Days of Exile
Chapter 18 – Things Take a Tumultuous Turn
24 December 0007
It was quiet.
Too quiet for Aerith, anyway.
She enjoyed solitude and peace, but in the City of the Ancients, it was too quiet.
She was the only person in this long-forgotten capital, but she knew she wasn't alone. There was no time to waste; Aerith had to seek a solution before it was too late.
Aerith had realized her possible solution when she saw the possessed Cloud give the Black Materia to Sephiroth. A stray thought crept into her mind then: How dark and sinister the Black Materia looks. My mother's materia is completely white… the complete opposite.
It was then that she realized that her good-for-nothing Materia was the counter-remedy for the Black Materia.
The whispers of the Planet overwhelmed her that night. She knew that she was the last Cetra of the Planet, and only she had the power to change whatever that had happened. The muffled voices urged her to travel to the Capital of the Ancients to seek her answer there.
Aerith knew that she had to go. Was she afraid of death? No, she wasn't. She was very aware that death was not the lack of life, but the returning of her soul to the Planet. It was the idea that she could never communicate with the people in the living that made her hesitate.
This is for everyone on the Planet. She thought. I must be brave.
She had dreamt of him after that. Of Cloud. She remembered in the dream that she told him her plans, that she was going to the City of Ancients alone to stop Sephiroth.
Leaving Cloud was the hardest thing for Aerith to do. She had grown to love him. She had always thought that no one could replace Zack Fair. She was wrong. She saw so much of Zack Fair in Cloud, yet Cloud was still Cloud. Initially, she was interested in him because their similarities were so striking, as if they were one person. Soon, she saw more of Cloud, and the more she saw of who he really is, the more she was unable to leave him. But she had to.
She told Cloud in her dream that she was very confident of finding a way to stop Sephiroth. Now, she wasn't too sure. It has been almost a day since Aerith snuck out from the group and into the Sleeping Forest. It was in the city that she found out that her White Materia was capable of summoning the ultimate counter-magic to Meteor: Holy. To do that she had to pray to the Planet for its help.
She had been kneeling in the centre of the city and praying earnestly to the Planet. However, all of a sudden it felt like the Planet had shut its ears from her. Aerith begged with her heart to summon the ancient magic that will protect the Planet from Meteor. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead and her knees were beginning to give way. Still, Aerith persevered until finally, at night, a small voice spoke to her: Why?
Aerith's heart beat faster. It had been near months since the Planet's voices made sense to her. They spoke as if they were in her heart, and around her like real people speaking. Why what? She asked, mouthing the words soundlessly, although she didn't have to.
Why should we help the humans who poison our very being? No, it is too tiring. Perhaps Meteor is a good thing too. Let everything be purged and be returned to the Lifestream once again.
No! Aerith prayed harder. Sephiroth is going to use all the Lifestream to make himself a god! You wouldn't be any happier.
The Voice was point-blank with its next statement. I'm not happy with the way things are too.
Aerith could not argue with that. Yet she cannot give up, she cannot show the doubt and hesitation in her heart, if not her summon will not be successful. Oh Zack. She found herself thinking. What would you do at this point?
She had not thought of him for a very long time, but Zack will always hold a special place in her heart, just as how Cloud already had a place in her heart. There was once, when she was in the church, that she felt as if Zack had died, but she couldn't be too sure. As a child these messages were clear as crystal but when she was older, she became less sensitive to the voice of the Planet. The clarity of its meanings was losing its grip on her like water. She yearned for a confirmation – just to know how he was doing, or if he was still alive. Perhaps that was another regret that she had currently. Before she fell for Cloud, she often entertained ideas of how her love story with Zack Fair could have been. Her heart ached once again at the thought of what could've been.
I don't want anyone else to live their life with this kind of regret. She thought to herself. It is cruel to see one's life end prematurely when one did not fulfill her life to the fullest. Shinra may be a bad company that is making the Planet suffer, but there are still good people in this world who do not deserve to die before their time is up. There are also good people who genuinely will fight hand and limb to ensure the Planet doesn't die. Her mind flitted to images of Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Nanaki, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent… even Cait Sith, who was a spy, had guilty thoughts about the things he did. There are people in this Planet who are willing to fight. And there are people I love. Aerith smiled as she thought of Elmrya Gainsborough, Tseng, the children in the slums, Meia, and so much more… I will not allow any harm to fall on the people I love.
At last, her heart was lifted as she heard the Planet answer: You've answered well, Aerith, daughter of Ilfana. Lift your eyes, for your prayers and your determination have brought you what you desire… at a price.
So engrossed and totally devoted was Aerith in her prayers that she failed to notice a presence approaching her. It was the shout of Yuffie and Cid that Aerith's mind jerked into reality, as if she was returning from a trance.
Then… the voice that she had yearned to hear spoke. "… What are you making me do?" Cloud groaned.
Aerith looked up and stared at Cloud. He had a strange physique. He looked strong – is strong in fact – but there was always something more soft on the inside when it came to him. Aerith could not begin to describe it. Both Zack and Cloud's personalities were similar, just slightly different in the way they made her feel. If Zack is a bright sun in the middle of summer beckoning you to drop everything and play, then Cloud is the ocean by the beach that has unpredictable waves of varying strengths. She will never forget a single bit of determination and gentleness in his every detail. Cloud had a confused look, which was beginning to clear. Aerith saw that he too, looked relieved to find her safe and sound.
Cloud… Aerith beamed. You came for me!
Then suddenly, a single cold touch pierced through her body, bringing a pain so intense it numbed every nerve in her body.
And then all was still.
Meia shuddered as she felt a chill down her spine.
"What's wrong?" asked KK.
"No… It's nothing." Meia mumbled and stared at the floor. "Just a sudden chill." Katherine shrugged and resumed to watching her television, something Rod rigged up just before he left to help Mason and Kido. Meia could not explain the feeling that she just had. It was that feeling that you suddenly stop whatever you're doing because you had this weird feeling that something bad really happened.
Tugging at her pigtails (for she had tied them up today), Meia turned to Cassie. "I don't feel good about this." She said. "It almost feels as if someone died."
Cassie raised her eyebrows. "You're being silly. If what you say is true, then you must be a Cetra or something." She chuckled.
Meia pouted. "I'm not a Cetra, I'm just saying. It feels so weird." But no one was listening to her already. She heaved a sigh and looked at her toes absent-mindedly. Meia never had such a thing before, but it felt so real, she could not shake the feeling away.
"Goodbye." She said to whoever it was, just in case. "May your soul find peace in the Lifestream."
"Heads up!" Interrupted KK all of a sudden. "We're receiving a signal!" She sprang from the couch walked around, grabbing her pouch of knives and her jacket. All that time, she was staring at her PHS with an anxious look on her face.
Meia stared at Cassie. "What is she saying?"
"Have you forgotten what we need to do? Or have you have enjoying being Hojo's assistant too much?" Cassie chortled, but soon her face too became serious. "The Jade WEAPON is fast approaching Midgar. We need to go intercept it before it gets sighted."
What a beautiful, serene face. Tifa thought.
No one spoke a word as they watched Cloud carry a limp and lifeless body into a lake in front of the Forgotten Capital. Beside her, Yuffie was struggling hard not to cry, but she was anything but subtle. The men around her only bowed their heads and all kept quiet. Cait Sith and Nanaki watched the entire scene solemnly, but none could offer any words to comfort anyone.
As for herself… Tifa felt numb inside. All the while, Aerith and Tifa had a mutual understanding that they both had feelings for Cloud. They've never talked about it, but they seem to share a common agreement that they would not waste their time fighting over petty issues like romance when the Planet was at stake and Sephiroth was at large.
Tifa never hated Aerith. Yes, she had a quality that sometimes was endearing and sometimes annoying. Aerith was playful beneath her demure and thoughtful behavior. But she was never malicious nor calculative. Tifa genuinely loved to be around Aerith. Her death was something no one expected or wanted.
Now that Aerith, the last Cetra, is dead… Who can stop Sephiroth?
The water was at Cloud's waist when he stopped. He glanced at her face and slowly released her into the water. Tifa saw that Cloud resisted the desire to hold her again, or to even caress her face, but he did neither. He took a few steps back and watched Aerith sink to the bottom of the lake.
Behind her, Vincent was quiet, but his presence was so strong that Tifa could not resist turning around to look at him. It was hard to imagine that this man was over fifty years old, for his face was youthful and handsome. Now, his fair features were clouded with emotion.
"What's wrong, Vincent?" She asked quietly.
"To think that Sephiroth is still alive…" He murmured. "... If I had stopped her…"
Tifa frowned. "Sorry? Stopped who?"
He shook his head. "There are many sins to atone for." He answered. "Too many to count." Tifa saw him grip his revolver tightly. "I am eager to meet Hojo again."
The martial artist now wisely decided against asking further. Vincent had been mysterious in many ways, cryptic in fact. He kept mostly to himself and only spoke when being spoken to. Tifa had many questions regarding his past, but she knew that whatever Vincent had to offer will not help them in their quest for Sephiroth.
Neither will it revive Aerith…
When Cloud came back up from the lake, his face was impassive, but Tifa saw a man that was utterly broken inside.
"Let's go." Cloud said quietly and they all returned to the Forgotten Capital.
Tifa followed behind, nursing the wound in her heart. Despite their childhood memories, Tifa knew that she never stood a place in Cloud's heart like Aerith did.
25 December 0007
It was said that with time, even the hardest of hearts can begin to melt.
But, these words were considered complete hogwash when it comes to Professor Hojo.
Meia had once read "The Mind of Hojo – A Biography", a book depicting his life when he first entered Shinra as a young scientist. The book contained many accolades and achievements, withholding nothing in its praises for Hojo (It did note in a brief comment that his social behavior was less than pleasant). Nevertheless, the book did not help her with Professor Hojo's social interactions. As a result, Meia was often the receiving end of his insults and critical remarks.
No matter how hard Meia tried, the scientist was just as cynical and sarcastic as when she met him the first day. Meia bit all her complaints and did whatever she could to do her job. The trouble was that Professor Hojo was a classic example of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Meia was anything but. Her mind was the perfect example of her disorganisation. Obviously Professor Hojo gave no cents worth to her difference; he only credited it her lack of capability and disdained her for it.
Meia can never catch him by surprise. Everything Meia intended to do to show that she went an extra mile, Professor Hojo already foresaw that. Meia wanted to organise the files in his study, to find that they were already stacked in alphabetical order. She prepared coffee for him, to find that he had already a new tumbler on his desk before she even reached the laboratory.
If there was anything that Meia thought was an improvement, Professor Hojo ceased sending her away. Professor Hojo did not stop his taunts and complaints, but he no longer sent Meia away from him. That, Meia thought, was a small improvement that at least she could still be around him and observe the things he did.
Since that day, Professor Hojo never mentioned 'Dr. Crescent' anymore. For some reason, the name stuck with Meia and she can't get it out of her head. She had tried asking Tseng once, to which he replied, "Miss Ederfeld, surely you can't be interested in Professor Hojo now?"
Meia flushed. "Please don't tease me so, Mr. Tseng. I am already seeing someone."
If Tseng was surprised, he certainly didn't show it. Well, Meia knew that her relationship with Reno was never a surprise – everyone apparently saw where it was going before they even knew it themselves.
Tseng cleared his throat. "I suggest that in this company, you don't go around poking your nose around other's business, Miss Ederfeld."
Still, Dr. Crescent, whoever he or she was, could not be ignored. Neither could she find any records about this scientist. In the end, she simply gave up. She had other more important things to do, honestly.
Her work had a massive turn of events when one day, Professor Hojo approached Meia. "You." He said. Stunned, Meia turned around and looked at him with surprise. "We are leaving tomorrow morning. Prepare yourself."
"Where are we going?" Meia asked, bewildered.
Professor Hojo glared at her. "Don't ask stupid questions!" He strode out of the laboratory, muttering things like "stupid assistant" and "bad luck" under his breath.
As the door closed, Meia's jaw dropped. "You are the stupid one!" She cursed. "How am I supposed to know what to pack?"
Randy Ederfeld gave a good stretch and patted his cheeks, cold against the snowy weather. Over the last few days, the slope for snowboarding was a little too steep. He gave himself the task to stop people from using the snowboarding facilities today. Most tourists were bummed to hear that they could not snowboard, but all turned back to town for other activities.
Just a few more hours… Randy thought, checking his watch. Then I can go home for dinner and meet Heidi later.
Being with Heidi was one of his greatest joys, and he knew that he would not have the courage to face his feelings if not for Meia. Meia was a girl from Midgar who, many years ago, first met him in Costa del Sol. He invited her to Icicle Inn to visit. Not only did she visit, she stayed for almost a year and a half before returning to Midgar. Recently, she came back again, but returned to Midgar just a few weeks ago. They never asked Meia about her background, because she was so secretive about it. However, she was such great company that both Randy and Heidi never suspected her to be anyone dangerous.
Hope she comes back soon. He thought. We will have lots of fun again. … Hm?
His thoughts paused as he noticed a large group of tourists approaching him. He quickly waved his arms. "No, don't! It's a steep downgrade, past here!" A blond man, whom Randy assumed to be the leader, narrowed his eyes at him. "It's dangerous, please don't go!" He warned again.
"I'm still going." The blond man said. Was it his imagination? Or did Randy sense a deep sorrow in the man's voice?
Stubborn people. Randy thought furiously. "Damn, I was just being nice…" A small movement behind the group caught his attention. "What the? Who are those people over there?" Randy tensed. "Looks like trouble!" Without waiting, he ran towards the safety of the trees. From there, he observed another group of people, led by a lady with light blonde hair. Shinra and the Turks! Randy thought with alarm. What are those scumbags doing here?
They looked like they had some sort of business with the first group of tourists. After some talking, the blonde woman was getting more agitated and finally, she threw a punch at the blond man. With a quick sidestep, the Turk missed and rolled down the hill.
"E- Elena!" The Shinra infantrymen shouted in panic and began running after her.
After a while, Randy stepped out of the trees with an embarrassed air. "What the…? They sure are weak for Shinra." Looking at the group of amused travelers now, Randy said, "Sorry I just took off a while ago… It looked like there was going to be trouble." Looking at the snowboard in their hands, Randy figured that they had something important to do, although there really was nothing more down the hill except the Great Glacier… and nobody wanted to explore the Great Glacier. "Anyhow, you'll need a snowboard to get down that hill. Want me to teach you how to ride one?"
"No, not interested." The blond man shook his head.
Randy raised his hands. "Alright, big-head. But don't blame me if you get hurt." He allowed the group to pass through, but not before telling them to be careful.
26 December 0007
The next morning, Meia stood with Professor Hojo at the Science laboratories. Professor Hojo was packing his notes when Rude, followed by Reno, walked in. Meia tried hard not to smile too widely at the sight of Reno. It had been a really long time since she saw him. The sight of the redhead brought back all the sweet memories between the two of them before Reno took off after Sephiroth. Reno would not have recognized her as Meia, since she was under disguise as Matilda Ederfeld.
Reno nodded to both Professor Hojo and winked at Meia. Rude, on the other hand, immediately frowned at Meia and she knew that Rude had already spotted that she was under a disguise. Professor Hojo did not seem to notice the exchange of looks though.
"Professor Hojo," addressed Reno politely. "You two attired properly for the North?"
"The north?!" Meia exclaimed.
"Hmph! Of course we are!" Professor Hojo snapped back.
"No, I'm not!" Meia retorted indignantly.
The bespectacled man peered at her angrily. "Didn't I say that you have to prepare yourself? Were you even listening to what I said yesterday?"
"Well, you definitely did not talk about going to the NORTH!" Meia stared at her duffel bag in dismay. She only packed a night's worth of clothes and a long cardigan.
Rude held up a packet for Meia. "We've prepared some warm clothing, miss." Meia almost sighed in relief that Rude did not blow her cover. "You can have them."
"The name's Matilda, Rude." Reno elbowed him playfully.
Playing along, Meia looked pleasantly surprised and relieved. "Really? But… wouldn't you need them yourselves?"
"… We have enough for ourselves."
Meia took the packet with sincere gratitude. "Thank you… mister Turk."
Reno walked towards Meia. "Hey Matilda, sorry that you didn't get the memo in time for packing some warmwear."
"It's fine, Mr. Reno." Meia smiled. "Are you joining us today?"
"No, I'm not. I've got some other things to attend, yo?" Reno grinned. Was it Meia's imagination or did she detect a slight anxiety in his voice? "But Rude will be going, and he's a fine chap, though not as fine as me."
Rude shook his head. "… Reno…"
"Were you hoping that I would come along?" Reno grinned, reaching out a hand to touch her face. Meia swiftly sidestepped and walked away before he could do so, like a normal employee who would (likely) reject one's advances. She rolled her eyes and drew a deep breath to rid herself the feelings of jealousy.
How ridiculous. She thought. I'm jealous… of myself.
Inwardly she was half glad out that Reno wasn't following them. She wondered if she would be able to even concentrate with him around. She felt a pang of guilt though. He had called her yesterday asking if she was free to go out on Christmas night. However, due to the fact that she was 'packing' for today, she rejected his offer regretfully.
Maybe I should have just met Reno, even for an hour. She thought.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Professor Hojo cackled beside them. "Let's get up the airship!"
It would have made today's trip with Dr. Impossible a little better. She pouted.
Aboard the airship, Meia stood aside, watching helplessly at the crew running back and forth. Nothing I can do here, I suppose. She thought. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Professor Hojo walking towards her and she turned to greet him.
"Professor Hojo," She asked. "Just what am I supposed to do now? And what is this trip about? Could you at least brief me on this?"
The scientist (obviously) did not have time to entertain her. "Go make yourself gone, that's what you can do! I'll call you when I need you." With that, he strode into the cockpit.
Completely baffled, Meia stared at the closed metal doors. "Oh well, then…" She turned and made her way to the deck. The sight was absolutely breath-taking. Meia grinned and stretched her arms wide, feeling the force of the wind as the airship whizzed past Kalm and towards the sea.
A sudden sound behind her made her jump and turn back at the door. Meia relaxed though, when she saw that it was Rude.
"Hello, mister Turk." She smiled.
"Are the clothes fitting?" The bald man asked.
"Yep, they are. Thank you." Meia narrowed her eyes when she saw Rude drawing out his gun. "So, you have other agendas, mister Turk?" She narrowed her eyes and reached out to touch her wrist, where her Materia-equipped diamond bangle hid under her sleeves. If Rude intends to arrest her, she will have to protect herself at all costs.
"Why are you here, Meia?"
Meia exhaled slowly, seeing that Rude has decided to drop all pretenses. She did not drop her defences nevertheless. "It was Tseng's idea to bring me back to Shinra as a replacement for Professor Hojo's previous lab assistant." She glared at him defiantly. "If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself."
"Tseng is missing."
A chill racked her brains. "… What do you mean, missing?" She asked.
"Elena and him were sent to the Temple of An… on a mission."
"Come on, Rude." Meia pleaded. "You know you don't have to hide anything from me. I'm not here to do any harm. If I were, would I willingly reveal myself now?"
"Caution cannot be underestimated."
Meia sighed in frustration, but it wasn't something she didn't comprehend. "Very well then. So Tseng and Elena went on a mission?"
"Elena came back, but Tseng has not been found ever since. Reno is looking for him as we speak."
No wonder Reno sounded anxious earlier. She thought.
Rude grunted awkwardly, no doubt hesitating himself how much he should reveal. "We fear that he may be…" Rude looked away.
Meia stared at him in alarm. "No!" She shook her head vigorously. "Tseng is a great fighter and expert survivor. He won't die from a simple mission."
"… For Tseng's sake, I hope you're right."
"So… great, Tseng's not found." Meia frowned. Without Tseng to testify her, her consequences of being discovered will not be pretty. She was an exiled Turk, after all. "Rude, just continue this charade with me. Please, don't reveal my identity."
Rude considered her words for a weighty moment. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "For now." Meia heaved a sigh of relief. "Once Tseng is back, I will speak to him."
"Yeah, you be sure to do that."
"… I had no idea that you've been here all this while, Meia." Rude looked at her, most likely assessing her disguise.
Meia tugged her brown wig and checked that her black hair was not peeking out. "Is it obvious that I'm in a disguise?"
"Marshall is better," concluded Rude with a wry smile.
"Obviously."
"… But you aren't too bad yourself. I doubted my own judgement… for a moment. You must've fooled many people, Reno included… Or does he know?"
"No, and I don't intend anyone else to know, thank you very much."
"… I hope you understand that you are entering a very dangerous mission now, Meia." Rude warned, staring over the deck at the boundless sea beyond. "There's no knowing what is waiting for us in the North."
Meia huffed frustratedly. "Well, tell that to Hojo! He wouldn't tell me anything. So could you tell me instead?"
"… I figured as much." Rude folded his arms and considered his words. "It was much speculated that there was a large area behind the Great Glacier that could be possibly the Promised Land." Meia gasped, but did not interrupt Rude. "We are heading there to explore. It is going to be dangerous, with many monsters and other unknowns." He pushed his sunglasses against his nose. "If I were you, I would continue pretending to be the lab assistant… meaning you shouldn't fight…" Rude smirked. "Not as if we need any help."
Meia rolled her eyes. "Oh, Rude." She smiled. "I'll do my best to squeak at every little rodent that appears and jump at every bit of noise, alright."
"… Sounds good."
For the remainder of the trip, Meia decided to stay in the cockpit, though she kept to herself and leant against the wall to attract as little attention as possible. On one hand, she had to be around Professor Hojo so that she could be of help whenever he needs it. On the other hand, she was in the company of many people who would recognize her.
Of the people in the cockpit, the only people who had met her (as Meia Etsky) were Rufus Shinra, Heidegger and Rude. Luckily for her, both Rufus and Heidegger met her as Meia many years ago, and on one occasion. Still, one can never be too sure that their disguise is flawless. So Meia made sure not to make herself outstanding, with much success. None of the executives even noticed her presence; they were too caught up with anticipation of what was waiting for them up north.
At a point in time, where Meia felt the climate change and had to pull out her cardigan despite the central heating system in the airship, she knew they were in the Northern region of the Planet, where it was perpetually snowing.
There was a collective gasp that made Meia look up. Though the window of the airship was huge, she could not see much through the white blanket of flurry snow. Meia looked at Professor Hojo, observing what he did. He did not move an inch closer to the window, so Meia stayed put. As the airship inched closer, Meia finally saw what was capturing everyone's attention, and almost gasped herself.
In her days in Icicle Inn, Meia often snowboarded, but she never explored further than the town. Randy often warned her that beyond the snowboarding range was the Great Glacier. With the temperamental climates and biting winds, Meia knew that nature was her greater enemy out there. So she had never explored the vast plains beyond.
The airship had scaled across the Great Glacier and Meia finally saw the sight in front of her. The cliffs of the Great Glacier turned out to be the walls running up to a gigantic crater. The size of the crater was huge. Meia supposed an entire Shinra Building could fit inside comfortably. But the size of the crater was not what shocked her. From the depths of the crater, walls of lights shot out, reflecting a myriad of turquoise and peacock green shimmering like reflections on water. In the centre of it all, there was a great whirlwind of green. A mass of green lights that Meia recognized immediately.
The lifestream… Mako.
Rufus' voice was full of joy and satisfaction. "So, I finally found you." He murmured, walking towards the window and gazing the magnificence in front of him.
A shrill cackle followed after. Meia tried hard not to flinch at her voice, for the owner was Scarlet, head of the Weapons Department. It was the first time Meia was meeting the lady, but she had heard enough from her former colleagues who had worked with her (one being Legend).
"You think Heidegger's laugh was bad? Wait till you hear Scarlet's. Pure music!" He had said.
Scarlet's laughter slowed down as she regained her elegant composure. "This is incredible…" Her voice, unlike her banshee cackles, was smooth and confident. No doubt she worked her way up the ranks with hard work and very effective persuasion.
Heidegger chortled as well and Meia shook her head in disgust. How did Veld stand hearing their laughter?
"This is the Promised Land the President has been searching for!" The head of SOLDIER exclaimed excitedly.
Meia could've sworn that if he could, Heidegger will dance on his toes in a jig. "The promised land…" She murmured to herself. "Place of infinite Lifestream and Mako sources… Is this really it?"
"But," punctuated Rufus, turning to face his subordinate. "I'll be the one who gets it." He turned back to look out of the window and flipped his hair. "Sorry, old man." He added with a hint of smugness in his tone.
Meia watched them with a frown on her face. This may not be good. She thought. If what they say about the Promised Land is true... then the Planet is really going to suffer for the intense Mako extraction that will definitely follow.
"Heh heh heh..."
Meia looked in front of her, where the slow chuckle came come.
Professor Hojo?
"That land is no one's." The eccentric scientist said to Rude, though it's more likely that he was talking to himself. "It's where the Reunion will take place... They will all gather here... I wonder if we'll see... Sephiroth?"
Sephiroth? Reunion?
Again, a chill ran down her spine. She had forgotten (well, almost forgotten) about the maniacal ex-SOLDIER who reappeared. She looked at Rude, who caught her eye. Meia gave a quizzical look, to which Rude gave a slight shake of his head.
Things are getting out of hand here. She fumed inwardly. Everyone is talking in different jargons altogether and I have no idea what is happening. Let's just hope that things turn out for the best.
She subconsciously thought of her Turk-idol, Vincent Valentine. When she was a little girl, she often thought about him and hoped that thoughts of him would somehow bless her in executing her job better. Since she had met him in person and was turned down by him to rejoin the Turks, she hadn't thought about him as often. The idolized dream had long faded, but now in the midst of doubt, it sparked again like a candle of hope.
Mr. Valentine… She thought. Are you still battling against your own fight? Wake up and see what the world has become.
Of course Meia wouldn't know that Vincent Valentine is with AVALANCHE. She will… eventually.
Happy new year everyone! I've returned to work, and it is more challenging than before, I pray real hard that I have the time to write still! In fact, I'm going to knock out on the bed right after I upload this.
I really enjoyed writing the death scene. I did not plan this to happen actually, but it just came at a perfect time and I thought that it'll be a great thing to have such a landmark scene in this story. The entire sequence, from Aerith's thoughts on her plan to summon Holy to her differentiation between Zack and Cloud… all the way to Tifa's perspective and the hint of Vincent Valentine's past… I like how the chpater turned out!
Sorry CloTi fans, I know what it looks like, but I am a CloTi fan! I won't deny that Cloud and Aerith had something special between them in FF7, but well Aerith died so there's the problem no more! Will Cloud and Tifa be together? Wait and see!
Review reply (some)
Rnn21: I never saw them being reinstated as Turks. Reno was making mention of them 'coming back' because they came back together to help evacuate Midgar citizens. This was the epilogue of Before Crisis. I don't remember it being said anywhere that they returned to be Turks again, so to answer your question? No, they will continue to live separate lives.
Kadajclone100: Yes, The Kids Are Alright is really hard to find. Guess I'll keep searching!
Enjoy your wonderful weekend, folks! Don't forget to read and review!