"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies. that's for thoughts."

"...fantastic garlands did she make"

Born in the snowboarding town of Icicle Inn, located in the northern most continent, Aeris was the daughter of ex-Shinra scientist Professor Gast and Ifalna, the last pure-blooded Cetra, an ancient race that once populated the world.

Years before meeting Ifalna, Gast headed the excavation of the entity, Jenova, which he believed to have been an Ancient and which was discovered in the Nibelheim Mountains. He was accompanied by his two assistants Hojo and Lucrecia, and the Turk, Vincent Valentine; his research was conducted in the Mansion located in the nearby town. However, Hojo's growing interest in Jenova cells and experimentation on humans, caused Gast to abandon his work and head to Icicle Inn.

There he meets Ifalna and begins his research anew by interviewing her. She tells him about the history and abilities of the Cetra, and it is in these dialogues that she reveals that Jenova was not an Ancient, but the being that caused the scar at Knowlespole.

It came from the sky and lured the Cetra into believing that is was their friend before infecting them with a virus. The last surviving Cetra sealed the creature before Weapon was ever used.

During their videotaped conversations, they fall in love and two years after their first recording, a child is born. Ten days after her birth, she is given the name Aeris by her father. Sadly, the time she'll spend in both their care is short-lived, and ten days later the unthinkable happens.

Just as the two proud parents continue to celebrate their daughter's arrival, Hojo, who has taken over Gast's post and accompanied by Shinra soldiers, has discover their location.

He seeks to capture not only Ifalna, but his long-awaited new sample as well. Outraged by their intrusion and contemptuous behavior towards his family, Gast orders them to leave promptly. However, Hojo has no intention of retreating without his samples and continues to forcibly seize mother and child. In a last ditch effort, Gast tries to fend off the men while Ifalna attempts to escape with Aeris.

Nevertheless it's all in vain, he is murdered and his family and research are taken by Hojo back to his laboratory at Shinra Headquarters located in Midgar. They would remain captive there for 7 years until finally managing to escape on a train passing through the Sector 5 slums.

Elmyra, a local woman expecting to welcome home her husband from the war in Wutai, is also waiting at the train station. She will encounter a dying Ifalna who asks her to take Aeris somewhere safe.

She accepts and takes the child home where upon they quickly become close. A young Aeris tells Elmyra about her escape and how her mother has returned to the planet.

Aeris is a mysterious child in many ways and notifies Elmyra of her husband's death before she receives word of it. Elmyra accepts Aeris' strange gift and are happy together until they are one day visited by Tseng of the Turks.

He wants Aeris returned and tells Elmyra that they have been searching for her a long time. He continues by saying that she is a special child of special blood and that as an Ancient she will lead them to a land of supreme happiness if she lends her cooperation to Shinra. Aeris protests and is from then on constantly under their surveillance. She'll avoid their kidnapping attempts for many years.

As a teenager of around 15-16, Aeris would meet a young and vibrant Shinra SOLDIER by the name of Zack. He would become her first boyfriend and love. The details of their relationship are unknown, but he would leave on assignment 2 years later never to return to her again. Aeris naturally assumed that the lady's man had found someone else.

Aeris continued living peacefully with her foster mother in the slums and tending to the flowers growing in a nearby church. She becomes a flower merchant on the streets of Midgar and would one day meet another young SOLDIER named Cloud. Their paths would cross again after he falls through the roof of the church, landing on her flower bed.