"By having good memories on every place you just visit, you are building paradise in your own heart and your life."
― Toba Beta, Master of Stupidity
"You'll be in Costa del Sol soon, right?"
Aerith frowned. Was someone speaking to her?
"Ah I love it there. Make sure you take a moment to soak it all in, OK?"
She couldn't see anything, not even her own body. There was nothing but blinding light all around her.
"And definitely make time to have a date with Cloud."
Who was talking? Aerith tried to speak, to get some answers, but no sound came out. In fact, she wasn't even sure that she was really here… wherever here was. It was like she was just floating in nothingness; strange but peaceful nothingness.
"Don't worry about all those questions you have." The voice was amused. "You'll understand soon enough. Just enjoy everything for now."
'Do I know you?' Aerith wondered, wordlessly.
"You will." The voice assured her. "I'm sure we'll speak again soon. Take care."
"Aerith?"
She woke with a start, blinking as Cloud's face came in to focus.
"Sorry, but we're almost ready to dock."
Aerith nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had dozed off on one of the sofas in the bar, the busy night of fighting having caught up with her. She was aware of Cloud watching her as she stretched, trying to shake the heaviness of sleep from her limbs.
"You OK? You were mumbling a little. Bad dream?"
She paused, trying to recall what her dream had been about. It was like trying to hold water between her fingers however, and she was only left with a vague feeling of confusion.
"I don't think so." She answered Cloud, finally. "Can't remember what it was about."
Cloud held a hand out to her, and she took it with a thankful smile. "That's dreams for you, I guess. Come on, the others are out on the deck."
He led her outside and the warmth hit Aerith like a physical blow. "Phew!" She gasped. "I don't think I've ever felt heat like this."
Cloud relaxed his grip on her hand and turned to face her, hands slipping up to her shoulders. He helped her shrug her red jacket off and then placed it over the crook of his arm. "Yeah, welcome to Costa del Sol. We'll have to get some cooler clothes if we hang around."
They continued towards the side of the ship, where the others were peering over the railing, watching the golden coast grow larger.
"Are we staying here for a while then?" Aerith asked, and Cloud paused.
"Won't hurt to decide on our next steps." He squinted up at the bright sun overhead. "Besides, everyone pretty much loves it here, so I wouldn't take that away from them."
'Ah I love it there…' Aerith frowned, the words seemed both familiar and yet completely new to her. Her dream?
"There you two are!"
Tifa's voice pulled Aerith back to the present and she affixed her usual smile in to place. "Sorry, I drifted off for a while there."
Tifa slung an arm around Aerith's shoulders and pulled her towards the railings . "Well you're up just in time. Look at that view!"
Aerith took a proper look at Costa del Sol, growing ever larger by the second. The expanse of golden beach off to the right of the town was already filling up despite the day being early. The white buildings shone in the sun and the colourful clothing worn by the swarms of tourists wandering around provided splashes of brightness wherever she looked.
Aerith felt excitement take hold of her and she bounced on the balls of her feet. "It looks beautiful!" Turning back to look at Cloud she grinned. "Come look!"
The blonde smiled softly, wandering forward to join the others. "I've seen it before."
"Not with me you haven't." Aerith nudged him and he sighed but didn't argue.
The ship eased into port and the crew on the ship, and on shore, were instantly busy, getting ready for disembarkment. Looking back at her friends, Aerith blinked in confusion. "Hey, where did Barret go?"
Tifa, Cloud and Red all turned to where she was looking. "That's weird," Tifa frowned. "He was just here."
"Well we can't leave without him." Aerith worried her lower lip between her teeth. "Do you think he got in trouble for impersonating a barman?" After the midnight battle, the group had abandoned any pretenses of their disguises, but no one had confronted them about it.
Cloud laughed a little at that. "Is there such a law?"
"I don't know!" Aerith protested, but she grinned along with him. "But still…"
"I see him." Red nodded towards the doors that led from the deck from the bar. The others turned to look and easily spotted Barret's form heading towards them.
"Where did you get to?" Tifa asked as the man reached them.
Barret smirked, slipping his sunglasses over his eyes. "Had to see the Chief Purser." He reached in to a pocket on his vest and pulled out a small envelope. "Got my wages for the trip."
"They paid you?" Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Even though they know who you are now?"
"Damn straight." Barret tucked the money away again. "They were just happy I did my shift. Still think they should have put some extra in there considering we saved all their asses last night."
'We are now arriving in Costa del Sol. Please ensure you have all of your belongings with you before leaving the ship. We would like to thank you all for sailing with us, and we hope to see you again in the future.'
Aerith clapped her hands together happily. "In that case, let's go! And Barret can treat us all to an early lunch."
Barret huffed, but reached over and ruffled Aerith's hair. "You're lucky I'm a generous guy."
"So what's our plan?" Tifa asked, pushing her plate away and leaning back in her seat.
They were sat on the terrace of a beachside restaurant and had enjoyed a light lunch of fresh-caught seafood. The breeze from the ocean drifted pleasantly over their warm skin, and they were in no to rush to leave.
"Well," began Cloud. "We're on the same continent as the other members of the team now at least and I think we should get them as soon as possible."
"You mixing things up this time?" Barret reached for his drink and eyed Cloud curiously.
"It's already different this time." Cloud tapped his fingers against the table top distractedly. "We need the others, and the sooner we have everyone the more flexible we can be with what plans we make."
Aerith hummed thoughtfully. "So who are we getting first, and where are they?"
Cloud looked thoughtful for a moment. "May as well tell you at least their names now I guess. Cid would be good to find soon, because he has a plane." Aerith noticed that the others perked up at that. "But to get to where Cid usually sets up shop, we need our own transportation first." He met Aerith's eyes and nodded. "The Gold Saucer should be our first stop."
"Is there a team member there?"
"Yeah," Cloud sighed. "Cait Sith. He's… different."
"How so?" Red perked his head up from his position trying to keep a low profile beneath the table.
"I'll explain later." Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't think this is the best place to get in to that."
"Okay," Tifa nodded. "Cid and Cait Sith. Is that everyone?"
"No. There's still Vincent, but it will be easier to get to him once we have Cid's plane."
"Where is Vincent?" Aerith asked and she immediately noticed how Cloud's form stiffened, his eyes boring in to the table.
"Nibelheim."
Casting her eyes across to the other woman, Aerith saw that Tifa looked stricken.
"Nibelheim?"
"Yeah." Cloud met his friend's gaze. "But it's not the place you remember. If we didn't need Vincent then I would avoid it entirely."
The group lapsed in to silence for a moment and Aerith fiddled with the straw in her glass. "Is there anything that we need to be aware of while we're in town?"
Cloud nodded, looking up at her. "Shinra might be around, but who knows what's going to happen this time. Either way we should be on alert."
"But we're not heading out right away are we?" Barret prompted and the blonde man rolled his eyes.
"Wouldn't dare suggest it. We can take a day at the very least and make sure we're all stocked up. There's going to a lot of travelling from here on out."
"You say that like it's a new thing." Aerith teased and the others laughed in agreement. "So if we're sticking around then we'll need a hotel, right?" Aerith looked across the street to where she had spotted a plush looking hotel. "Not sure that one is in our budget."
"Don't worry about it." Cloud gestured towards a passing waiter for the bill. "I know the best place in town."
Aerith let out a deep sigh as she lay back on the bed. Johnny's Seaside Inn wasn't a five star resort, but she wasn't complaining. The slightest breeze teased the gossamer drapes covering the windows, and the sound of the nearby ocean threatened to lull her to sleep. The knot of her hair bow pressed in to her head where she lay on it, and she reached up to untie the fabric. As her hair loosened, she gathered the orb of her mother's materia in her hand and held it up in front of her eyes. She could see the distorted image of the room through the clear glass and she frowned. Cloud had explained that the materia's power had faded when the fight with Whisper Harbinger had taken her memories, and she wondered if that was why it felt like a part of her was missing along with the white glow of the materia.
She knew what she was destined to use the materia for, and even though it had resulted in her death numerous times already, Aerith didn't feel happy that the magic had been lost to her. Cloud had told her that she would get another white materia eventually, whole and functional, but that brought its own problems. She knew that she was supposed to use that magic for the good of the world, and she wanted her mother's materia back to its pearlescent state, she really did. But she was scared of what would await her when she did get it back. Saving both the world and herself still seemed like a steep request.
"It will be okay." She murmured to herself, lowering her hand and placing the empty orb on the bed next to her. "Cloud will figure it out."
She turned on her side, gently rolling the vacant crystal back and forth across the downy fabric of the bed. It occurred to her that the knowledge she had wasn't her own. It had been provided to her from Cloud, and she believed him, but it still felt a little surreal; like a fairytale. She thought of the other Aeriths, the ones who had not been aware of the whys and whats that were to come and she pitied them. They must have felt even more confused and lost than she did.
"So I'm going to go out on a limb and assume we're not just going to get to relax on this little pit stop?" Barret sipped at the drink he had ordered from the beachside bar, the hollowed out coconut looking comically small in his hand.
Aerith kept an ear on the conversation behind her as she reclined on the sunlounger that she was occupying. Tifa was stretched out on the seat next to her, forearm draped over her eyes against the brightness of the sky. They had taken Cloud's advice and grabbed some more suitable beachwear and Aerith found the heat a lot more bearable.
"Usually there's trouble." Cloud conceded.
"That's why you were insistent on us bringing our weapons down here?"
"Yeah." Cloud sighed. "I've fought using a beach umbrella one time too many."
Aerith smiled at the mental image.
"What sort of trouble are we talking about?"
"Shinra. More of Hojo's experiments."
Red growled from his position between the sunbeds. "Hojo?"
"Yeah, he's meddling in things as usual. Although," Cloud paused and Aerith turned her head to see him a little better. He was peering along the length of the beach and back again, eyes shielded from the glare of the sun by a hand. "I haven't seen any of the black robes since we've been here."
"That different?" Barret questioned.
"Yeah, usually Shinra are keeping tabs on them, and they're Hojo's current guinea pigs."
Aerith frowned, recalling how the robed men on the ship had been mutated by the strange monsters that had swarmed them. Hojo's depravity really knew no limits. She sat up on her lounger, swinging her legs to the side and standing up. The sudden movement caught the men's attention and they looked at her.
"You okay?" Barret raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." Aerith fixed a bright smile to her face, eyes hidden by the pink-framed sunglasses she had purchased to match her bikini. "Just thought I'd go get a drink. Want anything?"
Barret waved his empty coconut in answer and Aerith nodded. "Okey dokey. Back in a sec." She started towards the stairs that led up to the bar area, picking her way across the loose sand carefully.
"What's up?"
She jumped at the voice, not having realised Cloud had caught up with her. "What do you mean?"
"You seem like something is bothering you." Cloud raised an eyebrow in her direction and she shrugged.
"I'm okay. Just the talk about Hojo setting me on edge."
Cloud reached over to take her hand as they began to climb the steps from the beach. "Can't blame you there. I don't think his own mother could say his name without shuddering."
They reached the bar and waited under the shade of the canopy roof while the bartender dealt with those ahead of them.
"I just… I never thought it was in my nature to hate someone. I mean truly hate. But with Hojo, I think I do." She looked down at where her hands rested on the bartop. "I start thinking such dark and ugly thoughts, it's like there's something screaming inside my chest, wanting to erupt."
She watched Cloud's hand reach over to cover her own. "You're allowed to have thoughts like that. And even though you are most definitely the most purehearted person on this planet, you're still human."
Aerith glanced over at him and smiled ruefully. "Doesn't feel like it sometimes."
Cloud's eyes softened. "You're a very special human, granted."
She opened her mouth to reply when her attention was caught by two figures arriving at the other side of the bar. Aerith gasped, grabbing Cloud's arm and pulling him down to crouch out of sight alongside the bar.
"Aerith what-?"
"Shinra." She pointed vaguely in the direction she had seen them. "A guard and someone in a suit."
"Okay." Cloud's lips twitched. "But why are we hiding?"
Aerith felt her cheeks warm slightly. "Instinct? Besides, I want to go sunbathe for a bit longer, I don't want to get in to a fight right now."
"Fair enough." Cloud smiled. "We could sneak back down to the beach?"
Aerith was about to agree when an annoyed voice came from close by.
"What does it take to get served around here? You think they'd show Shinra employees a bit of respect."
Their unexpected guests had moved along the bar and were now just a stones throw away from where they were crouched.
"They seem busy, Sir." The Shinra grunt observed mildly. Mr Suit did not appear to be satisfied with such a simple explanation.
"If I have to be the one to go and tell Professor Hojo the bad news, I deserve a drink beforehand."
Aerith sat with her back to the wall of the beach bar listening to the conversation, her grip on Cloud's arm tightening at the mention of Hojo's name. She glanced over at Cloud and he raised a curious eyebrow.
'Bad news?' He mouthed and Aerith shrugged. Bad news for Hojo could be good news for them.
"Oh forget it!" Mr Suit spat. "I don't have time for this, I'll see if the vending machine down the street has any beer in it."
Aerith listened to the two pairs of footsteps fade before she turned to Cloud, tilting her head curiously. "What was all that about?"
"Not sure." The man shook his head. "I know where Hojo usually holes up when he's here. We could go see if we can eavesdrop?"
"Like a super secret spy mission?" Aerith wiggled her eyebrows and Cloud huffed out a low laugh.
"If you like."
"Erm, can I get you guys anything?"
Aerith looked up and saw the barman was leaving over the countertop, staring down at them in confusion. "Oh," she grinned sheepishly. "No, we're fine thank you."
"Okay…" The man straightened, apparently not having the energy to question them further, and disappeared from sight.
"Come on," Cloud grabbed Aerith's hand and pulled them both upright. "Let's get the others and see if we can find out what Shinra are up to."
When they arrived back at their spot on the beach, Barret looked up curiously. "You two in a hurry for something?" He glanced at their empty hands. "No drink?"
"Ah sorry," Aerith bowed her head slightly. "We spotted some Shinra people."
"You get in to any trouble?" Red asked.
"They didn't see us." Cloud assured. "But they have some news for Hojo so I think we should go and find out what it is."
Aerith looked over at the occupied lounger. "Is Tifa asleep?"
"Indeed." Red said mildly. "I have been rather concerned that she may burn if she stays like that much longer."
Approaching the slumbering woman, Aerith crouched down beside her and shook her shoulder gently. "Tifa?"
"Mm, five more minutes." Tifa swatted sleepily at the interruption and Aerith rolled her eyes affectionately.
"Come on, Sleepyhead. We've got a mission."
Tifa's ruby eyes blinked open and she looked at her friend in confusion. "A mission?"
"Yep." Aerith chirped, moving to stand. "An undercover spy mission."
Tifa sat up on her lounger and looked over at the others, apparently hoping someone else would clarify matters.
"Come on." Cloud took pity on her. "We'll fill you in on the way."
Aerith and the others followed Cloud a little ways along the beach, finding Hojo in a large, private cabana. The Shinra guard and employee had already arrived, with the suited man apparently finding the words he needed rather elusive.
"Well, what is it?"
Hojo's sneering voice carried clearly to where the group crouched behind a pair of large, potted palms at the bottom of the stairs leading up to where Hojo was.
"Professor," Aerith heard Mr Suit begin. "The subjects have been seen heading north, towards the mountains."
"All of them?"
"Yes sir."
Hojo stood and frowned deeply. "And nobody thought to intervene?"
"We tried, but they seemed very focused on their path. The guards stepped down rather than injure them."
"As if that is the largest concern." Hojo scoffed. "Is someone following them at least?"
"Yes sir. We have a team trailing them and keeping us updated."
"Well that's something. Damn it all to hell, I was hoping to stay here for a few more days."
"Shall we pack up, Sir?" That was a voice that Aerith did not recognise - a different guard perhaps.
"Yes." Hojo snapped. "I had hoped to continue the next phase of my experiment here, but if all my subjects have wandered off then there's little I can do."
She heard the heavy, booted footfalls of several guards leaving the area and shared a look with the others.
"They're leaving?" She whispered.
Cloud nodded. "Sounds like it."
"Then should we just head back?" Tifa asked.
"Too late."
Aerith looked up, seeing the ends of four standard-issue Shinra rifles pointing down at them from the marble platform above. Barret swore under his breath and moved to raise his arm, but Cloud shook his head.
"Don't."
Aerith watched the blonde man stand and head up the stairs, ignoring the weapons trained on him the whole time. She stood and followed after him, Tifa, Barret and Red close behind her.
She spotted Hojo easily, laying back on a plush sun bed, as though he didn't have a care in the world, and her hands tightened in to fists.
"Did you know that sound carries easier in warmer air?" Hojo sneered over at them. "Or is even that simple scientific concept beyond your grasp?" He eyeballed Cloud. "Not followed after your brothers?"
Aerith glanced at Cloud who stared back at the older man coolly. "I think your data is a little out of date, Professor."
Hojo 's eyes narrowed, apparently confused by the response but he declined to continue the conversation, his gaze scanning over the group instead. "I see two of my experiments are adapting to the outside world." Aerith fought to keep her expression neutral as Red growled next to her. "Enjoy your field trip while you can, though it will be harder for you to readjust to the lab once you are back in Midgar."
Cloud stepped sideways, breaking the line of sight between Aerith and Hojo, and drew his sword. "You never learn when to shut up, do you?"
The Shinra guards raised their rifles as one, but Hojo raised a hand. "Insolent boy" He eyed Cloud in distaste. "How fortunate for you that I don't have time to spend on a failure like yourself today. I'm afraid my break has been cut short." He clicked his fingers and the guards relaxed their positions, moving to flank him as they headed towards the exit of the cabana.
"Enjoy that luck while you can. It will run out soon, I'm sure." Hojo offered a twisted grin as he passed them.
Cloud turned, keeping Aerith the other side of him, and she could see the anger behind his blue eyes. "Not until a long time after yours is gone, Hojo."
The kept their attention on the twisted scientist and his guards until they had faded from sight, heading in towards the busy streets of Costa del Sol.
Aerith placed a hand between Cloud's shoulders and felt his tense form loosen.
"So," Tifa broke the silence. "I'm guessing that he doesn't usually just leave peacefully?"
"No." Cloud sighed. "Guess following 'his subjects' is more important."
Aerith hummed thoughtfully. "They're heading north?"
"They're heading to where Jenova is. The cells they've been been infected with are pulling them back to her."
Barret rubbed at his forehead, his expression pained. "Remind me again, the cell thing is the same reason you were being all weird and puppet like too, right?"
Aerith nodded at Barret's question. When Cloud had explained the gist of what was going on, in that cabin on the outskirts of Kalm, he had briefly touched on the connection he had with Sephiroth, and how he had eventually made his mind his own.
"Yeah." Cloud said shortly. "I turned out a bit different, but the pull was there for me too. The short story is that it's not anymore."
Barret clapped a forceful hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Good enough for me. I don't think I can deal with the long story at the moment."
"Well what do we do now?" Red asked, tail whipping through the air. He was evidently still agitated at being so close to Hojo.
"If Shinra has shipped out then there's no threat to us for now. I say we carry on with the plan to rest up, restock, and then head out when we're ready."
"I like the sound of that." Aerith smiled at her friends. "How about we go freshen up and get some dinner?"
"Now you're talking." Barret grinned. "But just so you know, the Bank of Barret only funds one meal a day."
Dinner had been a pleasant affair. After showering their day at the beach from their bodies, they had dressed in fresh clothes and headed back in to town. They had found a street-side restaurant and dined under the rising stars, the patio heaters keeping the slight chill of the evening air off their bare arms.
"We should come back here, after everything is over." Tifa sighed, reaching for her glass of wine. "Have a proper holiday."
Barret held his glass aloft. "I'll drink to that."
Aerith smiled and nodded, but her chest twisted a little at the sentiment. She was finding it hard to think about after … everything that stood between now and then seemed rather impossible to comprehend. She jumped slightly when a warm hand came to rest on her knee beneath the table. Cloud was looking at her, his eyes telling her that he knew what she was thinking, and that he didn't approve.
"To after." He raised his own drink in her direction and she had to bite her lip against the rush of emotions that hit her.
Picking up her drink, Aerith clinked her glass against his and Tifa and Barret leaned over to do the same. Red placed a paw up on the table in a sign of solidarity.
"To after." Aerith whispered, smiling softly at her friends.
They finished their meal, and after Cloud paid the bill they started a leisurely walk back toward Johnny's Seaside Inn.
"I'm beat." Tifa yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "Amazing how much a day in the sun can relax you."
"I'd have thought you got enough rest earlier, when you were snoring away on that sun lounger." Barret smirked, and Tifa looked affronted.
"I do not snore!" She protested.
Aerith watched in amusement as the pair bickered, but her attention was drawn by Cloud taking her hand and tugging her gently to a stop.
"Hm? Everything okay, Cloud?"
He looked almost sheepish. "Yeah. I just wondered if you wanted to go for a walk?"
Aerith peered up at him, delighted by the question. "Just us?"
"Yeah."
"I'd love to." She looped her arm with his as she looked over her shoulder at the others. "We'll see you guys later."
"Where are you off to?" Barret raised an eyebrow."
Aerith grinned back cheekily. "Hot date. Don't wait up."
Cloud sighed heavily but she could see the tilt of his lips as he led the way down the street, towards the beach.
The moon was hanging high in the sky when Aerith and Cloud stepped onto the cool sand of the beach. They wandered close to the water's edge and Aerith paused to slip off her sandals, letting the gentle lapping of the waves wash across her feet as they walked.
There were a handful of people, mainly couples, also enjoying a moonlight stroll but the beach was peaceful compared to the daylight hours. Aerith glanced over at Cloud's profile, noting that he seemed deep in thought.
"I bet you've done this a lot huh?" She kept her voice low, reluctant to break the peaceful aura that had settled over the beach.
Cloud looked over at her questioningly. "What?"
"Walk along this beach? Knowing me I was probably always asking you to go along with stuff like this."
Cloud hummed in agreement. "Yeah pretty much. I don't mind it though. Never have."
Aerith looped her arms around his bicep and smiled up at him. "So what number beach date is this for us - eight? Or nine I suppose, counting the original time for you?"
Cloud opened his mouth, to agree it seemed, but then the relaxed expression on his face seemed to fade. He slowed to a stop and stood, looking out at the dark horizon. "No. It's seven times."
"Oh?"
"There was the time that… well the time when we didn't get farther than the Mythril Mines." He mumbled.
Aerith nodded, familiar with that story already. "So then what's the other time?"
"The attempt after the Mines. Number four."
"What happened?" Aerith followed his gaze and the pair watched the gentle waves as they talked. "Did I-?"
"No." Cloud cut her off. "Not until the Forgotten City." He raked a hand through his unruly hair. "I tried a different approach that time."
Aerith remained quiet and allowed Cloud to continue at his own pace.
"After losing you in the Mines, before we'd even really made any progress on that attempt, I was feeling desperate. It hurt every time obviously, but that was the point everything started feeling hopeless. Like I was in some sick punishment and there was never gonna be a way to stop it. So on try number four I tried to keep my distance from you. Thought maybe it would hurt a bit less if I didn't spend so much time with you."
"Did it work?" Aerith's voice was quiet yet curious.
A bitter laugh slipped past Cloud's lips. "No. Not at all. It made me miserable, and it still hurt like hell when I didn't save you. And it was worse for you. I could tell that giving you the cold shoulder hurt you too. You suffered the same fate as all the other times, but this time there was loneliness added on top. I never tried that way again."
Aerith leaned closer to him, resting her cheek against his upper arm. "I'm glad. I would really miss moments like this."
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head, her skin nuzzling against his. "You did what you thought best. I can't imagine how hard this has all been for you."
"You need to stop worrying about me." Cloud sighed. "This is about you."
Aerith frowned at that, the urge to refute his statement surging up inside her, and she was confused by her own reaction. She paused and pushed the rebuttal down. "Is it?" She asked instead, keeping her voice neutral.
Cloud looked down at her, frowning. "Of course it is. Saving you is the most important thing."
Aerith sighed and moved away from Cloud slightly, continuing her slow stroll along the beach. "I don't think I can agree with that." Cloud fell in to step with her again. "To me you are the most important thing." She smiled softly, eyes fixed to her bare feet. "And even then Tifa and the others, and the Planet as a whole are things I want to protect. Seems selfish to put myself before everything else."
Cloud came to a stop, catching her wrist and turning her to face him. "That's why I'm here, because you aren't selfish enough." He pulled her closer, and made sure she met his eyes. "You've sacrificed yourself enough times already, I think you can put yourself first this time."
Aerith sagged in to him slightly, resting her cheek against his chest and staring out at the black waters. "Guess this is just one of those areas we'll have to disagree on."
"I guess so." Cloud stroked the length of her hair with a gentle hand. "I'll just have to make sure you aren't too selfless."
Aerith smiled, eyes drifting shut. "Ditto."
"I love you, Aerith." His barely-whispered words caused her breath the catch. She had heard them before, but it still took her by surprise. "I am going to protect you against everything this time."
The words were almost like a promise to himself, and Aerith stayed quiet, but pressing herself closer to him in response. She stayed cradled in Cloud's arms for a while, the beat of his heart loud in her left ear, and the rushing of the waves lulling her from the right. So at peace was she, that she did not notice the change in the very air around them until Cloud shifted, stepping back and casting a critical eye around the beach.
Aerith shivered slightly, her skin erupting into goosebumps. The air around her felt strange, the pressure almost suffocating, and the sound of the waves and the seabirds seemed muted to her ears. "Cloud?"
Her companion reached for her. "Stay close."
Aerith moved to close the small gap between them when a slight movement in her peripheral made her pause and turn her head.
A large, black feather was drifting down, slowly towards the cooling sand.
Aerith swallowed, an ill feeling settling in her stomach. "Cloud?"
The man turned at her whispered call, his blue eyes narrowing when he spotted the feather. He reached a hand up to his shoulder, swearing as he remembered that they did not have their weapons on them. With Shinra having vacated the town, they had assumed that they would face no further trouble, but evidently they had been wrong.
The feather drifted lower, and when it touched the beach a bright flash of purple light erupted. Aerith covered her eyes, stumbling back slightly before Cloud wrapped his arms around her, steadying her. The fading of the light was accompanied by the screams of the other people on the beach. Aerith blinked, clearing the spots of colour from her vision and then saw what the cause of the panic was.
"Is that…?"
"Jenova." Cloud spat.
The monster stood on four colossal legs, its elongated body twisting above them and its serpentine neck terminating in a nightmarish skull. Aerith's nose wrinkled in distaste as she took in the wing-like appendages on the creature's back, comprised of what appeared to be clawed arms, and its skin that bubbled as though it was made up of pustules.
"Stay close." Cloud commanded, his eyes not straying from the beast. "Do you have any materia?"
Glancing down at her bangle, Aerith nodded. "Just Aero and Barrier. Everything else is on my staff."
"I'm not much better." Cloud moved backwards, herding Aerith away from the Jenova form. "I want you to run. Go get the others."
"What about you?" Aerith frowned.
"I'll distract it. I don't want to lead it towards the town."
"I'm not leaving you."
"Aerith-"
"No!" She glared fiercely. "We're in this together. This is me not letting you be too selfish, okay?"
Cloud gaped at her for a moment before a purple spear of light arced through the air between them. They leapt apart, Aerith barely managing to stay on her feet and the hem of her flowing skirt singed.
"Fira!" Cloud yelled, thrusting an arm out towards the monster. It paused it's advance momentarily but the hit didn't seem to do much damage.
The Jenova abomination crouched low and before Aerith could react, a cloud of purple smoke had spread out to surround them. She instantly felt her eyes burn and her bare skin felt like it was alight.
"A-aerora!" She coughed out, and the jet of wind that pulsed from her hand dissipated the gas around her. She kept up the attack, using it to reach Cloud's side and clear the area around them both.
"Thanks." He wheezed, blinking to clear his eyes. "This isn't good."
"Have you fought it before?"
"Yeah." Cloud yanked Aerith backwards with him, away from the next beam of light that shot their way. "On the ship though, and never without my sword."
Throwing another wind attack towards the creature, Aerith followed up by casting a barrier around herself and Cloud, in an attempt to ease some of the damage coming their way. "Weak spots?"
"Its head, but we're not best equipped for attacking at range at the moment."
"We can do this." Aerith grabbed his hand, her barrier deflecting a physical blow from the beast's arms.
Cloud tightened his grip on her fingers. "Right. Let's do this."
Jenova encroached upon them, its bulk causing the ground to shake slightly beneath their feet. Cloud led Aerith around the creature, attempting to flank it. Their feet splashed into the surf, the cool water sloshing around their ankles.
"Think you could use a wind attack and push some water over it?"
Aerith nodded, not sure where Cloud was going, but she stepped backwards further into the ocean, conjuring a powerful gust of wind that pushed against the water in front of her and caused it to surge towards Jenova, which was still lumbering towards them. As the wave reached the fiend, Cloud followed up with a Firaga barrage, the heat from the fire turning the sea water to steam.
Aerith wasn't sure if the attack hurt or merely annoyed the monster, but Jenova paused momentarily, a screeching roar erupting from its skeletal mouth.
"Cloud! Aerith!" Aerith turned, heart leaping to her throat at the voice, and spotted the rest of their group rushing down the beach towards them. Aerith deftly caught her staff, launched towards her by Tifa, while Barret lugged Cloud's heavy sword over his shoulder.
"Thanks!" Aerith twirled the metal rod, instantly casting a ward under the group's feet.
Barret handed the sword off to Cloud. "Some hero you are, wandering off without your weapon."
"Well I wasn't expecting this !" Cloud protested, gesturing towards the grotesque monster before them.
"Not part of the usual schedule then?" Red questioned as he raced forward to engage Jenova.
Cloud followed, triggering the lightning materia embedded in his sword. "Definitely not."
The fight was fairer now that they had their team, and their weapons, but it was still a slog and Aerith panted as she dodged yet another attack, shooting her own burst of magic back at their enemy.
"What is with this thing?" Barret growled, aiming his gun at the monster. "It's like a damn tank."
"We'll still win." Aerith encouraged as she sent a wave of healing magic out to engulf the group. "Let's finish this."
"You heard the lady." Barret fired off a barrage of rounds, keeping on the move to avoid the orbs of gas that the monster was sending out in waves.
"Watch it!" Cloud called just a moment too late. A long, thick tendril unfurled from the creature's side and whipped across the beach towards them. Aerith and Red reacted in tandem, casting hasty barrier spells around the team. The whip crashed into the translucent walls, which took the worst of the attack, but it ultimately breached the defenses and collided with the group.
The heavy blow sent them all flying like discarded ragdolls. Aerith hit the ground hard, rolling along the sand several times before coming to a stop with a pained groan. She pushed herself to her knees, her uncovered limbs stinging from scraping across the floor. The others were clambering to their feet, readying themselves for Jenova's next attack. Aerith's staff had landed several feet away from her and she scrambled to her feet, stumbling towards it through the slipping sand. Scooping up her weapon, she focused her attention back on their enemy. The dangerous tendril was pulling back, ready for another strike, while the grotesque mouth of the creature was opening wide and filling with purple energy.
"We need to finish this." Tifa groaned, wiping sand from her face. "We're all getting tired."
"Then let's go," Cloud readied his sword. "As one."
A pillar of fire erupted from beneath the monster as the words left Cloud's mouth, interrupting its attack and causing it to stagger backwards.
"What the-?"
Aerith narrowed her eyes against the brightness of the flames and managed to make out a familiar figure, recognising what it was as Cloud spoke the name.
"Ifrit?"
"Need a hand?"
Cloud sighed, and Aerith watched as his lips tilted upwards slightly as he turned to face the newcomer. "Yuffie. Took you long enough."
The first chapter that is from Aerith's POV. These will crop up every now and then.
Whew, this one ended up longer than I realised! Hope you enjoyed it :)