Warning: Do not read if you have not finished Final Fantasy 7





     Aeris Says Goodbye by Howard Kleinman



     The lifestream dissipated as the meteor collapsed inward on itself.  The

small remaining bits of ash fell harmlessly to the remains of the upper

plates of Midgar.  Cloud heaved a sigh of relief.  

     "No one in the slums has been harmed."  Reeve said to the group on the

highwind through Cait Sith.  The slums. 

      "Cid, land the Highwind."  Cloud said.

      "What??"  Cid asked, puzzled by Cloud's request to land by the ruined

city.

      "I have something I want to take care of." Cloud sounded determined

enough for Cid's liking, and the Highwind wasa gently laid down outside the

radius of the inferno that was Midgar's upper plate.  Cloud threw down the

rope ladder on the side of the Highwind and climbed down to the scorched

earth below.  Tifa ran out to the platform above Cloud. 

      "Where are you going?" she asked.

       "I have to see something."  Cloud replied.

       "Is it about Aeris?"  Tifa had been wondering about where Coud's true

feelings were.  She knew that she had been in his mind when he made up his

lies about being in SOLDIER, but Aeris had left a very strong mark on him.

 Tifa feared that Cloud could never truly live in a world without Sephiroth

as a target for his anger about Aeris and Nibelheim.  

        "It is about Aeris, and I need to go alone."  The words stung Cloud

even as he spoke them.  Aeris.  Cloud needed to see if the old church where

her flowers grew was still standing.  He didn't know why, but he felt that he

would find her there.  He ran off into the slums despite Tifa's protests.

     Cloud came into the sector six slums using the key he had excavated from

the Bone Village.  There was wreckage strewn about everywhere, yet, in the

middle of all the burnt trash that no longer served a purpose was Aeris'

church as beautiful as it was the day Cloud fell into in after the

destruction of the sector 5 reactor.  Cloud slowly opened the door to the

church and saw the flowers blooming as they did while Aeris lived. Cloud felt

a warmth spring up in his chest and began to feel the pain he felt when

Sephiroth cleaved the life out of Aeris. He picked up one of the flowers and

held it in his hand.  It was then that he saw Aeris appear in the center of

the room.

     In a ghostlike voice that seemed to be filled with a degree of human

warmth Aeris spoke to him.  "Why can't you let me go Cloud?"

      "What?"  Cloud stammered unable to hide his shock at her sudden

entrance.

      "Why can't you let your world continue?"

      "Because, It was my fault."

      "Nothing was your fault." Aeris said.

      "Everything was my fault!"  Cloud yelled, tears began to pour down his

face. "I was the one who gave Sephiroth the Black Materia, I was the one who

attacked you. I was the one who led Sephiroth to you while you were saving

the planet.  I was the one who gave Sephiroth the Black Materia a second time

while he summoned the meteor."

      "You were being controlled."

      "Because my arrogance hid the truth from me, my lies made it possible

for Sephiroth to manipulate me!  I wanted to impress Tifa by telling her I

was in SOLDIER.  I blinded myself from the truth, and when I realized my

lies, I made room for Sephiroth to fill my mind with other truths, HIS

truths.  I let myself be manipulated."

      "Cloud.  Listen to me.  If it wasn't for you, I would not have known

about the Temple of the Ancients or how it was the black materia.  I would

not have discovered the purpose of my white materia.  Remember how I told you

it was useless?  You helped me find the truth.  You were the one who

destroyed Sephiroth and allowed my prayers to save the planet. I forgive you,

now you must forgive yourself."  

      "How can I?"  Cloud asked weakened by his own feelings of loss.  "How

can I go on.  I have so much anger in me.  I killed Sephiroth, I settled

everything.  Yet, there is an emptiness inside me.  I still have anger and

frustration.  I can't forgive myself.  I know now where all my anger came

from. It wasn't hatred at all.  It was guilt. I have done so much bad for the

world. I let you die.  I stood there watching."

     "I knew I was going to die."  Aeris stated.  "I saw Sephiroth's

connections to your dreams long before you did. "

     "What?"

     "When I appeared in your dream I knew that Spehiroth would also be

there, and he would know where I was going.  I summoned holy, yet I knew that

holy alone would not save the planet, so I had to join with the lifestream.

 The only way for me to do that was to die."

      "But what of the Cetra?"

      "Our time is past.  Cloud, be kind to Tifa.  Don't forget me, but

please, don't let me oppress you.  I would never want to do that.  I must go

now.  Good-Bye Cloud."  

      Cloud watched as lifestream came up out of the floor and absorbed

Aeris.  As Aeris' haunting green eyes faded Cloud left the church and walked

into the street. As he left the slums, he saw Tifa run towards him.  And for

the first time since the destruction of Nibelheim, Cloud was happy.