhat unbecoming of the future Lady of Wutai, even as everyone, Aeris included, broke out into uncontrolled laughter. It was always nice to enjoy some good, clean fun at Yuffie's expense.
Cait was still holding onto his loudhailer / weapon, and now his voice drowned out everyone else's even as he blew his horn in the most stentorian tone possible.
"As you can see, everybody, there was at least one person here who actually thought I was a nice guy. Now, let me reward your trust in me... by telling you a fortune!"
The girl from Icicle Inn giggled again, clapping her hands. "Of course! I'd love to hear it Cait, please do!"
"All right! Here we go!" Cait hooted. He took off his gilt crown and bowed before her, slapping the moogle's head with his megaphone to start the process. The cat's bell jingled without pause as he waved it in a circle over his head. The Mog shuffled its two large feet and waved its arms back and forth. Several buzzing and whirring noises were heard from deep within the stuffed toy. Finally the moogle smiled, and a small slip of paper issued from its mouth. He picked it up, and read the prediction that his fortune – telling machine had made.
"Playing the bikini babe will win you many marks for affection."
"The hell?" Cid questioned.
"You friggin' pervert!"
"What are you trying to say, Cait?" Tifa frowned, her hands moving to her hips.
The cat scratched his head, looking at the paper, quickly hiding it in a compartment that had conveniently opened up on the Moogle. "Whoops, wrong prediction," he remarked somewhat sheepishly, "You see, this was meant for that young and sweet dancing girl in the pub I met on Friday night…"
"So, now we know that Mister Reeve isn't as innocent as he professes himself to be."
"Gosh! That gal is like, so sad! Falling for an old man with a long beard!"
"Wow… you've got a girlfriend! Don't be shy about it, Cait, tell us more!"
Cait could not blush, so he and the moogle did the next best thing; they placed their hands over their eyes in perfect synchronisation, as they were always wont to do when they were embarrassed.
"All right, all right, I get it! Let me try again!" Fortunately he was using the megaphone, for the room was once more filled with laughter and mirth.
He and the moogle performed his routine again, and once more a fortune slip issued forth. Cait tore it off, and read it carefully this time to certify that it didn't reveal more about his master's personal life than he had already let slip.
"A wish made upon starlight will see you home."
"Arrgh! My… my head hurts!" Barret rubbed his temples after a minute, unable to decipher the message (it had taken him a full month to even begin to comprehend the "Catastrophe" limit break one of the boys in North Corel had tried to teach him).
"Hey, that was his fault. I was saving this for the kids one floor down. Didn't I tell you not to come out with this?" Cait replied after a second of hasty contemplation, standing up and slapping his HP Shout megaphone on the moogle's head, his companion nodding repeatedly in mechanical contrition.
"Look, Aeris, I'm really sorry about those… technical difficulties! I'll have a real prediction for you, I mean right now!"
Aeris could only keep on smiling, trying hard not to laugh at the robot's unfortunate missteps. "It's all right Cait, you're doing just fine."
This place, like the whole town, just seemed so dreary, as if the atmosphere itself was seeping in from the outside. Even if the brightest colours were chosen, even if the food was as good as her mom's, even if all the furniture was more comfortable than what she could expect at home, this was still a hospital. No matter how hospitable the Sanatorium was, the fact remained that this was a place for the sick, the injured, the dying and the dead. No one in his or her right mind would willingly come here. Especially the children. They would not be used to such unfamiliar surroundings. They were not prepared to face the rigours of the world so early in life, and they would feel the pain and the loneliness more acutely than anyone else, simply because they had nothing else to think about or look forward to. It was good that he was trying to entertain them, trying to take them away from all the unhappiness that came with an injury or an illness. No one, especially the kids, deserved to suffer like this. But then… as an adult, there were more complex emotions to comprehend, deeper troubles to seek diversion from…
Cait and the fortune – telling machine waddled and waved in unison one last time, and he read aloud with a hint of satisfaction and relief what he believed was his best and most accurate prediction of the three.
"You have nothing else to lose, but you have everything else to gain."
She nodded, and this time she held her peace. Did she still have anything else to lose? Did she truly have anything at all to gain? She had once trusted in the stars that had promised her a bright future, those very same stars that had said that she and Cloud were the perfect couple… Had it been right to fight for them? Were they as great and good and gracious as everyone always said? Or were they like everyone else, capricious and inconstant, always making a puff without a true promise? Could she place her faith in them again? The stars… would they leave her like that again? On that night before the very end… the stars were bright… but they had not been shining for her.
"C'mon… don't tell me I said something wrong this time!" Cait found himself beleaguered as he was stared down by Avalanche yet again.
"… Oh no, it's not that! Don't blame him! I was just daydreaming, that's all…" the young Cetra was quick to reply, but she spoke more softly and she didn't take her eyes off the bedspread. But why had they decided to bring her back here now? Did they want her to give them a second chance?
The door was flung open another time, but with far less strength and speed than before. Everyone turned to see Elmyra bursting into the room, Marlene clinging tightly onto her pale and freely swinging hand. She had been literally dragged along, unable to keep with her aunt's frantic pace. The old lady, upon seeing her daughter, began to moan, staggering towards the bed. When she was but half a foot away from the bed, her feet left the ground, and she thrust herself onto the covers, grabbing the girl fiercely, beginning to sob loudly.
Aeris took her mother's arms gently and firmly, raising her up slowly, and clearing a space for her to sit, guiding her onto the bed. She patted her mother's back, whispering words of consolation into her ear.
"Mom, I'm safe now… don't worry about me..."
"Aeris, please don't keep scaring me like this! Why can't you just be a good little girl again and stay out of trouble for once? When will you ever learn?"
Elmyra's tears just kept flowing on and on. The flower girl could do naught but hold her mother more tightly. She bit her lip, seeing the state she had caused her guardian to be in. Her eyes were ringed with circles, dark as bruises. They featured more prominently now, as they were ringed by a collection of wrinkles that made them seem far smaller and recessed than they already were. Her forehead was now an expanse of deep cracks and grooves and her cheeks were sagging noticeably, the lips dry, pale and peeling in so many places. In short, she now appeared like a piece of crumpled paper. Her dark grey hair, once drawn together into a severe bun, was now stained with snowy white streaks, several strands falling here and there, thin and wispy as smoke. The past few days had not been kind to Elmyra.
"Mom… I had to help him… but…"
"I'm so afraid, Aeris… I thought everything was all right once you came back, but look what happened! I have no idea how I spent those last few days… I feared for the worst. Things were never the same after you died, and I couldn't bring myself to accept another day without my daughter!
"Look, Aeris… you're an adult now, I know you can make your own choices… but whatever you do, don't die on me another time! I'm not getting any younger… I won't know what I'll do if you abandon me again! Please!"
"I understand, mom. I'll make sure you'll be fine."
Elmyra sniffled, saying no more, closing her eyes. Her daughter would probably disobey her and run off again, but for now she was content with seeing, hearing and feeling her girl again. Soon she regained enough of her composure, letting go of the Ancient, getting up slowly. She saw Marlene, waiting patiently at the sidelines, and brought her forward. It was her turn to leap into the bed, landing squarely into her friend's arms, laughing all the while.
"The flower lady's back! What took yoo so long?"
Marlene was so happy to see her. There was nothing else on the little girl's face but a large, welcoming grin and her bright and glittering eyes. When she was happy, she seemed so innocent, so unfettered, so blissfully ignorant of the problems life had in store for her. She had almost forgotten what it was like to have been a child. There had been another side to the coin. The young Cetra had not enjoyed many cheerful moments when she wore a younger person's clothes, but then… each one had been a real experience, and the joy she had felt was so complete, so unadulterated and so absolute. Those moments had meant so much to her… and seeing Marlene's smile, she was taken out of her world for a little while, and she felt glad that she was able to allow Barret's daughter to savour the magic of being young, while she still had a chance to.
"Marlene, it's been such a long time… have you been good when I was gone? Have you been nice to your dear Aunt?"
"Sure think! Auntie likes me a lot! She sez I'm a good little gal! Teech me to be cute and smart like yoo!"
"Oh yes, my dear, I will…"
"Heh heh… she's been askin' day in and day out about when you'd be comin' back! It's as if she's your biggest fan or somethin'! You better lend me a hand with my little Marlene! Those kiddies are drivin' me nuts!"
"Play with me, Aerith! Show me the flowers! Take me with yoo!" The little girl's grin broadened, revealing her gums, which, like most girls her age had a few black holes here and there.
"Don't you see, Aeris? She needs you too…" Elmyra added.
An apparition in white had appeared in the doorway. "I'm very sorry to say this, but we can only allow visitors to the ICU to stay for twenty minutes a day. Miss Gainsborough has not recovered fully, and she requires rest. Please, come again tomorrow morning." The nurse disappeared, the door closing before Cid could paint her with another choice vulgarity.
This was the opportunity Yuffie had been waiting for, and now she began to excuse herself. "Oh well, it was nice to see you Aeris, now I've gotta make a move! Ta – ta!" Barret stumbled forward, knocked off balance by a sudden load upon his shoulders, and the bed rocked as he grabbed it for support.
"That @$)!$&! I'm no freakin' stepping stone!" He shook his gun – arm another time at the ceiling, but the vent cover had long been closed and of her there was no sign already. His cursing became more voluble and more audible as he found that he now had a score to settle with the ninja. All the materia in his weapon and armlets were missing.
Cid had become more and more jittery as the time went by, pacing from one end of the room to the other, muttering unintelligibly to himself. His hands were trembling, and they opened and clenched involuntarily. He kept adjusting his headband, and even though the room was cold, colder sweat began to course down his brow. At last he could stand it no longer, and he reached for the door handle.
"Hey… I need a smoke, and I need it now! You'll forgive me, won't you?" The pilot could not wait for an answer, though, and he bolted out of the ICU, unable to control his urge any more, an entire lexicon of imprecations springing free, but sadly, not before he was out of earshot.
"Hrmph! No one likes me, it seems! They're chasing me out again… Never mind, they can't keep out someone like me forever! I'll tease the little ladies and gentlemen down under, and I'll be back… so don't cry!" Cait waddled out of the room, pausing for his moogle to squeeze through the doorway, turning back and blowing her several kisses. With a final ring of his bell, he began to recite on his megaphone a loud jingle that immediately drew a barrage of pillows, water glasses and intravenous infusion packets from the adjoining rooms.
"There, Marlene, your pal here's a – okay! Why don'tcha give her a break, huh? She'll be back with us real soon!" Barret bent down, letting his child climb onto his shoulders, the girl grinning all the while at her friend. The dark man took a few paces forward, and when he saw that Elmyra did not budge, he placed a large firm hand on her arm, and the same rough smile came up on his face.
"C'mon, nothing ain't gonna happen to her this time! Let's have a smiley face like dat girl here!" This was the best he could do for her… he was a man of action and not terribly good with words. Dialogue and persuasion had fallen into disuse in this world, and the song of a sword or the report of a gun was far more eloquent and convincing than the writings and speeches of the poets and scholars who had died out with the Ancients.
"I quite agree. Your daughter is now safe and you should not worry about her situation. Perhaps you should look forward to her recovery instead," Nanaki came to his aid, completing Barret's message.
Elmyra shook her head, staring at the floor at length, but she finally managed to look up at her daughter, gazing at the Cetra as if she was looking at her for the last time.
"Please, do come home soon… we'll be waiting for you…" Elmyra squeezed her eyes shut and turned away slowly. Barret escorted her out of the room, his good arm locked with hers, supporting her every faltering step.
Vincent pulled down his scarf, stepping before the leader of Avalanche.
"I will return to Nibelheim. Several people have gone missing in the mountains over the past few days, and early this morning there was a report of a monster sighted in the foothills."
"The reactor?" The SOLDIER asked immediately, feeling his spiky hair beginning to stand up without the aid of his hair gel.
"No one has restarted it ever since the town was burned down, but I will investigate the facility. Do not be alarmed… it might just be another faulty valve like the last time."
Cloud shrugged. That had done little to assuage his uneasiness, as a mercenary learned early in his career that no mission was ever as simple as it had seemed. He had gone to fix a leaky pipe, only to find himself eventually caught in a fight to save the Planet. In his line of work, an operation going exactly as planned was itself an unexpected occurrence, and a cause for concern.
"Well… be careful, and give us a call if you find anything unusual. Take Hilda Garde with you."
"Certainly… and take care of the girl." He turned to the wounded Aeris, and now she saw all the years falling off the ever morose and inconsolable ex - Turk's face as he smiled at her. His eyes were bloodshot no more, but burning bright, red like a rising sun. They were calm and focused, no longer looking inwards, but quiet, expectant, and self – assured. He was sending a message to her. He bowed, and with a flourish, he swept out of the ward, stepping outside to carry out his new mission.
It was then that Tifa whispered a word to Cloud, and the blond man nodded. Giving his former girlfriend a final glance, he shut his eyes tightly and turned around, motioning to Red. He left quickly, almost running out of the room, the lion - creature following behind quietly, leaving the flower seller alone with the barmaid. Aeris looked at the brunette, wondering what was going to happen now. She was hoping that Cloud would have left taking his wife with him. What did Tifa wish to say to her? She didn't want to face her one – time rival again… what could a victor possibly say to the vanquished? But she had behaved nothing like a knight who was left with the right to gloat over his defeated enemy. Tifa was behaving as if nothing had happened at all… and that made her pause to listen to the martial artist.
Tifa sat down on the bed, in the space that Elmyra had vacated earlier. For a moment she was silent, but then her chest tightened as she put her thoughts together, finally deciding on what to say to her companion.
"Aeris… thank you… for giving us your blessing…"
The Ancient raised a brow. It was not the common practice for the winner to thank the loser. The girl from Nibelheim was not just being polite, but she was actually being nice to her! She didn't have to treat her rival like this, now that she was safely married and the love triangle had been resolved in her favour. Tifa' behaviour had caught her totally off guard. Aeris could still remember the look on the barmaid's face when Cait had proudly proclaimed that she and Cloud were destined to be together. Tifa had stiffened, and her face was locked in a hard, pale, grim mask that she had never seen before from the strong and silent woman. The fortune – teller had gone on, offering to officiate at their prospective wedding, so convinced of the accuracy of his prediction, and then Tifa had sniffed and turned away, almost stalking out of the temple, but not before she had fixed the flower girl with a bitter, withering glare, one that she reserved only for her enemies, and Tifa bore a grudge against very few people indeed. Even though Aeris was inwardly jubilant, believing that the fates had confirmed what she had believed all along, her celebration was dampened by the realisation that Tifa no longer considered her as a friend.
"I must admit, Aeris… I was very sad when Cloud fell for you. When we were still children, I was attracted to him. He was so different from the rest of the boys. While everyone crowded around me, he would always be nearby, hiding in a corner, looking at me from a distance. I was getting tired of all the attention the boys gave me. They were all the same, and I wasn't really happy with them. I thought of taking a chance on him. Perhaps he had something more to offer, something that was fresh and new. But he came from a poor family, and my dad looked down on him, especially since he thought Cloud was to blame for causing my fall into the gorge. He would punish me if he knew I fancied him. He wanted to know me, but I stayed away from him.
"I started learning the martial arts, hoping to keep him out of my mind by practicing my moves every day. But I just couldn't do it. He came by every day to watch me train, and I couldn't concentrate. He was too handsome, and too… mysterious for me to forget him. After a long time, I finally decided to go for him. But before I could get started, he left to join SOLDIER, and I knew I'd hesitated too long.
"I was overjoyed when he joined me in Midgar, but he met you only a few days later… even though he came to rescue me, he was looking at you all the time in the Don's room, the very same way he'd gazed at me once… and I knew that I'd gotten only one chance… and I'd blown it long ago.
"He couldn't get over your death, and I thought he would never love anyone else again. But when we fell into the Lifestream, I found that he still had feelings for me… he had hidden them deep inside, thinking I'd rejected him, and he was able to express them only in his darkest hour, when he had lost everything. After we escaped, we got back together for a while…"
"But he still thought very often of you, and after we defeated Sephiroth, he told me that he wanted to search for you. But after traveling the Planet for a long time, visiting so many places, we still couldn't find a way to bring you back, and the more we were together, the more we were drawn to each other, even though both of us tried not to show it. We finally gave up all hope of finding you, and I suggested going to the Gold Saucer to take our minds off everything. And there, he told me that your death had made him realise what was truly needed to love another person… that he'd missed his chance with you, and he asked me to be his girlfriend… and not long after… we married.
"Aeris… you've taken the bad news so nicely… after you came back, I was afraid you'd be mad with me, that you'd take him away from me. I'm… sorry if I've made you feel sad. But… I love him, and I want to thank you for giving me a second chance, even though I didn't deserve it."
At least Tifa was happy now… what would have happened if she had gotten Cloud instead? Then the gentle barmaid would have been the one suffering now. She had nearly made Lucrecia heartbroken by refusing to help Sephiroth, and only now did she realise that she would have ruined Tifa's life if she'd gotten together with the golden – haired man. It would have been selfish of her to run off with Cloud, leaving her friend to pine away, to shed secret tears over losing him. Just as she had decided to let the sad scientist rest easy and take up the burden of looking out for the fallen hero, she would rather prefer to let Tifa have the guy and remain the aggrieved one herself. If she could not enjoy a happy – ever – after ending herself, at least she would be the author of someone else's.
She smiled, gripping the brunette's rough gloved hand. "Don't thank me, Tifa… I should be the one to apologise. I broke the two of you up. Don't bother about it any longer… can we be friends again?" Her other hand came up lightly clenched, save for her little finger, slightly bent, waiting to her one – time rival to respond.
"You know, I was just about to ask that question. I thought you'd say no… but now I can say that I'm really lucky to have you as a friend." Her pinky came forward, and they completed the ancient gesture of friendship. Cloud had compared the young Cetra to a goddess, and she would agree with him. Who else would ever forgive a person who had killed her, let alone forgive someone who had taken away her lover? Tifa could only hope that Aeris would meet a man worthy enough for her… and that no one would come in between them, or she'd move herself back to square one again, as she would always be the one protecting her neighbours from pain and sadness, only to take them upon herself.
"Now Tifa, don't let me hold you back this time! Let me see one nice happy family now!" She giggled again, thinking of all the fun in store for the lucky couple with several cute little Clouds and Tifas running around.
"All right, I get the hint, I'll get going now! Be strong, Aeris… and don't let this keep you down. Don't think any less of yourself because of what's happened between us! No matter what happens… you're really special to us all… and you're still my friend!" The martial artist was grinning from ear to ear already, her sombre mood broken at last. She got up slowly, pausing in the doorway to wave to the Ancient girl before closing the door after her.
Aeris lay back into her pillow, staring at the ceiling, wondering what to make of everything. She had tried to go through the motions of enjoying their company at first, but soon she found that she needn't have bothered doing so. She too was really feeling much better now, even though her friends and family had been with her for such a short while.
It seemed that she was not alone in this horrible world after all. However, she was inextricably linked to it as well. Everyone else had been affected by her actions. She'd thought that by going to the City of the Ancients alone, she would be able to defeat Sephiroth on her own, and she wouldn't need to bother her friends or endanger their lives on a quest that was becoming more and more deadly with every step. But what had happened? The rest of Avalanche had been severely demoralised because of everything that had happened, and they had almost died several times… just to find out that the Planet had heard her prayer. Cloud had nearly succumbed to self – destruction… and would have if Tifa hadn't saved him. Elmyra had suffered on alone, unable to recover from her death. Marlene had been left wondering where she'd gone, vainly hoping every day that she'd return. Now that she thought of it, she had been so willful and foolish to have acted by herself… it was extremely fortunate that everything turned had out all right in the end. It seemed that even her wishes were not hers to command. No matter what she did, she would always have to consider the impact her choices would make on her friends.
But no matter what she had done to them, they were all (even Tifa!) trying so very hard to show their affection and concern for her, to the extent of making her laugh. Most of all, though, they actually seemed much happier to see her alive and well. She had never seen them so lively and so light – hearted when she had been observing them in the Lifestream. Her mother had almost swooned when she came back, and the old lady had almost died worrying about her injuries. And Marlene was already treating her like an elder sister. She'd never had a childhood to speak of, and Barret's little girl now wanted her to experience it anew. So everyone wanted her to brighten up their lives… and they wanted to make hers more worthwhile as well.
She closed her eyes, smiling once more, snuggling under the sheets, feeling much warmer and comfortable now. Things didn't seem so painful now. Life did not seem so sad now. Yes, she had lost much in coming back here, but it seemed so worth it now that the others were counting on her even as she relied on them.
She too had been given a second chance.
A/N: Everyone has mailed in talking about how I described Sephy and Aerith in the last chapter. I forgot to write it down in the author's notes earlier (I hadn't updated for two weeks, and I figured the suspense was too great for anyone to bear), but I'd say there was no magic in what I wrote. I just studied Tetsuya Nomura's concept art for Aeris, and described all the details (those eyes are gigantic!). For Sephy, I used a cheat program to put him in the party (too lazy to play the Nibelheim mission again), then I took a screenshot of his portrait. He looked great - he was dark and brooding and he looked so angsty… and more importantly, he looked like a good guy. This was what Aeris saw when he visited her after midnight=). I was also inspired by the burial scene at the end of Disc 1. The funeral sequence never fails to make me feel sad (But to think of it, the lake appears very shallow indeed). How did she look so calm and composed even though we see her eyes wide open in pain when Sephy - poo kills her? I think Aeris looks much better with her hair let down.
I have no idea what's the name of Elymra's husband, so I just cooked up a quick name to fit it in.
***
I don't know very much about what will happen to a person with one lung, but I'd assume that with the reduced vital capacity (the amount of air you can take in with one breath), you'd tire out a lot more quickly. Don't you feel sad for her?
This chapter may not have very much to do with the progression of the plot, (it's going along very slowly I admit), except for a very short account by Tifa about what she and Cloud did after defeating Sephiroth, and what they were doing at the Gold Saucer. Take it as a welcome break from all the heavy and angsty stuff laid down so far. This is my attempt to place an element of humour in a serious fic. Unfortunately, most of my jokes are of the crude, bawdy and slapstick sort, so I think I shall just stick to what I do best.
The "Oh my Gawd" joke was based on a true story. I was in class one day, and one guy was telling a girl something (that I couldn't remember). She shouted "Oh my God!" in response even as the door opened to reveal my History teacher. He heard the gal, and he said, "You don't have to call me God you know." That joke rocked, and now I have reproduced it here for your enjoyment.
I borrowed the English idiom "Tapping the Admiral" and applied it here. According to popular belief, when Admiral Nelson died at the battle of Trafalgar, his officers did not want to bury him at sea, so they placed him in a cask of wine to preserve his body and brought him back to England. It is said that some seamen opened the cask, placing straws into it and drinking the wine ("tapping"), which was henceforth known as the "Admiral's vintage". The term was later used to describe sailors filching wine from shipboard stores by inserting straws into the barrel and drinking from it. I was wondering what the heck a large jar was doing outside the Turtle's Paradise bar and decided that it would do well in this little humour segment. Imagine drinking from a jar of Yuffie - flavoured wine! No wonder she got captured by Don Corneo, she got so drunk hiding in the vat! Now… pardon me, for this is really gross, but if I were Cloud, I would have been severely tempted to preserve Aeris in a similar manner (Then I would get Reno trying to break the barrel open).
When I was at pre - university level (what you'd call senior high school), I was, erm, forced to study George Eliot, in particular, The Mill on the Floss. The book weighed in at 600+ pages, and it took me forever to read it from cover to cover. It was very long, and very verbose, and in one section, Eliot talked about why a child would feel sadness more strongly than an adult. A grown - up has gone through many terrible episodes in his life, and presumably would be able to tell himself, when encountering another "blip" in his life, that "this will be over eventually, I've been there, done that". He has the experience and maturity to get past such trials, but the child, being alive for only so long, does not have past experience to draw hope from. All the kid knows is that he is suffering now, and he cannot believe that his troubles will pass, simply because he has not gone through a similar situation before. That is why Aeris believes it is very important that the children in the hospital are cheered up, since they won't know that they'll get over their illness or injury eventually.
Marlene here speaks a little like Ellone from FFVIII (you know, the infamous "yoo" word), and as many of her milk teeth have fallen off, she has a little problem pronouncing her friend's name. In fact, some would say that Aerith is the flower girl's proper name.
Now everybody… aren't you glad the wait is over?
To the Constructicons:
Barney: I'll show you how deep my love is.
Michael: Optimus Prime! Save me!
Optimus: You've gone too far this time, Megatr-- oh, erm… sorry, wrong villain. I'm afraid, Michael, that I do not owe you a duty of care to protect you from… Barney. I've got an urgent Energon dinner with Spike and Carlie. Roll out! (disappears)
Michael: Aerith! Help!
(Aerith appears. PWAKH! The numbers "65535" appear over Barney's head as the Princess Guard cracks the poor purple dinosaur open. You see, she's had all eternity in the Promised Land to level up. Barney fades away slowly as the ground shakes a bit.)
Michael: Thanks, Aerith.
Aerith: The deal is for one fic, right?
(All Exeunt)
To Starfall4790:
Final Fantasy IV? Only played it a bit before giving up… got lost while flying the Hiryu Dragon. It can fly, but it can't go over mountain peaks. I hope I didn't portray poor Cloud as a weakling… he's obviously made of sterner stuff. But a Sephy/Cloud fight for the right to take her to hospital would definitely sit well in a humour fic.
To Homunculus:
Not bad, your art. Aeris looks kinda mischievous here. If you really feel like it, feel free to draw something based on my fic. I'd be honoured, of course. I dunno, does ff.net allow you to upload pictures? My art basically sucks. Whenever I try to draw Aerith, she looks like Michael Jackson=)
To be a sworn - reader… will you have the patience to wait for each chapter to come out?
Mmmm… will a sexy Aerith turn FFVII Cloud on enough to break him out of his angsty mood? I guess so, since the FFVII Aeris is a more bulky bunch of polygons compared to her. But I for one can't get used to seeing her in spaghetti straps… I think she looks better in a sleeveless dress instead, but hey, look at Yuffie, she didn't do too bad either!
To Chibi Taryn Demon:
Appearances matter… they matter a lot. But is there something deeper perhaps? That was why Squaresoft put in a lot of effort to show that Aerith was a lot more than the dress and the voice… she valued Cloud not just because his hairstyle resembled Zack's… she wanted to know him as Cloud the man… not just because he behaved a bit like Zack.
I have more to say about Sephiroth's six - foot blade (did the Japanese ever make such a long sword?), but I have to find an appropriate situation to say more about it.
To Crow T R0bot:
Hmmm… I'm really sad to disappoint you, but I don't think I'll be able to write a Silent Hill fic. (I've never heard of it, I'm afraid, so I know practically nothing about it.
Also, I'm committed to giving my best in this fic at the time, and that, of course, will require all of my resources. Yeah yeah, I'm starting to sound like a politician, but that's the truth. I have other ideas too, for other fics… but all of them are doing nothing but rotting in my mind, since this story takes top priority.
Yeah… my sis read that chapter, and she said that I really outdid myself, that I should leave some things to the reader's imagination… but I didn't tell her that my description served a purpose besides mere exposition…
Vincent has suffered enough for his sins, and now, Sephiroth has just begun to feel the heat. He is, however, astute enough to recognise that Vincent has redeemed himself, but will he be able to take the quantum leap and believe in himself too?
Once again, I'm sorry… but that was quite an interesting idea, though.
To Starling94:
Don't be sad, there are many people whose access to the com is severely restricted (I should be one of them, since I spend way too much time writing and surfing the net rather than studying my texts). But this is an opportunity to learn to maximise your time spent… may lead to more efficient writing and mailing. Looking forward to the first sight of the girl with chestnut hair!
Not bad… you got the hint! I was wondering how many people would catch on to it. The words "recon" and "intel" are just convenient labels Sephiroth uses to justify his actions.
To Phantom Kensai:
Oh well, everyone needs a source of inspiration. Was Tales Of Phantasia very popular in its time? Which goes to show that if the writer is skilled enough, he or she will be able to make even a common and cliched idea worth reading (or in this case, playing through). Interesting parallels, though… that cannon and the healer girl… the heroes always fall for the healers for some reason… maybe because they're sweeter and gentler than the rest.
About angsty characters… for Sephy, everyone so far seems to portray him as a deep and brooding guy… this is merely my take on his character. For an angsty Aeris… I got that idea from Snow Fields… you actually feel a bit sad for her, and it's a welcome change from the giggly and airheaded girl portrayed in the game. While writing about Aerith, I was wondering whether it was possible to reconcile the lively and vibrant young girl that drags Cloud along to a date with the darker, tearful young woman in Zahra's fic… and this goes back to the question of appearances… and motives…
To NuregOfTheElves:
Tetsuya Nomura wasn't just a great artist, but a gifted storyteller too, and this combination is damned rare - you're either one, or the other (Tolkien was both). But what was great was that he also manages to put his ideas forward in a very subtle fashion, and leaves the ending (of FFVII at least) for the reader to decide! He should try and write a real book.
I hope you didn't wait long for this chapter… it'll take you a few days at least to go through all 95 of Zahra's chapters… how did she have so much stamina? It's almost an epic story already! (I skipped all the chapters that didn't relate to Aeris, but the confrontation in the Mako reactor was too good to resist.)
To Manga-Lunatic:
Congratulations! You're my 70th reviewer! Thanks for taking me out of the "69" position! I seem to be amassing a little collection of rave reviews! Don't think too highly about me, there are other people out there who can work better imagery than mine (and in far less words!). Glad you liked it, though!
To Relena55:
Thanks for the offer… I wish I had the time… school is killing me… and I must put in all my remaining effort in this little story… I cannot disappoint anyone!
To Silvawolf:
You're in luck, you didn't have to wait so long for my story to get updated (everyone else has waited for almost 2 weeks)! I'm quite surprised that you discovered the story… I normally don't go beyond the first few search pages. Thanks for reading!