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Rhythmic Fate The sun had long since retreated beyond the horizon, while the full moon hung lazily in the night sky. Distorted arrays of stars accompanied the bare white orb in pure tranquillity. The soft breeze and warm wind that whistled by gave life to the trees and plants, as they swayed to and fro. In a clearing where trees refused to grow and the grass stood tall, were several tents tied down so that they wrapped around a small bonfire. While the campsite was quiet and the tents were still, there was one tent that was illuminated with a soft yellow light. On the tent’s fabric was the shadow of a petite woman packing a bag, while she walked back and forth with haste. Inside the lit tent the brunette’s eyes were unfazed and emotionless… but if you were to look just a bit deeper into her emerald depths you would see nothing but lonely dismay. After she closed her backpack, she threw the bag over her shoulder and carefully unzipped the tent. With a deep breath the brunette took one step forward onto the soft grass. She could feel the moist blades brush against her ankles and calves as she took another cautious step. The brunette stepped over the slowly dying bonfire, and padded toward the thick forest up ahead. She knew what she had to do, and she knew what was going to happen… to her, to them, to him… But that didn’t stop her. Nothing would. When she approached the forest, she stopped and placed her hand on a tree and rested her forehead against the hard trunk. She knew with all her heart that there was hope for humanity… for the Planet. She was going to save it all… and she’s their hope. The woman closed her eyes and breathed out slowly. Her life was but a small price to pay. She would never leave the Forgotten City— she would be forgotten within it. She didn’t belong on this Planet anyway, did she? Her kind, the Cetra, have been extinct for thousands of years… she should have been in her Promised Land by now. A warm tear rolled down her cheek when she thought of her loved ones. She would miss her mother, whom she ran away from without a word… she would miss her friends of Avalanche, and she would miss— …She would miss Cloud— a lot. The woman bit her lip in an attempt to stop the tears building up in her eyes. She pictured Cloud’s mako blue eyes staring back at her, and his golden spikes glowing vividly under the sun. A sad smile touched her lips. She was going to do this all for them…for him, for everyone. The brunette finally opened her blurry eyes, and wiped at them with the back of her hand. She took in a shaky breath before she let it out slowly. Then she clenched her trembling hands into tiny fists and fixed her gaze northward. She was ready. “Aerith…?” The brunette froze with a sharp intake of air. She felt everything crumble inside her, as she squeezed her eyes shut in denial. ‘No… This is all wrong!’ Her mind screamed. ‘I should’ve been unseen, unnoticed…how could this have happened?” “Aerith— what are you doing?” The soft voice was closer this time, and Aerith knew she wouldn’t be able shut the person behind her out. Her mouth went dry as she bit her lip. ‘What was she to say?’ She could feel panic stirring in the pit of her stomach. ‘How could one explain her situation to a loved one…?’ When the woman found no answers within herself she mentally reached out to the very thing she set out to save. ‘…Planet— help me!’ But the Planet was unyielding to her calls, and she felt a pang in her heart at its silence. ‘Is the Planet angry with me?’ ‘I haven’t failed yet, right?’ ‘…Right?’ Suddenly, Aerith felt two hands clasp her shoulders and whirl her around. In a heartbeat two glowing-mako orbs captivated her, and she found herself unable to look away. The deep cerulean that rested in those eyes reminded her of a silent bay lapping with the tide. They made her think of an endless field of flowers that only promised happiness. Those eyes swirled with so much emotion… Confusion, concern, hesitation, fear… …Love? “Aerith!” The blue-eyed man shouted, shaking her a bit when he noticed the woman he held had a faraway look on her face. She blinked a few times before she finally noticed that she’d been staring at him. A slight blush tinted her pale cheeks but the man before her didn’t seem to take notice. “Where were you going?” His voice was low and soft again. Aerith looked down, away from his distracting and beautifully glowing eyes. “I— Cloud…” She looked northward once again. Cloud followed her gaze and a frown crossed his features. “You were planning on going out alone?” His brow furrowed in confusion. “Aerith, I promised to be your bodyguard, but how am I supposed to keep that promise if I’m not with you?” “…Cloud, I need to do something.” She murmured, still avoiding his eyes. “Something you may not accept.” The man continued to stare at her with bewilderment, waiting for her to speak up again. “I have to go to the Forgotten City.” She said softy. His blonde head quirked to the side. “Of coarse you do Aerith, we all do.” “—and we were planning to go tomorrow… to stop Sephiorth.” The man finished. Aerith put her head down so that her bangs hid her eyes from him. “I have to stop him, Cloud, I’m the last… and it’s my duty.” “…Aerith, you and I both know what he could do to you. You’ve seen what he’s done and what he can do.” “Cloud,” She finally looked up at him, revealing her earthly eyes glittering with unshed tears. Cloud was instantly taken back and his concerned eyes widened. ‘I’ve never seen her cry before…’ He could feel his heart breaking at the sight. “…Cloud, I know what he can and will do, but—” The heavy sadness in her voice was too much for Cloud to bare. “Can and WILL do?!” He cut her off as his grip on her shoulders tightened. “A—Aerith, what’s going on?” His voice was pleading for an answer. Aerith breathed out, “…I really need to go, Cloud.” She started to pull away from his hands, but he refused to release his hold. Aerith shot him a glance. ‘What’s wrong with her?’Cloud wondered, ‘Does she want to die?’ ... ‘Or, maybe she needs to.’ A voice said in the back of his mind. Alarm coiled in the pit of his stomach. “If you’re going somewhere, I’m coming too.” He said it as if it were a fact, plain and simple. Aerith shook her head. “No, you cant, Cloud.” She started trying to pull away again, but with her back to a tree and Cloud’s grip holding her in place, there was no way she could distance herself from him. “Yes I can, I’m your bodyguard.” He started firmly, his eyes pinning into hers. “And if anything at all happens to you, I’m responsible.” “...And I’m not about to break my promise, Aerith.” The tears that her emerald orbs trapped now sprang loose and rolled down her cheeks freely. Her arms went around him. “I’m responsible for me, and it’s not your fault if I get hurt.” She whispered gently. “So don’t worry.” “—But, I will worry, because I don’t want you to get hurt.” He murmured while he rested his chin on her head, as the aroma of flowers filled his senses. “…What if that’s something you can’t control?” “It is something I can control… because I’m here with you.” “—Cloud,” Aerith reluctantly pulled away from his arms, and looked up at him. “I may go a away for a little while… but know that I’m always with you.” A sad smile crossed her pink lips, despite her tears. The blonde didn’t know what to do when his eyelids suddenly became heavy and his limbs started to go limp. He tried to say something; anything to get her to wait… to tell her not to go but his voice came out as a sigh as he felt his mind go blank. ‘Don’t leave me…’ Was his last thought before the darkness quickly consumed him. Aerith felt ashamed of herself as she steadied Cloud so that he wouldn’t fall backwards. She had cast the spell Sleepel on him… because she knew that he would either follow her, or bring her back to her tent— with her unwilling or not. Knowing Cloud… her safety is his first priority. With all the strength Aerith could muster, she has able to bring… or drag, for lack of better verb, Cloud’s unconscious body to his tent. Then, slowly and carefully she rested Cloud’s peaceful form onto his sleeping bag. “Please… forgive me,” She whispered, giving him a soft peck on his parted lips. Feeling the forest calling out to her, and the Planet willing her to go… Aerith stood up and exited the tent, but not before she sent one last look back. --- |