Chapter 4: Regret

Leo's POV

I could tell that Aeris was disappointed with the house that other her owned. I would be too if I lived in a house without so much as a Odyssey to keep me company. As Aeris settled down into bed I turned to Caspar and asked, "Was I really that influential in her life?".

Caspar floated a while in thought and said, "Have you ever seen Its a Wonderful Life?".

I raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? Who hasn't seen it?"

"Good point.", he said, "Anyway, back on topic. You know how George Bailey wished he was never born, and then Bedford Falls was like a Hell on Earth?".

I nodded. He then said, "Well think of that except someone else wished that you hadn't been born. No matter how insignificant you seem to that other person, you always have great influence in their lives, and when they get rid of you, their lives change for the worst. Always."

I looked back at Aeris. Caspar had a point. If you did eliminate someone in the past, the person who killed them would have one bad life. Hold on a minute. I turned to Caspar, "Hold on a second, how did you know about Its a Wonderful Life, and all the aspects of other Aeris's life, but not know about Chrono Trigger?"

I could tell that he shrugged when he said, "Its the author's fault. He made that plot hole himself.", he then turned his head so that he looked behind me. I floated next to him and looked in the same direction he was looking in, but I didn't see anything. Now I was slightly creeped out, so I subtly backed away from the floating head of Caspar.

Then something else gained my attention; Aeris was mumbling something in her sleep. The words sounded fearful, and I hoped that it wasn't anything too bad.

Aeris's POV

Where am I? Last thing I remember was going to sleep, and now I'm here in what looks like the underground part of the Forgotten Capital from Final Fantasy VII. I looked up at the alter and saw Leo of all people just standing there, looking at me, but it wasn't a look that said that he was angry at me. It was a look of contentment, appreciation, and... love. It looks like he is about to call to me, but then out of nowhere, someone drops down in front of Leo and stabs him with a large katana. Immediately I felt my heart sink as blood slowly oozed out from Leo's chest. His look changed from contentment to horror when he saw who it was stabbing him. Then, just as soon as it was put into Leo's body, the katana was taken out, and the oozing blood became more of a fountain. He fell backwards, and just as he did, I heard a ringing sound. I noticed that it was coming from a blue ball falling down the steps. After a few more seconds, it fell to my feet. It was the bell that was attached to his collar.

For some reason, when this happened my blood began to boil and Leo actually being in danger meant a damn now. I raced up the stairs, but when I got up, Leo's body wasn't there, just the Sephiroth lookalike. My rage was uncontrollable, and this person needed to pay. I called out to it, "Who the Hell are you!".

I heard a chuckle come from the person. It then escalated into an evil laugh, and a very familiar laugh too. It was my laugh. The person turned around, and my fears had come true. It was me, in Sephiroth's clothes. Other me had an evil smile on her face as she said, "I am the representation of evil in you Aeris. I took the form of the person you think is the most evil person ever, and that just so happened to be Sephiroth. I am all the feelings of hatred and loathing toward the individual known as Leo Leonardo the Third. And do you know what I just did?"

I nodded my head, "Leo represented what I thought was my greatest accomplishment, didn't he?"

Sephaeris grinned, "Indeed. Everything here is symbolic, and what you just saw was an interpretation.", she paused, "Do you know why I'm here?"

I shook my head. She gave another chuckle, "Well, everything was good with me this morning Aeris, but then there was that feeling I hate most; regret. You have never felt regret before Aeris, so why do you feel it now?".

I shouted, "If you are part of me shouldn't you know already why I regret what I did? Snake made me his bitch in school, some pimp made me his literal bitch, and it was all because I aborted Leo! Am I not entitled to a little regret?".

Sephaeris sighed, "No you aren't. Usually when you regret something, you can't fix it, but this is something you can fix. Not only that, but look a little to the left."

I did as I was told and saw a soft pink light. It was pulsating and as I looked at it, it gave me a warm feeling. Sephaeris spoke again, "Those are your repressed emotions that I have personally kept in check for over eleven years now."

I looked at her, "Repressed emotions?".

She nodded, "Yes. Only two actually; regret and love. Until recently I have made it so that you couldn't access these emotions, but then today happened and you just had to let them loose. I was able to catch love, but I still can't seem to find regret. Oh, before I forget, do you know why these emotions are repressed?"

I shook my head again, "Think to the first day you met Leo. What did you do afterward?"

I thought a moment. After Leo stuffed Snake in the locker, I went home and... the promise. She didn't wait for me to answer, "I can see by the look on your face that you know what I'm talking about. That promise to yourself created me, and in turn, imprisoned what you felt were the most useless emotions for the path that you created. Now that Leo is gone, and you have now seen what your life is like without him, your resolve weakened, which weakened me and made me have less power over you. Now all I ask is that you just repress regret again so that we can all be happy."

I looked at that thing with disgust, "So that we can all be happy? SO WE CAN ALL BE HAPPY! Do you think Leo would be happy if I just abandoned him wherever he is! Do you think I'll be happy knowing that I pretty much killed him and in turn made my life a living Hell! The only one who can come out of this with a smile on their face is you!"

She had a smug look on her face, "Well, I guess that's one way of putting it. Anyway, just get on with it so that I can take control again.".

I felt like crying even though there was no reason to, "NO! If I created you, I can just as easily destroy you!".

She scoffed, "Oh please, like that's ever going to-".

Sephaeris stopped mid sentence and looked at her arm. It had started to dissipate, and along with it the rest of her body. As she started to fade into a black smoke, I could hear her screaming, "NO! What kind of Care Bears bullshit is this!".

And with those last words, Sephaeris had disappeared. I walked over to the pink sphere that contained that repressed emotion. What would happen when I touched it? Well I guess I'll find out.

Leo's POV

Well, at least her mumbling stopped. I don't know why, but seeing Aeris asleep is actually comforting in a way. Not like earlier, but when she is sleeping peacefully like this, she almost looks... beautiful. Although I would never tell Aeris that. She would probably do this all over again, then bring me back to beat me up, only to go back in time to castrate me in my younger years. God, that was a weird train of thought. I mean from me saying that Aeris is beautiful to me saying that she might castrate me as a baby? Yeah that is really-, "AAARRGGH!"

Me and Caspar turned to the cot that Aeris was sleeping on to see that she had woken up from what appeared to be a bad dream. She was breathing heavily and her eyes, those beautiful blue eyes looked like they were close to tears. Wait, what did I just say? Before I could think about it though Aeris put her face in her paws and said in a loud and sad tone, "Leo! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!".

Was Aeris just apologizing? Never before had Aeris apologized to me, let alone crying while she does so. I mean its really kind of- "Leo, I love you!".

Okay, I really wasn't expecting that. I was expecting more I'm sorrys or something, but I love you? I never thought that she would have never said that. Now that I think about it though, it really doesn't have that bad of a ring to it. She started talking again, "Leo, I've loved you for as long as I've known you, I just couldn't bring myself to say it because I thought it would make me seem weak! Please forgive me!", and she went back to sobbing.

Despite all this happening, Caspar was smiling. I looked at him with anger, "What are you smiling about! Can't you see that she's obviously sad!".

He nodded, "Yes, I can see that. I can also see that you will be back home within the hour.".

I gave him a look that even I can't describe as I shouted, "WHAT!"

He nodded again, "I originally said that she will regret her decision over a year after it happened, but its an entirely different story if she's in love with you. Usually enemies do this sort of thing to each other, but occasionally the other person will find that they have deep feelings for the person they destroyed, and that year is shortened to a day. Since you told me about all the things that Aeris has done to you in the past, I assumed that she wouldn't care about you and would regret getting rid of you after about a year.".

I rolled my eyes, "Well, you know what they say when you assume; it makes an ass out of you and me."

Caspar laughed at the small joke, but my attention was still on Aeris. She's loved me for as long as she's known me? That seems like a bit of a stretch, but sometimes when I'm around Aeris, I got a strange vibe from her. Something along the lines of, 'I hate him so much, but if he died my life would be ruined because I love him in some ways'. Nah, if it were along those lines I wouldn't be a floating transparent head in a shack with the floating head of a video game character. Although, I can't ignore the sincerity in her voice when she said those words. Besides, how could I ever forget the best Christmas ever? I'm confused now, does she love me or not? I guess I'll find out.

Aeris's POV

Why is it that when I finally discover that I love that perfect idiot named Leo Leonardo the Third, he is pretty much dead? When I touched the pink orb, it made me feel at my best and worst at the same time. I felt love when I got that oh so cliched warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest, and guilt when it felt like my soul had been sucked out of my body. It was like my heart was expanding and my soul was dieing.

Then, as soon as I felt my best and worst at the same time, I woke up. I cried for about thirty minutes, in both joy in my new found emotions for Leo and shame for aborting him. Hell, all the while I even apologized to him and told him I love him, even though he can't hear me (A/N: Oh, the irony, oh, the irony). So after about a half hour crying to myself I stopped and just looked around the room I was in. The paint, or what little there was of it, was peeling, there were no windows, the smell and sight of smoke hung in the air, and as I looked, I asked myself, was this worth it? "No.", I thought to myself, "None of this is worth it. Leo was worth more to me than I ever thought possible. I have to get him back!".

I clenched my paws in resolve, and lept out of the bed. I felt around in my pocket and then sighed in relief knowing that the DeLorean's key was still in there. Then I started to run. I ran out the door and down Jarvis Street, all the way down to where I met other me's pimps, past my (although technically it wasn't mine right now) apartment, and at Pantsman's house. The light was still on when I got there, so I now knew that this didn't affect just me. To my everlasting relief, the DeLorean was still there. I ran over to the door and got into the car as fast as I possibly could. All that's left is to turn the key, start the time circuits, and face my toughest challenge yet; me.

(November 26, 2011) Not many mistakes in this one, mostly punctuation errors. Please Review!