Springtime at Wuati village. Everything is picture perfect, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, covering the entire town with pink petals. The beautiful afternoon sun making each pagoda rooftop shimmer with playful sparkles of light. It was a breathtaking site, as birds flew merrily through the blossom covered trees. It was only too ironic that the people of this town did not seem to reciprocate the happiness that nature was providing them.
The tourism business was slow, there have been hardly any visitors for months now, no thanks to ShinRa. Their threats and harrassments to the town. They've probably used black propaganda against Wutai to make it's people suffer.
"Look at all the flowers!" Aeris ran ahead of the tired looking group, standing in awe at the magnificent sight before her. She looked back at her friends, who trodded behind her, weary and definately not interested in the scenery. They were on a very important mission to find the Keystone, in order for them to continue on their journey to the Temple of the Ancients. They have just decided to stop by at Wutai, to try and purchase some equipment and weapons that they could not afford the last time they were there.
"I wanna go look around is that okay with you, guys?" Aeris asked her bright green eyes sparkling with excitement. Barret and Cid looked at each other and nodded. "Sure, go ahead, Aeris. From the looks of all of us, I'd say we all need a break." Barret said wiping the sweat from his brow. Cid lit a cigarette in agreement and followed Barret towards the Turtle's Paradise to get a drink.
"Okay, who'd want to come with me and see the cherry blossoms?" Aeris asked, the rest of the party. "Tifa?"
Tifa smiled and shook her head. "I think I'll just take a nap."
Aeris nodded and turned to Yuffie, who rolled her eyes and shook her head too. "I'm too tired, Aeris. I'll go with Tifa."
"Well, okay. Um, Vincent, Red...care to join me?" Aeris asked the mysterious robed man and the loyal cat-like beast. Both shook their heads.
"I'm sorry, my lady, but we have volunteered to purchase the necessary equipment for our journey." Red XIII, apologized.
"To save us time." Vincent continued and with a cold stare he turned around and headed to the weapons shop.
Aeris smiled. "That's a good idea." she moved forward and patted Red's nose, giggling as he growled in protest and embarrasment. She looked around and spotted Cloud approaching them. "Cloud, I'm gonna take a look around town, wanna come with me?"
Tifa shot Aeris a glare, although was disappointed when the Flower Girl did not see it. Cloud stuttered for a moment, then looked at Tifa, who simply averted her eyes.
"Oh, that's alright" Aeris said breaking the long silence between the group. "I'll just go alone." She smiled and walked down the petal covered paths. She looked back and waved happily. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?"
Cloud reluctantly waves his hand then turns his attention to Tifa. "I'll be in the weapons shop if anyone needs me. Oh, yeah, and Cait Sith'll be here in a moment. Seems like the little robot overheated. Later, Tif!"
"Oh, Gawd! I think I'm gonna hurl sugar!" Yuffie yells as soon as she and Tifa were alone on the path towards Yuffie's house.
"What's wrong? You're on the ground, Yuffie." Tifa puts an arm around the young ninja's shoulder.
"It's not that, Tifa. I mean, didn't you see how little-miss-sweetie-pie tried to little-miss-sweety-talk everyone back there?"
Tifa held back a laugh and nodded. "Yes, she's just so annoying isn't it? How can she think of flowers and relaxing at a time like this?" She slammed her fist against her palm. "Oh, and it's so disgusting how she acts so sugary towards Cloud."
Yuffie nodded and folded her arms, as they reached the steps of the house, she paused. "Well, if we're gonna spend the night here, I'm not sleeping next to her. Who knows when I wake up tomorrow morning, i'll be covered with ants!" The two girls laughed mischievously. "I know, "Yuffie said. "Let's tell her that all the girls will be sleeping at my hut, the one that's full of traps, remember that?"
Tifa nodded intently. Yuffie continued. "Then, we'll lock her outside. You think she'll be able to stand sleeping with the boys? I know how Barret and Cid sound like when they're asleep." Yuffie laughed at her little plan.
"Hmm, wouldn't that be taking things a little too far, Yuffie" Then Tifa's face brightened with a smile. "But I think it would serve her right. I mean, I think she needs to be roughed up a little to loose that excessive sweetness. Or maybe she'll just leave us alone." The two girls agreed and turned around towards Yuffie's Hut at the entrance of town. It was evil, but they did feel it would help the whole team a lot.
That evening the whole team gathered at the Turtle's Paradise having a very serious dinner. Everyone, except Aeris who came thrity minutes late, flowers in her hand and with her same sweet smile. "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought dinner wasn't going to be served till later."
"That's alright, I hope you didn;t mind us starting without you." Red XIII said, making a little space in between him and Cloud for Aeris. The girl simply smiled and shook her head. "I think I'll have my dinner under the stars tonight. Would anyone care to join me?"
Tifa cleared her throat, the others looked at each other. "Aeris, we're already stuffed and ready to go to bed." Yuffie said in between mouthfuls of sushi. "Besides, it's a little strange to have a picnic in the middle of the night, don't you think so?"
"Yuffie's right. We'd better get some rest. Tomorrow's a long journey to the Golden Saucer." Tifa said standing up and heading towards the door. "Well, you guys are sleeping at Godo's house, right?" Then she turned to Aeris. "Aeris, when you're done with your picnic, the girls'll be sleeping at Yuffie's hut."
Aeris nodded and Tifa and Yuffie left the bar. "Oh, well, I'd better get going too. Um, good night everybody." Aeris said while taking a small dish of salad with her outside. The remaining Avalanche members remained silent and continued eating theur dinner. Some felt that there was something wrong in their team, there was conflict present. But then again, they thought that it was probably all this pressure about Sephiroth, ShinRa and weariness from travel. They were sure that everything will be alright.
It was now a little after midnight, the full moon hovered silently on the pitch black sky making the trees and pagoda rooftops below glimmer with the silver moonlight. Cloud wandered around the town, the scenery painfully reminding him of their opponent. Sephiroth, whose black cloak was complimented by his frozen moonlight hair.
A moving figure caught his eye. Someone lurking in the shadows, by the bridge. Cloud carefully unsheathed his sword, ready for any assault or struggle. But eased up when he saw the young lady peering over the bridge, watching as the lilie floated silently on the nearby pond. Cloud approached her and met her at the middle of the bridge.
"Hey, why are you here, aren't you sleepy?" Cloud said stopping a few feet away from her. Aeris turned her head and smiled.
"Just a little, but I wanted to stay here a while longer." She said, rather sadly. Then a smile brightened her face. "No, the truth is I got locked outside Yuffie's hut. They're probably sleeping in the basement, that's why htey didn't hear me. So I think that I'll just sleep here under the trees." She joked and walked down the pathway leading to the cherry blossom covered trees.
"What?."He said following her under the tree. "Why don't you sleep at Godo's place with us. It's alright..it's better than staying out here." Cloud shrugged and held out his hand to her. Aeris looked at him, seeming surprised at the offer. Then she smiled and sat down on the soft grass.
"It's alright, Cloud. I feel much better being surrounded by plants and flowers.Much more safer." Aeris leaned back against a tree and lets out a long sigh. "Don't worry about me, you go ahead and sleep, I'll be alright." She continues to stare out into the open, smiling at the stars.
She looked back at Cloud who was still standing beside her with his arms on his hips. "Tomrrow, i'll go talk to Tifa nad Yuffie about this." he said, scratching the back of his head, a little annoyed at what was happening.
"It's alright, Cloud. I'm sure they didn't mean to lock me out here. It was probably just and accident. Besides, I wouldn't want any of us to bear grudges against each other, especially for something so unimportant." Aeris closed her eyes. She wasn't blind, she knew why she was unwanted by her friends. She knew that they could not stand her saccharine sweet attitude and 'overly-kind attitude to almost anyone she meets. She understood that in other's point of view, it was offensive, especially to Tifa, everytime she'd even smile at Cloud. It somehow, hurt her. She never menat any harm. She just wanted to be herself.
Maybe they just didn't understand her. Maybe they were jealous of her, they weren't spontaneous, they never found the courage to be comfortable with other people. Maybe they wanted to be more like her...innocent..So misunderstood was this child, so mistreaed by the narrow-mindedness of others. But this was her weakness, she would never do anything to defend herself, even when they get too rough on her. 'It's alright,' she'd think. 'They just don't see things the way I do...I should just respect that...as long as they're happy, I'll be alright.'
Somehow she felt like crying, but always found the courage to hold back the tears. "Hey, you asleep already?" Cloud said, gently patting her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled. "You go ahead and sleep, Cloud." But instead of nodding and leaving, the young man sat down baside her and leaned back against the same tree, making himself comfortable.
"Well, I definately don't want to go back in there and listen to Barret's snoring." He said unstrapping his sword and shoulder pad and laying them beside him. "And I can't leave you alone out here." He smiled and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Aeris."
Aeris blinked, surpirsed that Cloud offered to stay with her outside. "Oh, you don't have to.." she said, slightly embarrassed that she was being trouble to her friend. But he responded by pulling her closer to his side and gently laying her head on his shoulder. The move surprised them both as they sat motionless, blushing intensely and speechless.
"Uh--I'm really tired, Aeris. Let's just get some sleep alright?" Cloud said immediately. He was a very embarrassed at his agressiveness, but he couldn't deny that she felt good in his arms. Much to his thanks, Aeris nodded queitly and closed her eyes. He rested his head against hers and did the same as they drifted into a very peaceful slumber, ignoring the deep troubling feeling that he might neve have another chance like this again.
A week has passed since that enchanted evening at Wutai. The dark evening sky was covered with grey clouds, where the silver moon tried desperately to peek through from time to time. Droplets of rain beat against the road, on the structures and on the wilting flowers.
Slowly, from a distance, the members of Avalanche emerged through the rock formations that adorned the sides of the path. all of their faces were turned to the road ahead of them. There was a deep and cold silence, that none of tem could muster enough strength to break. Guilt, sorrow and anger eating through every thought and action they have done.
A few minutes ago, they bid farewell to their friend. Their friend who brought joy and laughter to their troubled lives. Their friend who never complained to any hardships they, or this war may have caused her. She never blamed them, she loved htem all no matter what. A few minutes ago, Aeris Gainsborough was laid to rest at her home, at the City of the Ancients.
Author's Note: Pretty sad huh? Well, I noticed just how misunderstood Aeris' kindness to others was, and when I read Sephy's "Moment of Love, Hope and Tears" I just couldn't resist to write a fic in Aeris' defense. Well, I didn't mean to pick on any character. This Fic does have basis on that....lah dih dah. Anyway, I hope that you liked this. Mail me anytime! Constructive criticism is welcome and will be greatly appreciated.-----> Evil Eiji