Fanfic-FF7:The Saviour mini series. "A new beginning and the lingering darkness"

Part 14: Watching Aerith and a hidden secret

After and anything but peaceful night for Celestia, a new day begins, starting off with arguing and Sephiroth taughting Celestia again, Elmyra makes everyone breakfast, they have just finished eating and Aerith is getting ready to make rounds as Cloud and Celestia wait for her outside, despite Celestia's optimistic beginning to the day, now she's dwelling on everything that happened in her dream the night before and Cloud is concerned "your dream must have really bothered you, what all happened in it anyway, other then the obvious" Cloud asks Celestia sympathically "it was no ordinary dream, really it was another missing piece of my past I didn't know" Celestia replies to Cloud as she looks down "Another memory huh, did it help you find out anymore about yourself" Cloud ask her curious "it did but every answer just leads to another question, I know that the darkness from all those years ago still exists in me now, but because of it I was put in an eternal slumber" she explains to Cloud confusing him "what do you mean eternal slumber" Cloud replies asking her "you could say that it must be what happened after giving myself up to the darkness, theres a mysterious watering hole in the city somewhere, and the water inside it can dispeal darkness" Celestia continues explaining to Cloud "a watering hole in the middle of the city, is that why you where in an eternal slumber" Cloud asks Celetsia "it seems so, even in the dream, it could sense the darkness still within me, and I was almost put back to sleep by it, theres no telling what might have happened if I didn't get out of the water, I might not have woken up this morning" Celetsia tells Cloud terrified immediately worring him "but it was just a dream, t-that couldn't happen right" Cloud asks Celestia nervous "im not so sure, even if it was a dream, it was far to real, I know what I felt in it was real, why do you ask" Celestia explains to Cloud then asks him concerned "it's...nothing, I just don't want to lose you like I have everything else" Cloud replies sadly trying to act like he's not worried as Celestia puts a hand on his shoulder "that's very sweet of you Cloud, but I know something about it is bothering you, I can't make you tell me, but it's just going to bother me even more until you do" Celestia tells Cloud sadly removing her hand from his shoulder as Aerith comes out the door "whats the matter with you guys, it's a new day, quit being so gloomy" Aerith encourages Cloud and Celestia noticing how gloomy they are annoying them both "thanks, but no one said it was wrong to be gloomy" Celestia sternly tells Aerith as the darknes overtakes her surprising Aerith as Celetsia crosses her arms "Celestia, what's with you, it's like your a completely different person all of a sudden, maybe your really not the Celestia I used to know" Aerith tells Celestia shocked at her sudden coldness growing sad "I want apolize for being secretive, you don't need to know everything about me" Celestia bluntly tells Aerith her voice calm but annoyance in her words as Cloud just sighs and Celestia begins walking away "you'll get used to it, its like I told you she's not the Celestia you might have known all those years ago, she's always moody like this" Cloud bluntly tells Aerith as he follows Celestia "Celestia, what happened to you, that light in you, it's fading, is the darkness inside you changing you" Aerith thanks to herself shocked "what are we doing anyway" Celestia then asks Aerith coldly knocking her out of her thoughts "oh right, that, you where going to help me" Aerith replies unsure how to respond "yeah, you forgot already, what are we doing anyway" Cloud bluntly asks Aerith repeating Celetsia's question not surprising her annoying Celestia "of course she would, she always did get distracted easily" Celestia bluntly mentions annoying Aerith "like you need to remind me, anyway just follow me your more so with me to protect me then help me" Aerith bluntly replies too Celestia "why do you need protection anyway, its not like anything will happen too you without us" Cloud asks Aerith bluntly "that's half true, those bastard Turks will be after her even more now that I'm useless to them, I can't let them lay a hand on her" Celestia sternly explains to Cloud determination in her voice as Aerith smiles "even if your different, I'm glad to see you still care about me, but remember Celestia that's why Cloud's here too" Aerith happily tells Celestia who just laughs "say that if you want Aerith but I can protect myself just fine, Cloud and I just promised to stick together, besides with 2 bodyguards you have extra protection anyway" Celstia replies to Aerith sarcastically "well, I don't care what the reason is, im glad I'm at least not alone" Aerith happily tells Celestia as they hear something nearby them groaning confusing them all "uh, Aerith, please tell me I didn't just hear what I think I did" Celestia asks Aerith nervous reminded of what happened at 7th heaven with the Sephiroth clone " if you mean something groaning, yeah I heard it too" Aerith replies as Celestia gets nervous "you don't think" Cloud asks her worried "no, of course not, why would one of them be here" Celstia tells Cloud trying to cover her nervousness "uh Celestia are you ok, and who's them" a concerned Aerith asks Celestia "no one, sorry, let's just go" Celestia replies to Aerith anxious as she begins walking away "nope, im not going through a repeat of that, we have to get away from here now" Celestia thinks to herself determined to escape another encounter with Sephiroth as the groaning gets lounder and she hears something hit the ground stopping her dead in her tracks and turns to see Aerith kneeling down to a suffering person in a black cloak as Cloud does the same "hey, are you ok, Celestia, can't you help with your powers" Aerith asks the person then asks Celestia who's conflicted "she's right I can, even if it may be a clone, it's my job to help anyone suffering because of Sephiroth, the prophecy says so" Celestia thinks to herself annoyed giving up on trying to avoid the inevitable "fine, I'll try but I don't know what exactly I can do" Celestia replies to Aerith as she walks over and also kneels down to the suffering clone "I know your suffering because of him, so I free you of what you are" Celestia says placing a hand on the clones forehead as she immediately gets a headache trying to use her powers to release the clone of his curse fighting through the pain as he just cries in pain more, fragments of memories unable to be seen flashing through her mind as she starts breathing heavily "Celestia, stop, your just making it worse for both you and him" Aerith sternly tells Celestia as she removes her hand from the clones forehead and sits on the ground trying to get herself together as the headache fades but this doesn't last long when the clone grabs both Cloud and Celestia's left arms causing Celestia's headache to return and Cloud to get a headache as well as the clone turns into Sephiroth and Cloud quickly jumps back putting a hand on his sword Sephiroth's power making Celestia unable to move as her left arm pulses with energy continusly feeling a dark power within it as she grabs it causing her even more pain and she watchs helplessy as Sephiroth walks closer to Cloud "damn, I can't do anything, his power is too strong" Celestia thinks to herself frustrated "embrace me" is all Sephiroth says to Cloud as he turns back into a normal clone and walks away as Cloud removes his hand from his sword feeling a sudden pain in the arm the clone grabbed as he looks at his hand and the pulsing in Celestia's arm fades "what was that dark feeling in my veins just now, the tainted energy inside me or the jenova cells within me" Celestia thinks to herself confused looking at the same arm "get it together Cloud, you too Celestia" Aerith says grabbing Clouds hand looking at him then Celestia calming Cloud down but Celestia can't hear her as she puts a hand to her head "all those broken fragments, what where they, I must have done so many horrible things when I worked for shinra" Celestia thinks to herself, tears falling from her eyes and Cloud hearing her thoughts as him and Aerith walk to Celestia's side "Did you hear me Celestia, you have to get it together" Aerith sympathically tells Celestia grabbing the hand she has to her head as Celestia looks up tears still in her eyes upsetting Cloud "Aerith? No I didn't sorry" Celestia says surprised to see Aerith in front of her holding her hand using her free arm to wipe her tears as Aerith let's go of her hand relieved and Cloud puts a hand on Celestia's shoulder "It doesn't matter what you did, all that matters is how you feel now" Cloud sympathically tells Celestia who knows Cloud heard thoughts again "but what if I helped him destroy your home, when he did the same to mine, I'd never forgive myself, and would you even still be my friend if I did" Celestia asks Cloud regretfully who already knows what she's talking about surprising him "I don't know what you guys are talking about now, but I know you want tell me so I'll give you a minute" Aerith kindly says as she puts space between her and Celestia "where is this coming from all of the sudden, what did he show you" Cloud sternly but gently asks Celestia "im not sure exactly but just now a lot memories from when I worked with shinra flashed through my mind but it was nothing but bits and pieces I couldn't put together like always, but what if I did help him and of my own free will" Celestia tells Cloud and asks him as he hugs her "even if you did, I'd sacrifice everything even my petty revenge on Sephiroth for you or any of my friends, and without you Celestia I don't know what id do" Cloud sincerly tells Celestia surprising her as she hugs back "I still haven't gotton used to seeing your soft side Cloud, thank you" Celestia jokes but sincerly tells Cloud as they break the hug "Celstia, I may not remember why but what I do know is how much you mean to me Celestia" Cloud reminds Celestia again making her blush a bit "well its seems you guys are done, im glad your both ok, now come on, I need help carring these, 1 for each of us" Aerith tells Celestia and Cloud as she holds up 2 baskets of flowers with 1 basket half full on her arm shocking them "when did you have time to get all those and for that matter where from" Celestia asks Aerith shocked "I ran and picked some while you guys where talking" Aerith happily tells them laughing as they stand up "you sure about that, no one can get that many flowers this quick" Celestia suspiously asks Aerith "alright, you got me, I had help, c,mon I'll introduce you to them" Aerith replies laughing "whos them" Celestia asks bluntly "you'll see" Aerith replies happily as she begins walking north "what is she even getting at do whoever them are know me too" Celestia says to herself annoyed "only one way to find out" Cloud replies as they follow Aerith "oh, Celestia by the way, I should warn you, they always loved you, actully you where kinda like a mother to them" Aerith stops walking and turns and tells Celestia happily immediately worring her "kinda like there mother you say, um, how about you just show us where that tunnel is instead" Celestia nervously tells Aerith "it's kinda too late for that, I already told them you returned and well" Aerith replies to Celetsia making her even more nervous who's interrupted by children's voices as she freezes in place "that's what I was afraid of" Celestia thinks to herself sighing as the 3 kids hug her 1 12 year, 1 11 year old boy, and 1 10 year old girl "Celestia your back, we missed you" the kid say in unison "hello little ones, um, I missed you too" Celestia replies as she hugs the kids back unsure what to do and say "alright now, give her some space" Aerith tells the kids jokgly who refuse to let Celestia go "no, we will never let her go again, she needs to stay here" the 11 year old boy replys to Aerith as Cloud quietly laughs "hey, what's so funny" Celestia sternly asks Cloud "it seems your better with kids then you thought" Cloud sarcastically tells Celestia annoying her who doesn't even bother to respond as the kids attention immediately turns to him "ooo, is this your boyfriend Celestia he has such a cool sword" the 12 year old boy says as the kids immediately let go of Celestia to her relief and run over to Cloud this time Celestia laughing Cloud unsure what to say or do "and it seems you aren't either, thanks for getting rid of them for me" Celestia jokes telling Cloud annoying him "introduce us Celestia" the 12 year old boy asks her as she gets nervous "what did I except from a trio of kids, of course there not going to let me off that easy, but I don't remember there names" Celestia thinks to herself unsurprised and not sure what to say at first "his name is Cloud, and no he's not my boyfriend just my-" Celestia begins telling the kids "best friend and partner" Cloud answers for Celestia "how did you meet him" the 10 year old girl asks Celestia "ok now, that's enough, leave them alone, they aren't here to stay" Aerith tells the kids again happily "aw, your not, bumber, can you at least play with us one more time" the 12 year old boy replies "Aerith's right, im sorry, I wish I could but Cloud and I need to get going, don't worry tho I'll be back" Celestia sweetly explains to the kids exciting them "that means we may see Cloud again to, awsome, well goodbye then" the oldest kid says as they run off to play and a memory of Tifa walking to some kids that's far to real plays out in front of Cloud like a movie as he gets light headed and puts a hand to his head and a memory also comes back to Celestia as she gets light headed and does the same *in Celestia's memory* she's about 16 and with the same 3 kids who are 6, 7, and 8 sitting and watching them play with each other in the exact area they are in when Zack and Aerith appear and wave at her a mysterious blond haired boy about her age with them "wait is that a young Cloud" Celestia thinks to herself shocked "Tifa" Cloud quietly says removing his hand from his head as he soon begins seeing pieces of Celestia's memory "hey guys, have you come to get the children Aerith" the Celestia in the memory tells Aerith and Zack "yep" Aerith replies as the Celestia in the memory notices the mysterious boy behind Zack confusing her as she gets up and walks to them "Hi, are you a friend of Zacks, im Celestia" Celestia happily asks the Cloud in the memory introducing herself Cloud unable to hear or see Zack and Aerith "Yeah, I thought id introduce you sense you might be working with him, he's 16 like you this is-" Zack begins saying "im Cloud, nice to meet you, I look forward to possibly working together" young Cloud happily introduces himself to Celestia smiling "same to you, its nice to meet you too" Celestia replies to Cloud happily "Zack, how did you even manage to let shinra allow this" Celestia jokingly asks Zack (Cloud can only see the parts of the memory where he and Celestia are interacting) as Zack guiltilly puts a hand on his neck not surprising Celestia "what did you do" 16 year old Celestia bluntly asks Zack annoyed "well, I kinda brought him here without telling them, but he's not an official mercenary yet" Zack guilty tells 16 year old Celestia and reassures "Zack you idiot, don't you know how dangerous that is, even if he isn't an official mercenary yet you could get us all in serious trouble" Celestia sternly tells Zack as Aerith just laughs "well you know how he is" Aerith in the memory tells Celestia "all to well unfortuneatly, your lucky shinra didn't come looking for all of us" Celestia replies to Aerith and tells Zack "Cloud, im so sorry this idiot almost got all of us in trouble, he's careless" Celestia apolizes to young Cloud for Zacks behavior "oh, that's ok, I don't mind, he's my only friend anyway" young Cloud happily tells 16 year old Celestia "only friend huh, well now you have 2, even if we may not know each other well yet, you have a friend in me" 16 year old Celestia happily replies to Cloud "that means a lot, thank you" young Cloud tells Celestia smiling "of course, everyone needs friends" Celestia happily replies to Cloud "Celestia and I already knew each other, but who introduced us" Cloud thinks to himself as the memory fades from his mind and he removes his hand from his head surprised as the rest of the memory plays out in Celestia's mind "Anyway Zack, you, I and Cloud should be heading back to shinra before they do come looking for us" Celestia jokes telling Zack "yeah your right, will see you Aerith" Zack replies waving as they part ways with Aerith *end of memory* and the memory fades everything spinning as Celestia returns to reality and she kneels down holding her head feeling like she could pass out at any moment "I knew Cloud all along, how could I forget something so important, and is this why im so special to him" Celestia thinks to herself the dizziness finally beginning to fade as she removes her hand from her head feeling a hand on her shoulder "you still with me Celestia" she hears Cloud's concerned voice no coldness in his words whatsoever "he must have seen some of my memory even tho it's a shared memory between us anyway, but I've never heard his voice so full of compassion before, he'salways so emotionless" Celestia continues thinking to herself as she stands up "did you" Celestia begins asking Cloud "yeah" he replies "I can't believe we forgot something so important" Celestia sadly tells Cloud who silently agrees "tho there was pieces of it missing for me, one things for sure even then what you said to me meant so much, that must be the reason your so special to me" Cloud sincerly tells Celestia Aerith hearing him "so you guys finally remembered, yes you've known each other a while, and after you met you only grew closer, it's all thanks to him" Aerith tells Celestia and Cloud surprising them as she looks up at the sky remembering when Zack introduced them"you mean you knew, how could you not tell us something so important" Celestia asks Aerith annoyed "yeah, serously, and you sure did a good job of hiding it we would have never guessed" Cloud sternly tells Aerith crossing his arms as Aerith looks back at them "sorry about that but you needed to remember it for yourselves, I thought it would be sooner then this tho, shinras experiments really did affect your memory's somehow, im just glad your slowy putting the pieces back together and still are by each others sides" Aerith sincerly apolizes to them and tells them as they just stay silent "what, not going to say anything else, c,mon it's not that important is it" Aerith sternly asks them "no it's not that important, it's onr of the most important, Cloud and I are all each other has left, and we didn't remember" Celestia sternly replies to Aerith "im really sorry Celestia but your not going to let this strean on friendship are you" Aerith sincerly tells Celestia and then asks her annoyed "she has every right to let it affect your friendship, every single thing that's important to us we can't remember, you can't begin to comprehend how it makes us feel" Cloud coldly tells Aerith "it's fine, im still your friend Aerith and I'll still protect you when I can but you will have to regain my trust" Celestia replies to Cloud bluntly then sternly tells Aerith "that's just fine, im going to have to with what shinra did to your minds anyway" Aerith replies to Celetsia as Celestia takes a breath calming herself down "the truth is always better to find out for yourself, but I didn't think they would take it so personally, but Zack did warn me about this" Aerith thinks to herself sadly "we still have plenty of time so I'll leave the 2 of you alone for a bit, you probably don't want anything to do with me right now, but don't worry I'll still show you the tunnel later" Aerith tells Celestia and Cloud as she walks away immediately worring Celestia "Aerith, wait, im sorry, I didn't mean to be so heartless, please, it's not safe for you to be alone" Celestia calls out to Aerith as they hear a helicopter over head immdently worring Celestia as a image of shinras helicopter appears in her mind and a man with black glasses hops out of it as Celestia looks up at the helicopter to see the same man jumping out of it Aerith not far from eitheir as Celestia quickly grabs her sword and Aerith runs behind Celestia and Cloud "Whats going on" Cloud asks "it's the turks again, Reno failed so now they've sent his partner after Aerith" Celestia sternly tells Cloud who grabs his sword as well "Cloud, do you mind" Aerith asks Cloud "no Aerith, your my responsibility, and it's just him this time, I'll take care of it, Cloud you just gaurd Aerith" Celetia sternly tells Cloud and Aerith as Rude tries to kick her back but she blocks it with her sword sliding back on the dirt "I will never let you have Aerith, you bastard Turk, back off" Celestia tells Rude as she dodges at Rude with her sword but he flips out of the way now in front of Aerith and Cloud as he turns to Celestia "just who the hell are you" Rude asks Celestia "who am I, take a close look, Reno remembered me so should you" Celestia sternly tells Rude as she stands and waits for his response "wait, your Celestia, shinras 2nd best solider" Rude tells Celestia a bit surprised "precisely, but I work only for myself now, I was forced to come with you anyway" Celestia boldly replies to Rude "no, you came willingly to protect...her" Rude bluntly replies to Celestia then turns to Aerith "yeah, so you wouldn't take her instead, and that hasn't changed but im done being an obident solider and I'm not alone anymore eitheir" Celestia sternly tells Rude "what are you talking abo-" Rude begins saying but then notices Cloud who just glares at him "I see, so he was once a solider too, you both betrayed shinra" Rude sternly asks Celsstia and Cloud staring daggers at each of them "more like took control of our own lives, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate shinra" Celestia calmly and boldly replies to Rudeas she uses her telekinesis to levitate Rude in the air "I can see why you where there 2nd best solider, no one can match your power and strength" Rude sarcastically tells Celestia as she throws him back in the helicopter that's still hovering overhead and sends the helicopter back in the direction of shinra with he telekinesis "your useless against us, try again never" Celestia sternly says aloud to herself as a shock of eletricity goes through her heart and she puts a hand to her chase catching herself as she falls to 1 knee "Celestia are you ok" Cloud puts his sword away and walks to her side "I'm fine" Celestia says as Cloud helps her back to her feet "Aerith I told you not to leave our side, what would have happened if I couldn't protect you" Celestia tells Aerith as her sword disappears into thin air "sorry, I didn't think they would send Rude after me once Reno failed" Aerith apolizes to Celestia "it doesn't matter I made quick work of him anyway" Celestia replies to Aerith "Reno damaged your heart 5 years ago didn't he" Aerith asks Celestia as she removes her hand from her chest and Cloud just glare at her suspiously "damaged your heart, Celestia what is she talking about" Cloud sternly asks Celestia who just looks down sadly "ill give you 2 some time to talk about it but don't worry I want go far" Aerith says as she steps away from Celestia.
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