Young, beautiful and somewhat mysterious, Aeris met Cloud while selling flowers on the streets of Midgar. She decided to join him soon after. Her unusual abilities enable her to use magic but she seems more interested in the deepening love triangle between herself, Cloud and Tifa.
Aeris' personality:
Aeris is bright, bubbly and not afraid to show people her feelings. In a word, Aeris is a very 'cute' character. She has the ability to draw people to her and make them want to protect her, a quality that many find endearing (but an equal number find enraging!). But being sweet doesn't make Aeris stupid, she is a very wise and understanding person. In-tune with nature and other people, she will often jump head first into a situation because of her willingness to help others. Aeris has a good sense of humour, she enjoys playfully teasing her friends and dressing men in womens clothes!
Aeris is a very beautiful girl. She has a heart shaped face, with fairly pale skin. Her most noticable features are probably her eyes, which are a very bright shade of green, or her hair, which reaches new feats in styling at the front! She has allowed her hair to grow down to her waist.
Aeris' Past:
Ifalna was the last of the Cetra. Professor Gast, top ShinRa scientist, escaped with her from the ShinRa by travelling to the Icicle Inn. Once there Professor Gast prepares to conduct an indepth study of the Cetra with Ifalna's help. He creates video diaries of interviews with Ifalna, in which she discusses the tragic history of her people. The pair manage to hide from Hojo and the ShinRa for two years, and over time they fall in love and have a daughter. Professor Gast decides to name her Aeris. The family are happy, but only for a short while. Just 20 days after Aeris' birth the family are interupted by the ShinRa. After two years of searching, Hojo has tracked them down. He is ecstatic to discover that Gast and Ifalna has produced a new 'sample' for his experiments. Ifalna pleads for the ShinRa to leave Aeris alone, but Hojo refuses. Professor Gast tries to protect his family but is murdered in his attempt. Ifalna and Aeris are then taken back to Midgar, to become part of Hojo's twisted experiments.
Around five years after the events at Icicle Inn, Ifalna and Aeris manage to escape the ShinRa. They run as far as Midgar Train Station but, due to the cruel treatment of the ShinRa, Ifalna is to weak to continue any further. A woman, waiting for her husband to return from war, see the the pair and tries to help them. She is Elmyra Gainsborough. Ifalna asks Elmyra to take care of her daughter, and sadly passes away. Before she died she gave Aeris a piece of white materia.
Aeris's life in Midgar:
Aeris, now cared for by Elmyra, grew up in Midgar. Although they lived in the Sector 5 slums, Aeris and Elmyra lived in a nice house. Aeris became interested in the Church, as she discovered it was the only place in all of Midgar that would allow flowers to grow. Aeris cared for the church flowers and sold them for 1 gil each on the streets of Midgar, she became a much loved member of Sector 5. She had the Cetra ability to speak with the planet and the spirts of those who have returned to the planet after death. Although she thought her ability would fade, it didn't and she was able to hear Ifalna's voice from the lifestream, as she got older. Due to her Cetra abilities, the ShinRa began to track Aeris down. She did not know who the Turks were, but knew she had to avoid them.
At the age of 22 Aeris mets with the games hero, Cloud. While selling flowers on the streets of Midgar, Aeris knocked down by people panicing over the explosion coming from the Mako reactor. Aeris then asks Cloud, who has just arrive on the scene, what all the fuss is about. He tells her not to worry and buys a flower from her, she moves on her way. Aeris remembers this meeting and is pleased to meet him again a short time later.
While tending to her flowers in the Church, the roof suddenly comes crashing down along with Cloud, who has just had an encounter with the ShinRa. He has been knocked out and she stands over him until he awakens. They introduce themselves, she reminds him of their first meeting and is pleased to find he also remembers. Aeris discovers that Cloud is somewhat of a 'Jack of All Trades', meaning he does a little of everything. They are talking about this when a red-haired man in a blue suit enters the church along with ShinRa soldiers. Aeris then asks Cloud if he's ever been a bodyguard, and if he will take her home. Cloud (still a little money-grabbing at this stage) won't do it for nothing, she offers him a date in return. He accepts, and discovers that the man is actually Reno of the TURKS, a henchman of the ShinRa. Aeris and Cloud make their escape through the back of the Church, but when climbing to a hole in the roof Aeris falls and become cornered by the soldiers. Cloud runs along the roof beams to some heavy looking barrels. Cloud pushes the barrels off the beams, crushing the Shinra below, allowing Aeris to make her escape. With the ShinRa delayed they are able to climb onto the roof of the building. Cloud then escorts her to home, where they are greeted by Elmyra. Aeris persuades Cloud to spend the night, and tells him she will take him to Sector 7 in the morning. Aeris wakes up early the next morning, and sensing that Cloud will try to leave without her, she waits for him at the edge of Sector 5. He is surprised to see her at first, but allows her to come with him to Sector 7 and Tifa's Seventh Heaven. On the way they come across a park, which Aeris has not been to in years. While sitting on the slide, Aeris notices a girl in the back of a passing cart. It turns out that it is Tifa, a friend of Cloud's. Fearing the worst Aeris and Cloud follow the cart to it's destination of Wallmarket.
After rescuing Tifa, they go to Sector 7, where Barret is battling the ShinRa. Aeris agrees to go and save Marleen while the others try to stop ShinRa. However, when Aeris gets back home with Marleen, the Turks appear. They kidnap Marleen, but Aeris gives herself up in exchange for Marleen. When Cloud and the others get back to Aeris' house, Elmyra is really angry with Barret and Cloud. They go to the ShinRa HQ to rescue Aeris.
Proffessor Hojo is doing tests on her but Cloud and the gang save her. They are however caught and locked up, but when Sephiroth steals Jenova, they manage to escape.
Aeris' Battle to Save the World:
Aeris decides to go with Cloud and the others as she wishes to save the planet. In Gongaga you meet Zack's parents. Aeris runs off and when Cloud talks to you she says she never met him.
In the Gold Saucer, when Cloud goes on a date with her, she tells him that she wants to meet the real Cloud and that he reminds her of her first boyfriend. When Cait Sith reads the fortune of the group, he tells of the great loss that will happen.
Aeris is very upset when they meet Tseng in the temple of the Ancients. As he is dying she tells Cloud about how she knew him when they were younger.
Aeris is able to communicate with the Cetra in the Temple of the Ancients, they tell her of the danger ahead, but Aeris insists on trying to save the planet. She understands how the Cetra in the Temple of the ancients can't die, as they have been away from their Planet for so long.
Aeris trusts Cloud even when he has one of his 'turns'. After the Temple of the Ancients is destroyed, she goes to Cloud in his dreams and tells him that she is going to the Forgotten City and that she will be back when it is over. She goes alone to the Forgotten City which was a town that used to be full of Cetra, but is now deserted.
She went to the Altar to pray for Holy, the white materia that her mother gave her. Cloud and the others arrive there and Cloud has one of his 'turns'. Cloud manages to take control, but Sephiroth swoops down and kills her just as she finishes praying. As she falls forward, her hair falls out and the Holy materia drops out of her hair and falls itno the water below.
The Final Battle:
After Aeris dies, something prevents her from going to the Promised Land and her Spirit lives within the Lifestream. She remains there until the Final battle when she an help Cloud defeat Sephiroth. The Holy materia found it's way to the Lifestream and travelled to the Northern Crater. Metyeor is just about to hit the Planet and the Holy seems to have released it's power too late, then Aeris uses her power to help Holy destroy meteor. Cloud says that he will be able to meet Aeris in the Promised Land. Aeris goes to the Promised Land now, as she has saved the Planet and can rest.
The Truth Behind Aeris:
Zack was Aeris old boyfriend. He was a enthusiastic boy from Gongaga village, who travelled to Midgar for a job. It is never mentioned, how Aeris and Zack met, but Aeris cared for him deeply. He was her first love, and like many girls she is constantly comparing new love interests to him. Zack became a 1st class Soldier and became friends with Cloud. When Zack dies on the Nibelheim mission Aeris never hears from him again. Aeris often tells Cloud how much he reminds her of Zack, which is probably a reason she fell for him.
Aeris never intended to die at the Forgotten city. She tells Cloud that she will be back again and probably thought that Holy would be able to stop Sephiroth. Jenova stopped the Planet from releasing Holy and Aeris failed. Aeris always thought she would return, but she never got to.
Summary:
It is quite obvious that Aeris fell in love with Cloud from the start, but as he already has feelings for Tifa, a love triangle is formed between them. Cloud reminds Aeris of her first love, Zack, who left to join SOLDIER at the same time as Cloud. It turns out that Cloud met Zack while training, and looked up to him. Distraught after Zack's murder, Cloud took his sword and began living his life as Zack would have. This is the reason for the similarities between them. Cloud appears to have some feelings for Aeris which may have developed into more, had she lived. Cait Sith tells Cloud and Aeris that they are perfect match, which is probably one of the only two true readings he ever gives.
Aeriswill always love Zack, as he was her first love, however I think Cloud and Aeris belonged together.
Tseng grew up with Aeris, and he has always had a crush on her. However, this doesn't stop him doing his duty as a Turk and trying to capture her, he even hits her sometimes. But overall, Tseng treats her better than the rest of the ShinRa and allows her to escape on some occasions. Aeris and Cloud discover Tseng dying in the Temple of the Ancients, Aeris is upset by this but refuses to say anything sympathetic to him. This is because she felt betrayed by her childhood friend, who later helped to hunt her down. Tseng's feelings for Aeris cause Elena to be bitter towards her. This is because Elena loves Tseng and just before he died he invited her out to dinner, but he never made it. Elena blamed Cloud and the others for his death.
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