"Is everything all right?" Aeris asked, opening the guest room door. Cloud looked up at her from where he was sitting by the window. He nodded.

"Everything's fine thanks," he said. Aeris looked around.

"Where's your friend?"

"Cid? Your bodyguard gave him the room next door. Last I checked, he was asleep."

"Oh," Aeris said.

How convenient.

Aeris ignored the Planet and stepped towards Cloud, who had resumed his stance of looking out the window.

"This really is very kind of you," Cloud told her as she sat next to him. "You don't have to do this..."

"It's a pleasure," Aeris quickly said. There was a pause. "Reno's going to start enquiring about an aircraft tomorrow. You can go home then." Cloud didn't answer.

Now is the perfect time. Ask him. You want to know what's wrong with him, don't you?

"Is...everything all right?" Aeris asked hesitantly.

"My side hurts a bit," Cloud said. "Where I was stabbed."

"No, I meant..." Aeris stopped for a moment, trying to think how to phrase it.

How about 'not physically? I mean with...you.'

I can think! Aeris screamed inwardly at the Planet. Cloud was looking at her expectantly. Those eyes...

"How did you get eyes like that?" She asked before she could stop herself.

That wasn't what I had in mind.

Cloud looked a little taken aback, and turned his gaze back to the window.

"A mark of SOLDIER," he told her. "An elite fighting force for the Shinra."

"You're a member of SOLDIER?" Aeris asked. Even she, on another continent, had heard of the legendary Midgar and SOLDIER.

"I was. I quit. Shinra inject Mako into their finest, and it enhances them. Glowing eyes are the sign of that."

"Why did you quit?" Aeris was curious.

Take this course of questioning and he'll eventually tell you his secret.

Secret? Aeris asked the Planet inwardly.

Let him tell you. But be patient.

"I...just didn't want to be part of it anymore."

"Does it have anything to do with the person who stabbed you?" It was a guess, but from what the Planet was telling her, Aeris had a feeling it would be. Cloud hesitated before answering.

"Yes, it does." He didn't turn to the young Princess when he answered. "Look, you shouldn't be bothered with my life story."

"No, really," Aeris insisted. "I'm interested."

"You won't be. It's not really very good conversation."

He will tell you, if you coax him.

Maybe I don't want to! Aeris shouted at the Planet in her mind. Maybe he doesn't want to talk about it.

He does. It's just hard for him.

Cloud stood up and faced her, resting his weight on his left leg and putting his hands on his hips. Aeris laughed abruptly;the action was so reminiscent of Zack. Cloud frowned.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Sorry," Aeris said, composing herself a little. "You just reminded me of Zack."

"Your fiancée?"

"Yeah." Cloud sat down on the bed and Aeris rose, standing before him.

"I want to hear about you," she said gently. "If you'll tell me." Cloud stared at her for a moment, before dragging his gaze away.

"Sephiroth-the man who stabbed me-we go back about five years. We were sent on a mission to my hometown, Nibelheim. It's a little mountain town on the Western Continent, which you probably haven't heard of."

"No, I can't say I have."

Don't interrupt. Let him talk.

You're just as interested in this as me, aren't you? Aeris chided the Planet.

I know what he has to say.

"Please, continue Cloud," Aeris said.

"Sephiroth and myself, along with two Shinra troopers, were investigating a Mako Reactor in the Nibel Mountains, beyond Nibelheim. It was malfunctioning, and producing Mako generated monsters. But something happened to Sephiroth. He found out something about himself being produced as part of something called the Jenova Project. It's too complicated to go in to, but Sephiroth thought that Jenova was his mother for this reason. He stole the head of the Jenova from the Reactor, where it was being stored. He killed the two other Shinra troopers, but before he could leave the Reactor, I threw him into a Mako pit. I thought it killed him, but it didn't."

"And now he's back?" Aeris questioned.

"He travelled through the Lifestream," Cloud told her. "And he wants revenge on me for attempting to kill him. At least, that's what I think."

He's not telling you everything.

"And what else?" Cloud hesitated.

"He..." he turned away from her. "Never mind, it isn't important."

Think what you would hate most. Then you'll see how you think alike.

"Did he kill someone close to you?" Aeris asked quietly. Cloud turned to her, a look of surprise in his eyes. He lowered his gaze.

"He...killed my mother." Aeris's eyes widened.

That's not all. What else? What would happen if someone destroyed the place you love?

You just gave away a lot there, Aeris said to the Planet.

Not quite.

"Did he do something to Nibelheim?" Aeris asked. Cloud looked up at her again.

"Have you been talking to Cid?" He asked.

"No, I...just thought what I would hate most." It wasn't a lie...she just didn't need to indulge that she had had hints.

"Sephiroth burnt Nibelheim down to the ground, whilst I was watching."

"What? Why?" Cloud shrugged.

"He was insane at the time. Although that isn't an excuse." He turned away from her.

That's all he'll tell you for now. There isn't anything else linked with his attack you need to know.

"Okay." Aeris stood up. "Have a nice night. Just call if you need anything." She walked towards the door.

"Aeris?" Aeris turned to look at him. "Thank you."

"No," Aeris said. "Thank *you*." With that, she pulled the door open and walked out. Out of curiosity, she peeked round the door to Cid's room. Fast asleep. She began walking back to the throne room. She couldn't get him out of her mind. Cloud…Strife. She smiled a little. Regarding what he had told her, the name was ironic. She didn't quite understand why she couldn't think of anything but him. She never went for blondes, or blue eyes. She went for dark features, like Zack. Yet Cloud seemed to make her happier than Zack ever had, and that was just in his presense.

You're beginning to understand.

"Yes," Aeris said quietly. "Yes, I think I am."