Violet Shadows (FF7)

6) The Loss of Our Angel

Gagonga. It's the same as I remember it when I visited a few months before Avalanche found me. Destroyed, tired, mourning, and full of the stench of old mako. It's only two in the morning, but I'm still awake and wandering, thinking about anything really that comes to mind. At the moment it's Cloud. What power does Sephiroth hold over him to control his actions? I saw my nephew for the first time three days ago... And Hojo has done something horrible to him. Twisted, evil, lost. The sight troubled me so much, I can't get it off my mind. I haven't talked to anyone, haven't really eaten, and I haven't exactly been too clean when I comes to battle, being ruthless and sloppy with my kills.

But back to Cloud. Something Sephiroth did to him made him give away the Back Materia. The ultimate fate of our planet is in my psychotic nephew's hands. We might as well throw down our weapons and hide while we can. And why did he beat up Aeris? The weakest yet probably most important person in our group got punched quite I few times before anyone was fast enough to come to the rescue, and those people were Barret, who managed to knock Cloud out, and Vincent, who wound up carrying Aeris all the way here. Cloud was dragged... But it wasn't my idea, and it's not like I really noticed. The snap of a twig behind me causes me to swivel around. But when I just see a pink dress and large brown boots, I relax a little bit.

"Aeris," I acknowledge.

"Violet," she replies, missing her usual cheerfulness. "Can I.. Talk to you about something? And trust you not to tell anyone else?"

"I guess so," I tilt my head. "Why?"

"I'm leaving," she says softly. Then she quickly adds "It's not because of Cloud, though."

"Why then?"

"The Planet is calling me. I need to hear what it's saying." Her head drops. "But I can't here. I need to go to the place of my ancestors."

"That's easy not to tell, I suppose."

"The thing is, I might not come back," she admits. "I had a dream. But I can't really believe in that, can I?"

"What you choose to believe is not my problem," I say stiffly, turning to face away from her. "But if you think you should go, then do. And before the others wake up. I won't tell them."

"Okay," she nods. Then she hesitates. "Violet?"

"Yes?" I turn to look at her again. Just leave me alone.

"I just want you to know that we care about you. Barret might not show it, but he'd be sad if you weren't here one day." Lies. "I want you to promise me you'll finish the journey with Avalanche. You know, in case I don't come back." She's anticipating her death. I have to think about it a moment. Do I really want to follow through until death, which could mean having to kill Sephiroth? Is this what I want to do with my life? How long will it take before the journey is over? But Aeris, so sure of her fate and troubled by Cloud's accidental actions, one of the only people who has been kind to me the whole time... I owe her.

"I promise," I nod. She seems satisfied enough to nod and look in the direction of the way out of town.

"Um... So goodbye, I guess."

"Goodbye," I nod. And then she's gone, two materias, her staff, and a small portion of our slim rations. But during the whole conversation, I could feel another person present, not wanting to say anything in case I did have to tell someone later. I guess I should just pretend not to know he's here. So I turn and walk away. I don't get very far before his deep, underused voice stops me though.