The altar, from where she stood, held breathtaking scenery. Aeris stood there with wide eyes. The water that shimmered from below reflected in her eyes, making her green eyes glow. She took a deep breath. The air was quite stuffy and a bit warm, but there was definitely an air of Holy in the place.

The sacred atmosphere. The unimaginable power beneath.

The era of Ancient –her race…

Aeris leaned on the fence that surrounded the small altar. She leaned her head back and looked at the sky that was visible through the small hole on the ceiling of the snail house.

She felt like she was at home. Home with her resilient flowers and her mom, Elmyra. The warm air surrounded her whole body like a soft feelings she always felt when she held on to her white materia. The place felt quite familiar to her, even though she had never been to this place. Her heartbeat refused to slow down even though she had walked to get to this place. Aeris felt excited as if something’s going to happen here.

Aeris straightened herself. “No time for daydreaming.” She reminded herself softly. Cloud would be here any moment. She had told him that she would be here, but she had given him the benefit of doubt that he wouldn’t remember her words. Knowing him, he would already be near the entrance of the forest with his friends.

God knows how he could remember, but he would. Aeris was sure. He always knew. Every detail.

She allowed herself to reminisce the time when they had mounted the gondola together. He hadn’t resisted when she suggested the ride, but then, the moment they stepped in and closed the door, there was absolutely nothing to say to each other. She had avoided his gaze with her arms resting on the windowsill so she didn’t get to know where he was looking, whether he was bored out of his head or enjoying himself. The air had suddenly become uncomfortable and in the corner of her eyes, she felt that Cloud glanced at her several times. But they shared the fantastic view of the Gold Saucer together and that was enough. For her.

Aeris knew she was being too pushy, too outspoken to him. Maybe too much. She knew Tifa was annoyed at her several times because of that. Thinking of Tifa put different thoughts into her head. The girl was a mystery. She was funny, beautiful and an old friend of Cloud, but she refused to accept the fact that she liked Cloud, just like Aeris felt for him. Several times, Aeris caught her staring at him. Several times, Aeris noticed the sigh that escaped out of her mouth. Yet, when Aeris pinpointed that out in open, she immediately jumped and denied that she even did those acts.

And Cloud –Cloud was indifferent to the whole situation. Sometimes, Aeris wondered what their relations were. She sometimes got the feeling that whenever Cloud looked at Tifa, he had always been trying to squeeze something out of his brain. As if to remember something. Maybe it was love. Maybe he loved Tifa.

Aeris sighed. She was an Ancient. She had a mission when she came to this world. And that time has come and here she was, thinking and pondering about something as corny as love. But she was a human being, aside from the fact that she was a different human. She needed love, just like everyone else!

But every time she fell in love, it was someone tied inevitably to the hands of fate.

Like Tseng.

Like Zack.

Aeris sighed and slowly kneeled on the hard floor of the altar. She closed her eyes and briefly let out a breath.

Like Cloud…

Specially Cloud…

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