I Never Let Her Die! (Aerith x Male Gamer Reader)

Disk 01: Chapter 03: Kalm Before The Storm

"Now hold on." Tifa disagreed. "I don't think so either Aerith, but you can't know for sure."

"Yes I can." Aerith insisted. "I don't know where he came from... And there is something I can't place that's different about him... but he's not Shinra, or anyone else we have to worry about. I feel that much."

"Is this an 'ancient' thing?" Barrett asked.

Red interrupted "I suspect it is for her. But I have the same feeling."

"Aw hell, what's it matter now?" Barrett said. "You've gotten him safely to a town and we've only lost a day. What's the point in even bothering discussing it any..." He stopped. Realization came to him. "Wait, you ain't wantin' to take this guy along are you?"

"Why not?" Tifa asked. "He's got a mystery to solve, and some secret score of his own to settle with Sephiroth. And, he's not the best in a fight by any means, but he's not totally helpless either."

"Actually." Red said. "My gut feeling is that our encounter with the drone was his first fight, ever. Taking that into account, he didn't do very badly at all."

"Still, I don't know..." Barrett insisted.

It was then that Cloud finally spoke up. "We're going after Sephiroth. We can't afford to turn down any help at all."

"Even if it turns out to not be help?" Barrett screamed. "Damn spikey, think!"

"He is thinking Barrett." Tifa said. There are five of us in this room, and four are in agreement to take him along."

"This ain't no democracy!" Barrett objected, but without any real force. He knew he had lost the argument. Finally he said "Alright. But Teef, it's on your head if this comes back to bite us."

"No." Aerith stepped in. "I was the first one to speak up for him, and the most insistent. It won't come back on us, but if it did I'm the one you'd need to come down on."

"Remember you said it." Barrett answered, shaking his head. "Anyway, we'll wait here one more night and head south at dawn. Right now it's... Let's see... Not quite three o clock. Everyone do whatever you need for the next three hours, then meet back here at six."

----------------------------------------------------------

===Resume First-Person P.O.V. ===

While the meeting was being held, I continued to sit on the wall and think. One thing was easy to deal with, or so I hoped. Who knows how long Avalanche would spend trying to catch wild Chocobos to cross the marsh? Maybe I could bribe someone at the stable to just loan us some birds. They'd go back home when we released them after all, it wouldn't be theft.

Other concerns were harder to figure, like the apparent differences in certain aspects of relationships. Going by the game, Aerith and Tifa should have been in constant struggle over the affections of an all but oblivious Cloud. Instead, Aerith herself called Tifa Cloud's girlfriend and didn't seem to have any romantic interest in him at all. It was all very confusing.

At any rate, as I sat there, I suddenly became aware that I was no longer alone. A glance to my right revealed a familiar pony-tailed midget standing at my side. "You!" I exclaimed. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't wring your little blue neck!"

"You would not survive the attempt." Ganthet answered deadpan. Given what I had seen of his power, I didn't doubt him.

"Look... I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused is all."

"Then let us unravel that confusion. First, I do apologize for the abruptness of your insertion into this world. The timing was such that it was unavoidable. I admit I did not expect you to be injured. But it has all worked out has it not? The girl healed your injuries and you are well."