![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sanctum_cFinally gotten back to this, mended some odd lines, tightened some dialogue and descriptions and moved things around slightly. I've removed the list of photos for now as I'm tempted to make their descriptions a bit more detailed so they'll go back in later.
I've realised that I have Cloud finding Aeris' ribbon and previously never doing anything with it. Now he hands it to Tifa before it again vanishes from the story. Just really not sure if I should remove it or have it wind up somewhere else. Not sure I'd want it to go to Elmyra given it is blood-stained, but... Hmm. Any suggestions/comments gratefully received!
Avalanche's annual reunion was scheduled for just two days time and as a result Cloud was currently in the attic of the Seventh Heaven. After a certain amount of reluctance for anyone to leave the same day last year, Tifa had made the decision to make sure their guests were comfortable for at least one night. Cloud had grumbled slightly; he always eagre to see his friends, but not entirely looking forward to the obligatory moment of explaining to Yuffie that she couldn't live in the bar. No, not even if she promised to get out of the way in the mornings (a promise Cloud would always remind her she had broken the very first time she'd convinced him she could stay out from under their feet).
He knocked a cupboard open as he hauled two camp beds out from the corner. Despite only having stood for a few years now, the attic storage space of the Seventh Heaven was a riot of debris, spare glasses, clutters of books, scavenged odds and ends from visits to Midgar. Here too was spare furniture, various seasonal decorations, his old swords carefully wrapped in oil-skin and the odd, really rare beverage that Tifa maintained for the truly special occasions. And in this cupboard was seemingly the few objects they had carried from Midgar to the very top of the world, into the south and by a circuitous, winding route, all the way back to the outskirts of same city. There were four bags here, and Cloud felt an odd swell of excitement build in his belly. That bag was his. It contained only the thick thermal clothes he'd needed in the far North as he'd exited Nibelheim with nothing but a donated uniform to his name. He had never been intending to saddle himself with mementos; an inclination that continued as he journeyed across the Planet. His meagre possessions were all laid out in his office below and he'd never minded the lack of physical ties to his past. To others a memento of Nibelheim might seem important. As far as he was concerned those days were long gone, and the night his town died was one he still wished he could forget. He was following the advice of a long-gone friend; to look to the future and build his life around his present.
This bag was Tifa's. A pair of thick leather gloves tumbled out as he pulled it down like some escaping reptile, only to flop lifelessly onto the floor; empty materia sockets gleaming in the dull light. The bag was filled with debris, filled with memories, and for a moment Cloud almost mourned his barren bag. Ticket stubs for the Gold Saucer were mixed among defaced leaflets for Rufus's celebratory march through Junon (Yuffie's distraction on the cargo ship as they sailed between continents had branched out into a pseudo group-bonding excersise) and receipts from a hundred shops scattered throughout the world. He suspected, if he was so inclined, that he could recreate their journey purely from the shops she'd visited. Scraps of desert sand lurked in the linings of the bag and at the bottom was a pink ribbon. Cloud's heart skipped a beat as he realised what had been left lying up here all this time. It was frayed, aged and one edge was darkly stained, but he knew immediately what it had to be. She had kept it; even as he'd been wracked with guilt and concerned only with the now lifeless body of their friend, Tifa had kept this one final memento of Aeris. He carefully withdrew it from the bag and stared at it unsure of what to do with it now; this deeply personal memento was not easily used. He tucked it away, intending to make a decision later, still curious about the other two bags.
The third bag was Barret's containg a litter of empty shell cases and one missed plush toy. Cloud smiled to see a miniature moogle; the toy bearing a close resemblance to a certain mechanised entity he'd spent a goodly amount of time in the company of. Wrapped in crinkling paper was folded silk. It puzzled Cloud for a moment before he realised what it was; a kimono, purchased at some expense in Wutai. Too small for Barret, Cloud or even Yuffie. Likely it had been intended for Marlene, aged five. Barret's daughter had grown too quickly to ever make use of the present.
Heart-thudding Cloud pulled the last and least full bag from the shelf. It felt almost empty and Cloud steeled himself for disappointment. It couldn't be hers... could it? It had to be Yuffie's. Maybe Cid's. Cait Sith's? No, he'd never needed or carried a bag... He flipped it open, eyes darting trying to find some evidence, some hint at it's owner. The bag was empty.
Almost.
A black case lay at the bottom containing an inexpensive camera alongside two rolls of film in squat black tubes. He popped both open; one film had been used and wound back to the beginning, the other was untouched. He looked at the camera itself gingerly and found the dial indicated a single exposure left. Hands shaking with excitement he shuffled out of the attic and down to the main bar.
"Cloud? I think I'm going to shut early today. I'm bushed and with the others coming soon..." Tifa trailed off as she saw Cloud staring at the object in his hands. "Cloud? Are you alright?"
He glanced up at her and grinned. "Smile."
"Wha-?" A flare of light washed over her accompanying the click of the shutter. "...okay, I'm confused. What's the occasion?"
Cloud wound the film on, checking it would go no further, and then began to wind it back. "I found this while getting the beds down."
"I'm flattered you wanted another picture of me, but I think we have a better camera somewhere..." She stared at the device in his hands, something surfacing deep within her memories. Something about that particular camera.
Cloud's voice was shaking slightly as he continued. "I found it with our bags; the ones we had when we were hunting Sephiroth."
The camera. There was something vital about that camera. Frustration itched across Tifa's brow. What was it? Cloud extracted the ribbon from his pocket.
"This... this is Aeris' ribbon. I think... I think the camera was too..."
The memory broke open, and Tifa gasped, recalling fractured moments of the grinning Aeris clicking happily away at the landscape, members of Avalanche and anything else that took her fancy. She stretched her hand out towards the blonde man. "Now I remember... she was always taking pictures... I must have forgotten... A-and her ribbon..."
"There's two rolls of used film here, Tifa. We don't have any pictures of her; not even Elmyra has a picture of her. But..."
"...there might be a picture of her on that film," Tifa completed the thought, her heart fluttering.
Cloud nodded. "Do you think we should see what's on here, or should we let the past be...?"
Tifa gingerly took the ribbon and the camera, studying them both. She remembered her friend's face appearing from behind it as she snapped another picture, only aware that another moment had been caught as she heard the click of the shutter and the ratcheting of the film as Aeris wound it on another position. She remembered being curious about what the flower girl had seen through that view-finder, and that the Cetra would never admitted precisely what she had photographed. Some landscapes she could guess at as she'd seen the brunette take the picture, but others... She wanted to know. She needed to know.
"I think we should see them. And I think our friends should see them too."
Cloud smiled and nodded, glad she was as eager to see the images as he. He carefully took the camera from her hand and extracted the film. "I'm going to try and get these developed in time." Tifa smiled. "Do you think we should have a sneak peak?" he called back over his shoulder as he walked towards the door.
"Depends how long it will take to get them back," replied Tifa. "Actually I think the tension might kill us..."
"This is going to be a surprise," mused Cloud in the doorway. "Not a word to any of them."
"Oh, no," Tifa grinned. "Not a word."
Twenty-four hours had rarely felt so interminable. Cloud had been almost reluctant to leave the precious momentos with the chemist, but did finally accept he'd get them back tomorrow. That, and he had absolutely no faith in his own ability to develop the film. He could try, but he'd be terrified of ruining the images within; he'd leave it to someone practiced with the process. He distracted himself as much as possible, throwing himself into every activity as thoroughly as he could, just to spur on the passage of time a little more, to hasten tomorrow and the return of the pictures. His over enthusiastic help eventually frustrated Tifa the next morning and she ordered him to take Denzel and Marlene to Sector Five, just to get him out of the way for a while. However, as soon as the door closed, she realised she felt the same way. The sheer potential of the photos was hard to resist, and she was easily as impatient as he.
Cloud waved with a glint in his eye as he came back a few hours later, some rectangular packages clutched in one hand. Tifa felt her heart leap as she saw them. He'd detoured past the chemist's on the way back; it had been earlier then he'd been asked to return but he'd chanced it. Too many hours left. Too many by far. She made a decision, and cleared the bar; gently coaxing regulars out with white lies of preparing for her visitors tomorrow. The bar would be closed for a private gathering for the next three days, but she hoped to see them all again afterwards.
The four of them gathered around a table after the main door was locked, and Cloud carefully explained to both Denzel and Marlene just where the photos he held had come from. Tifa looked at him with a pretense of calm and asked if he hadn't already snuck a look. Cloud replied he'd wanted to, but that this was an experience best shared with them all. He half regretted not waiting one more day, but the temptation was just too great. He lifted the flap on the first set and pulled out the thick stack of printed images. The top one was of Tifa from the picture Cloud had taken just the previous day. The second photo showed a sandstone pyramidal structure surrounded on all sides by forest...
The next day things were already buzzing inside the Seventh Heaven when Cid trudged through the door muttering something about fuel efficiency's. His face lit up when he saw the rest of Avalanche gathered; Vincent had been found waiting stoically outside the front door that morning, with Yuffie attempting a stealth entry around noon. Which would have (totally) worked this time (dammit) had Tifa and Cloud not decided to re-arrange all the furniture again. Reeve was early this year; he'd nearly missed last year's gathering due to the demands on this time. He'd arrived early afternoon with the increasingly independent Cait Sith perched on a shoulder, just before Barret and Nanaki arrived, the former Avalanche leader gently ribbing the unusually queasy quadraped about the apparently turbulent journey.
Tifa glanced over to Cloud with a smile as she handed Cid a drink and waved him down onto a seat. He nodded back and she cleared her throat. "Welcome, to the third annual 'We helped save the Planet party!'" The bar drowned in cheers as glasses were raised, Denzel and Marlene adding their own voices to the chorus. "And this year... we have a little surprise!"
"You're pregnant!" shouted Yuffie from a table near the door. Cloud flushed.
"No!" said Tifa with a sigh.
"Gotta be marriage then," Cid said flatly.
"Not that either," Cloud put in trying to distract from his embarrassment.
"This is something for all of us," the raven-haired woman continued.
"You better not be suggesting an orgy," murmured Yuffie. Barret flicked a peanut towards her as Tifa ignored the comment.
"Okay, I need you to all get into a line... and try to stay sober for this."
"Shit, woman; this is my first drink!" yelled Cid.
"Come on, come on," Tifa clapped her hands and with some grumbling the guests arranged themselves into a tangled line; a grinning Denzel and Marlene at the front.
"I think we're a bit old for party games," Yuffie said as she scrapped her chair across the floor.
"It's not a game. We have some pictures to show you."
"What holiday snaps? Ah hell, count me out. I'll see you guys next year." Cid moved to get up.
Tifa spoke quickly. "They were taken by Aeris."
The pilot froze and then awkwardly slumped back down. "...ah shit... She had that camera didn't she?"
"She did." The bar was silent then as Tifa spoke. "And we forgot about it. Cloud found the camera and we thought you'd all like to know what was on it."
The bar was silent a moment before Reeve spoke up. "Having only ever experienced that adventure second hand, I would be delighted to see Aeris' pictures." He was quickly joined with murmurs of assent and Tifa pulled the pack of photos from underneath the bar.
"Couldn't you have them done as slides or on a computer or something?" moaned Yuffie as she stared at the packets.
Tifa ignored Yuffie's grumbling response. "Okay! If anyone has any questions just shout them out. We've had a look through these once already, and we think we know what most of the photos are of, but if anyone's got any comments..."
Tifa slid the first stack of photos from the pack as Cloud walked to the other end of the bar to collect the precious pictures back up again. She bypassed the first picture of herself and handed the first photo to Denzel, and he to Marlene before handing it to Barret.
They all recognised the Temple of the Ancients; how could it have failed to make an impression? The place all their efforts seemed to count for nothing as Cloud handed the Black Materia to Sephiroth and the first Cait Sith met his end. Cait Sith mark III stared inscrutably at the image as Reeve passed it to him. He had as much of the original's memories as could be transmitted before the implosion, but what Cait Sith really felt about the lose of his predecessor was something Reeve felt oddly reluctant to pry into. The image showed the structure in stark contrast against the grey storm clouds that hung above the small island far out to sea. Nanaki commented how different this structure was to the architecture of the Forgotten City.
The next few photos were all of the Gold Saucer; a view of the complex from high up, flares of fireworks scattered across the scene, then Cloud staring at a sheet of paper in consternation as a man half dressed as a knight seemed to be speaking to him and gesturing, a view of the Gold Saucer theatre with an attendant excitedly walking towards the camera, and lastly Cloud striding out into the middle of Battle Square. Two required more explanation and all eyes turned to Cloud.
"That first picture is a view from the gondola on Enchantment Night... Aeris wanted to settle her debt for me being her bodyguard when Reno came after her. The deal was for one date and she chose that night. I never noticed her taking the second one... We'd wandered into the theatre, and the guy on the door told us we were the hundredth couple and got to be the leads in that night's show. It... didn't go that well." He bowed his head. "I blew all my lines and forgot all the stage directions. I think Aeris wound up saving the day."
Reeve laughed the loudest at the explanation, commenting he'd witnessed several performances via Cait Sith and could well imagine how easily the short production could be screwed up by a less then willing participant. Cloud flushed a little more as Yuffie teased more and more details of the play from him. The next six photos all pertained to Wutai and there was no confusion over their significance; Yuffie fighting Shake in the central Pagoda as she proved herself to her father, the huge carved forms of the Da Chao statues and then the capital city spread out below. The next image depicted a trio of Turks; Reno, Rude and Elena huddled around a table crowded with bottles, looking up and towards the camera with a mix of suspicion and guilt, and after that Cid crouched on top of the Tiny Bronco as it lay on the beach. He was scowling at a component, cigarette held tight between his teeth, the gloriously blue sea lying behind him. They assumed the last picture must have been taken in the sea just off the coast; an almost nondescript strip of land rising up out of the blue water - someone's arm just caught along the bottom edge of the frame.
Yuffie in particular took an additional moment to stare at these pictures; herself caught mid-movement as she battled and the wonderful view of her home. She murmured that maybe she should visit a little more often than she had been. Everyone chuckled at the Turks' combination of emotions as they looked towards the errant photographer, Reeve commenting they still stuck together like glue, even with Tseng now up and about again.
The next three photos were of Rocket Town; here was Shera pouring a steaming kettle into a tea pot and pushing her glasses back up her nose with her free hand. A view of Cid's house showed the Tiny Bronco parked in the back-garden, the white picket fence and the rows of colourful flowers. Another was taken from the outskirts of the town, the rusting form of the Shinra 26 towering high above all of the other buildings. Cid cursed slightly as he stared at the picture of Shera, and asked, nonchalantly, what it would take to get some copies of the pictures. As mementos naturally; Shera had been bugging him that he'd had this trip all around the world and nothing but some scars to show for it. Tifa grinned, and brought eight batches of photos up from beneath the counter, each tied with a red ribbon. Cid swore softly and smiled.
Seven photos traced the path from the Nibel Mountains to the rolling plains that surrounded Rocket Town. A thin strip of mountains could be seen to the right of the image, which showed little other than the rolling green grassland and the wonderfully blue sky - a pleasing contrast to the overcast skies above Mount Nibel; the reactor just visible in amongst the twisted outcrops that thrust out from the mountainside. Vincent took a moment to study the photo that followed as it passed along the line. It depicted him stepping from the doorway of the Shinra mansion and blinking in the bright sunlight of Nibelheim.
"The first sun in thirty years..." he murmured as he stared at the image of himself, holding up his clawed hand to keep the sunlight out of his eyes. Cid smirked as he saw the picture, Yuffie just about visible along the left hand edge gawping at their newest party member. The remaining photos were of the town; there was the mountain path that they'd learnt would lead up to the reactor and the place Cloud first defeated Sephiroth, here was the decaying mass of the Shinra mansion with black cloaked figures clustered in front of it. The main gate of Nibelheim framed a view that Aeris must have never suspected she would ever see, capturing the facsimile town in detail. The last of this grouping of photos showed the vast mountain range through the window of the buggy as they had made their way from Cosmo Canyon.
Nanaki stared at the next picture, Yuffie holding it up in front of his good eye. He looked at himself and his grandfather talking at the gates of Cosmo Canyon. Bugenhagen had urged Nanaki to continute travelling now he knew the truth about his father. He thanked Cloud and Tifa once more for providing copies of the photos; he would have otherwise asked for a copy of at least this one. The last picture in the first set was of the New Avalanche as it had been christened; Cloud, Tifa, Nanaki, Cait Sith and Barret were sat around the Cosmo Candle and staring into the flickering flames.
Yuffie had been counting the photos and spoke up. "I thought there were twenty-three photos to a roll?"
"There are. But I had to use the last one up before I could get the rest developed," Cloud replied.
"Oh...? And just what did you take a picture of... Wait, what came before the Temple then?"
Cloud looked a little flustered. "Oh... just a picture of... Tifa..."
Yuffie smirked. "Way to go Cloud! Getting kinkier in the bedroom are we?"
A bread roll bounced off her head. "It's just a picture of me here," said Tifa with a sigh, holding up the missing photo. "I just didn't think anyone would want to see it." She passed it along the line, Yuffie rolling her eyes at Tifa's expression of surprise.
"Hey... we've gone through one entire roll of film and there's not one picture of Aeris. Don't tell me she got everyone on film except herself?" The ninja spoke up again as Cloud carefully put the first set of pictures back into their folder and carried them to the bar.
"There's one picture of her..." he replied.
"Just one?" asked Reeve concerned. Tifa nodded.
"She was too busy taking the pictures to remind herself of the trip - she never meant for us to be using them to reminisce about her..." replied Tifa with a sad note in her voice.
"But there is one, right?" rumbled Barret.
"Yup!" Tifa grinned wider then he would have expected for the answer.
"So when is it?" asked Yuffie.
"Last picture in the set. The first taken," Cloud replied as he walked back to his position at the end of the line.
"Aw, so we have to wait through all of these to see her again? I mean, I remember what she looked like, but it's just nice... y'know. It's a good picture right? It's not blurry or anything is it?"
Cloud allowed himself a smile. "You'll see Yuffie. Patience."
The girl from Wutai let out an exasperated sigh and looked further up the line as the next images were passed from friend to friend. Aeris had changed film within Cosmo Canyon and the next three images were also Nanaki's home; the view from outside Bugenhagen's observatory and the sprawling settlement spread out below followed by it's twin showing the view up to the observatory from the canyon floor. The final image was of deep red rock from the window of the buggy.
The immediate next image had taken Cloud and Tifa some time to place, or even realise the significance of. It had been taken in Gongaga; the style of the huts in the next photo and the exploded Mako reactor in the one after that had made the location unambiguous. But why photograph that house in the village? It had been taken in the evening, the scene lit with reddening light as dusk fell, likely while the rest of their party was resting in the town's only inn. Tifa had been the one to realise, gasping as she made the connection; it was Zack's parent's house. The Seventh Heaven had fallen silent on both occasions as she explained the image, everyone slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the man so few of them had met, who had painstakingly dragged Cloud with him to Midgar and as a result began the chain of events that would ultimately draw them all together. Cloud had felt foolish not recognising the photo; he related that shortly after the Strife Delivery Service began operations, he had been able to pysche himself up sufficiently to deliver some long suspected but never confirmed bad news to two parents in Gongaga. He'd seen that house so recently, but had let himself blot it out of his mind so quickly...
The next photo provoked more amusement from the gathered members of Avalanche. Cloud was sat staring forward through the windshield of the buggy as Yuffie seemed to be bouncing in the passenger seat. Nanaki was slumped across two seats in the back, tongue lolling out of his mouth. Tifa had been caught in a half turn towards the buggy as Cait Sith stared up at her. "Shit, you were driving around in one of those things?" muttered Cid. "Pile o'crap."
"It wasn't our choice of vehicle," retorted Tifa. "Dio gave it to us after Cloud won the Chocobo race."
"Can't see it getting more then a few hundred miles before keeling over. Definitely had yourself a lemon there..."
"To be fair to it, it did last until it broke down almost on my doorstep," put in Nanaki.
"And it was better then walking. And it could go overland unlike the Tiny Bronco..." Tifa smirked as she spoke.
Cid scowled. "Now that's a step too far. The Bronco was still plenty useful. I didn't hear you complaining when you used it to get us out of Rocket Town!"
Tifa just laughed and told him they'd abandoned the vehicle outside Nibelheim.
There was a run of photos that related to the Gold Saucer and Corel Prison now; a complete stranger with dirty blonde hair and a manic grin was centred in one shot, Yuffie, Nanaki and Cait Sith behind him and just visible in the distance the retreating forms of Cloud, Barret and Tifa as they strode out into the blistering heat of the Corel desert. Barret passed the photo on without comment, and Yuffie spoke up clarifying that the mystery man was a nuisance inmate who had taken to following them around. No one wanted to press the issue of what was depicted in the background; Barret gone to confront his past and fight with Dyne. The next image was also taken in the desert and showed the ramshackle collection of buildings that clustered against the support column of the Gold Saucer as if trying desperately to stay in the shade thrown by the towering structure.
Cait Sith stared again fascinated at the next photo; Cait Sith mark I was beckoning Cloud over to read his fortune. Reeve smiled as he saw it and mentioned that he had been controlling the robot directly for that little encounter, though still could not explain the three fortunes Cait Sith had produced for Cloud. There were two more photos of the entertainment complex in quick succession; a view from the lowest level of the park up towards the towering spire, the gondolas visible suspended high up above the park and then a slightly blurred picture of the cable car's arrival as they approached the station.
Barret paused longer at the next two images; the first showed the North Corel cable car stop for the Gold Saucer, the rest of Avalanche clustered around a decidedly unhappy Barret after his confrontation with the former denizens. The immediate preceeding moments of that same confrontation had been caught by the next image; the view was skewed, depicting the scene at an awkward angle, and with a slight blur as if the camera was moving as the shutter closed. Barret was visible on the right hand edge as angry people strode towards him, the ruined remains of North Corel visible beyond them. The former coal miner cleared his throat and mentioned that the town was still doing well; he liked to visit when possible. The next three images were of the Corel mountains; the Gold Saucer clearly visible in the sky ahead, a nest of Chocobos and then the mountains themselves. Marlene had adored the picture of the tiny chocobo chicks huddled in the nest, looking nervously up at the photographer. The collection of photos was rapidly thinning when Tifa passed along the photo of Cloud sat by a campfire, staring into space. Tifa was pushing open the flap of her tent, and beyond the swordsman they could just about see Barret waving with his good hand.
"Six photos left," murmured Yuffie.
The final group of photos all related to Costa del Sol. Tifa explained that this was where Aeris had picked the camera up; while they bought swimsuits, the flower girl had noticed a display of them in the shop and had delightedly added one to her purchases. The first image was embarrassing though; the group sharing a room at the Costa del Sol inn, asleep. Tifa was edged to the right-hand side of the single bed she'd been sharing with Aeris. In the next bed over was the space encompassing form of Yuffie and in the last bed was Cloud sleeping flat on his back, everything but his head hidden below the covers. Barret was dressed in his sailor suit and leant against the far wall, and Nanaki had curled up at the end of Aeris and Tifa's bed.
"I forgot you actually used that as sleep-wear in the end," Cloud commented almost laughing.
"Shut it," growled Barret. "It was comfortable. Don't go bringing up marshmallows again."
To Yuffie's embarrassment there was an additional photo of her asleep; arms and legs hanging over the sides of the bed and as a result taking three times as much space as any of the other sleepers. She seemed to be snoring. The ninja scowled when she saw the picture and threatened to sneak it out of everyone else's sets. Tifa piped up and noted it was already too late as they'd had extra copies of that one printed and kept in a safe location. Yuffie slumped back grumbling that she was sure she could find them all. Barret made a similar threat when he found the next picture was close up of him asleep in his sailor uniform.
Three photos now; Cloud approached by a suited man who had tried very eagerly to sell the swordsman the huge villa that overlooked the beach. The picture had caught the blonde man looking confusedly as the man gestured back towards the structure. The penultimate picture was Yuffie working part-time in the little beach shop. It seemed so incongruous to how they normally perceived the ninja girl; she was smiling and happily pushing something into a bag when the camera caught her. A more suspicious eye might have noted the crumpled money just visible sticking out of her hip pocket. Yuffie insisted that had been her pay.
Tifa sighed slightly, her face lightly flushed as she regarded the last photo in the set. She couldn't hold it back now; certainly not after she already told them that this was the only one of the flower girl. She passed it along, each member falling silent as they regarded it before smiling or laughing slightly.
"This truly is the only picture?" Reeve asked.
Tifa sighed. "Yep. By this stage I think we're just grateful to have one..."
Cloud claimed the photo at the end of the line and took the set back to the bar as Denzel and Marlene distributed the individual bundles of photos to everyone present. With a renewed toast to Aeris Gainsborough, Avalanche carried on with their annual celebration.
"Here we are," said Cloud as he powered Fenrir off. He and Tifa had made a special trip to visit Elmyra Gainsborough in Kalm. They'd always extended her the invitation to attend their gatherings, but she had always politely declined, never wanting to intrude in the close knit group's affairs. Cloud tried to see her more then once a year when she sent bouquets of flowers to the Forgotten City, but between the delivery business and spending time with Tifa and the kids there were simply not enough hours in the day. This would be the first visit in a while. And this time Tifa had asked to come with him. She clutched the carefully wrapped present against her chest and worried just what Elmyra would think of their unprompted gift.
Aeris' adoptive mother answered the door moments after Cloud had knocked and bid them both come inside. She was always pleased to see them, never once holding them responsible for the loss of her daughter.
"Tifa! It's good to see you again. It's been quite a while now... I think the last time was just after Meteorfall?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, I would loved to have visited more often..."
Elmyra shushed her and waved them both towards the sofa. "No need to apologise; you've got your hands full with Denzel, Marlene, the bar and him." She gestured to Cloud who played at being offended. "So what do I do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Cloud cleared his throat. "We found... a camera that used to belong to Aeris. It had some used film that we had developed." He put out a hand as Elmyra's hands rushed to cover her mouth. "There was one picture of Aeris."
"And we brought it for you," said Tifa holding out the present with both hands. Elmyra's hands shook as she took the package and then with shocked calm she pulled at the tape holding it closed and slid out the plain white box within. She pulled the lid off, eyes widening as she took in the contents. And started laughing. Cloud and Tifa couldn't help but smile, remembering how their own companions reacted to the image. But at some point Elmyra's laughter turned to tears, and she cried, staring down at the only image of her lost daughter. "Of course," she whispered. "Of course this would be the only picture of her."
Cloud and Tifa hurried over to comfort their friend's mother. "It's okay, it's okay." She murmured, before she took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you," she said, drying her tears. "Thank you for this."
Tifa felt she had to say something. "We're sorry... that this is the only one..."
Elmyra shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I didn't think there were any pictures of her at all, so even just this is more then I could ever hope for. And look how happy she is..." She rose and proudly put the frame so it could be seen prominently within the room.
No matter who visited, Elmyra never hid the picture of Aeris Gainsborough. The intricate silver frame always remained on display (Tifa was never sure where Cloud had gotten it, but agreed that it felt right as a tribute to their friend), surrounding a picture of two girls in bright sunlight. An observant person would have realised the image was taken in Costa del Sol and might have wondered who the photographer was. Tifa didn't know, and if Aeris had ever asked she took that little detail back to the Planet with her. The flower girl stood on the left of the picture, her face lit up with a brilliant smile, the edges of her pink ribbon just visible on either side of her head. Her right hand was held up in a 'v' to the camera, while her left was around the waist of Tifa. The martial artist's right arm was in turn around Aeris' waist and her left hand was held up in a similar 'v'. Her smile wasn't quite as dazzling, but her gentle eyes were intoxicating as she gazed out of the photo. The photo itself was of both girls in their new bikinis; purchased at the same time as the camera that had captured this singular moment of the last Cetra.
I've realised that I have Cloud finding Aeris' ribbon and previously never doing anything with it. Now he hands it to Tifa before it again vanishes from the story. Just really not sure if I should remove it or have it wind up somewhere else. Not sure I'd want it to go to Elmyra given it is blood-stained, but... Hmm. Any suggestions/comments gratefully received!
Avalanche's annual reunion was scheduled for just two days time and as a result Cloud was currently in the attic of the Seventh Heaven. After a certain amount of reluctance for anyone to leave the same day last year, Tifa had made the decision to make sure their guests were comfortable for at least one night. Cloud had grumbled slightly; he always eagre to see his friends, but not entirely looking forward to the obligatory moment of explaining to Yuffie that she couldn't live in the bar. No, not even if she promised to get out of the way in the mornings (a promise Cloud would always remind her she had broken the very first time she'd convinced him she could stay out from under their feet).
He knocked a cupboard open as he hauled two camp beds out from the corner. Despite only having stood for a few years now, the attic storage space of the Seventh Heaven was a riot of debris, spare glasses, clutters of books, scavenged odds and ends from visits to Midgar. Here too was spare furniture, various seasonal decorations, his old swords carefully wrapped in oil-skin and the odd, really rare beverage that Tifa maintained for the truly special occasions. And in this cupboard was seemingly the few objects they had carried from Midgar to the very top of the world, into the south and by a circuitous, winding route, all the way back to the outskirts of same city. There were four bags here, and Cloud felt an odd swell of excitement build in his belly. That bag was his. It contained only the thick thermal clothes he'd needed in the far North as he'd exited Nibelheim with nothing but a donated uniform to his name. He had never been intending to saddle himself with mementos; an inclination that continued as he journeyed across the Planet. His meagre possessions were all laid out in his office below and he'd never minded the lack of physical ties to his past. To others a memento of Nibelheim might seem important. As far as he was concerned those days were long gone, and the night his town died was one he still wished he could forget. He was following the advice of a long-gone friend; to look to the future and build his life around his present.
This bag was Tifa's. A pair of thick leather gloves tumbled out as he pulled it down like some escaping reptile, only to flop lifelessly onto the floor; empty materia sockets gleaming in the dull light. The bag was filled with debris, filled with memories, and for a moment Cloud almost mourned his barren bag. Ticket stubs for the Gold Saucer were mixed among defaced leaflets for Rufus's celebratory march through Junon (Yuffie's distraction on the cargo ship as they sailed between continents had branched out into a pseudo group-bonding excersise) and receipts from a hundred shops scattered throughout the world. He suspected, if he was so inclined, that he could recreate their journey purely from the shops she'd visited. Scraps of desert sand lurked in the linings of the bag and at the bottom was a pink ribbon. Cloud's heart skipped a beat as he realised what had been left lying up here all this time. It was frayed, aged and one edge was darkly stained, but he knew immediately what it had to be. She had kept it; even as he'd been wracked with guilt and concerned only with the now lifeless body of their friend, Tifa had kept this one final memento of Aeris. He carefully withdrew it from the bag and stared at it unsure of what to do with it now; this deeply personal memento was not easily used. He tucked it away, intending to make a decision later, still curious about the other two bags.
The third bag was Barret's containg a litter of empty shell cases and one missed plush toy. Cloud smiled to see a miniature moogle; the toy bearing a close resemblance to a certain mechanised entity he'd spent a goodly amount of time in the company of. Wrapped in crinkling paper was folded silk. It puzzled Cloud for a moment before he realised what it was; a kimono, purchased at some expense in Wutai. Too small for Barret, Cloud or even Yuffie. Likely it had been intended for Marlene, aged five. Barret's daughter had grown too quickly to ever make use of the present.
Heart-thudding Cloud pulled the last and least full bag from the shelf. It felt almost empty and Cloud steeled himself for disappointment. It couldn't be hers... could it? It had to be Yuffie's. Maybe Cid's. Cait Sith's? No, he'd never needed or carried a bag... He flipped it open, eyes darting trying to find some evidence, some hint at it's owner. The bag was empty.
Almost.
A black case lay at the bottom containing an inexpensive camera alongside two rolls of film in squat black tubes. He popped both open; one film had been used and wound back to the beginning, the other was untouched. He looked at the camera itself gingerly and found the dial indicated a single exposure left. Hands shaking with excitement he shuffled out of the attic and down to the main bar.
"Cloud? I think I'm going to shut early today. I'm bushed and with the others coming soon..." Tifa trailed off as she saw Cloud staring at the object in his hands. "Cloud? Are you alright?"
He glanced up at her and grinned. "Smile."
"Wha-?" A flare of light washed over her accompanying the click of the shutter. "...okay, I'm confused. What's the occasion?"
Cloud wound the film on, checking it would go no further, and then began to wind it back. "I found this while getting the beds down."
"I'm flattered you wanted another picture of me, but I think we have a better camera somewhere..." She stared at the device in his hands, something surfacing deep within her memories. Something about that particular camera.
Cloud's voice was shaking slightly as he continued. "I found it with our bags; the ones we had when we were hunting Sephiroth."
The camera. There was something vital about that camera. Frustration itched across Tifa's brow. What was it? Cloud extracted the ribbon from his pocket.
"This... this is Aeris' ribbon. I think... I think the camera was too..."
The memory broke open, and Tifa gasped, recalling fractured moments of the grinning Aeris clicking happily away at the landscape, members of Avalanche and anything else that took her fancy. She stretched her hand out towards the blonde man. "Now I remember... she was always taking pictures... I must have forgotten... A-and her ribbon..."
"There's two rolls of used film here, Tifa. We don't have any pictures of her; not even Elmyra has a picture of her. But..."
"...there might be a picture of her on that film," Tifa completed the thought, her heart fluttering.
Cloud nodded. "Do you think we should see what's on here, or should we let the past be...?"
Tifa gingerly took the ribbon and the camera, studying them both. She remembered her friend's face appearing from behind it as she snapped another picture, only aware that another moment had been caught as she heard the click of the shutter and the ratcheting of the film as Aeris wound it on another position. She remembered being curious about what the flower girl had seen through that view-finder, and that the Cetra would never admitted precisely what she had photographed. Some landscapes she could guess at as she'd seen the brunette take the picture, but others... She wanted to know. She needed to know.
"I think we should see them. And I think our friends should see them too."
Cloud smiled and nodded, glad she was as eager to see the images as he. He carefully took the camera from her hand and extracted the film. "I'm going to try and get these developed in time." Tifa smiled. "Do you think we should have a sneak peak?" he called back over his shoulder as he walked towards the door.
"Depends how long it will take to get them back," replied Tifa. "Actually I think the tension might kill us..."
"This is going to be a surprise," mused Cloud in the doorway. "Not a word to any of them."
"Oh, no," Tifa grinned. "Not a word."
Twenty-four hours had rarely felt so interminable. Cloud had been almost reluctant to leave the precious momentos with the chemist, but did finally accept he'd get them back tomorrow. That, and he had absolutely no faith in his own ability to develop the film. He could try, but he'd be terrified of ruining the images within; he'd leave it to someone practiced with the process. He distracted himself as much as possible, throwing himself into every activity as thoroughly as he could, just to spur on the passage of time a little more, to hasten tomorrow and the return of the pictures. His over enthusiastic help eventually frustrated Tifa the next morning and she ordered him to take Denzel and Marlene to Sector Five, just to get him out of the way for a while. However, as soon as the door closed, she realised she felt the same way. The sheer potential of the photos was hard to resist, and she was easily as impatient as he.
Cloud waved with a glint in his eye as he came back a few hours later, some rectangular packages clutched in one hand. Tifa felt her heart leap as she saw them. He'd detoured past the chemist's on the way back; it had been earlier then he'd been asked to return but he'd chanced it. Too many hours left. Too many by far. She made a decision, and cleared the bar; gently coaxing regulars out with white lies of preparing for her visitors tomorrow. The bar would be closed for a private gathering for the next three days, but she hoped to see them all again afterwards.
The four of them gathered around a table after the main door was locked, and Cloud carefully explained to both Denzel and Marlene just where the photos he held had come from. Tifa looked at him with a pretense of calm and asked if he hadn't already snuck a look. Cloud replied he'd wanted to, but that this was an experience best shared with them all. He half regretted not waiting one more day, but the temptation was just too great. He lifted the flap on the first set and pulled out the thick stack of printed images. The top one was of Tifa from the picture Cloud had taken just the previous day. The second photo showed a sandstone pyramidal structure surrounded on all sides by forest...
The next day things were already buzzing inside the Seventh Heaven when Cid trudged through the door muttering something about fuel efficiency's. His face lit up when he saw the rest of Avalanche gathered; Vincent had been found waiting stoically outside the front door that morning, with Yuffie attempting a stealth entry around noon. Which would have (totally) worked this time (dammit) had Tifa and Cloud not decided to re-arrange all the furniture again. Reeve was early this year; he'd nearly missed last year's gathering due to the demands on this time. He'd arrived early afternoon with the increasingly independent Cait Sith perched on a shoulder, just before Barret and Nanaki arrived, the former Avalanche leader gently ribbing the unusually queasy quadraped about the apparently turbulent journey.
Tifa glanced over to Cloud with a smile as she handed Cid a drink and waved him down onto a seat. He nodded back and she cleared her throat. "Welcome, to the third annual 'We helped save the Planet party!'" The bar drowned in cheers as glasses were raised, Denzel and Marlene adding their own voices to the chorus. "And this year... we have a little surprise!"
"You're pregnant!" shouted Yuffie from a table near the door. Cloud flushed.
"No!" said Tifa with a sigh.
"Gotta be marriage then," Cid said flatly.
"Not that either," Cloud put in trying to distract from his embarrassment.
"This is something for all of us," the raven-haired woman continued.
"You better not be suggesting an orgy," murmured Yuffie. Barret flicked a peanut towards her as Tifa ignored the comment.
"Okay, I need you to all get into a line... and try to stay sober for this."
"Shit, woman; this is my first drink!" yelled Cid.
"Come on, come on," Tifa clapped her hands and with some grumbling the guests arranged themselves into a tangled line; a grinning Denzel and Marlene at the front.
"I think we're a bit old for party games," Yuffie said as she scrapped her chair across the floor.
"It's not a game. We have some pictures to show you."
"What holiday snaps? Ah hell, count me out. I'll see you guys next year." Cid moved to get up.
Tifa spoke quickly. "They were taken by Aeris."
The pilot froze and then awkwardly slumped back down. "...ah shit... She had that camera didn't she?"
"She did." The bar was silent then as Tifa spoke. "And we forgot about it. Cloud found the camera and we thought you'd all like to know what was on it."
The bar was silent a moment before Reeve spoke up. "Having only ever experienced that adventure second hand, I would be delighted to see Aeris' pictures." He was quickly joined with murmurs of assent and Tifa pulled the pack of photos from underneath the bar.
"Couldn't you have them done as slides or on a computer or something?" moaned Yuffie as she stared at the packets.
Tifa ignored Yuffie's grumbling response. "Okay! If anyone has any questions just shout them out. We've had a look through these once already, and we think we know what most of the photos are of, but if anyone's got any comments..."
Tifa slid the first stack of photos from the pack as Cloud walked to the other end of the bar to collect the precious pictures back up again. She bypassed the first picture of herself and handed the first photo to Denzel, and he to Marlene before handing it to Barret.
They all recognised the Temple of the Ancients; how could it have failed to make an impression? The place all their efforts seemed to count for nothing as Cloud handed the Black Materia to Sephiroth and the first Cait Sith met his end. Cait Sith mark III stared inscrutably at the image as Reeve passed it to him. He had as much of the original's memories as could be transmitted before the implosion, but what Cait Sith really felt about the lose of his predecessor was something Reeve felt oddly reluctant to pry into. The image showed the structure in stark contrast against the grey storm clouds that hung above the small island far out to sea. Nanaki commented how different this structure was to the architecture of the Forgotten City.
The next few photos were all of the Gold Saucer; a view of the complex from high up, flares of fireworks scattered across the scene, then Cloud staring at a sheet of paper in consternation as a man half dressed as a knight seemed to be speaking to him and gesturing, a view of the Gold Saucer theatre with an attendant excitedly walking towards the camera, and lastly Cloud striding out into the middle of Battle Square. Two required more explanation and all eyes turned to Cloud.
"That first picture is a view from the gondola on Enchantment Night... Aeris wanted to settle her debt for me being her bodyguard when Reno came after her. The deal was for one date and she chose that night. I never noticed her taking the second one... We'd wandered into the theatre, and the guy on the door told us we were the hundredth couple and got to be the leads in that night's show. It... didn't go that well." He bowed his head. "I blew all my lines and forgot all the stage directions. I think Aeris wound up saving the day."
Reeve laughed the loudest at the explanation, commenting he'd witnessed several performances via Cait Sith and could well imagine how easily the short production could be screwed up by a less then willing participant. Cloud flushed a little more as Yuffie teased more and more details of the play from him. The next six photos all pertained to Wutai and there was no confusion over their significance; Yuffie fighting Shake in the central Pagoda as she proved herself to her father, the huge carved forms of the Da Chao statues and then the capital city spread out below. The next image depicted a trio of Turks; Reno, Rude and Elena huddled around a table crowded with bottles, looking up and towards the camera with a mix of suspicion and guilt, and after that Cid crouched on top of the Tiny Bronco as it lay on the beach. He was scowling at a component, cigarette held tight between his teeth, the gloriously blue sea lying behind him. They assumed the last picture must have been taken in the sea just off the coast; an almost nondescript strip of land rising up out of the blue water - someone's arm just caught along the bottom edge of the frame.
Yuffie in particular took an additional moment to stare at these pictures; herself caught mid-movement as she battled and the wonderful view of her home. She murmured that maybe she should visit a little more often than she had been. Everyone chuckled at the Turks' combination of emotions as they looked towards the errant photographer, Reeve commenting they still stuck together like glue, even with Tseng now up and about again.
The next three photos were of Rocket Town; here was Shera pouring a steaming kettle into a tea pot and pushing her glasses back up her nose with her free hand. A view of Cid's house showed the Tiny Bronco parked in the back-garden, the white picket fence and the rows of colourful flowers. Another was taken from the outskirts of the town, the rusting form of the Shinra 26 towering high above all of the other buildings. Cid cursed slightly as he stared at the picture of Shera, and asked, nonchalantly, what it would take to get some copies of the pictures. As mementos naturally; Shera had been bugging him that he'd had this trip all around the world and nothing but some scars to show for it. Tifa grinned, and brought eight batches of photos up from beneath the counter, each tied with a red ribbon. Cid swore softly and smiled.
Seven photos traced the path from the Nibel Mountains to the rolling plains that surrounded Rocket Town. A thin strip of mountains could be seen to the right of the image, which showed little other than the rolling green grassland and the wonderfully blue sky - a pleasing contrast to the overcast skies above Mount Nibel; the reactor just visible in amongst the twisted outcrops that thrust out from the mountainside. Vincent took a moment to study the photo that followed as it passed along the line. It depicted him stepping from the doorway of the Shinra mansion and blinking in the bright sunlight of Nibelheim.
"The first sun in thirty years..." he murmured as he stared at the image of himself, holding up his clawed hand to keep the sunlight out of his eyes. Cid smirked as he saw the picture, Yuffie just about visible along the left hand edge gawping at their newest party member. The remaining photos were of the town; there was the mountain path that they'd learnt would lead up to the reactor and the place Cloud first defeated Sephiroth, here was the decaying mass of the Shinra mansion with black cloaked figures clustered in front of it. The main gate of Nibelheim framed a view that Aeris must have never suspected she would ever see, capturing the facsimile town in detail. The last of this grouping of photos showed the vast mountain range through the window of the buggy as they had made their way from Cosmo Canyon.
Nanaki stared at the next picture, Yuffie holding it up in front of his good eye. He looked at himself and his grandfather talking at the gates of Cosmo Canyon. Bugenhagen had urged Nanaki to continute travelling now he knew the truth about his father. He thanked Cloud and Tifa once more for providing copies of the photos; he would have otherwise asked for a copy of at least this one. The last picture in the first set was of the New Avalanche as it had been christened; Cloud, Tifa, Nanaki, Cait Sith and Barret were sat around the Cosmo Candle and staring into the flickering flames.
Yuffie had been counting the photos and spoke up. "I thought there were twenty-three photos to a roll?"
"There are. But I had to use the last one up before I could get the rest developed," Cloud replied.
"Oh...? And just what did you take a picture of... Wait, what came before the Temple then?"
Cloud looked a little flustered. "Oh... just a picture of... Tifa..."
Yuffie smirked. "Way to go Cloud! Getting kinkier in the bedroom are we?"
A bread roll bounced off her head. "It's just a picture of me here," said Tifa with a sigh, holding up the missing photo. "I just didn't think anyone would want to see it." She passed it along the line, Yuffie rolling her eyes at Tifa's expression of surprise.
"Hey... we've gone through one entire roll of film and there's not one picture of Aeris. Don't tell me she got everyone on film except herself?" The ninja spoke up again as Cloud carefully put the first set of pictures back into their folder and carried them to the bar.
"There's one picture of her..." he replied.
"Just one?" asked Reeve concerned. Tifa nodded.
"She was too busy taking the pictures to remind herself of the trip - she never meant for us to be using them to reminisce about her..." replied Tifa with a sad note in her voice.
"But there is one, right?" rumbled Barret.
"Yup!" Tifa grinned wider then he would have expected for the answer.
"So when is it?" asked Yuffie.
"Last picture in the set. The first taken," Cloud replied as he walked back to his position at the end of the line.
"Aw, so we have to wait through all of these to see her again? I mean, I remember what she looked like, but it's just nice... y'know. It's a good picture right? It's not blurry or anything is it?"
Cloud allowed himself a smile. "You'll see Yuffie. Patience."
The girl from Wutai let out an exasperated sigh and looked further up the line as the next images were passed from friend to friend. Aeris had changed film within Cosmo Canyon and the next three images were also Nanaki's home; the view from outside Bugenhagen's observatory and the sprawling settlement spread out below followed by it's twin showing the view up to the observatory from the canyon floor. The final image was of deep red rock from the window of the buggy.
The immediate next image had taken Cloud and Tifa some time to place, or even realise the significance of. It had been taken in Gongaga; the style of the huts in the next photo and the exploded Mako reactor in the one after that had made the location unambiguous. But why photograph that house in the village? It had been taken in the evening, the scene lit with reddening light as dusk fell, likely while the rest of their party was resting in the town's only inn. Tifa had been the one to realise, gasping as she made the connection; it was Zack's parent's house. The Seventh Heaven had fallen silent on both occasions as she explained the image, everyone slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the man so few of them had met, who had painstakingly dragged Cloud with him to Midgar and as a result began the chain of events that would ultimately draw them all together. Cloud had felt foolish not recognising the photo; he related that shortly after the Strife Delivery Service began operations, he had been able to pysche himself up sufficiently to deliver some long suspected but never confirmed bad news to two parents in Gongaga. He'd seen that house so recently, but had let himself blot it out of his mind so quickly...
The next photo provoked more amusement from the gathered members of Avalanche. Cloud was sat staring forward through the windshield of the buggy as Yuffie seemed to be bouncing in the passenger seat. Nanaki was slumped across two seats in the back, tongue lolling out of his mouth. Tifa had been caught in a half turn towards the buggy as Cait Sith stared up at her. "Shit, you were driving around in one of those things?" muttered Cid. "Pile o'crap."
"It wasn't our choice of vehicle," retorted Tifa. "Dio gave it to us after Cloud won the Chocobo race."
"Can't see it getting more then a few hundred miles before keeling over. Definitely had yourself a lemon there..."
"To be fair to it, it did last until it broke down almost on my doorstep," put in Nanaki.
"And it was better then walking. And it could go overland unlike the Tiny Bronco..." Tifa smirked as she spoke.
Cid scowled. "Now that's a step too far. The Bronco was still plenty useful. I didn't hear you complaining when you used it to get us out of Rocket Town!"
Tifa just laughed and told him they'd abandoned the vehicle outside Nibelheim.
There was a run of photos that related to the Gold Saucer and Corel Prison now; a complete stranger with dirty blonde hair and a manic grin was centred in one shot, Yuffie, Nanaki and Cait Sith behind him and just visible in the distance the retreating forms of Cloud, Barret and Tifa as they strode out into the blistering heat of the Corel desert. Barret passed the photo on without comment, and Yuffie spoke up clarifying that the mystery man was a nuisance inmate who had taken to following them around. No one wanted to press the issue of what was depicted in the background; Barret gone to confront his past and fight with Dyne. The next image was also taken in the desert and showed the ramshackle collection of buildings that clustered against the support column of the Gold Saucer as if trying desperately to stay in the shade thrown by the towering structure.
Cait Sith stared again fascinated at the next photo; Cait Sith mark I was beckoning Cloud over to read his fortune. Reeve smiled as he saw it and mentioned that he had been controlling the robot directly for that little encounter, though still could not explain the three fortunes Cait Sith had produced for Cloud. There were two more photos of the entertainment complex in quick succession; a view from the lowest level of the park up towards the towering spire, the gondolas visible suspended high up above the park and then a slightly blurred picture of the cable car's arrival as they approached the station.
Barret paused longer at the next two images; the first showed the North Corel cable car stop for the Gold Saucer, the rest of Avalanche clustered around a decidedly unhappy Barret after his confrontation with the former denizens. The immediate preceeding moments of that same confrontation had been caught by the next image; the view was skewed, depicting the scene at an awkward angle, and with a slight blur as if the camera was moving as the shutter closed. Barret was visible on the right hand edge as angry people strode towards him, the ruined remains of North Corel visible beyond them. The former coal miner cleared his throat and mentioned that the town was still doing well; he liked to visit when possible. The next three images were of the Corel mountains; the Gold Saucer clearly visible in the sky ahead, a nest of Chocobos and then the mountains themselves. Marlene had adored the picture of the tiny chocobo chicks huddled in the nest, looking nervously up at the photographer. The collection of photos was rapidly thinning when Tifa passed along the photo of Cloud sat by a campfire, staring into space. Tifa was pushing open the flap of her tent, and beyond the swordsman they could just about see Barret waving with his good hand.
"Six photos left," murmured Yuffie.
The final group of photos all related to Costa del Sol. Tifa explained that this was where Aeris had picked the camera up; while they bought swimsuits, the flower girl had noticed a display of them in the shop and had delightedly added one to her purchases. The first image was embarrassing though; the group sharing a room at the Costa del Sol inn, asleep. Tifa was edged to the right-hand side of the single bed she'd been sharing with Aeris. In the next bed over was the space encompassing form of Yuffie and in the last bed was Cloud sleeping flat on his back, everything but his head hidden below the covers. Barret was dressed in his sailor suit and leant against the far wall, and Nanaki had curled up at the end of Aeris and Tifa's bed.
"I forgot you actually used that as sleep-wear in the end," Cloud commented almost laughing.
"Shut it," growled Barret. "It was comfortable. Don't go bringing up marshmallows again."
To Yuffie's embarrassment there was an additional photo of her asleep; arms and legs hanging over the sides of the bed and as a result taking three times as much space as any of the other sleepers. She seemed to be snoring. The ninja scowled when she saw the picture and threatened to sneak it out of everyone else's sets. Tifa piped up and noted it was already too late as they'd had extra copies of that one printed and kept in a safe location. Yuffie slumped back grumbling that she was sure she could find them all. Barret made a similar threat when he found the next picture was close up of him asleep in his sailor uniform.
Three photos now; Cloud approached by a suited man who had tried very eagerly to sell the swordsman the huge villa that overlooked the beach. The picture had caught the blonde man looking confusedly as the man gestured back towards the structure. The penultimate picture was Yuffie working part-time in the little beach shop. It seemed so incongruous to how they normally perceived the ninja girl; she was smiling and happily pushing something into a bag when the camera caught her. A more suspicious eye might have noted the crumpled money just visible sticking out of her hip pocket. Yuffie insisted that had been her pay.
Tifa sighed slightly, her face lightly flushed as she regarded the last photo in the set. She couldn't hold it back now; certainly not after she already told them that this was the only one of the flower girl. She passed it along, each member falling silent as they regarded it before smiling or laughing slightly.
"This truly is the only picture?" Reeve asked.
Tifa sighed. "Yep. By this stage I think we're just grateful to have one..."
Cloud claimed the photo at the end of the line and took the set back to the bar as Denzel and Marlene distributed the individual bundles of photos to everyone present. With a renewed toast to Aeris Gainsborough, Avalanche carried on with their annual celebration.
"Here we are," said Cloud as he powered Fenrir off. He and Tifa had made a special trip to visit Elmyra Gainsborough in Kalm. They'd always extended her the invitation to attend their gatherings, but she had always politely declined, never wanting to intrude in the close knit group's affairs. Cloud tried to see her more then once a year when she sent bouquets of flowers to the Forgotten City, but between the delivery business and spending time with Tifa and the kids there were simply not enough hours in the day. This would be the first visit in a while. And this time Tifa had asked to come with him. She clutched the carefully wrapped present against her chest and worried just what Elmyra would think of their unprompted gift.
Aeris' adoptive mother answered the door moments after Cloud had knocked and bid them both come inside. She was always pleased to see them, never once holding them responsible for the loss of her daughter.
"Tifa! It's good to see you again. It's been quite a while now... I think the last time was just after Meteorfall?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, I would loved to have visited more often..."
Elmyra shushed her and waved them both towards the sofa. "No need to apologise; you've got your hands full with Denzel, Marlene, the bar and him." She gestured to Cloud who played at being offended. "So what do I do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Cloud cleared his throat. "We found... a camera that used to belong to Aeris. It had some used film that we had developed." He put out a hand as Elmyra's hands rushed to cover her mouth. "There was one picture of Aeris."
"And we brought it for you," said Tifa holding out the present with both hands. Elmyra's hands shook as she took the package and then with shocked calm she pulled at the tape holding it closed and slid out the plain white box within. She pulled the lid off, eyes widening as she took in the contents. And started laughing. Cloud and Tifa couldn't help but smile, remembering how their own companions reacted to the image. But at some point Elmyra's laughter turned to tears, and she cried, staring down at the only image of her lost daughter. "Of course," she whispered. "Of course this would be the only picture of her."
Cloud and Tifa hurried over to comfort their friend's mother. "It's okay, it's okay." She murmured, before she took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you," she said, drying her tears. "Thank you for this."
Tifa felt she had to say something. "We're sorry... that this is the only one..."
Elmyra shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I didn't think there were any pictures of her at all, so even just this is more then I could ever hope for. And look how happy she is..." She rose and proudly put the frame so it could be seen prominently within the room.
No matter who visited, Elmyra never hid the picture of Aeris Gainsborough. The intricate silver frame always remained on display (Tifa was never sure where Cloud had gotten it, but agreed that it felt right as a tribute to their friend), surrounding a picture of two girls in bright sunlight. An observant person would have realised the image was taken in Costa del Sol and might have wondered who the photographer was. Tifa didn't know, and if Aeris had ever asked she took that little detail back to the Planet with her. The flower girl stood on the left of the picture, her face lit up with a brilliant smile, the edges of her pink ribbon just visible on either side of her head. Her right hand was held up in a 'v' to the camera, while her left was around the waist of Tifa. The martial artist's right arm was in turn around Aeris' waist and her left hand was held up in a similar 'v'. Her smile wasn't quite as dazzling, but her gentle eyes were intoxicating as she gazed out of the photo. The photo itself was of both girls in their new bikinis; purchased at the same time as the camera that had captured this singular moment of the last Cetra.
Tags:
- character: aerith gainsborough,
- character: barret wallace,
- character: cait sith,
- character: cid highwind,
- character: cloud strife,
- character: denzel,
- character: elmyra gainsborough,
- character: marlene wallace,
- character: nanaki,
- character: reeve tuesti,
- character: tifa lockhart,
- character: yuffie kisaragi,
- fandom: final fantasy vii,
- fanfic: 48 exposures,
- fanfiction,
- setting: ac,
- tone: comedy,
- type: post-canon
no subject
Date: 2013-04-15 06:17 (UTC)I know, I know I nitpicked this before, but Cloud's line about leaving Nibelheim with only a donated uniform still seems odd when it's directly tied to what his traveling bag from the original game has. And I know the added phrase was my suggestion so I obviously didn't think that entirely through with the changed structure still throwing me off.
Is something like how I'd write it. There's a slight tone change in there, mostly because I just thought of a curious point: while he very understandably doesn't miss mementos of Nibelheim and has that habit of practically traveling light (which makes perfect sense for how he is for much of the game, even if I find it funny to make him a pack rat considering how my game inventory always gets), this is also a story all about mementos and the attic is now overflowing--which seems like a bit more Tifa's doing than his, but he does also have the swords up there. I'd be tempted to tweak the tone of the paragraph a bit and have him dryly observing toward its end that his present has gotten rather cluttered, but he doesn't mind keeping mementos so much now (as his life has become a happier one).
There's some grammar points--"two days' time" is missing the apostrophe and "fuel efficiency's" should be "fuel efficiencies" (no possessive). "What holiday snaps?" seems like it'd read better with a comma between "what" and "holiday". "what Cait Sith really felt about the lose of his predecessor"--"lose" should be "loss".
I don't think the semi-colon is quite right here (the rest of the sentence isn't an independent clause), and some of the commas could actually be semi-colons themselves. As:
Using semi-colons helps when a list of items involves lots of description, as it makes it clear that a phrase separated by a comma is still part of one item, not its own item (if that makes sense. What kept happening to me as I read the original sentence was my brain wanted to parse the "flares of fireworks" as separate from the view of the Gold Saucer itself, and at the same time wanted to combine the photo of theatre and attendant with the photo of Cloud and the knight, likely because I knew the Cloud and knight photo would also have been at the theatre, just backstage).
Speaking of the attendant, "the guy on the door"--"at"? (Though I can see how "on" makes sense so maybe that's just a bit of regional difference in English. I'm used to "at".)
Same thing as before--all of the sentence after the semi-colon is dependent on the clause before, so it should really be a colon. (There's a few other instances actually where a semi-colon doesn't seem quite right.) Though also, the listing in that paragraph overall scans a bit oddly for me? It's hard to describe... "The next six photos" and the way the clauses are joined make me expect to read all six in that sentence, rather than three. Granted, given the description for some of the pictures that'd be one heck of a sentence.
There's two sentences that start "The bar was silent" right by each other (as Tifa is telling the group about the pictures).
"Nanaki commented how different this structure was to the architecture of the Forgotten City."-- this feels more dangling than the ribbon to me. Since we don't have a picture of the Forgotten City, there's not really a good place for making the comparison more explicit. But I do like the rest of the description for the temple.
In the first draft you had Yuffie (correctly) asking if there are twenty-four photos to a roll; somehow this got changed to "twenty-three" in this draft.
I think it'd read a bit more naturally if Cloud had been the one to recognize the hut from Gongaga. The explanation of it being Tifa because he'd blotted it out from memory just seems a bit funny...
Definitely like the banter between Cid and Tifa over the buggy and Bronco. ("Better 'than' walking", not 'then'.) And was amused at Reeve not being able to explain the fortunes.
Barret telling Cloud to shut it and not mention marshmallows again still makes me laugh.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-15 20:53 (UTC)No problem on the nit-picking - I had been wondering about how that line was reading too so I shall revisit that one as well. Ah! I like the observation of the in-game inventories (yeah mine was chock full of stuff by the end as well) being somewhat contrary there - and I like the comment about his present getting cluttered. Thank you, I'll bear that in mind when I go over this again.
Thanks for the grammar tips - I am forever making little mistakes like that. Plus semi-colons I have gotten into a weird habit of using all the time and that makes perfect sense! And is going to help as I was finding myself getting lost in punctuation and figuring out how to distinguish the individual descriptions as the commas weren't distinguishing. I feel I need to revisit English grammar somewhat again.
Ah - yes the 'on' versus 'at' for the attendent is a regional difference I think, or at least that is a typical way to refer to the situation. Might change it (though keeping the English spelling of some words would make that kind of halfway between both. Hmmm).
...Yeah I think I'll amend the six Wutai photos as that is an issue/split it in two. I was wondering about that, but missed it. Dang, missed the two sentences starting the same way (actually on that note, did you notice if I was using character names too repetively - that one I know is a bad habit that I have to keep checking/fixing).
I think I'll delete the Temple comment as that does dead end quite badly there (without a picture to compare it to especially).
Oh, dammit Yuffie! I know exactly what I did there; I reshuffled when she noticed the picture count to come after the first set completed and amending her later counting for some reason made me think I needed to amend the previous.... Oop.
On reflection, you do have a point about Tifa recognising the hut being less natural then Cloud. That really doesn't quite gel.
Glad you liked the banter and Reeve's comment on the fortunes.
Thank you for all these. Time to do some fixes!
no subject
Date: 2013-04-16 17:19 (UTC)Aha, yeah it's too easy to get into little quirks of writing (I know I use dashes much too often, considering part of their purpose is impact). Despite all my nitpicker tendencies, I think need a refresher myself; I mostly remember what I do because I took college courses in writing/linguistics. Which I took because I'm a bit of a nitpicker...loop around XD
Well, it won't hurt Americans to be exposed to other regions' idioms. I'd say just keep it since it's more natural to you, and it isn't hard to understand for someone used to the other way of "at" vs. "on".
(actually on that note, did you notice if I was using character names too repetively - that one I know is a bad habit that I have to keep checking/fixing)
That's actually something that rarely ever bothers me. As I was taught in writing certain words are "invisible" to readers--we read so fluently that while the words are necessary for the grammar of the sentence, we hardly think about them unless they're missing (and in some particular cases, even if they are missing we'll fill them in our minds without realizing unless directed to go back and look at the sentence). Usually this is applied more to the word "said" which isn't all that prominent unless you have a whole conversation going
But if you vary it up even just a little it doesn't stand out at readers, eliminating the need to replace it with a number of synonyms or different words that do and then distract the reader unnecessarily when there wasn't actually anything special about the person's speech. Anyway while it's applied more to "said"/replacing it with synonyms, I also had it impressed upon me that it was similar with character names/replacing them with epithets. The point being that in the piece, there was actually one part where I wanted to take out the epithet and put the name back in ("raven-haired woman" for Tifa); the names themselves never bothered me. This is a preference thing though, as I know some writers still just don't like to leave so many instances of the name in/sometimes a description of a character can be really enjoyable for the readers.
I may also be bringing this up because of the time when I forgot that "Cloud" genuinely is a weird given name. If a name's familiar enough...Yeah, Tifa recognizing the hut made sense just fine in the first draft; but then I suggested that change, and it affected that too... haha, that's the tricky part of writing sometimes.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-17 18:51 (UTC)Ah the repetitive name thing was something I've been always bearing in mind since I submitted 'Ahead On Our Way' to a Yahoo mailing list after the first draft and the most in-depth constructive feedback highlighted how often I was doing it and recommended I vary a bit further (which is somewhat odd given if you read the final section when Sephiroth has won, his name is on almost every line. Somehow missed that one...).
Very interesting that certain words become invisible like that, and I think then I'll be a bit less insistent on keeping similar terms from winding up nearby. Plus that does make it easier as I really did get stuck for epithets to use on a number of instances (raven-haired woman is not one of my favourites either). I'll keep things varied but not worry too much...
And heh - yeah changing one thing affects another. I have switched this round to Cloud and it does seem to feel better Cloud made the effort to go back...
no subject
Date: 2013-04-18 01:33 (UTC)Ah...well, if they didn't teach you it at all that's the school's fault, not yours. Goodness knows schools/teachers can be spotty sometimes on the areas they're supposed to cover...that said at least you know the how/why, and if you do want to pick up more of the technical aspect of rules I'm sure there are good grammar/style books available (they are a bit pricey though, at least over here).
...I think I actually vaguely remember that in "Ahead On Our Way" so, yes, naming too often CAN happen. (And now that I look back, I'm pretty sure it's the section where his name appeared four times in two lines (not sentences, lines on the screen) where I was like "that is a lot of Sephiroth". Same thing happened with Nanaki elsewhere.) That said that partly happened because you had very short, staccato sentences; not sure if you deliberately changed your writing or it just shifted into longer phrasing over time, but I don't think you have to worry about that for this fic. "Raven-haired" I think is distracting myself because I've seen it too many times in sporked fics, and also because it got me questioning if Yuffie isn't the same hair color and couldn't technically be described the exact same way. (I'm sure most people would use "teenager"/"ninja" instead of "woman" for her, but she is 19 three years after saving the world... I think in general (though I'm sure I've crossed myself on this somewhere) I don't like using hair color to describe any of the girls if more than one of them are in the scene; they can all technically be called "brunettes", even if Yuffie is least likely to be described that way (but even she has official depictions where her hair is brown instead of black).
...Now I have to go check a fic and see if I ever referred to Cloud or Cid singly as "the blue-eyed man" or "the blond", that's going to bug me if I don't. XD (I do at one point have "two pairs of blue eyes" meeting each other and rolling because Vincent was being. Vincent.)
Glad to hear the fix feels better for Cloud!
no subject
Date: 2013-04-18 21:46 (UTC)Well, they might have taught me all that technical stuff at school, but I really never retained it - and yeah definite spottiness on areas to cover (plus I used to work part-time in a bookshop and some of the methods they now use to teach kids to read and write seem so weird contrasted to how I did. Then I find people who find being able to do cursive some arcane art. Admittedly my handwriting then looks like a particularly irritated spider did it, but I think that's at least partly due to typing so much more...)
Haha! Yeah I think that's the same section of my fic; its all about Sephiroth, but I will keep using his name multiple times! I'm not surprised if I did it with Nanaki too... I've gotten into the habit of highlighting all instances of a character's name and then the epithets to make sure they're not clustering too much. Ah, I think my writing drifted over time... though its odd to note that in between 'Ahead On Our Way' and 'A Series of Moments'/every other fic there were only the less then easy to write fragments of a novel and a singular 'Lain' fanfic.
Ah, you have noted the bit about using raven-haired which always gives me pause; Yuffie has the same hair colour! And yeah, hair-colour does feel a bit weird when I've used it, but I couldn't think of another epithet at the time... (oddly I think Aeris' hair varies quite wildly in colour terms from honey-coloured to auburn to brunette. Tifa and Yuffie's tends to be more consistent).
Yep! Thanks muchly for the feedback - hopefully have a refined version ready soonish...
no subject
Date: 2013-04-19 16:27 (UTC)LMFAO. My cursive is just stuck at "awkward middle schooler" forever, I think. Both my mother and older sister do their signatures so efficiently and then mine goes loo-OOP, scrawl-scrawl; readable but not particularly elegant. (Then I see people in the checkout lane do their checks in flourishing cursive with calligraphy pens and it's like showoffs.)
Do you mean you weren't writing as much back then? Though hey, the highlighting seems like a good method to use.
That's true, Aerith's hair varies a LOT sometimes, although you just noted that little quirk in hair coloring terms that always throws me off too--for me there's "blonde", "redhead", "has black hair" and...brunette. So Aerith is always, always "brunette" to me, because even if her hair gets honey or auburn tones it's still some kind of brown. And looking it up it seems like people distinguish brunette as dark brown, matching how you divvy her portrayals up, but as the french word it's just brown and I think some places must use it as a way bigger umbrella term than others do. I admittedly like when Aerith on occasion has more auburn hair in fanart, even though that doesn't seem to be based on anything in official depictions (and in the fanart usually seems stylistic with red tones being emphasized elsewhere too--she's definitely a brunette. ...Unless I'm using it wrong. I don't think "honey brown" really describes any of her canon appearances, though I've seen it in fanart too.
.../stares at pictures of hair a bit longer, haha so many colors
no subject
Date: 2013-04-19 21:29 (UTC)Indeed I wasn't writing as much/if at all. Just completely got out of the habit/wanted to do something like writing a novel but with no story to actually tell which made it hard going... I oddly got inspired to get back into fanfiction last August due to a panel at a con I'd gone to about fanfiction (also where I found out about AO3) - and immediately wanted to write fanfic! Only then I had no idea what to do/discovered that ereaders could display fanfic so started reading fic again and somewhere along the line I found I'd been mentally building up this whole Aeris/Tifa romance to be canon-spliced...
Huh. Yeah I just use brunette to mean brown with no further indication on shade... And very true, even if it is honey/auburn, it is still ultimately brown. And it is nice to see Aeris with auburn hair in fan-art (though I'm rarely fussy and just like to see good fan-art of her. I think I have improbably seen her with blonde hair once or twice which is... confusing).
no subject
Date: 2013-04-20 14:59 (UTC)tbh my mom tends to do her signature so that you can't really read any of the other letters too--but it's also always consistent and regular in how she does it. Cursive is just an odd thing...
(whether or not I do a 'wiggly line' pretty much depends on how much rushing I'm doing. XD)
Hehe, and then "A Series of Moments" got written. I've done things like want to write with no story to actually tell too--and had the awkward situation at one point where my family knew I loved writing, and had attempted full-length stories before, and I was still writing so they thought I was doing some kind of novel and it was like "um, no, it's just a bunch of short stuff and most of it's fanfic..."
...Actually I think family and writing just leads to awkward moments sometimes. I was like thirteen when my dad found a scene where I was describing a girl as attractive and asked if I liked girls, to which I pointed out it was written for a guy's point of view and she was supposed to be his crush, of course the character found her attractive. Ahhh, parents.
...The "blonde" hair makes me wonder if--actually I don't doubt people have drawn Aerith blonde (when people are getting REALLY crazy with the colors of the whole picture I have seen green hair. twice.), but I also once saw a Cloud/Terra artwork where Terra looked like Aerith to me.
...Aaaaaaaand while looking back to see if I could find this picture to show you, I realize my "Cloud/Aerith" tag was never a functional one (because "Cloud/Terra" is also a nonfunctional one because of the "/".) Tumblr, why couldn't you have warned me about this... argh.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-21 21:57 (UTC)Heh - yeah cursive is really odd. Haha - yeah my signature also loses consistency depending on speed. So rarely does mine get compared against anything these days there are probably hundreds of variations as there's no one way I have to (attempt) to adhere to...
Yep! Then 'A Series of Moments' which was so different as I managed to almost write a chapter per day (then I leave out the dropped sequences when I ditched Shinra in Cosmo Canyon and never mentioned them ever again. That was awkward). Haha - yeah, I foolishly thought if I could all my ideas out of my head I could thread them into something consistent. Which might have worked until it turned out I have about five openings, one sequence about three quarters of the way through and no way to link anyonthing.
Ack for the family assumption - and that does sound like an awkward moment (Definitely ah parents and leaping to assumptions there). I don't think my family have ever even attempted to read any of my stuff (my brothers at least would understand the FFVII fics. My parents would blink a bit and possibly try to ask for the short version to understand who anyone was. My dad walked in on AC once and eventually walked out looking confused...)
...Aeris with green hair? Okay... Well, I suppose if we can AU fanfic continuity, its possible to AU hair colour (seems a little incidental though).
Ack! that's annoying about the tumblr tags; I think the few I have like that are usually 'x's, but most things seem to wind up under a variaiton of FFVII and shipping tags. Still, I'd have thought it'd flagged up that tag wasn't going to work. Tumblr sometimes you are obtuse!
no subject
Date: 2013-04-22 04:48 (UTC)Haha - yeah, I foolishly thought if I could all my ideas out of my head I could thread them into something consistent. Which might have worked until it turned out I have about five openings, one sequence about three quarters of the way through and no way to link anyonthing.
Wait, I got a little confused--is this for "A Series of Moments", or another fic?
Oh, haha, the thing my dad was reading was actually one of my few original fics (...and actually another example of me loving reincarnation when I was a teenager: so ultimately the reason this girl kept catching the guy's eye, which he thought was just a crush--well, and he did like her--he'd just also been her guardian in their past lives, where he'd kind of needed to pay attention to where she was and things like that).
Though my dad encouraged my sister and me to like video games, and he still plays some with the younger siblings--but if I ever talked to him about fandom I'd lose him quickly XD
No, I don't think it's really "auing" the color--it's more a stylistic thing. Seriously, all the other coloring in the picture is a bit wild; I'd show an example if I could find it right now but I think the last one also had Aerith's dress slightly see through and with fish swimming in the skirt. So overall surreality anyway.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-22 23:26 (UTC)Heh - that's cool your dad still plays games with your younger siblings/encouraged you to like video-games. My parents varied on computer game playing; my mother use to play masses of Tetris and Mahjong (solitaire) while my dad wasn't quite as keen/didn't play as much. Though one Christmas the family united over 'Rock Band' and we all played that for hours... (and I amazed my sister by singing 'Still Alive' from beginning to end).
That sounds kinda cool for the original fic your dad was reading; and I can definitely see the appeal of reincarnation like that (which is still making me tempted to do either the Aeris resurrection idea as the Planet moves forward, or try and do Charis in some form...)
Ah - sorry for the confusion - the mishmash description at the start was me trying to write for the Nanowrimo a few years ago - one kernel of an idea, a whole load of starting points for stories. The first two chapters are at least coherent with each other (the rest... less so). Sorry - glued two completely different topics into the same paragraph and didn't distinguish. 'A Series of Moments' was a lot nicer to write (and possibly helped that there was no time-limit/per day word count - though I did aim for upwards of 1667 which is the Nanowrimo daily minimum).
no subject
Date: 2013-04-23 04:19 (UTC)I think reincarnation partly really stuck out at me because it's kind of my "preferred" after-death scenario, if any were to happen (and I can't remember if this was influenced by ff7 or part of why I took to liking the world system so much, even if it's not the typical reincarnation)... I'm pretty much an agnostic now anyway, but when I was more spiritual I leaned toward that.
Ah, no worries! I get it now. I...wish I could be consistent in writing 1667+, haha. I do have days where I write that much (think my max is ~3000 when I wrote the WIR/Dissidia crossover) but often I just...muddle. (Today was 222 words. Ahaha.)
Speaking of muddled my thoughts are growing that way; so it might be morning for me before I get back on your tumblr message.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-23 21:43 (UTC)Heh - my parents weren't so disdainful of video-games per se when I was younger, but they were very down on consoles, so we used to have to have an actual computer (a series of Amigas) that was capable of doing more then one thing. Which we were fine with... though both my brothers eventually convinced them to buy a N64 and PSX eventually (which was ultimately good as I got to play FFVII at all since it refused to work on the PC).
Curiously I also used to lean to reincarnation as 'preferred' after-death scenario - at least when I was younger; though I know that stance wasn't influenced by FFVII at all. I think it all fed into strange wonderings about creation or destruction of conciousness... (I have weird thoughts). I typically go a bit further towards total aetheism - though I did oddly get Christened as a baby (my parents ...sorta tried to raise us all to be Christian; though my dad never went to church ever (and used the time to clean the fish-tank), we went to Sunday school but after we had to move for my dad's job, basically everything got dropped and no one ever complained. The weekly visit to church was about as far as any of us ever took it. And in the end one of my brother's converted to Catholicism due to his wife, while my sister is now a Muslim).
That got a bit rambly, but I can really see the appeal of reincarnation.
Haha - I confess that while I tried for 1667+ per day, some days I was having trouble scraping 600, and other days the entire thing had to be thrown out. Muddling sounds familiar... and 222 is 222 more then I managed yesterday...
Might be a bit late replaying to your tumblr message as well sorry; this day has seemed somehow long and thoughts muddling...
no subject
Date: 2013-04-24 00:47 (UTC)Edit: it does look funny. They haven't fixed the gmail line breaks yet...!
"Boyfriend" seems a bit too casual for what he is; my mom tells the younger siblings to consider him as an authority figure in the house and they actually call the household--a mash-up of his last name and the kids' last names (my mom retook her maiden name, but it's missing from the mash-up). I guess I'd consider him closer to a fiance as they've actually discussed marriage and the main reason they're not doing it? Tax statuses! Or maybe "partner" really is best as it's pretty outside of a traditional situation anymore, haha.
Well hooray for the PSX letting you play FFVII, then. (I've faintly heard of Amigas, but I don't think I've ever used or seen one.)
I think it all fed into strange wonderings about creation or destruction of conciousness... (I have weird thoughts).
Haha, our strange thoughts might be a bit similar there (as I definitely wondered about where the consciousness went). I guess I could kind of fall into atheism since I don't really believe there is likely a divine presence, but then I never have quite ruled out the possibility of a divinity or spiritual force that doesn't care if people understand it or not. My mom's chosen religion is...a lot more intensive. Basically in high school it could take up about 10 hours of time a week; 3-hour church sessions on Sunday, 1 hour religion classes every weekday morning before school, 2 hour activities Tuesday nights. So... I'm pretty much glad I don't have to get up early most mornings any longer, haha.
Don't worry about taking time on on the tumblr reply! I really didn't expect a response today with how late I sent it.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-24 20:31 (UTC)Ah, yeah I think in that situation partner sounds better - boyfriend does have a teenage/not as serious connotation to it. Um... I admit to being confused over the tax status comment - here there is some form of tax break if you are married (and one of the many things that is gradually moving in-line with the acceptance of gay marriage. Currently gay couples don't get the same perks), or at least there used to be...
Heh - yep, glad to have a PSX - eventually. Amigas are still oddly kicking around but a shadow of their heyday in the 80s/early 90s. Basically they were cheaper PCs with loads of games.
Ah - does sound like we were thinking along the same lines with regard to conciousness. I would say that while I don't believe there is a divine presence like that, the idea of a divinity or spiritual force of the type you describe, something that doesn't care if people know it exists or understand it does seem more likely.
Woah, that is an intensive religion! And heh I do know that feeling of being glad that an early morning start is no longer required due to not adhering to the religion anymore (Sundays were far more pleasant not requiring going and sitting in a frequently freezing, very old church). But that was still a heck of a lot of sessions. Definitely better to be able to sleep more... and must be nice to have back the free time...
no subject
Date: 2013-04-25 19:24 (UTC)And yes! Definitely better to not have to do all that (though the Tuesday activities I hadn't minded as much; those were more social/community/learning-oriented).
no subject
Date: 2013-04-25 22:03 (UTC)The Tuesday activities do sound better with the social/community/learning-oriented stuff.