The Forgotten One

By Kal.

I never intended to be a hero.

At Fort Condor, I was just one of many people; but I wanted to do more than just watch over the condorīs nest from the attacks of the Shinra. They had to be stopped, or else they would kill the Planet. I wanted to do something, but I didnīt know what.

Until one day. The Shinra were about to attack us, and we didnīt had enough manpower or money to fend them off. Then they appeared.

The spikey-haired man called Cloud helped us giving us the money we needed, and fighting alongside us. Before he parted, I asked him: "Why?"

"You needed help against the Shinra. We fight against them to protect the Planet from them... and Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth!?"

He told me everything they knew so far. How the Shinra had killed an entire vilage just to get to them. That they wanted to get to the Promised Land to extract all the Mako they could from it. And about Sephirothīs return and that he also was looking for the Promised Land.

"So, youīre in need of all the help you can get, huh?"

"Yes. Five people itīs not enough to battle against the Shinra."

"Make that six people, because Iīm joining you."

"What!?"

"You heard me. The Shinra need to be stopped. And also Sephiroth. I couldnīt just stay here and wait without doing nothing. You need my help and I will help you." I said.

Cloud thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled and shook my hand.

"Letīs meet the rest of the gang. Whatīs your name?"

"My name? You can call me Jerome."

And then I joined Avalanche, and began the greatest adventure of all history. As we were in the Shinra boat, dressed in the uniforms we had stolen, I watched the sunset and thought about my father. He made me promise that I would do something worthy with my life. Thatīs why I was at Fort Condor, trying to save an endangered species. But I think this was more along the lines of what my father had planned for me. Thatīs why he trained me so hard to use the bow and arrows I had brought with me when I joined Cloud and the otherīs.

"Everyone, this is Jerome. He will accompany us from here."

"Hello Jerome" said a girl in a pink dress. Her green emerald eyes had a strange glow that reminded me of Mako. "My nameīs Aeris. Nice to meet you!"

"Wassup? Mah nameīs Barret" said a large black man with a gun on his right arm. I decided to not ask him about it.

"Hi. Iīm Tifa." said a woman with long chocolate-like hair. She looked very strong, and the fighting gloves she used made me realize I better not try anything on her.

"Greetings. You can call me Red XIII." said the large lion that was with them. After a moment of shock, I greeted him back.

I think everyone had their doubts about me. I bet they thought I would abandon them after something scared me enough. But they quickly abandoned that idea after our first emcounter with Sephiroth. I thought he was dead, but he was alive enough to throw a monster at us. After that battle Iīm sure no one thought I would abandon them. Even that ninja girl we found wandering in the forest told me that I had been "Cool".

"Really, when that thing was about to smash me, you shot at it and saved me. Thanks!"

"We have to watch for each other in this team. Maybe someday youīll return me the favor."

"I hope so. By the way, my nameīs Yuffie Kisaragi."

"Iīm Jerome Angelo."

"So, how old are you? You donīt seem older than me." "Heard itīs a big city. What is it like?"

"Itīs big and noisy. And dirty. I didnīt lived in the city, but in the town belown it. All of their waste ended up in the beach near the town. My father always lamented about how beautiful it had been before the Shinra had built the city above us."

"And howīs your father?"

"He died three years ago. A fishing accident. When he died, he made me promise him I would do something worthy with my life. Thatīs why Iīm here. And you?"

"Iīm here because... uhh... well, I heard of you guys adventures and thought I would find some rare Materia if I joined you."

I frowned upon hearing this. She was lying about something.

"Yuffie... thatīs half the truth, isnīt it?"

"... Who do you think you are, questioning me like that!? Just... just get away from me!"

She ran away. I wouldnīt find the truth until later, and it wouldnīt be pretty.

And we continued on, from Costa del Sol to Wutai, finding new allies such as Cait Sith, the fortune-teller cat (we learned later he was controlled at distance by Reeve from the Shinra); Vincent, victim of Professor Hojoīs experiments; and Cid, the pilot who refused to let go of his dream of going into the outer space.

"You still think this junk will fly?" I asked Cid while we were inside the rocket.

"Junk!? JUNK!? This thing will take me someday to outer space!" he said, irritated.

"But as you say, everyday it rusts more. And someday it will fall down. When that happens, whatīre you gonna do?" I asked him.

"Listen, kid. I know that this thing is not as perfect as it should be, but itīs the only way I have of reaching my dream of going into outer space. If I renounced to it, then I would be as good as dead."

"So you will never give up?"

"Never! Someday, youīll see how I go into outer space. Heck, maybe you and your friends will come with me if I feel generous that day. So donīt ever say again this rocket is junk, or Iīll kick your ass so hard youīll end up in the moon before I can get there in my rocket!" he finished clenching his left fist.

I just smiled sympathetically. At that moment I thought it was impossible, but time would prove me wrong.

And then tragedy struck us. I was with Cloud and Tifa when we saw Sephiroth stabbing Aeris in the altar at the City of the Ancients. We were all devastated, especially Cloud, who had feelings for her. I swore that the last thing Sephiroth would see would be me shooting an arrow at him.

"Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planetīs energy. All that is left is to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the snowy fields. There I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl..."

"...Shut up" Cloud said, covered in tears. I had been moving quietly, hoping Sephiroth wouldnīt notice me until it was late. I took one arrow out of the shaft ans tensed the bowīs string with it.

"The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing." Cloud yelled at him. I concentrated on Sephirothīs exposed chest. I wouldnīt fail.

"Ha, ha, ha...... Stop acting as if you were sad. Thereīs no need to act as though youīre angry either." Sephiroth then raised in the air. Just another second...

"Because, Cloud. You are..."

He couldnīt finish. The arrow flew throught the air, directly to his chest. He looked surprised. Then his green eyes looked at me, angered.

"You dare to do this to me!" He growled.

"You deserve that and more!" I yelled.

"Youīll pay for this." He said as he escaped, flying away.

And from there on, everything became crazy. We climbed Gaeaīs Cliff, and learned Cloud was not who we thought he was. Later we found him turned into a vegetable in a hospital at Mideel. Tifa stayed behind to take care of him, while we continued to battle the Shinra and stop the Meteor Sephiroth had summoned. Thank God that Cloud recovered, and told us the truth, how he couldnīt stand being a nobody and created a fantasy so strong even he believed it.

Before I left the room I went next to Cloud and put my hand on his shoulder.

"So, I deceived you all..." he began.

"Cloud, itīs not your fault. You just wanted to be someone. Thatīs what most people wish: to be someone, to not be forgotten. My dad told me once that being forgotten is worse than death itself. In part, thatīs why I joined you all. To do something that helped everyone, and to be remembered for it. Thatīs what I promised my father."

"But you never lied about your motives or yourself."

"Itīs not like you didnīt have a good reason. You didnīt want Tifa to see you as a loser. I also wouldnīt want to appear as a loser to someone I love." I said.

"What? No, me and Tifa are just friends, really."

"She stayed with you at Mideel. And Iīm pretty sure she didnīt do it just because of friendship." I smiled.

"So, what matters now? She now knows I lied to her, to everyone. She must hate me now."

"Of course not! And what if you werenīt a big hero then? Now you are. Thatīs what matters."

I walked to get out of the meeting room, when I heard Cloudīs voice.

"Jerome... Thanks. I donīt know what would we do if you werenīt around."

"Donīt worry. I plan to stick with you to the end."

After that, it seemed as if everything had been planned by something or someone. Cid took his rocket to the space; Yuffie finally confronted her father; Vincent killed Hojo and ended his evil. Red said his final farewell to Bugenhagen. And then we were ready to confront Sephiroth one last time.

The battle was hard, and for moments I thught we wouldnīt made it. But it all ended when one of my arrows pierced Sephirothīs chest. He couldnīt believe that me, the one he paid least attention to, was the one who had ended his pretentions to become a god.

After that, we were ready to go back to the Highwind, when Cloud fell to the ground and clutched his head between his hands. It seemed as if Sephiroth wasnīt dead yet. I also felt a buzz in my head and my spirit was pulled along with that of Cloud to one final confrontation with Sephiroth. Cloud, because he was the one who thwarted his plans; and me, for ending his life and his pretentions as a god.

But he didnīt count on our anger. As Cloud was striking blow after blow with his sword at him, I shot one single golden arrow charged with all my fury and strenght. It passed through him cleanly as Cloud jumped and delivered the final blow. But he would have the last laugh.

"I... hate you... both... You... will... pay... for this... Especially... you..." He said as he pointed at me. An energy blast came out him, traspassed me and then I woke up next to Cloud. His spirit was still away, and the entire place was crubling. He came back in time to save Tifa and himself from a certain death. With the few strenght that I had left, I boarded the Highwind, and dismayed in the Chocoboīs pen.

"Who the hell are you?" Cidīs voice woke me up harshly.

"Cid! Itīs everyone ok?" I asked.

Then Cloud and Red appeared from behind Cid.

"Red! Cloud! Youīre all right!"

"Who are you? And how do you know our names?" Red asked me, puzzled.

"Cīmon, guys. Itīs me, Jerome!"

"Jerome?" Cloud said as he shot a glance at Cid. Cid shrugged and lit another cigarrette.

"Yes. Did we defeat Sephiroth? And the meteor?"

"Yes. We did it. But I donīt remember you being there." Red said.

"What!? I was there with you."

"I... I try to remember... Itīs like a distant dream." Cloud said.

"Me too... But itīs getting harder to remember with each second..."

It struck me. This was Sephirothīs revenge. For someone who had the power to create illusions, to made someone believe he wasnīt who he thought, it dhould be a breeze to make people forgot about something... or someone.

"Well, youīre invited to stay here as long as you want. Weīll reach Kalm in two hours." Cloud then looked at me once more, trying to remember, without success.

I went to the bridge of the ship. I talked with Tifa, Vincent, Barret... I even hoped that, given Cait was controlled at distance, Reeve would remember me.

Everyone had forgotten. And each time I tried to tell them something that could help me to prove them I had been with them all along, my memory clouded. Sephiroth obviously made me forget too about everyone.

When we reached Kalm, I bid everyone farewell. They obviously seemed like they cared about me leaving them, but they couldnīt say why. I left to Fort Condor, the only home I had.

But even there no one remembered me. And since the condorīs egg had hatched long ago, there was no reason for me to stay there. So, I went to Junon. I born and grew up there. Sure they would remember me.

But even there, no one recognized me. Not the old lady who lived in the house next to mine and always had a candy and some word of advice every time I visited her; or the old fisherman who gave me my first job cleaning the fishes he used to catch. To them, I was a newcomer who seemed to know things he shouldnīt.

So, here I am now, at my home at Junon, writing these memories, hoping that one day my friends and everyone who knew me remember who I am and what we did together.

But I donīt think Iīll wait long. There have been rumors about my old friends lately. It seems that this Planet needs our help again. Itīs just a matter of time before they eventually come here again. And when they do, Iīll be ready.

And again, the name of Jerome Angelo will mean something to everyone again.

This time, I will not be forgotten.

Not again.