Chapter 34 - The final act Mel: Does she keep getting lost or something? Red: Read your script! Mel: Oh, grump! Hey... what? Mileena reads the script and as the pages advance, you see her face beaming up with joy... Mel: So when for the Sleeping Forest??? ^_^ Red: ... Bruce: Yo boss, can't bare to see ya like that... Kaz: ... Vincent: Sometimes, you have to lose something to appreciate it... Kaz: ... Xiaoyu: I think my sticky gums worked? Cid: Sticky gums? You mean these ones? Xiaoyu: Yea, want one? Kaz: I acted like a [beep]ing idiot! Mel: Well, took you a while to realise... Vincent: Mileena, I'm sure he doesn't need that! Mel: And what does he need, your morbid thoughts? Cid: Ey, shuddup! CS2: Isn't it ironic that we're in the Gongaga village where Zack comes from and that the guy who's hosting us looks like Kazuya too? Red: ... Cid: Hey, are you gonna carry that "2" next to your name now on? CS: Not necessarily... Kaz: Let's go. Xiaoyu: Don't the frogs scare you anymore? Kaz: ... Xiaoyu: Oh, pity... (tosses tiny toad in her hand outside window) Mel: He took it that seriously? Cid: Unlike you, some people have feelings! Mel: Let's check yours! (kicks to his groin but Cid steps back) Cid: That's once! Bruce: Yo, do you mind if we move on? If ya read da script, there's a lot to do! Vincent: I'm glad you spent your time wisely, Bruce... Bruce: Yea, whatever. Let's go! So the buggy heads for the Tiny Bronco, with which they'll make it to the north of the continent, where the icicle area is... they can pick L4 doom from there and Carob nuts from the red dragons on the small isles, but that can wait, since they won't need them for long... and no one seems to care either... Kazuya leans on the open window, looking away sad... Mel: ~ Red: Don't say it. Mel: I wanted to talk to Bruce! Red: I'm keeping an eye on you. Right they go past the sea to the cold continent, in search of the Sleeping Forest, past which lies the forgotten capital. When they get there, they find that excavations are in progress... a mining village has settled there... Bruce: Yo, they'd better think it over before punching me! Digger: No, we're friendly people! We love the nature and dig out the secrets of the planet to learn about it! Kaz: Jun would have loved it here... Audience: Awwww... Mel: Good, so why take her away? Don't we want her happy? But Mileena is being ignored... Mel: I'll talk to you about the script later! ;( CS: We want to cross the Sleeping Forest... Mayor digger: That's tough... if you try to go past it, you'll get confused and lost... you need the Lunar Harp, just like the sweet girl who passed by recently~ Kaz: Jun! Major: Yea, that was her name! Boy, did she look sad! Kaz: ... Vincent: Oh Cloud... please don't! (embraces him) Kaz: Vincent... (clasps his hand) Red: Um, how if you started digging for us? Mayor: It's not just the Lunar Harp you're looking for, is it? Bruce: Well, if ya can get us some good treasure to go with... CS: Argh! Xiaoyu: Hey, he's just like the old one! Mel: You're telling me... Red: Just the Lunar Harp would be fine, thank you. So, for some gil, they start digging and excavate the Lunar Harp... You can try to get the key for Midgar too, if you wish, while you're at it... but this time, our heroes only want the Lunar Harp. And there they are... inside the Sleeping Forest, which now won't harm them... Mel: A... a materia! Grab it! Xiaoyu: That's mine! Mel: Mine! Catfight begins over the Kujata materia... Cid: Forest won't be sleeping for much longer... CS: Girls! Quiet! QUIET! (hops up and down, trying to fly...) Cid: Hey, easy there, you'll bring the forest down! CS: Hey! Just because I'm fat that's no reason to constantly humiliate me! Cid: Yea but, see... (nudges Kazuya) fat is an understatement, haaaaaaaaahahahahaaaaaa! Cid: oowwwwww... Kaz: Heh, maybe... huge... (trying to laugh...) Bruce: Wooheeee... I say... ENORMOUS! Mel: Oh, poor Cait Sith... I can help you... I'll recommend you a good diet! ^_^ CS: Don't trust ya! Red: I always opposed to Cait Sith doing the slang... Cid: Oh, cheer up, boss, ya can't have the blues forever! Kaz: ... Vincent: Don't worry, Cloud... I'll stay by your side until the last moment... Mel: So will I! Bruce: Nope, you're stayin' with me! Red: Shhh! All of them stop as before them they see the strange shapes of the Forgotten Capitol in the distance... Red: Aeris is there... Xiaoyu: Creepy place... They explore around but their finds, materias and plenty more items hardly interest them. Aeris is their primary concern and the sacred ruin shakes them to their foundations... Nothing living seems to reside in this place, other than an enormous tropical fish in the central building... Red: I'd like to emphasize your attention on it... Cid: Why, I don't like fish? Aah, forget... Tremble my dear friends for the night is falling... and our weary heroes are taking a snooze, to maintain their strength... for much strength they will need for what is to follow. And somewhere there at midnight... Kaz: That had it! Mel: What? Bruce: Yo, Vincent, stop wailing at the moon! Vincent: That wasn't me... Red: All up? Xiaoyu: That's barbarous! Kaz: This joke is dragged far enough! I want to know where my wife is right now! Bruce: Hey, easy there... women gotta be treated with respect! Mel: As if you know of such! Bruce: Sure do, pretty mama! Mel: Don't call me that! Red: At least your spirits picked up... Xiaoyu: That definitely wasn't regarding me, was it? Kaz: She's here... I know she is! Mel: Okay. How do you know? Kaz: Never mind. I need to find her! So Kazuya-Cloud marches outside the shell they were sleeping in, fortunately Mileena remembered to pick up the Ultima materia before they left... CS: Oh, I'll keep my fingers crossed... Xiaoyu: You've got fingers? CS: On the cat! Xiaoyu: Oh... The strange quietness of the night is hardly promising. Anything may happen... Vincent: Such nights remind me of so many more like them... Cid: For reals? Mel: Brrr, it's cold! Bruce: Hey, wanna hug? (opens arms) Mel: On second thought, I feel hot. Bruce: Me too! For some reason, they all make it to the main building... anxiety is rising as they follow Kazuya's march towards there... and let me assure you, the fish is now gone! Xiaoyu: Something is 'fishy' around... Cid: Huhuh, huhuh, huhuh... (obviously bored) A staircase is revealed and with no hesitation, the team descends those steps... There it is. The Forgotten Capitol of the Ancients. Enormous crystal pillars stand to as far as the roof goes, coming from as low as the bottom stands... Okay, can't make a better description. But point is... there! There she is! In the centre of the capitol is Aeris, pretty in her pink dress, praying... Kindness is in her still face and gentle smile... Kaz: I'll go alone... Bruce: Gotcha. So Cloud walks up to the altar... Mel: I think there's a chance it'll rain... (looking up expectantly) Xiaoyu: What do you mean, Mileena? Mel: Oh, me? Hmm, I wonder... (whistles) Cloud walks closer to the altar... a first face shot of Aeris reveals the tranquility in her face... her lovely eyes open and stare at Cloud with forgiveness and understanding... Kaz: Jun... Hey listen... But then... Kazuya raises his sword over his head! Kaz: H-hey? What the? Mel: Come on... do it... CS: Mileena! Cid: @#$%^&*! Vincent: CLOUD! Bruce: WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOING! Xiaoyu: Cloud! Kaz: Sorry guys, got tangled with the strap... Again he faces Jun's smile... Kaz: Jun... And then... Oh behold! Faster than a bolt from the sky he falls down, black as a curse, the brilliant, imposing Sephiroth... Audience: AWWWWW (astonished) His masamune is bared... and unmisteakably stabs Aeris through the back! Mel: YES! Red: ! Indeed... Aeris falls! She dies! She falls lifelessly on the floor, her eyes are drained from life... and as a last act... her materia, that she didn't know what it was for but cherished as her mother's gift, drops into the lake below... Holy. Kaz: NO! Sephiroth: Hahahaaaaaaaaaa! Kaz: What have you done! Bruce: Yo, is that supposed to be in the play? Xiaoyu: She's alive... isn't she? Vincent: The possibility of resurrection should not be excluded... CS: Goodbye Aeris! (weeps) Kaz: You... you didn't... (out of his mind) Sephiroth: What is a life of one next to the World? Kaz: This isn't happening! Jun! Talk to me! But Jun doesn't move... She will no longer laugh... smile... be angry... This is it my friends... Final Fantasy's saddest moment, that of Aeris's death. She has given her life for the planet... and love. Mel: And where's the sad to it? Cid: (whispers to Xiaoyu...) Xiaoyu: Mileena? Want some candy? Mel: Sure why not. And as Mileena eats the candy, Xiaoyu nods to Cid who makes a thumbs up to her. She is silent for the moment. And so, we may return our attention to the main event... Kaz: You murderer! Sephiroth: I thought you'd be grateful? Kaz: What are you saying! Sephiroth: Heheheee... It's all right, Cloud... You don't have to pretend that you're angry... Sephiroth levitates before their shocked eyes... Sephiroth: Because Cloud... You are. Red: Yes! That's the line! Bruce: At least this time his fly's up... But there is no place for laughter my fellows... for the music is this masterpiece of Aeris's theme, the highly emotional and touching ballad, as Jenova makes the appearance. The fight starts but they fight with a broken heart. For like Cait Sith had said, they found their goal... But in what a dear price... Mel: MHMFFHHHHH!!! HMFFFFFF! Bruce: Oh, you're muffled? Good, I'll make the best out of it, once this is over... Mel: MMMMMmmmmmm! (desperate whine) In the end, Jenova is defeated but hardly does the victory matter.