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Step 4: The Introduction
Depending on the direction you want to take, you can start this several ways. If this were an Aeriseph fic, we would have a scene in some sort of heaven where both of them are given a second chance at life. But since this is your first fic, let's start slow, with the standard trip to Aeris's watery grave. Some tips:
a) Use lots of description and adjectives. That way, you'll impress whoever's reading with your vocabulary.
A lone traveler walked through the green, dense, secluded, dark, ominous, demonic, evanescent, prolific, and excruciating forest, his dark and tormented thoughts of anguish tormenting his anguished mind. Finally, he arrived at the hallowed gates of The Forgotten City, but Cloud paid no attention to the stunning crystalline beauty of the ivory pillars of the temples.
If anyone tells you that it's impossible for ivory to be crystalline, give them a dirty look and berate them for "arguing about semantics". This story is beyond their grasp.
b) Remember, this should be set after the game ends. This way, you don't have to change the storyline or make up a plausible explanation for why Aeris pretended to be dead for the last two discs. Also remember that there should be no credence whatsoever given to the theory that most of the world was destroyed after Meteor and Holy collided. It raises too many questions: why is the Forgotten City still standing? Why would Aeris want to come back to a place like this? Seph is dead, everyone else is living peacefully in their respective hometowns, and Cloud and Aeris get a happy ending. End of story.
c) Cloud should brood like hell. He should be a broken shell of a man who cannot bear life without Aeris. Every day should be a walking nightmare, an unbearable burden. No matter that he was able to defeat Sephiroth, save the world, breed chocobos, and play countless minigames since her death; suddenly, the moment that the credits roll, he becomes grief-stricken.
Ever since that horrible day when his beloved was stolen from him, he could no longer function. For days now, he could not eat, he could not sleep, he could not breathe, such was his overwhelming and oppressive grief. All of the others worried about him, since they had noticed how thin and gaunt he had become, and the dark circles that grew ever more pronounced under his eyes. But he cared not. Oh, no, he only thought of her sweet face...
"Aeris," he whispered. Just saying the name filled his ever so tormented soul with woe and agony.
Yes, I know that this point is extremely hard for some of you, as you don't like death and grief and angst; that's why you're writing an Aeris Resurrection Fic, after all. But it's all for contrast; just think about how much wider the smile on his face will be when Cloud sees her again!
d) If you want to be a purist, you can call her Aerith. But remember, if you choose to do so, you may be suspected of being a poser, so you must prove that you've played the original game by randomly spewing Japanese throughout your fic.
e) While you're at it, show off your knowledge of pop culture, and have Cloud randomly sing "My Immortal", by Evanescence, remembering to add a line to your disclaimer to tell people that you are not Amy Lee.
Note that many one-shot angst fics end with Cloud's visit to the grave. Right now, you may be having second thoughts about your goal. "Come on," you say, "I already have an almost readable angst fic! Why not quit while I'm ahead? Do I really want to go through with this, and risk losing whatever respect the other fanfiction writers have for me?" But no, you have followed this guide this far, and it's too late to turn back. We are going to write a full blown ARF!
Step 5: The Resurrection
At this point, Cloud should have already gotten to the grave. Now, there are a number of ways you can proceed, depending on the type of story you're writing:
a) Have Aeris pop out of the water, and say: "BOO!"
- Pros:
-You cut right to the chase
-It fits your portrayal of Aeris as a free spirit with a sense of humour.
-Hey, it's definitely surprising.
- Cons:
-Believability is nil. Need I explain why?
b) Have Cloud/Barret/Red XIII/Mysterious-benevolent-witch-who-agrees-to-help- them-for-unknown-reasons say a magic incantation that can revive the dead, a la Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Pros:
-Hey, the mysterious witch could be Jycellaemynthia. You could be in the story! How cool would that be?
-Offers a semi-plausible explanation for why Aeris comes to life. There is magic in the game, after all.
- Cons:
-It's practically begging the question, "But why don't they use the Revive materia? Come to think of it, why didn't they just cast Life or use a Phoenix Down on her in the first place?" Though it may be possible for you to come up with a half-assed explanation, it would involve thinking. That's never a good idea.
-Cloud deliberately reviving Aeris isn't quite as poignant as Aeris coming back from the dead of her own accord when he least expects it.
c) Describe a mysterious but breathtakingly beautiful girl walking by the temple. When Cloud sees her, he notices that she bears a striking resemblance to Aeris. They begin to fall in love, and he notices how similar she is in looks and demeanor to his beloved. Ten chapters later, we discover that she is either possessed by Aeris, a reincarnation of her, or Aeris shapeshifting. Variations of this category seem to be very popular today.
- Pros:
-The option to choose if you want to write a huge epic multi-chaptered story with supernatural elements.
-Somewhat avoids the stigma of being an ARF, as the mystery woman is technically not Aeris.
-As for what you get to name the girl...three guesses.
- Cons:
-If you're following this guide in the first place, then chances are you're too lazy to write an epic, multi-chaptered story.
-Die-hard Aeris fans might only settle for the real thing.
-*cough, cough* Mary-Sue *cough, cough*
d) Aeris suddenly appears in front of him in a flash of light, claiming that "love brought me back".-
Pros:
-Like a), very lazy, and the perfect deus ex machina. Basically, you're saying "I want the broad back and breathing, and I don't care how."
-Unlike a), you can at least pretend that you're taking this story seriously.
-Come on, the power of love brought her back! Isn't that so romantic?
- Cons:
Like a), requires a very large suspension of disbelief.
e) We get a cut-scene, from Aeris' POV, in which the spirits of the Cetra tell her to return to Earth because "she is still needed there".
- Pros:
-It's realistic! Good people never die young in real life, or at least in Harlequin romances, so of course the Planet would find it reasonable to return her.
-Opens the door for a new enemy to face--but now Aeris is back, so the power of love can vanquish them!
- Cons:
-You still have to think of why she is still needed here. Hello, twenty chapter sidequest.
-Remember the Temple of the Ancients? None of the Cetra can talk anymore.
Whichever option you pick should depend on the approach you decide to take, and whether you want the reason for her return to be an integral part of the story, or a mere excuse to reunite her with Cloud.
Step 6: The Reunion
So, Aeris pops out of the lake. Let's say that as a final homage to his departed love, Cloud ever so gently placed a daisy on the surface of the water...but the daisy was magical. Like, maybe it was a Phoenix Down in disguise! What is Cloud's reaction when Aeris's corpse, which has not decomposed in spite of the year it has spent at the bottom of the lake, rises in a pillar of light, and opens its eyes? Does he feel surprise? Fear?
"Aeris!"
No, blind happiness. Cloud knows to accept that she is alive, and not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
A feeling of euphoria permeated Cloud. It was her, his one true love! She stood there before him, her wide green eyes sparkling.
"Yes, Cloud, it's really me! I've come back for you." She smiled--oh, how Cloud loved that smile! So warm, and yet so secretive.
"But Aeris, why now?"
You begin to panic. Indeed, why now? The magic daisy explanation lacks poetry. You are making this up as you go along.
For a while, Aeris was quiet. But when she spoke, there was an almost sad note in her voice.
"Now is not the time...But don't worry, Cloud. Soon, you will understand."
Off the hook, at least for now.
"Oh, Aeris. There's so much to tell you! About Sephiroth, and Shinra, and...we won, oh, Aeris, we won..."
"Soon, Cloud. But first, look into my eyes. From now on, everything will be better." She leaned over, and gently kissed him on the cheek, now wet with his tears. She squeezed his hand.
"Come, take me home."
I'm sure that if you were writing an Aeris Resurrection Fic, you could write a tearful reunion that is less wooden than the one above. But if you are writing an ARF, then your entire story hinges on romance, and tearful reunions should be your specialty. I guess it's a difference of opinion; you love the little in-between moments in stories where characters tenderly look into each other's eyes and melt in a pool of affection, whereas I can't stand them. You are perfectly capable of writing a better romantic scene, so be creative.
Now at this point, again, some writers opt out. "I've already brought her back to life, and thus written the happy ending that I wanted," they say. This is it, the end of their exercise in wish fulfillment. But then, they get a few reviews, most of which are polite. They realize that, wonder of wonders, people are actually reading their story. So they get carried away, and a one-shot fic becomes two chapters...and then five...until they have a bloated novel-length melodrama, and no feasible way of ending it.
Whether or not you want to continue with this is up to you. If you're so lazy that you don't want to do anything with your live Aeris, then make up some ending. Why not show a last romantic kiss or something? Throw in a metaphor if you like; mention the sun rising on another day, or birds flying through the sky. But if you want to continue with your epic masterpiece, keep reading...
Next part: Aeris' homecoming, the Character Information and Reaction Sheets, and Jealous Evil Villainess Tifa.
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~Evil Mina
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