The Ancient

Cloud sat down on the couch as Elmyra chewed her lip, finally admitting the truth.

"Yes. Aerith is an Ancient. Probably the last one living. She's not my daughter. Not by blood, I mean, If that's what you were wondering… About fifteen years ago… My husband, he'd been shipped off to fight on the front lines. But then I received a letter saying he’d be home for a bit. So when the day came, I went to the station to meet him… But… he didn't come. I couldn't help fearing the worst, even then… but I told myself his leave must've been postponed, that he'd been delayed. Every day I went, to wait and to pray… And that's how I met her. Her and her mother.

"I thought maybe they'd run away from Wall Market. Or that they were topsiders fallen on hard times. I’d seen that sort of thing a lot. “Take Aerith somewhere safe.” Those were her mother's dying words. My husband had been away for so long, and I was lonely. So I convinced myself the safest place for the girl was with me. It took no time at all for her to start feeling like family. She was a real chatterbox. She told me strange stories… Like how she and her mother had escaped from some sort of facility… And how she wasn't sad because her mother had just... "returned to their planet."

"I didn't understand any of it at the time. When I asked if she meant one in the sky… She said no, this one. Right here. I mean… what can you say to that...? One day, she told me not to be sad ... that a man I loved just died ... he'd returned to the Planet. I didn't believe her, of course. And then, a few days later, I received a letter saying my husband had been killed in action. Things like that, she'd just know. It was a lot to deal with, but we were happy. And then came the knock.

"His name was Tseng, a leader of the Turks ... he explained that Aerith was an Ancient ... the original stewards of the planet whose boundless knowledge and wisdom shall guide us to the promised land. Some believe the promised land to be a myth. Others, an allegory of sorts. But Shinra took the words of the scriptures at face value, and believe it to be quite real. They wanted her help, but she refused."

"They knew where she was, but they didn't just take her? Doesn't sound like the Turks I know," Cloud interjected.

"She had to come willingly, otherwise it wouldn't work, they said. That's why… even if they did take her away, I'm sure she's still being treated like a guest… And that they'll send her straight back home once they get what they need," Elmyra said placidly. Barret and Tifa had returned, listening silently. Cloud knew Shinra better than Elmyra.

"I doubt it," Cloud said, voice dripping with skepticism.

"You're not planning anything, are you? Don't make things worse than they already are. If I lost her too, I don't know if I could... If I could ever… Just don't."

"Cloud. Maybe she's right about this. Maybe they'll let Aerith go when it's all over. Maybe… we'd be better off waiting a little while," Tifa said slowly.

"Let's head back to Sector 7. Got things to take care of. Like… checking up on the bar," Barret said firmly.