the forgotten city
Cloud and group enter the Forgotten City. It is barren with structure that take on an oceanic quality, many buildings resemble seashells.
Going through the city, if Cloud takes the path furthest Northeast…
BARRETT
Yo! Wait! That leads to the mountains up north! We’ve gotta find Aerith!
TIFA
W-wait, Cloud! If we continue this way, we’ll end up in the mountains up north. Aerith isn’t there, is she?
NANAKI
H-hey! Wait! That leads to the mountains up north. We won’t find Aerith there.
YUFFIE
Argh, I’ve had enough! We’re looking for Aerith, right? Then why are you heading for the mountains, you dork!?
CAIT
H-hold oaaan! Cloud, that road leads tae the mountains up north. Aerith needs us, so let’s go an’ find her.
VINCENT
Cloud. Stop. That leads to the mountains of the north. Have you given up on Aerith?
CID
H-hey, Cloud! You goin’ skiin’ or somethin’? Aerith ain’t gonna be that way!
If Cloud enters the right most seashell building, there will be glowing orbs inside. If he touches one, it’ll flash…
CLOUD
Ugh… Are these the words of the Ancients?
He shakes his head.
It’s no good. I can’t understand.
If Cloud goes up a level inside the shell and touches different orbs.
CLOUD
Ugh… Not again. It’s flowing directly into my mind. Are these the words of the Ancients?
Cloud shakes his head.
It’s no good. I can’t understand.
Inside the neighboring seashell building, there are beds on the upper floor.
BARRETT
Heh… Beds.
TIFA
Ancients have actually slept in these?
NANAKI
Look. There are beds.
YUFFIE
COOL! I can’t believe we found beds in a place like this.
CAIT
Talk aboot good fortune! Who woulda thought there’d be beds here?
VINCENT
Have ancients actually slept in these, I wonder?
CID
Whoa, what a nice set of beds.
The other party member...
BARRETT
Yo, Cloud, let’s take a break here.
TIFA
Should we have a quick rest here?
NANAKI
Hey, let’s get some rest. I’m tired.
YUFFIE
Come on. Let’s take a break. I’m sick of walking!
CAIT
Cloud, maybe we should get our heads doon.
VINCENT
Shall we have a short nap?
CID
I’m beat. Why don’t we get some shut-eye?
As Cloud approaches the beds…
NON-CHARACTER TEXTBOX
There are beds. Do you want to rest?
CLOUD
-
Yes
-
No (If selected, nothing happens.)
If select Yes, the screen goes black, but Cloud wakes up in the middle of the night. He looks up.
CLOUD
I can feel it…
The other party members walk up behind Cloud.
BARRETT
Cloud, what’s up?
TIFA
Cloud… what’s wrong?
NANAKI
What’s wrong? Do you not feel good?
YUFFIE
Uuuh…… Cloud? What’s wrong?
CAIT
What’s goin’ oan at this hour?
VINCENT
A problem?
CID
Hey, you any idea what time this is!?
Cloud turns to face the others.
CLOUD
Aerith is here. So is Sephiroth.
BARRETT
W-what did you jus’ say!? Sephiroth!?
TIFA
What!? They’re both here!?
NANAKI
What!? Sephiroth’s here too!?
YUFFIE
No way! He wasn’t invited!
CAIT
A-are ye serious, Cloud!?
VINCENT
If you’re correct, she may be in great danger.
CID
Hey, hey! You can’t be serious!?
The other party member...
BARRETT
But how d’ya know that?
TIFA
But how can you tell?
NANAKI
But how do you know?
YUFFIE
H-how? How can you know that?
CAIT
But how d’ye know that?
VINCENT
But how do you know this?
CID
But how’d ya know that!?
CLOUD
I’m not making it up. I can feel it, deep down inside me.
BARRETT
Then we better get up offa our lazy asses!!
TIFA
If you’re right, then we have to hurry! We’ve got to find Aerith!
NANAKI
W-what are we going to do? We have to hurry or something awful will happen!
YUFFIE
Isn’t that, like, really bad?
CAIT
If ye’r right, then we’re in trouble! We have tae find Aerith, fast!
VINCENT
Then we must make haste. There are no second chances.
CID
Shit, Cloud. We can’t just stand around.
Cloud nods.
CLOUD
…Yeah. Let’s go find her.
As Cloud and the others make their way back toward the central city, Cloud stops and faces the path that goes directly north, leading to a large coral looking overgrowth.
CLOUD
Aerith’s voice. It came from over there…
Cloud and the group head toward the overgrowth. They find a large shell building next to a lake. Inside the building, there are tons of those orbs and a pathway has opened up, leading underground. Going down a long passageway leads to a structure composed of towers, with an alter standing to the side. As Cloud and crew make their way to the alter, they see Aerith kneeling and praying there from a short distance away.
CLOUD
Aerith?
One of the party members begins to approach, but Cloud raises his hand and stops them. Cloud continues on his own, approaching Aerith. Making it to the alter, Cloud shakes his head, the screen goes red for a moment and Cloud shakes his head again. As he approaches her, Cloud pulls out his sword. He stands in front of her and begin raises it. Right before he strikes Aerith with his sword…
BARRETT
Cloud!
TIFA
Cloud!
NANAKI
Cloud!
YUFFIE
Cloud!
CAIT
Cloud!
VINCENT
Cloud!
CID
Cloud!
The other party member speaking at the same time...
BARRETT
Stop!!
TIFA
Cloud! Don’t!
NANAKI
What are you doing!?
YUFFIE
Stoooop!
CAIT
What’re ye doin’!?
VINCENT
Stop this!
CID
Idiot!
Hearing his teammate's voices, Cloud stops and backs away.
CLOUD
Uegh… What are you making me do?
Aerith looks up at Cloud from her prayer, smiling. Sephiroth desends upon Aerith with the Masamune drawn out and impales Aerith with it. She slumps over. Sephiroth smirks and pulls out the Masamune, causing the Holy materia to release from Aerith’s bow and bounce down the steps into the water below. Cloud catches Aerith as she falls over and cradles her. Sephiroth has his arms raised in the air.
CLOUD
…Aerith.
Cloud begins to shake her.
This can’t be real…
SEPHIROTH
Do not fear. She will soon be a part of the planet’s energy. This little diversion is at an end. All that remains is to head north. The Promised Land awaits me over snowy fields. There, I shall be born anew by becoming one with the planet; hence the girl shall become one with—
Cloud lowers his head and it begins to tremble.
CLOUD
…Shut up.
Cloud looks over his shoulder at Sephiroth.
The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don’t mean a thing. Aerith is gone.
Cloud turns back to face Aerith.
Aerith will no longer talk… will… no longer laugh, cry, or even… get angry.
Cloud lowers his head and lifts her body closer.
What about us? What are we supposed to do?
He lowers her to the ground.
What about our pain?
Cloud begins to tremble again.
My fingers are trembling… My mouth is dry… My eyes are burning!
Sephiroth lowers his arms and faces Cloud.
SEPHIROTH
What are you trying to say—that you have feelings!?
Cloud stands up and turns to face Sephiroth.
CLOUD
Of course I do!
Sephiroth begins to laugh.
SEPHIROTH
Ha, ha, ha! Spare me your ‘grief’. And you needn’t pretend that you’re shaking with anger, either…
Sephiroth begins to levitate into the air.
Because, Cloud, you are…
Sephiroth flies upward, transforms, and a tentacle piece falls to the ground. Cloud and the others fight and defeat Jenova Life. The screen goes black.
JENOVA
Because you are… a puppet.
CLOUD
I’m… a puppet?
The scene changes to Cloud and the party members standing around Aerith’s body.
BARRETT looks at Aerith with his shoulders slumped and head lowered. He shakes his head, walks over to Cloud, and puts his hand on Cloud’s shoulder before looking at Aerith one more time and walking away.
TIFA kneels down beside Aerith and strokes her hand through Aerith’s hair. She stands up and walks away as though about to cry.
NANAKI looks at Aerith, shakes his head, turns around, and howls before walking away.
YUFFIE stands next to Aerith and clasps her hands together, while lowering her head. She walks over to Cloud and begins to sob. She hugs Cloud while sobbing. Once she calms down, she runs away.
CAIT looks at Aerith, then turns to Cloud and begins to dance as though trying to cheer him up. He stops, slumps in sadness, and walks away.
VINCENT walks over and looks at Aerith. He then takes a couple steps toward Cloud and looks at him before finally walking away.
CID walks to Aerith, looks upon her, sighs, and then walks away.
Once the others have said goodbye, Cloud picks her up and carries Aerith into the pool by the seashell building. He releases her body and it sinks to the bottom of the small lake.
------------------------------------------------------
The scene changes to Cloud and the others being back in the seashell building where they had previously rested. Cloud is turned away from the group.
CLOUD
Everyone, listen.
Cloud turns to face them.
I’m Cloud—ex-Soldier—born in Niblheim. I came all this way to settle things with Sephiroth.
BARRETT
What’re ya tryin’ to say?
TIFA
Shaking her head.
…What’s wrong?
NANAKI
Hmm?
YUFFIE
Why are you saying this now?
CAIT
Why are ye bein’ so serious? Is somethin’ wrong?
VINCENT
Indeed.
CID
Scratching his head.
We already know that.
Cloud shakes his head.
CLOUD
I came here of my own free will. …That’s what I thought anyway, but… …now I’m not so sure. The truth is I’m afraid of myself.
He turns away from them and looks up.
There’s a part of me that I don’t understand. It made me give the Black Materia to Sephiroth.
He lowers his head and looks at his hands.
At the altar… if you hadn’t stopped me, I would have…… There’s someone inside me—someone who’s not really me.
He faces the others and shakes his head.
That’s why I’ve thought about quitting the journey. Because I might do something terrible.
Cloud raises his fist and begins to tremble.
But I’ve decided to carry on. Sephiroth burnt down my hometown. He killed Aerith. And now he wants to destroy the planet. …I can never forgive him.
Cloud stops trembling.
I… have to go on.
He lowers his arm.
I’ve got a favor to ask.
Cloud shrugs.
Will you all… come with me?
He looks up and shakes his head.
I want you to keep an eye on me. Make sure I don’t do anything funny.
He lowers his head back to the others.
BARRETT
C’mon, man…
TIFA
But, Cloud…
NANAKI
…All right, Cloud.
YUFFIE
Leave it to me!
CAIT
Keep an eye oan ye…? Au thought we were all buddies?
VINCENT
…I see.
CID
We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.
Cloud shakes his head.
CLOUD
I don’t know how Aerith planned to stop Meteor. And I guess now we’ll never know. But we still have a chance! We’ve got to get the Black Materia from Sephiroth before he can use it.
Cloud makes a determined pose.
Let’s go.
As Cloud and crew make their way out of the building and down the path...
BARRETT
Which way’d he go?
TIFA
Which way did he go?
NANAKI
Which way did he go?
YUFFIE
So… which way did he go?
CAIT
Which way did he go?
VINCENT
Which direction did he go?
CID
Which way did the asshole go?
Cloud clutches his head with his hands.
CLOUD
Urgh…
Up ahead is a translucent image of Sephiroth walking along the path that leads to the mountains up north. Cloud stops clutching but shakes his head. The others are staring at him.
BARRETT
Hey, you okay?
TIFA
Cloud, hold it together!
NANAKI
Y-you all right?
YUFFIE
H-hey! Pull yourself together!
CAIT
Cloud! Are ye awright?
VINCENT
Are you okay?
CID
H-hey! You all right?
CLOUD
Yeah… Sephiroth… He told me to… head north, beyond the snow fields.
They make their way through the Forgotten City to the snow fields after Sephiroth.