Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Rhapsody of Tears ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Usual IMPORTANT Stuff:Final Fantasy VII belongs to Squaresoft. Be warned that this has an AeRuf twist to the storyline. Yes, I AM a 100% AeRuf obsessed fan!! [shrugs] I just finally realized how obsessed with this pairing I am. So if you don't like Aeris, or Rufus, or neither together, then go away now... I'm saying that with much love. Maybe I'll add in some CloTi too, but the main focus is AeRuf.

And I'd like to dedicate this story to Mint-san, who has supported me with her kind emails, and to all the AeRuf fans out there! Send me (hineko@bellsouth.net) your AeRuf ficcies, okies! Aah, now on to the story!

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"Look."

"Hmm?" He followed the path of her staring eyes and saw something faint falling from the gloomy, dark skies. "It's raining." It hit him just below his left eye with a tiny 'splat' and rolled down his cheek, letting the cool touch seep into his skin.

"No, it's different," she said quietly, holding out her hand to catch the droplets. Her eyes filled with gentleness continued to gaze at the serene scene above as if it held a deeper meaning that only she saw. "They're tears..."

"Tears?" he repeated with curious eyes staring down at her delicate face. Several droplets had already fallen onto her creamy skin, making her appear like she had cried, and the smile she usually wore didn't have its brightness as before. It worried him that the most precious person left in his life was saddened by something and wouldn't tell him about it.

His arms around her petite body tightened securely from behind, trying to comfort her and keep her safe, and he rested his chin on her shoulder as he heard a relieved yet heartbroken-like sigh escaped her lips.

"The moon's tears..." she whispered, enough for him to hear and no other because to her, there was no one else in the world except for the two of them.

His mind pondered her words for some meaning, knowing how enigmatic she could be and she seemed to enjoy teasing him with that trait, but this time, it was all different. So different that he was afraid to even let her go from his embrace, as if she could just disappear any second. But he knew he couldn't stop time, and soon they would have to part and return to their different lives.


Rhapsody of Tears

written by K-chan

Prologue


Aeris hid her eyes behind brave Tifa from the gruesome death of the president of Shinra Company at his desk. Sure, she had seen dead people before, but this was a murder--a murder she almost witness. She only took one glimpse of the bloody corpse with the long blade protruding from the back, but the image would forever plague her pure mind.

She winced at the trail of crimson across the floor and unknowingly gripped Tifa's arm, causing the said girl to look back at her. Tifa smiled gently at her and patted her hand, "Don't worry, it's over with Shinra." It was then that the sound of a helicopter caught their ears. All eyes turned to the wall of windows and saw the helicopter approaching the building.

Barret threw a few curses into the air before letting the others comprehend the very grave situation. "Dammit! I forgot about the Shinra kid!" He looked at the others as he prepared his gunarm for battle if need be. "That's gotta be him, Rufus. He's the vice president, so he'll take over now since his dad's dead."

They were all quiet, absorbing those words, and wondered what this Rufus character was like. But no one noticed the alert expression on Aeris's face when that name was mentioned, like she knew who he was yet at the same time she was mixed with confusion. She repeated the name in a whisper, not even Tifa could hear, trying to pull the familiarity of it from her past.

"What should we do now?" Tifa asked, taking a few steps away from Aeris, who was slightly in her own world.

"Let's go see what he wants," Cloud finalized, but Barret was already ahead of him, running for the balcony exit.

"C'mon, ya slowpokes!" the large man bellowed, waving his gunarm at them.

Red XIII followed him without a word while Cloud and Tifa exchanged weary shrugs. Feeling something wrong, Cloud let Tifa pass him and looked back at Aeris who wore a confused expression. He walked back to her and touched her lightly on the shoulder, causing her to jump up. "Cloud!" she gasped.

"What's wrong, Aeris?" he asked, genuinely concerned that the girl seemed out of it ever since they discovered Shinra's dead body. "If this is about the new Shinra president, then don't worry. The others and I won't let him take you either."

She smiled appreciatively, "Thank you, Cloud." To leave it at that, she hurried after everyone else, pulling the blonde leader along. "Let's go! The others are waiting!" There were more important things to worry about, but her mind just couldn't brush the memories aside--the memories of a time that should've been forgotten. She wondered at times if being with him had always been a dream--a long dream she wished had never ended, even if the two of them were both young.

When she stepped onto the balcony with Cloud, he immediately stepped forward next to Barret, ready to fight. Tifa and Red were off to the left side in their battle stances as all eyes were focused on the helicopter still in midair. A young man with golden blonde hair jumped down to their level, smirking at the group assembled before him.

Rufus looked at large, dark-skinned man and immediately recognized him as the leader of the terrorist group, AVALANCHE, but he wasn't familiar with the others. He saw the glow in Cloud's eyes and suspected that the other blonde was connected to SOLDIER somehow. He would've brush off the rest of the group of two females and a feline, but it was the one in pink that he couldn't overlook easily. It was something about her that triggered his memories. Her eyes held some sort of confusion and recognition in them, so mesmerizing that he didn't want to pull away, but he had to in order to remain unsuspicious.

"Well well," he began, brushing a hand through his thick, golden hair, "What a welcoming party this is." He smirked, "But tell me, who are you people?" Not that he cared who the rebels were, but it was an excuse to find out who SHE really was. And for some reason, he hoped that she was the one--the one that would bring back the missing part of him that he had lost long ago.

"Barret Wallace, AVALANCHE member."

"Cloud Strife, mercenary."

"Tifa Lockheart, also an AVALANCHE member."

"Red XIII, lab speciman."

This was one screwed up team, Rufus thought, and these were probably the types to never go down without a fight and would continually come back to annoy the hell out of him if he didn't get rid of them soon. His scrutinizing eyes pushed by them all and locked onto the green orbs of the girl in pink. He even ignored Cloud's glare and Barret's gunarm aimed at him, and they had every right to when Rufus had absentmindedly walked towards Aeris. The team didn't attack yet because Rufus was unarmed and he had not done anything to harm Aeris yet, but they were ready if he made any moves.

Aeris silently thanked her new friends for being so protective of her, but did she really need it when HE was here? Was he really the same person as before? Would he hurt her now? She had felt so safe with him during those years ago, but why was there uncertainty in her stomach? The feeling of cautiousness didn't seem to belong to her, like someone or something else telling her stay away from him.

Rufus didn't realize what he had done until a frowning Tifa stepped in between him and Aeris. The garnet-eyed fighter had sensed something wrong in her friend's manner as if she was accessing the severity of the situation. She saw the confusion in those green eyes and somehow felt that Rufus had better back off, if his intentions were like his father's in kidnapping Aeris. "Back off," Tifa warned, "You're not taking Aeris away."

"That's right, you Shinra scumbag!" Barret shouted, "Touch her, and you'll regret of bein' born."

After he heard that name, Rufus remained indifferent to everything around him, even the insult. His eyes were on Aeris ever since the introductions began, and it took every ounce of his brain to restrain himself from reaching his hand out to her. After all these years, she was still alive, all grown and beautiful.

The longer he stared at her without saying a word, the more uncomfortable Aeris felt as if he had become a completely different person, a stranger. She had always hoped of someday seeing him again in a more happier environment, but who really knew how the hands of Fate worked.

"Such a pity," he said deeply, extending a hand to her face, and caressed the side of her cheek, "to see a lovely flower among weeds." Seeing the surprised look on her face and the faint pink across her cheeks, he smirked and turned around to the others, raising both hands into the air. "Midgar is finally under my reign!" Although he completely changed the subject, he still wondered what to do now. She had to come with him. There was just no way he would let this opportunity slip from him, when he had dreamed of being with her again.

"You bastard," Barret bellowed, "If your father hadn't been killed, you wouldn't have been president!"

He chuckled, "Yes, that is true. I must thank Sephiroth for that."

"We'll deal with Sephiroth," Cloud informed him, "but what are planning next?"

"What do you intend to do with the company?! And the Mako Reactors?!" Tifa demanded, "They're ruining the Planet!"

Aeris could hear the silent pleas emanating from the Planet as they stood there. The cries for help had always been there, echoing in her head, but now, they were becoming louder. A faint pain pulsed in the back of her mind, but she managed to find her voice again and said softly, directing it to Rufus, "Please, you have to stop the reactors, or else the Planet will die."

He whirled around to her at the gentleness of her voice. Everyone could see his face filled with emotions as he stared at her. He made his final decision when he plunged forward, shoving an unsuspecting Tifa aside, and grabbed Aeris's hand. He pulled her against him as a shield while the others were about to retaliate. "Don't make a stupid move," he warned, breathing hotly against her ear. He felt her shiver against his body.

Cloud angrily dropped his sword to his side, telling the others to fall back. He should've known better when he noticed the odd stares Rufus directed towards Aeris. This would be a second time that he let Aeris get taken away. Some bodyguard he was. "Let Aeris go, Rufus," he ordered, "You won't achieve anything by taking her."

Rufus saw the flare in the mercenary's eyes and had the urge to push it further. "Are you certain about that," he grinned slyly, brushing his face against her floral-scented hair, "Being a man, you should know of certain needs..." He would've loved to continue upsetting them, but he and Aeris just had to leave. "Now if you want her in unharmed, then step away."

"Cloud?" Tifa questioned, feeling so helpless as Red was to do anything. Barret was about to lose his temper AND control and blast the fool, but a level-headed Cloud jumped at the man and held him back. He threw a string of curses into the air while Rufus took this chance and pulled Aeris towards the helicopter. On impulse, Tifa ran after them and aimed her fist at Rufus, who dodged it by falling aside, dragging Aeris with him. Red caught up to Tifa, ready to aid her, while Barret and Cloud had stopped struggling with one another.

"Dark Nation!" he called. From the helicopter, a large panther jumped onto the balcony and protectively stood by its master's side. At Rufus's order, the creature advanced on Tifa and Red who slowly backed away, unsure of the potential of their new guest. When they looked over to the young president, he had already boarded the helicopter with Aeris. Smirking, he called Dark Nation back, and when the animal leapt onto the aerial vehicle, AVALANCHE was unable to do anything. Even if Barret were to shoot at the thing, it would just go crashing down, taking Aeris with them.

The four of them watched as the helicopter retreated in the distance, and Cloud had placed most of the blame on himself. Tifa knew this and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Cloud. Aeris'll be all right, and we'll save her again."


TO BE CONTINUED...

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I'm SO sorrie, people, but it's been SO long since I last played the game! Even so, I couldn't force myself to complete disc one, knowing that Aeris-chan was gonna die!!!!!! *sniffle, sniffle* So I deeply apologize the scene on the Shinra balcony is like WAY off! (Like didn't RuRu have some sort of speech up there??! Something about ruling people by fear??) And sorrie no action either, I just suck at those magical battles. But please tell me whacha think, okies?

Seriously, I don't have much planned for the rest of this 'cause, like I said, I never got through the rest of the game to see how the storyline went, mostly of the main events I know are from fanficcies. Anyway I would appreciate help on this, mainly on how the game storyline went concerning Rufus and the TURKs, and I guess the others too. It would be cool if I got a co-author too! Please review, and thanks for reading! =^-^=