Greetings.

I am presenting to all of you my first fanfic based on Final Fantasy 7,
the game we all love and are more than likely addicted to.  

WARNING!!!!!!  There is a MAJOR spoiler in this fanfic.  If you have not
played FF7 or are on disc 1, I STRONGLY suggest that you do not read this
fic.  I don't want anyone yelling at me for ruining a part of the game.

For those of you awaiting "Cybernetic Rage", I'm sorry about the delay.
I haven't had time to write it(work and FF7 are the reasons why).
However, with the free time I have coming up, I'm hoping to get it posted.

Now, on with the fanfic.
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FINAL FANTASY 7:
EULOGY
by Vermilion

 The glare of the sun enters my eyes-my wake-up call for the day.
As I get up and put on my clothes, I look out and see the sun gleaming
on the eternal snow here at Icicle Inn.  It indicates a bright day, 
but to me and the others, it's anything but. 

It has been two days since we saw Aeris' life come to a sudden end at
Sephiroth's hands.  

Two days since Cloud, Barret, and I fought the thing called "Jenova."  

Two days since Cloud put Aeris' body to rest while we watched from
afar.  It was an event that none of us had anticipated and an event 
none of us will forget.  Aeris was one to remember, not just because
she was a Cetra, but that she was able to find the goodness in all of us,
even Yuffie.  Her mere presence lifted all of our spirits and this
is one of many reasons why we'll miss her.

The ride to Icicle Inn was short, but it seemed like an eternity for
us all.  No one spoke as I assume our thoughts were with Aeris.

I notice that as I enter the inn's lobby that it was silent.  Yesterday,
everyone was gathered out here in complete silence.  We all 
wanted to talk about the same thing, but no one would mutter a word.
I walk up to the clerk and ask him, "Pardon me, but do you know 
where my friends are?"

The clerk responds with, "Yeah, I saw them head on out around town.
Two of them went to Ifalno's house.  I don't know where any of your
other friends are."

"Thanks," I say in response as I turn around and start heading toward
the exit.  That is, until I hear, "Excuse me, miss uh..."

"It's Tifa," I say.

"Miss Tifa, you might want to put this on.  It's a bit chilly out there,
what with the snow and all."  He throws me a tan trench coat that
I catch in midair.

"Thanks," I say as I smile.  I put the coat on and walk outside.  It
is indeed cold, but I should've known that when I ventured here.
My little quest begins as all quests do, with the first step.  I walk
around and see people walking about, minding their own business.
I try to act as normal as I can, being I'm still getting over Aeris.
I walk around to behind Ifalno's house and I see someone familiar.

The cigarettes and the spear in hand....that's all I need to see to know
that's Cid.  I notice as I walk up to him that he's staring into the 
open area to the west.  I approach him slowly as to not startle him
and try to converse.  "Hello Cid," I say in a low tone.

Cid takes the cigarette out of his mouth and answers with, "Hello
Tifa," not bothering to look in my direction.  I know why he is
staring out into the emptiness.  "It's Aeris, isn't it?" I ask.

Cid simply nods.  "I start to feel that she's like family and then
goddamn Sephiroth kills her.  I never felt so bad in my life...even
when Shinra stopped the space program didn't make me feel this bad."
He turns his head away, obviously not wanting me to see what he 
is feeling.   I'll let him be, but just before I start to leave, he says
something.

"At least now, she's in a better place.  Yes, Tifa, she did tell me 
about her connection with the Shinra.  They won't harm her anymore."

I smile at what he just said.  At the same time though, I feel a bit 
odd knowing that Cid said that.  Oh well, I should ask him where
the others are.  "Cid, do you know where the others are?"

"Well, I do know Cloud and Barret are at Ifalno's."

It figures; I should have known that.

"Cait Sith left town for a bit, but will be back.  He went to check
on a rumor.  Something about the Turks heading this way."

The Turks are coming?  Oh please, I hope not.

"Vincent is in the weapon shop.  I don't know where Red XIII or
Yuffie's at."

"Thanks, Cid."  Now where do I go?  I should check on Cloud, but
Barret is with him, so I guess I can wait.  I guess I'll go talk to
Vincent for a while.  As I head for the weapon shop, I turn back
to see that Cid is back to his staring off into emptiness.  I don't
blame him, though.

Ah yes, the weapon shop.  There's Vincent standing nearby and he
appears to be doing some weird gun tricks.  Now curiosity strikes
me; he appears to have purchased a new gun.  This time around, I
don't want to approach slowly, so to get his attention, I shout,
"Vincent!"

Vincent turns around and looks at me, then turns back around.
Now that he knows I'm here, I walk up to him and try to start
some kind of conversation.  "So, what kind of gun did you
buy?"

"A lariat," he answers with his usual tone, a tone that sometimes
frightens me.  "It's a bit more powerful than my shortbarrel, but
on the down side, it is bigger, so I'll be using both hands for this
one."

"Oh.  Listen, Vincent....."

"I know what you're going to say.  You want to know how I feel
about Aeris.  I feel just as bad about it as you do, although I 
haven't shown it.  However, I believe that where she is now, 
she'll never have to worry about being hurt anymore.  Not 
Sephiroth, not Shinra, not the Turks, nobody will ever harm
her again.  For that reason and that reason alone, I am glad
that she has gone to the next world."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that.  You and Cid, that is."

"What do you mean?"

"I just talked to him and he said something similar to what you
said.  Anyway, to change the subject, do you know where Red XIII
and Yuffie are at?"

"Yes.  Red is in the forest and Yuffie is still at the inn."

"Thank you, Vincent."  He goes back to his gun tricks as I head off
to the forest to see Red.  I was able to see his reaction when Aeris 
was put to rest and it was not a pretty sight.  He didn't take it 
well and that's what concerns me about him.  

As I approach the forest, I can hear howls being emitted.  All
I have to do now is to hone in on the source and that should be
Red.  SHOULD be?  It has to be, Red is the only one of his kind 
in Icicle Inn......or anywhere else.

Ah ha!  I finally found him!  Now to see what he's been up to.
"Uh, Red," I say in a soft voice, "are you okay?"

Red turns to face me and replies with, "Not since Aeris died."

"Yeah, neither is anyone else.  Say Red, what was that howling about?"

"It is my howl for the departed.  I do this whenever someone dear to 
me passes on."

"Oh.  I know how you feel.  We all miss her in our own way."
I kneel down and touch the side of his face and feel a few 
frozen tears. It's obvious; he still hasn't gotten over it..  Then
again, neither has anyone else, not even me.  "Red, will you
be all right?"

I stand back up and see that Red has turned away.  "Yes, I'll be
fine.  I don't mean to be rude, but could you please let me continue
my howl?"

"Sure."  I walk away, leaving Red alone with his thoughts.  

I make my way out of the forest and head back to the inn.  I better
check on Yuffie and see how she's doing.  I remember; she didn't
take Aeris' death very well.  In fact, she was probably the worst of 
all of us.  Now that I think about it, she hasn't left the inn since we
got here to the best of my knowledge. 

I arrive at the inn and walk up to Yuffie's door nearly tripping over
the food trays that have accumulated since we got here.  I knock on the
door and ask, "Yuffie, it's me, Tifa.  May I come in?"

A faint but audible voice answers, "It's open."

I walk inside and see that Yuffie is lying on the bed staring at the 
ceiling.  As I go to sit down on the edge of the bed, Yuffie sits up.
So it would seem that she does some manners.  She turns her head to
look at me and I'm taken aback by her blood red eyes.  Before I can say
anything, she speaks.

"Why?  Why did she have to die?  Tifa, I....I...."  She has her mouth
open to say something, but doesn't.  All that happens is tears start
to cascade down to her face.  She doesn't have to say anymore, those
tears are all she has to say.  I know I'm going to regret this later,
but I reach my arms around Yuffie and give her the most comforting
hug I can give her.  Yuffie in turn buries her face in my shoulder 
and cries.  

As Yuffie cries, I start to softly rock back and forth.  "It's okay,"
I tell her in the softest voice I have, "it's all right."  As my 
thoughts join Yuffie's about Aeris, a few tears well up in my
own eyes.

"I miss her," a muffled Yuffie says through her sobbing.

Silence fills the room as I allow my tears to fall down my 
face.  It is only afterwards when I retort with, "I know, I miss
her, too."  This is said again with the same soft voice I've used
when I entered Yuffie's room.

 I let her go and stand up.  Now I should see how Cloud and Barret
are doing.  Before I do, though, I wipe the tears off my face and off
Yuffie's as well and try my best to give her a few comforting words.
"Yuffie, I gotta go, but do you want me to come back?"

"*sniff, sniff*.......I don't know, Tifa.  I just don't know."

"Oh."  I shut the door and walk away.  Judging by that tone of
voice, maybe I should check on her before we go our own ways.
Anyway, first thing's first, see Cloud and Barret.

It's only a short walk to Ifalno's, however it seems like an eternity
for me, especially after what happened with Yuffie.  Just as I am
about to reach the front door, Barret walks out with a look of
frustration on his face.

"Hey, Barret.  What's wrong?"

"It's Cloud.  He's been staring at some monitor all day now and I 
haven't been able to get a response out of him.  I think seeing
Aeris die really screwed him up;  I don't think he can go any
further."

"Hmm.....let me try, I think I can get him to talk to me."

"Alright, be my guest.  But it ain't gonna make a difference."

Barret steps aside to let me pass freely into the house.  When I
walk in, what I see doesn't really shock me.  I see what Barret
described to me, Cloud staring at a monitor, almost zombie-like.
I walk up to him and ask, "Cloud?"

Cloud turns toward me, shakes his head, and says, "I can't believe
she's gone."

I try to explain to him, "Cloud, look...."

But he keeps rambling.  "I couldn't do anything...."

"Cloud..."

"What's happening to me?"

"Cloud, please...."

"I made a mistake, I shouldn't have stayed....."

"Listen..."

".....I should just......"

Desperate time call for desperate measures.  I grab Cloud's head
and give him a passionate kiss, if anything, just to shut him up.
Thirty seconds later, I let go and Cloud stands in place, confused
and bewildered.  "What was that for?"

"So you could listen to me.  There was nothing you or any of us
could have done.  Aeris knew what kind of danger she was getting
herself into.  You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened.
Right now, let's just find Sephiroth, okay?"

Cloud smiles and says, "Yeah."  Together, we walk out and we
find that everyone is outside and that Cait Sith has returned.

"Oh Cloud, Tifa," he(it?) says.  "I was just telling everyone that
one of the Turks is heading this way.  Cloud, make a party of three
and head to the north."

"All right then....I'll pick...."  

He decides to choose Red and Yuffie to go with him to the north.
The rest of us quickly exit town and decide to meet up at the 
base of Gaea's cliff.  It's a very cold journey there, but I know
we'll make it there.  

Sephiroth claims that killing Aeris was his ultimate victory.  
However, that was his ultimate mistake and we'll be the ones
that make him pay.  

Good luck, Cloud and please Aeris, watch over him.
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That's the conclusion of my first FF7 fanfic.  You can email
me comments at:

dupontr@river.it.gvsu.edu

Please put "Eulogy" or "FF7 fic" in the subject line.

Just a couple of notes before I let you go:

"Two days since Cloud, Barret, and I fought the thing called "Jenova."
---When I got to this point in the game, my party consisted of
Cloud, Barret, and Tifa.

"He decides to choose Red and Yuffie to go with him to the north."
---My party was made up of Cloud, Red, and Yuffie here.

Okay, the fic is over.  You can move on now.


Vermilion,
The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse