Chapter 1

"Aeris..."

Cloud held a small piece of the Holy materia, which it had been chipped off before falling into the deep lake. He sighed heavily as he held it towards his chest. As he did this, a reminiscence of Aeris floated into his head. How he first met Aeris, how he first dated Aeris, and how he witnessed...

Her death.

Cloud closed his eyes as he clutched his hair. "Aeris... how could i let you die..." Flashbacks of Aeris being stabbed by Sephiroth haunted his mind. The twisted expression of hers, the gushing out of blood, yet... Cloud stood there... watching her dying softly...

"No... Aeris.. no... AERIS!" Cloud screamed, as he fell onto the ground, whimpering.

"Cloud? Cloud? Are you all right?" A clear voice shouted out. It was Tifa. She carefully cradled him towards her. "What happened...?" Cloud gave no reply, but was holding the shard of materia tightly. Suddenly, Tifa spotted something. Cloud's eyes were wet.

Tifa turned her face to face his. Her ruby eyes widened with surprise. "Cloud...? You... you are crying...?" Cloud just closed his eyes sadly, and tilted his head down. He was shivering, while kissing the shard of Holy materia tenderly. Tifa immediately knew why was Cloud was so upset.

"Its Aeris, right?"

Cloud opened his teary eyes gingerly and nodded his head. Tifa's heart shattered. She shook his shoulders. "Cloud, i don't mean to say this, but Aeris is long dead! WE had already defeated Sephiroth, and theres nothing we can do about Aeris!" Suddenly, a vision floated into Cloud's mind. It was a picture of a beautiful woman, with great wings and blonde hair. She whispered, "Don't give up hope... she'll be back..."

"Aeris...?!" Cloud said hoarsely.

"CLOUD! STOP IT! SHE'S ALREADY DEAD!" Tifa cried. Cloud placed his hands over his ears and shook his head wildly. "NO!! SHE'S NOT DEAD!" Cloud shouted, as he pushed Tifa away. Tifa looked at him, with much sadness in her eyes.

"But Cloud..." She protested. Cloud raised his palm. He stood up, as he glanced at Tifa seriously. "She's not dead... everytime i held this piece of materia..." he paused as he looked at it gently. "I feel.. so secure... as if she is just beside me..."

"...as if she is just beside me..."

Meanwhile, in the heart of the deep lake in the Forgotten City, a glimmering stone was glittering with the reflection of the lake. Beside it, was a long forgotten young girl, with an amazing beauty, was lying with the stone motionlessly. Suddenly, a great white light appeared right in front of the girl. Then, a hoarse chant echoed the whole lake and all in a sudden, the blue-green clear stone gleamed with great light. The light spun around the ever-flowing brown haired girl in ribbons. The girl changed magically. Her present clothing were stripped into strips, and suddenly, the spinning light transformed a silky white robe. With a final blast of light, a pair of great wings grew out from her shoulder blades, and the glowing white light carried her out of the water.

"Come... Aeris... the world needs you once more..."

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