raisedbymoogles (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
raisedbymoogles) wrote2015-11-17 11:53 pm
raisedbymoogles) wrote2015-11-17 11:53 pm
Every FFVII fan does an Aeris Lives AU. It's inevitable.
I couldn't sleep last night partially because this scene was kicking and screaming in my head. I stayed up an hour past my bedtime to write it, so I hope it appreciates this.
*
Cloud and the others reached the crystal altar just in time to witness the first summoning of Holy in a thousand years.
Aeris had been kneeling as they entered the open area around the altar, hands clasped; as they watched, she stood, haloed by an ethereal pale green glow. She reached up, her movements dream-slow, and untied her hair ribbon.
Her Materia, Cloud realized with a start as Aeris gazed in amazement at the silk in her hands and the magic it cradled. The one from her mother. I guess it does do something after all.
Aeris blinked again, then looked up, realizing for the first time that she wasn’t alone. “Oh,” she said, and though her voice was soft, it carried through the hall. “Hi, everyone.”
Now look what you’ve done.
Pain lanced through Cloud’s head, making the world turn white as his knees buckled.
You’re late, Cloud.
”Cloud!” Tifa’s voice rang with panic, but it was like she was trapped behind a glass wall, unreachable as Cloud clutched his head and gasped helplessly. ”Don’t give up! Please, Cloud-“
No matter. Mother’s will is stronger than this planet’s. And as for her…
NO!
He must have screamed. It may have even been an intelligible warning. Aeris startled back, ribbon and Materia clasped to her breastbone, but Cloud could still see the Nightmare blazing black and silver in his mind as he descended to end her life. Cloud was paralyzed, a puppet with its strings cut, and none of the others were fast enough to stop it. Aeris was about to die and there was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do-
As red blurred past his vision, Cloud realized he still had no idea of what Vincent Valentine was capable of.
Vincent moved fast as a SOLDIER, taking the stepping-stones to the altar in two long leaps and throwing himself at Aeris just as Sephiroth landed. There was a shockwave of hatred and black misery, one only Cloud flinched from, and Vincent’s cloak fell away from his shoulder to reveal the scene. In his human arm was Aeris, pale but whole. His other arm - his armored arm - was upraised and impaled, from wrist almost to elbow - on the Masamune. Metal sang against metal; as Sephiroth’s arms flexed in preparation to pull his sword free, Vincent thrust Aeris back and away.
His lips moved. His voice was too soft to reach them, but Cloud heard his words, echoing through his head as though hearing them through someone else’s PHS. ”What have you become, Lucrecia’s child?”
Sephiroth’s eyes widened. Vincent’s arm started to shudder, a black wind whispering through the altar room. The armor began to crack.
Cloud saw shadowed wings, shadowed claws reaching from the arm, and suddenly the horrible connection between himself and Sephiroth was gone and he could move. He saw why, too - Sephiroth was hauling at his sword with all his strength, almost frantic, and on his face was the most human expression Cloud had ever seen on him since this whole nightmare began. Fear.
Cloud didn’t know what was trapped behind the armor on Vincent’s arm, but it clearly scared Sephiroth - or Jenova, or both - to death.
Vincent flexed his elbow, and Sephiroth’s sword slid free just as Cloud reached Aeris. “Cloud-“ Aeris blurted, then shook her head and just grasped his shirt with the hand that wasn’t gripping tightly to her Materia.
“Vince!” Cid roared, striding past them both. His spear hummed, a Lightning spell already primed and ready to fire, and his eyes were locked on Sephiroth, already withdrawing as Vincent got to his feet. Sephiroth leaped, coat flaring out, and disappeared into the shadows over the altar the way he’d come; Cid snarled after him. “Get your ass back here and fight like a man! Vince, you all right? Hey, kid, get up here with that Cure-“
“Don’t bother.” Vincent’s even tone checked even Yuffie, coming forward with a Cure spell in her hands. Vincent gripped his armored arm with his normal hand, clawed fingers flexing restlessly as black power seethed below the surface of the damaged armor, driven to new heights of boldness. “Cure won’t help.”
*
Cloud and the others reached the crystal altar just in time to witness the first summoning of Holy in a thousand years.
Aeris had been kneeling as they entered the open area around the altar, hands clasped; as they watched, she stood, haloed by an ethereal pale green glow. She reached up, her movements dream-slow, and untied her hair ribbon.
Her Materia, Cloud realized with a start as Aeris gazed in amazement at the silk in her hands and the magic it cradled. The one from her mother. I guess it does do something after all.
Aeris blinked again, then looked up, realizing for the first time that she wasn’t alone. “Oh,” she said, and though her voice was soft, it carried through the hall. “Hi, everyone.”
Now look what you’ve done.
Pain lanced through Cloud’s head, making the world turn white as his knees buckled.
You’re late, Cloud.
”Cloud!” Tifa’s voice rang with panic, but it was like she was trapped behind a glass wall, unreachable as Cloud clutched his head and gasped helplessly. ”Don’t give up! Please, Cloud-“
No matter. Mother’s will is stronger than this planet’s. And as for her…
NO!
He must have screamed. It may have even been an intelligible warning. Aeris startled back, ribbon and Materia clasped to her breastbone, but Cloud could still see the Nightmare blazing black and silver in his mind as he descended to end her life. Cloud was paralyzed, a puppet with its strings cut, and none of the others were fast enough to stop it. Aeris was about to die and there was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do-
As red blurred past his vision, Cloud realized he still had no idea of what Vincent Valentine was capable of.
Vincent moved fast as a SOLDIER, taking the stepping-stones to the altar in two long leaps and throwing himself at Aeris just as Sephiroth landed. There was a shockwave of hatred and black misery, one only Cloud flinched from, and Vincent’s cloak fell away from his shoulder to reveal the scene. In his human arm was Aeris, pale but whole. His other arm - his armored arm - was upraised and impaled, from wrist almost to elbow - on the Masamune. Metal sang against metal; as Sephiroth’s arms flexed in preparation to pull his sword free, Vincent thrust Aeris back and away.
His lips moved. His voice was too soft to reach them, but Cloud heard his words, echoing through his head as though hearing them through someone else’s PHS. ”What have you become, Lucrecia’s child?”
Sephiroth’s eyes widened. Vincent’s arm started to shudder, a black wind whispering through the altar room. The armor began to crack.
Cloud saw shadowed wings, shadowed claws reaching from the arm, and suddenly the horrible connection between himself and Sephiroth was gone and he could move. He saw why, too - Sephiroth was hauling at his sword with all his strength, almost frantic, and on his face was the most human expression Cloud had ever seen on him since this whole nightmare began. Fear.
Cloud didn’t know what was trapped behind the armor on Vincent’s arm, but it clearly scared Sephiroth - or Jenova, or both - to death.
Vincent flexed his elbow, and Sephiroth’s sword slid free just as Cloud reached Aeris. “Cloud-“ Aeris blurted, then shook her head and just grasped his shirt with the hand that wasn’t gripping tightly to her Materia.
“Vince!” Cid roared, striding past them both. His spear hummed, a Lightning spell already primed and ready to fire, and his eyes were locked on Sephiroth, already withdrawing as Vincent got to his feet. Sephiroth leaped, coat flaring out, and disappeared into the shadows over the altar the way he’d come; Cid snarled after him. “Get your ass back here and fight like a man! Vince, you all right? Hey, kid, get up here with that Cure-“
“Don’t bother.” Vincent’s even tone checked even Yuffie, coming forward with a Cure spell in her hands. Vincent gripped his armored arm with his normal hand, clawed fingers flexing restlessly as black power seethed below the surface of the damaged armor, driven to new heights of boldness. “Cure won’t help.”
no subject
But I like speculating about this one - I suspect it was Jenova who was most terrified by the realisation that Chaos (who was, after all, designed by the Ancients/Lifestream to be a sort of filtering and purifying device for the Lifestream prior to Omega's departure) was loose and able to come after her - and she'd definitely be identifiable as a major contaminant of the Lifestream should Omega be rising. Plus, of course, Omega rising essentially means she's welcome to what's left of the Planet after Omega has gone, but I sincerely doubt bare rock is of any use to her, given she's largely organic herself.
no subject
Your AU sounds interesting. I'd be thrilled to see it.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Everyone: *shooes Vincent's cracking armor arm toward where Jenova is, as it crawls, Addams Family Thing-like away.* Go get 'er! Go for it!
no subject