Chapter 1
Vincent walked through the bone village. It was still very shabby and there were few people there now. They stared at this red caped stranger. Vincent ignored them and carried on to the sleeping forest. It had been a year since they had defeated Sephiroth.
Cloud and Tifa were living in Kalm. Tifa owned a bar and she and Cloud were living together.
Yuffie had disappeared soon after, no doubt gone to find more materia. They heard from her now and again.
Cid and Shera were married and expecting their first child. Cid was planning another expedition into space.
Cait Sith was with Reeve in Midgar. They were helping people get out of the slums. It would take too much to rebuild Midgar again, so Reeve was settling people in various towns.
Barret was rebuilding Corel. The townsfolk had accepted him back and voted him mayor. Marlene and Elmyra were with him.
Red XIII had returned to Cosmo Canyon of course. He was studying the planet still.
And Vincent? He had been wandering the world since Sephiroth. He wasn’t doing much in particular, and was now heading towards the city of the ancients. He didn’t know why. It was an impulse, like something was calling him.
Vincent found himself on the path leading towards the shell building. He hesitated then walked along. A wind was blowing him towards it and he felt a little disorientated. He strode forward and the wind was almost calling his name.
He found himself at the pool. The wind stopped abruptly. Vincent gazed down into the water. Down there was she. The girl he had failed. Vincent could remember one night they had spent together.
The Gold Saucer. He had seen Cloud and Tifa walking together and he sat on a balcony watching the fireworks when a voice had said
“Vincent?”
Aeris sat down next to him. He didn’t speak but just lifted his head to the sky
“What are you doing out here Vincent?”
“Thinking.”
“Oh. There’s lots to think about. Sephiroth, the planet. I just can’t help wondering if what we’re doing will make a difference.”
“We can’t know. But we can try.”
“Yes. I’m going to try. To prove it”
“Prove what?”
“That I can make a difference before…”
“Before?”
“Before I leave. Because I will. The planet told me. And the planet always knows”
“Does it know if we will win or lose?”
Aeris frowned, her green eyes glinting.
“It knows. But it says neither. We won’t win, and we won’t lose. There must be something in between. Like maybe we’ll beat Sephiroth but lose something doing it.”
Vincent nodded and Aeris smiled
“You just want revenge don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“On who?”
“Hojo. Sephiroth.”
“No you don’t.” Vincent looked at her
“What do you mean? I do.”
“No. You want revenge on yourself. You think you’ve been weak and you hate yourself for it. You think that killing Hojo will solve it.”
“Won’t it?”
Aeris shrugged
“I don’t know. Only you know that.” She looked up as another firework burst into stars, speckling the night sky.
“What are you doing here?” Vincent said. Aeris chewed the inside of her mouth
“Searching? Looking for something? I don’t know. But I will when I leave. I’ll find out then.”
“Will we see you again after you leave? Where will you go?”
“I don’t know where I’ll go. To the planet I suppose. And I won’t really leave you. I’ll still be here for you.”
She stood and smiled gently
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then she left.
Vincent looked up t the sky as he stood next to the lake. Was it the same sky he had watched with Aeris? It was darkening now and he decided it was time to rest now. He lay down and rested his head on his spread out blanket. Tomorrow he would go and see Barret.
At the bottom of the lake an angel lay in peaceful slumber. The water around her started to glow a shiny green. Her eyes twitched and opened she opened her mouth and took in a mouthful of water. Her eyes caught sight of the stars through the water. She impulsively kicked and choking water surfaced. She looked round spitting water, her hair loose around her. She struggled to the surface and flung herself onto the cold hard ground. Tears were mixing with the water from the lake.
Vincent opened his eyes. He was a light sleeper and had heard splashing from the lake. It was probably just some animal. But was it an animal that would attack? He stood drawing his gun. Vincent took a small torch from his pocket. He could see through most darkness but the blackness was like a thick blanket. He flicked the small light on and its narrow beam went over the lakes surface. He was about to turn it off when he heard rasping breathe coming from only a few feet away. He shone the torch towards the spot it was coming from.
It fell on a dark shape and he edged forward trying to make it out. It was human definitely. He saw long, brown, tangled hair and knelt. The figure looked up and peered through the torches light to see whom this person was.
Vincent looked down at sparkling green eyes, a small nose and a delicate mouth. He swallowed, actually shocked. The girl looked up at him.
“I know you.” She whispered her voice a little bit hoarse. He stared at her
“Aeris?”
“Aeris. That name. I know that name.” Vincent quickly turned and walked back to his blanket. Aeris gave a little cry at being left alone, but he returned and draped the blanket round her cold, wet shoulders. Then he took some wood out of a supply bag and started to build a fire.
Aeris gazed at the crackling fire. This man took a bowl and poured something into it. He gave it to her and she took it hesitantly. She gazed down at the liquid
“It’s tomato soup.” She smelt it. Then looked up at him again.
“What was that name you said before?”
“Aeris. That’s you.”
“Me. I’m Aeris. I’m Aeris.”
“Can you remember anything else?” Vincent asked sitting next to her. She thought
“Faces. Lots of faces. And names, but I can’t place them to the faces” she sipped the soup.
Vincent reached into his bag and pulled out a picture of Avalanche, taken just after the ordeal in the Northern Crater. He passed it to Aeris who touched it gently.
“These faces.”
“Let’s play a game. I’ll point to one and you try to remember the name” Vincent said quietly. She nodded
He pointed to Barret. Aeris looked at him.
“A little girl. He has a little girl. He’s called…”
“It begins with B.”
“B…B…. Bar…no, Barret.” She said and Vincent smiled at her
“That’s right. He’s Barret. And his girl is Marlene.”
“Barret and Marlene. In a big city. Flowers, church. Midgar.”
“Good. Are you tired”?
“No. Can we do more people?”
“Sure.” Vincent placed a long finger on Tifa.
“What about her? Begins with T.”
“Friendly, brown hair, brown eyes. T...Tif…Tifa. Is that right?”
She looked up for confirmation. Vincent nodded.
“Now him. R.” He pointed out Red.
“R…and N… Red XIII and another name. With N. Nanaki.”
Vincent looked at her in surprise
“Well done. What about her? Y this time.”
“She is…funny, young, a… ninja. Yuffie.”
“Good. Now him. Two words, C and S”
“A toy? Robot. Cait Sith.”
“Him, and C.”
“He’s space. No he likes space. Smokes and swears. Likes tea.” Vincent almost laughed here, but Aeris was staring intently at the picture
“Cid. He’s Cid. One left.”
“Yes. C again. This one is special. He’s the leader.”
“C…C… Blue eyes. Spiky hair. Special. Cloud.” She voiced it quietly.
“And you.” She said looking at Vincent
“You’re different. I can’t read you properly.”
“Read?”
“Read, like read your face, get your name.”
“What can you read from my face?”
“Revenge mostly. And guilt. And your name is…Vincent.” She gasped. He nodded slowly
“What else can you remember?”
“Nothing. I don’t know, how I ended up in the lake.” She tugged the blanket close round her like a small child. Vincent thought about it.
“I was sleeping. For a long time. Deeper sleep than normal. It’s called Death isn’t it?”
“Yes. You were dead. Do you know how? Can you remember what happened at the alter?”
She closed her eyes
“The alter. A man with silver hair. Hatred was what I read. And a sword. And Cloud too. And a materia. My materia.”
“I don’t know where it is.” She nodded and yawned.
“I want to see them. I want to see these people. They’re my friends. Are they?”
“Yes.”
“Your important though.”
“Aeris, what happened? How did you come back?”
“I was in the Lifestream. And something called me back. I knew I was needed again here. So I woke up at the bottom of the lake.”
Aeris shivered and Vincent saw her clothes were still soaking wet. He pulled some trousers and a shirt out of his bag.
“Put these on, so I can dry your dress.” Aeris took the clothes and frowned down at them.
“Do you know what to do?”
“I’m not sure.” Vincent helped her take off the jacket. And then her dress. He felt a little bit uncomfortable but helped her put on the shirt and trousers. She smiled
“It’s like being a baby again. I know what things are and what they’re supposed to do but I can’t make them do it.” She sat down again and said
“I’m tired.”
“Go to sleep. I need to ring a few people okay?”
“Yes.” She lay down and closed her eyes. Vincent pulled out the PHS. He dialed
the number of Clouds PHS and waited. A bleary voice answered
“Hello?”
“It’s Vincent. I’ve made an urgent discovery. Can I try and get everyone over at you place tomorrow around twelve?”
“Sure, but why?”
“I’ll show you when I arrive.”
“Where are you?”
“I’ll explain tomorrow. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Vincent stopped the call and dialed Barret’s number
“Yes? Do you know what time it is?”
“Barret it’s me.”
“Vincent?”
“Yes. I need you to go to Cloud’s place tomorrow at noon. Can you tell Reeve And Red?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow.”
Vincent called Yuffie.
“Yello.”
“It’s Vincent. I need you to go to Cloud’s house tomorrow at Noon.”
“’Kay. See you then.”
Vincent closed the PHS. Just Cid to call
“What?” came the angry voice.
“Vincent here.”
“Look it’s great to hear from you but at this time of night.”
“I’ll be brief. Cloud’s house at noon tomorrow. Be there.”
“Okay. Why?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
Vincent put the PHS away and looked over at Aeris. She was sleeping and Vincent sat watching the fire until Morning came. Then he woke Aeris, and they rented chocobos to go to Kalm.
That’s all folks. But the next chapters here too so go on!